Square Enix and Tokyo RPG Factory announced Lost Sphear, a new RPG that is set to be released in early 2018 for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Tokyo RPG Factory is the studio behind hit retro-JRPG I Am Setsuna, and it is definitely hoping that Lost Sphear will find the same success once it is launched.
What Is 'Lost Sphear' About?
Judging by the announcement trailer for the RPG, Lost Sphear shares many similarities with I Am Setsuna. It heavily draws inspiration from classic 16-bit RPGs such as Square Enix's own Chrono Trigger, with an isometric point-of-view, an active-time battle system, and environments that seamlessly transition from exploration to combat.
Also like Chrono Trigger, Lost Sphear will take players on a journey to save the world. The RPG will tell the tale of Kanata as he wakes up from a nightmare to find out that his hometown is disappearing.
"To stop the world from being lost forever, Kanata and his comrades set out to rebuild the world around them with the power of Memory by manifesting thoughts into matter," said Tokyo RPG Factory.
The developer added that for Lost Sphear, it will expand on the features found in I Am Setsuna. The new ATB battle system, for example, will allow players to access a wide variety of strategies and adjust their positions in the battlefield while in the middle of a fight.
Will Lost Sphear reach and perhaps even exceed the success of I Am Setsuna? That remains to be seen, though Square Enix and Tokyo RPG Factory have several months to make sure of it.
'Lost Sphear' Coming In Early 2018
There is no specific release date for Lost Sphear, as Square Enix only claims that the title will be released in early 2018.
The game will be released mostly in digital form for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC, though no price has yet been revealed. There will be physical copies for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch versions that will include two bonus music tracks, and they are now up for preorder at the Square Enix online store for $49.99. However, there will only be limited quantities of these physical editions. It is also unclear if digital editions will carry the same price.
Square Enix In The News
Square Enix has been in the news a lot lately, though mostly for negative reasons.
The video game company recently decided to drop Hitman developer IO Interactive after booking a loss in its previous fiscal year, placing the assassination action game's status up in the air. Square Enix, however, revealed that Hitman may still continue, but it will depend on whether the company can secure a deal with external investors to take over the development of the series.
Square Enix also recently showed off gameplay for Dragon Quest XI, which will be released soon for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo 3DS. A Nintendo Switch version of the game has previously been confirmed, but the company has remained silent about it.
Perhaps the most important subject in recent Square Enix news, however, is the status of the highly anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake. Square Enix recently decided to end the partnership with third-party studio CyberConnect2 for the RPG and shift the development in-house, a move that will improve the quality of the game but will likely delay it even further.
