The Last Remnant

Square Enix’s latest slice of top-notch RPG gaming arrives in the visually pleasing form of The Last Remnant on 360 and PS3. Jonathon Harker joins the battle...

Square Enix is undoubtedly one of the very best publishers and developers working in the RPG genre. With the kind of pedigree that would make other publishers weep, Square has been responsible for some top-class role playing game franchises, not least of all the mighty Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series.

The publisher’s latest is The Last Remnant, and the title is something of a first for Square Enix as senior product manager Adrian Arnese explains to MCV: “The Last Remnant is the first next-gen title to be released from an in-house development team. With graphics powered by a specially modified version of the Unreal Engine 3, an innovative battle system, not to mention a simultaneous localisation and worldwide release, The Last Remnant is the first title in a new and ongoing approach to making games for a global audience.”

The title is in good hands too, with the team behind the eagerly awaited RPG boasting an impressive background: “The brainchild of the team that brought you the Final Fantasy and SaGa series, The Last Remnant delivers a thrilling gameplay experience enriched by stunning graphics, a moving narrative and some unbelievably big battles,” Arnese continues.

The title revolves around Remnants, of which there are thousands to be discovered. Each Remnant varies in size and contains mystical powers that transfer to the finder. The hero of the game, Rush Sykes, is taken by mysterious forces on an amazing journey, encountering many beautifully rendered characters and locations.

The video gaming world has seen its fair share of RPGs in recent months, but Square Enix is confident that The Last Remnant has what it takes to mark itself out from the pack, as Arnese explains:

“The game’s innovative command system allows for scores of allies and enemies units to engage in a bloody and balletic battle to the death. In the midst of the carnage, with visceral finishing blows landing left and right, players will experience the exhilaration of a soldier on the battlefield with a cinematic intensity that is similar to the battles in some leading fantasy movies.”

The title will of course be judged on how well it performs at retail and, as Square Enix’s UK sales director Doug Bone tells us, the signs are looking very promising indeed for the RPG:

“The feedback from the trade has been nothing short of incredible and with the usual year-end deluge of releases across crowded genres, The Last Remnant will stand alone as the only game that matters to RPG fans. We fully expect The Last Remnant to maintain a top ten spot throughout the Christmas period.”