Once Upon a Time in Japan, A New PC Adventure Series

Once upon a time in Texas, there was a game developer who came up with the idea of continuing the PC Adventure legacy with a series of their own, placed in a setting like no other in the genre (to the best of their knowledge), and they called it... Once Upon a Time in Japan. This is a story about Abborado Studios, a Texan developer founded in 2006 with the goal of creating "the very best in interactive entertainment". And, to that end, they are now announcing the first title in their future series of adventure games - called Once Upon a Time in Japan: Earth.

From what they tell us so far, the series aims to transport players to various periods in Japan's storied history, giving them a look at the inner struggles of a country bound by tradition and ruled by the warrior class. Earth is the first title of a three part arc, taking place in the 17th century, and is planned for release during Q4 2007.

"Earth" is a third-person, point-and-click adventure for the PC that tells the story of Zenjiro, a samurai who left his clan during a time of war, seeking a life of peace with his family. Unfortunately, a tragic event sixteen years later forces Zenjiro to explore Etchu province looking for his wife, children, and other survivors. Along the way he will meet many characters including Hanbei, a fearsome ronin with a mysterious past, and Shiho, the bright young daughter of a famous Noh theater performer.

Furthermore, Zenjiro will discover that not all is as it seems outside the province. The military campaigns he thought to be a thing of the past have once again bubbled to the surface, and in an effort to keep the peace there is little freedom allowed for the people. Yet again, Zenjiro's country appears to be changing dramatically as he seeks his own reasons to continue moving forward.

Once Upon a Time in Japan: Earth will also feature traditionally hand-drawn and animated characters - as seen in these first screenshots - inspired by classic Disney and Studio Ghibli films (if Spirited Away or Gedo Senki rings a bell). The folks from Abborado are also telling us to look forward to a captivating storyline, focusing on well developed characters (with "authentic Japanese voice acting"), that builds to an exciting climax.

They had me at "Japan".

(N.B. Archive text, links removed)