Infinite Undiscovery, one of the current projects being developed by RPG powerhouse tri-Ace, was announced today by publisher Square Enix to release simultaneously worldwide on September 2, 2008. In addition to the announcement of the release date, more insight into the story of the game was given in the PR, a new trailer was made available on GameTrailers, and there were new made screenshots available.
The trailer:
Infinite Undiscovery stars a young red-haired hero, Capell, who is called the "Liberator" by his captors, the Order of Chains. The Order of Chains, and their leader Dreadknight, is responsible for ensnaring the moon and tethering the satellite to the planet by chains. The moon, which was known as the gods, and whose power, harnessed by man, led to great prosperity, now bled the planet of its life. The lands to which it was chained were transformed into wastelands, sending its inhabitants into fear. Three days into his captivity, Capell is saved by Aya, a spirited young woman who was a part of a resistance that aimed to free the world from the rule of the Order. This resistance was led by Sigmund the Liberator, a man who bears a great resemblance to Capell. Meeting this man would change Capell's life, and shake the foundation of the world itself.
Gameplay-wise, Infinite Undiscovery is set in real-time; battles will happen in real-time, and enemies will make use of sight, sound and scent in an attempt to detect Capell and his party. Exploration and combat will take place in the same environment, with seamless shifting between the two modes. Player parties can draw from a poll of 18 different characters, and players must utilize characters' different skillsets and abilities to defeat their enemies. Every action taken by the player will have its effect on the world.
“With the simultaneous release of INFINITE UNDISCOVERY, Square Enix is entering an exciting new period of delivering great gaming experiences to our fans all around the world at the same time, creating new global communities,” said John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix, Inc. and Square Enix, Ltd. “This is something that we have aimed to do for a long time and we look to continue to deliver worldwide gaming experiences across all platforms well into the future.”
INFINITE UNDISCOVERY envelops players in an engaging real-time world where every decision you make leads to a myriad of discoveries and affects every encounter. The developers that set a new standard for RPGs by fusing exploration with battle in the STAR OCEAN series establish a new benchmark for the genre, perfectly integrating traditional tri-Ace elements with the technological power of Xbox 360. The experience is enhanced with a soundtrack by composer Motoi Sakuraba from the STAR OCEAN and VALKYRIE PROFILE series.
GAMEPLAY: DISCOVERY & IMPACT
Every discovery and action that players make has an instant impact on the world, creating an unpredictable gaming experience.
Situational Battles
As players are faced with a variety of episodic situational battles, they will discover that they may have to try various methods to defeat the enemy, where the most obvious solution is rarely the right move. Players can assemble parties from a pool of 18 characters, choosing those with the best combination of abilities for the job. Snipe distant enemies with the help of a bow-wielding ally or skilled magic user. Based on each player’s decisions, the intricate environments will offer a variety of experiences, presented in a way never before seen in RPGs.
A Seamless World and Real-time Action
Players are drawn deeper into the world as each act becomes more crucial to survival. To make careful decisions and advance, players will need to rely not only on sight and sound, but also scent. Combat, exploration and other actions will all take place within the same environment, seamlessly shifting between each game facet.
STORY
Known as the throne of the gods, the moon rested peacefully in the heavens. Man enjoyed great prosperity by harnessing the power of the celestial body.
Until one day...
A sinister force ensnared the moon with chains and fastened them to the surface, bleeding the life from the planet. The enchained lands were transformed into withering wastelands, and their once carefree inhabitants now lived in fear. Behind the world's plight were the Dreadknight and his menacing horde, the Order of Chains.
Deep in a forest, in one of the Order's prisons, a young boy named Capell was being held captive. His captors called him the "Liberator," though he had no clue as to what they meant. On the third day of his imprisonment, he was rescued by a spirited young woman named Aya. She was a member of a small band of brave warriors who had gathered under the banner of Sigmund the Liberator to free the world from the iron grip of the Order.
Upon meeting Sigmund, he was surprised to find a man who shared his very face and appearance. This meeting would change Capell's life forever and shake the foundation of the world itself.
TBH, those look like last generation graphics. Surely they could've done better than that.