Of course, you could wait and assume the soundtrack for the Star Ocean: Second Evolution remake will be awesome, or you can take the advice from SiliconEra and check out this promotional page Square Enix has put up for everyone. Under the "check" section you can sample six songs from the game and even fade between two songs via the slider on the webpage. Not sure why you'd really care enough to do that, but it can be strangely intriguing to listen to two songs at once. The soundtrack goes on sale May 2nd in Japan, with an album of arranged music tracks to follow on the 21st.
Star Ocean Second Evolution has been out in Japan for over a week now and still the gameplay footage keeps rolling in. This latest video showcases the game's battle system which is obviously very similar to the original game, but with much prettier graphics. Check the video out for yourselves and keep your fingers crossed for a Western release for both Star Ocean PSP remakes.
If you've tired of playing as Zack from Crisis Core, now would be an adequate time for a reprieve. We've caught wind of a short interview with the game's director, Hajime Tabata, and what his thoughts are on some random bits of the game, as well as any future plans he has or would like to get involved in.
Tabata uses past influences to generate his ideas, citing the Japanese comic "Doraemon" specifically as an influence. Unlike Zack, Tabata claims he could probably only do 50 squats in succession and unlike Sephiroth, uses less than a bottle of shampoo per shower. Yep. It's that kind of interview.
He also says he would not be interested in working on spin-off titles for other Final Fantasy games -- only the world in VII seems to interest him. Tabata said that, if anything, he'd like to create a gun-action game in the VII world with a new character who uses both guns and magic. Like Dirge of Cerberus, but less horrible. Currently, Tabata is working on Agito XIII as well as some other unnamed titles. Maybe he'll get his wish someday!
Octaslash? Come on now, that's a bit un-inventive. Sounds kind of dumb, but we're willing to bet that move is going to look wickedly stylish in the actual game. Aside from that one odd naming scheme, these screenshots of Crisis Coreare spectacular.
We sure are excited for this game, especially after seeing these nostalgic screens. Also, some in-game cut scene vids have made there way up on the interwebs; those, too, are loaded with nostalgia. Check out the gallery below, and the trailers after the break.
Gallery: Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core - March 08
Japan, as usual, is getting even more extra goodies with the upcoming release of Star Ocean: Second Evolution on the PSP. Game peripheral company Hori will be coming out with a new set of Star Ocean: Second Evolution themed accessories. The set consists of: headphones with a Star Ocean art design, screen cleaner, two UMD cases (one for SO1 and SO2 each), and a slip-on back-casing. It's actually a pretty nice collection to go along with that special First Departure PSP.
While our friends over seas can enjoy their soon-to-release game and complementary accessories, the rest of us will just have to settle for a brand new trailer. By all means, it's not a lousy consolation prize ... and hey, it's free! Check out the trailer right after the break.
Square Enix is finally reaching out to its fans with a brand new community web site. The new site will be specifically for North American users and should parallel the experience offered to Square Enix's large Japanese fan community. The site promises to feature "exclusive content," such as interviews with developers, downloadable content, sweepstakes and trailers. We're hopeful that brand new trailers for upcoming PSP games, like Dissidia and Birth by Sleep, will find their way into the site.
You can visit the site here. Register today and you'll be able to access the full site when it officially launches next week: March 24th.
Eurogamer is reporting that a special edition of Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core might be on the way to Europe, or at least to the UK. Although Square Enix has yet to officially confirm it, UK retailers such as Gamestation have already begun hosting details about the special ed on their websites. Called the "Special Pre-order Edition," it will come in nice slipcase packaging, and will also included a 48-page hardbound art book. The special ed is available only when the game is pre-ordered at regular price; so there's no multiple pricing schemes going on -- just reservations.
If this does indeed prove to be true, it seems like an enticing little incentive for Europeans not to purchase the North American version soon to release in less than two weeks. Especially since NA has a fixed date and Europe has a vague spring release, we suppose Square Enix needs something extra to keep crafty Euros from importing. Well, an art book and slipcase sure do beat our UMD cases.
[Update: You can now see the special edition on the official Crisis Core website. Nice.]
A promotional poster for Final Fantasy Dissidia has surfaced online showcasing the FF villains from games one through ten. Supposedly drawn by Yoshitaka Amano, this poster is a bit of a "where's Waldo" picture game if you're looking out for all the villains. So far, we can point out: Garland (I), Emperor Palamecia (II), Cloud of Darkness (III), Golbez (IV), Exdeath (V), Kefka (VI), Sephiroth (VII), Ultimecia (VIII), Kuja (IX), and Jecht (X). Can you find them all?
The big March release for Crisis Core is looming closer and closer, especially now that it's (finally) March. To celebrate, IGN posted another video of the game we haven't really seen yet. The fight against Bahamut appears as epic as you'd expect from one of the mainstay creatures of the Final Fantasy world. There isn't really much else to say, except we hope you enjoy!
Posted Feb 23rd 2008 1:45PM by Majed Athab Filed under: News
Another Japanese RPG website made some huge updates, this time around it's Star Ocean: Second Evolution. The website updated with tons of information regarding the battle system, in-game strategies, extensive character profiles, and some of the new elements being introduced in the remade version.
Unfortunately, this treasure trove of information is only in Japanese; however, there's enough pretty pictures for you to play guessing games at what everything means. Go check out the website for yourself.
Don't you just love Final Fantasy? Enough to watch four trailers for their new VII spin-off title, Crisis Core? It's up to you, but we've put the first one above and the other three are after the jump, so as not to spoil you without clicking once or twice. We've got street combat, gate crashing, urgent calls, and some sort of apple cam. Pick your poison, but if you ingest them all, you'll probably end up slightly euphoric and very excited to play this game in March.
Most RPGs in Japan come with some super-sweet, super-catchy J-pop song. Square Enix's upcoming Star Ocean: The Second Evolution is no different. The all-girl band Scandal performs the theme song to this upcoming game with their number, "Start." Check it out.
We're not surprised at all by these images of Star Ocean: The Second Evolution. Why? It looks to continue the visual trend of The First Departure. This PSP-exclusive remake of the second entry to the Star Ocean RPG series will feature all the usual Square Enix dressings, such as enhanced graphics, new anime cutscenes, and voice overs. It's rather ... expected.
The First Departure hasn't even been announced for US release yet, but Japan is already on its way to the sequel. PSP's second Star Ocean game will feature the same revamped graphics, anime cutscenes and voice acting as the first remake. However, there's a special treat for Star Ocean fans that pre-order the game. A bonus DVD will feature a special preview of Star Ocean 4. Perhaps we'll finally learn what console the game will head to?
The Second Evolution will be available on April 2nd in Japan, with a standard price of 4800 yen.
Japan is feasting on yet another Square Enix RPG, as the rest of us patiently wait for Square Enix to release ... nay, announce the title for English release. This remake of the original Star Ocean features new enhanced graphics, and tons of cutscenes and voice acting to give it that special PSP feel. However, the incredible anime-esque nature will surely be a dividing factor for this game. Some will absolutely adore the style, while others will cringe, crying for something a bit more "mature." Which side of the fence are you on?
