Marvelous AQL announced that the Rune Factory team is working on an upcoming strategy RPG called Forbidden Magna for Nintendo 3DS. This week’s Famitsu magazine shares the latest information on the game. (Thanks, Hokanko)

Update: First screenshots here.

According to the magazine report, Rune Factory producer Yoshifumi Hashimoto will be producing the game, alongside Rune Factory series director Masahide Miyata and Ototsugu Konoe as the character designer. Konoe designed characters for Fate/Prototype.

The game’s graphics are said to be in 3D, with a similar feel to the Harvest Moon and Rune Factory series’ 2D portraits used during conversations. Here’s another look at the magazine’s report with some additional character details:

Lux: the red-haired young man and protagonist of Forbidden Magna, who lives on a remote island. He runs an inn that has been around for a while but doesn’t seem to get too many customers. After going to the crystal mines and finding a mysterious bracelet, things start to change.

Charlotte: the first spirit of the game. She has pink hair in twin tails to go with long ears. She has a lively personality and gets along with everyone. She uses a Greatsword called Tenimuho (Artless) as her weapon of choice.

Beatrice: she’s the silver-haired second spirit. A little contrary to Charlotte, Beatrice is calm and has a clear mind. Her weapon of choice is a bow-type, called “Stellar Bowgun”.

Diana: similar to the previous two, Diana is also a spirit. She has purple hair and likes to keep it on a side ponytail. She’s one who keeps her weapon with her at all times, even while bathing; however, when she’s on her own, she takes good care of her teddy bear. She uses a spear called “Kirin”.

One of the game’s main aspects involves an “inn part,” where you’ll be managing the inn with help of the spirits as a way to help get more customers. There’s also a maid system, where you’ll be getting the spirits you befriend to help out around the inn while wearing maid outfits.

Since you can’t have inns or hotels without any sort of entertainment nearby, Forbidden Magna also has the “ETR System” which stands for entertainment. By increasing your relationship meters with the spirits during the inn parts, their combat abilities will also increase. You’ll also be able to acquire special attacks through certain events.

As far as battles go, you can choose which spirits to take with you into combat. While exploring, there will be crystals that can be used as an energy source for the spirits. There will be different areas, including places that rain and farms, that serve as battlefields.

The battle system, called the “CLT System” (Connect Lead Time) is similar to that of Valkyria Chronicles, where both allies and opponents will have their own turns, and both sides will be able to move around like an action game, without any grids.

Finally, producer Yoshifumi Hashimoto says that the game is about 50% complete, and that they’re currently developing with the mindset of trying to make it into a strategy RPG that feels as good as possible.