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What the hell is Fifth Phantom Saga? The Magic Box is reporting a Sega PS3 title by this name.

Being produced by Yuji Naka.

Link: http://www.the-magicbox.com/0505/game050516j.shtml

Edit by big_smile:




The game is indeed being produced by Yuji Naka. In a Japanese press release*, Naka explained that all of Sega’s divisions regularly conduct research into developing the graphics of video games. The advancements made possible by the next generation of hardware allow Sega the opportunity to finally apply their research in producing new games.

According to Dengki Online, the Fifth Phantom Saga is a first person shooter (even though the screen shots seem to suggest otherwise) and fully incorporates the advance graphical and physics capabilities of the Playstation 3*. The physics simulator "NovodeX", produced by the U.S. company AGEIA, has also been used to enhance the realism of the physics in the levels.




The name is only a tentative title at this stage.

More information can be found at Dengki Online, Game Watch Impress and Sega Japan

*Disclaimer: information obtained through machine translation and so may be partially inaccurate

Update by big_smile
Sega Japan have released a website for the game, which can be found here

The genre is listed as "To be Revealed", so it may not actually be a first person shooter.

Update by big_smile

IGN have just posted some early impressions and a trailer of the game. It seems that Fifth Phantom Saga is a First Person Shooter, but 'innovates' the genre by adding a flying phantom, that follows the player, a bit like Tails in Sonic 2.

The player can send various commands to the phantom which range from breaking down walls to collecting items, allowing precious ammo to be conserved.

The E3 demo was from an early version of the game. It appears to contain few action sequences, but does have some puzzle-based sections.

The trailer focuses on the mysterious phantom creature.

Speaking as a FPS player, I would have to say that this looks relatively OK. The textures and models seem alright, but the primitive level geometry is worrisome. I sincerely hope it significantly improves the further the game is developed. Although I find it strange that Sega are making a FPS (assuming it is one), simply because of the Japanese's unearthly hatred for the entire genre in general, and the fact that Sega has never made one before (HotD and Virtua Cop don't count).

Out of interest, aren't Sega also collaborating with Monolith for some zombie shooter on the 360? Not that I'm expecting it to look any better, just asking.

Dark Crow wrote: Although I find it strange that Sega are making a FPS (assuming it is one), simply because of the Japanese's unearthly hatred for the entire genre in general, and the fact that Sega has never made one before (HotD and Virtua Cop don't count).

I got the impression from the trailer that the game is aimed more towards the Western markets.

Sonic Team rarely release anything more than PSO and Sonic games these days, so its disappointing that their first new console game since Billy Hatcher is a seemingly generic first person shooter. Giant Egg didn't really do anything new (it was after all a 3D platform game), but it did have an distinctive style and sense of imagination that felt fresh and was different.

Fifth Phantom Saga, in contrast, looks indistinguishable from existing games, despite being a next-gen title that utilises Sega’s advanced graphical research. The phantom concept is somewhat interesting, but it could just end-up being another gimmick like the team-play concept in Sonic Heroes.

^_^

big_smile wrote:The phantom concept is somewhat interesting, but it could just end-up being another gimmick like the team-play concept in Sonic Heroes.

I'm worried about that too. From the trailer, it seems the phantom will function similarly to the gravity gun featured in Half Life 2, what with the ability to levitate in-game objects. I just hope that this feature is used appropriately for puzzles and as an effective form of attacking enemies, instead of being just a gimmick.

This game doesn't interest me, but I do think the logo looks nice.

and the fact that Sega has never made one before

There was Outtrigger on Dreamcast, which I believe was developed by AM2. Dunno if it was any good.

I like that the game's initials are FPS.

Dark Crow wrote:Out of interest, aren't Sega also collaborating with Monolith for some zombie shooter on the 360? Not that I'm expecting it to look any better, just asking.

It's Condemned, and it was only one of the very first next-gen titles revealed (a couple months ago).

Supposedly it's not zombies, though. Looked like a FPS House of the Dead to me when it was first announced, but now it doesn't really. Too bad.