Some More Tales of Xillia 2 Info

Some more details have come to light about the upcoming Tales sequel.

Development of the game is currently at 60%, giving us a loose estimate of when the game should be completed.

Some details regarding the story and gameplay are still being kept in the dark for now, but the new battle system (going by the name of XDR-LMBS) is meant to evoke the same feeling as Graces and Xilia.

Elle, the main heroine, is the youngest in the history of the franchise.  She also will not take part in battle, something that has not been present in the series since the Japanese exclusive, Tales of Rebirth.  However, this does not mean protagonist Rudger is the only playable character.  The player can select the character they wish to control in battle, each one having their own set of skills and specialties.

Speaking of Rudger, a major difference between Xillia and Xillia 2 is that the story will be a more solitary journey focused on the protagonist rather than an adventure alongside other characters.  Namco Bandai hopes you will actually feel like the character himself.  And his name apparently has some deeper meaning, but this has not been revealed yet.
There are supposedly choices, dialogue or otherwise, that change just how the player progresses.  However, the one major path remains static with no constantly branching paths.

A major theme in the game has something to do with the phrase "Are you ready to destroy the world?" which apparently ties into the gameplay as well as the story.  Just what this means is currently unknown, but you are supposed to feel the weight of the gameplay choices.

On the staff side of things, animation studio Ufotable (which will be creating the anime cinematics) and theme song singer Ayumi Hamasaki are returning for the game, hoping that their work surpasses their own in the original.

Liese Maxia, the setting of the original game, may or may not make an appearance.  More info should be available on that shortly.

And finally, the journey will begin in Trigaf, home of Rudger as well as a growing corporation known as Klanspia Company.  It commands top share in a number of the game world's fields, so we can assume it will play a large role in the story and lore.

We'll have more information on Tales of Xillia 2 as it comes in.  The game should be releasing later this year in Japan.