PSP gets a new monster-based action RPG - Coded Soul

You'd be justified in arguing the PSP needs another action RPG like it needs another peripheral announcement - in theory we all love them but you can have too much of a good thing. And if you don't believe us, just check out the commercial performance of high quality games like Jeanne d'Arc and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions.

Still it seems that when it comes to Coded Soul from Japanese studio Gaia, the hybridisation of genres is the key element with the action RPG meeting and breeding with monster collection and evolution games such as the hugely successful Pokémon series.

There are plenty of hackneyed elements though. Playing the character of soldier Jay, your girlfriend May needs to be saved and only you can do it. So, heading through the Monolith Gate, into the world of Idea, off you go.

Your power, as the game's title suggest, is the ability to suck up the souls of defeated enemies, transforming them into potential allies you can add to your group. As you can see from this rather smooth video (click on the video button), the real-time action takes places in Final Fantasy-style battle arenas in which you have direct control over Jay and has various sword and gun-based weapons, while your two artificial intelligent-controlled allies fight alongside you. To that degree, it reminds us a bit of DS monster battler Spectrobes.

And similar to that title, you'll be able to choose your group from a range of different captured creatures that will learn new skills and attacks as you level them up.

In keeping with Sony's connectivity push between PSP and PS3, you'll be able to send special items between Coded Soul and PS3 RPG Folklore to unlock new quests. The game also share a loose collection of monsters with Coded Soul developer Gaia assisting Folklore developer Game Republic in terms of character design.

Coded Soul will be released in Japan on February 7th. As yet, there's no news about the likelihood of a US or European release.