The Last Remnant

Infobox VG
title= The Last Remnant


developer= Square Enix
publisher= Square Enix
designer= Hiroshi Takai (director)
engine= Unreal Engine 3 using SpeedTree
released= Xbox 360

November 20 2008
PlayStation 3
TBA
Microsoft Windows
TBA
genre= Console role-playing game
modes= Single-player
ratings= vgratings|ESRB=M (Mature)|PEGI=16+|CERO=C (Ages 15 and over)
platforms= Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows
media= Blu-ray Disc, DVD
requirements=
input=

nihongo|"The Last Remnant"|ラスト レムナント|Rasuto Remunanto is an upcoming console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. The game is directed at both Japanese and Western audiences and will have a simultaneous release in Japan, North America and Europe, on November 20, 2008 for the Xbox 360, [cite web |url=http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/904/904861.html |title=The Last Remnant |accessdate=2008-07-18 |publisher=IGN] and then for the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows at a later date. [cite press release|url=http://www.square-enix.com/na/company/press/2008/0714/|title=The Last Remnant and Star Ocean: The Last Hope Ship Dates Announced|publisher=Square Enix, Inc.|date=2008-07-14|accessdate=2008-07-22] The game is being directed by Hiroshi Takai and will be the first Unreal Engine 3 game scheduled to be released by Square Enix.Citation| last = PSM Staff| first = | title = The Last Remnant: Square Enix's Latest next-gen RPG explained... somewhat| newspaper = PSM| pages = p. 65| year = 2007| date = August 2007| url = ] It is intended by Square Enix president Yōichi Wada to "become a cornerstone for [their] worldwide strategy". [cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3159373 |author=Mielke, James |title=Previews: The Last Remnant |work=1UP.com |publisher=Ziff Davis |date=2007-05-10 |accessdate=2007-05-10] Art direction is being overseen by chief artist Kimihiko Miyamae and art producer Yusuke Naora. The game's soundtrack will be composed by Tsuyoshi Sekito. [cite web |url=http://www.squarehaven.com/news/?id=1319 |author=Jeriaska |title="The Last Remnant" In Print |work=Square Haven |date=2007-06-02 |accessdate=2007-06-03] It is the first title rated Mature since Parasite Eve II for the company and the first since Squaresoft merged with Enix.

Gameplay

"The Last Remnant" will feature a brand new battle system labelled by Hiroshi Takai (director) as a "Turn-burst, command-based system using symbol encounters." There will be no random encounters. It will also contain quick time events, sequences where the player must press a combination of buttons with a correct timing to defeat enemies. This system has appeared in other video games before "The Last Remnant", for instance in "Shenmue", "Dark Cloud", "Kingdom Hearts II" and "God of War".

In addition to the main character, the player's team (called a "Union") is composed of a number of soldiers whose skills vary according to different parameters. One parameter is the "morale" bar, which is affected by the events in battle and affects the way characters perform in battle. Battles can involve up to 70 enemies at once and will be at the core of the gameplay. Nobuyuki Ueda has commented on the battle system, claiming that it is "much deeper than the few seconds it received in the movie". Additionally, a high number of quests are expected.cite web |url=http://www.ffworld.com/?rub=news&page=voir&id=748 |title=Square Enix dévoile The Last Remnant (MàJ) |accessdate=2007-05-08 |author=KujaFFman |date=2007-05-08 |work= [http://www.ffworld.com/ Final Fantasy World] |publisher= |language=French]

Plot

Setting

"The Last Remnant" is set in a fictional world featuring a number of distinct humanoid races; the Mitras, most human in appearance, the Yamas, strong fish-like people, the Qsitis, small reptilians, and the Sovannis, feline people with four arms [cite web |url=http://www.squarehaven.com/news/?id=1319 |author=Jeriaska |title="The Last Remnant" In Print |work=Square Haven |date=2007-06-02 |accessdate=2007-06-03] and a rabbit-like creature( the name of this creature is currently unknown). The story of the game revolves around "remnants", mysterious and coveted ancient artifacts of varying shapes and sizes which possess magic powers and which have been the cause of several wars throughout the game's history.citation| last = Game Informer Staff| first = | title = The Last Remnant| newspaper = Game Informer| pages = pp. 64 - 71| year = 2007| date = June 2007| url = ] Four cities have been revealed for the world of The Last Remnant which are Athlum, Balterossa, Celapaleis and Merfina. [cite web |url=http://www.finalremnant.net/the-last-remnant/cities.php |author=ryuzaki |title=Final Remnant - Cities |work=Final Remnant |date=2008-28-09]

Characters

The main protagonist is an 18 year old swordsman named Rush Sykes (voiced by Johnny Yong Bosch), who is designed primarily for fans of traditional Japanese role-playing games. Raised from war within peaceful Eulam Village, Rush is trying to rescue his 14-year-old sister, Irina (voiced by Erika Weinstein) who is kidnapped by a mysterious man who is interested in the power hidden within her, finding himself involved in a global conflict centering around the Remnants.

Accompanying Rush is 19 year old David Nassau, the young, authoritative Marquis of Athlum who aims to gain independence from the larger nation of Celapaleis. Despite being of royalty, he joins Rush in the battlefield alongside "Gae Bolg", a devastating cannon-shaped Remnant. [http://na.square-enix.com/remnant Official North American Website] He is described as calm and collected and is known to have a deep relationship with Emma Honeywell, a 41 year old female silvery-haired matriarch of her clan and one of the Athlum Army's four generals [ [http://na.square-enix.com/remnant Official North American Website] ] . Aside from Emma, the Athlum Army has three non-human generals a 25 year old Yama named Blocter who is David's childhood friend, the 55 year old Qsitis Pagus a historian in nature, and the 200 year old Torgal of the Sovanni who is aloof in personality. [http://square-enix.co.jp/remnant Official Japanese Website] ]

Another character is an older man with long silver hair and crimson clothes, known simply as The Conqueror (voiced by Christopher Sabat), and is designed to appeal to Western gamers. Many screen shots of him show him with blood splattered all over him which is thought, allegedly, to be the "blood of his victims". The Conqueror is a collector of remnants; he is also linked to Rush, although the nature of this link is unknown. The Conqueror's minions are the beautiful Roeas, the gigantic Castanea and a fearsome multiracial group known collectively as "The Seven".

Two sinister characters, an old priestly man called Wagram and a dark-skinned warrior called Jager, are aligned with each other.

An English actor who appeared in the James Cameron film "Titanic", Emmett James, voices the character Wilfred Hermeien, a politician and chairman of the congress.

Yusuke Naora has stated that many main characters have yet to be revealed, some of whom will be playable.

Development

"The Last Remnant" was announced at a press conference at Shinjuku, Tokyo on May 10, 2007. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6170405.html?sid=6170405 Square Enix unwraps Last Remnant, Star Ocean 4 - PlayStation 3 News at GameSpot ] ] The game's director is Hiroshi Takai, executive producer is Akitoshi Kawazu, producer is Nobuyuki Ueda. The artwork is led by Kimihiko Miyamae and produced by Yusuke Naora, and its music is composed by Tsuyoshi Sekito. "The Last Remnant" is their first game to use the Unreal Engine 3, and the first time Square Enix has had to adapt to new technologies and ways of development. Because of the use of the new engine, the production time to seeing graphical resources onscreen was cut significantly, allowing the team to begin illustrating and experimenting at an early stage. The development team plans to distinguish "The Last Remnant" from the "Final Fantasy" series and other command battle games. Because of the way battles are handled, the team has not been concerned with making the game for all ages.

Square Enix confirmed that both "The Last Remnant" and "" will be playable at Tokyo Game Show 2008.

References

External links

* [http://lastremnant-game.com/ Official Website] (Europe)
* [http://na.square-enix.com/remnant/index.html Official Website] (North America)
* [http://www.square-enix.co.jp/remnant/ Official Website] (Japan)