Billen said:
With so many games to play, so many new titles, and a couple of them at home that I haven't had time to play, yet I still can't wait for this to be released.
Successful marriage between western and asian game development influences?
I disagree with that assertion that it is a marriage between western and asian game development influences.
If anything, it is an evolution of a traditional subgenre of Japanese RPG's called Strategy RPG's. The game has all the hallmarks of a strategy RPG, but it adds new twists and polishes the gameplay to perfection.
Instead of a grid based system, it breaks free of that shell and uses a more dynamic movement system that takes into account the type of weapon being carried and the specialty of the soldier. Instead of having static characters moving on this grid based system, there is dynamic cross fire as you move from one location to another, ratcheting up the intensity. Instead of taking place in medieval worlds, the setting takes place in a vicious war of conquest in a modern setting.