Lost Odyssey Review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Adventure, Features, Microsoft, Reviews, Role Playing Games, Square Enix, Xbox 360

It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I have a deep appreciation for games in quirky, niche, genres, and also intelligent stories.  Frankly, it is rare that I get to find both of these needs met in a single game, but Lost Odyssey manages to do it.

But wait!  I thought Lost Odyssey was a Japanese-RPG and thus not really niche?  Sadly (in my opinion), the gaming landscape has changed so profoundly over the years that the once thriving JRPG is now increasingly a rarity;  One with high-production values, so much the more.  Several early reviews would have you believe that Lost Odyssey does something fundamentally wrong simply for being true to its genre.  Mercifully, you are reading this review so at the very least let me try to paint a slightly different picture of Hironobu Sakaguchi’s latest opus.

Click to continue reading Lost Odyssey Review

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GamerAndy Live! Episode 78: SPOILER: Nazi’s Lose

Posted by Gamer Andy Categories: MMORPG, Mods/Hacks, PlayStation 3, Retro, Square Enix, Xbox 360, GamerAndy

Hi there folks, Andy here of GamerAndy Live! As the new kid on the block here at PlayFeed and Gear Live, I’m happy to be bring you episode 78 of our little exodus into the gaming stratosphere.  Along the way you’ll be bumrushed by by the astral maurader known as “Edie” and the cosmic butt-pirate called George.  Our topics are many and varied.  Our methods are uncoventional.  Our show is Uncensored. Very uncensored.

If you’re new to the show, then don’t let talk of the Bloodthirsty Macarena(tm) throw you off - Listen in for a few shows and you’ll be able to proudly claim “I am the master of Chapple Banditry!” along with our Hardcores currently residing in the forums. 

With that said, I’m warning you right now Big spoiler in this episode - NAZIS LOSE!

SHOW NOTES FOR EPISODE 78:

• Retailers Violating Release Dates and the People Who Hate Them
• Jack Thomspon Backlash
• Cool Super NES Mod
• Gamefly Leaks Beautiful Katamari Street Dates
• Fire at Human Head Studios, developer of Prey series, won’t effect whatever they’re working on
• Square Enix says it has enough material from Final Fantasy XII to drive a decade of games

In the GamerAndy Live! Mailbag:

• What the hell is Tom Clancy’s End Wars?
• Any news on Fable 2?
• Mass Effect delayed?
• What do you think about the Silent Hill 5 interview?
• Is the market ready for the next big MMORPG? Yes. Is it Lord of the Rings Online? No.
• Sony Online Entertainment nukes accounts of lazy Star Wars Galaxies players
• Kane and Lynch, Crossfire not XBox 360 exclusives anymore
• 80GB PS3 Rumor

Everybody loves Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles...

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Japanese React To Dragon Quest XI Announcement

Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Culture, Nintendo DS, Role Playing Games, Square Enix

The announcement that the latest entry in the Dragon Quest series would not take place on a traditional console but instead the Nintendo DS shook up Japanese fans. Famitsu magazine has polled both magazine readers and retailers to get their opinions of the shift, and Insert Credit has a detailed summary of the overall reaction. In the Famitsu poll, 40.3% of readers asked were excited by the idea of having Dragon Quest XI on the handheld, but 46% had a negative opinion. Even more reacted negatively to the action-based battle changes in the RPG. Retailers were more on the positive side; this might be a reflection of the mainstream opinion, and not the hard core. Insert Credit also details the specific comments from magazine readers, and the span of opinions is interesting. Despite the negative reaction from fans, though, Dragon Quest XI is still likely to be a huge seller in Japan.

Read More | Insert Credit

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Square Offers New Final Fantasy XII DS Trailer

Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Nintendo DS, Role Playing Games, Square Enix, Trailers

Square-Enix has placed a new trailer for Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings for the DS online. There is a small streaming version on the main page of their Revenant Wings site, but inside the trailers section is a larger streaming video. The trailer includes a fair amount of pre-rendered footage, but gamers can also get a glimpse at some of the in-game video, including combat sequences. The trailer was shown previously at the Jump Festa 2007 event in Japan.

Read More | Square Enix Japan

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PopCap teams with Square-Enix to Deliver Casual Games to Japan

Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Casual, Corporate News, Internet, PC, Portable/Mobile, Square Enix

Talk about strange bedfellows… Who would’ve thought that one of the most tightly-lipped, hardcore RPG game producers would ever team up with a relatively open-sourced semi-indie casual game developer? Well, that’s exactly what’s happened thanks to a new agreement between Square-Enix and PopCap. Through the agreement, classic PopCap titles including Bejeweled 2, Chuzzle, Insaniquarium and Heavy Weapon will hit the Japanese shores via Square-Enix’s web portal.

Evidently, PopCap feels it needs a Japanese presence to truly penetrate the market. Although with the brisk sales of many recent DS titles, it’s evident that the Japanese have a taste for simple casual games.

Read More | GamesIndustry.biz

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