PQube and Octeto Studios have today revealed a brand new JRPG set in the open skies, as we got our first look at Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire which will be "coming soon" for Nintendo Switch.
This one wears its Skies of Arcadia inspirations proudly on its wing (still waiting for that Switch remake, by the way). You take on the role of Glenn Windwalker (fantastic name), the captain of a group of sky pirates who jets off on the adventure of a lifetime. There are various islands to explore both on the ground and in the sky as you go about recruiting your crew and catering to their individual strengths to achieve the best results in battle.
It looks like these battles take place in strategic turn-based dogfights, where you can either choose to head into combat and fire at your enemies or take the time to evade incoming attacks. From the little that we have seen in the above announcement teaser, this mode of combat certainly looks like an interesting way of handling airborne battles and we are excited to see more.
For a little bit of extra information about Sky Oceans and a closer look at some screenshots, check out the following from PQube:
- Relive a Golden Era of Classic JRPGs with a touching, heartfelt narrative about the search for purpose & building friendships that last a lifetime.
- Become Captain of a Rag-tag Crew of Sky Pirates! - As head of your crew, you must recruit new members & secure enough resources for your fleet!
- Stylistic, Strategic Turn-Based Dog-Fights! - Tactically plan attacks and adapt your strategy as you clash with adversaries in the open blue skies!
- Gather Resources & Upgrade Your Airships! - Upgrade your crew with new special abilities as you progress through a winding narrative! Manage resources and expand your airship departments as new characters join your band of pirates.
- A Beautiful Ghibili-Esque World, Filled With Wonder - Stunning Japanese animation inspired visuals make for diverse environments and memorable character design. Discover new towns and cultures, and help solve local problems to gain their support and loyalty.
- Original Orchestral Soundtrack - A beautifully orchestrated original soundtrack accompanies you along your journey.
We don't have a firm release date for when this one will be landing on Switch just yet, but we will be sure to keep you updated as soon as that "coming soon" becomes something a little more concrete.