Even with as short a time as I’ve been working on this blog, I think I’ve made it apparent that I’m a video gamer, specifically one that likes Final Fantasy games (there will be more posts about the series, no doubt about that). Some of my favorite Final Fantasy games, and some of my favorite non-Final Fantasy games, have included the involvement of a certain man, one Yasumi Matsuno.

Matsuno has several claims to fame, though his first really mainstream, big name release was Final Fantasy Tactics. FFT introduced players to the world of Ivalice, which has shown up in several other Final Fantasy games, such as Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy XII (both of which were also directed, at least partially, by Matsuno), as well as Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift. Another Matsuno game, Vagrant Story, has also been linked to Ivalice, but not explicitly.

Other fantasy-style games by Matsuno include Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together and Crimson Shroud, which is one of the – if not the – best game I’ve played in the last couple years. These games tend to share some features, or perhaps flavor would be the better term… they all have darker, often political, storylines and take place during a medieval, middle ages-esque time period. There are some variations, of course. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is a much lighter game, comparatively, and Final Fantasy XII has a fairly high technology level, but for the most part that’s the common ground. Also, Matsuno likes working with Hitoshi Sakimoto, who composes the music for most of his games. This combination of relatively grim, medieval games with Sakimoto-composed music makes Matsuno’s games quite distinctive.

These stories and games don’t appeal to everyone, and, in fact, Final Fantasy XII was one of the most divisive entries in the series because of its different “flavor”, but I enjoy them. I think they’re more mature, more grounded, more serious, bring up more interesting moral quandaries, and I like Sakimoto’s music (more than Uematsu, who, while good, is becoming the John Williams of video game composers). There’s not a single game Matsuno has worked on that I’ve played and disliked. He’s solid.

Anyways, the reason I bring this all up is that Yasumi Matsuno has started a Kickstarter project for his next game, called “Unsung Story: Tales of the Guardians”. This is another medieval-esque strategy RPG by the acknowledged master of the genre, but free of Square Enix, which can only be a good thing, and featuring stories that span the “77 Year War”. What this means is that players will be taking on the roles of either side over the course of decades of the war, seeing how it plays out, altering the outcome of events, learning the history and changes in fortune of the long conflict.

I’m excited.

Granted, I have been on a Matsuno kick lately, but this game looks pretty damn cool, and I’m looking forward to playing it. I myself have contributed to the Kickstarter, and, if you’re at all interested, I encourage you to donate as well. As usual, there are bonuses for contributing ever more amounts of money to the project, so pick your number and your prize and throw them a bone. More information can be found at the official website: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/482445197/unsung-story-tale-of-the-guardians

As of now, they’ve not quite reached the halfway point of their goal, but they have another thirty days to go. Let’s make this game a reality.