Child of Light - 2D JRPG from Ubisoft

[bVork]

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It's a 2D JRPG using the UbiArt framework (the same as Rayman Origins and Legends) headed up by the creative director of FarCry 3, Patrick Plourde.

The best preview is probably this one, over at the Playstation Blog. This passages stood out to me in particular:

Battles operate in a turn-based system, with a cast meter dicting the turn order of each character on screen. The meter is divided into two sections: a longer, blue “wait” section, then a short, red “cast” section at the end. Each character is represented by a small icon that slides along the meter as they ready themselves.

The key to battling in Child of Light is to time your attacks properly. Attacking an enemy that’s in the red cast section will interrupt its attack, sending it all the way back to the beginning of the meter. When Aurora and her friends have their turn, time stands still, and an elegant menu opens with a host of different options, like attacking, casting spells, using items, and other familiar JRPG goodies.

Sounds like the Grandia 2 battle system, which IMO remains the single best battle system in a JRPG.

IGN also has an article up that feels like the writers couldn't be bothered putting together an actual preview, but it contains some interesting co-op details that remind me a little of Super Mario Galaxy by way of Knights in the Nightmare.

This sounds really fascinating and looks gorgeous. FarCry 3 was far more experimental than you typically see from pre-existing franchises, so I'm really interested to see what (some of) those developers do with a genre that has mostly gone ignored by Western developers, save for the occasional indie production.

[Finch]

i'm half interested and half skeptical at the whole concept of the triple A-est of AAA game studios trying to be indie without the financial risk. it really comes off as someone trying to be enchanting by using a hammer to tickle the imagination. like 90s Disney. what schmaltz.

[Shin Johnpv]

I liked that trailer, I will buy this when it comes out.

[Geo]

This looks exciting, I hope it turns out great.

[NeoZeedeater]

I like the look of this. Calling something not made in Japan a JRPG sounds weird to me even if it plays like one, though.

[Korly]

That looks pretty hot.

[Bacon McShig]

Looks neat, but the exploration looks clearly at odds with the JRPG descriptor they're bathing this in. Battle system aside, looks a lot more like a platformer or Metroidvania.

I never really got why major western devs have been so gunshy on throwing their hat into the JRPG ring, considering that millions upon millions of western kids are weaned on Pokemon.

Also: This wasn't the only UbiArt engine game announced today:

[Shin Johnpv]

That looks pretty damn interesting too.

[MechDeus]

Every time I see this thread title I think it's a Child of Eden sequel and then I get really disappointed.

[Finch]

i hope that piano riffing off of Amélie means this is going to cross over with A Very Long Engagement and The Razor's Edge