Project O Revealed - New name and first solid gameplay details.

Via: IGN

US, August 29, 2007 - Marvelous Interactive's mysterious Project O now has an official name. The latest issue of Famitsu reveals that the game, being developed by an all-star staff whose resume includes Final Fantasy XII, Dragon Quest VIII and Harvest Moon, will be known in Japan as Ousama Monogatari. This translates to English as "King Story."

Following three staff interviews in which we were given nothing but artwork, the magazine also managed to come through with first screenshots of the game, as well as a few gameplay details.

In King Story, you play as Corobo Bread, a sick boy who finds a magical crown that transforms him into a fine king. Taking control of Corobo, your primary goal is to dole out jobs to residents in an effort to make your kingdom grow. Thankfully, Corobo's crown makes people follow his orders.

The game begins in a small town that, aside from your own home, consists of nothing but green fields. As you walk around, residents of this little town will follow you. Group enough people together, and you can start issuing orders for tasks like clearing the land, searching for treasure, and building roads and houses. Different tasks require different numbers of people, with groups ranging from just a few people to scores of people.

As your kingdom grows in size and population, you'll start to see new types of development. Famitsu hints that specialty stores could pop up in your town, from weapons shops to restaurants.

You'll also have to deal with pests who get in the way as you attempt to build your kingdom. In one example, a fire-breathing dragon wrecks havoc upon your kingdom. You'll have to lead a group to face off against the beast. Enemies range in size, with larger enemies requiring masses of troops to defeat. It's possible that the larger enemies will take the role of bosses as part of the storyline.

Outside of this hefty simulation component, King Story is expected to have a more personal side, where all residents have a life of their own. By communicating with some characters, you may find yourself presented with dramatic story sequences. In previous interviews, the staff has hinted at plans to have RPG-style developments the background; for the record, the game's genre is listed in Famitsu as both simulation and RPG.

King Story is only 35% complete, according to Famitsu, and isn't scheduled for release until some time in 2008. First video footage will be shown at September's Tokyo Game Show.