Since Sega doesn't seem to want to do much with the Skies of Arcadia IP, it falls to indie developers to carry the torch. That's exactly what PQube and Octeto are doing with Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire, a sky pirate RPG inspired by classic JRPGs of yore. It's launching soon on PC and current-gen consoles.
What with games like Sea of Stars and Chained Echoes evoking classic JRPG nostalgia left, right, and center, it makes sense that Skies of Arcadia - a cult classic often overlooked even by JRPG fanatics - would eventually get its own homage. Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire looks like it's going to fill that gap; you are a sky pirate captain, and you must recruit a ragtag crew to battle the nefarious Alliance.
Unlike Skies of Arcadia, it looks like most of the combat in Sky Oceans will be done in the air; you'll be taking part in turn-based dogfights in which you must use the right combination of abilities and strategy to overwhelm your opponent's aircraft. You'll continually unlock new special moves as you recruit crew members, too, so you'll have access to an ever-growing arsenal of abilities.
As you explore Sky Oceans' world, you'll meet not only a diverse cast of potential crew members, but also plenty of people throughout the towns and other locations you'll visit. You'll need to help them with their problems in order to build a reputation for yourself and establish your sky pirate team. You won't just be sailing through the skies, either; Sky Oceans is promising plenty of on-foot exploration to keep you on your toes, literally.
Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire is set to arrive on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. We don't have a release date for the game yet, but make sure to add it to your wishlist if you want to bask in some warm JRPG nostalgia.
