Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire Preview

 I’ve always had something of a soft spot for JRPGs, doubly so for ones that have unique mechanics. It’s why I still maintain that Final Fantasy VIII is the best in the series, despite the ridiculous plot and convoluted mechanics. They did something different, and I love that, even if it wasn’t entirely perfect. In the same vein, Sega classic Skies of Arcadia is one of my favourite games. The Sky Pirate concept was something really unique at the time, and it really scratched an itch. With a relatively similar premise, Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire struck me as something relatively similar, so it made sense for me to check it out. 

 The build that I played was quite comprehensive and nearly complete, so barring a few small bugs, I got a relatively good idea of what the game is about. Whilst the developer hasn’t made any specific claims about the inspiration behind their title, it’s got a lot of the feel of that game, but without going so far as to be a clone. You play as Glenn Windwalker, the son of a great explorer who never came back from their final mission. Whilst exploration is no longer in the family, you decide to become a pilot in order to protect your town from invasion.

 In that regard, Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire sees you taking to the sky an awful lot, with travel by plane being available almost immediately, something you don’t see in too many RPGs, where the ability to get some faster transport method is a progression aim. The reason for that is the fact that all combat takes place using those aircraft. There are no weapons or hand-to-hand combat modes, it’s all up in the sky here. You can modify your plane to adjust your power or style of combat, and in addition, there are elemental statuses that apply to a number of attacks, giving different ships strengths and weaknesses against each other. This was the unique mechanic in Skies of Arcadia, and it was why this title reminded me of it. In that game though, it was an occasional break from ground combat to aerial, whereas here, it’s the full meat-and-potatoes of the combat system. 

 The graphics have a real Studio Ghibli feel to them, and that applies both to cutscenes, which are often a case of 2D animation, and the in-game world, which is a 3D equivalent of the same thing. In this preview build, some of the character facial expressions weren’t yet finished, but that’s expected to be changed in the final version. It’s all looking very slick and detailed, although I did find a few unexpected identical triplets knocking about!

 The audio was largely finished when I played, and bar a few missing sound effects, was pretty representative of the completed game. It’s something that really struck me as well-thought-out and evocative. The battle themes are dramatic, the in-world music gives you a sense of where you are, be that a relaxing jaunt through a small village, or an excursion to a larger city where the hustle and bustle is reflected in the soundscape. I really appreciate when a game comes with a good soundtrack, and this one is really shaping up to be totally lovely. 

I’m really looking forward to seeing how Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire progresses into the final release, but even at this stage, there was a lot that pleased me. If the ultimate end is as enjoyable as this early build, I think there’s a good chance of this doing very well indeed.