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Final Fantasy XIII, Dissidia rock Square Enix Party

By Ricardo Torres, Tor Thorsen

PS3 RPG, PSP Final Fantasy VII spin-offs dominate presentation at publisher's massive Tokyo expo; new Kingdom Hearts revealed.

MAKUHARI--Today in Tokyo, more than 38,000 gamers rushed the Makarhari Messe convention center to attend the Square Enix Party 2007. As the name implies, the festive two-day event is being held by the titular Japanese publisher to show off its latest slate of games. As the paying public swarmed outside, around 300 members of the international gaming press packed into the grandiosely named Closed Mega Theater for a special, closely supervised preview of Final Fantasy titles.

Once the throng settled and the obligatory warning against video recording was issued, the lights dimmed, and the first trailer began to unspool. With the sonorous strains of harp music playing in the background, the title "Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Exclusive Project" appeared on the screen. Then a trailer for the new PSP game Dissidia: Final Fantasy began, showing Final Fantasy I characters and FFIX's Zidane duking it out with foes such as FFVII's Sephiroth, Super Smash Bros. style. The game currently has no release date in Japan, let alone elsewhere.

After a brief plug for Square Enix's various mobile endeavors, the next trailer was for the new DS game It's a Wonderful World. Sporting stylized, hand-drawn graphics, it appeared to be some sort of 2D side-scroller targeted at the Japanese market. No US or European release plans were announced, but GameSpot did preview the title at last year's Tokyo Game Show.

Following another mobile game presentation, a montage of Kingdom Hearts titles was shown off. However, the flurry of snippets was merely a teaser for a new installment in the franchise, which will be unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show this September.

After the logo for Fabula Nova Crystallis--the overarching name for all Final Fantasy XII games--flashed on the screen, a new trailer for Final Fantasy XIII began. The trailer featured a woman named Lightning as she dispatched a series of opponents without breaking a virtual sweat. Afterward, her companion (a blond man on a motorcycle)summoned a spirit (who looked like a biomechanical version of the Indian deity Shiva)from a crystal, before the trailer ended with a giant PlayStation 3 logo.

Then came a trailer for Final Fantasy Versus XIII, the PS3 action game set in the FFXIII universe. It showed a hero, sporting one of the series' trademark ornate coifs, cutting through a throng of soldiers with a gigantic sword, aided by some complex martial arts moves. To the strains of melancholy music, he teleported among his opponents, avoiding rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire. As he finally emerged in a throne room to face off against a new opponent, the screen faded to the Final Fantasy Versus XIII logo.

Next was a snippet of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete, a new, expanded version of the popular computer-animated film. Quelle surprise, the film will be released on Blu-ray Disc, the PS3's proprietary format, later this year in Japan. No US release date was given for the movie.

After two brief trailers for Before Crisis Final Fantasy VII and Dirge of Cerebus for mobile phones, a preview of Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core for the PSP began. The game's highly detailed graphics, which are near the quality of the original Kingdom Hearts and appear superior to Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, mingled with some cinematics. Several characters of note appeared: the villain Sephiroth, the famously dead heroine Aeris (who is still alive in the prequel), and the spiky-haired hero Cloud. The game is due out on September 13 in Japan, with no US release date yet announced.

Check back over the weekend for more news and previews from GameSpot's coverage of the Square Enix Party 2007.

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Koruptshin 5 pts

i think was a mistake releasing last remnant but they're bouncing back

kairikh 9 pts

Square will always own...wish they had a square party in North America...

lol-patrol 5 pts

square are producing great games. I think its a great idea that the gameplay is changing, for good or bad, because if you look throughout ff history the gameplay is only improving. for instance, ff12 produced the best rpg gaming in a long time, who knows, the gameplay for dissidia could turn out to be fantastic, or may end up evolving into somthing greater in later years.

CSZ18 5 pts

cuz its time to move on in the gaming world

cas11123 5 pts

"so when is squareENIX finally bringing an crazy japan oldskool styled RPG, instead of those fancy new styled normal human like uninteresting RPG things playing in some stupid future.. where is that feeling of FF6, 7 & 9.. or even better Chrono Trigger & Cross.. Those games where deep, emotional and had a proper feeling.." Well if you want that then maybe you should ask Square to sell their license to EA. What makes Final Fantasy so great is that it's always evolving. Personally, I found FF12 was one of the best yet in terms of gameplay. I'm sure if Square kept the gameplay the same every time you would be complaining about how they're just releasing the same game with a different plot. For better or worse, at least they're trying to improve upon an already great series... maybe not every interation is pure gold, but they're not bad either. As for the "proper feel" of the old games, I think that has to do with the way they were told then as opposed to now. We didn't really have voice acting and fancy movies (at least for 6) cause the games were limited by the technology of the day. If those games were to be remade now, the feeling would be dramatically different from the old game, even though it's the same story.

RenoTurks 5 pts

It's true that Square might of been better if they didn't join together but they're still dishing out great games Sqaure Enix is still one of the best RPG developers around

Duttygyaal 5 pts

Yes! Squall is back and alive, people. Hater should just shut up. Cloud and Sephiroth already had their overused time in the spotlight. It's time for other heroes to get their chance.

Heaven_Moon 5 pts

haiz.....i only have PS 2,why didn't they make it for PS 2. By the way , how many final fantasy characters inside??? I saw Sephiroth,Zidane and Kuja. Others no idea XD

Spongeskeeter 5 pts

I agree with DaMastaGangsta. This is something I felt a long time ago, but Square-enix really lost their edge after the 2 companies merged. If they hadn't merged, Enix and Square would've been at tight compettition and the games would've been much better, not the money making dissapointments that came out recently. I'm a die-hard RPG fan, so I guess I'll always buy Square-enix's games, but I really am tired of being dissapointed every time.

snake2075 5 pts

does anybody plan on getting this game? i personally this would be pretty cool. and to the other 3 comments before me squall isnt the best but he still is pretty cool. and i see what you mean. ff8 was more realistic than other final fantasies. but you forgot 10. 10 was probably one of them that had a good story. Excellent story.

Donnyp 5 pts

Squalls an emo punk who shouldnt have been a main Character. Zell was in love with Seifer and Squall was in love with himself

jimmyhat999 5 pts

BRING BACK SQUALL BEST CHARACTER EVER!!!!

DaMastaGangsta 5 pts

so when is squareENIX finally bringing an crazy japan oldskool styled RPG, instead of those fancy new styled normal human like uninteresting RPG things playing in some stupid future.. where is that feeling of FF6, 7 & 9.. or even better Chrono Trigger & Cross.. Those games where deep, emotional and had a proper feeling.. I dont really think this new FF13 is going to be that interesting.. of course it will look very very next gen, costs lots and lots of money, has fancy attack moves etc. etc. That might make it a pretty good fit in its time, but doenst make it legendary or memorable.. I think Square really lost it, since they melted with Enix.. shame :(

dark-liger 5 pts

kingdom hearts will look great on ps3

GameProXtreme 5 pts

SquareEnix already has a game out on the 360 called project sylpheed or something. its a space fighter game or something with star ocean 3 graphics its actually not bad if your into airplane games.

BlueyesCyclone 5 pts

Final Fantasy 13 is now only coming out on the ps3

echowind01 5 pts

WOw sounds great but what could they possibly add to the new FF7AD movie im not complaining though heheh just a question?

Valmier 5 pts

I'm still hopeing for a multiplatform Final Fantasy. Square won't get anywhere sticking with the PS3: they would just go down with it. And what's with the spoiler about Aeris?!?! Some people still haven't played that game, and, coming from a devoted and crazed fan, that is one thing people SHOULD NOT find out about until it happens. Grr.

Kasume58 5 pts

since this game will be on ps3 does anyone know if you could still play it on ps2???

BlackBaldwin 22 pts

I'm not too sure about the whole ps3 domination thing I keep hearing in the psp forums but I'm interested in seeing how this year and next year turns out. I have a x360 and a psp I've been waiting forever for the darn psp to get decent content but since I bought the thing the first day it came out I've been pretty disappointed in the quality of rpg games that have came out for it. Hopefully square enix will through togather a decent one here soon but I'm still saying the 300 bucks I spent on the thing was a waste....

jamshyd9 5 pts

Aerith DIES!?!? OMG!!!1one =D (on a more relevant note: I look forward to that Dissidia thingy...)

breyva 5 pts

Square-Enix is the greatest games company! hands down! you all agree with me right! :)

jamvng 5 pts

yea and all those games darkpoet25 mentioned have sick graphics. have you seen the HD Game Trailer for Heavenly Sword?!?!? go to gametrailers.com and download it, it looks soo SIICCCKKK

darkpoet25 5 pts

Oh yes, Final Fantasy XIII looks damn impressive. People can say what they want to about the PS3, but we're getting some incredible games this year. Killzone 2, Warhawk, MGS4, Lair, Heavenly Sword. Glad I didn't buy a 360. Lol.

rocky2k32000 5 pts

hahaha i love people whining about square enix being stupid to support their beloved playstation. FF is for ps3! deal with it! 360 will get remnant (no pun intended but the name sounds like it is literally) which all others will have. and FF XIII will be a console seller! people say no one will buy a ps3 for just one game! hahaha! LOL! FF XIII is probably coming by late or mid 2008! some of ps3's big guns would be out by then! people will be playing war-hawk, heavenly sword, killzone 2, lair, uncharted, ratchet and clank! and being in their HOME playing LBP with much glee while waiting for FF XIII ! christmas of 2007 would have passed being glorified with mgs 4 which will land latest early next year! wether you like it or not way more people will have the ps3 by the time square's sweet games hit the spot! and they will sell! boohoo no 360 love for now! deal with it! FF XIII = PS 3 FF VII movie advanced = BLU-RAY FF VII titles = PSP. the ps3 will have made its full impact by the time FF XIII hits. and will still sell wether people like it or not!

mingfu 5 pts

Crisis Core and Kingdom hearts are the best!!!!!!!!!

Krunkcity3000 5 pts

StOcKoHeArTs I think KH3 will be PS3 exclusive because the movies at the end are graphic glory and wii could not handle it But PS3 could ========================================================= So you're saying that the WII a system with 480p capabilities can't handle graphics that were a cutscene on a PS2 ,which also allows progressive scan? Wow.

Krunkcity3000 5 pts

People when will you learn? Every April there is a day that kicks off the month called APRIL FOOLS. On this April Fools one magazine had an article about MUSHROOM KINGDOMS. A game featuring Mario and KH universes. Is it a coincidence this news came out on April Fools day? Kinda like the news that Sonic and Tails were secret characters in Smash Brothers. Or that AKUMA was a hidden character in Resident Evil 2.

jordan1985221 5 pts

I hope this is better than Ehrgeiz

kavadias1981 5 pts

Excellent. Good stuff. I look forward to buying the PS3 (when it's price slashes by 50%)

Renzoku 5 pts

Damn. I knew Square could make me wish I have a PS3 *whips himself on the back*

drangel_jam 5 pts

Square Enix is releasing AC on the BR format only. Talking about siding with Japanese first and foremost.

TheoleDominion1 5 pts

Why are you idiots arguing? If you own all three systems it doesn't matter who has the most exclusives. 25$ a week will get you a PS3 a little over 6mths ( just in time for more quality games to come out for Sony) The other systems are cheaper and would take less time. This bickering back and forth accomplishes nothing. Be a gamer not a moron. Jeez.. I feel like I'm in a room with a bunch of children..oh wait a minute....maybe I am...lol.

Jehuty599 8 pts

[This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

StOcKoHeArTs 5 pts

i hope KH3 or whatever goes toPS3 so i won't have to buy a wii to play it (i proabley get a wii anyway they look kool.)

StOcKoHeArTs 5 pts

I think KH3 will be PS3 exclusive because the movies at the end are graphic glory and wii could not handle it But PS3 could :)

F1sTDaCuffS 5 pts

ewwww. another wierd asia game. i really dont get all the dressing up stuff.

runstalker 5 pts

I suppose at this point Blu-ray Disc will be the one that ends up winning. More installed, more support, slightly superior tech. Not a bad deal for early PS3 owners.

Rect_Pola 8 pts

To happyyoi: Nice try! Everybody knows the April issues of EGM have an April Fools' joke.

Blarg81 5 pts

happyyoi, you're kidding right? You know that was a (poor) April Fool's joke by EGM right? Funny as hell, but one of the most obvious ones they've ever done.. Oh, and the next KH won't be KHIII. That's been stated everywhere. It's a spin-off or a side-story. KH III is still coming, no one knows when though. Nomura himself has said this many a time...

DrCLos 7 pts

I know some of you think Final Fantasy belongs on the Sony platforms but older peeps like me remember when Square and Nintendo were bed buddies until FF7 got moved to the PS1. I would love to see the games come out on the 360 too :)

happyyoi 5 pts

The next Hearts game will be called Mushroom Kingdom Hearts, it will feature Mario and Mickey. I am not making this up!

hiimfletcher 5 pts

idk y u guys r bashing the 360 so much, i mean, i thought blue dragon sales were up in japan? i heard they were into that 360 exclusive over there, haha

sascha23 5 pts

Sony and Microsoft need to mesh their two systems into one $1,000 mega-gaming-machine! It would save some space in my living room. Not to mention, I want to feed all my games and HD films into one drive. Ah, how lazy we have become! :)

ex-paranoia 5 pts

Kingdom Hearts will most likely be Playstation 3 exclusive, and Sony's once again. Why? Disney is not only a big name related to the game, but they're also backing up Bluray discs.

happyyoi 5 pts

Believe it or not the next Kingdom hearts game is a Wii exclusive!

Boy_Man07 5 pts

i just can't wait for the new Kingdom Hearts! i hope (and i am almost sure) it will be for PS3, since the other two KH were for Sony's system(PS2).so, now, it will be for PS3! FFXIII and FFXIII Versus got me excited too!

EmperorSupreme 6 pts

That's a nice surprise to hear about Advent Children coming to Blu-ray

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