Sakaguchi and his team at Mistwalker finally unveiled new gameplay and story trailers for their upcoming RPG Fantasian. The main visual motif of this game is handmade diorama’s used for the locations and dungeons. It is very distinct and adds an extra layer of uniqueness. It’s like handmade pre-rendered backgrounds from the PS1 era. Except this time, they are in HD with impeccable detail. I think it’s a stroke of genius artistically. And they look great with the character models. Also, Nobuo Uematsu will be lending his amazing skills to craft the soundtrack for this game.
I will say that the platform to play this on is a head-scratcher. While Apple has a huge user base, I don’t think of Apple users as your typical JRPG fan. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. Nevertheless, it is for the Apple ecosystem. Sakaguchi told CNET why the Apple platforms were his choice to run this game:
“I think the dioramas have an interesting synergy with the Apple Arcade platform,” Sakaguchi said. “Most of the devices I imagine [that people play on] are iPads or iPhones. Because those are mediums were you tap the screen with your hand, there’s a touch-based interface. The dioramas, which are also handcrafted, have that human touch. Through the glass — the medium — you’re touching these elements that the artisans created by hand.” (CNET)
I do hope this gets a Nintendo Switch port at some point, but I won’t cross my fingers for that. Mistwalker doesn’t have a track record of porting their games to multiple consoles and platforms. We’ll have to see if this changes for Fantasian which is due for release this year. No official release date has been given, but we’ll keep you updated on this story.
Check out the new trailers below:
The tale begins in a realm governed by machines. Within this multi-dimensional universe, the balance of “Chaos and Order” becomes a key factor in the struggle for these realms and the machinations of the gods who wish to control them. Players will assume the role of protagonist, Leo, who awakens from a massive explosion only to find himself lost in a strange land with only one memory left to him. As players set out on a journey to reclaim Leo’s memories, they will unravel the mysteries of the bizarre mechanical infection slowly engulfing all that is known to mankind. The captivating story is written by Sakaguchi and is complimented by a sweeping soundtrack by celebrated Final Fantasy composer, Nobuo Uematsu.
To tell an epic story, a ‘novel’ approach was used in the form of a “Memory” system where players encounter and collect various memories, journal entries, and notes presented as miniature in-game novels to flesh out the story, realms, and characters of Fantasian. These bite-sized novels have unique artwork, music, and sound effects to offer players a truly immersive experience.
● New Battle Mechanics
Tapping into his experience from the Final Fantasy franchise, Sakaguchi brings to Fantasian several quality of life improvements to the classic JRPG genre, such as the “Dimengeon Battle” mechanic, which allows players to send previously encountered enemies into a separate dimensional dungeon to streamline combat and maximize uninterrupted exploration of the beautiful locations.
● Hand-Crafted Environments
Each of the 150+ dioramas has been crafted by the masters of the Japanese “Tokusatsu” or special effects industry. Creating Fantasian’s real-life miniature sets are veterans who have worked on projects like the Godzilla films, Attack on Titan, and Ultraman. Fantasian serves as a vehicle to bring these amazing works of art into the digital space via Apple Arcade.
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