Release date set for Eternal Anima

Eternal Anima, a Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) developed by Marvelous, is scheduled to launch on March 4, 2027. The game is directed by Katsuhisa Higuchi, who has previously worked on titles such as Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger.

Creative team and design goals

Kazushige Nojima is handling the script, while Keisuke Makino is responsible for world-building. The game aims to revive the spirit of 1990s and 2000s Japanese role-playing games while introducing new ideas, including time travel, knowledge transmission, and tactical combat that influence the course of events.

Setting and story premise

The game is set in Grastella, a world where continents have disappeared beneath the oceans, forcing civilization to retreat into the floating city of Urvis Ael. The inhabitants live under the rule of a powerful leader who forbids any pursuit of progress, labeling it as heresy.

Protagonist and key gameplay mechanic

The protagonist, Wade, challenges this system after discovering truths about his world and embarks on a journey to explore the lost continents using a power called Psychométrie, which allows him to access memories stored in objects and travel through time.

Visual style and environment design

The game's narrative structure is traditional, with isometric views of environments, villages, and dungeons. Enemies are visible in the environment, and regions are composed of branching paths, treasures, environmental puzzles, and side activities.

Art style and influences

The art style combines deformed character proportions with fully 3D environments, emphasizing color and depth of field. This approach is reminiscent of Tokyo RPG Factory titles such as I Am Setsuna and Lost Sphear.

Combat system and mechanics

The combat system is a standout feature, allowing players to anticipate and manipulate enemy actions through a timeline interface. Each ability has a speed that affects its placement on the timeline, and exploiting enemy weaknesses can delay their actions, potentially leading to a "Break" that cancels their action for the turn.

Enhancing combat with Boost Points and customization

Players can also use Boost Points (BP) to enhance actions and trigger special techniques, with character positioning, elemental affinities, and skill characteristics adding complexity. Psychométrie also allows Wade to inherit classes and skills from past heroes, enriching the combat arsenal.

Companions and soundtrack

Companions like M.O.S., a small automaton, can be customized with different components to modify their abilities. The game's soundtrack is composed by Basiscape, with Hitoshi Sakimoto contributing, and features a main theme by guitarist Marcin. Both English and Japanese voice acting are confirmed, with French translations available.

Mixed reception from early impressions

Despite these elements, the combat lacks dynamism in animations and staging, which can make encounters feel static, especially compared to more modern approaches seen in titles such as Persona, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Monster Hunter Stories 3, and Clair Obscur: Expédition 33. The art direction is charming but not particularly impressive, leaving the overall impression somewhat mixed after a brief hands-on session. Eternal Anima shows promise with its combat system and narrative concepts but will need to prove itself upon release.