Well, Final Fantasy Versus XIII isn't at E3. However, gamers can still get a sense of where the series is heading in the future by checking out the latest handheld, co-op installment called Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light.

Matrix Software, the studio behind the DS versions of Final Fantasy III and IV, is at the helm for this original entry in the series. It's not a port or remake of a previous installment, but the game still has plenty of familiar concepts that fans of Final Fantasy are sure to adore. The story opens when a young man named Brandt is asked to perform a special mission for the king -- a task that naturally gets Brandt wrapped up in saving the world.

Using the stylus and touch screen to navigate, you'll embark on your journey through a colorful and stylish world, fighting monsters and visiting towns along the way. Of course, you can't save the world if you're just a regular 14-year-old chump. Brandt and company have access to a variety of crowns, which is the game's equivalent of a job system. By equipping the appropriate hat between battles, you can change your class to things like bard, bandit, and merchant...along with classics like black and white mages.

Your classes will increase in power the more you level up the corresponding crown, a process accomplished by collecting and setting jewels in them. As you grow in strength, you learn new abilities that can be set as commands -- like steal and fire -- for use in the turn-based battles.

In addition to the standard Final Fantasy trappings, The 4 Heroes of Light will also allow four friends to team up wirelessly and play through the main story. While Square Enix didn't have this feature up and running at the booth, a representative explained that four players will be able to work together for most of the game. A few sections will have fewer than four players for story reasons, but as the game's title indicates, having the whole party together as much as possible is the goal.

With its old-school charm and the promise of a co-op RPG, The 4 Heroes of Light is shaping up to be a promising adventure. Look for it this October.