Breath of Fire IV update

[04.07.00] » Anime intro, new party member revealed.

   With just a few weeks to go until Breath of Fire IV's Japanese release, Capcom has released a few new details regarding the game. First up is a new party member: Ursula, a purple-haired female warrior armed with a gun. Judging by her character artwork, she appears to have ties to Rasso.

   Up to six party members can be crammed into your team, though only three will be in combat at one time. The three inactive members, however, can be substituted into your fighting squad at any time, a feature not seen in the series since the first installment.

   Finally, BOF IV will also mark the first appearance of any FMV clips in the series. The game is set to contain a full anime introduction featuring assorted scenes of Ryu, Nina, Fou Lu, and other characters. (See below for stills.) Industry insiders are already hailing the intro as a strong rival to BOF III's action-packed, single-image opener.

   Breath of Fire IV is due out April 27 in Japan, with a North American release to follow in September.