Role-playing games have evolved heavily over the years and have meshed with other genres to introduce real-time combat, along with other changes intended to give projects a broader appeal. But even as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Dark Souls 3 introduced millions of new gamers to the joys of RPG-inspired games and expanded the genre’s fanbase, not everyone is thrilled by the changes we’ve seen in the last 15-plus years. Now, there is one studio that is trying to revive the original RPG feeling that older fans fell in love with long ago.
I Am Setsuna is a new RPG from Tokyo RPG Factory, a Square Enix subsidiary founded in 2015 specifically to develop IAS and any sequels/spin-offs that might emerge down the line. The game follows Setsuna, a young woman in the charge of an unnamed mercenary who plans to sacrifice the young woman to a group of hostile demons. The reason for this sacrifice is unclear but it’s only the start of the heavy subject matter players will encounter during their time with I Am Setsuna. According to Square Enix, sadness is a major theme for the project and its impact on the game will manifest in a variety of ways. The most obvious is the game’s wintry setting, but Square Enix promises plenty more when I Am Setsuna heads to stores this summer.
Of course, all the thematic storytelling and loaded imagery in the world doesn’t mean much to the gaming community if the studio can’t bundle in enjoyable gameplay. Fortunately, I Am Setsuna should appeal to just about anyone who grew up on Final Fantasy and other popular RPGs from the 90’s. Tokyo RPG Factory was built to recreate the same kind of RPGs that fans used to gobble up in droves. And if you’re wondering what sort of impact those inspirations had on I Am Setsuna , the fact sheet being handed out at PAX East specifically cites Chrono Trigger as a major inspiration for the game’s Active Time Battle system.
It may not feature an exact recreation of Chrono Trigger’s ATB system but the new version built by Tokyo RPG Factory should instantly feel familiar to those who’ve played ATB-based games in the past. Best of all, the turn-order indicators that have become increasingly common in RPGs and strategy games are noticeably absent in I Am Setsuna . Each character’s Active Time gauge is the only information you’ll have about upcoming turns, forcing you to plan accordingly in dire situations. Naturally, there are a few spells that can impact the speed of your allies and enemies’ individual ATB meters. Those who prefer to use spell casters in these kinds of RPGs will also be pleased to hear the game features the sorts of elemental strengths and weaknesses gamers learned to exploit during the 90s. In the demo build being shown at PAX East, we made quick work of a boss encounter by exploiting the creature’s weakness to lightning magic and Square Enix says there will be plenty of other opportunities to use magical weaknesses to your advantage.
Inherited combat mechanics aren’t the only ways Square Enix plans to invoke the gaming RPGs of yesteryear, either. Everything about the game’s presentation seems designed to evoke the games that first made Square a household name. Characters will explore an overlord that’s presented in the same miniaturized, flat-plane style that developers were forced to rely on when designing classic SNES titles. But the sprites have been replaced with gorgeous buildings, mountain ranges and other terrain illustrated in a manner that feels reminiscent of Ubisoft’s UbiArt framework.
Party and inventory management will also play a major role in I Am Setsuna . There will be spells for your casters to master, new armor and weapons for your fighters and dozens of consumable items to be used in and out of battle. If it somehow wasn't evident already, I Am Setsuna is a classic Square RPG through and through. If we didn’t know the backstory behind Tokyo RPG Factory, you’d also think Square Enix dug up the code for one of its classic SNES titles, re-skinned everything in the game and then announced plans to publish on PC and PS4.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like I Am Setsuna has much chance of seeing a PlayStation Vita release in the West. The game was originally developed as a PS4 and Vita project, given the popularity of Sony’s handheld overseas, but making the jump to Steam made more sense when bringing the game to North America. When making the announcement, Square Enix left open the possibility of bringing the Western version of I Am Setsuna to the Vita, saying it would reevaluate the decision if the community showed enough interest. But the company says many Vita owners are requesting older titles in the Square Enix catalogue instead of I Am Setsuna .
It’s too soon to know how we’ll feel about the final build of the game. As always, it’s possible that we’ve been shown a excellent segment of an otherwise average video game. That said, I Am Setsuna looks to be an incredible homage to the RPGs so many of us grew up playing; one that longtime JRPG fans won’t want to miss when it heads to PS4 and PC this summer.
To get a closer look at I Am Setsuna , take a couple of minutes to check out the game’s latest trailer. Then head down to the comments section and let us know whether or not you’re planning to pick up I Am Setsuna when the game heads West this summer.
I Am Setsuna is in development for PlayStation 4 and PC. The game hits North American stores on July 19.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com and follow Scott on Twitter for more I Am Setsuna coverage throughout 2016 and for however long Square Enix supports I Am Setsuna in the months following launch.
