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:

The game is a 3D dungeon crawler RPG and features two plot lines: Goddess and Devil King. Gust worked on the scenario for Goddess, while Nippon Ichi did the Devil King scenario.

Idea Factory is developing the title, which is currently 60 percent. Trinity Universe is penciled in for an August release in Japan.

The game is peppered with characters from Ar tonelico, Atelier Iris, Darkstalkers, Disgaea, Spectral Souls and Mana-Khemia 2.

To gear up for the game's North American release this May, NIS America is running a Cross Edge contest. Even if you don't want to participate, it's neat just to check out the different costume designs. Which is your favorite?

More in the link below.

The Best Costume Contest! [NIS America]

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!

NIS America bringing Gust's Mana Khemia to North America [RPGLand]