Square Enix readies Front Mission 4

TOKYO--On the heels of a newly launched Web site, and following recent confirmation of the development of a new game in the Front Mission series, weekly magazine Jump revealed details of the forthcoming Front Mission 4 release.

Front Mission 4 is set six years after the original release. There are two main characters in the game, Daryl and Elsa, and each is based in a different location. The storyline follows each of them--separately--until an incident causes their paths to cross.

Daryl is described as an optimistic military man who was exceptional at his job before getting demoted after a quarrel with his superior. Elsa is a female French soldier who has been transferred from the Wanzer unit to the field strategy research sector. Cheerful, honest, and possessing a strong sense of justice, Elsa seems to question her profession--as one who must hurt others to survive. One of the characters, named Maria, from Front Mission 1st is confirmed to be in the game. She was the superior officer of Kevin, the main character in Front Mission 1st's U.S.N. scenario.

Not many details on the system side of Front Mission 4 have been revealed, but the battle screen consists of multiple status windows for Wanzer mechs, suggesting that the battle system will be different from previous FM titles.

Front Mission 4 is scheduled for release on the PlayStation 2 this winter.