During the company’s 3DS developer event, Nintendo revealed plans to bring an all-new, turn-based RPG to its flagship handheld in 2015. Entitled Code Name: STEAM, the new IP is also being overseen by Hitoshi Yamagami, whose body of work includes beloved franchises such as Fire Emblem and the Xeno series.
Speaking at the company’s presentation, Yamagami spoke of his personal attachment to the genre itself.
“As you can tell from my history I have been working with Intelligent Systems for a long time and became a big fan of turn-based strategy, but I’ve always wanted to share these games with more people; this has been quite a challenge for me.”
Intelligent Systems, the developing company heading up the idiosyncratic title, also has considerable experience in the genre, too, having worked on games as rich and varied as Paper Mario and, of course, the beloved, tactics-based Advanced Wars.
In terms of visual style, Code Name: STEAM boasts a cel-shaded aesthetic. The game will take place within 19th century London and is very much rooted in a steampunk lore. According to Yamagami, the project will take place in an alternate history wherein Abraham Lincoln has implemented the titular initiative to defend the Earth against enemies from outer space — we did say it was idiosyncratic.
Although there is no multiplayer component to speak of, Yamagami did allude to certain game modes incorporating elements of online play. Nevertheless, the mantra behind the developer’s latest project is to make the genre of strategic, turn-based RPGs a more accessible beast.
So, come 2015, Nintendo will invite 3DS owners at learn to join the Strike Team Eliminating the Alien Menace — the organization at the crux of the narrative — when Code Name: STEAM launches exclusively for the company’s handheld.