To close out the Dragon Quest 35th Anniversary livestream today, Square Enix announced a new mainline entry in the long-running RPG series, Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate.
The game was revealed by a brief cinematic (embedded below) showing the logo being being carved out of barren earth. A menacing voice then said the tagline, which, according to the stream’s translator, is “What is the purpose of life?”
Through the translator, Designer Yuji Horii explained that the tagline refers to the both the gameplay and the narrative. “It’s about having options,” he said. “You have to choose your own way of how to play.” He said that the player’s decision can have ramifications on the whole game.
The development team also seems to be taking some risks, with changes coming to the familiar command battle system. However, Horii seemed to imply that the changes to that system remain in the prototyping stage.
Perhaps most surprising is that the game will have a darker tone than previous entries. Horii said, “It’s a more darker impression. It’s like Dragon Quest for adults.”
Dragon Quest XII is currently without a release window or target platforms.
During the stream, the company also announced five other new games, a HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest III; a new spin-off called Dragon Quest Treasures; a free-to-play, puzzle-based mobile spin-off called Dragon Quest Keshi Keshi; the next season of Dragon Quest X; and Dragon Quest X Offline. The last three will be available only in Japan.
