Square Enix has certainly been relying upon older, established franchises as of late instead of pushing that new IP envelope. They’re continually revisiting the world of Final Fantasy (because please, they’ll never stop that gravy train), Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Star Ocean, Kingdom Hearts, Dragon Quest, Hitman, and Just Cause. Oh sure, they’ve dabbled into new properties such as Life is Strange and Murdered: Soul Suspect, but they haven’t taken a risk on a new JRPG since the days of NieR, The Last Remnant, Infinite Undiscovery, or The World Ends With You. Lo and behold, they’ve opened a new development studio dedicated to just that, Tokyo RPG Factory, and their first JRPG releases next week—I Am Setsuna.
I Am Setsuna promises to be a return to the classic, glory days of Square Enix JRPGs, from its simple graphics design to the traditional turn-based combat. Strategy and using each party member to their fullest, as well as their item inventories, will be key. If you long for the days where you spend 15-30 minutes on a turn-based, slow, grind, only to get killed by a cheap attack from a boss and start all over again, then by golly, Square Enix has the game for you.
Check out the gallery below, as it will tell you everything you need to know about I Am Setsuna, including its pre-release history.
I am Setsuna will be released this coming Tuesday, July 19, for the PlayStation 4, and PC.
Everything You Need to Know - I Am Setsuna
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Everything You Need to Know - I Am Setsuna
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Hello Tokyo RPG Factory and Project Setsuna!
At E3 2015, Square Enix announced the opening of a new development studio, Tokyo RPG Factory. As the name sounds, the studio's primary task would be to create original RPGs for the console. The first one under its wing was simply known as "Project Setsuna."
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Setsuna Centers Around Sadness
In an interview with Famitsu, President Yosuke Matsuda said that Project Setsuna will focus on "sadness." He didn't go into much more than that at the time, but he did explain his theory that it takes at least three games for a developer and publisher to know if the IP will be a success. Does that mean I Am Setsuna will be a trilogy at the very least?
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Project Setsuna Renamed to Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna
At the Tokyo Game Show, Square Enix announced that Project Setsuna was officially named Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna in Japan, which translates to "The Sorrow of Sacrifice and Snow." They said that it would center around sadness, and from the Japanese title, they certainly weren't kidding. They also announced that the RPG would release in Japan in early 2016 for PlayStation 4 and Vita. No Western release was announced.
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First Setsuna Gameplay
About a week before the game's release in Japan, Tokyo RPG Factory released a 20 minute gameplay video, complete with gamer commentary (in Japanese), of Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna.
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Top Ten Sales in Japan After First Week
Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna released in Japan on February 18, 2016. Within its first week of life, it fell in the top 10 of retail game sales in the country, with the PS4 version selling 33,629 copies (6th place) and Vita selling 27,994 (7th place).
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Western Release Announced
To the delight of JRPG fans in the West, Square Enix announced that I Am Setsuna, the English name for Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna, will release in North America and Europe in summer 2016. However, unlike the Japan release, this one was only set for PlayStation 4 and PC. No word of the Vita at all.
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Vita in the West Would Be Considered...Maybe
Square Enix attended the Game Developers Conference shortly after they announced the game's Western release, and they were asked about a potential Vita release. Gamed Director Atsushi Mashimoto explained that fan demand could make the Vita release happen, but he also noted that the install base in the West is so small, hence why they didn't plan on a Vita version.
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I Am Setsuna Release Date Announced in West
We already knew that I Am Setsuna would release in the summer, but the question was WHEN in the summer. Right before PAX East, Square Enix announced that the game would release in both North America and Europe on July 19, 2016. They even dropped a little teaser trailer with the announcement.
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Story
The story of I Am Setsuna is set on a snow-covered island that is regularly visited and ravaged by angry demons. In order to appease the demons and stop the attacks, the village has always sent a maiden to be sacrificed. The demons are back, and young village girl Setsuna has been chosen as the sacrifice. She must undertake a perilous journey with her companions to the edge of the world, the site of the sacrificial ritual.
They said it would be sad, right?
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Characters
In order to survive her pilgrimage, Setsuna has a party of bodyguards with her, including:
- Ndir, a mercenary
- Kuon, a former traveler
- Yomi, a carefree veteran
- Aeterna, a volunteer mage and assassin
- Julienne, a fierce knight
- Kir, a young mage
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Villain
While it seems that demons would be the main villains, there is another. The Reaper, a man unknown by any other name, relentlessly hunts Setsuna, obsessed with assassinating the sacrifice before she reaches her destination.
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PAX East Hands-on Preview
I Am Setsuna was first playable in the US at PAX East, and our own Jowi Meli got his hands on this JRPG. He called it a "Chrono-Triggered Nostalgia." Check out his preview.
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Battle System
Jowi said that the game was definitely inspired by Chrono Trigger, and Tokyo RPG Factory has said the same. The battle system is specifically the Active Time Battle System that Square Enix made famous with their Final Fantasy series. With this system, an ATB gauge fills for each character, and the character can only perform an action once the gauge is full. An action depletes the gauge, and the character must wait once again for it to fill. Once all of the ATB gauges are full, the game determines the order of the characters' actions. In addition, each time an action is taken or the ATB gauge fills completely, a separate Setsuna gauge starts to fill. Once that gauge is full, actions are granted unique power boosts if activating a particular ability. These boosts can add attack combos, health recovery, or additional critical damage.
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English Gameplay Trailer
Square Enix released a small teaser before for the Western release of I Am Setsuna, but this was the very first full trailer in English, complete with gameplay.
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Digital Title Only
If you're looking for a beautiful physical copy of I Am Setsuna with this box art, prepare to be disappointed. As of now, it's only a digital download for PlayStation 4 and PC.
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US Price Set at $39.99
The price for I Am Setsuna has been set at $39.99 for both the PlayStation 4 and PC.
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Preorder OST Bonus Only for PC
Since it is a digital title, there is no Collector's Edition or Day One Edition. However, those who preorder the game on Steam will receive $10 off buying the game's original soundtrack as well.
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PlayStation 4 Preorder Bonuses
Preordering the game on the PlayStation 4, via the PlayStation Store will net you a few more goodies than with the Steam preorder, including:
- Shiro PS4 Theme
- Kuro PS4 Theme
- Special Composer's Selection OST
- Eternal Winter, which is exclusive to PS4 and yet not explained what it is on the PSN site or on the game website.
