Square Enix's pre-E3 press event was held today in Los Angeles, and it showed off plenty of games. One of them, Radiata Stories, has already been released in Japan and is on the way to North American shores this fall. It's developed by tri-Ace, developer of the Star Ocean and Valkryie Profile series of games, but is indeed an all-new role-playing game universe.

　　In Radiata Stories, you take on the role of two main characters, Jack Russell and Ridley Silverlake. Jack is the main protaganist, and although he's named after a breed of dog, he's actually intent on becoming a Royal Radiata Knight. He lives in the shadow of his father, a hero and dragon slayer. Ridley, on the other hand, was born into nobility and is also intent on becoming a knight. Both characters are swept up into an epic story that entails world-saving, as RPG characters are so often forced to do. (Note that these names have yet to be finalized and may change in the final game.)

　　The game's story revolves around the fact that the kingdom of Radiata exists in a world where humans live side by side with fairies. Soon after the game begins, the two races enter into a tragic war, which Ripley and Jack are intent on stopping. One of the unique aspects of the game is its inclusion of a massive number of other party members; up to 150 other playable characters can be found in the gameworld, each apparently with unique benefits. As you travel around the world, though, you may find yourself having to camp out to meet up with some of these characters, as the gameworld has its own peculiar notion of time. For instance, you may come up to a house and find that all of the inhabitants are asleep or at work, forcing you to wait for them to come home before you can interact with them. We're also told that certain game events will be ruled by timers, as well, meaning that you may miss out on certain events if you ignore them for too long.

　　We'll have more information on Radiata Stories as it becomes available. In the meantime, check out GameSpot's hands-on analysis of the Japanese version of the game for more info.