The game was released in Japan last September and North America this past spring to so-so reviews. The Xbox 360 version, called Cross Edge Dash, is slated for an October release in The Land of the Rising Sun.

Check out our impressions of the PS3 original here.

The Western branch of Nippon Ichi Software is taking a hit with the sagging economy, Akenaga said. Worse, he added, a lot of Japanese companies are restricting corporate travel right before E3 on account of swine flu concerns.

But despite the company's struggles and despite its smallish size, NIS America is still delivering the goods with this year's announced lineup:

A Witch's Tale (DS) – Fall 2009
Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days (PSP) – Summer 2009
Last Rebellion (PS3) – Fall 2009
Puchi Puchi Virus (DS) – May 2009
Cross Edge (PS3) – May 2009
Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What did I do to deserve this? (PSP) – July 2009
Mana Khemia 2 (PS2) – Fall 2009
Phantom Brave: We Meet Again (Wii) – June 2009
Sakura Wars (PS2, Wii) – Fall 2009
Full Blast Hitchhike (WiiWare) — TBD

Last Rebellion and A Witch's Tale will be playable at E3. Additionally, Disgaea chief programmer Yoshitsuna Kobayashi announced that he'd tentatively be releasing his own game this year from his new self-named studio. Kobayashi said that his game won't focus so much on graphics as much as it will on gameplay and that he hopes to have something to show off soon.

Here's our coverage:
Holy Invasion Of Privacy, Badman! Officially Announced For PSP
Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! We Deserve This New Trailer And Screens
Sega's Sakura Wars Finally Coming Stateside (But Not From Sega)
Witch's Tale Back With A Cute Vengeance (And Screens)
NIS Reveals The Last Rebellion For PlayStation 3
Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! Preview: Badman Does Good Things
Cross Edge Crosses The Sexy Line
Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days Coming Stateside
Puchi Puchi Virus Screens Make Outbreaks Adorable
Full Blast Hitchhike Preview: Just As Weird With The Name Change
Phantom Brave: We Meet Again Looks Hauntingly Familiar
Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy Falls In Fall

And here's the swag report (not pictured because my camera is flipping out):
1 Prinny plush
1 Badman 3D puzzle

Enjoy!

This means we get all kinds of characters from the cute to the scary and the fugly to the sexy. Pictured here is Morrigan from Capcom's Darkstalkers (among other 2D fighting games) who is both sexy and scary.

Sadly, I didn't get to see her for myself in the 25 minutes I spent playing the game at last night's NIS press event. As a matter of fact, I can't say that I saw nearly enough to get a good feel for the game – but what I saw looked like old school RPG with a layer of sexy on top.

Cross Edge is a "classic" RPG in that there are a lot of gameplay throwbacks to many of the franchises from which it borrows characters. The brief taste I got of the game were mostly combat encounters on a 2D plane where you could angle the camera with the right analog stick to create a 3D angle. Battles occur by random encounter with the agility stat determining who goes first and AP determining what moves your characters could use.

There were four characters in my party (none of whom I recognized immediately, but I missed out on Ar Tonelico and Mana Khemia) each with their own AP gauge. I could cycle through the characters with L1 and R1, which came in handy whenever a chain attack between multiple characters became possible. Once a character ran out of AP, the only way to replenish was to end the turn either through the start menu or with the right analog stick shortcut I eventually discovered. You could also score AP by breaking the enemy's guard with special moves.

I was totally sucked in at this point and only noticed that the journalist next to me had triggered a Morrigan cut scene when some lookers-on started catcalling the screen. I thought they were being silly ‘til I got at look her bust line. Turn-based combat? I bet she can't eat a sandwich without falling out!

Cross Edge was supposed to ship this March, but it slipped to a late May release. Just as well – an epic game like this will require epic amounts of time that only the summer can provide.

Get a look — and see if you can spot the downloadable content teaser screens:

Cross Edge, or X-Edge, is every JRPG fans' wet dream, combining characters from Nippon Ichi, Gust, Capcom, Namco Bandai, and Idea Factory into one gigantic, Compile Heart developed RPG. The plot? I don't care. Seriously. I could care less why I get to play Disgaea's Etna and Darkstalkers Felicia in one game. I am completely satisfied with the fact that I can, and after that I can dress them in different outfits. Glee!

Check out RPGamer's extensive interview with NIS America, which also features updates on A Witch's Tale, Ar Tonelico 2, Mana Khemia: Student Alliance, and other titles making up my most anticipated for 2009 list.

RPGamer Feature - The State of NIS America Interview [RPGamer - Thanks Baldockra!]

Of course, being relatively timid RPG players we'd then apologize and quietly pre-order the import version once the tell us no, but for a brief moment we'd be united. That's the power of Felicia and a prinny on the same screen.

Cross Edge is a new RPG due out in Japan for the PlayStation 3 this September that is a collaboration between some of the top names in the genre. Nippon Ichi, Gust, Namco Bandai, Idea Factory, and even Capcom have lent their properties to this superstar game, which features characters from Darkstalkers, Disgaea, Ar Tonelico, and many more. Hell, a game with Etna and Morrigan together alone is worth eleventy million dollars. The game features turn-based battles, a plot that involves rescuing souls, and...if you look to the bottom right corner of the scan...the ability to dress your characters up in a wide variety of outfits, from PE clothes to devil costumes.

Chances of this coming out in the states? Pretty damn unlikely. Chances of me importing this? Over nine thousand. Thanks to SupaPhly for the scans!