ProjectSylph
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Rumor: Microsoft will publish bargain-priced US Project Sylpheed
Never trust retail listings as concrete evidence of future releases, but GameStop has an interesting page up on its website for Square Enix's Project Sylpheed, here spelled Silpheed. What makes the listing all the more bizarre is its bargain price of $39.99 and its publisher, Microsoft Game Studio (which, oddly enough, is also listed as the developer).Of course, the actual developer, Game Arts (Grandia, Lunar series), has used many publishers -- Grandia II, for example, saw Square Enix publishing the title in Japan and Ubisoft publishing in US and Europe. We don't feel this has anything to do with Microsoft trying to butter up Square Enix while Final Fantasy XIII's exclusivity is supposedly in discussion, but that Square Enix had no interest in distributing the title outside of Japan. But, if the $40 price is accurate, how much faith does Microsoft have that US audiences will embrace the game? There's so much about the listing that feels shaky.No announcements have been been made by Microsoft, Game Arts or Square Enix. According to the listing, Project Sylpheed will be released July 11.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Project Sylph gets a trailer
A trailer for Project Sylph is now available to the Japanese Marketplace. If you don't have access to the trailer -- or if you have qualms about fake Live accounts -- you could always just watch it at Gamebrink, or download it from Xboxyde. Be prepared for lots of high gloss CG and just a teeny, tiny, microscopic glimpse at actual gameplay. With any luck, Project Sylph might give space shooter fans something to cheer about.
More Sylphy screens
Man, Xboxygen has gone mental for Project Sylph. It seems like they publish something about it every day now. For day number three -- that's today if you're keeping score -- they've posted some direct feed images of the game. The images reveal a few new details about the game. In addition to the handsome devil you see above -- it is a guy, right? -- the screens show off the game's HUD and what looks like a ship customization feature. Xboxygen also points the way to the official Project Sylph website. It's only a splash page now, but promises to open on July 7th. We'll be sure to keep you informed. We could all use a little space shootery goodness, no? [Thanks again, gaetge]
Project Sylph scans, see for yourSylph!
French 360 site, Xboxygen, has posted Famitsu scans of Square Enix's upcoming Project Sylph. Xboxic points us to IGN, which has gone to the trouble of translating the scans for some details. The game looks to be an extension of the Silpheed franchise and promises massive space combat and -- of course -- loads of CG cinemas. Hit the read link to see the rest of the scans and some (French) commentary. [Thanks, gaetge]
Square Enix announces FPS for 360, codenamed 'Project Sylph'
One more interesting tidbit was revealed at Microsoft Japan's recent press conference, it's codenamed, Project Sylph — Square Enix's latest development for the Xbox 360 — and it's not an RPG. Instead, Project Sylph was simply described as an arcade-style FPS, and then Square Enix pointed to E3, where further details will be released.We can't help but feel a bit disappointed by this prospect. Microsoft's consoles have been overrun with FPS games. We thought the point of bringing Square Enix into the 360-picture was to grace the platform with some patented RPG flavor. Change is often good, but is Square Enix headed in the wrong direction with this one?As FFantasy.com notes, sylph has dual meanings: 1) a slender, graceful woman (we're thinkin' Aeon Flux, pictured); and 2) a being that inhabits the air (in the Paracelsus philosophy). Any guesses?Update: "The Sylph summon consists of several pixies that steal HP from the enemy and give it to the characters. In FF4, it only gave HP to the caster; in FF5, the entire party. In Tactics, Fairy did not steal HP, but did heal the entire party" [via Final Fantasy Compendium].
