Square Enix reveals its mysterious new RPG IP is called I Am Setsuna, and that the project is using the  combat from SNES classic Chrono Trigger as inspiration.

I Am Setsuna will be the debut effort from Square Enix's new in-house studio, which has been ambitiously named Tokyo RPG Factory. The game and its studio's existence were both confirmed during Square Enix's E3 2015 presentation, although the effort was known simply as Project Setsuna then and no information beyond the fact it was in development and targeting a 2016 release was publicly available.

Square Enix announced I Am Setsuna today as part of a press release that also indicated the publisher is targeting a summer release for the game. The biggest news, however, came in the form of a brief comparative statement that was meant to help contextualize what I Am Setsuna might look like and could instead incite nerd riots across the globe. According to Square Enix, I Am Setsuna will boast a combat system that is heavily inspired by the critically lauded battles in Chrono Trigger.

Fans have been clamoring for more from the Chrono Trigger universe ever since Chrono Break was cancelled (if it was ever in development) way back in 2001, so the revelation that a new series is incorporating any elements from the SNES classic at all is huge. While I Am Setsuna will be its own game and the battle system will have to be heavily modernized to compete in today's market, the comparison to Chrono Trigger will certainly raise people's expectations for Tokyo RPG Factory's first shot at revitalizing the JRPG market.

According to Square Enix, Tokyo RPG Factory's goal as a studio is to use the inspiring character development and storytelling from the golden era of JRPGs while bringing the gameplay and graphics into the modern era of video game technology. The publisher also stated that I Am Setsuna would be released in the west this summer on PS4 and Steam, while Japan will also be treated to a PS Vita release.

Despite rumors swirling around the death of console gaming in Japan for a few years now, it appears that Square Enix considers the market healthy enough to explore beyond just the upcoming release of Final Fantasy 15. Q2 and Q3 of 2016 could be the most important period of time in Square's storied history, as I Am Setsuna will look to make a splash in the summer while Final Fantasy 15 is currently rumored to be targeting a September 2016 release date as well.

Do you think Square Enix is going to succeed in revitalizing the JRPG genre worldwide? Is a comparison to Chrono Trigger enough to get you interested in I Am Setsuna? Let us know in the comments below.

I Am Setsuna will release in the summer of 2016 for western gamers on the PS4 and Steam, while the Japanese release is unconfirmed and will include the PS Vita as an additional platform.

Source: IGN