505 Games' very first showcase has come and gone, and while it didn't include famous 505 franchises like Control, it still included some noteworthy games. Aside from the RPG Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising, the Finnish survival title Among the Trolls, and a new action RPG called Stray Blade, 505 Games took the time to discuss Miasma Chronicles. While the cinematic trailer for Miasma Chronicles didn't reveal much about the gameplay, developer The Bearded Ladies has shed a fair amount of light on the game outside the reveal trailer. Miasma Chronicles is a turn-based RPG set in post-apocalyptic America that draws on The Bearded Ladies' experience developing Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden.

The new Bearded Ladies game has plenty of unique ideas in store, from its depiction of a sundered near-future America to the aesthetic of the mysterious, deadly Miasma, but manga and anime fans may find the story of Miasma Chronicles a little familiar. It just so happens that Miasma Chronicles' protagonist Elvis has quite a few similarities to Edward Elric, the protagonist of Fullmetal Alchemist, and his greater circumstances have some significant similarities to Fullmetal Alchemist's story too. While the game will clearly go in different directions from this manga and anime cornerstone, the similarities between the two might be a good selling point for Miasma Chronicles.

RELATED: Explaining Ghostrunner 2's Absence At The 505 Showcase

Comparing Miasma Chronicles to Fullmetal Alchemist

fullmetal-alchemist-brotherhood-feature

There is a clear comparison to be made between Elvis and Edward's appearances, since they're both young men with blond hair, but their similarities go well beyond that. In Miasma Chronicles, Elvis wears a glove given to him by his mother that allows him to control the Miasma to some extent. The glove seems not entirely dissimilar from Edward Elric's automail arm in Fullmetal Alchemist, which Edward often transforms through alchemy to gain an advantage in combat. Both of these characters rely on an empowered right hand and uncanny mastery over a supernatural force to progress on their quests.

Elvis' main companion also creates a connection to Fullmetal Alchemist. Edward's younger brother and fellow protagonist Alphonse Elric inhabits a large suit of armor as a disembodied soul, while Elvis has a robotic older brother who will accompany him throughout Miasma Chronicles. Elvis' brother and Alphonse may differ in age compared to their respective siblings, but they both create great opportunities for family narratives. One more thing ties Miasma Chronicles to Fullmetal Alchemist: the loss of the protagonists' mother. The events of Fullmetal Alchemist kick off when Alphonse and Edward try to resurrect their mother, whose death still haunts them, whereas Elvis and his brother hope to find their lost mother somewhere in the Miasma.

Miasma Chronicles Combines Old and New

Edward Elric performing alchemy in Fullmetal Alchemist

Ultimately, Miasma Chronicles will likely be very different from Fullmetal Alchemist. It's rooted in America, rather than a fictional place like Amestris, which will inevitably result in entirely different types of characters and plot threads. The encroaching Miasma also poses a very different type of threat from the enemies faced by the Elrics in Fullmetal Alchemist. Still, Miasma Chronicles seems to borrow some important ideas from Fullmetal Alchemist with the intention of using them in new ways, which may make the game more interesting on the whole.

Video games never have to be entirely new to stay interesting. On the contrary, lots of long-lived franchises like Pokemon reuse the majority of their core concepts while adding enough new ideas to keep fans engaged. Similarly, Miasma Chronicles doesn't have to tell a story that's never been told before in order to attract players. Its notable similarities to Fullmetal Alchemist actually make the story more interesting, since it simultaneously appeals to fans nostalgic for Fullmetal Alchemist while promising to do something new with its concepts. A lot remains to be seen about Miasma Chronicles, from its core gameplay components to the other characters that Elvis and his brother will meet, but wherever they go, some similarities to Fullmetal Alchemist will remain.

Miasma Chronicles releases in 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: Why Fullmetal Alchemist Video Games Never Really Got Off the Ground