Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 11, 2012 in Videogames
In case it might still be alive, Square Enix has taken to beating the dead horse that is Final Fantasy III by porting it one more time. This time, the lucky platform happens to be Sony’s PlayStation Portable — not the Vita mind you, although I’m sure it’ll be compatible. While I’m sure nobody really needed another port of this game, the PSP edition will at least boast cleaner visuals than its Nintendo DS counterpart, and might even run smoother than the recent iOS ports for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Read more…
This week, Square Enix unveiled some screenshots from their upcoming 2.0 update for their would-be flagship MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV. After its launch in September 2010, Final Fantasy XIV was met with universally negative reviews, scrutinized for a lack of polish, terrible interface, incomplete quest-lines, and unbalanced gameplay. As a result of this, Square Enix made the decision to reshuffle the games development team with the aim of improving every aspect. With that task in mind, Final Fantasy XIV 2.0 is set for release early next year — a beta will become available this October. As you can see from the screenshots below, the visuals are quite stunning. Let’s just hope all the improvements they have planned will make it worth your time.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on May 15, 2012 in Videogames
Square Enix has released a preview trailer for their upcoming Final Fantasy XIII-2 Lightning Prologue DLC Requiem of the Goddess. If you’re on the fence about whether or not it’s worth your time, you’ll probably want to watch the clip and decide for yourself. On the other hand, it might be a bit spoileriffic for others — fortunately, the dialog you’ll hear during this trailer is in Japanese, without English subtitles. Other than that, the most it might spoil is an actual in-game battle sequence between Lightning and Caius, complete with cut-scenes. Personally, I think it looks pretty awesome. Let’s just hope the new chapter actually provide more answers than questions. At this point, I think fans deserve a proper ending. I’ve included some screens from the trailer after the break.
Square Enix’s latest set of downloadable content for Final Fantasy XIII-2 is set for release on May 15th. The long awaited Lightening chapter is said to be included, along with a 16 piece costume set for your moogle, Serah’s stylish White Mage outfit, as well as Noel’s matching Black Mage set. They’ll also be releasing the Snow & Valfodr arena battle on the same day. Like with the previous arena battles, gamers will have a chance to capture and use Snow or Valfodr as in place of their usual monster slot during battles. Although the news was leaked by Playstation Taiwan along with price points for each item, the North American prices will likely differ slightly, so I didn’t bother listing them for you. That said, I imagine the prices will be on par with the previous DLC sets that’ve been released thus far.
By now you’ve probably heard of Google’s fantastic April Fools joke: 8-bit Google Maps. They partnered with Square Enix to Dragon Quest-ify the entirety of Google Maps, and even produced a fake commercial for a cartridge version of the software. Given that this is Google, though, they hid tons of little items and cute references within the joke (like the adorable pixel art, seen above, found at the Google HQ). Don’t want to go hunting yourself? Hit the jump for a few cool easter eggs! Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Mar 27, 2012 in Videogames
By now, it’s no secret that Final Fantasy XIII-2 leaves us with a cliff-hanger. It was announced a few months back that the story would continue via downloadable content, and that there were no plans for a Final Fantasy XIII-3 at this time. The first significant piece of DLC to expand the story featured former cast member Sazh Katzroy, and while it added a few casino games, it was much more of a side-story, and didn’t actually progress the plot. I’m hoping the latest piece of DLC to be announced, the much anticipated Lightning chapter, will do just that. According the Japanese gaming mag Dengenki PlayStation, that particular chapter be made available this May. Read more…
I’m sure some of you might already know about Square Enix and their annual rewards program, but for those of you who don’t, you’ll probably want to. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve opened a new game, only to pull out the disc, toss the box to the side and ignore the rest of its contents. I always justify it by thinking I don’t need a instruction manual, or that I couldn’t care less about some pre-formatted health warnings I’ve read a million times, but in doing so, I often miss that little sheet asking me to register the game. I know what you’re thinking — why bother? Find out why after the jump.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Mar 14, 2012 in Videogames
Set for release later this week, Square Enix unveiled latest trailer for Chaos Rings II. As some of you may recall, Chaos Rings served as Square Enix’s first major title for the iOS and Android platforms, praised for delivering a fully-developed, traditional Japanese role-playing experience. Some reviewers have even cited it as one of the best titles the company has developed in recent years — though, I’m sure that’s open to debate. Read more…
It’s been nearly a week since Final Fantasy XIII-2‘s North American release, and gamers are just now finishing their first play-throughs. While some have labeled the game too short, many fail to realize the game actually has multiple endings since it isn’t explicitly stated during the gameplay. In addition, the message “too be continued,” appears during the final moments. This has led some to speculate that the title may be part of a proposed trilogy, but recent comments by director Motomu Toriyama offer a different explanation. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jan 30, 2012 in Videogames
Square Enix dished out their latest trailer for Final Fantasy XIII-2 this weekend, hoping to hype the title a little more before it hits North American stores this week. The demo has been available to download for several weeks now, and so far has met with mixed reviews. While some have praised the game for its fast-paced action, and improved mechanics, others feel that the introduction of quick-time events, or QTE, has ruined it. As far as the story is concerned, the addition of time travel seems interesting enough, but like Final Fantasy XIII, this sequel is littered with similar sounding pronouns like fal’Cie and l’Cie that are sure to confuse anyone who isn’t paying close enough attention. Still, as far as fans of the series are concerned, this may be the entry you’ve been waiting for. If you’re expecting Final Fantasy Versus XIII instead, keep waiting — Square Enix only really started working on it back in September. Read more…
I always have mixed feelings when Square Enix decides to port one of their classics. Not because the games can’t withstand the test of time, but because I almost always end up buying it. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Sep 20, 2011 in Videogames
Yesterday, we reported that Square Enix had planned on releasing both Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger via PlayStation Network this week. I was kind of excited about the news, but seeing as I own several copies of each game, I probably wouldn’t have been purchasing another. As it turns out, it won’t matter just yet. In a tweet earlier today, Sony apologized for misleading everyone as neither game will be released this week. Of course, Sony didn’t exactly deny that the games could still be on their way, so there’s a chance we could be seeing them posted in the future — possibly sooner, rather than later. It’s a shame really, as I’m sure there are some of you who could probably use another copy to play on the go. On the bright side, many of the Square Enix PSP titles featured on PlayStation Network, such as Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions and The Third Birthday, have received significant price cuts in the last few months.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Sep 19, 2011 in Videogames
It’s going to be an exciting week for RPG fanatics, as Square Enix will be releasing both Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger via PlayStation Network. I imagine both titles will be the PSOne ports, so you can expect some annoying load times. At least they’ll have some of those fancy CG cut-scenes. On top of that, they’ll be a great for anyone who plans on purchasing a PSVita next year. Speaking of which, if any of you are curious, the Vita will be region free, so importing one early might be an option. My only hang up there is that you won’t be able to get a 3G model unless you wait since I don’t think AT&T will set up their Vita service by the time the handheld hits the Japanese market. Still, since the handheld will rely heavily on digital distribution, purchasing some games ahead of time might be worthwhile. Both titles should be available this Tuesday, their price is still TBD.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Sep 12, 2011 in Videogames
For those of you who haven’t had a chance to pick up Deus Ex: Human Revolution yet, you’re in luck. Both Amazon and Gamestop have cut their price today. While it seems Gamestop may have permanently lowered its price to $44, Amazon is having a daily “sweet spot” special which you might be able to take advantage of if you’re quick about it — they’ve slashed $25 off and are only asking the low price of $34.99. For those of you who might not be so familiar with the title, Deus Ex is a first-person action-RPG set in a dystopian future where mankind has decided to experiment with cybernetic augmentation as a means of furthering our evolution. The game’s cyberpunk visuals reference films such as Blade Runner and Robocop, and really serve to immerse you in the whole experience, while the gameplay gives you plenty of options to suit your tastes, be it stealth or action. No matter which you choose, I promise you won’t be disappointed.
With all the amazing games on the market, I occasionally find myself craving a classic like Dragon Quest. There’s just something I find nostalgic about having to open a sub-menu just to climb stairs or unlock chests. Then, there’s being able to relax while I take turns wailing on monsters who are unlucky enough to cross my path. The whole experience really brings you back. Well, Japanese gamers are in for a treat when Square Enix releases the Dragon Quest Collection for the Nintendo Wii this September. To celebrate the series’ 25th anniversary, they went ahead and included the original Famicom versions of Dragon Quest I, II and III, as well as the Super Famicom remakes.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Apr 28, 2011 in Videogames
When Square Enix originally announced plans to produce the first Chaos Rings title, I was excited by the prospect. The intent was create a fully-featured role playing experience that could harness the graphical capabilities of an iDevice. After it launched on the app store a year ago, the game was met with rave reviews and seems to have done well enough for Square Enix to consider not one, but two follow-up projects, the first of which is the upcoming prequel Chaos Rings Omega, which will be hitting the Japanese app store next month.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 21, 2010 in Videogames
Okay, so I’m not really sure it ever was a secret to begin with, but it sure seemed that way. Back in June, Square Enix showed off a small set of upcoming titles for Apple’s iOS devices and for whatever reason, almost nobody took note. It could be because, at the time, Apple had yet to make a signifigant impact in the portable gaming market. Regardless, that didn’t stop Square Enix from pushing forward with some notable classics. The first of which, Secret of Mana, finally hit the App store last week. The port largely stays true to the original, while featuring slightly updated graphics and new artwork. It’s currently priced at $8.99. The soundtrack is also available on iTunes for 25% off until January 5th. No word on when to expect any of the other titles they showed off at E3, but personally I’m still looking forward to their upcoming port of Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions.Read more…
If you had asked me a month or two ago, I probably would have told you that I couldn’t imagine a place like this existing. However, after my recent trip to Tokyo, I could believe anything — of course, that doesn’t change the fact that I totally regret missing this. Apparently, there’s a Dragon Quest-themed bar in Roppongi — Luida’s Bar. For those of you who aren’t big on Japanese RPGs, Dragon Quest , or Dragon Warrior, as it was once known in the states, is almost as popular as Square-Enix’s Final Fantasy here in the States, and even more so in Japan.
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jul 12, 2010 in Videogames
Born twenty four years ago in 1986 the blue Slime is usually the weakest character in each Dragon Quest game — and now he’s being celebrated with his own non-carbonated soft drink! The Dragon Quest Slime Drink comes in two flavors: Hoimi Cider (shown on the left) which is looks like windex and Mera Tropical (shown on the right). Fanboys should be warned that actually drinking the beverage will ruin any future collectibility value. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 15, 2010 in Videogames
This is Space Invaders: Infinity Gene — Square-Enix and Taito’s latest attempt to revive the Space Invaders franchise. In all fairness, I haven’t actually had a chance to play this yet — though I might at this week’s E3 — and my first impressions are based on the video above. Still, I find myself completely confused by everything I saw. Sure it’s neat, and innovative, at least by comparison to the classic Space Invaders I knew and loved, but it’s as if the designers simply refused to draw a line. As a result, we’re left with a mess of lines and shapes which I really had trouble making heads and tails of. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen the formula work — Geometry Wars was a great example — but until I really get a hands on with it, I’m simply not sold on this and I’m left wondering if I’m the only one who feels that way. Read more…
The Law of Inverse Importance states thus: the more splashy Square Enix gets about a game announcement, the less exciting the actual game is.
Example: When a new Final Fantasy comes out, all its official site might have is a simple logo to start. But Square Enix’s latest game was announced via a teaser site with Yahoo!, promising a game that would “make history” in Japan and was left up for some time, encouraging visitors to Tweet about it and garnering attention. Viewers wondered: could it be a Dragon Quest MMO? A Dragon Quest/Final Fantasy crossover? What could this history-making game BE? Read more…
