If you’re a fan of tactical RPGs, then you’re probably already familiar with the work of Yasumi Matsuno. After all, he was behind classics such as Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics. Well, he has recently teamed up with Playdek for a new project. That project is Unsung Story: Tale of the Guardians.
Originally, Unsung Story was planned to be a mobile game on iOS and Android devices. However, fan demand for releases on other platforms has led the team to Kickstarter. If their campaign reaches its goal, the game will be released not only for mobile platforms, but also for PC, Mac, and Linux. Stretch goals are in place to bring the game to the PS Vita, PS4 and 3DS as well.
Unsung Story takes place in the land of Rasfalia and tells the tales of the forgotten heroes of the Seventy-Seven Years War. The game will be episodic, with each episode telling the story of one of the heroes. There will be many stages per episode, so look forward to plenty of gameplay. The story arcs for these episodes can be anywhere from a year to a decade in length. The players’ actions can influence the story and game world.
Like most great tactical games, Unsung Story will feature an expansive class system. The characters will take on a particular profession and you can change among the various classes available within that profession. There are even sub-classes that will be determined by the specific weapon type the unit has equipped. There are so many possibilities that will enhance customization and replay value.
As of this writing, the campaign is more than three-quarters funded with just about 9 days to go. There are a bunch of stretch goals, some of which are lofty but well worth it if they are met. The lower goals include adding top translators Alexander O. Smith and Joeseph Reeder, and having music composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, who worked on games such as Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy XII, and the Final Fantasy Tactics series. Additional stretch goals include a handheld or console release, New Game+ mode and voice overs. This is all capped off by the highest stretch goal, coming in at $2.4 million: a live concert by Sakimoto, featuring music from his entire career.
With a world created by Yasumi Matsuno, character designs by Akihiko Yoshida and the potential for music to be composed by Hitoshi Sakamoto, Unsung Story: Tale of the Guardians has the potential to be the sweeping epic many fans have been waiting for.
Head on over to the Unsung Story Kickstarter page for more details and see for yourself if you think this game is worth funding.
