• New info on I am Setsuna's Battle System and Gameplay features.



    A demo version of I am Setsuna was available to play at PAX East recently and the good folks at Siliconera wrote a pretty snazzy breakdown of the game mechanics.

    Any one who has watched the trailers or spotted the screenshots will quickly realize that I am Setsuna based its combat system on legendary cult classic Chrono Trigger, but anyone who figured that was that and not to expect more from this "throwback game" will be pleasantly surprised to discover that while CT was the basis for the system, the developers expanded it in their own unique way.


    The game also borrows from Final Fantasy VII with the Spiritnite system; characters equip their skills and techs to their equipment much like how materia worked in FFVII, meaning you have to make choices as you unlock more and more abilities. Spiritnites can be produced at special Magical Consortiums located in towns, as long as you have the right materials to produce them.

    Here's where things get a bit interesting, while enemies drop said materials, it doesn't use a standard common/rare/super rare drop like say... FFXII or even Xenoblade, instead the enemy will drop materials based on the type of attack that killed them. So physical, magical, and status effect based deaths will actually produce different drop materials and you'll need to be flexible and experimental with the skill system to actually obtain all the materials needed to get all the game's various Spiritnites.


    Another mechanic that is reminiscent but different from a mechanic in Persona 2, is a mechanic called Fluxes. Fluxes are a semi-random event in battle when your characters use different techs, combos, and magic in battle. Fluxes that occur in battle upgrade your Spiritnites by adding special and permanent effects to your Spiritnites, like a melee tech gaining the added bonus of inflicting Confuse on an opponent, or a healing spell adding a regen status when used. This creates more reasons to experiment and use different techs and abilities in battle.

    Like Chrono Trigger, positioning is key to winning in this game as techs and combos are limited to certain attack range and targeting, so sometimes you need to wait until enemies draw in closer before pulling off that powerful tech attack, but on the other hand, some enemies will use powerful final attacks when defeated that affect the area around them, so it's important to remember these enemies so you can snipe them from far off.


    The battle mechanics are designed in a way to keep your mind into the battle system instead of just spamming one attack over and over. The Momentum System is another means of accomplishing this. As you battle a circular bar fills up a maximum of three times as you battle and these give you three chances to add the hurt on your opponents. When using a tech or combo while having a charge in the Momentum system active, you can gain various bonuses by timing a Square button press during the move. Some attacks will do more damage, others will inflict status buffs/debuffs depending on the move and so forth, so it's important to stay actively involved in the battle.

    The game also will have a food mechanic much like Suikoden and Star Ocean, where you can prepare food from recipes obtained in villages that grant special bonuses for the characters in battle.

    So far, I am Setsuna is showing that it's not going to just be a clone of old school RPGs but instead, use their mechanics as a spring board for new innovations. The game will be released this Summer in the West for PS4 and Steam.
    This article was originally published in forum thread: New info on I am Setsuna's Battle System and Gameplay features. started by Wolf Kanno View original post
    Comments 15 Comments
    1. VeloZer0's Avatar
      VeloZer0 -
      Quote Originally Posted by Wolf Kanno View Post
      ... as long as you have the right materials to produce them.

      Here's where things get a bit interesting, while enemies drop said materials, it doesn't use a standard common/rare/super rare drop like say... FFXII or even Xenoblade, instead the enemy will drop materials based on the type of attack that killed them. So physical, magical, and status effect based deaths will actually produce different drop materials
      AKA good luck trying to play the game without a item drop/crafting guide by your side.

      Sounds good on paper, but from experience when there is crafting/drops involved I can never just play the game without it becoming a research project.
    1. Wolf Kanno's Avatar
      Wolf Kanno -
      Actually the article itself mentions that the game gives you an in-game drop guide for enemies and recipe list, so you'll always know, though I'm sure you'll have to make the enemy drop it first to get the guide info.
    1. Depression Moon's Avatar
      Depression Moon -
      This game really sounds like it's going to be deep and fun. The gameplay footage I've seen from journalists were kind of boring though.
    1. VeloZer0's Avatar
      VeloZer0 -
      Quote Originally Posted by Wolf Kanno View Post
      Actually the article itself mentions that the game gives you an in-game drop guide for enemies and recipe list, so you'll always know, though I'm sure you'll have to make the enemy drop it first to get the guide info.
      I hope that they can make me pleasantly surprised, but they don't exactly have a track record that inspires my confidence.
    1. Wolf Kanno's Avatar
      Wolf Kanno -
      Quote Originally Posted by VeloZer0 View Post
      Quote Originally Posted by Wolf Kanno View Post
      Actually the article itself mentions that the game gives you an in-game drop guide for enemies and recipe list, so you'll always know, though I'm sure you'll have to make the enemy drop it first to get the guide info.
      I hope that they can make me pleasantly surprised, but they don't exactly have a track record that inspires my confidence.
      You know this is being done by an new and original team right? Square is basically paying a third party to make the game for them.
    1. Elpizo's Avatar
      Elpizo -
      The game is quickly hyping itself up to me now. :o
    1. VeloZer0's Avatar
      VeloZer0 -
      Quote Originally Posted by Wolf Kanno View Post
      You know this is being done by an new and original team right? Square is basically paying a third party to make the game for them.
      It seems like a general trend in JRPGs these days. Twice burned, many more times shy.

      New and original team isn't something I always buy. The team was assembled and selected by SE, who (from my perspective) don't really have much sense of direction, so I have no reason to assume that the new team is super awesome. I mean, would people be excited for a random new start up game company that says they are making a game that has a combat system like Chrono Trigger? No, this is getting more attention because it is coming from SE. So having a game get attention because it is made by SE but saying it is dissociated from the historical faults of SE seems a lot like having your cake and eating it to.

      I would like it to be something I enjoy, but at this point it is easier to be pessimistic and pleasantly surprised than eager and disappointed.
    1. Fynn's Avatar
      Fynn -
      Have you played Bravely Default? Because it's a pretty similar deal, actually. Both games are made by other companies with SE acting as a publisher, and both are heavily reliant on old school RPG nostalgia. Bravely Default and its sequel have been praised to high heaven for "bringing back the JRPG magic". I'd say your data is a bit outdated
    1. Wolf Kanno's Avatar
      Wolf Kanno -
      He doesn't like playing on handhelds if he can help it, so he may never bother with BD.
    1. Fynn's Avatar
      Fynn -
      shaaaaaaaame
    1. VeloZer0's Avatar
      VeloZer0 -
      Actually I've been having to spend a ton of time on the bus, so I've slowly been moving through the backlog of handhelds I haven't gotten to. I'm just waiting until I get through the NDS titles before I pick up a 3DS.

      Unfortunately the large amount of bus time is directly correlated with moving to a student budget from a gainfully employed budget, so I have to be more judicious with the purchases.
    1. Fynn's Avatar
      Fynn -
      yessss

      YESSSSSS

      Join the handheld side of gaming! It's so nice here!
    1. VeloZer0's Avatar
      VeloZer0 -
      I still think they are a vastly inferior gaming experience. :P
    1. Fynn's Avatar
      Fynn -
      Well, that opinion is vastly inferior, mister, and you've denied yourself some real gems!
    1. Midgar Mist's Avatar
      Midgar Mist -
      If I can ever afford the

      -PS4/XBox One
      -A Digital TV (an expensive one with the right connections)
      -The correct leads

      Then this shall be the first game of this newfangled era I shall buy and play.

      (shuffles back off the the nursing home on her Zimmerframe)
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