Namco has opened the official website for Tales of the Abyss, the newest installment in its long-running flagship series of RPGs. Unlike the upcoming Tales of Legendia, Tales of the Abyss will once again feature character designs by series veteran Kousuke Fujishima.

Following the discovery of the Seventh Phoneme, the existence of the "Star Memory" could be confirmed. The "Star Memory" is an archive recording everything from a planet's birth to its future extinction. With the discovery of the "Star Memory" an age of war begins on the planet of Old Land. As the war drags on, continents fall into ruin, and poison begins to spread. People act according to the predictions of Julia Jue who is reading the "Star Memory", and in order to avoid the world's complete destruction, seal the poison deep beneath the surface. As time passes by, Tales of the Abyss' world is divided between two large countries: The Kingdom of Kimlaska Ranbaldia and the Markt Empire. The balance of power between those two nations has ensured the stability of a fragile peace. However, it is not the royal families of the two countries that control the hearts of the people, but rather the Score that is emitted everywhere by a religious organization known as Lauray. This organization is preserving the teachings of Julia.

The game's protagonist is Luke fone Faber, the sole son of a noble family residing in the Kingdom of Kimlaska. Ever since a kidnapping incident when he was but a child, the young man lives inside the family's mansion. The shock of the kidnapping has wiped out his childhood memories, but due to the wealth of his parents he never lacked anything. This however has turned Luke into an egoistic young man ignorant of the ways of the world. As a hobby he is mastering the art of sword fighting. The game's heroine is a member of the Lauray religious organization by the name of Tear. She is capable of using the Seventh Phoneme. Following the loss of both parents, she has been educated to become a knight. The reticent girl shows a lot of self-control and is generally considered quite a cold person, while in reality she likes cute things. After a certain incident, the 16-year Tear old begins to travel with Luke.

Tales of the Abyss has yet to receive a release date in Japan.

• Official Tales of the Abyss Website