The upcoming collection will consist of two Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom titles never before seen outside of Japan.
Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles, a collection of two cult classic turn-based RPGs developed by Nippon Ichi Software, will be making its descent to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam later this year, according to an announcement released today by international publisher NIS America. Consisting of two Rhapsody titles – Rhapsody II: Ballad Of The Little Princess and Rhapsody III: Memories Of Marl Kingdom – the Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles collection is set to launch worldwide this coming summer.
At launch, all versions of the collection will include both English and Japanese audio options, with on-screen text in English only. On Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5, the collection will be available both physically and as a digital download. On PC, however, the two Marl Kingdom games in the collection will be sold as separate titles, and their release will be an exclusively digital one via Steam.
NIS America has also announced a collector’s edition for the upcoming release. Priced at 89.99 USD, the Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles Limited Edition comes packaged with a hardcover art book titled Memories In Melody, two acrylic displays, a cloth poster, three Royal Crescendo art cards, two original soundtracks – one for each of the Marl Kingdom titles in the collection – and the deluxe physical edition of the collection for either PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch.
Also available to preorder through NIS America’s Online Store is a Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles acrylic print. Priced at 299.99 USD, the 15″ by 15″ print displays an artwork titled Harmonious Heroes featuring the cast of the Marl Kingdom saga. Both the acrylic print and the collector’s edition are expected to ship in the Summer of 2023.
The first two games in the Marl Kingdom saga were originally released on the PlayStation in Japan in 1998 and 1999 respectively, with the third game in the series following on the PlayStation 2 a year after the second game. While an English localization of the first game in the series was eventually published by Atlus under the title Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure, the second and third games have remained Japanese exclusives since their launch.
According to the listing on the NIS America Online Store, the worldwide release of Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles will showcase improved “storybook visuals,” as well as a brand new 3D camera mode for Rhapsody III: Memories Of Marl Kingdom. While the collection notably lacks the first game in the Marl Kingdom series, all those wishing to play it can do so via Steam, where it was released as a standalone title in August last year. Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure is also available on Nintendo Switch as a part of the Prinny Presents NIS Classics Volume 3 compilation.
