Sony is hard at work on the latest entry in the Arc the Lad series, and to prove it, they've unleashed the first batch of information on the game. Topping the list of innovations will be the technological side of the game; Sony is sparing no expense in making Arc the Lad: Spirits of the Dead Dusk, and the game should prove to be a beautiful experience, if nothing else. Videos in real time, motion capture animation, and fully orchestrated music will combine to create a near-cinematic experience for gamers, and should test the limits of the PlayStation 2.

The game's story has also been sketched out, complete with main characters and setting. AtL: SotDD will follow the story of Kharg, a 17-year old member of the royal family who joins his city's guardian force to hone his skills. Kharg is teamed with Paulet, another royal, and the two soon end up engaging in a number of adventures as the war between two worlds heats up. During one of these sorties, the two meet up with Lilia, a wanderer who seems to hold the secret to the calamity that has befallen the characters' world.

Fans of earlier titles in the series will be happy to hear that AtL: SotDD will be returning to the basics with the latest entry; the battle system will hearken to the simulation roots of old that defined the series. Even so, Sony will be hard at work to innovate, introducing several new features to the game. Character support, carried over attacks, and special abilities are just some of the new components that the game will boast.

Arc the Lad: Spirits of the Dead Dusk is currently set for a Japanese release sometime this year. With no firm date set overseas, it will likely be some time before the game arrives in North America, if indeed it does at all.