A newindiegame calledNever’s End, which seems inspired byFinal Fantasy Tactics, should be on your radar if you’re a fan of the classic Square Enix tactical RPG. The 1997 title deviates from the traditional gameplay style of the series, leaning into the tactical RPG genre. Even so, it holds onto the classic narrative style that makes the franchise so memorable. In fact, the game is considered one of thegreatestFinal Fantasygamesto date,surpassing acclaimed titles likeFinal Fantasy 9,Final Fantasy 10,Final Fantasy XIV, and even the belovedFinal Fantasy 7.
Tacticsholds all the elements that make it a great installment in the series. It follows the story of Ramza, filled with political twists and losses. It is held in high regard even after nearly 30 years.Since its release, several other tactical RPGs have tried to recreate its success, and many of them have achieved such merit. Some of thebest tactical RPG gamesinclude titles likeXCOM 2,Fire Emblem: Three Houses, andDivinity: Original Sin II. Even though it’s less popular than traditional RPGs, the genre is still very much popular among players.
Never’s End Is A New Tactical RPG, Seemingly Inspired By Final Fantasy Tactics
The Game Allows Players To Possess Humans To Transform Them Into Allies
Proof of this is the development of a new tactical RPG that seems inspired byFinal Fantasy Tacticsand its combat arenas.Never’s Endis a new tactical RPG developed by the indie studio Hypersect. According to the officialNever’s Endwebsite, the game is set in an apocalyptic world, where humanity is nearly extinct. There is only one human village remaining, but the imminent threat of Never creeps upon it. The player takes on the role of an undying warrior spirit. They are, however, not alone. The protagonist can be aided by several other characters.
Players won’t recruit allies in a traditional sense, but instead possess them, burning their souls and using them as undead weapons. It poses the dilemma of sacrificing more lives in exchange for more allies. The idea is to reach Never, the big villain, and defeat it to impede darkness from overruling the world and devouring the last village. The game brings forth tactical RPG combat set in small yet multi-layered arenas, where players must think thoroughly before taking action. However, this doesn’t feel like anotherFinal Fantasy Tacticsclonelike some of the RPGs released in the past few years.
Never’s End Has A Unique Elemental System For Tactical Combat
The Game Also Features A Town Expansion System
Even thoughNever’s Endseems inspired byFinal Fantasy Tactics, it brings a lot of elements to the table that give the game its own identity. While the small arenas heavily resemble those of Square Enix’s classic, a unique type of elemental system is incorporated into it. With special powers, players can control the elements. As demonstrated in the game’s official announcement trailer, shared onHypersect’s channel on YouTube,it’s possible to transfer heat through fire and ice to create wind currents, which can topple enemies. The video also shows that you can steal heat from enemies to freeze them.
Alternatively, you can raise the heat to ignite them. Aside from controlling temperatures, per se,Never’s Endallows you to move water present in the arena to different tiles. As shown in the video, the character can move water from the ground in a rainy arena to push enemies to the side and position them tactically for your allies to strike them down.Another notable feature in the indie game is that you can alter the terrain by reshaping stones. By doing so, you can create vantage points for characters, such as archers, who can get enemies within their aim.
It’s unclear what the prerequisites for these abilities will be. The website refers to these abilities as part of a magic system, so they may be spells.
The way the elemental system works should bring a brand-new layer of strategy to the game. These don’t seem like mere debuffs that would normally be used in other tactical games, but a creative way of using the arena in your favor – and, if it doesn’t work, altering the arena itself to make it work. In addition to these combat mechanics,Never’s Endalso features a town expansion system that allows you to upgrade the aforementioned village. The trailer shows players adding a weaponsmith and an inn to the town.
This will likely aid players with more resources to go out on their adventures against the forces of Never, as well as play into the story, as the last members of humanity try to grow and reclaim the world.The team behindNever’s Endis led by veterans of the industry, such as director Ryan Juckett, who worked on Neversoft’sTony Hawk’sgames and Bungie’sDestiny. Doseone, responsible for the audio, has experience with games likeEnter The Gungeon,Gang Beasts, andDisc Room. The concept and pixel artist, Masayoshi Nishimura, has worked onseveral Square Enix games.
According to the game’s website, Nishimura’s work includes contributions on titles such as Triangle Strategy, Octopath Traveler, and the “remake” versions ofFinal Fantasy 1,Final Fantasy 2, andFinal Fantasy 3, which are, most likely, thePixel Remasters. Overall,it seems like the team brings a plethora of experience to the game with a wide range of views and experience on development. This could lead to an innovative game, which is already what Hypersect seems to be working on.
Final Fantasy Tactics Fans May Be Delighted By Never’s End
The New Game Could Offer A Fresh Perspective On The Tactical RPG Genre
Fans missing the experience ofFinal Fantasy Tacticsmay be delighted by whatNever’s Endhas to offer.Tactical RPGs aren’t released as often as traditional RPGs and action-adventure games, so it usually takes a few years before players get to revisit the genre’s staple strategic thinking opportunities in combat. The game’s combat should also feel fresh quite constantly, as players will be able to traverse through procedurally generated maps.Never’s Endmay while you wait for theconfirmedFinal Fantasy Tacticsremasterin style.
The game will be released for PlayStation 5 and PC (via Steam). For now, there hasn’t been information about it arriving for other platforms, such as Xbox Series consoles and Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2. The game does not yet have a release date or a release window, but it is available to wishlist onSteam. I’ve been craving tactical RPGs likeFinal Fantasy Tacticsfor their different approach to RPG combat, and, with the promotional material alone, I’m convincedNever’s Endwill be a greatindiegame to satisfy that need.
