January 25^th, 2005 (12:56pm) - Namco Hometek Inc. announced today it will be continuing the epic Arc The Lad series this May with the next installment Arc the Lad: End of Darkness for the PlayStation 2.

Arc the Lad: End of Darkness takes place five years after, yet in the same world as Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits. Players take the role of Edda, a young man whose youth is marked by a "boring island life". His serenity is shattered, however, when he meets Kirika, a rude young woman, on the beach. Shortly after, Edda tries to help a hunter capture vicious criminals, but the latter gets killed. Edda notices Kirika standing nearby, and his suspicions begin to grow about the mysterious young woman. Edda who has awakened as a full-fledged exorcist becomes a hunter himself, and realizing a sense of responsibility to save the weakened world, he sets out on a remarkable journey that will ultimately pit civilization against nature.

"We are excited to be able to bring the long-running Arc The Lad series back to game fans in this newest installment," said Jeff Lujan, Business Director at Namco Hometek Inc. "With new features such as real-time action and the return of original characters from the series, this next episode is sure to be a hit with RPG fans everywhere."

The first real-time action-style battle system in the Arc the Lad series, Arc the Lad: End of Darkness delivers remarkable battle intensity as players perform real-time combat combos, equip items and cast magic. The series that has been highly successful in Japan returns to the US with an improved upgrade and guild system, all the while a deep storyline unfolds that brings the return of 24 favorite characters in the series, each with his or her own unique weaponry and skills.

Take your favorite single player character online in intense match mode battles with up to 8 players (playing 4-on-4), or in a team-based coop mode where teams of 4 proceed through the missions, search for rare items by defeating enemies in dungeons, and chat live. Online exclusive missions are included for a truly unique online experience.

Arc the Lad: End of Darkness is due out this May exclusively for PlayStation 2.