I Am Setsuna studio reveals its next project, Lost Sphear

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Tokyo RPG Factory, the developer behind last year's retro-JRPG I Am Setsuna, has announced that it is well into work on a new, similarly-styled project called Lost Sphear. Set for release in early 2018, the studio says Lost Sphear will expand on the features of I Am Setsuna with seamless environments and "a revamped ATB battle system where players can strategize and freely adjust their placement mid-fight."

Lost Sphear follows the adventures of a young boy named Kanata, who awakens from a dream to discover that his remote hometown is literally disappearing. "To stop the world from being lost forever, Kanata and his comrades set out to rebuild the world around them with the power of Memory by manifesting thoughts into matter," Tokyo RPG Factory explained.

That's not the most concise description of a game I've ever encountered, and the announcement trailer isn't much clearer about what's happening to the world and the people in it. But it does look lovely, and with the lessons learned from I Am Setsuna—which despite some shortcomings we actually liked quite a bit—combined with a "powerfully unforgettable storyline," it'll hopefully live up to its (admittedly very early) promise.

More information about the game can be found at lostsphear.com, which also offers links to purchase physical editions of the game—which unfortunately are only being released for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch. The PC release will be digital-only, on Steam.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.