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Final Fantasy III trailer
The official trailer for FInal Fantasy III is hosted, for your viewing pleasure, over at Game Brink. The trailer is low on the gameplay footage, yet features some sweet CG footage of chocobos running along a cliff complete with airship emerging from the clouds. Of the gameplay footage that is shown, some interspersed segments of exploration, dialogue segments, and battle footage make up the majority of it. Also, the site has some footage from E3 you can check out. [Via Joystiq]
New Final Fantasy XIII magazine scans
The drool-inducing aesthetics that define the Final Fantasy series never cease to amaze. FFXIII is no exception. Check out these gorgeous scans from a Japanese magazine to get a feel for the upcoming epic. It's being taken care of by the same team behind FFX, and with an all new "white engine" backing it, this title is a serious hook for RPG fans looking forward to the PlayStation 3.
3 Final Fantasy XIII games; 2 just for PS3
Final Fantasy XII won't be out for the PS2 in the States until October, but we now have a glimpse of Final Fantasy XIII thanks to Square Enix's pre-E3 press event -- and this installment in the series won't be coming alone.Like the different titles in the Compilation of FFVII collection of games and movies, the initially announced installments in the FFXIII universe will span multiple platforms which, in this case, include both the PS3 and sufficiently advanced mobile handsets. Not much is known about the mobile-bound Final Fantasy Agito XIII, but the subtitle-less version of FFXIII will concern a gun-and-sword-toting heroine in a futuristic world, while Final Fantasy Versus XIII will focus on "a spiky-haired character," "extreme action elements," and a primary theme of "bonding" (whatever that means). Anybody ready to "resist the world"?The multiple titles might explain the earlier rumor reported in March that FFXIII was "practically close to being finished" (maybe only one of these games was nearing completion). Whatever the case may be, we're just happy that more than one not-so-Final-Fantasy will be hitting the next PlayStation in relatively rapid succession. RPG feasting: on the way.[Via Joystiq]
Final Fantasy III screenshots
In our continuing salivation over coverage of Final Fantasy III, we've come across some more screenshots taken directly from the game. The new images feature some more NPC interaction, dungeon crawling, and battle segments for you to pine over. We know we can hardly wait to get our hands on this title next week, so keep your eye on DS Fanboy for impressions come E3.
More Final Fantasy III scans delight
A quick hop over to RPGamer will show you a plethora of screenshots on the highly-anticipated Final Fantasy III, taken from a Japanese magazine. The scans, which contain the requisite number of moogle and chocobo, showcase some of the game's tasty concept art for the classes of characters such as Red and Black Mage, along with what we can assume is information on the game, locked away behind doors that we are unable to penetrate due to our lack of ability to translate Japanese characters. Any bilingual readers want to take a crack at translating the article? The scans also show some in-battle imagery throughout a variety of environments along with some samples of what exploration on the world map will look like. We're foaming at the mouth to see this at E3, so keep your eyes on DS Fanboy for more information as it develops.
Squeenix announces E3 lineup
If Final Fantasy isn't your thing, you'd best steer clear of the Square Enix E3 booth this year, an inescapable and mammoth bastion of all that is saucer-eyed, pointy-haired and saving the world from an ancient evil-y. We love it. Though the focus will undoubtedly be placed upon Final Fantasy XII, the full lineup of games indicates that our favorite portable platform is getting some love in the form of a remake and a spin-off! Erm, yay?To be fair, Final Fantasy III does look extremely classy and holds the distinction of being the only Final Fantasy game thus far to not have been localized. If that's not enough to convince you, the 3D graphics and rumored Wi-Fi play are sure to have you intrigued. This looks to be the most promising DS title under Square Enix's umbrella this year.Next, there's Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime. Starring one of those adorable slime things, the game has the player bouncing and stretching all over the place in a quest to stop an evil, kidnapping cartel. The press release also highlights "fierce tank battles", which sounds like it's a good thing.Finally, there's Children of Mana, the latest offspring of Square's recently revived franchise. An RPG set in whimsical lands, the most notable feature here is the four-player cooperative questing. That's a phrase I honestly hope to write more and more often as time goes by. Oh, and the GBA isn't completely ignored either--it's getting Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI.
Square Enix's E3 roster
Square Enix has revealed a partial list of titles that will be on hand at E3. The lineup is bursting with redonculous amounts of Final Fantasy action: Before Crisis - Final Fantasy VII (Mobile) Children of Mana (DS) Dawn of Mana (PS2) Dirge of Cerberus - Final Fantasy VII (PS2) Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime (DS) Final Fantasy I (Mobile) Final Fantasy III (DS) Final Fantasy V Advance (GBA) Final Fantasy VI Advance (GBA) Final Fantasy XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan (PC, PS2, Xbox 360) Final Fantasy XII (PS2) Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth (PSP) Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (PS2) In addition, on Monday, May 8, Square Enix will host a press briefing, where, presumably, some juicy next-gen titles (not listed above) will be introduced to the world.[Thanks, Justin]
Gamer feels cheated by FFXI's sneaky hidden fees [update 1]
Davis Freeberg wrote to Joystiq to let us know that he feels ripped off by the lack of disclosure about the fees required to play Final Fantasy XI for the Xbox 360. Though experienced PC MMOG players and other hardcore gamers know that games of this type typically include monthly fees, Freeberg appears to be more typical of console gamers. He expected to be able to buy the game, pop it in, and start playing. Instead, he was required to spend hours installing the game and registering for a separate online service before he was told that the game would cost $12.95 per month plus an additional $1.00 per month per character (beyond the first) he created. Deceitful marketing or clumsy mistake? Click "continue" below to see what we found.
Square Enix cuts profit forecast
The good news for Square Enix is that their print and movie divisions are doing pretty well. The bad news is that the gaming division (the company's bread and butter) has fallen on hard times. The Japanese publisher has cut their profit forecast for 2006 by over 40%, resulting in a net income figure of 10 billion Yen (85.3 million USD), down from 17.5 billion Yen.Square's media division, responsible for the FFVII: Advent Children film, is meeting its financial targets, but all gaming divisions are underperforming. This is quite a turnaround from five years ago when The Spirits Within was flopping at the box office, while Chrono Cross, Legend of Mana, Vagrant Story, and Valkyrie Profile were dominating the game sales charts.
Final Fantasy III to support Nintendo Wi-Fi
At least, according to the British Gaming Blog it will. Citing Famitsu, the usually reliable chaps say that Squeenix's upcoming and frighteningly gorgeous Final Fantasy remake will sport some sort of Wi-Fi gameplay. Online, cooperative slaying of beasts and smashing of ancient evils? Yes please. Sticking to the topic of pointy-haired adventurers and magical princesses, Gamebrink has posted some new scans of Final Fantasy III in action. They're sure to evoke some nostalgia within you, along with the lingering desire to visit an optometrist. They're quite small and blurry. [Thanks Sense!]
Nintendo updates European release schedule
Hot on the heels of some evidence that the guys and gals at Nintendo of Europe have been dragging their feet when it comes to release dates, comes a fresh list of their forthcoming titles. Things are looking considerably less dire here, but I still feel a bit sorry for those Europeans that were unable to import and had to wait so long for Trauma Center. It's almost criminal. Megaman Battle Network 5 Double Team DS (Capcom/Nintendo) - 14 April Tetris DS (Nintendo) - 21 April Trauma Centre: Under the Knife (Atlus/Nintendo) - 28 April Pokémon Link! (Nintendo) - 5 May Metroid Prime Hunters (Nintendo) - 5 May Super Princess Peach (Nintendo) - 26 May Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? (Nintendo) - 9 June New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo) - 30 June Also worthy of note is the Euro release date of what is undoubtedly the biggest GBA game this year--Final Fantasy IV arrives on 2 June.
Final Fantasy XII under attack
Despite Final Fantasy XII's critical and commercial success, haters have been flooding Internet forums with a variety of complaints. Next Generation's Tim Rogers decided to take on these criticisms, defending Square Enix's blockbuster RPG. Rogers addresses the following issues in his ambitious defense: Criticism 1: "Difficulty is too high" Criticism 2: "The game rips off of Star Wars" Criticism 3: "The music stinks" Criticism 4: "This isn't Final Fantasy... it's just a brand now" Care to rebut?
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children reports from Hollywood
For the Final Fantasy fans lucky enough to be near Hollywood yesterday night -- and in line for free tickets during the middle of a regular workday -- there was much rejoicing to be had as Advent Children celebrated its U.S. theatrical premiere in style.Siliconera has a write-up on the event with quotes from most of the American voice actors in attendance, who, along with the audience at hand, watched the film in English for the very first time. Lip synching may have been off due to the low-resolution print the actors had to work with, but even Rachel Leigh Cook -- pictured here with her character Tifa Lockheart -- declared herself a new fan of Final Fantasy after the show.Helpful Joystiq Contributor epobirs also had something to report from the screening yesterday, where he gives us an Ain't-It-Cool style rundown of the event. If you want the rest of his reflections on the requirements of the Academy in Oscar nominations, as well as what it takes to "assert your hetero nature ... after watching a movie packed with metrosexual men," simply continue reading below for more. Siliconera's report can be found by clicking on the image of Ms. Cook above or the Read link below. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children will be out on DVD/UMD April 25th.[Thanks, epobirs; image of Tifa courtesy of Eyes on Final Fantasy]
Advent Children on silver screen for one night only
If you're in Hollywood this Monday, April 3, Square Enix and Sony will be sponsoring a special preview of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children at the ArcLight Cinemas Cinerama Dome. That's the same night as the NCAA Men's Div. I basketball championship game, so you might have a shot at getting a complimentary ticket for the premiere when they hand them out at noon. The Advent Children DVD and UMD will go on sale April 25, but this celebration screening is for one night only.
Metareview - Kingdom Hearts II
A Final Fantasy and Disney Kingdom RPG mash-up? The idea sounded wack at first, but when the original Kingdom Hearts debuted back in 2002, it worked, proving once again that Square Enix could do no wrong (at least, in the RPG realm). Now, the motley crew is back and being heralded by critics — well, most of them... Gaming Age (100/100) - "Kingdom Hearts 2 is a shining example of the "fix what's broken and improve what isn't" mindset. And though the game still has its flaws, they're relatively minor by comparison, a drastic improvement upon its predecessor in all regards." Game Informer (90/100) - "Kingdom Hearts II is a remarkable journey and another Square-Enix masterpiece" [April 2006, p.120]. IGN (76/100) - "Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful title with a great story and fantastic presentation, but because of its major combat flaws (and that fact that it turns its back on exploration and most RPG elements), it does the game a great disservice."
Screenshot roundup: FFXI, X-Men, Rumble Roses, more
Just when you thought Rumble Roses XX couldn't get any more scandalous, they go and release even more screenshots of the battling beauties (hey, no complaints here). This title will be hitting shelves just next week, so we probably won't be seeing many more after this. And let's not forget the viewables from Final Fantasy XI. These screens are specifically from the Treasures of Aht Urhgan pack, but the Xbox 360 bundle will include that as well. A handful of Far Cry Instincts Predator images are also available. The attention to detail coming from these never cease to amaze. Don't miss out on the screenshots for X-Men: The Official Movie Game either. If this title snuck up on you, then you'll be happy to know that Zak Penn and comic writer Chris Claremont are backing this game. We could be seeing it as early as May.
Random encounters with Final Fantasy parody videos
Western Square fans have been waiting a long time for the next canonical (read: Roman-numeral-bearing, non-MMO, non-X-2) Final Fantasy release--five years if we're not mistaken--and they've apparently taken to creating live-action videos of the game to make the wait easier.
FFXI beta players have 13 days left
According to 1up, the Final Fantasy XI beta for the Xbox 360 will end on April 2, leaving gamers with just under two weeks of free play from today before they have to think about parting with their cash. The retail release of the game isn't until April 17th, but the switch from beta to retail will be more pleasant for FFXI players than other MMO beta testers.Unlike in many previous MMOs, the characters created during the FFXI beta will transfer straight across to the retail version of the game, presumably thanks to the game's established release on other platforms. Gamers who have been playing FFXI for free for the last couple of months will now have to decide whether it's worth the cash, or whether the enforced cold turkey before the game's release will be enough to break the habit. Although further MMOs could be in the pipeline for Xbox Live, FFXI remains the only massively multiplayer title on the Xbox 360 platform in the immediate future.
FFXI box art reflects "Blighted Gloom"
1UP has images of the cover art for the Final Fantasy XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion pack for the PlayStation 2, PC, and Xbox 360 (sort of). The Xbox 360 version isn't just an expansion pack, but the entire game and all expansion packs, including Treasures of Aht Urhgan. The boxart is created by longtime Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano, and features two different themes: "Blessed Radiance" and "Blighted Gloom," both the names of quests from the current Chains of Promathia expansion. Final Fantasy XI hits the 360 on April 18th.
For role-playing times, make it Suntory time
Alright thirsty JRPG'ers, Suntory's official Final Fantasy XII Potion beverage is finally available in Japan as of today! The commercial promises it will replenish valuable hit points lost in battle and--seeing as how FFXII is still a ways off--watching people fight for Potion might be the only FFXII battle we get for awhile.[Thanks, Jago; via digg][UPDATE: Updated to better reflect that western gamers will be waiting awhile, while lucky Japanese gamers will be drinking their Potion and playing FFXII next week. Thanks, djSyndrome.]
