Track this topic | Email this topic | Print this topic

Square Enix has announced Radiata Stories, an RPG by Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile developer tri-Ace, will hit American stores on September 6 for the Playstation 2.

Radiata Stories take place in a world in which humans and fairies live together in harmony. The game follows the lives of Jack and Ridley, two who have become knights for different reasons. And to quote a really lame line from RPGamer, "When war breaks out between humans and fairies, Jack and Ridley must become much more than just knights. They must become heroes."

Apparently, the game claims to feature of 175 NPCs. The environment in Radiata Stories is fully interactive (like any good game should be, really). Players can kick objects, structures, animals, and people to discover secrets. Time also has an effect on the game's environment. The game's battles are fought in real time with party formation being important to combat strategy.

Here is a screenshot of the battle system in action.

Source: Source: RPGamer

-----
I'm finding myself a bit tired of Japanese RPGs as of late. So far this just sounds like the same old stuff. How about some real innovation from over there?

This post has been edited by Tiddles on 4th September 2005 12:22

--------------------

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." - Aristotle

I remember reading about this on a 2005 preview issue of GI awhile ago, and I was definitely intrigued. The entire game seems to have some kinda cel-shading groove going on, and all the graphics I've seen remind me of Dark Cloud 2 in the best way possible. If Tri-Ace's Star Ocean games (and indirectly the Tales series, as Tri-Ace was formed out of ex-Namco employees who created Tales of Phantasia) are any indication, if there is one thing they're good at it's real-time battle systems. It seems that the main schtick of the game is recruiting massive numbers of playable characters a la Suikoden, which could be good, could be great, could be a failure, could be a Chrono Cross-ish success mired with boos from fanchildren. Who knows? I don't think Square-Enix is trying to raise any bar or innovate drastically with this game, but if it comes out looking great then I'll probably check it out, but I'm more excited about Advent Children and Grandia III.

--------------------

this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

Quote (SSJ_Cloud @ 20th July 2005 11:15)

I'm finding myself a bit tired of Japanese RPGs as of late. So far this just sounds like the same old stuff. How about some real innovation from over there?

As opposed to all of those wonderfully innovative console RPGs from United States developers. Forget creativity, when's the last time America actually produced a console RPG? Oh right, Fable. We all know how well that turned out.

Blanket statements aside, I do agree that Radiata Stories seems a bit derivative. But I think this sort of conceptual stagnation is the result of a worldwide industry trend, as opposed to a regional lack of spontaniety.

--------------------

"I always have a quotation for everything - it saves original thinking."
~Dorothy L. Sayers

"The truly remarkable thing about television is that it allows several million people to laugh at the same joke and still feel lonely."
~T.S. Eliot

"Defeat is not defeat unless accepted as reality - in your own mind!"
~ Bruce Lee

Quote (SSJ_Cloud @ 20th July 2005 11:15)

I'm finding myself a bit tired of Japanese RPGs as of late. So far this just sounds like the same old stuff. How about some real innovation from over there?

If a game's good and true to what it should be, innovation and creativity become unecessary concepts. We'll just have to wait and see.

Either way, I've been looking forward to more stuff from Tri-Ace. Star Ocean blew me away, despite being so short. Here's to hoping this one will too.

--------------------

"Judge not a man by his thoughts and words, but by
the quality and quantity of liquor in his possession
and the likelyhood of him sharing."

Quote (Super Moogle @ 21st July 2005 19:06)

Quote (SSJ_Cloud @ 20th July 2005 11:15)

I'm finding myself a bit tired of Japanese RPGs as of late.  So far this just sounds like the same old stuff.  How about some real innovation from over there?

As opposed to all of those wonderfully innovative console RPGs from United States developers. Forget creativity, when's the last time America actually produced a console RPG? Oh right, Fable. We all know how well that turned out.

Blanket statements aside, I do agree that Radiata Stories seems a bit derivative. But I think this sort of conceptual stagnation is the result of a worldwide industry trend, as opposed to a regional lack of spontaniety.

How about the Knights of the Round Table games, Morrowwind and Jade Empire (the two BioWare titles being Canadanian)? Oh, wait. Xbox sucks, right? So those obviously don't count.

Of course, you do remember the one not-so-hot American console RPG title. If you really want me to get all blanket statment-y, Japan has never produced a decent FPS or RTS. Forgive me for making some observations.

Edit

The Genesis version of Shadowrun (one of the best console RPGs of all time, in my opinion) was developed by an American company.

This post has been edited by SSJ_Cloud on 22nd July 2005 04:11

--------------------

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." - Aristotle

Quote (SSJ_Cloud @ 21st July 2005 20:33)

Quote (Super Moogle @ 21st July 2005 19:06)

Quote (SSJ_Cloud @ 20th July 2005 11:15)

I'm finding myself a bit tired of Japanese RPGs as of late.  So far this just sounds like the same old stuff.  How about some real innovation from over there?

As opposed to all of those wonderfully innovative console RPGs from United States developers. Forget creativity, when's the last time America actually produced a console RPG? Oh right, Fable. We all know how well that turned out.

Blanket statements aside, I do agree that Radiata Stories seems a bit derivative. But I think this sort of conceptual stagnation is the result of a worldwide industry trend, as opposed to a regional lack of spontaniety.

How about the Knights of the Round Table games, Morrowwind and Jade Empire (the two BioWare titles being Canadanian)? Oh, wait. Xbox sucks, right? So those obviously don't count.

Of course, you do remember the one not-so-hot American console RPG title. If you really want me to get all blanket statment-y, Japan has never produced a decent FPS or RTS. Forgive me for making some observations.

Edit

The Genesis version of Shadowrun (one of the best console RPGs of all time, in my opinion) was developed by an American company.

I can't say I've ever heard of a Knights of the Round Table RPG for a console, let alone a sequel for it. Unless you're referring the Knights of the Old Republic. But those are two fairly different things.

Also, if you've ever talked to me about X-box RPGs before, you'll notice that I hold true to the idea that a later PC release nullifies any game's console exclusivity. Though I love KOTOR, I played it on PC, not console. Hence I don't really count those. PC RPG is a genre that American developers excel at, having developed much in the way of Baldur's Gate, Planescape, Neverwinter Nights, and so forth. But don't get me wrong; your patently dismissive attitude is a fine and endearing way to approach this viewpoint.

EDIT: Ryan

This post has been edited by Super Moogle on 22nd July 2005 19:24

--------------------

"I always have a quotation for everything - it saves original thinking."
~Dorothy L. Sayers

"The truly remarkable thing about television is that it allows several million people to laugh at the same joke and still feel lonely."
~T.S. Eliot

"Defeat is not defeat unless accepted as reality - in your own mind!"
~ Bruce Lee

Touché. If you're going to consider Knight of the Old Republic a PC RPG then I am going to consider Anachronox to be a console RPG, however. I digress though.

I'm sorry if I seem xenophobic because I'm really not. And you're right, there is a distinct lack of North American RPGs. This is the precise reason why I said "over there" to begin with. It seems like every RPG lately in terms of graphics is either, a) heavily inspired by anime/manga, cell-shaded , or c) both. Story-wise, things are too much better. Just look at my last two news posts. The Lunar game features a story in which war has come to world in which humans and beastmen has previously lived together in harmoney; Radiata, humans and fairies.

I could continue, but cleaning beckons.

This post has been edited by SSJ_Cloud on 22nd July 2005 20:28

--------------------

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." - Aristotle

Radiata looks pretty good to me. Hopefully the 175 characters aren't too flat.

Anyone know when this game is actually coming out?

Moderator Edit

Not to be too snappy, but did you even read my post? It's right in the first sentence. If you mean in Japan, it's been out since January

This post has been edited by SSJ_Cloud on 22nd July 2005 20:33