The Last Remnant
 
Spring 2008 - Next Generation Consoles - 1 Player RPG
 
One thousand years ago humanity came into contact with Remnants. These magical fragments of a bygone era were once used to promote peace across the world. Soon, as the rift grew between those who ruled and those who obeyed, the remnants ceased being instruments of balance, and instead became paths to immeasurable power. Where once there had been peace, only bloodshed remained.
 
- Released simultaneously in U.S. and Japan
 
-Two prominent characters each created to appeal to a specific territory. Rush Sykes will appeal to JP gamers, and "The Conqueror" for Western Audiences. Game won't force you to choose which character you play.
 
- Remnants vary in size and can take the form of machines, beasts, and weapons.
 
- 4 races revealed: Mitra (humans), Yama (Large fish-like beings), Qsiti (small humanoid lizards), Sovanni (four armed cat like creatures)
 
- Battle System will not be passive and will include QTEs in certain instances. Fights still take place in a turn based frame work.
 
- This is the first UE3 game SE will be releasing. Graphics look great so no worries there.
 
- Directed by Hiroshi Takai
 
Square Enix knows role playing games. In the video game industry, rarely is a single company so closely tied to the identity of an entire genre. The company is responsible for two of the biggest RPG franchises in the world, Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, and people have been playing these series since the 8-Bit era. RPG fans know Square Enix as the name to turn to for grand adventures, unforgettable characters, and jaw-dropping moments remembered for years. Recently, Square Enix has devoted considerable energy to iterating on its past successes, but that doesn't mean the company isn't moving forward. Next year gamers will be treated to "The Last Remnant", an all new title that incorporates all the rich locations and thrilling combat an RPG fan could hope for, along with a handful of unexpected details that will help define the direction of the genre this generation.
 
In addition to marking the beginning of a new franchise for SE, TLR represents a significant deviation from the way RPGs have traditionally been presented to a North American audience. Since most role playing titles are created by Japanese developers, they are released in Japan first, and then find their way to American gamers after a delay for localization (which took 7 months for FFXII for example). With TLR, this process will change; the game will be released simultaneously in the U.S. and Japan. "From the conceptual stage of this project, we kept a global market in mind, placing a special emphasis on the North American market" says director Hiroshi Takai.
 
One of the Results of this emphasis is the fact that the game has two prominent characters, each created to appeal to a specific territory. The Japanese audience is most likely to connect with Rush Sykes, an energetic and idealistic 18 year old swordsman. On the other hand, American gamers will probably be more drawn to the dark and mysterious figure only referred to as The Conqueror. Older and battle hardened, The Conqueror is unlike Rush in almost every way. Despite this clear distinction, TLR does not force players to choose one character or the other. While interesting in its attempt to reach out to American gamers with The Conqueror, the game will be exactly the same on both shores, with Rush set up as the primary protagonist.
 
"Rush is the main character of this game," Takai clarifies. "He was designed with the traditional SE RPG style in mind, but the players' impression of him will likely change once they advance in the game. You can expect a lot of plot twists involving him." Even though Rush drives the tail at first, he has an unknown connection to The Conqueror that slowly draws that character into a more prominent position as the tale unfolds. "The Conqueror is a type of dark hero which is a first for a SE RPG," Takai admits. "As you can see from his costume, tainted red by blood (it was originally white), the cruelty that he holds within will have a great effect on the overall story.
 
Though the tale eventually expands into these dark corners, players are introduced to the world of TLR in a familiar fasihon. The adventure begins on an isolated island called Eulam where Rush and his sister Irina lead carefree lives. That all changes early on when Irina is kidnapped by a mysterious organization and Rush finds himself in the middle of a world spanning conflict somehow tied to ancient and powerful relics called remnants.
 
As the game's title would imply, Remnants are a key part of practically every element of the world. What exactly they are however, is difficult to define. Remnants vary in shape and size, and can take the form of machines, bests, and weapons. "Humans first came into contact with remnants about 1000 years ago." For instance, one Remnant, the Valeria Heart, is a sword the size of a small mountain. It is surrounded by the town of Athlum, which was built up around the artifact because of its extraordinary qualities. The Valeria Heart bestows courage upon those around it, and it also is responsible for the plentiful water supply. Like this sword, remnants can have an array of unique powers - some of which are hidden or unknown.
 
In contrast to the monumental Valeria Heart, we witnessed another Remnant in action with more offensive capabilities. On a sprawling battle field, a group of soldiers set up an enormous cannon that was clearly controlled by a handheld analogue - wielded by an unnamed character. As the young man wearing a mechanical eye patch charged his gun ad pulled the trigger the nearby cannon gathered energy and fired a devastating blast into the fray.
 
Because of their power and rarity, Remnants are priceless treasures. Not everyone is able to carry one into battle, and must instead rely on more conventional (at least for fantasy RPGs) methods of attack. "Swords and magic are the basic common weapons in the world," Takai states. "However, the remnants are considered as mysterious technology that no one can explain. We currently cannot even disclose if remnants are machines, structures, or living breathing things.
 
We may not know exactly how to classify Remnants, but we do know that people will go to great lengths to obtain them. The Conqueror for instance, has made it his mission to seize and collect as many as possible, though his intentions are unclear. The primary struggles in the game are fueled by the Remnants and the desire to control them, which often results in massive and bloody conflicts. these clashes are not limited to cutscenes and event sequences; the central combat system in TLR focuses on the player's ability to direct the battles between opposing armies.