Square Enix has released a new trailer for it’s newest JRPG, I Am Setsuna. The game promises to return to the genre’s roots.
I Am Setsuna is developed by Tokyo RPG Factory, and published by Square Enix. The studio, created in 2014, specializes in the development of Japanese style RPGs. Their mission is to take the spirit of the 8 and 16 bit era of gaming and revive it for the modern age. The game looks very much like a traditional RPG. The trailer promises I am Setsuna to be a “classic RPG for the modern age.” In a press release provided by Gamasutra, Square Enix states that I Am Setsuna’s battle system is heavily inspired by Chrono Trigger’s celebrated mechanics.
The game revolves around the title character as she embarks on a journey of sacrifice. Players will take control of Endir, one of Setsuna’s bodyguards. He is a mercenary of immense skill and always sees his mission through to the end. The title character’s role is to be sacrificed to appease an angry fiend in order to maintain peace throughout the land. The bodyguards must protect Setsuna until they reach “the furthest land” where the ceremony of sacrifice will happen. This all sounds like gripping, emotional stuff. With the story and the battle system, I am Setsuna seems like the perfect game to bring the JRPG back to its roots. The game will be available on July 19th of this year. It will be playable on PlayStation 4 and Steam. The game can also be pre-ordered on Square Enix’s website.
The game’s development looks like a bold move. When reviving an old genre, it’s safer to bring back a familiar series. Instead, Tokyo RPG Factory has created a whole new IP. This is the prefect title for anyone who needs an introduction to the genre’s roots, or wants a quick injection of nostalgia.
