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Squenix comments on Revo Final Fantasy
Ambiguous promises? Check. Non-committal concepts? Check. No discernibly valuable information? Check. Why, that must mean we're once again dealing with a developer's comments on their upcoming Revolution games! Holy yes, what wealth of information awaits us today? The news comes from Square Enix president, Youichi Wada, and is directly concerned with the upcoming Revolution version of Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles. You may remember the Gamecube version for its intricate bucket-carrying gameplay and its colossal, quadruple GBA requirement for maximum multiplayer enjoyment. Regarding the sequel, Mr. Wada revealed that the game would feature "online capabilities, magnificent graphics, and an intense use of the revolutionary control of the platform."Mr. Wada then shocked all by stating that the game would involve a whiny, spiky-haired teenager saving the world from an ancient evil. Ah, we jest. Online, cooperative multiplayer sounds like an excellent progression for the series, if indeed we can read that far into the mentioning of "online capabilities." As for affirming the presence of pretty graphics and use of the controller, well, that's hardly unexpected. If only these developers would cease taunting us with their dangling, dripping pieces of steak. We just want some information we can sink our teeth into. Perhaps we can expect the DS to interact with the game in the same way the GBA did with the Gamecube version?[Via Revolution Advanced]
Final Fantasy XII Potion drink offers a "mysterious taste"
The Final Fantasy XII Potion drink announced back in December has finally been unveiled to the public in Japan, and samplers are willing to allow that the clear blue beverage offers a "mysterious taste." Of course, the event was a limited one as Suntory Limited sought a ready-made audience of FF fans to test the Potion soft drink out on first (they were attending a concert of Nobuo Uematsu's work for the RPG franchise after all). You gotta love free drinks at a pricey concert, even if they were a luminous shade of blue. Whatever the circumstances, it was ascertained from Japanese press accounts that the Potion "tasted like a nutritional supplement drink with a fresh aftertaste." Until more informed Japanese translators prove otherwise, we hope that means it tastes good (in a non-medicinal way), so we can all intone together: "For relaxing times, make it Suntory time." [Thanks, Tim Tong; auto-translated links can be found here & here]
Advent Children DVD finally coming to US
The holiday season has come and gone and, though anticipated, Square's CGI spectacle, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, has yet to see a North American release. According to a post made on The Digital Bits, "Mike Stradford [an executive in Sony's DVD division] told me that Sony's working hard to get the film released on DVD here in the States by the end of 2006. Apparently, it's taking a little extra time to work with the director to get all the supplemental elements finished, but the title is on track for release sometime later this year."Sometime "later this year" isn't terribly reassuring, the year's just started! With a DVD release probably several months off, it'll be a long wait for the fans who haven't already downloaded the title off the internet. Come on Sony! How about an official date?[Via Cinematical][Update: corrected a grammatical error]
Final Fantasy XI release dated
Square Enix announced yesterday that their MMO Final Fantasy XI will be shipping soon to North America, Japan, and Europe, along with the upcoming PC expansion pack, "Treasures of Aht Urhgan." FFXI will be shipping in North America on April 18, with Japan and Europe following just two days later. Players have been beta-testing the title for a couple weeks now, and we've heard complaints of repetitive gameplay, an agonizing install process, dated graphics, and worse. We've made a wishlist of all the things an MMO on the 360 should do if it wants our hard earned rupees, so the question is: are the FFXI beta testers out there planning on ponying up for the full version?
FFXI beta hits the UK
OXM's free Final Fantasy XI beta disc has been a success despite a delay in the magazine's UK release; it hit newsagents on Thursday, and seems to be a big hit amongst many gamers. Our quick tips: Get your registration code handy before installing. You'll want this site if you're using the European disc. If you can, grab a USB keyboard for the installation and registration procedure. It's a lot easier than entering the requisite information the long way. Also, find something else to do during the two-hour installation. Remember your character name; if you hit the Random button, write it down! Make sure to get a copy of the US or UK manual; the registration isn't particularly complex, but the controls are. If you want to group with a friend, use the Xbox 360's private chat feature to talk rather than laboriously crafting text messages ingame. Happy adventuring in Vana'diel!
Final Fantasy XI beta testing
FFXI beta testing has begun and they need some eager testers to run it through its paces. Readers of the Official Xbox Magazine know what's going on: all you have to do is go purchase the latest issue to find the beta disc. Lucky for us Square Enix is prepared, with enough to go around for each magazine copy. Everyone will be in the same boat as a separate server is available for the beta test. So if you're an Xbox 360 owner in North America, Japan or Europe, check out the site to receive a registration code.
Final Fantasy XI beta to be available with UK magazine
Good news for people from Her Majesty's blessed shores. The popular massively multiplayer online game Final Fantasy XI is due for release on the Xbox 360 next year, and readers of the UK's Xbox 360: The Official Xbox Magazine (or OXM 360 for short) will be able to take part in the beta test in January. A disc is included free with the magazine, which goes on sale on January 5th. This is a great opportunity to preview what the next generation of gaming will be capable of; however, with the Xbox Live marketplace shaping up to be a solid content-delivery system, it's a shame the beta will not be downloadable. Beta discs are also being distributed with special Japanese 360 launch packages, but we've no word on when it will be available to our American cousins, so this may give them one reason to hate us back.
Xbox 360 - Final Fantasy XI details
"Exactly the same." That's what Square Enix representatives answered when asked about the upcoming version of FFXI for the Xbox 360. Of course, this is not entirely true, as the team has added support for HD resolutions. But for gamers hoping for a major overhaul, you're out of luck. The latest FFXI port was initially designed for the original Xbox, but complications involving PlayOnline and the Xbox Live services left the game dead in the water. Now, an agreement has been reached that will allow 360 players to connect to PC and PS2 servers via PlayOnline and enjoy the same aging game all over again (or for the first time). The Square Enix team reportedly had the next-gen port up and running in a matter of 2-3 months, expressing much delight in working with Microsoft's latest hardware.
Get into the head of a Final Fantasy XI Gil-seller
If you play Final Fantasy XI, you know what a Gil-seller is. They're the folks who hang out in the game world gathering resources 24/7, and then selling the goods for real money. The activity is against the rules. If you find one you're asked to report him to a GM. The link will take you to an interesting forum post that transcribes over 12 hours of a GM's conversation with a Chinese Gil-seller. It's a little creepy at times, because the GM is destined to turn the guy in. But as they chat you get the feeling that they're actually starting to like each other. Wasn't there a movie or two with this plot? The discussion after the post is also interesting. Some people get on the GM's case for using the guy for Chinese lessons. Others have no pity for the perp (who says he's poor and makes 8 bucks on a good day). This is one of those posts that slowly fascinates you, so give it time. [via render]
