Update: View the first direct-feed screenshots here.
Original: Star Ocean 5 is in development for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3, the latest issue of Famitsu reveals.
A release date is still unannounced, but the game is developed by tri-Ace and published by Square Enix.
Thanks, Hachima Kikou.
Update 6:08 a.m.: More details have leaked via Famitsu. The game’s full title is Star Ocean 5: Integrity and Faithlessness. It is set on the uncivilized planet of Feycreed, which is 6,000 light years away from Earth.
Currently revealed characters include:
- Fedel Camus (voiced by Kaito Ishikawa) – The protagonist. He specializes at fencing, and protects the order of his village.
- Miki Sorvesta (voiced by Nao Toyama) – The heroine. She is the protagonist’s childhood friend, and loves him like an older brother.
- Lilia (voice actor unknown) – A girl who lost both her memories and emotions.
The magazine also has screenshots of a blonde swordsman and blue-haired witch participating in battle.
Battles are seamless and in real-time. Depending on the distance between you and the enemy, the way you attack changes, and pushing buttons consecutively will trigger combos.
In addition to traditional event scenes, there will also be “seamless events” such as those where enemies attack you. If the enemy apprehends your allies during these events, there will be branching outcomes.
Here’s the game’s staff:
- Developer: tri-Ace
- Character Designer: Akira “Akiman” Yasuda
- Producer: Shuichi Kobayashi
- Director: Hiroshi Ogawa
- Lead Programmer: Yoshiharu Gotanda
Thanks, Hachima Kikou.
Update 7:15 a.m.: First scans and more details have come out of Famitsu. The magazine features an interview with producer Kobayashi, director Ogawa, and programmer Gotanda.
“[Having previously been in marketing] I decided to change positions and become a producer out of the belief that Star Ocean is worth staking my life and legacy on,” Kobayashi said. “For Star Ocean 5, I wanted the game to overtly take cues from Star Ocean 3 and draw its essence from that game.”
Some interview excerpts:
Subtitle
Gotanda: “There are multiple meanings behind the subtitle for this game. It’ll make sense by the end once you play the game, I think.”
Kobayashi: “Star Ocean 5 is about bringing a sense of reassurance back to longtime fans, which is why the game’s logo is reminiscent of Star Ocean 3‘s.”
Battles
Ogawa: “Basic battles are the same as previous entries, where the player controlled character takes on the enemy in one-on-one battles. On the other hand, boss battles see the whole party squaring off against bosses, which lends those fights a different feel that players can enjoy.”
The Future of the Series
Kobayashi: “I’d like to be able to keep putting these games out. By the end, when it’s all finished, we hope we have a game that draws in series fans and new players alike.”
Here’s the game’s prologue, via Kotaku:
Do the depths of space forbid peace for mankind—
Centuries after leaving Earth, after a multitude of trials, with the creation and spread of the ‘Galactic Federation,’ humanity was on the verge of unified order and peace.
But the embers of conflict have begun to burn again.
Over 6,000 light years from Earth, on the unsettled planet, ‘Feycreed.’
Just as so many times before, the waves of history begin from a remote planet.
Star Ocean 5 is being developed with the PlayStation 3 version as its base, and ported to PlayStation 4. Square Enix are also considering things to do with PlayStation 4’s Share functionality.
According to the producer, they’re not thinking about story downloadable content or a “full version” to be released later. “I sincerely don’t want to do anything with this game that’ll upset people even a little bit,” Kobayashi said.
The game is currently 30 percent complete.
Thanks, Hachima Kikou and Kotaku.
Update 8:30 a.m.: Here are a few more details, via Sokuho@Hokanko:
The game is set in the year 537 on the space calendar, so it’s between Star Ocean 2 and 3. The “Gravity Warp” has been developed on Earth.
A few more character details:
- Fidel – He inherited his sword skills from his father, who is the Leslia Kingdom’s most prominent swordsman. He is calm and mindful of his companions.
- Miki – She has a healing ability. She is a cute, lovely, and gluttonous character. She is the one characters the development team did test design work on, while all of the other characters were left up to Akiman.
A few more battle details:
- Events directly proceed to battles.
- Players can switch between characters.
- Attack patterns and skills have seen a large-scale increase.
- Skills have different effects depending on the distance at which you use them, and can also be incorporated into combos.
Update 9:10 a.m.: Some more scans, via Kotaku:
