Square Enix Message Board older than one year ago

We're not looking forward to the future, mainly because we'll never be able to afford sweet bionic arms. Lucky for us, we can play video games like Deus Ex: Human Revolution, allowing us to experience the future revolution at a fraction of the price.

#deusex There are a couple of things that one must say about Deus Ex: Human Revolution up front to assuage the fears of the faithful. More »

Looks like Deus Ex: Human Revolution is setting a high bar for the deluge of mega-titles launching between now and the holidays. Our review called the title "an imperfect, complex and ambitious reminder of what a game can be when it's unafraid." That theme plays out in several other reviews, with the imperfections being far outweighed by the game's considerable execution and ambition.

• Eurogamer (90/100): "Deus Ex: Human Revolution is probably not as perfect as I'm making it sound. Some of the rules about what's interactive and not seem quite arbitrary, which is a pretty blatant failing in a game which tries so hard to make you feel like you're not being restricted, and while the level design is clever and varied, the interior design definitely is not, and there's also a lot of repetition in the incidental details."
• IGN (90/100): "It's a visionary, considered piece of work, and while my thoughts drift to the things that could have been and the compromises made due to the possibilities of video games in 2011, they're just as quick to consider playing through it again. Human Revolution is a smart, rewarding piece of transhumanist noir that does justice not just to Deus Ex, but to the fiction that inspired it. "
• GameTrailers (87/100): "Deus Ex offers a good deal of mischief to get into, and it's all backed up by a great stealth system and a solid shooting game. With its variable story, as well as how it encourages you to alter your approach to obstacles, it's also a game that rewards multiple playthroughs. The future is bleak and at times ugly, but we wouldn't have it any other way."
• 1UP (A): "I don't normally replay games, but there are exceptions: I've probably played through Metal Gear Solid 3 a dozen times and Deus Ex about four. I have a feeling that DEHR is going to be one of those games. I'm loving the sheer amount of choice I have because it's up to me to discover it. "

#deusex Deus Ex: Human Revolution is already getting great reviews, though it doesn't release until tomorrow. And now a Deus Ex clothing line has been announced for what promises to be a blockbuster game. More »

Tomorrow, Deus Ex: Human Revolution launches in North America. If you're wondering what all of the hype is about, then clearly you haven't read our review. Go ahead -- we'll wait.

Done? Yeah, so if you're thinking about picking the game up, you may also be wondering which platform best suits your needs. Well, if your needs involve seeing as little loading as possible, then you should check out this video feature from IGN -- unless you're thinking about getting the game on PC, because we know your rig has, like, so many RAMs.

#deusex In the year 2000, Ion Storm unleashed the perfect marriage of futuristic shooter and skill-based role-playing in Deus Ex, a game so unique that even its own sequel couldn't replicate its success. Can any follow-up possibly do it justice? More »

The first game collaboration between Square Enix and Airtight Games will be revealed at a PAX panel this Saturday, 7:00 PM PST. The panel will feature former Valve developer, Kim Swift. Kotaku is covering everything PAX, so check back regularly! More »

You are a persistently bemused buffoon. Most games won't convey that opinion so indelicately, instead hiding it between the lines of text that ceaselessly tell you where to go, what to do and exactly how to do it. Deus Ex: Human Revolution isn't exempt from the clumsy tutorial crowd, but once it gets through the jarring video pop-ups, it quickly stops treating you like an imbecilic waypoint-marker addict. This game thinks you're an adult and expects you to handle your shit.

While the Mass Effect series sheds its stats and inventories in favor of forging an intelligent, emotionally driven shooter, Deus Ex: Human Revolution examines and embraces the structure of Ion Storm's 11-year-old classic, Deus Ex: Didn't Have a Subtitle. Environments don't exist to funnel you through perfectly scripted events -- they're complicated, multi-tiered stacks of obvious and hidden pathways. And Adam Jensen, a stoic security manager who returns from dramatic near-death as a grumpy cyborg, can warp himself biologically to accommodate those routes. There is perhaps no greater proof that this is a role-playing game, however, than the ability to conclude just about every conversation by punching your quest giver into an unconscious rag doll.

After 2010's disappointing Dark Void, we'd nearly forgotten that Airtight Games had hired Portal Creative Director Kim Swift to lead development on a "new, unnamed project." Square Enix has rekindled our interest, announcing that it's picked up publishing rights to the game and will reveal the "top-secret joint project" at PAX this Saturday (7pm in the Pegasus Room for those of you in attendance).

The only information we can glean from the announcement is that it's "an incredibly fascinating and quirky game" so ... take that for what it's worth. Airtight Games' site says that while it's working on another "ambitious AAA title" it's also working on "a new mid-sized game with all kinds of physical possibilities."

Earlier this week we stumbled upon a trademark registration for Square-Enix. The trademark was for 'Square', and it seemed to indicate a name change for the company. Since that filing, Square-Enix has stepped forward to smack down those rumors.

While there have been articles speculating about our trademark registrations of single words and groups of words included in our brands, and SQUARE ENIX specifically, we have no plans to change our company name or branding.” - Square-Enix's Robert Peeler

Looks like the Square-Enix name is going to stay. Too bad that doesn't tell us what the trademark was for!

Link

Taito is keeping fairly close to the source material in Elevator Action Deluxe, in a Bionic Commando Rearmed sort of way. The PSN game is essentially an HD update with the original side-view gameplay and the familiar rows-of-doors stage layout.

Additions to the formula include new weapons, occasional high-speed elevators, and new (offline) multiplayer modes. Those modes include a deathmatch, and competitive modes in which players race to steal secret files from red doors. The secret files, according to the website, are now represented by "TAITO old game pamphlets!"

We don't have to wait long at all to experience the new Action: it'll be out August 30th in North America and August 31st elsewhere, for $9.99/£7.99/€9.99.

#elevatoraction Hanging out in arcades in the 1980s, I adored playing Elevator Action. And that classic title is getting reborn on the PS3 as a downloadable title. More »

#moneysaver Never having ordered from Greenman Gaming before, I can't tell you if you'll have to pay shipping (or if that shipping will get you release-day delivery), but for $34 you can probably stand to wait a day or two after launch. Just be sure to use coupon code "20SUM-MERSA-VINGS". More »

Who wouldn't want badass robot arms? We're pretty sure that's the gist of this TV spot for Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Let us answer that question for you: boring people who don't want to bench-press cement trucks, that's who. Does that even sound like an option to you?

#deusex The smartest and strongest may not always survive, but it never hurts to have some wall busting fists. Adam Jensen goes through his cybernetic transformation in the newest commercial for Deus Ex: Human Revolution. More »

Square Enix has officially acknowledged the existence of Elevator Action Deluxe, a game first mentioned in an Australian rating. The teaser site for the game shows Japanese, American, and European ratings, suggesting a worldwide release, and PS3 and PSN logos, suggesting platform exclusivity.

Unfortunately, we don't know any more about the game itself yet. The only reference to that is an animation of the classic arcade game, ending in a reveal of the words, "He'll be back." But after outstanding recent downloadable Taito games like Groove Coaster and Space Invaders Infinity Gene, we're eager to see whatever the company has planned for Elevator Action.

Square Enix has launched an official, free, online magazine full of info and interviews on all of its upcoming games, aptly titled "Square Enix Magazine." The first issue, available right here, features stories on Tomb Raider, Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Final Fantasy XIII-2. Finally, Square Enix has given us a place online to get information about video games. Whew.

#deusex To capture the sound of the year 2027 for Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Eidos Montreal recruited a man with hair so glorious the music composer had to be bald to balance it out. More »

#finalfantasy As far as I'm concerned it's always Moogle time, but the phrase takes on new meaning in Final Fantasy XIII-2. More »

Do you have, like, a couple hundred hours to kill on flights, drives and other commutes in the coming weeks? You should pick up some of Amazon's temporarily discounted Square Enix DS RPGs, including Chrono Trigger and The World Ends With You. Those should fill your hours swimmingly.

#toys First spotted at Comic-Con, we now have the first official shots of Square Enix's line of upcoming Street Fighter figures. More »

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance will finally make its hands-on debut at the Tokyo Game Show later this fall -- but does that news really do anything for you? In the latest issue of Japanese gaming mag Dengeki PlayStation (as translated by Andriasang), Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura explained that it's becoming difficult to get new players into the series with each new iteration. We get the hesitation -- we've played all the Kingdom Hearts games, and still can't follow a majority of their plots.

Nomura mentioned a plan to help bring new players into the fold: As a celebration of the franchise's 10th anniversary, he hopes to release an "HD technical test" of the series. Could that mean remakes of the first two, past-gen games? Maybe a teaser trailer similar to that of Final Fantasy VII HD which Square Enix will undoubtedly never follow up on? We'll try to squeeze some answers out of those lollygaggers during TGS next month.

On September 10, Square Enix is letting 40 fans play some of FFXIII-2 before the Tokyo Game Show. Register over at Square Enix Members, and winners are picked via raffle. The catch? Registration is in Japanese. Good luck! [Square Enix] More »

#finalfantasy Final Fantasy Versus XIII was first unveiled at the E3 gaming expo in 2006. It's now 2011, and the game is not out. More »

Final Fantasy Type-0 arrives in Japan on October 13, after years and years of waiting -- you might have read about it in history class, under its original name of Final Fantasy Agito XIII. It was first announced as a mobile game in 2006, then officially moved to PSP in 2008, then renamed this year. Now that Square Enix is absolutely certain it's shaken off anyone who might have been paying attention, the publisher is going to release it. In Japan, at least -- no announcements have been made for other territories.

But first, it's planned a demo. Starting August 11, Japanese PSP owners (and anyone with a Japanese PSN account, hint hint) can download the demo, titled "Natsubi," which will both introduce players to the content of the action-RPG and unlock special outfits for use in the final game. Even better, unlike the Dissidia Duodecim demo, this one's free. Even better than that, this one's not called "Prologus."

Square Enix reported a quarter that's likely to have executives as irritable and glum as the protagonist of your average Final Fantasy game. In the quarter ended June 11, the company reported net sales of ¥24.5 billion ($312 million), down 25% year over year. Net income was down 62%, at ¥690 million ($8.8 million).

"In a quarter without major title releases," said president Yoichi Wada, "our Group's sales and profit were lower compared to the previous fiscal year. At the same time, however, we are making solid progress toward our targets for the full fiscal year ending March 2012." As far as successes, Wada named the browser-based Sengoku Ixa and Nicotto Town (above) -- services exclusive to the Japanese market.

The rest of the fiscal year is also surprisingly Japan-focused, with only one game scheduled to be released from the Eidos side of the company between now and March, namely Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Also due in the west: Final Fantasy XIII-2 (January in North America, "Early 2012" in Europe), and Dragon Quest spinoff games Fortune Street and Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2, both published by Nintendo.

It missed late June. It missed late July. But today, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions makes its triumphant debut on the iOS App Store for the low, low price of $15.99.

Wait, $15.99?

Sure, that may seem like a steep price for a game that's an update of a four-year-old PSP title, that was in and of itself an update of a then ten-year-old PlayStation One title, but you're not getting a straight port. The iPhone release promises "improved graphics, loading times and framerate over the PSP version" which, considering the complaints levied at the PSP release, is to be expected. Then again, the PSP version was just released on PSN for the relatively low price of $10.

One thing that $15.99 price tag won't deliver, however, is a "universal" iPad release. That's just Square's way of saying that those of you interested in playing on your phone and your tablet oughta be rich enough to buy two copies. The iPad version will be "coming later," so sit tight. If you pick up that iPhone release, let us know what you think.

Have you been busy for the last few months? Is there just no time to peruse Joystiq's veritable mountain of Deus Ex: Human Revolution coverage? Good news, then, because the latest trailer will catch you up on just about everything.

#blip To mark Dragon Quest's big anniversary, Square Enix is holding an exhibit of 25 years of DQ at the Mori Arts Center in Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills from October 8 to December 4. If you're in Tokyo, check it out. More »

#psvita The keynotes at this year's TGS will be delivered by Square Enix honcho Yoichi Wada, Sony's Shuhei Yoshida, and the president of social gaming company Gree. Japanese netizens speculate that the PS Vita will be dated during Sony's keynote, the title of which translates as "The PS Vita's Full Details". More »