Fullmetal Alchemist: The Hidden Truth

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Hidden Truth (the game is known as 鋼の錬金術師, or Fullmetal Alchemist: Truth Beyond the Truth in Japan) is an upcoming game being developed by X-Scissor and Square Enix for the Nintendo 3DS. The game is based off of the manga and anime series, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

The game is a turn-based RPG that allows the players to play as characters from Fullmetal Alchemist, starting from Episode 1, and ending on Episode 29. It is currently unknown if there will be a sequel to the game.

Gameplay
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Hidden Truth is a role-playing game, so in battle, you go to a completely different screen, and characters take turns attacking. Only up to four characters may be in a team as once. All four characters choose their attacks individually.

Outside of battle, the player controls whoever is the most important character in their group. When you run into an enemy or boss, you are taken to a different screen. Most playable characters can use Alchemy, and Transmutation Circles are drawn on the bottom screen of the system. Because of how detailed Transmutation Circles are in Fullmetal Alchemist, the system for drawing them is very simplified.

Similar to Super Mario RPG, whenever a player attacks, they can do some kind of command to make their attack deal more damage than usual. Fullmetal Alchemist: The Hidden Truth was made to be similar to Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans.

Commands
There are certain commands you can do in battle to fight against the enemy. These commands are:
 * Bash - A normal attack that cannot be modified in any way, and they can always be used.
 * Special Attacks - Attacks that deal more damage than Bash attacks. They can be modified to change their power.
 * Alchemy - Attacks that use Alchemy. Transmutation Circles can be drawn to make these attacks more powerful. Some Alchemists cannot use Alchemy without Transmutation Circles.
 * Items - Use Items found along the way to help your performance in battle.
 * Tactics - Battle skills that help your performance in battle.
 * Defend - This command will make attacks from the opponent deal less damage than normal.
 * Flee - Escape from a battle with enemies. You may not flee from boss battles.

Stats
There are four stats that determine how well you do in battle. The four stats are:
 * HP - The unit of health. If you lose all of your HP, the character is KO'd and is unable to battle.
 * Offense - Determines how much damage the attack of a character deals. Often you may get "Critical" attacks, which will raise your Offense for one attack.
 * Alchemic Power - Determines how much damage attacks that use Alchemy deal. You can get "Sparked" attacks, which will raise your Alchemic Power for one attack. Items like the State Alchemist Pocketwatch will raise your Alchemic Power.
 * Speed - Determines which characters attack first in battle. If you have higher Speed, you attack first. If you have lower Speed, you attack last. Also, the higher speed you have, the higher chance there is of your opponent's attack missing.
 * Defense - Determines how much damage attacks deal on a character. Often, you may get "Powerful" and attacks will not deal as much damage on you.
 * Chi - The points unit for Special Attacks. It takes up a certain amount of Chi to do an attack, so when you run out of Chi, you cannot do Special Attacks any longer.

Playable

 * Edward Elric - The Fullmetal Alchemist. He is a powerful Alchemist who, mysteriously, doesn't need a Transmutation Circle to use Alchemy. Edward has a robotic arm and leg, because he lost his original ones when he attempted to resurrect his mother.
 * Alphonse Elric - Edward's brother, who lost his body in attempt to bring his mother back to life. His soul is bonded to a suit of armor. Al can do Alchemy, but he requires a Transmutation Circle to do so.
 * Winry Rockbell - An Automail (robotic limbs) mechanic. She is not much of a fighter, and usually depends on others for defense. She lives in Resembool with her grandmother.
 * Roy Mustang - The Flame Alchemist. He wears gloves that produce sparks when he snaps his fingers, and he uses Alchemy to change those sparks into huge flames. Mustang is a colonel in the State Army.
 * Alex Louis Armstrong - The Strongarm Alchemist. He is an extremely powerful Alchemist who is a Major in the State Army. Despite his towering presence and intimidating physique, Alex is decidedly softhearted.
 * Maes Hughes - A Brigadier General of the State Army. He is very obsessive of his daughter, and, unlike the rest of the army, cannot use Alchemy. Hughes's job is to investigate crime scenes.
 * Riza Hawkeye - A Lieutenant of the State Army. She uses guns very often, and is the assistant of Colonel Mustang.
 * Jean Havoc - A Second Lieutenant of the State Army. He dreams of finding love, but usually has bad luck with it.
 * Maria Ross - A Second Lieutenant of the State Army. She is the bodyguard of Edward and Alphonse.
 * Scar - An Ishvalan and mass murderer against the State Army. He wishes to kill all State Alchemists for murdering his brother in the Ishvalan War of Extermination.
 * Ling Yao - A Xingese immigrant and the prince of Xing. Ling seeks immortality, so he is searching for a Philosopher's Stone in Amestrys. He acts very childish most of the time, and has a very large appetite. Ling Yao is the head of the Yao Clan.
 * Lan Fan - Another Xingese immigrant who seeks eternal life, she is a member of the Yao Clan.
 * May Chang - Another Xingese immigrant who seeks eternal life, although she is not a member of the Yao Clan. She desperately wants to meet the Fullmetal Alchemist, for she hopes that he will be in love with her.

Nonplayable

 * Van Hohenheim - The father of the Elric brothers, who is immortal. He watches over the Earth as time goes. Hohenheim is also an extremely powerful Alchemist who wishes to right the wrongs of his mysterious past.
 * Pinako Rockbell - Winry's grandmother, who is an intelligent Automail mechanic. Pinako acts as caretaker to Edward, Alphonse, and Winry.
 * Isaac McDougal
 * Shou Tucker
 * Yoki
 * Lust
 * Gluttony
 * Envy
 * Greed
 * Pride
 * Father
 * Martel
 * Scar's brother
 * Barry the Chopper
 * Izumi
 * Selim Bradley
 * Xiao-Mei

Trivia

 * The name of Fullmetal Alchemist: The Hidden Truth was gotten from the fact that the "Hidden Truth" is that: in order to make a Philosopher's Stone, human lives must be sacrificed in large numbers.
 * The Japanese name, Truth Beyond the Truth, was gotten from the fact that there may be a secret beyond the truth of the Philosopher's Stone.
 * It is rumored that there will be a sequel to the game, possibly going from where The Hidden Truth left off to the end of the anime.