Bladestorm: Nightmare coming to PS4 and Xbox One in March

Bladestorm: Nightmare will deliver an updated version of Omega Force's much-overlooked battlefield tactics title early next year.

Bladestorm: Nightmare isn't just an HD makeover of the PS3 original; it adds a whole swathe of new content including the titular "nightmare", a fantasy-themed scenario, and the ability to play as multiple historical figures rather than your own original mercenary only.

Koei Tecmo has elected to release the PS4 and Xbox One title in the west in March, apparently; its Australian PR firm told us this morning that Bladestorm: Nightmare will arrive in Australia on March 5, and European PR has it pegged for March 6. No word yet on North America.

If you're not familiar with Bladestorm, it's an odd sort of departure from the Dynasty Warriors formula Omega Force is known for. Players create a mercenary and roam the battlefield commanding groups of soldiers. There's a vast rock-paper-scissors like system of strengths and weaknesses that makes spear units very strong against swords and cavalry very weak against long spears, for example. Each troop kind is levelled up individually.

The game is set during the Hundred Years War and players can fight for both France and England as they please, although will have to commit to one side or another for a few key decisive battles. Jeanne d'Arc and Edward the Black prince play prominent roles along with a colourful cast of real and invented characters, and although the player nominally answers to their commands most missions are pretty freeform.

I like it a lot.