"The Last Remnant," New Square-Enix RPG for 360/PS3?

RC Cola · May 7, 2007

Taken from NeoGAF (which is taken from Gameinformer I believe)
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=154207

The Last Remnant

Spring 2008 - Next Generation Consoles - 1 Player RPG

One thousand years ago humanity came into contact with Remnants. These magical fragments of a bygone era were once used to promote peace across the world. Soon, as the rift grew between those who ruled and those who obeyed, the remnants ceased being instruments of balance, and instead became paths to immeasurable power. Where once there had been peace, only bloodshed remained.

- Released simultaneously in U.S. and Japan

-Two prominent characters each created to appeal to a specific territory. Rush Sykes will appeal to JP gamers, and "The Conqueror" for Western Audiences. Game won't force you to choose which character you play.

- Remnants vary in size and can take the form of machines, beasts, and weapons.

- 4 races revealed: Mitra (humans), Yama (Large fish-like beings), Qsiti (small humanoid lizards), Sovanni (four armed cat like creatures)

- Battle System will not be passive and will include QTEs in certain instances. Fights still take place in a turn based frame work.

- This is the first UE3 game SE will be releasing. Graphics look great so no worries there.
Click to expand...

I put 360/PS3 in the title, although I guess it isn't directly confirmed (UE3 and next-gen consoles seems to confirm it though...or maybe Dreamcast 2 will launch next year!).

I guess I'll see if I can hunt down any more info and/or scans, although they'll probably show this at their event coming up soon (this week IIRC...there are several events this month).

Surprised this wasn't called FFXIII: The Last Remnant.

edit: More info...

- Directed by Hiroshi Takai

Square Enix knows role playing games. In the video game industry, rarely is a single company so closely tied to the identity of an entire genre. The company is responsible for two of the biggest RPG franchises in the world, Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, and people have been playing these series since the 8-Bit era. RPG fans know Square Enix as the name to turn to for grand adventures, unforgettable characters, and jaw-dropping moments remembered for years. Recently, Square Enix has devoted considerable energy to iterating on its past successes, but that doesn't mean the company isn't moving forward. Next year gamers will be treated to "The Last Remnant", an all new title that incorporates all the rich locations and thrilling combat an RPG fan could hope for, along with a handful of unexpected details that will help define the direction of the genre this generation.

In addition to marking the beginning of a new franchise for SE, TLR represents a significant deviation from the way RPGs have traditionally been presented to a North American audience. Since most role playing titles are created by Japanese developers, they are released in Japan first, and then find their way to American gamers after a delay for localization (which took 7 months for FFXII for example). With TLR, this process will change; the game will be released simultaneously in the U.S. and Japan. "From the conceptual stage of this project, we kept a global market in mind, placing a special emphasis on the North American market" says director Hiroshi Takai.

One of the Results of this emphasis is the fact that the game has two prominent characters, each created to appeal to a specific territory. The Japanese audience is most likely to connect with Rush Sykes, an energetic and idealistic 18 year old swordsman. On the other hand, American gamers will probably be more drawn to the dark and mysterious figure only referred to as The Conqueror. Older and battle hardened, The Conqueror is unlike Rush in almost every way. Despite this clear distinction, TLR does not force players to choose one character or the other. While interesting in its attempt to reach out to American gamers with The Conqueror, the game will be exactly the same on both shores, with Rush set up as the primary protagonist.

"Rush is the main character of this game," Takai clarifies. "He was designed with the traditional SE RPG style in mind, but the players' impression of him will likely change once they advance in the game. You can expect a lot of plot twists involving him." Even though Rush drives the tail at first, he has an unknown connection to The Conqueror that slowly draws that character into a more prominent position as the tale unfolds. "The Conqueror is a type of dark hero which is a first for a SE RPG," Takai admits. "As you can see from his costume, tainted red by blood (it was originally white), the cruelty that he holds within will have a great effect on the overall story.

Though the tale eventually expands into these dark corners, players are introduced to the world of TLR in a familiar fasihon. The adventure begins on an isolated island called Eulam where Rush and his sister Irina lead carefree lives. That all changes early on when Irina is kidnapped by a mysterious organization and Rush finds himself in the middle of a world spanning conflict somehow tied to ancient and powerful relics called remnants.

As the game's title would imply, Remnants are a key part of practically every element of the world. What exactly they are however, is difficult to define. Remnants vary in shape and size, and can take the form of machines, bests, and weapons. "Humans first came into contact with remnants about 1000 years ago." For instance, one Remnant, the Valeria Heart, is a sword the size of a small mountain. It is surrounded by the town of Athlum, which was built up around the artifact because of its extraordinary qualities. The Valeria Heart bestows courage upon those around it, and it also is responsible for the plentiful water supply. Like this sword, remnants can have an array of unique powers - some of which are hidden or unknown.

In contrast to the monumental Valeria Heart, we witnessed another Remnant in action with more offensive capabilities. On a sprawling battle field, a group of soldiers set up an enormous cannon that was clearly controlled by a handheld analogue - wielded by an unnamed character. As the young man wearing a mechanical eye patch charged his gun ad pulled the trigger the nearby cannon gathered energy and fired a devastating blast into the fray.

Because of their power and rarity, Remnants are priceless treasures. Not everyone is able to carry one into battle, and must instead rely on more conventional (at least for fantasy RPGs) methods of attack. "Swords and magic are the basic common weapons in the world," Takai states. "However, the remnants are considered as mysterious technology that no one can explain. We currently cannot even disclose if remnants are machines, structures, or living breathing things.

We may not know exactly how to classify Remnants, but we do know that people will go to great lengths to obtain them. The Conqueror for instance, has made it his mission to seize and collect as many as possible, though his intentions are unclear. The primary struggles in the game are fueled by the Remnants and the desire to control them, which often results in massive and bloody conflicts. these clashes are not limited to cutscenes and event sequences; the central combat system in TLR focuses on the player's ability to direct the battles between opposing armies.

In traditional Japanese RPGs, turn based fights usually pit players against various kinds of flora and fauna, politely giving and receiving beatings in an orderly fashion. Instead of this back and forth, the emphasis here is on recreating the sensation of a soldier on the battlefield. The cinematic angles are meant to give a more realistic flow to the combat, and it will not be a passive affair where you just select "attack" and watch your party jump over an invisible line separating friend from foe. After you choose an action, you will need to adapt to changing circumstances, which might require you to perform a series of timed button presses in mid-attack. Success in these situations can score you a critical hit, while failure might mean you deal less damage. For those traditionalists that are scared off by real time RPGs, don't worry; the fights still take place in a turn based framework. This isn't a real time hack n' slash like Dynasty Warriors.

Rush plays the role of one soldier among dozens as players group him and his companions into different Unions - small groups of five that can be ordered to perform actions on the battlefield. Though they are unified, the characters in Unions don't sacrifice their individual strengths. Different characters have special attacks and unique abilities, though these may vary depending on the current situation on the battlefield. "The commands can differ depending on the combination of Union members, the target of the battle, and morale. Players must make decisions based on these factors," says Takai.

The morale Takai refers to is another pivotal factor on the battlefield. Represented by a meter on the top of the screen, it fluctuates throughout the battle, resulting in different consequences. "If morale is low, characters will not be able to exert their powers. Players must aim to continuously improve their battle-styel and commands, or they may end up with a very difficult battle," Takai cautions. We saw an example of these shifting tides as two armies met in the middle of a field. Outnumbered, one side was immediately at a morale disadvantage. That changed as soon as a magic user summoned a monstrous flying beast, which sent the opposing army's morale into the gutter. Then Rush came in to save the day by calling forth a lumbering golem onto the field, which once again tipped the scales in his favor. It is easy to imagine that this seemingly simple match of tug of war will become the key to victory, especially considering that up to 70 units will be engaged in combat at once.

The conflicts in TLR aren't limited exclusively to such a grand scope. However, with the potential for massive clashes, there is certainly an effort to avoid throwaway fights and make each encounter matter. "Our main objective was to create a gaming experience in which the players can fully enjoy the battles as opposed to thinking of them as a grind fest," asserts Takai. "The story is definitely scripted to keep players on the edge of their seats, and we have prepared an abundance of short quests. However the main draw of this game will definitely be the battles."

No matter how stunning your battle system or how intriguing your world, the first step to captivating games is by ensuring them they can play your game in the first place. SE has a long and successful history of making console exclusive games, but TLR breaks that pattern. "We made the decision to go multiplatform after researching global ownership rates and overall marketability," says Takai. But there is more to the story than simple numbers: "As game developers, we would like to have as many users play as possible, and we are confident that we can create an RPG with the best specs imaginable at this point in time." While contractual issues prevent SE from specifically confirming which platforms the title will appear on, the issue is hardly puzzling. Since the game is too graphically intensive for the Wii, that only leaves the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

There is no denying that TLR is an incredibly ambitious title. Whether it's the epic combat, the game's global aspirations, or a multiplatform release, there are a number of challenges to be addressed in the next year of development. Even when faced with these issues, Takai's main concern is ensuring that TLR lives up to its potential in the eyes of RPG fans. "The most difficult challenge is to provide a quality RPG that SE fans have come to expect, while giving it its own unique style," he tells us. "By combining an engrossing story and a ground-breaking battle system, we are seeking to create the ultimate RPG experience." Coming from the company that already dominates the genre, that's definitely saying something.
Click to expand...

I'll edit in more info as I find it.

Uh-oh...the previous stuff Takai did:

The Bouncer: Game Planner
Legend of Mana: Battle Design Chief
Click to expand...

RC Cola · May 7, 2007

Scans here:
http://www.gameswank.com/portal/?p=458

RC Cola · May 7, 2007

On a related note (didn't feel like making a new thread for this), Square-Enix is making another Final Fantasy game for the PSP titled "Final Fantasy Dissidia":
http://www.square-enix.co.jp/dissidia/
http://www.square-enix.com/jp/game/psp/

Apparently, it is a "Dramatic Progressive Action" game...whatever that means.

bladeage · May 8, 2007

dreamcast 2?!!!!!!

Brando2101 · May 8, 2007

I think the word everyone is waiting on is the offical word of the exclusivity (or lack thereof) of FF 13. I think Sony would be willing to let Square keep all the profits of the game in order to keep it exclusive.

Sony needs this to make people think there is at least one big gaming aspect available for the ps3 that isn't there for the xbox.

If they opt to expand to the xbox, I wonder if the graphics for the PS3 version will suffer. Square has a knack for using the full extent of the hardware's capabilities.

Brando2101 · May 8, 2007

bladeage said:

dreamcast 2?!!!!!!
Click to expand...

he's kidding. I still have my dreamcast. POWERSTONE ROCKS!

Brando2101 · May 8, 2007

In traditional Japanese RPGs, turn based fights usually pit players against various kinds of flora and fauna, politely giving and receiving beatings in an orderly fashion. Instead of this back and forth, the emphasis here is on recreating the sensation of a soldier on the battlefield. The cinematic angles are meant to give a more realistic flow to the combat, and it will not be a passive affair where you just select "attack" and watch your party jump over an invisible line separating friend from foe. After you choose an action, you will need to adapt to changing circumstances, which might require you to perform a series of timed button presses in mid-attack. Success in these situations can score you a critical hit, while failure might mean you deal less damage. For those traditionalists that are scared off by real time RPGs, don't worry; the fights still take place in a turn based framework. This isn't a real time hack n' slash like Dynasty Warriors.
Click to expand...

That's really neat. I think that extra dynamic will be a really popular addition to the formula. You do have a wait and see reaction after an attack is chosen. Now you can always be engaged in the battle and its ever changing complexities.

RC Cola · May 8, 2007

Brando2101 said:

he's kidding.
Click to expand...

Yeah...sure, I was "kidding."

Yeah, I was kidding.

Brando2101 said:

I think the word everyone is waiting on is the offical word of the exclusivity (or lack thereof) of FF 13. I think Sony would be willing to let Square keep all the profits of the game in order to keep it exclusive.

Sony needs this to make people think there is at least one big gaming aspect available for the ps3 that isn't there for the xbox.

If they opt to expand to the xbox, I wonder if the graphics for the PS3 version will suffer. Square has a knack for using the full extent of the hardware's capabilities.
Click to expand...

Yeah, FFXIII is definitely important for Sony and the PS3. I have a feeling it will stay exclusive for a number of reasons, although anything can happen. That said, I'm sure SE has at least one RPG in the works for the 360, which might include FFXIII in the title (part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis universe). A MMORPG certainly seems possible...in fact, I think SE actually has already announced one for the 360/PC (PS3 under consideration).

The White Engine, which SE is using for both FFXIII and FF vs XIII, was designed specifically around the PS3 hardware. Sakaguchi (Mistwalker dev, Final Fantasy creator) says that they made the engine multiplatform according to his sources, although I don't know if that is necessarily reliable info due to Sakaguchi's position (why wouldn't they use it for this game then? UE3 ain't cheap).

No doubt that a multiplatform version of the game would be less impressive than a PS3-exclusive version (or even a 360-exclusive version), although not that we'd ever be able to tell. That said, with the PS3 as the lead platform, it might be easier to port the game to the 360 rather than the other way around (according to Factor 5 anyway...though PS3 ports certainly seem to validate the claim). That might keep the overall quality at a high level, which may not be the case for games that go the other way (360 lead platform, port goes to PS3).

UTweezer · May 8, 2007

RC Cola said:

No doubt that a multiplatform version of the game would be less impressive than a PS3-exclusive version (or even a 360-exclusive version), although not that we'd ever be able to tell. That said, with the PS3 as the lead platform, it might be easier to port the game to the 360 rather than the other way around (according to Factor 5 anyway...though PS3 ports certainly seem to validate the claim). That might keep the overall quality at a high level, which may not be the case for games that go the other way (360 lead platform, port goes to PS3).
Click to expand...

you bring up a good point. I just got my ps3 and the games orginally made for the 360 ported to the ps3 really really suck. Graphically, they look noticebly worse....

All these upcoming multi-platform titles...like Madden08, Allpro football 2k8, GTAIV, ect..
are they being developed on the 360 first because of ease and then ported to the PS3 team? If thats the case I have a bluray player only.

RC Cola · May 8, 2007

Don't really know for sure since developers don't usually say what platform is the lead platform (although you can make an educated guess in most cases). For Madden and APF 2K8, I'd assume the lead platform is the 360. GTAIV is probably the same (they showed the 360 version to GameInformer), although there have been reports saying otherwise. Of course, for really good developers, I suppose they can make it about even, or possibly in the PS3's favor (think of Oblivion...the PS3 versions of GTA and Oblivion might actually have similar advantages over their 360 counterparts, although hopefully the PS3 version of GTA won't launch 12 months later). It seems like Sony is offering much better tools now than than they were before, which may help in the porting process. But I'm guessing that no matter how good the tools are, a multiplatform game with the 360 as the lead platform will probably not come close to getting the best out of the PS3. It seems like you really have to design a game with the PS3 hardware in mind to really get the best results, and any advantages of the PS3 hardware become disadvantages if you try to port a 360 game to it.

FWIW, I believe Mercenaries and Burnout are definitely developed with the PS3 as the lead platform, and most Capcom games (Lost Planet, DMC4, etc) actually have the PC as the "lead platform." Those are probably all the games I can think of that are definitely not using the 360 as the lead platform. For all other games, I usually just assume the 360 is the lead platform (unless it is a PC game...like maybe UT2K7...though UE3.0 seems to suck on the PS3, so it is still a similar story there).

BTW, Dissidia is a fighting game with characters from various Final Fantasy games. The DS is also getting a FFIV remake, ala FFIII. FFIV is one of my favorite FF games, so I'm definitely interested.

Edit: Or maybe not FFIV...but a remake of __IV for the DS...whatever that means. Interest fading.

DonkeyMagic · May 8, 2007

Brando2101 said:

he's kidding. I still have my dreamcast. POWERSTONE ROCKS!
Click to expand...

holy crap! i forgot about that game...it was pretty sweet.

Forums

"The Last Remnant," New Square-Enix RPG for 360/PS3?

RC Cola Member

RC Cola Member

RC Cola Member

bladeage Member

Brando2101 Member

Brando2101 Member

Brando2101 Member

RC Cola Member

UTweezer Member

RC Cola Member

DonkeyMagic Member
Supporting Member

Share This Page

About ClutchFans

Rockets Content

Support ClutchFans!

"The Last Remnant," New Square-Enix RPG for 360/PS3?

RC Cola Member

RC Cola Member

RC Cola Member

bladeage Member

Brando2101 Member

Brando2101 Member

Brando2101 Member

RC Cola Member

UTweezer Member

RC Cola Member

DonkeyMagic Member Supporting Member

Share This Page

DonkeyMagic Member
Supporting Member