May 25^th, 2005 (3:38pm) - Namco has announced that Arc the Lad: End of Darkness has gone gold and will be ready to ship in June, exclusively for the PS2. End of Darkness will be the first game in the Arc the Lad series to feature real-time combat and will even feature an online multiplayer modes.

End of Darkness takes takes place five years after the events of Arc The Lad: Twilight of the Spirits. Young warrior Edda’s life is forever changed when he meets the mysterious Kirika. Players will embark on an epic journey through the most evil-infested areas of the world, utilizing powerful weaponry and magic to avert the threat, unlocking 24 playable characters from the Arc The Lad series in the process. Players can then take the adventure online, battling competitively with up to seven other players in Match Mode, or teaming up with three other combatants in Co-op Mode to proceed through quests, defeat powerful enemies and collect cards for items and rare equipment while upgrading their character.

Click on the thumbnails below for larger versions of these newly released screens: