The development team responsible for Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics have formed their own company, Maxfive, and have nearly completed Hoshigami a new PlayStation title in the same vein.

The first fact that jumps out about Hoshigami is the familiarity of the interface. Graphically speaking, it looks exactly like Final Fantasy Tactics. Even the hero seems to be just a slight variation on FFT's protagonist. The interface is also familiar, complete with the constant notes and confirmations. In fact, the only significant visual change from FFT is a constant onscreen display of the order in which each character will move.

The most unique feature of Hoshigami is how it handles timing issues. While most Tactical RPGs give each character a chance to move and perform an action each turn, Hoshigami handles both activities with a shared pool of points known as the RAP meter. When a character's turn begins, this meter is empty. Attacking, casting spells, using items, and moving all fill this meter to differing degrees, and any combination of these activities can be performed until the meter fills completely. In other words, in any given turn a character may walk several paces and unleash a powerful attack, or remain stationary to attack a nearby enemy repeatedly. Attacking itself yields some interesting timing issues, as after choosing to attack a target, a small display appears giving the player a chance to enhance the damage of an attack with a well timed push of a button, much like the Dragoon Additions from Legend of Dragoon. Furthermore, while waiting for his next turn, a character can either defend, or prepare to aid other nearby characters in launching powerful combo attacks.

Hoshigami will be available in both the US and Japan sometime this Semptember, featuring a larger than usual party size, imaginative world, and sophisticated level of strategy to TRPG fans around the globe.