Sky Oceans: Wings For Hire is the latest loving homage to the JRPGs of yesteryear. It’s being published by PQube, and there’s a new trailer that’s very much a “spot the references/homages” affair.
It’s a game that takes place in the skies (no, not of Arcadia, although…). It’s structured very much like a Dragon Quest or Ni No Kuni, in that you’ll move from town to town, solving local problems before moving on, with the grand narrative slowly building in the background.
And speaking of Ni No Kuni, the game also draws its visual inspiration from the work of Level-5 and Studio Ghibli.
It’s a lot to live up to, but the trailer certainly puts a strong foot forward!
From the press release:
- Relive a Golden Era of Classic JRPGs with a touching, heartfelt narrative about the search for purpose & building friendships that last a lifetime.
- Become Captain of a Rag-tag Crew of Sky Pirates! – As head of your crew, you must recruit new members & secure enough resources for your fleet!
- Stylistic, Strategic Turn-Based Dog-Fights! – Tactically plan attacks and adapt your strategy as you clash with adversaries in the open blue skies!
- Gather Resources & Upgrade Your Airships! – Upgrade your crew with new special abilities as you progress through a winding narrative! Manage resources and expand your airship departments as new characters join your band of pirates.
- A Beautiful Ghibli-Esque World, Filled With Wonder – Stunning Japanese animation inspired visuals make for diverse environments and memorable character design. Discover new towns and cultures, and help solve local problems to gain their support and loyalty.
- Original Orchestral Soundtrack – A beautifully orchestrated original soundtrack accompanies you along your journey.
This game is being released on everything – Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and PC (Steam). It’s coming later this year, and there’s a demo available on Steam from June 10.
