Dawn of Mana

PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system

Dawn of Mana
Dawn of Mana™, the first true Mana sequel in a decade, reveals the origins of the legend behind the Mana Tree and the Sword of Mana™. Breaking the series' 2D mold, Dawn of Mana brings the world of Mana to three-dimensional life while preserving the atmosphere that fans have come to know and love. Players can see for themselves how vividly characters and monsters move about these new yet familiar surroundings. This installment of the Mana is a true action-adventure, with sweeping plains and mountains stretching as far as the eye can see. It's a world ripe for adventure!

A World of Sensation
"Touch" is the theme of Dawn of Mana's world. You can virtually feel realistically rendered, lifelike objects.
The release date for Dawn of Mana will be announced at a later time. Dawn of Mana has not yet been rated by the ESRB. This title has not yet been concept approved by Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Dirge Of Cerberus -FINAL FANTASY VII-

DIRGE OF CERBERUS -FINAL FANTASY VII-

Three years after the events of FINAL FANTASY® VII, an unknown group of seemingly unstoppable soldiers appears, bringing a swift and bitter end to the peace enjoyed by the people of the world. The members of this enigmatic group are the ones who were trapped under the ruins of Midgar for three long years—the Deepground soldiers. Vincent Valentine finds himself pursued by several elite members of the mysterious Deepground organization. An unrelenting chain of events leads Vincent to the truth behind his past—and forces him once again to be the key player in a battle for the planet itself and all those living on it.

Just what is the connection between Vincent's past and the recent attacks? When the world is engulfed in darkness, his gun will toll a dreadful dirge...

DIRGE of CERBERUS™ will be released Summer 2006. The ship date will be announced at a later time. This title is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB.

Final Fantasy XII

FINAL FANTASY XII

As war looms on the horizon, the mighty Archadian Empire begins a campaign to subjugate its neighbors. The small kingdom of Dalmasca shares their fate, and it is here that our tale begins.

Two years after the fall of Dalmasca, the citizens are without guidance and direction. In the capital city of Rabanastre, the denizens gather and await the introduction of Archadia's new consul. To Vaan, a young man living on the streets of Rabanastre, the Empire is a hated enemy who took the life of his brother, the only family he had left. In an effort to exact revenge, Vaan hatches a plot to break into the palace and steal from the occupying imperials. There, he gets more than he bargained for as he runs into Princess Ashe, the sole surviving heir to the Dalmascan throne. Together, the two will embark on an incredible journey through Ivalice, tracing the mysteries behind the Archadian Empire's invasion. The choices they make will determine the very fate of the world.


Active Dimension Battle
The Active Dimension Battle (ADB) system enables players to move seamlessly between exploration and combat. Jarring random battles and their load times are a thing of the past, keeping you in the world from start to finish.



An All-New Combat System
Characters act according to an intricate "gambit" system of actions and reactions that you determine. As they fight, characters earn license points that can be spent to broaden their knowledge of magic, arms and armor.

FINAL FANTASY XII will be released Fall 2006. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria

VALKYRIE PROFILE 2: SILMERIA

Hundreds of years before Lenneth's tale, another saga lies concealed by the gods. The valkyrie Silmeria once served Odin loyally, but after an incident ignited a conflict between them, Odin forcefully reincarnated her as a human. The human soul that would carry her spirit was that of Alicia, Princess of Dipan. Ordinarily, Silmeria's consciousness would have been sealed, her spirit dormant until she was next summoned... However, the forced transmigration causes Silmeria's spirit to awaken within Alicia, leaving two souls to inhabit a single body. The spirit that should have been sealed has awakened—a situation Odin will not ignore for long.

Photon Action System

This installment introduces the new Photon Action System to the classic side-scrolling action format found in the original. Projecting photons grants players more freedom to explore and expands the action, resulting in challenging puzzles with clever solutions. Add to that "sealstones" that affect the laws of nature in dungeons, launching strategy to new heights.

Advanced Tactical Combination

The unique, highly acclaimed battle system of the previous game has evolved into the Advanced Tactical Combination Battle System. Feel the exhilaration of accelerated battles raging across 3D environments for more spectacular and more strategic combat than ever before!

VALKYRIE PROFILE® 2: SILMERIA will be released 2006. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB. This title has not yet been concept approved by Sony Computer Entertainment America

FF XI: Treasures of Aht Urgan (Online)

Online

FINAL FANTASY XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan

The once sleepy port town of Mhaura has become the center of unprecedented commotion. The cause of this disturbance can be attributed to the arrival of mercenary recruiters from the Aht Urhgan Empire, a land far to the east of Windurst. Starting in the city of the Tarutaru, they have been touting the benefits of their Empire-sanctioned business throughout Vana'diel® in an effort to garner the interest of prospective candidates, and also seek to organize a ferry route from Mhaura to the Imperial capital of Al Zahbi. The majority of the conservative townspeople frowns upon the insistence of their foreign visitors. However, the large number of action-starved Mithran mercenaries is putting pressure on the governor, who is gradually losing her resolve to refuse entry to the Empire's ships.


Why is the Empress so desperate to recruit mercenaries? What trouble is brewing in the Near Eastern land of Aht Urhgan? The road to epic new adventures will soon be revealed...


FINAL FANTASY XI and the brand new third expansion, Treasures of Aht Urhgan™ are available now on PlayStation 2, Windows® and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. This title is rated "T" for Teen. For more information on FINAL FANTASY XI and all of its expansions please visit: http://www.playonline.com/ff11us.

FF V & FF VI Advance

Handheld

Game Boy® Advance

FINAL FANTASY V ADVANCE & FINAL FANTASY VI ADVANCE
The classic FINAL FANTASY games that premiered on the Super Nintendo® Entertainment System are now making their way to the Game Boy Advance! Hot on the heels of FINAL FANTASY IV ADVANCE (now available in stores), FINAL FANTASY V ADVANCE and FINAL FANTASY VI ADVANCE will soon be available to handheld gamers. However, these titles are more than simple ports—every aspect of the games has been reviewed and enhanced. Additionally, a host of brand-new elements have been seamlessly merged with the original games, providing unexpected surprises for longtime fans. With new dungeons, new job classes, and other exciting features, both old-school players and newcomers can enjoy these genre-defining FINAL FANTASY titles in a portable format!

The magic of the FINAL FANTASY classics is returning to gamers' hands—and soon the wait will be over.

FINAL FANTASY V ADVANCE & FINAL FANTASY VI ADVANCE will both be released 2006. These titles have not yet been rated by the ESRB.

Note: This news was taken from my favourite website, square enix ( North America).

Nintendo DS System

Nintendo DS™ System

Children of Mana
In ages past, an island called Illusia floated at the center of the world. At the heart of the island towered an ancient, enormous tree that stretched up to the very heavens. For ages past, chaos and sorrow had engulfed the world until at last its salvation appeared in the form of a boy, a girl, and a holy sword.

Time flowed on and peace returned. The sword and the tree remained, and they soon came to be known as the Sword of Mana and the Mana Tree. Followers of the Mana Tree returned to Illusia as the world started slowly but surely down the path to recovery.

More Magic with the Eight Spirits
The eight elemental spirits are a staple of the Mana series. These powerful allies aid you with healing and special status effects. They can also unleash fearsome magic upon your foes.

Cooperative or Competitive Gameplay for Up to Four Players
The greatest innovation of this installment of the Mana series is allowing four players to advance the story and solve quests together while maintaining the feel of an action RPG. Players' actions affect each other in a gameplay experience completely unlike previous action RPGS!

Children of Mana™ will be released 2006. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

p/s The news was taken from square enix (North America).

Dragon Quest Heroes

DRAGON QUEST HEROES: ROCKET SLIME

The latest game from the creative minds behind the 2005 RPG classic, Dragon Quest™ VIII: Journey of the Cursed King™, has arrived on the Nintendo DS. The hero of this brand-new action-adventure is a slime—one of the most popular monsters from the Dragon Quest series. The game is set in the kingdom of Slimenia, a peaceful land that is suddenly invaded by a mysterious cartel called "the Plob," who then proceed to kidnap all the slimes in the capital city of Boingburg. Our protagonist, Rocket, is the only slime left behind, and must embark on a journey throughout Slimenia to save his friends and uncover the Plob's nefarious plot!

Bounce, Stretch, and Carry
The adventure stages consist of our hero bouncing and stretching, as well as carrying various objects on his head, while solving the mysteries behind each area, and rescuing his captured slime friends along the way. Simple, streamlined controls allow players of all ages and skill levels to take part in the action with ease.

Fierce Tank Battles
Each adventure stage culminates in Rocket hopping aboard a colossal slime-shaped war machine called the Schleiman Tank and battling it out with the enemy's Monster Tanks. Customize tanks by collecting a vast array of weapons and items. Call upon allies, each with their own individual personality and abilities, to aid in the heated tank battles. Even shoot your fellow slimes so they can infiltrate and sabotage the enemy's Monster Tank! Pit tanks against a friend's in exciting player-vs.-player action, using the Nintendo DS wireless multiplayer game feature!

DRAGON QUEST HEROES: ROCKET SLIME™ will be released 2006. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

This news was taken from square enix (North American).

Final Fantasy III

FINAL FANTASY III

The only FINAL FANTASY that was never localized—the third installment of the original series—will finally reach North American shores! Lauded as "legendary" by the Japanese fan base, FINAL FANTASY III has been reborn, incorporating the latest in portable gaming technology. Using the features of the Nintendo DS to their fullest, FINAL FANTASY III features graphics that have been reworked and remodeled in 3D, while maintaining the mythical FINAL FANTASY look and feel.

This is the fans' chance to complete the circle. The legend of FINAL FANTASY III is reborn.

FINAL FANTASY III will be released 2006. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

Note: This news was taken from square enix (North America)

Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth

PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system

VALKYRIE PROFILE: LENNETH

Asgard, the realm of the gods, remains locked in an eternal struggle between the benevolent Aesir and the demonic Vanir. With the end of the world approaching, Odin, Lord of Asgard, summons Lenneth Valkyrie to his side. Possessing the ability to hear the thoughts and feelings of men and women in their dying moments, he charges Valkyrie to search Midgard, the world of mortals, to recruit and train the souls of worthy warriors to join the ranks of the Aesir in the Sacred War. VALKYRIE PROFILE®: LENNETH brings the classic PlayStation® game console title, originally released in 2000, to the PSP system with completely new CG cut scenes. tri-Ace, the developers behind the acclaimed Star Ocean® series and Radiata Stories™, introduce new fans to the spectacular combo attacks, unique side-scrolling environment, and gripping storyline that first captivated players six years ago.

Additional CG Cutscenes
To give players a deeper understanding of the plot and to complement the game's dramatic storyline, additional CG cutscenes have been incorporated. Some of these new scenes contain links to the story of VALKYRIE PROFILE 2: SILMERIA.

VALKYRIE PROFILE: LENNETH will be released 2006. This title has been rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB.

Mobile Square Enix

Mobile - Square Enix

BEFORE CRISIS -FINAL FANTASY VII-

The Shinra Company achieved the pinnacle of success by monopolizing Mako energy and gaining unstoppable political power. It came at a price though. Many had fallen victim during Shinra's rise to the top, and those with great hatred for the company were far from few. The rebel group Avalanche was formed with the intent of eradicating the Shinra Company and all those within its greedy corporate circles. With its very existence in danger, Shinra was forced to take secret measures. The company entrusted everything to its elite unit: the Turks.

BEFORE CRISIS™ -FINAL FANTASY VII- allows players to take on the role of a new recruit in Shinra's elite Turks unit and conduct various missions and operations. Utilizing the mobile network, multiple players are able to simultaneously participate in real-time combat. Several other features possible only on mobile phones are also included, creating an exciting new experience.

BEFORE CRISIS -FINAL FANTASY VII- will launch 2006. North American compatible handsets TBA.

Final Fantasy I back!!!

FINAL FANTASY I

Since ages long past, the legend of the Light has been handed down from generation to generation. The legend tells that the world would remain safe so long as the Crystals maintain their brilliance. Should they lose their light, the skies will blacken, the land wither, and the seas rage. In this hour, four warriors would appear—they are the Warriors of Light. Originally released in 1987, FINAL FANTASY's enthralling story and extraordinary graphics spawned a series now numbering twelve core titles. FINAL FANTASY retains its original charm while making the evolution to convenient play on mobile phones.

FINAL FANTASY I will launch 2006. North American compatible handsets TBA.

Square Enix announce E3 plans

Square-Enix announces E3 Plans

Square-Enix has announced their preliminary E3 lineup, expect it to grow in the coming weeks. Along with the announcement, we have the first English screenshots of Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII- and Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-. Crisis Core has yet to be added to the list, but should be added in the future.

Dirge of Cerberus is scheduled for North American release in Summer 2006 and will be rated "T" for Teen.

Before Crisis will also launch in North America in 2006, however compatible handsets are TBA.

For further information on these and other interesting titles, check the official websites and press release below. Keep with the Compilation Network for all the latest news and developments.

http://na.square-enix.com/e306/
http://www.square-enix.com/

Good news!!!

Advent Children Reaches #1 on Amazon.com

Further to our report a couple of days ago, Advent Children has now reached #1 on Amazon.com's DVD Best sellers. And just for the record, as the page does change every hour, here is a screenshot that we managed to grab.

FFVII (AC) UK Commercials

Advent Children UK Commercials Begin

Television commercials for Advent Children have now started screening in the UK. So far the commercials have only been spotted on the UK cable network Sky. So if you are in the UK, keep an eye out for these! Thanks to forum member Cloti for letting us know this.

AC reaches #2 !

AC Reaches #2 on Amazon.com Bestsellers

Advent Children has recently reached #2 on Amazon.com's DVD best seller list. Second only to the DVD release of Brokeback Mountain, this certainly indicates the popularity of the movie. If you haven't already pre-ordered your copy, head over to Amazon.com and order it now!

Advent Children 3

Kicking off the second disc is a collection of deleted scenes—eleven in total. The quality of the transfer is a little less tidy on these offerings and none of them are offered with dubbing, music or (for the most part) sound effects. Each of the eleven scenes is also fairly short. It would also be a little more accurate to call them deleted and lengthened scenes, as some of them are simply extended looks at scenes from the film. In conclusion, it's nice they're included, but it's unlikely anyone will pore over them again and again, as they go by too fast and leave you wanting. In fact, if all the "deleted scenes" had been left in, the movie would only have been perhaps two minutes longer.

The Venice Film Festival footage is a lot more interesting, as it was what was screened at the event, and shows the film in a bit rougher state. If you've just seen the film, it's interesting to watch this feature to compare, but taken out of context, it plays a lot like simply watching the movie.

Distance: The Making of Advent Children, is easily the best of all the features. In lieu of a commentary track, this is the only bridge between fans and the creation of this beautiful work. The narration is in Japanese (with English subtitles, if you please) and it tells the story of how the game came about and why it spawned a film such as this. It features interviews with the creators, most notably Director Testuo Nomura. The thing that comes through most in all of the interviews is the passion that each of the creators has not only for the series but for the story of VII; staying true to it and moving forward.

At first, it is heavy on the conceptual elements: story, characters, and themes. From there, it moves into the production of the actual film. Here's where technophiles will get to see the various stages of the CGI filmmaking process. Overall, the feature is a great balance of technical and artistic, and gives a good sense of how everyone involved feels about their contribution to the process and the final result.

Moving on, the various AC trailers are a nice addition, as they show the progression of the film. There are eight total, and a couple from E3 2004 and 2005. Serious fans will want to check them out and reminisce. This movie's been a long time coming, and looking back at the anticipation caused by each of the trailers is fun.

The Sneak Peek at Upcoming Final Fantasy VII Games delves into the following:

• Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
  
• Before Crisis
  
• Crisis Core
  
• Dirge of Cerberus
  
• Advent Children

Before Crisis is a cell phone game, and the trailer here is essentially clips of screens and videos that reveals the look and feel of the game, as well as the fact that it covers the six years leading up to Final Fantasy VII.

Crisis Core is the upcoming PSP game, and it is introduced here through a cell-animated trailer that recalls moments from the series. There is no gameplay footage in the sneak peek, much to our disappointment.

Dirge of Cerberus is the direct successor (time-wise) to the AC movie, a shooter for the PlayStation 2. This sneak peek showcases some of the CG sequences in the game before moving into a bunch of in-game footage. Finally, Advent Children is a teaser for the movie you just bought.

It's a mite disappointing that no commentary exists on this otherwise stellar set, and the relative brevity of the deleted scenes is unfortunate. However, the Making Of and videogame sneak peeks should make up for any qualms fans might have with the set.

The news was taken from http://dvd.ign.com/

Finish...

Advent Children 2

The Video

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is a gorgeous film, far surpassing any cut scene ever seen in a Square Enix game, and obliterating the standard set by the theatrically-released Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.

The environments are imaginative and beautifully-wrought, the characters are adeptly animated, and the fabric and hair work is some of the best we've seen from CG-animated fare. Perhaps the greatest compliment you can pay the artists who slaved so diligently over the film is that often you completely forget you're watching an animated creation.

Luckily, the transfer is up to the task of bringing the intricate detail to the disc. In fact, it's fully possible that this will be the prettiest DVD in your collection. Much of the film takes place in a grayish world (especially the middle third), but when it breaks out of this, the colors are brilliant. Even in the dark scenes, everything is well-balanced. Blacks maintain a panoply of shades even in low-light settings.

There are a few moments when characters pass by the "camera" closely, and there are some artifacts in these moments, but nothing to sneeze at. Ultimately, the video is pretty amazing; just what you'd hope for from a work of art that was born digitally and transferred digitally. The disc is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen in order to capture every unbelievable frame of detail.

Languages and Audio

Let's get all of the technical stuff out of the way first: this disc is offered in English and Japanese 5.1 and subtitled in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Thai, Mandarin (Traditional) and Chinese.

Hardcore otaku will likely want to listen to the Japanese track and read the English subtitles, but those who choose to listen to the English voices will not be disappointed. Across the board, the English voicing is spot-on, with standout performances by Steve Burton as Cloud, George Newbern as Sephiroth and Rachael Leigh Cook as Tifa Lockhart. The Japanese vocal work is also brilliant, should you choose to listen to it, but if you read the subtitles, you'll get a slightly different version of the events (as is usually the case).

Beyond voicing, the mix on the disc is brilliant. There are tons of battle sequences to keep your stereo happy, and all of them have generous amounts of directional sound, driving music and plenty of low-end whoomp. Nothing ever gets drowned out, though. The voices are always in the fore, but when it's time for ass-kicking to begin, the music ramps up beautifully to fill in the gaps. Although there are numerous battle sequences throughout, the most climactic (which I won't reveal to avoid spoilers) makes ultimate use of all the channels, rivaling some of the biggest fight sequences in Hollywood action movies (think Matrix Reloaded-style treatment). It cannot be overstated just how well-done overall the audio portion of this disc is.


The Extras

Final Fantasy fans should delight in the number of extras available on this two-disc special edition. Disc One contains the Reminiscence of Final Fantasy VII.

Disc Two has the following goodies:

• The Distance: Making of Featurette.
  
• Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Venice Film Festival footage.
  
• Sneak Peek of Upcoming Final Fantasy VII games.
  
• Final Fantasy VII Advent Children trailers.
  
• Deleted scenes.

The Disc One Reminiscence of Final Fantasy VII segment is a handy refresher course for anyone who has not played the PlayStation game, or who hasn't played it for quite some time. It is an amalgamation of the essential moments and cut scenes from the Final Fantasy game. It shows off a couple of things: how closely the opening of the film mimics some of the cinematics in VII and just how polygonal PlayStation graphics now appear. Watch this feature after the movie and you'll really get a sense of it. The presence of the Reminiscence in this set is absolutely necessary for those who want to brush up on the story. The presentation isn't amazing, but it gets the job done.

This news was taken from http://dvd.ign.com/

To be continued...

Advent Children

Final Fantasy VII Advent Children

April 17, 2006 - The way you approach Final Fantasy VII Advent Children will have a lot to do with your history as a gamer, and more specifically, your history with the Final Fantasy series. There is no way around it: Final Fantasy VII Advent Children is fan service. Glorious, beautiful, well-executed fan service. Those who enjoyed Final Fantasy VII and wanted to see the story continue get their wish with this film and an upcoming gaggle of games that transport enthusiasts back to the land of their dreams. Everyone else, do a bit of homework on the back story, then sit back and enjoy one of the most visually engaging CGI movies ever.

Advent Children has already been out for some time in Japan as a DVD and UMD (the film didn't see theatrical release as Spirits Within did) and there was considerable confusion over when it was going to make it to the States. Whatever the delay was about, the end result is a two-disc set that is technically brilliant and offers fans an adequate (but not complete) set of extras to round out the package.

The Movie

The story of Advent Children picks up two years after the story of Final Fantasy VII (the videogame ) ends. Midgar lays in ruins and now a sickness is creeping through the land. Of course, this means that heroes will be called back to action—heroes who carry enormous swords, ride the coolest motorcycles on the planet and sport some serious hair.

Of course, I'm talking about Cloud and Tifa et al. Their characters can be summed up thusly: Cloud is an effeminate but super-powerful warrior who dresses in vests adorned with lion hardware that matches his earrings. Tifa is also of the ass-kicking school, but she is a brunette who wears leather outfits. They assemble a rag-tag group of helpers along the way, all of whom will be recognizable by fans of the FF lore.

They are all dead-set against bad guy Sephiroth, another ridiculously good-looking guy from the Trent Reznor school of thought—even though he's rich and beautiful and powerful, he has a monster chip on his shoulder and the world is gonna pay for that. Isn't that always how it is with the evil divas?

The main story of the movie plays out like a series of machinations that seek to get the good guys in fights with the bad guys. There is meaningful dialogue along the way if you know the characters, but for those coming to the series cold, there is little hope that you will feel for the events unfolding on the screen.

The plot itself is also somewhat impenetrable. Again, like the videogame, it seems like sometimes the exposition and "story" is just a way to get to the next battle. Luckily, getting to the next battle is always a glorious thing. In fact, Advent Children's fight sequences rival a lot of large-scale action sequences that Hollywood cranks out on the live action front.

From beginning to end, the visuals are amazing to behold. Fans of the game will see some familiar cut scenes woven into the action (especially in the very beginning), but for people who have never been exposed to the videogame, there is still a lot of beauty to behold. The imagined world is lush with the detail of both beauty and decay. The characters are amazing looking and animated to an eerie level of realism. It seems the animators want us to see their characters pull on gloves as many times as possible just to freak us out with how close CG is getting to the real thing.

Beyond that, the acting by both the Japanese and English vocalists is impressive. Often, animated films that are brought to the US are bogged down by too many stars, but this production features only a couple; a great impulse. The English language track has nary a weak link, and that is seldom the case with animated dubs.

Ultimately, it's nice to see a CG movie that doesn't rely exclusively on talking animals and wacky punch lines to entertain. There is definitely a market for more adult CG animated fare, and Advent Children makes a good case for this. In fact, in terms of direct-to-DVD releases (and considering all I'm about to say in the remainder of this review), this could well be one of the best direct-to-DVD releases ever.
This news was taken from http://dvd.ign.com/
To be continued...

Cloud's picture

Here's for Reno

Premiere Arrival and After Party Photos

Premiere Arrival and After Party Photos

IMDB.com has updated with photos from the US Advent Children premiere last week. The photos feature the voice actors on their arrival to the event, as well as some photographs from the after party.

Voice Actor Interview Videos

Steve Burton (Voice of Cloud)

Rachel Leigh Cook (Voice of Tifa)

Quinton Flynn (Voice of Reno)

Mena Suvari (Voice of Aerith)

Joy Lauren

Fred Tatascoiore (Voice Of Loz)

Carter Jenkins

Andrea Bowen

Voice Actor Interview Videos at IGN

IGN has posted nine video interviews with the English voice cast of Advent Children. Amongst the interviews include Rachael Leigh Cook [Tifa], Mena Suvari [Aerith] and Steve Burton [Cloud].

NOTE: You can watch these interview at http://media.dvd.ign.com/media/761/761530/vids_1.html

English Clip for Advent Children (AC)

English Clip of Advent Children

SonyPictures.com has updated there website yet again, now including a link to the "Fantasy Pack Sweepstakes", a contest open to US residents, as well as a PSP Browser Site.

Included on the PSP Browser Site are PSP wallpapers, a flipbook, and most importantly; an English Dubbed Clip of Advent Children. While the clips can be downloaded via the website, the format is MPEG-4.

P/S: This picture was taken from:-
http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/finalfantasyvii/psp/index.html

Advent Children TV Commercials in US

Advent Children TV Commercials Begin in US

Commercials for Advent Children have begun airing on American television. So far the commercial has been sighted on the ABC network in the US. The commercial runs for 30 seconds and features a narration and highlights from the film.

WCM English Voice Clip

WCM English Voice Clip

Gamespot.com is now featuring an Advent Children advertisement that previews a brief clip of Cloud, Rude, and the Wheel Chaired Man. During the advertisement, you get a brief preview of what the WCM sounds like.

To view clip, you need to place you mouse over the ad [says "rollover to watch"] and click the sound option, seeing as the clip is orginally muted.

Dirge Of Cerberus English Cover

Dirge of Cerberus English Promotional Cover

A Dirge of Cerberus English Promotional Cover has been spoted at local gamespot stores now, although there is no given release date in these promotional ads the manager of the store said it was to be coming at August 1st for $49.99 though they say this is a solid release date, it is still highly questionable till an official announcement.

Thanks to forum member Shinra Employee #080729 for the information and picture.

Final Fantasy XI picture

Another 3 view from Final Fantasy XI...

New Membership Info

From the 20th of April 2006, the Payment System for PlayOnline services in EU territories will be renewed. This renewal will bring more payment options and will also allow settling accounts by using EU currencies.

Registering Payment Method
Even if you do not intend to purchase a Content ID, valid payment information is required for PlayOnline registration. Please select credit card or debit card.

+Credit Card:
VISA or MasterCard are accepted (all countries).
*On the first day of each month, the following month's service fees will be automatically billed.

+Debit Card:
SOLO, SWITCH, and Carte Bleue are accepted.
SOLO and SWITCH can only be used by those residing in the U.K.
Carte Bleue can only be used by those residing in France.
*After selecting the contract period (from 1 to 3 months) when purchasing a Content ID,
the service fees will be immediately billed.
To continue using a Content ID, you will be required to apply for a Content ID contract extension.

If Your Current Payment Method Becomes Invalid:
If the payment method you have registered becomes invalid for any reason, it will become necessary to change to a different payment method. If your payment method remains invalid, you may be unable to use the PlayOnline services.

*If your fees are currently being charged in US dollars (USD), you may choose to continue paying in US dollars.
*Payment in US dollars cannot be selected in the case of a new membership.
*The ELV (bank transfer) payment method for Germany will be added in the near future. Details will be provided later.
_______________________________

Now my opinion:

>_>

Credit card has allways worked, all they are adding is Maestro cards, yea, great _renewal_, one extra option for a whole continent.

Debit cards only accepted from France and UK? Since when did France and UK became Europe? What about the rest of us.. what about the most popular, most used, all time favorite Visa Electron debit card?

And then they also give us this little table of goodness:

___________________USD___GBP__EUR
FINAL FANTASY XI____12.95__8.99 _12.95

Know what this means? That € (EURO) territory has just received a raise in price :D
Thanks for all the love square! now because i pay in Euro, i will have to pay 2 dollars more than the US :D
oh joy!

Last time i looked, 12.95 USD = 10.6346 EUR, so what the hell is this all about?
Uk also got the shaft: 12.95 USD = 7.40639 GBP

What the hell is this >_>, sure its a small raise, but still... Huh...

Double Post Edited:
I suppose ill choose to continue paying in USD, but new players... oh well.

Appraisers

Some people in Vana'diel make their living as appraisers, helping merchants and mercenaries determine the type of items they have picked up during their travels in Aht Urhgan. The Near East's powerful ocean winds, rust, or even mere age can make an item unrecognizable to the amateur eye. The finder may even simply lack the knowledge to make an accurate judgment and find himself unsure of how to use the newly discovered good. In such cases, appraisers use their experience and keen senses to ascertain what the item really is. Qiqirn can use their keen noses to sniff out information about an item, and many make excellent appraisers. The only drawback to using a Qiqirn appraiser is that they might be a little difficult to understand due to their odd accents...

Appraisers

Does the idea of finding a mysterious item on your adventures sound exciting?

For example, let’s say you find a “??? sword.”

It may look just like an ordinary sword, but it could turn out to be an incredibly powerful relic. On the other hand, what looks to be a keen blade to the untrained eye may end up disappointing its finder. So what is the sword’s true identity? Could it be a legendary item? There is only one way to find out--by visiting an appraiser in town. The development team has decided to implement this feature in order to add an increased element of anticipation to adventuring in Aht Urhgan.

The mysterious items do not stop at swords. There are “??? gloves,” “??? rings,” and many other varieties. However, you will be unable to equip these items after finding them.

That is where the appraisers come in. By getting your mysterious items appraised, you will learn their true identities, and they will henceforth become usable. This service will require a payment in gil, but will not be very expensive.

If you get an item appraised while in a party, the appraised item will be added to the treasure pool. This is so that the treasure can be distributed among party members, even it is an Ex item. If you are playing solo, the appraised item will be added directly to your inventory. If you do not have enough inventory space, you may be unable to receive the appraised item, so be sure to clear out your bag beforehand.

So if you find an unknown item while adventuring in a party, you can travel to town and have the item appraised together before disbanding. Perhaps the item you have been holding will turn out to be a fantastic find, and then you can all celebrate together!

Appraisers and mysterious items will be available with the Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion disc!

Check this out!

"Treasures Of Aht Urgan" is just around the corner!

I think it's pretty safe to say that nearly everyone here is very excited about the upcoming expansion pack, "Treasures of Aht Urhgan."

New jobs, new missions, new quests, new worlds, and many new ways to play FINAL FANTASY XI are only a little over a week away for the entire world of FFXI players to enjoy.

That being said, I think it's safe to say that history lends itself to the fact that there will be both PlayOnline and FINAL FANTASY XI server issues in the near future. It happened with the initial Japanese release of Rise of the Zilart, and it happened with the worldwide release of Chains of Promathia. When Square Enix releases an expansion, there tends to be a lot of maintenence, both scheduled and emergency. In my opinion, the only time that there are more server outages are when SE performs complete maintenence of all servers, in which they transition between each server for a period of over a month.

With the idea of a healthy (or unhealthy?) number of login issues on the horizon, I'd like to say on behalf of the moderation team that we'll be extra strict with thread-posting on the matter. We'll all wanna get back to adventuring in Aht Urhgan too!

Whenever there are login issues on the server side, the PlayOnline team always posts information on the official website, and even with emergency maintenence, they usually give a considerable amount of warning. Please check the official PlayOnline website before posting any threads about being unable to login to PlayOnline or FINAL FANTASY XI, and by all means do not post any complaint or rant threads about the downtime. We've heard it for the last 4 years. I'm sure the moderation team supports my fervor, but I will make it my duty to close any such threads as soon as humanly possible. Please go to Allakhazam or KI if you want to have those discussions, as I'm sure there'll be plenty. We have a wonderful moderation team and I'd like to keep the boards free of such discussion.

With that, I'd like to say I hope you all have a great week and a half, and make sure you pick up the expansion as soon as possible; I want to hear about everyone's great adventures in the new empire of Aht Urhgan!

The Corsair

Corsair

A Pirate's Life

"All who lack courage are free to leave this ship for solid earth. There is no glory or honor in this battle, and it will rage on until you have gained or lost all you have ever desired.

“Yet I have faith that even without our king, you shall achieve honor through your companions. Even should you end up in an early grave, your friends will pass on the tales of your glory until time's end."

-Notes from an address by the corsair Luzaf

The valiant corsairs were once the scourge of the Near Eastern seas. Attired in a dignified frac and tricorne, and wielding the distinctive six-barreled weapon known as a "hexagun," any descendant of the legendary pirates is an impressive sight. Despite the positive whisperings of the corsairs’ actions and ideals in the streets of Al Zahbi, the Imperial Army seeks the corsairs' arrest on charges of insurrection. What tragic events lie in their past? And what secrets hide within the lighthearted games they play?

A Tragic Past

"The Black Coffin'...a ship aptly named.
'Tis often said that numbers and strength will win a war.
So how could a single vessel have sent our invincible fleet to the bottom of the sea?
Its dark name speaks true... The ship has become our coffin."

-From the memoirs of a Battle of Arrap ago veteran

Around 200 years ago, there was a nation in the Near East that flourished through the strength of its navy. This kingdom was called the Kingdom of Ephramad. The Empire of Aht Urhgan engaged in several disputes with the kingdom over territorial waters. Eventually, the Empire forged an alliance with the Mamool Ja Savagelands and invaded the Kingdom of Ephramad, which fell in a mere eight days.
The kingdom's prince, Luzaf, received the news of his nation's demise on the return trip from his studies in Bastok. He immediately changed course to the Arrapago Islands, where he established a provisional government. Rallying the remnants of Ephramad's fleet, he began ardently harrowing the Aht Urhgan Empire using guerilla warfare. Thus were the corsairs born. Luzaf took his graceful ship, the "Ebony Queen," and remodeled it for war, renaming it the "Black Coffin." Luzaf then continued his campaign against the Empire as the corsairs' captain.

The Empire suffered so many defeats to the elusive corsairs that she nearly lost jurisdiction over the sea. However, the situation was reversed when the Imperial Army discovered the corsairs' location. The army devised a plan to gather the corsairs at their home port and destroy them in a trap. The plan succeeded, and the fight raged on until only the Black Coffin was left. Luzaf and his crew are recorded to have fought valiantly despite the overwhelming odds, but ultimately went down with his ship into a watery grave.

Many of the surviving corsairs refused to acknowledge the death of Luzaf, and carried on the rebellion against the Empire in smaller groups. Even today, their proud descendants are still continuing the battle against the Imperial Army.

A Risky Game

"Battle is much like a game. You must know your enemy, formulate a strategy, and then pray to the gods of providence. The only difference is that on the battlefield, you're wagering your life. It's one game where folding is not an option."

-Last words of Ironclaw Safharg after his capture (792-837)

Games play an indispensable role in the lives of the corsairs, who use games to break the monotony of everyday life, to raise capital, and occasionally to solve disputes between crew members. This preoccupation led the corsairs to discover ways to use the principles of games in battle, and techniques like "Phantom Roll" and "Quick Draw" were devised. "Phantom Roll" utilizes dice to control the luck of one's companions, while "Quick Draw" allows the corsair to strike the enemy with a card that contains elemental power. Perhaps the corsairs' fascination with such battle games reflects the precariousness inherent to their own lives, which are often spent one step ahead of the reaper.

Only those who possess an iron resolve and innate luck for weathering great risks have the necessary qualities to walk the path of one who wages his own life for justice--the corsair.

Treasures of Aht Urgan

Nice view from Final Fantasy XI Treasures Of Aht Urgan..... Don't you think so?

IGN360: Beginner's Guide

IGN360: Beginner's Guide

Still stuck in the universe of Vana'Diel? Think you might want to quit? Turn that frown upside down and take a look at IGN's newest addition of the Final Fantasy XI Beginner's Guide! You can take a peak at it on the link down below!

IGN's FFXI Beginner's Guide - Part 3!

Xbox Live Marketplace Downloads and More!

The following is from Playonline.com

The Treasures of Aht Urhgan trailer has debuted as a free download in Xbox Live Marketplace! Xbox Live users can download it now for a sneak peek at what's in store when FINAL FANTASY XI for Xbox 360 ships on April 18th. Also, a FINAL FANTASY XI Picture Pack containing four gamer pictures is now available in Marketplace for 80 Microsoft Points. Check them out today!

Playonline's Official Website

More News from Treasures of Aht Urgan

More News from Treasures of Aht Urgan

All-new descriptions of the equipment, characters, and mysterious areas to appear in the Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion disc are now ready for your enjoyment! Click here to continue your introduction to all the latest available information!

Mysterious. Powerful. Dangerous. Click here to learn more about one of the most highly anticipated new jobs in Treasures of Aht Urhgan--the blue mage!

Nobuo Uematsu to attend Chicago

Nobuo Uematsu to attend Chicago world-premiere

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 8, 2006 - Today, JMP Productions announced that Nobuo Uematsu, one of the most well-known and respected composers in the field of video game music, will attend the PLAY! concert in Chicago on Saturday, May 27, 2006. He will also be joining the meet and greet. PLAY! A Video Game Symphony is a symphony concert world-tour featuring music from a catalogue of blockbuster video game titles. Nobuo Uematsu composed the official opening fanfare for PLAY! which opens every concert world-wide. Nobuo Uematsu is especially well-known for his work on the FINAL FANTASY (R) series. His music has been performed in concerts all over the world, after concert performances in Japan including a six-city, seven-show series the first stateside concert, DEAR FRIENDS - music from FINAL FANTASY (R), followed at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, spear-headed by JMP Productions, the creator of PLAY! A Video Game Symphony. Due to the positive reception for this performance a concert series for North America was to follow in 2005. Says Jason Michael Paul: "We are ecstatic to announce that Uematsu-san will join us in Chicago for our premiere of PLAY!. Never before has there been a union of such prolific contributors of video game music assembled in one location for a video game music concert. His contributions to the art of video game music are immeasurable and appreciated by fans worldwide. This truly makes this once in a lifetime event complete.". All tickets for the world-premiere of PLAY! including the VIP meet and greet are available at the box office, Ticketmaster locations, by credit card at 312-559-1212 or on the internet at www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1009980. Video game composers Nobuo Uematsu, Yasunori Mitsuda, Jeremy Soule, Akira Yamaoka, Yuzo Koshiro, Jason Hayes and Marty O'Donnell will attend the VIP meet and greet in Chicago. Additional tour dates including ticket information are available at the official PLAY! website at www.play-symphony.com/tickets.php. So far, PLAY! concerts have been announced for Chicago, Stockholm, Philadelphia, Vienna (Virginia) and Toronto.

PLAY! To feature titles from Nintendo

PLAY! to feature titles from Nintendo

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 5, 2006 - JMP Productions announced today that titles from Nintendo games are going to be featured in PLAY!. The SUPER MARIO BROS. and THE LEGEND OF ZELDA series are going to take part in the symphonic world-tour. All orchestral arrangements are world-exclusive and have never been heard live before in this form.

The MARIO arrangement will include music from titles such as SUPER MARIO BROS., SUPER MARIO WORLD and SUPER MARIO 64. The PLAY! arrangement of music from ZELDA will include music from titles such as THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST and THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: LINK'S AWAKENING. Additional titles to be announced.

Says Jason Michael Paul: "Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda serve as the evolutionary platform for modern day video games. The theme songs from these classic games serve as iconic anthems for multiple gaming generations. What has been hailed as the greatest selling video games of all time hopefully will encourage fans to attend one of the most highly-anticipated video game concert events.".

Tour dates including ticket information are available at the official PLAY! website at www.play-symphony.com/tickets.php. So far, PLAY! concerts have been announced for Chicago, Stockholm, Philadelphia, Vienna (Virginia) and Toronto.

PLAY!

PLAY! Concert to Include Music from Zelda Series

Yesterday, JMP Productions announced that it will now be including music from The Legend of Zelda series in its PLAY! A Video Game Symphony concert tour. This addition is part of the concert's decision to incorporate music from Nintendo titles, which also includes pieces from the Super Mario Bros. series.

"Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda serve as the evolutionary platform for modern day video games. The theme songs from these classic games serve as iconic anthems for multiple gaming generations." said PLAY! producer Jason Michael Paul. "What has been hailed as the greatest selling video games of all time hopefully will encourage fans to attend one of the most highly-anticipated video game concert events."

RPGamer has been covering developments regarding the addition of RPG related music to the show for quite some time now. You can be sure that we'll keep you posted on any other news concerning the concert as it becomes available.

Mistwalker President Discusses Future Plans

Mistwalker

Microsoft held a press conference in Tokyo, Japan earlier today to announce their plans for making the Xbox 360 a success in the Land of the Rising Sun. But there were other developments happening for Mistwalker, the company created by former Square producer Hironobu Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi was on-hand today for Microsoft's press conference, and some new pieces of information came out for the future of Mistwalker.

The first Xbox 360 game in development by Mistwalker, Blue Dragon, is still set for a release by the end of this year. "We're right in the middle of development right now," said Sakaguchi. "It's hectic every day. Even today, I have to go to the studio to attend the voice recording right after I finish talking here." He also discussed the current state of Blue Dragon, saying, "It's a pretty rare case, but Blue Dragon's development is progressing very smoothly. It can already run on the Xbox 360 with things such as the battle phases and event scenes connected together. During the next few months, we'll be working on the stage direction and balancing the game."

Mistwalker's second RPG, Lost Odyssey, is still a ways off however, planned for release sometime in 2007. A demo of the game will be released later this summer or fall, and will feature nearly 20 minutes of its opening sequence. Sakaguchi said that he had showed Lost Odyssy's character designer Takehiko Inoue an incomplete version of the game, which earned Inoue's positive feedback.

Apparently not content to rest on its laurels, Mistwalker already has a third project planned for the 360, an action RPG called Cry On which will be co-developed with AQ Interactive, which was previously reported on by RPGamer last December. No other information on this third title was given, as Sakaguchi is focused on the finalization of Blue Dragon at this time.

Bethesda Offers Downloadable Content

The Elder Scrolls IV : Oblivion, the latest chapter in the Elder Scrolls series, released to wide acclaim from both critics and gamers. But it appears that every silver lining still has a dark cloud to go with it. Bethesda Softworks has begun offering paid-for downloadable content for gamers through Microsoft's Xbox Live service and on their own website, the first such content in a planned series of downloads created for the game.

Gamers interested in shelling out their cash for the content can "pimp their ride" (as in their horse) with a new set of armor for a mere $2.50 (or 200 Microsoft Points) through Xbox Live for 360 owners, while PC gamers will only have to pay $1.99 for the same item. "We want to add new stuff, not different versions of things already in the game," said Pete Hines, VP of Public Relations and Marketing for Bethesda. What this may mean for other content at this time is unclear. "We priced it at a level we think is reasonable," Hines continued. "I would imagine all of our content would be around the same range."

While some gamers have been less than pleased by these prices, it appears that Bethesda has no plans to change their pricing model based on the reaction to one item. When asked about it, Hines responded, "We're not going to make any knee-jerk decisions based on it being available for five hours. We'll see what folks think and put out a few others we have planned and figure out where to go from there," he said. "Some folks seem excited and are already using it, others don't want it. Maybe those folks will really want the Orrery, or the Wizard's Tower. We'll see when they come out and use that info to determine what we put out, how much, etc."

Hines also hinted at why downloadable content for Oblivion will cost anything at all, when compared to The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, which offered free additional content, and two cheaply-priced expansion packs thereafter. "Different game, different approach to downloadable content and the size and scope of things we want to do, and what it takes to do them," was the answer.

Those interested in future content for Oblivion may be interested in OblivionDownloads.com, the website launched by Bethesda for purchasing their additional downloadables. The previously mentioned Orrery and Wizard's Tower are featured there, with a teaser for each:

• Orrery: Harness the power of the stars. Rebuild the defiled Orrery and unlock the secrets of this Mages Guild Inner Sanctum.
• Wizard's Tower: In the frozen mountains of Cryodiil stands Frostcrag Spire, a tower of wonders for your magic-oriented character to call home.

The official pricing for the Orrery and Wizard's Tower for PC Oblivion gamers is $1.99. Bethesda has said that both should be available for download and on Xbox Live sometime next week.

Square Enix & Konami to team up

Square Enix & Konami to team up

Thought Kingdom Hearts was the craziest Heinz 57 to come out of the unpredictable world of RPGs? Think again. According to industry sources, an upcoming issue of Japan's Famitsu gaming publication is scheduled to announce a new amalgamation of two very different video game series -- and one of them isn't even an RPG. Kojima Productions will be teaming up with Square Enix's Final Fantasy studios to create a Metal Gear/Final Fantasy hybrid game.

Though very little is known about the project, insiders hinted that the title will have a strong mix of fantasy elements and stealth gameplay, which the two series are best known for. It was also deciphered that the game will be a tactical RPG and borrow gameplay ideas from both the Final Fantasy Tactics and Metal Gear Acid series. Also, cameos and starring roles by characters from both worlds are expected in the new game. When Konami was reached for comment, however, the spokesperson only handgestured.

Unfortunately, nothing else is known about the project since it isn't scheduled to be officially unveiled until next month. Expect an influx of new details once the Famitsu issue hits newsstands.

WoW Subsribers Band Together

WoW Subsribers Band Together, Declare War on Denmark

Having received notice that they now outnumber the populace of Denmark, the citizens of the online RPG World of Warcraft have banded together to strike down the fearsome European nation.

Inspired by tales of Danish gold and other high-level drops in the newly reported high-level instances of Red Light District (RLD) and Amsterdam's vaunted marijuana cafes (AMC), WoW gamers have been swarming the country's internet servers since midnight, apparently with little success thus far.

Mike Morhaine, project lead and newly minted Brigadier General at Blizzard, explains that "By introducing the concept of a hostile nation here on earth into the game, we feel we have found a flashpoint of emotion that can unite all our gamers against the evil of Denmark. I mean, Vikings? Terrorists with longboats!"

Morhaine then proceeded to hop onto a company plane, newly outfitted with wi-fi access and a machine gun turret. At last report, the plane was sighted refueling in New York, but its destination thereafter remains unclear. RPGamer will continue to follow this military campaign as it progresses.