“With Fullmetal Alchemist, our goal is to deliver a thrilling interactive experience that is authentic to the TV show by incorporating the character voices and cinematic scenes, as well the uniquely compelling use of alchemy,” said Paul Rinde, Chief Executive Officer of Destineer. “There is certainly a groundswell of anticipation already brewing and we are excited to be kicking off the first in a series of Fullmetal Alchemist games with a wonderfully creative Nintendo DS offering.”

Based on one of the hottest anime series ever introduced, Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy is a side-scrolling action/adventure game that puts players in the role of Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist on a quest to defeat the evil Homunculi and acquire the fabled Philosopher’s Stone.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy integrates an innovative twist via the use of alchemy - which is the ability to transform objects from one form into another - and its strategic impact on the game. Whether repelling defenders, removing obstacles or engaged in battle, all six characters have unique and devastating alchemy attacks, which range in scope from bolts of fire and stone spikes, to monstrous cannons and gigantic fists. By holding down the alchemy button on the Nintendo DS touch screen, players can transform their initial alchemy creation into a mega-weapon of tremendous proportions and impact.

Covering the entire Fullmetal Alchemist storyline, Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy has two modes of play: Story Mode, which follows the saga of the Elric brothers and includes cinematics and battle sequences from the TV series; and Character Mode which allows players to assume the role of one of the six characters. Upon finishing the game with a particular character, players are rewarded with a special character cinematic from the TV show.

Additional exciting features of Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy include:

• Ability to play as one of six characters: Edward or Alphonse Elric, Roy Mustang, Alex Louis Armstrong, Izumi or Scar; as well as acquire the special moves of the other characters;
• Voice-over from the stars of the Cartoon Network series;
• A host of unlock-able content, including talking character alarm clocks, character galleries, video and sound libraries, and more;
• More than 10 touch screen mini-games, including “Whack-A-Homunculus” and “Fullmetal vs. Flame” all add exciting new challenges between battles.

Developed by Bandai, Destineer’s Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy is scheduled to ship this fall.