In good news for RPG deprived Nintendo 64 owners, THQ's upcoming role playing game, Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage, is drawing ever closer to completion. The game will feature highly detailed 3D environments, a day/night cycle, random climate effects, 13 playable characters, N64 Expansion Pak support, and more. Not to keep RPG fans in suspense, THQ has divulged even more information on the highly anticipated Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage.

Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage is planned for a release sometime this Summer, although this timeframe is only an estimate and is not set in stone. The game will play similarly in style to most console RPGs, contrary to the gameplay style of their PC RPG brethren. THQ states, "If you've played games like the Final Fantasy series, you'll feel right at home with Aidyn Chronicles."

A popular topic here at RPGamer is figuring out the correct pronunciations of RPG names and terms. For those of you curious how to correctly articulate "Aidyn," THQ tells us it is properly enunciated "Ay-den" (with a long "a" sound).

When a character in your party perishes, you can save their soul in a "Life Gem," a magical crystal which can be purchased at special shops. The Life Gem can then be taken to a Healer in town, who will, for a fee, resurrect your companion. The developers are taking care to make it somewhat troublesome to raise the dead, while keeping it a viable option instead of always having to start from the last saved game.

In a similar style to the RPGs Chrono Trigger and Earthbound, enemies in Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage can be seen on-screen as you are exploring. Your characters' various skill levels will determine how easily you can spot enemies. For instance, a party with underdeveloped skills may only see a monster after it's too late to run. For the most part, however, you will be able to avoid most battles if you so choose. The developers advise players not to run all the time, though, because your levels won't rise high enough to finish the game if you do!

Most characters in Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage will be able to equip many different types of weapons, such as swords, bows, lances, and axes. What weapons a character can use will depend on the character's class and what skills you choose for that character. For example, a magic-user will be more limited in weapon choices than a knight.

Dissimilarly to games such as the original Phantasy Star, where you could save your game at any location, Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage will follow the popular trend and allow players to save only at various save points throughout the game.

Currently, the designers of Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage are implementing a battle system that is turn-based only. They are considering some sort of time limit that would require players to react more quickly, but have not yet decided whether that will be used in the final version of the game.

As you can easily see from this new information, Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage is looking better and better, and it's sure to give N64 owners a reason to cheer when it releases later this year. Stay tuned to RPGamer for any upcoming revelations concerning this exciting upcoming RPG from THQ.