Sega announces Idola: Phantasy Star Saga for iOS and Android, out in 2018

by Zack Reese on 24 July, 2018

Over the past several days, Sega has been counting down via a teaser site a brand new entry in the Phantasy Star saga to celebrate its 30th anniversary. As the timer ticked over to zero, it looks like the big reveal is in fact Idola: Phantasy Star Saga, a free-to-play mobile game that will launch sometime later this year in 2018 for iOS and Android devices in Japan.

Here is the information we can now share thanks to the official site going live.

The story itself will be set in the war-torn land called Vandoli, a world ruled by the power of swords and magic. Here, the people spend every waking moment taking on large, mysterious monsters known as "Idola" who threaten their very existence. As this is happening, a god of destruction who goes by the name "Dark Falz" is in the early stages of its resurrection. Will you be able to stop Dark Falz from being reborn, and what is the purpose behind these Idola?

Idola: Phantasy Star Saga will feature a command-based system with Law and Chaos becoming key aspects of combat. More details will be shared at a later date, but for now, the battles seem rather similar to Fate/Grand Order (okay, it's a lot like Fate/Grand Order).

We also get the first details on the two main characters featured in the story:

Stella, voiced by Akane Fujita

The main heroine of the story, she is the leader of the White Sheep Knights that fights the hordes of the Idola. Due to having a shy personality, she tends to hide her true feelings behind the iron mask she wears into battle. With the help of her mask, she is able to act confidently in her role, but when the mask is removed, her shy demeanor takes over.

Yuri, voiced by Toshiki Masuda

Here we have the main hero of the story. He has a bit of a tragic backstory as he lost both of his parents at a tender young age. A friend of his father who is also a ship captain took him in and raised Yuri as a sailor. After experiencing a fateful encounter with Stella, he decides to join the White Sheep Knights as the leader of a commando unit. With his broad personality and strong heart, he exudes a cheerful yet honest behavior with those he meets.

Lastly, we have some details on who the development team behind this title is. They include Shuntaro Tanaka (Valkyria Chronicles, Sakura Wars, Phantasy Star Online 2) serving as producer, script writer, and world builder; Tomomasa Chin (Phantasy Star Online 2, Valkyria Chronicles 2) serving as director; and Sho Mutsuura (Phantasy Star Online 2) working in the role of art director.

Sega is promising more information regarding Idola: Phantasy Star Saga during their upcoming Phantasy Star Online 2 Station livestream that will occur on July 24 at 9PM JST (5:00AM PST).

Check out the debut trailer for Idola: Phantasy Star Saga below:

And here are several screenshots taken from the official site that include a look at the combat system:

Idola: Phantasy Star Saga Screenshots