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Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 15, 2015 in Videogames 
Isn’t it kind of nice when a series doesn’t get yearly installments and spin-offs? Star Ocean: The Last Hope came out in 2009, and unlike Final Fantasy, fans have had to patiently wait for another installment instead of getting burned out. Famitsu revealed info about the next title, Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness, which is being developed by Tri-Ace for PS3 and PS4. The RPG is about 30% done and features Akiman as the main character designer. This one is set between Star Ocean 2 and 3. Here’s hoping it’s a better game than the last two games in the series. Read more…
Tags: square enix, Star Ocean
Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 9, 2015 in Videogames 
Funny enough, I’ve been watching my girlfriend play Deus Ex: Human Revolution lately. It’s been pretty cool, and now Square Enix has announced a sequel: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. It occurs two years later in 2029, so still well before the original Deus Ex. Eidos Montreal is returning to make this one, so let’s hope they don’t outsource the boss fights this time. There’s no release date announced, but the game is set to release on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Check the trailer and tell yourself “Yes, I did ask for this!” Read more…
Tags: Deus Ex, PS4, square enix, Xbox One
Posted by Bob Muir on Mar 19, 2015 in Videogames 
If you purchased a first-run copy of the just-released Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, you received a code for Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae, a demo for one of the longest in-development games ever. If you don’t have access to this demo, well, sucks to be you, because look at this video. Like past games, summons return; but what was almost a vestigial feature in most recent games looks to be a lot more impressive with this game. It’s very cool the way that Ramuh is foreshadowed by a darkening sky and lightning before finally showing up to pluck main character Noctis out of danger. The rest of the party is not so lucky, but somehow they survive, so whatever. Read more…
Tags: Final Fantasy, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 16, 2014 in Videogames 
Though Final Fantasy Versus XIII was reannounced for PS4/Xbox One and renamed Final Fantasy XV back in 2013, it’s still not ready for release. Who knows when this game is actually coming out? I’d say that 2015 looks to be a safe bet, but considering that the game was announced long ago in 2006, there’s honestly no telling when it will be done. This latest trailer is basically the trailer from this year’s TGS, but with new, English voices. There’s nothing really wrong with the voices, and it’s hard to get a read on them in a short trailer. But whatever happened to the people in charge of Final Fantasy XII’s fabulous localization? Even if this game didn’t have British accents, it would help elevate the usual localization. Read more…
Tags: Final Fantasy, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 11, 2014 in Videogames 
Square Enix had previously expressed interest in broadening Theatrhythm Final Fantasy to other franchises they own, like Dragon Quest and Kingdom Hearts. So after having no need of further Final Fantasy music collections after the last Theatrhythm, it just makes sense to see Square Enix announce Theatrhythm Dragon Quest. As with the past two Theatrhythm games, this one’s on 3DS, with a release date of March 26, 2015 in Japan. As usual, we don’t yet know if this will be localized for other countries; Theatrhythm has done well in the US, but Dragon Quest has a much smaller fanbase here, with Square Enix often declining to localize both major and minor entries alike. If they do release it outside of Japan, I’d say to pick it up right away, as there’s no telling if the game would perform well enough to justify a sequel like the first Theatrhythm.
Read more…
Tags: Dragon Quest, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 12, 2014 in Videogames 
It’s been a while since Just Cause 2 came out, way back in 2010. For those who played Grand Theft Auto just to bounce from one mad encounter to the next, it was the epitome of a great sandbox game. Fans will soon be pulling more crazy stunts, as Game Informer has revealed their latest cover story, Just Cause 3. Developed once again by Avalanche Studios, Square Enix will publish the game in 2015 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Further details are for subscribers, but I can already imagine what this sequel will be like with the added power of modern systems. Read more…
Tags: Just Cause, PS4, square enix, Xbox One
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 30, 2014 in Videogames 
Square Enix has constantly placed Final Fantasy XV (or Final Fantasy Versus XIII if you go back far enough) just over the horizon for years now. And while I’m still excited about it, I’d be lying if I wasn’t more interested in Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, a port of a game that actually materialized three years ago on the PSP. The game is coming out on March 17, 2015 (March 20 in Europe), which feels right around the corner now that we’re in the holiday game release period, so this latest trailer (featuring English voices) is very enticing. It captures some of the warring nations angle that Final Fantasy XII tried out, or perhaps Final Fantasy Tactics. Sure, as an enhanced PSP-port, the graphics don’t look that spectacular, but at least the gameplay and art design seem interesting. And really, do we need another game like Final Fantasy XIII that emphasized graphics over everything else?
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Tags: Final Fantasy, PS4, square enix, Xbox One
Posted by Bob Muir on Sep 18, 2014 in Videogames 
Many have had Final Fantasy XV on their wishlists for years, from back when it was called Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Even with the stunning trailer from E3 2013, we still don’t have a ton of information on how it plays, but that will change within a year. Whenever Square Enix decides to release Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, the console port of the PSP game that also spun off from Final Fantasy XIII, is the time we’ll get access to a FFXV demo. Square Enix has stated every copy of Type-0 will come with a code to download Final Fantasy XV: Episode Duscae, a playable demo of the game’s opening scenes. Read more…
Tags: Final Fantasy, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Jul 24, 2014 in Videogames 
Back in 2010, when the Tomb Raider franchise wasn’t doing so hot, Square Enix put out Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, a twin-stick co-op game. Though not bearing the Tomb Raider name, it was very well-received and quite fun. There’s a new sequel coming out, this time with four-player co-op; the two new characters are the Egyptian gods Isis and Horus, which seems a bit over-powered, but I’ll go with it. We now know that this game is coming out December 9 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. It’s looking good, but I’ll be honest: I completely missed this announcement during the chaos of E3 2014. So join me in watching the trailer below, because I’m sure many others also missed it. Read more…
Tags: square enix, Tomb Raider
Posted by Bob Muir on Jul 23, 2014 in Videogames 
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call is coming out September 16 in North America and September 19 in Europe, which is right around the corner. To help promote this music-focused game, Square Enix is holding a contest for musicians to arrange and perform Final Fantasy‘s Main Theme that has appeared in almost every Final Fantasy game. If you’re selected by original Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu, you’ll win a grand prize: a round trip for two to a Distant Worlds: Final Fantasy concert, a limited edition Nintendo 3DS LL released for Curtain Call, the official soundtracks of all fourteen main Final Fantasy games, a collector’s edition copy of Curtain Call (signed by Uematsu), and a Final Fantasy Static Arts mini figure. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Final Fantasy, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Jul 3, 2014 in Videogames 
Just how much of a difference does an HD remaster make? Take a look at this video for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX, the second of two compilations that collect all but one of the currently-released Kingdom Hearts games. While you won’t see much improvement in textures, everything looks very crisp in a higher, widescreen resolution, with some models having much more “pop.” One of the bigger draws is the additional content in the previous Japan-only “Final Mix” versions of Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep. Note that Sora is wearing a Tim Burton-esque Santa outfit in The Nightmare Before Christmas‘s Christmas Town, as opposed to continuing to wear his Halloween Town outfit like he did in the original North American release. All in all, looking good, but it’s a shame the game’s not coming out until this fall. Read more…
Tags: Disney, Kingdom Hearts, PS3, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 12, 2014 in Videogames 
An English release for Final Fantasy Type-0 and Final Fantasy Agito was already announced at this year’s E3, but that’s not the only Final Fantasy announcement Square Enix has for RPG players. The latest Japanese issue of Shonen Jump revealed Final Fantasy Explorers, a new multiplayer RPG for 3DS. You can pick different jobs you’re likely familiar with like black mage or monk. You can team up with three other players to fight various summons from previous FF games. Basically, it seems that Square Enix is doing their own take on Monster Hunter. Since the 3DS doesn’t have as many MH-style games as the Vita, the only big game this needs to compete with is Monster Hunter itself! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Final Fantasy, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 10, 2014 in Videogames 
When Final Fantasy XIII was announced, it was done so as part of the “Fabula Nova Crystalis” project that also included Final Fantasy Versus XIII (just for PS3) and Final Fantasy Agito XIII (for mobile). The former game was delayed, being reannounced as Final Fantasy XV in 2013, while the latter game was reworked for PSP as Final Fantasy Type-0. FFXIII got two direct sequels, FFXV isn’t finished yet, and Type-0 was never released outside of Japan due to the declining demand for the PSP. But suddenly, we’re going to be getting it — just not for PSP! Read more…
Tags: Final Fantasy, PS4, PSP, square enix, Xbox One
Posted by Bob Muir on Jun 4, 2014 in Videogames 
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy was one of the early reasons to own a 3DS, offering a fun musical romp through the history of past Final Fantasy games. The sequel, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call, is coming out in North America on September 16, 2014, and it’s especially enticing for those who skipped the first entry. With 221 songs, you’ve got access to every previous song, every previously-released DLC song, and new songs, plus the option to buy more DLC songs in the future. That’s a lot of songs! But if you’re really excited for the game, you might consider preordering the collector’s edition. Only 5,000 copies are available on Square Enix’s online store. If you pony up the $70, you get a big box (similar to Kingdom Hearts 3D‘s collector’s edition), a collector’s pouch for your 3DS, a 20-song soundtrack CD, an additional CD with 5 remixed songs, and 5 premium cards based on CollectaCards seen in the game (with passwords to unlock the card in-game). If you don’t have the scratch for all that, you can still preorder and get the 5-song remix CD. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Final Fantasy, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 23, 2014 in Videogames 
Final Fantasy fans enjoyed Theatrhythm Final Fantasy when it was released on 3DS in 2012. Maybe a part of that was that the 3DS was just starting to gain momentum, but some of it had to do with how fun it was to tap out rhythms to your favorite Final Fantasy music. Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call, the sequel, is releasing in Japan this Thursday, so of course Square Enix is just now announcing that it will come to America like we still live in the dark ages of localization. But hey, it’s coming out in North America sometime this year, and with more characters (over 60) and more songs (221!) than the original game. In my ideal world, this sequel has every original song, every DLC song, and then even more new, exclusive songs so that I never have to put the original game into my 3DS. It’s a lot to ask considering Square Enix made a game just designed to separate you from your money, but hey, I can dream. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Final Fantasy, Music, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Feb 5, 2014 in Uncategorized, Videogames 
Did you know that Thief, the reboot to Eidos’s stealth-franchise, is coming out on February 25? There isn’t much buzz, which probably stems from the delays the title has had during its troubled development. But watch this latest trailer, because despite a smaller marketing budget, this game looks pretty cool. I know some longtime fans of the series seem to have concerns, but as someone who has never played any of the previous games, I’m liking what I see. It looks like a good mixture of stealth and action, and the fact that you could play through the game without killing any enemies is surely enticing to those looking to do more than just build up a body count in a game. Read more…
Tags: Eidos, PS3, PS4, square enix, thief, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Posted by Bob Muir on Jan 30, 2014 in Videogames 
Final Fantasy XIII has a pretty convoluted story, not at all helped by a horrible presentation that seems to delight in requiring you to know certain information, but not giving that information for hours, requiring a look at a list of terms in a dictionary, which makes the eventual explanation boring. If you can’t tell, I’m not a fan of the poorly-written game or its sequel Final Fantasy XIII-2. But Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, the third and final entry, is out soon, so Square Enix made this awesome recap of the story so far. It boils everything down to the bare minimum, and best of all, it’s done in 16-bit graphics like the classic SNES entries. It almost makes things comprehensible! I just want Square Enix to do more with this style of graphics. Read more…
Tags: Final Fantasy, PS3, square enix, Xbox 360
Posted by Bob Muir on Dec 5, 2013 in Videogames 
Okay, we had to have known that Bravely Default: Flying Fairy was getting a sequel when Japan got an updated version of the game called Bravely Default: For the Sequel. The new version wasn’t a sequel itself, but it added new content and revamped the battle system in a way that would be used for a future sequel. Now a leaked Japanese magazine has confirmed Square Enix’s sequel: Bravely Second. I’d like to get excited, but the English translation of Bravely Default (based on For the Sequel, not the original Flying Fairy) is only just coming out in Europe this Friday, while North America has to wait until February 7, 2014. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Bravely Default, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 19, 2013 in Videogames 
Took them long enough! Square Enix has finally announced a Western release date for their HD remastering of Final Fantasy X & X-2 that has taken entirely too long to produce. At least their work looks great, with reorchestrated music and redone models in certain places, besides the game being presented in widescreen and HD. You can check out the improvements yourself on March 18, or March 21 in Europe. As a reminder, this collection includes most full-featured versions of the games: Final Fantasy X International, Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission, and a 14-minute video bridging the two games called Final Fantasy X Eternal Calm. If you preorder the game, you’ll get it in nice limited edition packaging that holds the game in a book of concept art and commentary, similar to Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX. I’ve had mine preordered for what feels like forever, but watch this new trailer if you’re not yet convinced. Read more…
Tags: Final Fantasy, PS3, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 14, 2013 in Videogames 
Bravely Default finally has a confirmed North American release: February 7, 2014. It’s not as soon as the release date in Europe, but considering how likely it was that this game would stay Japan-only as recently as early 2013, I’ll take it. The Square Enix JRPG is dropping its subtitle “Flying Fairy” and also not using the upcoming Japanese rerelease’s subtitle “For the Sequel”; however, the Western release still includes the enhancements and extras found in “For the Sequel.” Bravely Default is also getting a collector’s edition, which features 34 augmented reality cards, an art book, and a soundtrack CD; looks like the figurine will only be part of the European collector’s edition. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Bravely Default, RPG, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Nov 7, 2013 in Videogames 
“Flying Fairy” might as well be say “Final Fantasy,” because Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is the most traditional Final Fantasy-esque game Square Enix has made in a while. After a lengthy period of no announcements, Square Enix confirmed that the game would be localized for North America and Europe. But as was the case with many other JRPGs as of late, the game is coming out in Europe first before America, with their December 6 launch right around the corner. The game is looking good, and the English dub sounds pretty good too. Take a listen and see if you agree! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Bravely Default, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Oct 15, 2013 in Videogames 
After Square Enix announced and released Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX (which includes the first game KH: Final Mix, its interquel KH: Re:Chain of Memories, and HD cutscenes of the second interquel KH: 358/2 Days), fans asked one major question: why wasn’t the sequel KHII included? While fans are split on whether they prefer the first or second games, they’re the only two numbered entries, with KHIII still on the horizon for PS4 and Xbox One. Now that the first HD collection is out globally, Square Enix has announced the sequel they hinted at in that collection’s credits: Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX! Read more…
Tags: Disney, Kingdom Hearts, PS3, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Sep 12, 2013 in Videogames 
With the way Square Enix struggles with any worthwhile HD endeavors, I’m always surprised to see them release a videogame, even when it’s an upgraded version of an older game. But putting my mild incredulity aside, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX is finally out in North America and PAL territories this week. The game collects the previously Japan-only “Final Mix” version of the first Kingdom Hearts, the PS2 remake of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, and completely redone cutscenes from Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days on DS. Re:Chain of Memories and 358/2 Days both happen at around the same time after the first game but before Kingdom Hearts II, hence the “1.5” in the collection’s title. Everything has been remastered in HD, with some characters getting updated models and Kingdom Hearts I having some gameplay improvements. Now to wait for the inevitable Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX down the line…oh, and Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD, which was announced well before this collection! Read more…
Tags: Disney, Kingdom Hearts, square enix
Posted by Bob Muir on Sep 3, 2013 in Videogames 
Speaking of Square Enix, they’re rolling out the preorder content for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. We already know that if you preorder the game in the US you get Cloud’s outfit and sword. But in Japan, you can also get various feudal Japanese armors as well. This latest video shows off some battles, and a lot of the samurai outfits do look admittedly cool. I’m less into the same victory pose over and over again, but I suppose you might not notice if you’re sticking to one outfit most of the time. Read more…
Tags: Final Fantasy, square enix
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