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’ve always had a fascination with music boxes. They may have gone the way of vinyl and become a novelty for collectors, but there’s always a certain level of care and craftsmanship involved in creating one. That’s something I can respect, not only as a musician but as an artist. That’s why I freaked out the moment I saw this — a limited edition 50 note music box featuring Aerith’s theme from Final Fantasy VII. Supposedly, only a thousand of these boxes were ever produced, and they’re highly sought after. Finding one for sale is next to impossible, but anyone willing to part with it can usually ask for over a thousand dollars to start. To see it in action, click here.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 30, 2011 in Videogames
At last week’s Penny Arcade Expo, Square Enix debuted the latest trailer for Final Fantasy XIII-2 in English. Shortly afterwards, they uploaded the same trailer to YouTube with the original Japanese voice acting. Naturally, this has led to a small debate amongst fans as to which version’s superior with the majority — not-so-surprisingly mind you — siding with Japanese. To be perfectly honest, I don’t really have a preference either way, so long as I don’t have to listen to Vanille or Hope make irritating noises throughout each battle. If you haven’t had a chance to see either trailer yet, I’ve posted them both for your viewing pleasure. Again, the visuals are pretty fantastic, just don’t expect to be blown away by the script. If you’re hoping to get your hands on a copy of the game that comes with both Japanese voice acting and English subtitles, you may want to save up for a Chinese copy, as that was the only version of Final Fantasy XIII that had both. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with one or the other, and unless you speak and read Japanese, you might be forced to deal with the English.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 23, 2011 in Videogames
Once again, Square Enix has given us some lovely eye-candy with these latest screenshots for their upcoming sequel, Final Fantasy XIII-2. If you’re feeling like you’ve just experienced déjà vu, I can’t blame you. This isn’t the first time the company has decided to market a direct sequel to one of their Final Fantasy titles by tacking on a hyphen and number. It also helps that they’re using the same exact graphics engine as last time, giving us those jaw-dropping visuals that we’ve come to associate with it. Unfortunately for many of us, we’ll probably experience yet another bout of déjà vu after picking a controller as it looks as though the gameplay — if we can call it that, the game practically played itself — will be similar as well. I wasn’t very fond of the script or plot last time around, but maybe they’ll get it right. The game is currently set for release stateside next January.
Square-Enix has finally announced the release date for the iOS port of their SRPG cult-classic, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions. Based on the 2007 re-release, the port will contain animated cut-scenes and enhanced gameplay. The English release will also include voice acting, however Japanese gamers will not be so lucky. In addition, the game will make use of the retina display and will feature high resolution visuals than its PSP predecessor. There’s a catch, though — the game will lack the online Multiplayer modes available on PSP, and may not include the sound effects for spells. On the other hand, the slow-down experienced when casting spells has been greatly reduced. If I recall, that was the one major gripe everyone had with it. Set to release this Thursday, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions will retail for $15.99, making it one of the most expensive games on the app story to date. I’d complain but it’s probably worth the price they’re asking. Unfortunately, it won’t be a universal app either. Apple’s iPad users will have to wait an additional month for their exclusive version.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Mar 29, 2011 in Videogames
For those of you who’ve been waiting, Square Enix’s Final Fantasy III hitthe app store last week. The game appears to be a port of the 2006 Nintendo DS remake with upgraded visuals and obvious tweaks to the gameplay, accounting for the touch-based interface. Both this, and the 2006 remake feature a number of enhancements over the original Famicom title, including a revamped story, developed characters, added scenes, an overhauled job system, and much more. While all of this sounds pretty awesome, I should note the app is fairly expensive at $15.99. That said, if you’re a fan of Japanese RPGs, it’s probably worth the price.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Mar 15, 2011 in Videogames
This probably isn’t welcome news to any of you who play Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV, but Square-Enix has decided to suspended their online services for the next week. The decision was made as an effort to conserve energy following the recent earthquakes. I’m actually not surprised that they’d be willing to shut down operations. Many Japanese publishers have also been making sacrafices by delaying their releases – one even going as far as to cancel a disaster-themed game. Others have been donating their proceeds to relief efforts. It should be noted that Square-Enix will be allowing Final Fantasy XI users free play for the month of April in appreciation for their understanding. Read more…
I think Star wars jumped the shark the minute Lucas came up with the Ewoks concept, and I guess it’s to the credit of Final Fantasy that it took them all that time to introduce the ever so cute Tarutaru race. Shown above and below are the Final Fantasy XI Taru Taru Trading Arts Figures which feature Ajido-Marujido, Star Sibyl, Robel-Akbel and Shantotto who “looks to the heavens when she laughs”: Read more…
