LostOdyssey
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Japan: What can Microsoft Do? do? do?
While those in the west see the Xbox 360 a definite success (so far), Japan is a completely different story. Having only sold 300,000 units throughout the first year in its lifespan, the 360 has a long way to go in the land of the rising sun. Gamasutra sits down with a localization specialist and Kotaku's Japanese correspondent to discuss Microsoft's prospects in Japan. The prognosis: it needs work. While the two disagree on a few points (the localization director sees the glass half-empty, whereas the other sees it half-full) the overall picture is somewhat grim. The Xbox 360 has been gaining some ground in the past few months. Titles like Blue Dragon (and to a lesser extent Gears of War) have helped generate 360 sales, but it's not nearly enough to gain a decent market share. Microsoft's biggest hurdle will be penetrating the culture barrier and understanding Japanese consumers (and apparently Do! do! do! isn't cutting it).With more Japanese titles on the way (namely Lost Odyssey), Microsoft better get its marketing crew in gear if they want to stand a chance in Japan. If MS can get a foothold in Japan, it means more variety for everyone, and that's always a good thing.[Via Xbox-Scene]
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."
Video, Lost in a boring Odyssey
Okay, first thing's first: we apologize. Yesterday, we lamented that the Lost Odyssey demo was exclusive to Japan and isn't available to the rest of the world. Having watched a long, long video of the demo on Xboxyde, we take it back. Of course, we'll reserve final judgment for the game proper, but this video is bo-ring. The graphics are nice enough, the CG is incredible, and for all we know the story is great, but the combat ... ick. Sure, not everybody likes turn-based combat, but this is a stretch even for fans. Whoever played this demo almost completely avoided anything that would make the combat interesting. In the entire video, he uses one spell -- though he does stop for some hot trash can kicking action later. Lost Odyssey is obviously designed with Final Fantasy fans in mind, and it probably won't disappoint them. Honestly though, Blue Dragon looks more interesting at this point. If you can manage to sit through this video, tell us what you think. Will it scratch your RPG itch, or will this disc never hit the tray?
Lost Odyssey hits Japan, demo-style
The latest issue of Famitsu sports a bonus Lost Odyssey demo disc, arriving fashionably later than expected. We're assuming this is a playable version of the brief scenario that was previewed at Tokyo Games Show and not selected for best-in-show. Maybe a more intimate look will convince Japanese consumers (if they've even got a Box to play it on).
Japan gets Lost Odyssey demo, we get squat
Godfree over at Gamertag Radio sent us a note that a demo of Lost Odyssey was available in Japan. Eager to try it out, we went and fired up our Japanese Live account to download it. After minutes of frantic searching, we gave up; it wasn't there. That's about the time that we finished reading the note. It turns out that a Lost Odyssey demo disc is available in the latest Famitsu. It's not known whether or not an English demo is in the works. Still, the fact that it's far enough along to release a demo bodes well for an early 2007 release.We don't really understand the aversion to putting big titles on Marketplace in Japan (they did the same thing with Ninety-Nine Nights). Does having it on a physical disc make it special somehow, like a collector's item? Would any of our readers in Japan care to comment?
Bringing home a barrage of Xbox 360 trailers
Major Nelson has once again updated his blog with a convenient list of X06 additions to the Xbox Live marketplace. If you're in any way enamored with glitzy trailers, pre-rendered footage or relentless teasing, you'd best switch on your console and start downloading some of these clips: Call of Duty 3 Banjo Kazooie Marvel Ultimate Online Viva Pinata Assassin's Creed Splinter Cell: Double Agent Blue Dragon Lost Odyssey Bioshock FIFA 07 Rainbow Six Vegas Halo Wars If you're a more traditional gamer and actually enjoy interactive forms of entertainment, you'll be pleased to learn that several of our readers have spied F.E.A.R. and Sonic the Hedgehog demos scurrying about in the marketplace. Be sure to let us know what you think of them, but not before viewing the embedded video (after the break) and answering one simple question: What the hell is going on with that nose?
Tons of new X06 Marketplace content
Following today's press briefing, there is now a boatload of new trailers on Marketplace. They are, in no particular order:Assassin's CreedBlue DragonLost OdysseyHalo WarsViva PiñataCall of Duty 3Marvel UniverseBanjo-KazooiePGR4Splinter Cell: Double AgentBioshockFIFA 07All this and a bag of DOOM. We have to wonder, though: what the hell will we get next? They've got two more days to fill after all. Any predictions?
HD Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey tomorrow
YouTube shaky cam be damned! Microsoft is set to bring us the real goods on both Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey tomorrow. That is to say, we'll be getting big, beautiful high definition trailers for both games on Marketplace. Make sure you grab 'em tomorrow and soak up the high resolution goodness. Makes us wish the 360 could queue up scheduled downloads, Tivo style.[Thanks, Sjohn]
Tokyo Game Show videos aplenty [update 1]
Videos have started hitting the net from the Tokyo Game Show 2006, and they're already impressing us. It's nice to see so many new RPGs coming out. Here are some of the best for your viewing pleasure.
TGS: Lost Odyssey intro video
Yet more cinematic RPG goodness from the Tokyo Game Show, this time from the other Mistwalker game, Lost Odyssey. Lost Odyssey is a game about a man who has lived for over a thousand years. If this intro video is any indication, he apparently lived that long by kicking ass. Check out the video after the break. Be sure and watch the very end when the intro snaps right into real time play. Very slick.
TGS: Blue Dragon = Dragon Quest + Chrono Trigger + Grandia
Wired's Game|Life blog has posted an early, albeit vague, impression of Hironobu Sakaguchi's pair of upcoming Xbox 360 RPGs, Blue Dragon & Lost Odyssey. During today's media briefing in Shibuya, Japan, Sakaguchi took the stage and demoed (read: picked up controller and played) his studio's new projects. While Game|Life doesn't provide many specifics, its post does draw some big comparisons, describing Blue Dragon as a fusion of Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, with "maybe" a dose of Grandia. Game|Life notes that enemies are on-screen (i.e. no random battles) and that the Job Change system (from Final Fantasy V) is featured in Blue Dragon. Game|Life's description of Lost Odyssey is even more provocative, as it declares the game to look like a "much more dramatic" Final Fantasy. We're sure that Microsoft has its fingers crossed that this impression will stick -- and spread. We'll hit you with our own from the show floor in the coming days. In the meantime, see for yourself: Blue Dragon Lost Odyssey
Delays galore! Dead Rising, Top Spin 2, Lost Odyssey
Sorry for being the bearer of bad news, but Frame City Killer wasn't the only game to get delayed this week. Originally supposed to launch at the end of January, Capcom's Dead Rising has been pushed back to May 2. Joystiq's hands-on with the title at CES left us thinking the title needed a little more work. 2K Sports tennis-sim Top Spin 2 has been pushed back until April. Hironobu Sakaguchi's much anticipated RPG Lost Odyssey has not so much been pushed back, as its release date is just unknown. Using the often inaccurate sales data gleaned from Internet retailers, IGN extracted that the release date has been pushed back. This Spring will have plenty of great titles being released for the 360; unfortunately, the period between now and then may prove pretty dry. Another round of Geometry Wars anyone?
