A few months ago, the PlayStation Network unveiled its PS One Imports section which has so far played host to several shooters and niche Japanese games that have never seen an international release. There was also the curious addition of the cult Strategy RPG – Arc the Lad. Trouble is, you couldn’t buy it soon after it was unveiled and then it was taken down completely. The reason it turns out was because Sony posted the Japanese version by mistake.

The good news is that come 18 January 2012, the game will be reinstated on the PlayStation Network in the PS One Classics section in full English. A post on Sony’s PlayStation Europe blog explains the situation a little more:

Many of our games are true Japanese imports. When we first released Arc on the EU PlayStation, the game was in Japanese. But a game of Arc’s complexity needs to be in English. Working Design’s wonderfully localized version is still one of the most appreciated tactical RPGs of all time. So we can now present the full depth of story in English that was needed to enjoy this game.

For those who will probably not be aware of the PlayStation cult classic outside of America and Japan, the PlayStation Europe blog provides a helpful starting point to give players an insight to just what the SRPG was about and how it played.

Players follow the young adventurer Arc, who sets out to save a world teetering on the edge of oblivion. But he’s not alone; seven different party members will join the quest over the course of the game, each one bursting with dozens of hand-drawn frames of animation that immerse players in the surreal fantasy landscape.

Arc the Lad introduced gameplay features like jumping and body blocking that extended the tactical strategy element. Further enhancing the game’s presentation, the epic soundtrack is widely remembered for its excellence. Players can also choose to plumb the depths of an optional 50-level dungeon that, if conquered, will influence future events in Arc the Lad II, unlocking a key character and a separate side quest.

To further entice you, here is a short trailer showing some rather retro styled visuals, combined with fast paced tactical gameplay. A look at the Wikipedia log will tell you that the game provided many hours of gameplay, so it certainly isn’t going to be over soon after you bought it! Just to recap, Arc the Lad will be made available on the PSN (again) on 18 January 2012.