Tales of Xillia 2 to star Ludger, Elle and a fat cat

Namco Bandai has let loose further details on RPG sequel Tales of Xillia 2. It's got a big fat cat in it.

According to Andriasang, as well as the big fat cat, who may be called Lulu, Tales of Xillia stars a 170cm tall, 20 year-old bloke called Ludger (previous localisations rendered his name asLudgar or Rudger, but Gematsu reckons Famitsu scans show it as Ludger) who lives with his brother and is good at cooking.

The other protagonist is an eight year-old girl named Elle who is 130 cm tall. Why do Japanese developers always want you to know their heights?

Anyway, the point is, Elle's going to Kana, where wishes come true, and Ludger's going to help her, which is a bloody good thing because Elle doesn't take part in any battles and you know what JRPGs are like; random encounters everywhere you look.

The game is said to be 60% complete and includes an in-battle weapon change mechanic. It combines the feel of Graces and the original Xillia, apparently, and players are expected to feel a personal connection with Ludger rather than adventuring alongside a party.

The mysterious theme of whether you'd destroy the world for the sake of a girl - presumably Elle, whose age changes the question markedly - will be manifest in gameplay as well as plot.

Oh yes and also there are some lovely screens for it on Andriasang. No western release has been announced and the Tales series is super patchy in terms of localisation so don't hold your breath.