Strategy RPG by former Quest staff announced

[07.07.99] » Developed by ex-staff from the company responsible for the Ogre Battle series, Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth closely resembles Square's Final Fantasy Tactics. Screens and artwork included.

   With colorful visuals and a gameplay engine strikingly similar to Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre, a recently announced strategy RPG by former Quest staffers has started to turn heads in Japan. Believed to be in development for the PlayStation, Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth stars a young swordsman named Faz, a citizen of a medieval-style world. While few other plot details are available, Faz eventually comes across and becomes involved with a boomerang-toting female fugitive at some point during his quest, plus other characters visible in an artwork sketch available below.

   Strategy RPG fans will quickly identify Quest as the company behind the Ogre Battle series, including the upcoming Ogre Battle 64. A number of Quest employees left the company some time ago, later forming a company located in Kumamoto, Japan known as Maxfive. Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth is Maxfive's first effort, and judging by the artwork and screen shots released so far, the influence from Quest is clearly visible -- an isometric perspective, distinctive sprite-based characters, and highly detailed, multi-level battlefield grids mirror previous Quest releases.

   Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth is due out in Japan in January for 4800 yen. A North American release has yet to be announced, but we're certainly keeping our fingers crossed. Thanks to Phil "Osirus" for the news tip.