Interest

Tales of Xillia 2 Brings Back Ayumi Hamasaki, ufotable (Updated)

Namco Bandai Games unveiled Tales of Xillia 2, the next mothership title in its "Tales of" role-playing game franchise, during the "Tales of Festival 2012" event in Yokohama on Saturday. Ayumi Hamasaki (InuYasha) is contributing the theme song as she did in the first Tales of Xillia game, and the studio ufotable is again providing the animated sequences. The official website describes the PlayStation 3 game's genre as an "RPG where choice spins the future."

The story is set one year after the ending of the first Tales of Xillia. Daigo Okumura (Tales of the Tempest, Yumeria game, Elementhunters) is designing the characters, including the main protagonist Ludger Will Kresnik (voiced by Takashi Kondō) and his cat Lulu. The key to the story is an eight-year-old girl named Elle Mel Marta (Mariya Ise).

The theme of the new game is "choice," as represented by decisions that the player can make using the R1 and L1 buttons to change the course of the game. The game will feature the XDR-LMBS (Cross Double Raid-Linear Motion Battle System). A key element of the main character's "gun/sword/hammer" fighting style is his ability to "weapon-shift" between dual swords, dual guns, or a hammer nearly instantaneously.

The game will arrive this winter. Namco Bandai's own retail site LaLabitMarket will offer a version bundled with Kyun Chara figures (Ludger, two swappable bodies, Elle, Lulu), and collaborative projects are planned with the Shinjuku Marui One store, the NAMJATOWN theme park, and other partners.

Source: 4Gamer via 0takomu, andriasang

Image © Mutsumi Inomata © Kousuke Fujishima © 2012 Namco Bandai Games Inc.

Update: The official Twitter account for Namco Bandai Games in the United Kingdom posted the following on Saturday, "Tales fans I know you are all excited for Tales of Xillia 2 but all I can tell you right now is to stay tuned!" Thanks to opn for the news tip.