NIS America has shared with us a huge batch of information for Rodea the Sky Soldier.

The new preview runs the gamut of the various gameplay mechanics, the game’s story, characters, and more.

You can find the new information below:

Story

Once upon a time there existed two countries—Naga, the terrestrial machine empire, and Garuda, a floating kingdom in the sky…

Thanks to their advanced technology, the Naga Empire thrives. Seeking the power contained in crystalized Graviton energy, Naga gazes skyward at the neighboring kingdom of Garuda and launches a full-scale invasion.

Princess Cecilia, the daughter of Emperor Geardo, ruler of Naga, attempts to flee to Garuda alongside her robot bodyguard, Rodea. Trapped by her pursuers, she entrusts Rodea with half of the Key of Time—an artifact that is integral to the success of Naga’s invasion. Using the remaining half of the Key’s power, she teleports Rodea to Garuda, depriving Naga of the intact Key of Time, thereby preventing the earthbound aggressor from successfully carrying out its invasion.

Since then 1,000 years have passed, and Garuda’s citizens regard Naga’s failed invasion, as well as the Naga Empire itself, as little more than a historical footnote in the pages of history. At a small village in Garuda, a young woman named Ion lives a peaceful life with her grandfather, where she spends her days tinkering with machines and inventing all sorts of odd gadgets. One day, Ion is surveying an ancient ruin when she discovers a deactivated, broken robot—Rodea. Though Ion repairs the damage to Rodea’s body, the damage to Rodea’s memories is too extensive. He remembers next to nothing about his past, save for his mission to save Garuda, and the face of a young woman who bears a striking resemblance to Ion.

Characters

Rodea – A humanoid robot with flight capabilities. He attempted to flee to Garuda alongside Princess Cecilia, but failed. After Princess Cecilia teleports him to safety, he suddenly finds himself waking up 1,000 years in the future thanks to Ion, who recovered his body and repaired him back to full functionality. With this new ally by his side, Rodea takes to the sky to defend Garuda against the Naga Empire once again.
Ion – A humanoid robot with flight capabilities. He attempted to flee to Garuda alongside Princess Cecilia, but failed. After Princess Cecilia teleports him to safety, he suddenly finds himself waking up 1,000 years in the future thanks to Ion, who recovered his body and repaired him back to full functionality. With this new ally by his side, Rodea takes to the sky to defend Garuda against the Naga Empire once again.
Princess Cecilia – The pure-hearted princess of the Naga Empire. She fled Naga with Rodea in an attempt to stop her father, Emperor Geardo, from invading Garuda. When that plan fails, she teleports Rodea to safety and is never seen again.
Emperor Geardo – Geardo was once a kind father who showered his beloved daughter, Cecilia, with love and affection. It was for her sake and the sake of his empire that he spearheaded Naga’s development into a mechanized civilization. To this end, he has replaced the majority of his physical body with the most powerful technology his empire can produce, further cementing his status as an immeasurably legendary ruler.

Soaring Across Garuda

Rodea is equipped with a gravity manipulation device that allows him to fly. This device is fueled by Graviton energy, which is restored simply by landing on the ground. It can also be restored by collecting Graviton crystals, or by destroying certain objects.

Gravitons

Gravitons are not only used to restore flight energy, but they also serve as directional guides for reaching the goal in the shortest amount of time. Follow the trail of Gravitons if you’re not sure which direction to go in a stage.

Collect a row of Gravitons. Locate and collect the next row of Gravitons without landing, and you’ll receive a CHAIN bonus!

Flight Basics

The flight energy gauge inside the reticle will slowly diminish as Rodea stays airborne. If the gauge reaches 0 and there’s no landing spot beneath Rodea, he will lose one spare part (life) and restart from the most recent save point.

Flight energy can be restored by the following methods: