Resonance of Fate

Preview - tri-Ace's fate is in Martin's hands

Moving from one end of a hexagonal grid to another? It's not a revival of popular eighties gameshow Blockbusters, although we bet that's only a matter of time, but us getting treated by Sega to a demonstration of tri-Ace's new 360/PS3 RPG Resonance of Fate.

The ever-affable hexagons represent the map, and when you're not involved with other traditional JRPG proceedings - like fighting, watching cutscenes, or buying stuff from shops - you'll have to unlock a path through them by using whatever corresponding hexagonal shapes (coloured tiles can only unlock hexagons of the matching colour, for instance) you obtain from completing quests. It's like a jigsaw puzzle.

It's a bit different from what we're used to in a JRPG. But that's the point: one of the biggest priorities for tri-Ace is making sure Resonance of Fate appeals to the Western market, mostly because we all live in a land of decadent excess and wear money hats. To prove their point, Sega told us the developers are already well underway with their English localisation, and they're looking to release Resonance of Fate worldwide near-simultaneously next year. Which is more than you can say for most JRPG publishers.

But the drive to westernise the game doesn't stop with release dates. There's no magic spells, fantasy villages, or jailbait princesses with destinies, because they're not seen as popular. We assume nobody at tri-Ace has heard of World of Warcraft. Instead there are sub-machine guns, voluminous explosions, and a steampunk setting.

Our story takes place on the epic floating tower of Bazel. Scattered around the landscape are ample amounts of gears, dials and cogs that help contribute to the game's appealing neon-Victorian environment. Imagery of the clock is pertinent in the entire environment, leading us to believe it will become a key point of the game's narrative. Battles are a suitably flash harmony of bullets and athletics, and at first glance you're taken aback by its striking visual identity. It certainly looks unique, and we're told this is in no small part due to Sega and tri-Ace's working relationship and their combined receptivity to unconventional ideas.

But, still, you don't have to look very far to see those recognisable JRPG tropes eke back in. There are random battles, for instance, and baffling haircuts on the noggins of an impulsive young male, pretty female and responsibly slightly-older male who acts as the proverbial guardian of the group. The three of them make a band of mercenaries, have silly names like Zephyr and Beanbell, and spend their days traipsing around running errands for cash-laden bourgeoisie types.

The social divide (another common theme in a JRPG) is plain to see. The high and mighty are literally that, living miles above the rest of the people in Bazel's higher echelons. The tower, however, rules its citizens, dictating the minutiae of their lives and choosing when they have to die. It probably also decides when to have hosepipe bans and on what day of the week people can wear their favourite t-shirt. Only the rich are aware of this, however. The miserable peasants, in their low-down slums, believe it all to be the work of Gods. Like you do.

We were shown around a town called Abel City in the demonstration, which appeared to function as a hometown of sorts. Your band of mercenaries live in a hideout that's nicely located within easy walking distance of the town's guild building, home of the game's numerous side missions. We weren't allowed to know many details, but it looked similar to something you'd find in an MMO: you accept the quest from an NPC, they give you the details, and you return to them when you're done. Important story missions will be dished out automatically, although we'll wager you'll pretty much be forced to do all the side missions in order to accrue those ever-important experience points.

After the mission was accepted, the party was whisked off to a dungeon and we were shown some particulars of the battle system. It combines both real-time and turn-based action; characters are given an amount of points to use during their turns, and when they run out they have to wait about a bit before they're allowed another go. Teamwork is essential, as characters either dish out 'scratch' or 'actual' damage. This is similar, partially, to the kind of regenerative health bars we've all become so familiar with. All enemies in the game have two health bars: one regenerates over time, but is chipped away with the scratch damage from sub-machine guns and, presumably, other automatic weaponry. The second bar, more prone to damage after the first is removed, is depleted when hit by actual damage, dealt in the demo by a pistol, and is what you need to drain in order to kill an enemy.

To fill the void left by removing resplendent, extravagant magical attacks, tri-Ace have added extravagant invincible attacks. Fill up a certain bar by performing regular attacks and you can let one rip, no doubt causing massive damage, and telegraphed by a gratuitously choreographed animation. The one we were shown had a character jumping in the air and doing all sorts of gravity-defying acrobatic spins whilst firing his pistol many, many times. As you level your characters up, we're told, the animations become even flashier. The damage will also go up, we're guessing.

Characters are extremely susceptible to damage after their showy performances. The key is in manoeuvring the environment, we're told: there are areas of cover to move behind, items (such as the classic explosive barrel) to be exploited and obstacles to avoid, which definitely sounds more interesting than the traditional flat landscapes we're all-too-used to seeing.

Sega were also keen to stress the customisability of the characters. There are no prescribed roles for any of the three characters in the game; you have the option of moulding your party into whatever you think is best. The characters are, essentially, blank slates that can equip everything. We were worried about whether you'll need to commit each character to a specific role at the start, so you don't miss shiny top-tier powers, but Sega couldn't comment. We're just hoping to flip tradition on its head and make the bulky old man the healer.

Resonance of Fate is certainly full of promise, but without a more in-depth, hands-on session we can't really say if it'll be as fun to play as it is to look at. The story, however, sounds fantastic and the setting looks refreshingly original. We're a bit sceptical about whether it'll appeal to those who aren't interested in JRPGs, but we're more than willing to give Sega and tri-Ace the chance. But with the game due out in 2010, they'll need all the chances they can get: they'll be up against JRPG goliath Final Fantasy XIII.