Lost Sphear for PS4, Switch and PC by I am Setsuna Devs Gets New Screenshots/Info from Square Enix

Giuseppe Nelva June 4, 2017 11:56 AM EST

Square Enix released a sizable batch of screenshots, art and information on Lost Sphear by Tokyo RPG Factory, the creators of I am Setsuna.

Today Square Enix released a new batch of screenshots and artwork of the upcoming JRPG Lost Sphear. We also get a quite sizable bunch of info about the game by Tokyo RPG Factory, which is the same studio that worked on I am Setsuna.

The world in which the story is set is created by memory. As people live, they become memories of the world, and their memories shape the world. When something’s memory is lost, its existence also disappears, and they’re known as “Lost.” No one has the power to restore the Lost, this is how it has always been. However, a boy named Kanata suddenly awakens the power of Memory. Is he a new hope for the world? A new calamity? No one knows. Yet, there is no doubt that Kanata’s own journey and his memories will have a major impact on the world itself.

On top of this bit of story, we get to meet four main characters for the game.

Protagonist Kanata is sixteen years old, and fights with a sword. He grew up in the village of Eru, and has a calm personality and an impressively mature behavior for his age. Yet, he has a warm heart and a sort of smart childishness hidden inside. Kanata’s job is to get rid of the monsters that occasionally appear around the town, being highly trained in swordfighting. Having awakened the Power of Memory that works by manifesting thoughts into matter, he has been tasked by the Empire to investigate the a mysterious phenomena that is causing places around the world to disappear.

Kanata decided that if his power can be useful to for the world, he will collaborate with the Empire, on condition that he’ll be able to also look for his mother, who he lost when he was a child.

Lumina is eighteen years old, and she fights with martial arts. She has lived in Eru since when Kanata was a child. She was tasked to protect the village alongside him. Both her physical and magical abilities are exceptional. She is a gentle, polite lady considerate of other people’s feelings.

When she first came to the village, she would not cry or smile, but after encountering Kanata she gradually reawakened her emotions. Therefore, she shows a deep affection for the boy, even if she doesn’t know whether it’s just friendship or romantic feelings.

Rock is a thirteen years old and fights with a bowgun, and he’s another child who lives in Eru. Although he’s younger than Lumina and Kanata, he has a bright and lively personality, and often hangs out with them. He’s very good at building things, and she created for himself a weapon that allows him to keep up with Kanata and Lumina in monster slaying. While he doesn’t have any specific tasks, his secret is that his father held a high position within the Empire, but he has a complex about having never seen him.

He decided to cooperate with the Empire in order to see the city where his father lived, and teams up with Kanata when he leaves town.

Van is twenty years old, and is a young man who suddenly appeared in Eru. He seems to know something about the calamity that happened to the village, but he doesn’t talk much. While he has a quiet personality, he’s still a kind person. He controls a mysterious weapon named “bits” that operates through magical power in both attack and defense. It’s not something that everyone can handle, and mastering it is very difficult, showing excellent mastery by maintaining the incredible concentration level of focus necessary to the task.

After witnessing Kanata’s awakening, his attitude becomes more collaborative, and leaves with him for the Empire.

The ATB 2.0 battle system used by the game adds the concepts of position and time to battle commands. Characters act in the order in which their gauges fill up, and after that they start filling up once more until they can act again. During battle, the position of allies and enemies will change due to their actions. Skills have areas of effects like “linear” or “circular,” so not only the skill used, but also their area of effect and order in which they’re used is crucial.

The game also adopts the “Setsuna System” from I am Setsuna, applying an additional effect to actions if a button is pressed with good timing.

“Battle Movement” is a new element introduced in this game, but usage conditions and details are unknown. Yet, it can cause skills to be more effective due to position and areas of effect.

You can check out all the new screenshots below, and also give a look at those released a few days ago when the game was revealed, alongside a trailer.

Tokyo RPG Factory debuted in 2016 with I am Setsuna, released first on PS4, PS Vita and PC, and then ported to Nintendo Switch as a launch title for Nintendo’s new console. If you want to read more about Lost Sphear’s predecessor, you can read our review.

Lost Sphear will release in early 2018 for PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.