Falcom’s latest juvenile RPG, Kyoto Xanadu, gets new character and battle system details.
Falcom’s latest RPG set in modern-day Japan and Xanadu: the Otherworld, Kyoto Xanadu has just received a new set of details ahead of its July 16 launch in Japan and across Asia on Switch, Switch 2, PC, and PS5.
The developers have introduced new characters, including Lear Beresford, Eliza Alcott, Hosen Suruga, and Luana Calderone, with basic details on them and a complete overview of the Battle System that you can find below, thanks to Gematsu:
Lear Beresford
- Age: 13
- Voice Actor: Rina Hidaka
- Soul Device: Floating magical tool types
Description:
The leader of the high-ranking team “Starry Night Travelers” and chairperson of the disciplinary committee, who entered Hirasaka Academy by skipping grades.
An agent dispatched by the magic society “Nemesis,” she hails from the prestigious Beresford family of England, which has produced “Chosen Ones” for generations.
She often offers opinions so grounded in reality that one would hardly believe she is only 13 years old, though she occasionally shows a more girlish side befitting her age.
Luana Calderone
- Age: 18
- Voice Actor: Yukiyo Fujii
- Soul Device: TBA
Description:
A third-year student who serves as the leader of the high-ranking team “Nameless Fruit” and the head of the academy chapel.
A person overflowing with compassion and kindness, she actively participates in local volunteer work.
She is adored by many students, and some of her more fervent admirers even refer to her as the “Saint of Siena.”
Eliza Alcott
- Age: 18
- Voice Actor: Nanako Mori
- Soul Device: Rapier types
Description:
A beauty in men’s clothing who serves as the assistant to Lear, leader of team “Starry Night Travelers,” as well as a member of the academy’s disciplinary committee.
With her elegant demeanor and gallant, butler-like presence, she has gained popularity among the female students.
Having originally served the Beresford family, she was dispatched to Hirasaka Academy alongside Lear.
Hosen Suruga
- Age: 18
- Voice Actor: Nobuhiko Okamoto
- Soul Device: TBA
Description:
The leader of the high-ranking team “Abyssal Investigators” and supervisor of Hirasaka Academy’s research facilities.
A member of the Suruga Group—one of the families that make up the international syndicate known as “Zodiac”—he serves on the student council this year as Zodiac’s representative.
He prioritizes his research above all else and has an extreme aversion to wasting time, leading him to resent even participating in the student council.
Battle Systems
Falcom describes the battle system in Kyoto Xanadu as “Dual Dimensional,” allowing players to switch between 2D and 3D action. The different actions and abilities include:
- Standard Attack
- Strong Attack
- Dodge
- Jump
- Shooting Attacks
- Special Bullets
- Guard
- Soul Accel
- Issen
- Secret Arts
Standard Attack
- A basic physical attack performed with your Soul Device.
- Repeated button presses allow for a combo of up to three consecutive strikes.
- Performing attacks in mid-air will trigger unique aerial standard attacks.
Strong Attack
- A character-specific physical attack executed with your Soul Device.
- By combining it with standard attacks, you can trigger extended attacks with effects such as increased damage against airborne enemies or area-of-effect knockback.
Dodge
- Performs a forward dodge.
- Dodging grants a brief period of invincibility and allows you to slip behind certain enemies.
- By acquiring abilities, you can unlock additional actions such as mid-air dodges and dodge attacks.
Jump
- Performs a jump whose height varies depending on how long the button is held.
- By acquiring abilities, you can unlock various extended actions such as recovery from knockback, wall jumps, and double jumps.
Shooting Attacks
- Consumes the Shoot Gauge to fire a “Spirit Bullet.”
- In 2D action, the firing direction changes based on the angle of the analog stick.
- In 3D action, shots are fired toward the on-screen reticle.
Special Bullets
- By acquiring abilities, you can use shooting attacks that differ from standard shots.
- Special bullets vary by attribute, including homing shots (Fire), bombs (Wind), and laser-type attacks (Ice).
Guard
- Hold the button to assume a defensive stance. While guarding, movement is restricted, but incoming damage is reduced.
- Guarding at the exact moment an enemy attack lands will trigger a parry, completely nullifying the damage and significantly staggering the enemy.
Soul Accel
- When the “Accel Gauge,” which fills as you deal or receive damage, reaches maximum, you can press the corresponding button to activate Soul Accel.
- During Soul Accel, strong attacks are enhanced, and parrying becomes easier, making it simpler to follow up with an “Issen.”
Issen
- Successfully parrying a red, glowing warning attack will cause the Issen prompt to appear on-screen.
- Pressing the corresponding button at the right moment triggers an Issen, which is a powerful counterattack that deals significant damage. Issen damage is further increased while Soul Accel is active.
Secret Arts
- When the “Secret Arts Gauge,” which fills as you attack enemies, reaches maximum, you can unleash a powerful attack that damages all enemies on the battlefield. (Usable in 3D action only.)
That sums up all the new details we have on Kyoto Xanadu. The game will release later this year in Japan and across Asia, with a planned Western release.