The mystery behind Square-Enix’s recent teaser campaign has ended as the company announced Four Warriors of Light: Final Fantasy Gaiden, an all-new DS title that looks like a throwback to Final Fantasy games of yore.
Square-Enix’s teaser campaign for its NEW GAME has ended like most of these things do: a magazine ran an article revealing the game that hit newsstands before the teaser countdown finished. Famitsu was the magazine in question this time, and the game isn’t a new Romancing SaGa or Secret of Mana, but a new Final Fantasy for the DS.
This isn’t another remake, however. Four Warriors of Light: Final Fantasy Gaiden (that’ll change in localization) uses the same 3D engine as the Final Fantasy remakes on DS have, but it’s a new game built from the ground up. You play as a 14-year-old lad who has to rescue a princess, and then eventually has to rescue the world. Haven’t heard that one before.
Battles are classic turn-based style, but seem to ditch the typical Final Fantasy “Magic” menu option for a “Charge” command that you apparently use to build Action Points to spend on any of your abilities – attacks, items, etc.
“Magic” isn’t the only thing Four Warriors is ditching, however. The game breaks the long-held Final Fantasy tradition of not showing a character’s equipment on that character – you can see your weapons and gear in this game, which would suggest to me there’s some loot-oriented focus to it.
The other thing that’s notable about Four Warriors so far is the visuals. It’s pretty clear it’s the same 3D engine Square’s been using on the DS, but the graphics don’t look nearly as technically impressive. This could just be the scans, or an aesthetic choice: shadows and colors are more watercolor-y and character models stylistically simple. Akihiko Yoshida, who worked as art director on FFXII, Tactics and Vagrant Story, will be in charge of the art here, so rest assured it’s in good hands (if you like his work, that is).
[Via Game|Life]
