It's also a new RPG from Sega... about, um... world destruction.
So... yeah.
Sega Announces World Destruction on the DS
Dream team of Xenogears vets reunite for a new RPG.
By Brian Gray, 04/23/2008
Today's Weekly Famitsu revealed a new RPG in the works at Sega: World Destruction. While that name may not exude originality -- RPGs have certainly had no shortage of worlds and/or destruction -- the talent behind this one should be enough to get even the most jaded RPG enthusiast on board for whatever apocalypse it has in store.
World Destruction reunites three veterans behind the PS1?s popular Xenogears: scenarist Masato Kato (also of the original NES Ninja Gaiden and Chrono Trigger fame), character designer Kunihiko Tanaka, and composer Yasunori Mitsuda (known for his work on Chrono Trigger, Shadow Hearts, and a number of other titles). Backing them up is a dev team of nearly 50 creators; more on them in a moment.
While most RPGs revolve around saving the world from certain destruction, World Destruction tries the opposite. In a world (you knew that was coming) where humans serve as livestock for the ruling beastmen, and where sand fills the roles of water and fire, you play as Kyrie, a young lad who is recruited by the "World Destruction Committee" to assist in putting an end to their world. As it turns out, Kyrie alone holds the power needed to do it.
Kyrie will be joined by heroine Morte, as well as four more characters introduced in Famitsu: Naja, a half-human, half-beastman fighting on behalf of the world; Agan, a comical member of a pro-human guerrilla organization; Li?a, a 300-year-old dragonkin trapped in a 16-year-old body; and Toppy, a badass, bounty-hunting bear who sports an eye patch.
Their journey is presented in lush 2D sprites on 3D backgrounds, and the team promises to push the 2D sprite animation to the limit, even going so far as to bring Grandia design director Masatoshi Azumi onto the project. Also joining the staff as monster designer is Etrian Odyssey?s Shin Nagasawa. Some of the game?s monsters are so huge they span both screens.
Battles are waged with a three-character, turn-based system: characters store up BP (battle points) to use abilities and team attacks, and players can then time button presses to inflict further damage, or cancel the commands altogether like in a fighting game.
Developed by Image Epoch, World Destruction for the DS is 70% complete and expected to hit Japanese store shelves this summer. A television anime and manga are also due around the same time. While a North American release has not been confirmed, we're hopeful, so stay tuned for more coverage!
DO WANT. It ain't Skies 2... but damn it all it's a start!!
If it's getting an anime and manga either SEGA are very confident in this game, or it's merchandise, considering the pedigree though, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the former.
Here's hoping it gets an English translation and is a good game.
Okay, going by graphics alone, I'd be buying this game.
As cool as it is to have games like Black Sigil use SNES-esque graphics I've felt strongly that there hasn't been too many that showed what the DS could do 2D wise, and those sprites look excellent, and using 3D backgrounds definitely makes me think of the good old PS1 RPGs I loved and some which I missed out on, so all good here for me.
I'll wait and see about gameplay, and whether I'll like the story...I'm guessing it'll turn half way through into saving the world.
The mere mention of Xenogears make me want this. Badly.
Teddybear Pirate! 
This has my seal of approval!
