E3 2008: Luminous Arc 2 coming to DS

Atlus has confirmed it's bringing a new instalment of its RPG series Luminous Arc to DS later this year.

Luminous Arc 2 takes place four millennia after the original game. Peace has reigned over the Kingdom of Carnava for all of that time. Unfortunately though, the arrival of Fatima the Shadow Frost Witch leads to in-fighting among the Magic Association and a 'Witch Conflict' pushes Carnava to the brink of chaos. Enter Roland - your character - a young squire who has gained special powers following a chance encounter.

The game will have 30 chapters in total, which equals around 30 hours of gameplay. The characters will comprise some new and some old, while visuals have been given a spit and polish and multiple endings to the game will be available.

In terms of gameplay, the interface will be refined, the strategy features rebalanced and touch controls improved. A new 'Engagement' system will allow you to connect to your Witch allies by engaging with them to boost Roland's stats and give him access to more powerful combat skills.

There will also be an online option that'll let you pit your strategy skills against other players over wi-fi.

Currently the game is only confirmed for release in the US, where it's due at the end of the year. We'll keep you posted on news of the European release.