Namco tells of Tales again

Namco has unveiled information about its newest addition to the Tales franchise, Tales of the Abyss.

Coming to the PlayStation 2, details about the 3D role-playing game were revealed in the latest issue of Japanese publication, Shonen Jump.

The story takes place in a world called Oldland [they're just not trying any more, are they? - Ed], which is recovering from destruction after an all-out war between forces wanting to claim the "Seventh Phoneme"; something that chronicled the birth and foretold the future of the planet. While now ruled by Kimraska kingdom, Lambardia kingdom, and Malchut Empire, a prophet who could read the Phoneme, Yuria, is now a figurehead for its prophecy and the new religious order of Lorelei.

There are two characters revealed so far, Luke and Tia. The former is son to a baron in the Kimraska kingdom, with the ability to use power drawn from the Seventh Phoneme. While Tia can also use this power, she is a solider for Lorelei, her personality much more controlled and colder than Luke, who she eventually partners up with for the game's main adventure. Series mainstay, Kousuke Fujishima, will be designing the characters.

Tales of the Abyss currently has no release date, although it's expected to reach Japanese stores this year given the Tales series currently celebrating its 10th anniversary. The official Japanese site has also just been launched.