Gamers looking for a bit more RPG gaming on the go have something new to look forward to. EA announced this week that Orcs & Elves, the 2006 mobile title, will be getting a sequel and an upgraded DS port.

Orcs & Elves II allows players to take on the role of a thief by the name of Valin accompanied by a mouse familiar that defies RPG tradition by being named Bob. The familiar will aid Valin in various tasks such as puzzle solving, rooting out secrets, and scouting for enemies. As a thief, Valin will boast of a larceny level that will affect how the characters in the game react to him: overdo it and face consequences such as merchants raising their prices due to lost inventory. Valin's quest will take place in a more expansive setting than that of the original game. Instead of being confined in dungeons, the new game will allow players to explore the outside world and visit towns. The gameplay will remain similar to that of Orcs & Elves, with a traditional RPG feel and grid-based movement.

The original Orcs & Elves was developed by id Software and now Fountainhead Software will take up the mantle for the DS version. Orcs & Elves DS will include new features that were cut from the mobile version due to hardware limitations. It will also include improved graphics and bonus content such as new foes, levels, and items.

"Orcs & Elves was a perfect fit for the DS," said founder and technical director at id Software, John Carmack. "We were able to take excellent advantage of the 3D hardware and unique user input capabilities, and expand the game to include a lot of wonderful features that we just couldn't fit on the cell phones. Orcs & Elves II is a polished gem of a game for the mobile platforms, opening up new parts of the world to explore, while carrying forward and improving all the elements that were loved about the original game."

"Orcs & Elves changed a lot of people's perceptions by showing that you could build an easily accessible, story-rich RPG for today's mobile phones," added VP of worldwide studios for EA Mobile, Travis Boatman.

There's been no word yet as to when we can expect the duo of games. Look to RPGamer for more information as it becomes available.