Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD PS3 Pushed to March 18th

Square Enix announced this week that the PS3 HD Remake of Final Fantasy X/X-2 has been pushed back to March 18st. Previously announced for Winter, the remix features the International Version of both games as well as an extended ending for X-2. Much like the Kingdom Hearts remaster, pre-ordering will net you a collector's edition package with an art book. If you missed out on the KH1.5 one like me, make sure you pre-order this beauty. SE did not say anything about the Vita versions of the games but I assume they will come out on the Playstation Store around the same time as the release of this game. Check out the new trailer below:

Square Enix must of finally teamed up with Sucker Punch for an attack on my wallet, as inFamous: Second Son comes out on the 21st of March and also has a much desired Collector's Edition.  ;  ;

Final Fantasu XIV: A Realm Reborn Release Date Announced

August 27th, 2013. The day that adventurers can truly return to the realm that has gone though some major overhauls. The time has come "To heed the crystal's call," or at least that is what we are being told. Truth of the matter is this: Doesn't matter if you played the original FFXIV, been a long time FFXI player, or just someone looking for a new world to explore - FFXIV: A REALM REBORN is coming our way. 

Pre-orders have began for the final PC and PS3 release of the game on the official site.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

Now anyone who has an account with the original game will be able to download the Realm Reborn client for free. Pre-ordering will also net you some neat in-game items as well as early access to the game. Before you get all excited about early access, remember that when an MMO server first opens to the public there is plenty of down time, lag, and updates to go around! Am I pre-ordering? Hell yes. 

Also announced was the limited edition version of the game which comes with more then enough goodies to merit the increased price tag. Players who currently have accounts with the previous game can obtain the online special edition goodies for a small up-charge as well. This means the game will run you anywhere between $20-$80 depending on your preference and situation. Either way you go, I can't wait to see you out there adventuring!

On that note, once my group decides on a server we will be creating a Linkshell for social, storyline, and events. I will be posting here once the server name is decided and of course I will be posting my in game name as well. 3 months to save enough money to pay for 3 copies of the game is going to hurt my game buying addiction, but oh well!

FFXIV: Magitek Armor Preview

   The FFXIV dev team will try using the "Nostalgia Card" when the Realm Reborn introduced ride-able Magitek Armor. It's unknown if it is just a mount to ride or if it will actually be able to be used in battle with the fearsome beasties across the land. Please watch the video below for a short preview of what is to come in our new world.

If anyone finds the scene and music they are playing strangely familer, it could be because the music is a remix of the opening of Final Fantasy VI. If I saw this video without the FFXIV logo at the begining, I would of thought that FFVI was being remade for modern consoles. That would also please me. ^^ Check out the video itself and let me know if FFVI nostalgia will get you into the Realm Reborn.

Final Fantasy X HD & Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD

Bang.

A leaked picture from Jump! Magazine has revealed that FFX-2 will be included with FFX HD remaster. With this in mind, it's probably safe to say that FFX-2 is getting remastered as well considering that a majority of the characters, scenery, and monsters were reused from FFX. While the PS3 version will come with FFX-2 bundled in, the Vita version will be sold separately. (I'm sure all 2 of the Vita owners  Does that mean we should be looking for an on-disk bundle instead of the download that we expected?

What do you mean, you can't read this?

It has been confirmed that both games will be their international releases, giving NA players extra content that was not available for us at the time. With FFX's HD remix giving us the international version for the first time, what is the possibility of the Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD remix doing the same? Why yes, it will! Check out the trailer from PAX!

Now I will warn you - the voice acting from Re: Chain of Memories leaves a lot to be desired for.

So there you have it - both Kingdom Hearts and FFX/X-2 will be the international releases, and boy I am looking forward to that. Even though SE should be working on new titles instead of releasing old ones or rebranding forgotton projects. /GLARE. I'm looking at you FF verses XIII!

Final Fantasy - XIII-3's new character & the offical announcement for "All the Bravest!"

There is nothing like being trolled by one of your favorite video game companies. Our good friends at SquareEnix just may of trolled us three times. Not once, not twice, but potentially thrice. We start today with the announcement found in this week's Weekly Shonen Jump!

Warning - Just had some dental work done. I may be a little more grumpy then usual. 

It looks like Lightning not only has 13 days and 13 nights to save the world in FFXIII-3, but now has a new character to deal with. No one can say if this new character will be assisting Lightning or if she will be a problem for our heroin, but I can say this: She is either really familiar looking or Nomura no longer has original ideas for characters. Her name is Lumina and she will be heavily cosplayed as by March. First potential troll goes to Mr. Noruma for leaving us with this tease of a "new" character. We'll see when the game comes out this year.

Next up is a double-combo troll for some fans. Some of you may of been paying attention to the teaser site the SquareEnix posted the other day. It showed off some 16-bit silhouettes of a couple of Behemoths from FFVI as well as some familiar sprites that look like they were from V or VI. Here we are hoping for a re-release of V or VI. Maybe on the iPhone, Maybe on the 3DS (PLEASE!!) Alas, today SE announced Final Fantasy: All the Bravest. It's a mobile game for iOS that SE is selling as a "touch-action" RPG. Looks a lot like Theatrythem where they replaced the rhythm game with a rapid-ATB battle system. That explains the title! ATB means active-time battle AND All the Bravest!

Final Fantasy: All The Bravest details commence!:

• The Active Time Battle is back with the largest parties in Final Fantasy history!
Final Fantasy: All the Bravest is a touch-action RPG in which you continuously battle enemies to advance through the game's many stages. Defeating foes earns you the experience points you need to level up, which in turns grants you character slots to add more and more members to your party. Combat is based on the classic Active Time Battle (ATB) system of the Final Fantasy series. Every character possesses an ATB gauge that displays the time remaining until that character can execute an action. When the gauge is full, simply tap or drag your finger over the character to attack. Touch multiple characters in quick succession to experience exhilarating and fast-paced battle unlike anything you've ever played before! Once every three hours, the Fever option will appear. Once activated, you will be able to attack without waiting for ATB gauges to refill as long as the chocobo-themed music is playing. Deal as much damage as you can before the battle fever ends!
• Characters, enemies, and music from throughout the Final Fantasy series!
Progress through the game to unlock over 20 different classic jobs, including warrior, monk, red mage, and more! Each job brings its own special abilities to the battleground, where you will encounter timeless Final Fantasy foes such as behemoths, bombs, and cactuars. At the end of each stage waits a harrowing encounter with a fiendish Final Fantasy boss!
The game's musical library comes packed with over 30 songs from the series, the majority of which are themes from battle. The perfect soundtrack to listen to as your crush your enemies and see them driven before you!
• Track your collection of every character, enemy, and item with in-game catalogs!
The game's three catalogs will keep a record of every character that joins your ranks, every enemy you encounter, and every item you obtain. Collect them all and open the catalogs to flip through the nostalgia whenever you like!

• Take part in leader-boards and social networking features!
Global leader-boards will rank players based on stats such as the amount of damage dealt in the course of a single Fever. You will also be able to track progress and other feats using the game's achievement system. Social networking features allow you to post directly to Facebook and Twitter, and reward you for doing so by granting additional member slots. Post and tweet away to increase the size of your party for battle!
• Purchase premium characters and new game worlds!
The in-game shop offers access to 35 famous characters from a number of FINAL FANTASY titles. Each purchase ensures you will receive a new, random character. Which powerful favorites will you have join your party? You are also able to purchase additional game stages from FFVI, X, and XIII. (Bullshit, where's IX, XI, and XII?!) Board airships bound for new worlds where further adventures await!

 Sounds like a neat game, I just wish they would expand their mobile market passed apple's devices. Wondering where that third potential troll went? Well, fans have known that SE reserved the rights for "All The Bravest" not to long ago. We we expecting this to be the English title for the current JRPG hit, Bravely Default. Oh well. /wrist.

Maybe one day I'll get to spend some time with you...

FFXIV: 'Welcome Back' and 'Legacy' campaigns begining soon!

 

In an attempt to reclaim the honor to the Final Fantasy Franchise, SquareEnix has announced two new campaigns starting with the upcoming mega-update, a.k.a. FFXIV Version 2.0. Plenty has changed Eorzea sense the last time I set foot there myself. From the "Nothing-changed from the Beta" days that was almost two years ago to the battle involving Ifrit and more, a good chunk of change has happened to the much-laughed at MMO. With 2.0 coming out in 2013 (Probably reflecting the PS3 release) players may find reason to return. 

First of the new campaigns is the "Welcome Back" campaign. Anyone who currently has an inactive account will be allowed free access to the game from May 9 (8 PM PST) and May 20 (11:59 PM PST). They will have access to new game-play features, Seventh Umbral Era content access, and the ability to participate in the new Primal Battle against Garuda

Second of the upcoming campaigns is the "Legacy Campaign" being offered to all FFXIV players who have been subscribed for at least 90 days between the start of version 2.0 beta testing and 1/6/12. These players will be offered a lower subscription rate ($9.99 verses $14.99), an in-game Chocobo mount, and your name in the credits. This will all be come to the life when the 2.0 update is released in early 2013.

SquareEnix teases us with a new game! Possibly something to do with..

      This trailer released last week mentions something about crystals, meteor, Odin, Diabolos, and Titan. Definitely a Final Fantasy title. Most likely one of the Crystal Chronicle games. Only the future will tell! I'm just glad to see a game that looks more like fantasy and less then future/fantasy. The art shown in the trailer is credited to Masaki Hirooka (Best know for working on the art for Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia.) and Yusuke Naora (Worked on the art for FFVI, VII, VIII, X, and other great RPGs.)

   Teaser suggests Summer of 2012 and that is pretty damn soon.



On another note, FFXIII-3 is getting Mass Effect armor and the return of FFVI's favorite Octopus.

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest

   This game, this terrible terrible game, came up in a conversation between Cable (From Temporal Flux) and myself. I'd like to take a moment to explain why this is to this day the one Final Fantasy game I will not acknowledge as even existing, despite the what the wikipedia page.

American Box Art

   Originally released in the USA as a "Entry-Level Role Playing Adventure" in 1992. It abandoned series staples such as random battles, manual equipment, party system, save points, and kept the game in a over-linear. While it did let you use weapons outside of battle, they where mostly used to change something in the over-world such as using a grappling hook to get across gaps. Here is the worst review I've ever done. Know that this review reflects my feelings on the game.

... Japanese Box. Seriously cute, right? I think he stole Bartz's hair from the original FFV cover.

The Story: Something about a guy named Benjamin has to stop a Dark King or something. Honestly, I've read better Sephiroth/Cloud dojins with a better story. Scary, right? -1/5

The Look: We're going to let a picture tell 1000 words. -2/5

Mystic Quest

FFIV, the first FF game on the SNES.

The Sound: I just played the game again on an emulator and I still can't remember the music. -1/5

The Feel: Like crap. It's like holding a handful of rusty needles. 0/5
The Filling: W... what? 0/5.
Overview: I'm not going to bother. This game gives me less pleasure then watching my dog Chopper hunt mice. Seriously, did this game foreshadow the fall of RPGs in Japan? This game was made for America, by Japan. Years later, Japan tried to get more people into JRPGS and failed. Failed to titles like Mass Effect and WoW. There are people out there that believe that FFXI or FFXIII killed the series. NO! It was and will always be Mystic Quest. This game was so terrible, when it was released in Japan, they added "USA" to the title to show that it was a gimped version of the beloved franchise. If someone was going to give me this game, the following would happen..

How about if someone asked me to try the game one more time? To give it another chance?