Level 5's new PS3 RPG

Japanese developer Level 5 is hard at work on a brand new PlayStation 3 RPG called Shirokishi Monogatari ("White Knight Story"), according to a report in Famitsu Weekly ahead of the Tokyo Game Show.

Translated by IGN, the article reveals that Level 5's new RPG will see players transform into the gigantic White Knight, over seven metres in height, and battle similarly vast enemies.

Level 5 is apparently enjoying the freedom afforded by the PS3's powerful hardware, claiming that one of the reasons it can work on such a scale is the relative lack of texture limitations.

Meanwhile, the ability of the console to blend animations together believably forms the bedrock of the game's battle system, which will see you designing your own attack sequences prior to battle. The separate animations that make up these "palettes" are then strung together when you face off against your enemies.

The idea seems to be that strategy comes from having a number of these predefined sequences, mapped out for up to three characters prior to each battle, and then choosing the right moment to use them.

Other than that, you can expect quite a traditional Japanese RPG, with lots of roaming around, although it sounds like thanks to massive draw distances you'll be able to spot and avoid random encounters if you want - although on the downside, enemies will be able to make you from distance and rally together to try and take you on, too.

We should learn more about the whole thing at TGS, and given Level 5's pedigree - including Dragon Quest: The Journey of the Cursed King, Rogue Galaxy and the Dark Cloud games - it ought to be worth keeping an eye on.