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Dissidia TGS08 trailer and LE packaging revealed
Dissidia is literally only a month away from release in Japan and Square Enix isn't skimping on the information. The trailer we saw in Square Enix's Closed Theater is now available for public viewing pleasure (we really wished SE would do this with the rest of their Closed Theater trailers), as we've posted it right after the break. It's probably going to be the last trailer we see as it really hits the climax. Cloud and Terra were revealed in this trailer and you can finally see in-game footage of their fights.In related news, Square Enix also released images of the Limited Edition game and PSP packaging. As seen above, the game packaging features some very detailed work from famed artist Yoshitaka Amano. It shows all ten heroes together with Cosmos. The Limited Edition PSP box is all white with a solid logo and some subtle designs. Check out an image of the PSP box and the TGS 08 trailer after the break.
Dissidia vids: Squall and Zidane in EX Mode
Fan service is a good thing when it's done to enhance the gaming experience and not just make up for a lack of substance. In the case of Dissidia: Final Fantasy, there are a lot of solid, new gameplay elements which fit in well with the dazzling flash that Final Fantasy is known for -- so it's got the best of both worlds. Nothing sums this merging of innovation and style more than the EX Mode. You'll see why when you watch the embedded video above when Squall and Zidane show off the Renzokuken and Trance, respectively. The timed-input events, and the visceral, swift action makes Dissidia look like the most exciting PSP title this (Japanese) holiday season. It makes us sad to remember that a North American release has yet to be heard of.
Dissidia will also feature Data Install
PSP is increasingly resembling its big brother, PS3. Dissidia, PSP's upcoming Final Fantasy-themed fighter from Square Enix, will feature "Data Install," an optional feature that will allow players to shorten load times by installing some key information onto the Memory Stick. Reading data off the flash drive is much faster than the UMD, and for those that can afford to sacrifice some space, this feature will be helpful. (Another game to take advantage of this feature: Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G)Players can choose three different installs, to take as little as 245MB to as much as 528MB of data. Of course, for the shortlest load times possible, players in Japan will undoubtedly want to buy the game off the PlayStation Store and have the entire game on their Memory Stick.
Kefka looks scarier than ever in new Dissidia art
One didn't think that Kefka, the insane clown-like villain with the distinctive laugh from Final Fantasy VI, could get any creepier. But he just totally did in the latest Dissida art of him, as revealed by Shonen Jump -- look at the way he's ogling at poor Terra/Tina. She ain't no damsel in distress though; her EX mode named "Trance" is looking pretty powerful. Take a look at the full scan over at PSPHyper.
New Dissidia vid shows off some summons
There are summoned creatures in the 'dramatic progressive action' title Dissidia: Final Fantasy, but they may not be exactly what you'd expect them to be. They pop up as static 2D images during gameplay -- no fancy FMVs here, folks. You can check out two of the summons (Ifrit and Carbuncle) in the trailer posted above. Summon creatures appear upon pressing the R trigger together with the circle button. In the case of Ifrit, summons appear as equipable items (as represented on the HUD). Judging by the way they're used in the trailer, the summons primarily affect the Brave gauge -- Carbuncle adjusts the enemy's Brave to match the player's, while boosts a player's Brave by 1.5.
Dissidia may be a downloadable title too
Back at TGS, we reported that all of the Sony's upcoming first-party titles in Japan were being made available as a download -- even high-profile ones like Resistance Retribution. The price point for at least some of the downloadable versions will also be lower. No plans were announced regarding third-party titles.However, a reader over at Siliconera noticed a listing on Sony's official website that might suggest otherwise: Dissidia: Final Fantasy is categorized as both as a UMD and downloadable release on the site. If this is proven to be true, it could be great news for Final Fantasy fans with access to the Japanese PS Store -- you can just download the title directly.[Via Siliconera]
PSP Fanboy hands-on: Dissidia: Final Fantasy
Dissidia: Final Fantasy has been a title we've been keeping an eye on a lot lately, and hence, it's one of the first games we decided to see out on the Tokyo Game Show floor. We moseyed on over to Sony's booth to get in a quick session before going at it again and taking in another short round over at Square Enix proper. Five characters were available to play: Firionel, Tidus, Squall, Warrior of Light, and Zidane. We decided to try out different characters for each play session and tested out the skills of Squall and Tidus.The overall battle system is rather easy to pick up; attacking with the square button deals the amount of damage currently in your "Brave" gauge while attacking with the circle button drains your enemy's Brave, replenishing your own and then eventually putting enemies into a "Break" state as you can see here in these videos. Now while the general concept of the game's battle system is easy to grasp, mastering the play style of the individual characters is another story. After having played as both Squall and Tidus for a solid amount of time, we noticed that neither character played like the other. Even though their special moves use the same button inputs, they move and attack completely different.%Gallery-12134%
TGS 08: Terra and Cloud confirmed for Dissidia, roster now complete
After having watched a Dissidia: Final Fantasy trailer in Square Enix's Closed Mega Theater, the final two characters (heroes for Final Fantasies VI and VII) are confirmed to be Terra and Cloud. Gameplay footage was seen for both characters dueling against their respective arch nemesis. Cloud retains his classic look, while Terra dons a more child-like face and better resembles her original Amano design (blonde hair).With Bartz and Ex-Death confirmed recently, that makes the entire 20 heroes and villains roster complete. Check back with us later, we'll have some more on Dissidia including full hands-on here at PSP Fanboy and full Square Enix Closed Theater impressions over on Joystiq. So keep an eye on both.
Bartz and Exdeath of Final Fantasy V join Dissidia
Bartz Klauser and Exdeath of Final Fantasy V are the latest characters confirmed for the Square Enix ensemble title Dissidia: Final Fantasy, according to the latest edition of Shonen Jump Magazine. Like the other older Final Fantasy characters which were originally illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano, they have been reimagined by Tetsuya Nomura for the PSP-exclusive title. Now all we have left to wonder are the heroes of Final Fantasy VI and VII (most likely Terra and Cloud). Hopefully more is revealed at TGS -- needless to say, we'll keep you updated.[Thanks, Darryl!]
Two new Dissidia vids teach us how to fight
Two new vids teach us a thing or two on how Dissidia: Final Fantasy's dramatic progressive battle system works, so pay close attention children. In the first one, keep watch over the big numbers that hover over the character HUD. This is the "Brave" stat. These numbers determine your attack power. If you attack while this number is at zero, then you do no damage. Also, did you notice that some attacks didn't damage HP, but instead started screwing around with the Brave numbers? Yeah, you'll want to watch the second vid (after the break) to fully understand that. What's going on there is that some attacks drain an opponent's Brave and adds onto yours. This adds a bit of strategy as you can take an enemy down to zero and he'll go into a "Break" status. It's some sort of temporarily vulnerable state. It's a new take on the usual beat em' genre. We can't wait to see more of this game at TGS.
Dissidia: Relive the never final battle
Download to PSP Here's yet another video showing off the one-on-one duels of Dissidia: Final Fantasy. In the clip, you'll witness a spiritual reincarnation of a classic battle that gave birth to 20 years of Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy I's Warrior of Light goes head-to-head with Garland and the sparks are flying. Literally. Check out the vid or download it straight to your PSP.
Dissidia limited edition PSP is ridiculously limited edition
You're not getting one, sorry. The Limited Edition Dissidia PSP-3000 bundle bound for Japan is being sold exclusively through a lottery system that only Square Enix members in Japan can enter in. The entry period is limited to a one week window, and amongst those entries, random people will be selected to purchase those systems.So your best bet: eBay.[Thanks, Darryl!]
Final Fantasy IV characters join Dissidia ranks
The character countdown is almost over now, people. With the confirmation of Cecil and Golbez as Final Fantasy IV's respective light and darkness ambassadors, we now know the identities of most Dissidia alumni. Final Fantasies I through IV and VIII through X are now complete, while villains for VI and VII have also been revealed. All that's really left is to figure out who the heroes of VII (no-brainer really ... unless a Caith Sith surprise is in store) and VI (more difficult to gauge considering characters shared the spotlight equally) are. That, and what's the fate of V -- in or not? Lots of conflicting reports on that one so we'll wait and see. Maybe TGS is the time to get those last inkling details before the big release this December.[Via PSPHyper]
What's playable, and what's not, at Square Enix's TGS booth
2008 looks to be yet another excellent year for Tokyo Game Show. There's a lot of excitement over the potential surprises at the show. Square Enix has posted its lineup for this year's show, and we're a little saddened to see Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) still not playable. At the very least, we'll be getting some one-on-one time with Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (PSP). Check out the full PlayStation list here:Playable Dissidia: Final Fantasy (PSP) Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (PSP) Trailers-Only Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) Final Fantasy Versus XIII (PS3) Final Fantasy Agito XIII (PSP) The 3rd Birthday (PSP) Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete (Blu-ray) We're expecting many of these trailers will be shown behind closed doors. Fear not, though. We'll provide detailed impressions of the trailers live from Tokyo next month.
Dissidia: Final Fantasy trailer shows off Kefka & more
Download to PSP With Dissidia, Square Enix's upcoming PSP-exclusive brawler, coming by year's end in Japan, the company has been quick to release tons of new videos for Final Fantasy fans everywhere. This new trailer shows a lot more CG, a lot more action, and even highlights Final Fantasy VI's Kefka -- a favorite character for many fans of the franchise.[Thanks, Morty!]
Dissidia and Patapon 2 dated for Japan; FF Agito still years away
Sony Japan has announced release dates for several PSP titles that all eyes (or in case of Patapon, "eye") have been on. Dissidia: Final Fantasy will sneak in right before Santa Claus shows up on December 18. Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam and the rhythm soldiers of Patapon 2 Donchaka will march in November 20 and 27, respectively. No word yet on North American or European release dates. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy Agito XIII looks like it's still a long way off from coming to a Sony portable near you. Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura explains the game isn't expected to release until after PS3's Final Fantasy XIII and Versus arrive. In short: We're looking at 2010 or later before Agito's release. Will the PSP, as we know it, even exist at that point?
Dissidia and Patapon 2 dated, new bundles announced
SCEJ just dropped a ton of information concerning several major PSP titles for the remainder of 2008. Three huge games are now officially slated for this holiday season in Japan, and two of them are certainly games you probably won't want to miss importing. Dissidia: Final Fantasy is now set for a December 18 release, while Patapon 2 Donchaka and Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam will both be out November 27 and 20, respectively.All three games will be sold alongside bundled packs that include the new bright-screened PSP-3000. Patapon 2 Donchaka not only dons a new subtitle, but will also be available as a PS Store download for those who want to save a couple of bucks over the UMD version. This is a similar strategy as seen by Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida or2 and Bleach Soul Carnival. Tax-inclusive prices for games and bundles are after the break ... just in case you wanted to know how much money will be leaving your wallet this holiday season. [Via press release]
Jecht, Tidus pure gameplay Dissidia trailer
Download to PSP The last Dissidia: Final Fantasy video showcase featured a set of not so beloved Final Fantasy characters -- a punk onion dude and the ultra sexy Cloud of Darkness. Yet, despite that fact, the gameplay footage was still awe-inspiring and kept you drooling for more. This time around, we've got more of the same; however, we're sure you're going enjoy watching these characters a whole lot more. Final Fantasy X's daddy issues duo, Jecht and Tidus, show us how it's done in this here video clip. Not only are they dishing out mad skills as usual, they're taking the fight all around the fighting arena, giving us a sense of how large and dynamic the stages can get. It seems that every little glimpse of Dissidia that we get, it gets harder and harder to look away. Keep an eye on this one folks. This is looking to be the game to have for this year (in Japan anyway).
Watch two minutes of Dissidia gameplay footage
Download to PSP We're mostly used to seeing an amalgamation of different cut scenes in our Dissidia: Final Fantasy trailers; however, this time we're treated to over two minutes of pure gameplay. The battle you'll be witnessing is between Final Fantasy III light and dark reps, Onion Kid and The Cloud of Darkness.One thing this blogger particularly took notice of was the short pause for the Onion Kid during his break status; he does a class change and then has to choose an ability from a drop down menu. It's interesting to see that while the game is a fast and fluid fisticuff, the developers could still incorporate some of the traditional turn-based Final Fantasy elements into the game. Are you not grasping that thought fully? Well, you will once you see the trailer.
Birth by Sleep and Dissidia: video, Famitsu scans, trailer summary
Wowzers! So there is a lot more information out there on Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep than we anticipated. First we got some translated hands-on impressions gathered from various Japanese sites over at KHInsider, along with a trailer summary. Some of this information we know about already, so here are highlights of the new stuff: The new enemies are called Unbirths. Xehanort and Maleficent are both after the Princesses of Hearts Ven's level is the Castle of Dreams, Cinderella's world. Ven cooperates with Jaq the mouse to collect materials to make Cinderella's dress. After going through a maze and finding the necessary items, a boss fight ensues with Lucifer. No, not Lucifer the demon, but rather the cat from Cinderella. Secondly, we have 3 pages of Famitsu scans courtesy of PSPHyper. Reading the hands-on impressions while looking at these scans, you can almost pretend you were playing the demo. Lastly, IGN has a few seconds of video footage of both Birth by Sleep and Dissidia from their Game Scoop show. Look for that after the jump.[Thanks, Kristopher G. and MonkeyKHI!]Source -- PSPHyper; Famitsu scansSource -- KHInsider; trailer summary and hands-on impressionsSource -- IGN Video; Game Scoop: Square Enix Party%Gallery-29323%
