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Disney Interactive looking to make RPGs
Disney Interactive Studio VP Graham Hopper thinks Disney needs more role-playing games. Speaking with GameDaily, Hopper says the company has an RPG in the pipeline, but can't yet make an announcement. Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts series is probably the only RPG we can think of that uses Disney characters, but that was more of a dalliance on the house of Mickey's part.Hopper goes on to say that RPGs fit with Disney because the company believes storytelling and character design are important. He notes the company isn't looking to make "the hardest core RPG," but a blend, which he believes the studio is fully capable of. May Diablo help us if Disney's answer to role-playing is something like High School Musical RPG.
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%
Kingdom Hearts 358/Secondhand impressions
As usual, Square Enix showed a new trailer of one of their most anticipated games, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, at DKΣ3713, and as usual, that trailer was not released to the public (see also: closed-theatre Final Fantasy XIII trailers at TGS). We may not be able to see the trailer, but attendees were, and we can at least read their descriptions.According to IGN's Jeff Haynes, the trailer introduces "an additional 14th member (of Organization XIII) who happened to be female that resembled Kairi." The trailer shows single- and multiplayer gameplay including multiple Organization members.And if the trailer impressions aren't enough, Haynes even played the game. Apparently, the computer-controlled partner in single-player is actually capable for once: "In many cases, he would land two or three strikes before we had a chance to, which was particularly useful when we were surrounded."
Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep dated for 2009 in Japan
Not only did those who were invited to the ultra-exclusive DKΣ3713 Private Party get a chance to play Dissidia, they also played through two levels of the upcoming Kingdom Hearts prequel Birth by Sleep. As we predicted, Square announced that a Japanese release will occur some time in 2009.IGN had a chance to play through the two stages, and here's what they had to tell us, after the jump:
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days dated (sort of)
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is supposed to be playable at Square Enix's acronym-tastic event this weekend in Tokyo, so it's no surprise that the company has confirmed that the DS title is still on track for release this year. If you want anything more specific than "winter," though, you'll have to wait; nothing else has yet been announced. We're keeping our fingers crossed for several sets of impressions from DKΣ3713.
New skillz fo' Kingdom Hearts' Terra
Japanese publication Shonen Jump is providing us with another small update on the Kingdom Hearts prequel Birth by Sleep. A new special skill for Terra (not to be confused with Final Fantasy VI's Terra, whose name is Tina in the original Japanese version) named Shock Lock System is shown, along with a screenshot of Ven. PSPHyper has the entire scan for you right here. Nomura has commented before that the DS Kingdom Hearts title 358/2 Days will likely debut before Birth by Sleep. Since the scan shows 358/2 Days coming out in 2008, we can safely assume Birth by Sleep won't be arriving until 2009.
Kingdom Hearts DS ad points to 2008 release in Japan
Do you heart Kingdom Hearts – especially the idea of a new game in the series for Nintendo DS? Then you'll be happy to hear that the Japanese manual for Square Enix's recently released Dragon Quest V remake contains an ad promising a 2008 release for Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days ... in Japan, of course. Revealed at last year's Tokyo Game Show, the next handheld Kingdom Hearts features a four-player co-op mode and follows the adventures of series protagonist Sora's "Nobody" twin, Roxas (above). Even though the game looks like it's hitting Japan this year, we'll still have to wait out the necessary localization before seeing it Stateside. At least the ad isn't merely a "coming soon" tease like the one for God of War III.[Via DS Fanboy]
Rumor: Kingdom Hearts coming out this year in Japan [update]
Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days' teaser website has turned into an actual website now, with menus to click on and everything else you'd come to expect from a Square Enix website. It's still lacking in compelling content, however, aside from a downloadable wallpaper and a beautiful background song. (You can also see the Japanese character profiles for Roxas and Axel, as well as browse through a few screens in the "Story" section.)The other interesting 358/2 Days news is that in the manual for the DS remake of Dragon Quest V (which released last week in Japan), an ad for the game boasts "Coming 2008." We'll probably find out for sure at Square Enix's DKΣ3713 event whether this is true or just an advertiser's wishful thinking, although it's important to keep in mind that us non-Japanese gamers will have to wait for localization, anyway.[Update: Everything on the website is translated into English here. Thanks, Monkey!][Thanks for the original tip, supa_s!]
Some stellar fan-made Kingdom Hearts box arts
We stumbled upon a great collection of fan-made box art for the upcoming PSP Kingdom Hearts game. Many of these efforts do a great job of capturing the spirit of previous Kingdom Hearts games. In fact, many of these look like the real deal. Check them out here.
Kingdom Hearts, Sigma Harmonics playable at Square Enix event
Square Enix announced the lineup of their DKΣ3713 last week, but neglected to mention which of the displayed games would be playable and which would be shown only as closed-theater video presentations. DS fans lucky enough to attend the exclusive event will find themselves extra lucky: both of the DS games on display at the show, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and Sigma Harmonics, will be playable. That means that we may get some new information or gameplay impressions from this show. According to a Famitsu magazine interview with Tetsuya Nomura (as translated by NeoGAF's duckroll), 358/2 Days is in the midst of being "tuned and balanced." Feedback from attendees will help shape the final game.
Square Enix to demo new games at awkwardly-named event
Last year, Square Enix held a preview event for their new games, with the delightfully straightforward name "Square Enix Party 2007." This year? DKΣ3713. Catchy, right? The name represents each of the new games being shown at the event, which will include Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days (one of the threes), Sigma Harmonics (guess), and a bunch of stuff for other systems.On August 2 and 3, fans will be allowed into the party in three-hour blocks to check out all the games, though no doubt most of them will be there only in the form of closed-room trailers.For some reason, this event seems to include only Square-side games. Valkyrie Profile and, most notably, Dragon Quest IX, are no-shows.
Kingdom Hearts trailer, back online with subtitles
Square Enix is notorious for being overly secretive about its upcoming projects. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, the upcoming PSP addition to the popular Disney franchise, has been no different. When a new trailer leaked to the web, Square Enix's ninjas destroyed the video.Well, it looks like a new vid is making its way through the web, this time with English subtitles. However, considering how cryptic the story of Birth by Sleep is right now, maybe the translation doesn't help too much! Regardless, we're excited (and we hope this trailer doesn't get taken down too soon). [Thanks, Saigon!]
New Kingdom Hearts trailer gets leaked
In case you've forgotten, there's a brand new Kingdom Hearts game coming out on PSP. Entitled Birth By Sleep, very little is known about this mysterious addition to the franchise. Finally, a video has been leaked to the web, showcasing some of the characters and environments in this PSP-exclusive adventure. The quality suffers due to its off-screen capture, but it's clear that Square Enix is working its magic on PSP yet again. We can't wait to see more. [Thanks, Monkey!]
Kingdom Hearts composer Yoko Shimomura talks PS3 musical freedom
While video game music is no longer simply the series of 'beeps' and 'boops' it was in the past, it has nonetheless remained one of game design's -- groan -- unsung heroes. This isn't lost on tune-focused Music4Games, and in a recent interview with Kingdom Hearts composer Yoko Shimomura, she spoke out on a number of topics, including her thoughts on creating music for the PlayStation 3.According to Shimomura, who is responsible for the tunes we'll be humming along to in Square Enix's upcoming Final Fantasy Versus XIII for the PS3, composing on Sony's current platform is much less limiting than it was in previous generations. "With the PlayStation 2, sound production...was a constant battle with memory and limitations," she recalled, adding that "with the PlayStation 3, I'm expecting to have it sound the way I please, without limitations." It's encouraging to hear someone at any level talk about creating content on the PS3 that doesn't involve the words "difficult" or "costly." However, with Square Enix continuing to play coy with regards to when its decade of Final Fantasy will actually kick off, it may be some time before our ears ring with the fruits of Yoko Shimomura's musical labor.
Kingdom Hearts Wii rumor revealed, debunked
After Nintendo Power used a vague moon picture last month in order to hint at something juicy, speculation ran rampant as to what the next issue's big surprise would be. Leave it to heartbreakers and photoshoppers across the internets to play around with our fragile, Squeenix-loving selves.Rumors of a Kingdom Hearts Wii have been floating around for quite some time -- that's nothing new. People were starting to believe such talk, though, after a "leaked" cover of the next Nintendo Power issue was "found" on an online subscription form. Putting on our skeptic caps, we immediately came up with a few reasons for why this rumor was false: There's no 20th anniversary badge on the cover There aren't enough headlines and previews (only two, whereas last month's NP had twelve) Nintendo Power rarely (if ever) features the DS in its top banner, making this cover seem more unlikely In case you're not hip to our sleuthing, though, it was also revealed that the Kingdom Hearts cover art in question came from DeviantArt, of all places. So, if you see this rumor on your vast travels across the internet, we'd advise you not to believe it -- even if it hurts. While we're not saying Kingdom Hearts Wii will never happen, it's clear that this cover is nothing but a fake.[Via GamerTell]
Final Fantasy vs. Dead or Alive: Round 2
We're not sure how he does it or how long it takes him, but animator and generally insane fight choreographer "Montyoum" has once again delved into the many unwritten volumes of fan fiction buried inside our minds and rendered each page in startling, over-the-top clarity. After allowing Samus and Master Chief to find love on the battlefield, Montyoum orchestrated a crossover between the elaborately endowed gals of Dead or Alive and a trio of Final Fantasy femme fatales, labeling the ludicrous result "Dead Fantasy." Above you'll find the sequel, an even bigger display of absurd acrobatics, imaginative pummeling and blissful ignorance of the laws of physics. We love it. [Thanks, dara hoy]
DS Daily: Such a Square (Enix)
There's a lot of potential Square Enix on the horizon. Between The World Ends with You, Final Fantasy remakes, Dragon Quest remakes, new Dragon Quests, Border of Madness, Final Fantasy Tactis A2, and Crystal Chronicles, that's quite a lot of DS love. Oh, and let's not forget Kingdom Hearts. So, are you a Square Enix fan? If so, what game are you most hoping for or looking forward to? See also: 2008's Biggest Blips -- Final Fantasy IV -- The World Ends with You -- Final Fantasy Tactics A2
A move toward the original: rumored Kingdom Hearts details
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/A_move_toward_the_original_rumored_Kingdom_Hearts_details'; There are some purported gameplay details drifting around regarding Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, and if they're true, fans who've hoped for a game true to the original in the series have reason to take heart. Nearly all of this new information points toward an effort to make this DS title more and more like the original Kingdom Hearts in gameplay, while bringing a new, darker edge to not only the story, but to the gameplay as well. We've compiled some of the more interesting info for you into a handy list available after the jump.
Kingdom Hearts in stills
Things have been looking so good lately for Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days that these new screenshots just don't really seem to measure up. Looks like the game has been hit with the problem that so many Nintendo games seem to have -- it looks great in motion, but in screens? Sometimes not so much. By the time we have the game in our hot little hands, we're sure it will be stunning -- just as it is in some of these shots.Check after the break for a couple more.
Kingdom Hearts battle system gets Fatal Mode
Birth by Sleep looks good. And, new details and screenshots from Famitsu make it even better. The article highlights two new features of the new PSP Kingdom Hearts game's battle mode: the Command meter and Fatal Mode. Players are encouraged to battle furiously, as each attack they execute will fill the Command meter. Once the Command meter fills, players will be able to launch a special attack (which can supposedly be custom mapped).Terra (the guy that looks a bit too much like Zack from Crisis Core) also has an extra mode: Fatal Mode, which unsurprisingly delivers one-hit kills to enemies. Make sure you check out the screenshots by visiting Famitsu.[Via PSPHyper]
