Following the release of Xak: The Art of Visual Stage on Switch back in March, D4 Enterprise has announced that it will also be reissuing its sequel Xak II: Rising of the Red Moon on the Nintendo machine next month, on November 7th (as spotted by @gosokkyu!).
Much like its predecessor, the main game is expected to be presented pretty much as it was back when it was originally released, with D4 Enterprise only adding a gallery, alongside an English "how to play" section, and English menus. As a result, this one might not be ideal for most people hoping to get stuck into the popular Japanese title, but will arguably be of interest to those who possess a knowledge of Japanese or who have the patience to play it with the help of a live translation device.
Xak II was originally released by the Japanese developer Microcabin in 1990 for the MSX, PC-88, and PC-98, and was also later ported across to the FM Towns computer and the Sharp X68000 in 1991 and 1992 (respectively).
In 1992, the game got an enhanced remake for the PC Engine CD with new graphics, voice acting, and cutscenes from Telenet Japan, who packaged it together with a similarly improved version of its predecessor.
Xak II takes place three years after the events of the original Xak and sees players assume control of the hero Latok Kart, as they arrive in the village of Banuwa, after hearing rumours about the whereabouts of their missing father. Accompanied by his fairy companion, he winds up talking to the local townsfolk and soon embarks on another quest, to stop a bunch of evil minions from conjuring a fearsome demon, called Zamu Gospel.
Unlike the first game, it doesn't feature Ys-like bump action gameplay but instead introduces the ability to swing your sword to attack. Players can also jump this time around, too, which can be used to overcome some other obstacles in your path.
You can find some screenshots below: