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Let's take a tour of Blue Dragon
Over at Xboxyde BlimBlim was feeling a little bored today and started exploring Blue Dragon to document his favorite locations. For those of us who haven't yet got hands-on time with the game, these screen grabs are a great way to see not only the art style, but the different locations in the game. These shots are beautiful, unique, and show off what Blue Dragon is really all about. Even the chef's nose makes us smile with excitement ... it's so round and pudgy. Make the jump for more screen grabs and wish you too could play Blue Dragon.
Xbox 360: The Best of 2007
2006 was a great year for the Xbox 360. We saw tons of great games -- Oblivion, Gears of War, and Dead Rising just to name a few -- Xbox Live Arcade showed signs of maturity, Xbox Live grew by leaps and bounds, and overall 360 sales are closing in on the 10 million mark. Yes, it was a good time to be a gamer if you had a 360. What about the future? What does 2007 hold for the Xbox 360? Read on and join the discussion.
Square Enix (almost) bares all at Jump Festa
1UP has again braved the bands of manga-fiending young'ns to investigate the happenings at this year's Jump Festa jumpoff. While all major Japanese publishers (and Microsoft) were present, Square Enix was reppin' in full force, offering playable versions of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP), and Seiken Densetsu: Heroes of Mana and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (both for DS). Trailers for additional titles were also on display (see embedded videos below). In a private theater, Square Enix previewed more new footage from its upcoming 2007 lineup, including a glimpse at Final Fantasy Versus XIII (PS3). The montage concluded with a brief flash of an armored man, grimacing as he stood on what appeared to be a battlefield. The teaser shot was followed by the words: "And something new coming in 2007."
360 sales see huge increase in Japan
While the above headline is both dramatic and true, it's also not quite as grand as it sounds. The Xbox 360 managed to sell 35,343 units last week. Not exactly a staggering number compared to, say, the DS Lite (310,000 units), but it still marks a drastic increase for our favorite console, which sold just over 4,000 units the week before. Savvy readers would probably guess that Blue Dragon had a big influence on this increase, and such readers would be right. Blue Dragon managed to land in the number 4 spot in software sales, as Joystiq reports the game sold a whopping 80,348 copies. Seeing a sharp increase in both hardware and software sales is definitely a good thing for Microsoft in Japan, but the battle is far from over. If they want 360s to keep moving, Microsoft will have to prove the console's worth by giving Japanese gamers the games they want, and that means more than Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon 2.
Blue Dragon busts into Japanese sales charts
The first thing you should do when this sort of thing happens is somehow confirm that you're still in the same dimension you were in moments before. Examine newspapers, have a look in the mirror and make doubly sure that nobody is sporting an angry orangutan for a head. With that out of the way, you can return to the matter at hand -- there's an Xbox 360 game sitting in the fourth position of the weekly Japanese software sales chart. With a healthy 80,348 copies sold, it would appear that Microsoft's Blue Dragon is at least making some strides in the publisher's continuing battle against apathy in Japan.Examining the other bits of the chart on GamesAreFun, it's easy to imagine some of the cheaper headlines that could have been used for this post. "Blue Dragon crushes Zelda in Japanese sales!" While Blue Dragon enters the chart in fourth place, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has since slid down to 17th in its second week. Post-launch Wii shortages could be to blame, as Wario Ware: Smooth Moves also fails to make it past the 23rd spot. The fact that Tales of Destiny and Final Fantasy VI Advance wind up below Blue Dragon, however, could be seen as more reassuring. Ah, but what about "Blue Dragon defeated by Pokemon?" In its tenth week, Pokemon Diamond occupies the third slot, with second and first place going to Sega's Yakuza 2 and Gundam SEED: Federation vs ZAFT II respectively. The install bases of the PS2 and DS make those games particularly tough opponents, so to snag fourth spot seems like a solid accomplishment. Keep an eye out for the infamous Japanese hardware sales later today to see how effective Blue Dragon is at shifting consoles.
Japanese release day highlights: 12.14.06
This week, we've left this post a bit late in the (release) day so that we talk in the past tense and tell you how we bought a copy of Motorstorm for ¥5280 (which is about $45 in Digitiser's trademarked Earth Money), and how we can state with some confidence, having played the game for a grand total of 23 minutes, that it is, you know, quite good. And how we can bring you an exclusive Blurry Pic (after the break, courtesy of our Samsung keitai) of the new Blue Dragon... gachapon. And we can use italics in excess because this release day, dear readers, is over. Here are the other big games of the day. Of the day: Earth Defense Force 3 (where's the ant powder?; Xbox 360) Phantasy Star Universe (you're late, Sega; Xbox 360) World Soccer Winning Eleven X (you're late, Konami; Xbox 360) Chocobo to Mahou no Ehon (miraculous yellow chickens; DS) SNK Vs. Capcom Card Fighters DS (our Neo-Geo Pocket Colour is sent to the old folks' home; DS) Motorstorm (at least 23 minutes' worth of dirty pleasure; PS3) Pokemon Battle Revolution (gotta buy 'em all; Wii)
Read a Blue Dragon review (in English!)
CVG, a professional website mysteriously lacking a favicon, has posted an English review of Blue Dragon. In short, the game is good, and the review contains nothing but praise. Seriously, not one flaw is listed. Frankly, it's hard to trust reviews that are entirely positive, but it still likely means good news for RPG fans. Overall, the review states that the game just feels incredibly polished, that it "reeks of class." The graphics are clean, the battle system doesn't get old, and there is plenty to do. We won't be seeing Blue Dragon stateside until next year, but it looks like the wait may be worth it after all. Hit the read link for the full review.Has anyone else out there actually played the game?[Via Evil Avatar]
Blue Dragon moves some Xbox 360 hardware
Blue Dragon is Microsoft's attempt to truly break into the Japanese console market. The Blue Dragon launch can be billed the REAL Xbox 360 launch day in Japan; at least, Microsoft hopes it is. According to a confusing machine translation from GameSpot China, the Xbox 360 sold either 27,000 or 70,000 units to accommodate the release of Blue Dragon. If 70,000 is the correct number, an additional 43,000 units of Blue Dragon sold (which is the bulk of the Japanese owners who previously purchased an Xbox 360). In either case, this is certainly a nice boost for Microsoft. If the 70,000 is the correct version of the translation, it would certainly be odd to see the Xbox 360 sitting at a solid #3 on Japan's weekly sales chart. Microsoft hopes to sell 200,000 copies of Blue Dragon in Japan, which means Microsoft hopes to have around 200,000 Xbox 360 units in Japanese households. While not impressive from the standpoint of, say, the DS -- Nintendo sells that many in two weeks -- Microsoft should enjoy the sales boost and the publicity that goes along with it.
Blue Dragon flying high in Japan
Websites (including us) have been spouting Blue Dragon's significance for ages now -- just look at all these stories -- and it's finally time for the game to put up or shut up. The game released today -- both individually and in a spiffy bundle -- and Joystiq reports that it already looks to become the most popular 360 game in Japan by far. Of course, that's not really saying much, though it is important to note that the game is also driving hardware sales. If Microsoft has any hope in the Land of the Rising Sun, it rests in the arms (wings?) of Blue Dragon. After all, if the RPG dream team of Hironobu Sakaguchi, Akira Toriyama, and Nobuo Uematsu aren't enough to entice the Japanese, there just isn't much more that Microsoft can do. Hit the read link for more pictures.We've asked this question before, but do you think Microsoft needs Japan in order to win the new-gen console war?
Blue Dragon sets Japan ablaze
Akira Toriyama, Nobuo Uematsu, Hironobu Sakaguchi: all three are famous names in Japan. And all three are closely associated with Blue Dragon, the Mistwalker Xbox 360 RPG that was released in Japan this morning. For an Xbox 360 title here in Japan, where the format has to date been failing spectacularly, Blue Dragon is set to become the system's most successful game by some distance. Pre-orders for the Blue Dragon Xbox 360 hardware bundle sold out some weeks ago, while gamers queued for their copies in Akihabara this morning. We had no problem finding a copy of the game in Osaka today, however -- it's popular, but it's not unobtainable. Regardless, at this rate, Blue Dragon could still become a flagship series for Microsoft in Japan. No wonder Sakaguchi recently revealed plans for Blue Dragon 2... Jump for more photos from this morning's in-store launch event at Akihabara's Yodobashi Camera.
Japanese Blue Dragon bundle: the unboxing [update 2]
Yes, we know. You've already seen the Blue Dragon box. Why show us again, you say. Dear friends, that was merely a box. Now this, this is a bundle, and as bundles go, the Japanese Blue Dragon bundle is a monster. The bundle comes packed with goodies, first of which is of course Blue Dragon itself. Also included in the box: a 360 Core system, a 2007 Blue Dragon calendar (though 2007 is actually the year of the pig), a Blue Dragon faceplate, and five (!) figurines representing each character from the game. It's a little odd that the bundle includes no way of saving your game (kind of an important feature in RPGs), but then we expect Microsoft is hoping to make few bucks on hard drives and memory cards. Some of you may have heard that Blue Dragon received an impressive 37/40 from Famitsu, Japan's biggest gaming mag, so it will be interesting to see how this bundle fares at retail. Oh, and lest we forget, it should be available in Japan today. Head over to 1UP for more pictures.Update 2: This bundle has no hard drive.
Japanese release day highlights: 12.07.06
It's getting really cold in Japan. Like, two pairs of socks cold. And as the outside gets colder, the inside gets warmer. Inevitably, we stay indoors more and play more games. This is the time of year when Thursdays become even more important to us. And today's shop for new games should be a particularly warming one. Here's what we plan to pick up in Osaka's Den Den Town: Blue Dragon (the biggest Xbox 360 game in Japan to date -- a 3-DVD set that scored 37/40 in Famitsu) Ryu Ga Gotoku 2 (aka Yakuza 2 -- by orange-skinned Toshihiro Nagoshi; PS2) Ape Escape Racer (like Mario Kart, but with more monkeys and some disco balls; PSP) PaRappa the Rapper (Chop Chop Master Onion gets cut up and refried for the PSP) Power Pro Kun Pocket 9 (big-headed baseball from Konami; DS)
Blue Dragon: more discs = better game
The first game to bite the DVD format bullet and come on three (yes count 'em, three) DVDs is none other than Blue Dragon. IGN has pictures of the packaging in all its three disc glory. Amazingly enough, all the discs fit in one normal sized DVD case. Microsoft is also throwing a launch party in Japan and beaming a countdown to launch clock on the side of an abandoned building. But back to the goods. Three discs could be seen as the negative effects of not including an HD player into the 360 ... but I'm the optimistic type and say three discs is extremely bad ass. You could use the extra discs as ninja stars! Anyway, I'm putting my yearly blogging salary ($4.65) on Halo 3 coming out on seven discs ... any takers?[Thanks, Nitin]
Watch Blue Dragon's opening sequence
We missed the Blue Dragon update last week, so this week we have two new videos for you. The first -- embedded above -- is Blue Dragon's playable opening sequence. It's very serene and poetic in that Howl's Moving Castle sort of way, though we're not sure how much we like the robotic voice that announces what you're doing. Hearing the digital female voice say "item" as you pick something up sort of pulls you out of the narrative. Still, the game is gorgeous. The second video -- embedded after the break -- showcases a shooting sequence, which takes place in (what else?) an airship. The shooting sequence is in real time, which might allay some of the fears of RPG fans that are more accustomed to KOTOR. Watch both videos and tell us what you think . (As always, high definition versions are available at the official Blue Dragon site.)
Blue Dragon comic scans are manga-licious
Microsoft's Japanese baby Blue Dragon has released some very artistic shots of their Japanese comic (manga) art. If the image above hasn't caught your attention, head over to Xboxygen to get some more scans of this very sexy upcoming comic. Fanboys, I know I've asked this before, but I feel the urge to ask you again. Any non-Japense hardcore RPG players looking forward to Blue Dragon next year?
Blue Dragon 2 already in the works?
Blue Dragon, Microsoft's great white blue hope in Japan, isn't even available yet, and rumors are already flying about Blue Dragon 2: the Dragoning*. According to Strategyinformer.com, Famitsu is reporting that Mistwalker is already in production on Blue Dragon 2. It's a well-known fact that Microsoft is pinning all its hopes on Blue Dragon to lift limp 360 sales in Japan. If a sequel is already in development, they must be very confident that it will do just that. Then again, the article doesn't actually mention what platform the game would appear on, so it's possible that Blue Dragon's developer, Mistwalker, is planning to take the game multi-platform. Whatever MS and Mistwalker have up their sleeves, we'll wait to see how good the first Blue Dragon is before we start clamoring for a sequel.*This is a fake (though hilarious) subtitile.[Via Evil Avatar]
New Blue Dragon artwork scans
Over at Xboxygen you can check out some new Blue Dragon scans. Of course it's in Japanese and of course there isn't the littlest hint to what the heck the article is about, but there are some nice screenshots and beautiful artwork on the pages. Heck, it's Blue Dragon just enjoy the pretty pictures already.
Video: Blue Dragon non player characters
The official Blue Dragon website has been updated yet again with a new video (and new screenshots, too). The video features some of the game's non player characters (NPCs) that the player can interact with. They range from weird looking Snifit doppelgangers to minotaurs. Our favorite in the video is what appears to be a living mural on a wall. Check out the video after the break. Oh, and be warned, the music is ... different.
Japan: Blue Dragon bigger than Zelda, MGS4
It's windy and cold outside Fanboy Towers today, and we're betting it's a cold day in Hell, too. First, EA's Superman Returns demo is actually good, and now an Xbox 360 game is in the top 5 on Famitsu's most wanted list. Blue Dragon has landed in 3rd place on the recent poll, outdoing both Metal Gear Solid 4 and the beloved Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. We've blogged (probably too much) about Blue Dragon's importance before, but it now stands at an all time high. With the Playstation 3 launched (and sold out) and the Wii as well, Microsoft has their work cut out for them if they want to make a dent in the Land of the Rising Sun. Ironically, this is also their biggest opportunity. With the PS3 sold out, Microsoft has a big chance to take money away from those who were unable to get a PS3 (hell, with PS3 money you could buy the Blue Dragon bundle and have enough yen left for a sushi dinner). Still, one game may help Microsoft gain a foothold, but it is not enough to sustain interest. If they don't keep rolling out the Japanese flavored content, Japan could quickly drop the 360. As our sister site, Joystiq, points out, the Japanese are not shy about buying a system for one game and then selling it. Then again, Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 has managed to crack the number 15 spot. Maybe that will be enough to hold Japan until Lost Odyssey.[Via Joystiq]
360 game sitting pretty on Famitsu list ... really?
We think it's about time to feel the ground, folks, it may be a bit frigid. Blue Dragon -- Microsoft's latest answer on the big standardized test that is Japanese game market penetration -- is showing initial signs of acceptance. Not just regular "ho-hum" acceptance, but enough to turn some heads (assuming Microsoft didn't hire people to vote). In a recent Famitsu poll, Blue Dragon somehow clawed its way up to #3 on the list of most anticipated titles. Blue Dragon managed to knock off big hitters like Metal Gear Solid 4 and Twilight Princess, #4 and #6 respectively. The big, white box also managed to pull another nod with Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, which fell in at #15. Microsoft is getting some much needed help in boosting its image, especially now that the PS3 has finally landed (in limited quantities anyway) in the public's grubby hands. Of course, Blue Dragon's big push won't mean much if MS can't keep the Japanese-friendly games flowing; Japanese gamers are known for being fickle and trading in game machines after finishing a game. [Thanks, DawgOnU]
