mistwalker
Latest
Away: Shuffle Memory
The official website for Mistwalker's Away: Shuffle Dungeon is up, with something to help pass the time while waiting for the dungeon crawler's eventual release: a Flash minigame based on Concentration/Memory (click on the circle with the word "open" on it). Away: Shuffle Minigame (that's the official title!) comprises three levels of Memory played on a 6 x 3 grid, with the goal of flipping matching pairs of cards to reveal portraits of Away's characters.For the first two levels, it's straightforward enough: you have 60 (and then 50) seconds to find all nine pairs, just like any other Memory game. In the third level, all the cards are blank but three: one pair to match, and one card that resets the locations of those two cards. Oh, and the rows of cards are constantly moving around. At the end, you're awarded with a desktop wallpaper. Have fun! Or just download the wallpaper here (1024x768, 1280x1024).
Japan receives more Lost Odyssey DLC
As if two sets of downloadable content weren't enough, our gaming friends over in Japan are set to get a third piece of Lost Odyssey DLC this Thursday, April 10th. The new Seeker of the Abyss DLC is another dungeon, located in the sea and features a new Eternal Magic Engine that helps with MP consumption. Seeker of the Abyss will be available exclusively to Japanese gamers for 400 Microsoft points and, just like the other two DLC sets, no North American release has been announced. Though, we suspect Microsoft would want to start releasing these before Lost Odyssey's luster wears thin Stateside.
DS Fanboy poll: Away vs. Blue Dragon Plus
A struggle has begun in the Nintendo Fanboy offices. We have divided the dungeon we reside in, one half of the staff staking claim to their side, while the remainder of us blog from within the sanctuary of our side. The argument that has split us so? What looks more interesting: Away: Shuffle Dungeon or Blue Dragon Plus?The conflict has grown so large that it has spilled out onto the site proper, where we hope you, fine reader, can help us resolve it. We've put up a poll (placed past the break to keep the front page tidy and so those who hate polls and having their voices heard won't be bothered with it), so cast your vote and be heard. Help us stop before we sacrifice Chris to our god, Sakaguchi-san.
Blue Dragon Plus touch screen equals new battle system!
Blue Dragon Plus's combat interface has been revealed in the latest set of screens. It involves a set of three icons that appear on the right side of the touch screen. The top icon allows you to set one particular character's movement, and the bottom icon moves everybody. The middle icon allows you (we believe) to highlight multiple characters by drawing a circle around them.Each character has a selection of "killer techniques" accessible via the bottom left of the touch screen. Players cycle through them with the shoulder buttons and then must wait for a countdown before they are activated. We're encouraged by the presence of a new battle system in the DS game. It shows evidence of thought toward the platform, at least.%Gallery-15148%
New trademark hints at localized Away: Shuffle Dungeon
AQ Interactive has just registered a U.S. trademark for the name Away: Shuffle Dungeon. This leads us to one of two conclusions: they're thinking of releasing the game over here, or they're just trying to keep some jerk from making a game called Away: Shuffle Dungeon. It's ... probably not that. We doubt any other publisher would be that audacious (nor would they have a reason to be). This is good news for a couple of reasons: first, and most obviously, we assume that there are people in the U.S. who would like the opportunity to play the dungeon crawler, and this is encouraging for them. Second, the fact that AQ Interactive is doing something like this makes it seem more likely that Mistwalker is going to finish and release the game at some point.[Via Siliconera]
Checking out the new shadows in Blue Dragon Plus
When we told you about a couple of new characters making their way into Blue Dragon Plus, we never got a glimpse at what role they would in the game proper. Would they be NPCs? Or would they help us in battle?Well, they're playable characters with their own shadows, as the official site for the game reveals. The "robots" we thought would play a big role in the game turn out to be just one robot, in fact, with its own shadow also.Both of these new characters' shadows can be found in our gallery below, so be sure to hit it up.%Gallery-15148%[Via Siliconera]
Customizable robots put the 'plus' in Blue Dragon Plus
Famitsu has a write up today on Blue Dragon Plus. Mostly, it just looks at some returning characters in the DS spin-off, confirming that they will be in the DS game with their same shadows intact. It's also confirmed that the game's leveling system is identical to that of the Xbox 360 title, however Blue Dragon Plus does have at least one new thing hidden up its sleeve.Apparently, the game will feature a kind of robot buddy. By discovering various circuits out in the field, you can augment this little guy and give him new abilities. This will allow your robot buddy to mature, however further details are not available.Also, keep in mind that this information comes from machine translation, so we could be off by a little.%Gallery-15148%
Rumor: Lost Odyssey sequels on the way
Will the epic Japanese RPG Lost Odyssey be a one-off piece of gaming history, or is the title destined for franchising and perennial iterations? As much as we wish it were the former, a brief quote from a Microsoft exec suggests that the "odyssey" may only be getting started.Speaking with the executive officer for Microsoft Japan's Home & Entertainment division, Nikkei Trendy reports that the company is pleased with the sales of Lost Odyssey, and expects the popularity of the "series" to grow over time. While this could very well be a miscommunication, it's certainly logical to assume that Microsoft would want to extend the life of one the 360's few JRPGs.[Via ALLRPG]
Rumor: Lost Odyssey to get sequel
With the first of Mistwalker's exclusive 360 franchises already rumored to be getting a sequel, it would be remiss if there wasn't a reciprocating rumor for the second franchise. So, to be proper as possible, here we are reporting on a rumor of just that. Nikkei Trendy.net, a Japanese game site, posted an interview with the H&E Head of Microsoft. In the interview he made a comment to the effect of being satisfied with the games initial Japanese sales, and that the series will grow with time. Wait ... how can there be a series when there has only been one game? Well, there's actually several explanations here. The first and most likely explanation is translation error, it's probable that the translator simply didn't think much and used the word "series" when the original meaning was closer to "IP". The second possibility is that it is of course all too true, and the game is getting a sequel. Readers, what do you think? Is the game worthy of a sequel? If it is being made, should Mistwalker drop it in favor of their rumored MMO?
Get a face full of these fresh Blue Dragon Plus screens
For those of you who have had a keen eye fixed on Sakaguchi's upcoming DS spin-off Blue Dragon Plus (see: pretty much the entire DSF staff) will like to know that our gallery below has been updated with some new screens. Combing over them, we find ourselves floored yet again at how crisp and wonderful the game's sprites look.Who else is excited for this game?%Gallery-15148%
Metareview: Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360)
Judging from what we had seen of Lost Odyssey before its release, we pretty much figured we had it pegged, and the reviews that have popped up since have only cemented our first impressions. By all accounts, it seems to be a competent, well-polished effort that is extremely traditional, if not derivative of games in the genre before it. But for those who are fans of that genre, it seems to be a solid choice. 1UP (80/100): "While Lost Odyssey's overarching tale is effective enough as a generic RPG plot filled with political intrigue, it really only serves to get the player from Point A to Point B. The storytelling is most compelling when dealing with the interaction between characters, whether it's Kaim and Sarah's intriguing relationship, Seth's pirate past, or the sexual tension (?) between Jansen and Queen Ming." Eurogamer (80/100): "Given the involvement of hotshot RPG superstars like Final Fantasy creators Hironobu Sakaguchi and Nobuo Uematsu, it should come as no surprise that Lost Odyssey is utterly, utterly traditional. ... Given the involvement of Mistwalker's hotshot superstars, it should come as no surprise to find that it's superbly polished." Gamespy (50/100):"While it's certainly playable, it feels like more of a relic than perhaps its creators intended. Basic features and dungeon design are handled with the graceful hand of a master designer, but that doesn't compensate for numerous gameplay, storytelling and technical issues. Fans of old-fashioned Japanese-style RPGs will doubtlessly find aspects to enjoy, but this is not the title that will vault Mistwalker to the triple-A status the studio's hype might suggest."
Develop Magazine: Iwata is a 'Game Changer'
Develop magazine's "Game Changers" is a list of 25 gaming industry luminaries who are "reshaping the games development business as we know it." At the top of the list: the lovable Satoru Iwata. The Nintendo president was cited as an influential figure due to his instrumentality in the creation of the DS and Wii, which have then led to a massive influx of new console gamers.Other notable Nintendo-related names on the list include: Mistwalker's Hironobu Sakaguchi, who is creating more titles simultaneously in less time than he ever did at Square, by combining a core creative team with outsourced technical development; and Majesco's Jesse Sutton, who has turned a failing major publisher around with a casual-inclusive, Nintendo-friendly lineup.
New Blue Dragon screens toast our eyeballs
After the opening of the official site for Blue Dragon Plus late last week, we can start fretting less about the game's protracted development, and concentrate more on gawking at pretty pictures.Conveniently enough, Famitsu has just posted a selection of fresh Blue Dragon Plus screens and art, and things are looking as vibrant as ever -- it's encouraging to see Mistwalker and Brownie Brown cramming so many enemies and pyrotechnics into the DS's relatively small screens. Apparently, finding something/someone to fight will not be difficult.Advance past the break for more screens and art.%Gallery-15148%
New details for Blue Dragon DS, due out this summer
Last month, publisher AQ Interactive confirmed that Blue Dragon Plus for the Nintendo DS had been delayed, but that it would be coming this summer. Translations from the publisher's official BDP site (via NeoGAF) indicate the game is set to be a "simulation RPG." The description and subsequent new screenshots remind us of Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (not a bad comparison, mind you).The site also seems to indicate that BDP takes place just after the events of the first Blue Dragon. So with a bold-faced spoiler alert we caution you against clicking on the main website as, once it loads, it gives away a big part of the Xbox 360 version's storyline. Same warning goes for the gallery below. Gallery: Blue Dragon Plus [Via DS Fanboy]
Video: Lost Odyssey follows the white rabbit
Mistwalker released a new Lost Odyssey trailer today and color us white, it's rather enjoyable. The new trailer doesn't focus on Lost Odyssey's novel qualities or mention anything about the lackluster collector's edition, instead Mistwalker focuses on Lost Odyssey's art, story and epic RPG scale. The trailer's visuals are A+, but we think the background music track ("White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane) is what sells it. Tell us we're wrong if you like, but the latest trailer is a winner in our book. Follow that white rabbit!
Blue Dragon Plus site shows promise
And by "promise" we mean "screenshots." And also the fact that if AQ Interactive is bothering to set up a site at all, it means that they're probably planning to release the game for really reals. The "system" page on the new website confirms that Blue Dragon Plus is a "real-time simulation RPG," although the screens (which, by the way, are the first we've seen that haven't been scanned from a magazine) do a pretty good job doing that by themselves!If you've played through the original Xbox 360 game, the site will make it immediately obvious to you that this is a direct sequel, taking place after the events of that game. %Gallery-15148%[Via NeoGAF]
Don't stay away from this trailer
Away: Shuffle Dungeon looks like a very interesting game to us. The roulette-style mechanic of changing up the area in which the player is traversing looks to be one that will allow the game to keep things fresh and instill a feeling of tension in the player throughout their experience, creating an overall engaging piece of gaming. We're psyched for the game, to tell the truth.What about you all? Does this latest trailer for the game get you pumped for Away: Shuffle Dungeon? Does it not look like your kind of game?
Bad news for Away, good news for Blue Dragon
Publisher AQ Interactive announced that Blue Dragon Plus has been delayed until summer. But rather than being disappointed by this, we're quite delighted, because summer is much sooner than never. Mistwalker announced earlier this week that it had been delayed indefinitely, leading some to believe that might be shelved for good.Away: Shuffle Dungeon has also been delayed by AQ Interactive, resulting in somewhat of a different reaction. We were surprised to find that Blue Dragon Plus has a release date now after its presumed cancellation, but this delay was a reminder to us that Away had a release date at all. Back in October, Mistwalker said that Away would be out on January 31st, and in the latest scans you can just barely make out a February 28th date. We just didn't realize that it was (supposed to be) out so soon. It's currently planned for a summer release as well.
Totilo: Lost Odyssey is a slow-paced, well-written game
MTV's Stephen Totilo describes himself as a guy "who played Fire Emblem with the battle animations turned off." This is just so we're clear on his impressions of a pre-release build of 360 epic RPG Lost Odyssey. According to Totilo, it's a slow-moving game which suffers from long load-times, but benefits from its "Thousand-Year Dream" sequences, well-written short stories which appear as on-screen text throughout the game. That's right. Like the recent Harvey Birdman game, you'll definitely need the ability to read to play through Mistwalker's epic tale (gamers read, right?). For Totilo, it's these text sequences that set Lost Odyssey apart from the Final Fantasy series, to which he draws many comparisons. Ultimately, however, it seems Lost Odyssey will require a lot of patience, with the first non-tutorial fighting sequence not occurring until two hours in to the game. We'll have to see come February 12 whether gamers have the attention span for the four-disc, 50-hour adventure. [Via X3F]
Lost Odyssey: the best game you'll ever read
Multiplayer has an interesting little preview up for Lost Odyssey, the upcoming RPG from Mistwalker starring an immortal man with amnesia. We've reported before that a significant portion of the game is taken up by flashbacks. The twist is that these flashbacks are actually written short stories for the player to read (if desired). While Multiplayer reports that the game is more or less aimed squarely at Final Fantasy fans, the short stories are apparently an entertaining diversion. It's explained that one of the reasons these stories are so entertaining is that they are significantly different from things tried in other, similar Japanese RPGs. It's not uncommon for games to present unlockable content as an incentive for players to keep on playing, but we're pretty sure that short stories are a first. Fret not if reading isn't your thing, as Multiplayer also takes a look at the rest of the game. You can hit the "read" link to check out the whole preview, or you can let us save you some time: if you like Final Fantasy, it sounds like you'll like Lost Odyssey. Just get ready for a lot of loading.
