• News

    by Published on 04-23-2012 10:53 AM
    1. Categories:
    2. Final Fantasy Series,
    3. Final Fantasy XIV,
    4. News
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    If you did or didn't know (probably did) Final Fantasy XIV has had, well, a rocky start. It came out in 2010, then they proceeded to fire all their devs that December and has since been trying to re-work itself into what they are calling Final Fantasy XIV Version 2.0. And it's about to beta itself up!

    So to get everyone back into playing, Square-Enix is giving those who have spent the time in game, with all the recent patches and what not, something nifty and special through the Legacy Campaign. What special things, you may ask. How about permanently discounted subscription of $9.99 per month and a Chocobo mount when 2.0 releases! How do I get these things? Another valid question. The Legacy Campaign introduces benefits to subscribers active for 90 days (cumulative) or more between Jan 6th up until the launch of Version 2.0.

    [img]http://home.eyesonff.com/content/attachments/35919d1335037503-chocobomount.png.html[/img]


    Yupppppp. That's pretty nifty BUT JUST YOU WAIT! They also have a Welcome Back Campaign too! It wants you to recruit your inactive friends who may ...
    by Published on 04-17-2012 03:25 AM
    1. Categories:
    2. Square-Enix,
    3. News

    Bear in mind this is just a rumor, but GoNintendo is reporting that they've heard that Square-Enix may be licencing a character (or characters) to Nintendo for an undisclosed title.

    Square-Enix and Nintendo have worked together in the past on the beloved Super Mario RPG (which contained cameos from then-Squaresoft's franchises) and more recently on Fortune Street, a board game styled game featuring Mario and Dragon Quest characters.

    Could it be a new iteration of one of those games? Or could it be something brand new? A Nintendo vs. Square-Enix sports game? Or could it just be a baseless rumor? Perhaps we'll get some sort of indication at E3.

    What sort of Nintendo game would you like to see Square-Enix characters make an appearance in?

    Source: GoNintendo ...
    by Published on 04-16-2012 08:34 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. Final Fantasy XIII-2,
    3. News
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    Final Fantasy V was nice enough to lend their beloved Gilgamesh to the XIII-2 Coliseum. Not only that but Final Fantasy VIII lent their PuPu as well!

    Square stated,
    One of the complaints that people have sent our way concerning FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 and its DLC is that the battles aren't hard enough, that it's just too easy to defeat these challenges. Let me emphasize to you, that we've heard you, LOUD & CLEAR. Introducing new Coliseum opponents that are guaranteed to give you a run for your money.
    Guess that means these fellas will be a challenge. But what are they going to be like to fight?

    [img]http://home.eyesonff.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=35890&d=1334296887[/img]

    Gilgamesh will drop in on your characters and declare he's going to fight in a new way. A better way. They rebuilt him. Made him faster, stronger, better? Showing off some heavy caliber guns, rocket launchers, and automated weaponry, this Gilgamesh will rock you with his new robotic tech.




    He's coming in at 10,000,000 HP! If you get him low enough his sword ...
    by Published on 04-13-2012 02:24 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. Square-Enix,
    3. News
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    For when you just have to hear a little something from Final Fantasy or Xenogears Square-Enix has just the answer for you! They've just begun a service called Square Enix Audio, a free streaming radio channel which you can access from your PC or Android smart phone. Simply select the game you wish to hear music from, and sit back and relax (or go for a run, or whatever it is you do when listening to Square-Enix music).

    At this time there isn't that wide a selection of games to choose from, but that will improve with time.

    You can access the site here.

    Which soundtrack will you stream first?

    Source: Square-Enix (via Kotaku) ...
    by Published on 04-13-2012 01:14 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. News

    Seems like a couple of talented guys decided to put their minds together and see what they could produce. Guild 01 is the result.

    Guild01 is a collaboration between 4 different game designers who are making 4 different games under one label. This includes Japanese comedy duo America Zarigani and respected game designers Yasumi Matsuno (FF Tactics, FFXII), Suda51 (No More Heroes) and Yoot Saito (Seaman). Check out the 30 second trailer to have a glimpse of this 4-in-1 package.


    This package actually has several ties to Square Enix without them being directly involved. Most obviously is the involvement of Matsuno. If you've ever played any of his games, I'm sure you'll be able to recognize his work at the end of the trailer. A looser connection level is the game 'Rental Weapon shop', which is reminiscent of Dragon Quest 4's playable weapons dealer Torneko Taloon.

    On a grander scale, this production is being put together by game company Level 5--which was basically launched into ...
    by Published on 04-09-2012 12:23 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. Square-Enix,
    3. News

    The seemingly Final Fantasy-esque Bravely Default: Flying Fairy for the 3DS just keeps getting more Final Fantasy-y with each new piece of news. A new set of details exemplifies this.

    The game is said to feature four elemental crystals, the first of which is the Wind Crystal. This crystal becomes covered in darkness which stops the winds, causing havoc in the windmill-dependent country in which the crystal resides. This also leads to other disasters such as shipwrecks. For those familiar with Final Fantasy III and the first Final Fantasy, the familiar-sounding plot and the notion that it begins in a land utilizing a Wind Crystal should come as no surprise.

    What is also unsurprising is that this very retro Final Fantasy-like game is directed by Takashi Tokita who was instrumental behind other throwbacks to Final Fantasy's yesteryears. He is the one behind Final Fantasy: 4 Heroes of Light, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years and the DS remake of Final Fantasy IV.

    Some other interesting details ...
    by Published on 04-06-2012 07:24 AM
    1. Categories:
    2. News

    Square Enix just announced North American release dates for two of their upcoming 3DS titles. Theatrhythm gets in before the fireworks on July 3rd while Kingdom Hearts 3D closes out the month on the 31st.

    Flagship releases like XIII and XIII-2 aside, we had to wait about 7 months to get Birth By Sleep just a couple of years ago. Now we're down to about 3. Ain't it nice that the localization lag is shrinking on these games? ...
    by Published on 04-06-2012 02:05 AM
    1. Categories:
    2. Final Fantasy Series,
    3. News
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    Video game characters would probably be one of the last things you'd expect to see when you open a fashion magazine, but this month's Arena Homme+ will feature just that. Part of SquareEnix's 25 Years of Final Fantasy celebration, the 12-page spread will feature characters from the games wearing items from Prada's Spring 2012 Menswear collection.

    Yoshinori Kitase, producer of Final Fantasy XIII-2 (and several other Final Fantasy games) said in an interview, “The Final Fantasy series is known for its creativity and innovation, so working with Prada, a renowned fashion house with such beautiful clothing, was a very exciting opportunity. The images we have been able to create together are vibrant and unique."

    The issue featuring the CGI images, created at SquareEnix’s Visual Works studio in Japan, will hit shelves April 12th.


    ...
    by Published on 04-02-2012 04:51 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. News
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    [IMG]http://home.eyesonff.com/content/attachments/35868d1333448386-33.jpg.html[/IMG]

    Square Enix's seemingly Final Fantasy-esque entry for the Nintendo 3DS finally received its second demo release this past week. Quite a bit more immersive, this demo allows the player to wander about the watercolored-looking town, interacting with the natives, and learn a bit more of the story than we've previously been privy to.

    This is quite a departure from the game's first demo which merely amounted to showing off the Augmented Reality aspect of the game. This time around, however, we finally get a feel for what the actual game might be like, with access to inventory, the ability to buy items, sleep at an inn, and details of a character likely to be one of the main characters... this demo shows us just how similarly structured this title is to the Final Fantasy entries of yore. Yet while the structure seems fairly old school, the art style is anything but; the gorgeous graphics look almost like something straight out of a Studio
    ...
    by Published on 04-02-2012 12:12 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. Square-Enix,
    3. News

    Google unleashed a "new product" today, just in time for the holiday: "Google Maps for NES."

    That's right: just in case you wanted to plot a course to that resteraunt you like but aren't near your computer or smart phone... and happen to have your NES up and ready to go, you can now do so via a cartridge whose programming looks more than a bit familiar.

    Clearly there are some Dragon Quest fans over at Google who meticulously recreated the menus and quirks from the beloved series for this very special Google product.

    View the video below!



    Source: YouTube (via GoNintendo) ...
    by Published on 03-28-2012 10:24 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. News

    According to the recent report from Kotaku the next Playstation is known as the Orbis and is due for release in late 2013.

    Current specs reported are an AMD x64 CPU and an AMD Southern Islands GPU, but these are obviously subject to change over the time period. The current GPU is reported to be able to display resolutions of up to 4096x2160, with the added ability to produce 1080p 3D visuals, which is enough to make any 3D fanboy jump for joy, after the PS3 only managed to scrape 720p.

    Major downsides include no backwards compatibility, which resembles the nightmare of the PS3's launch. Sony are also keen to back the elimination of preowned games, whereby new games will apparently be locked to the original users PSN account. However all games will be up for download on the PSN, along with the standard Blu-Ray disc versions.

    One final point is the choice of name for Orbis. Orbis is Latin for Circle or Ring which, when coupled with Vitae (PS Vita anybody?) would create 'Circle of Life.' Aka, Sony's ...
    by Published on 03-28-2012 10:23 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. Square-Enix,
    3. News

    Among the titles published by Square-Enix, NieR doesn't seem to have quite as good a reputation as its peers. One area that NieR can proudly stand alongside them in, however, is its music. Square-Enix seems to agree: while the studio that created NieR closed in 2010, they have released two different soundtracks in the last seven months alone. September saw a 'tribute' album comprised of mostly electronic arrangements of the soundtrack by famous Japanese DJs. Last week, Square-Enix released Piano Collections NieR Gestalt & Replicant.

    If you head over to the official Japanese site and click on 'Tracklist', you can sample the tunes included. Unlike the tribute album (which you can also sample on its site), these songs are all arranged and mostly performed by the people who created them for the game originally. Definitely give it a listen, even if you've never touched the games.If you're interested in what a couple of your more recognizable Squenix-related composers have been up to recently: ...
    by Published on 03-26-2012 08:59 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. News

    This morning Naoki Yoshida, producer of Final Fantasy XIV, issued an announcement regarding current ongoing changes and patch 1.22, which has a targeted release date of late April. He first discussed this month’s patch 1.21, saying how hard his team worked on developing the job quests, and that he had personally involved himself in writing some of the text. Two NPCs from the monk quests, Professor Erik and Widargelt, appear to have especially popular.

    The bulk of the article is a list of changes that are ongoing or set for patch 1.22. This includes new quests, new enemies, and additions to the crafting systems. Also planned for patch 1.22 is the development of entirely new gameplay systems, such as the Hamlet defense, a cooperative system whereby players work to defend local areas. All in all, exciting changes are afoot.

    In additional FFXIV news, the world merge is starting tomorrow, March 27. The link describes which worlds are merging and the new names. In some cases, two or more characters on the newly-minted ...
    by Published on 03-23-2012 10:09 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. Final Fantasy Series,
    3. News
    Article Preview

    After seeing a lot of success in Japan, SquareEnix announced via Facebook yesterday that Theatrhythm Final Fantasy would be released in North America, Europe, and PAL territories this summer. A more specific release date has not been announced.


    Theatrhythm is a rhythm game for 3DS featuring music and characters from all of the Final Fantasy games. It was the third highest selling game in Japan the week it was released, and has been praised by famous game composer Nobuo Uematsu.

    Meanwhile, Japan just released its third set of DLC for the game. Here's the trailer:

    ...
    by Published on 03-22-2012 09:36 PM
    1. Categories:
    2. Final Fantasy Series,
    3. Square-Enix,
    4. News

    Square Enix has put out a press release announcing the start of a Steam sale which will see 50% off all Square Enix games and DLC, and up to 75% off certain products. The promotion will run until the 25th of March, meaning you should stop reading and head over there right now!

    In addition to the Final Fantasy series and other Square Enix published titles, you can also pick up a bundle pack with 15 games, including Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Tomb Raider: Legend, Just Cause 2, Thief: Deadly Shadows and Hitman: Blood Money for one low price. Time to take advantage of Square Enix's generosity and pick up all those titles you might have missed!

    Keep an eye out for the daily 75% off deals during the next few days, and make sure you don't miss out on these great savings. Between this Steam sale and the PSN Spring Fever sale, there's no reason to pay full price for your favourite Square Enix games! ...
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