Seven

   So far, with the exception of the American-made Summoner, the short-term RPG lineup for the PlayStation 2 seems pretty dismal. For all its vaunted polygon-pushing power, all anyone's come up with so far are the likes of Evergrace and Eternal Ring--hardly titles to hang a revolution on. The best hope for RPGs on the PlayStation 2 for now may lie in ... hand-drawn, 2D graphics.

PlayStation 2D

   Yes, those worried about the PS2 spelling the death of 2D need look no further for reassurance: Namco's Seven: Morumosu's Cavalry Corps (Seven, for short) features entirely flat sprites in the style of SaGa Frontier II or Legend of Mana. The story is as old-school as the graphics: a wandering knight apprentice arrives in a village 1000 years after demons were defeated by seven ancient warriors. He assembles six other fighters who have all, like himself, been chosen by destiny to wield the seven legendary weapons against the demon horde.

   All seven party members will be in play at once during battles, with a rotation system that allows the front line to attack while the back line rests, and a middle line to assist the front party members. If executed well, it could be quite the innovative system, putting a dash of tactics into standard random battles. And if done poorly--well, we'll still have a DVD's worth of lush, flat graphics to look at.