Kotaku: ash

Retailers Slashing ASH

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 04:00:22 MDT

Hironobu Sakaguchi may have a fabulous 'stache, but that doesn't mean things are coming up gumdrops! Oh sure, the Final Fantasy creator has had a modest hit with Blue Dragon, but nothing like his previous glories. But, maybe that's because he's made an Xbox 360 game? Not so popular in Japan. Then again, maybe not! His latest effort, DS title A.S.H. Archaic Sealed Heat hasn't exactly set Japan on fire — even with solid Famitsu scores! The game originally retailed for ¥5,800 (US $50) when it launched earlier this month, but shops like Super Potato and Sofmap are already slashing prices. Perhaps that rotten title has something to do with it?
ASH At Low Prices [Ota Road]

ASH Delights Barefoot Japanese Lady

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:00:56 MDT

Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi's upcoming turn-based RPG ASH hasn't really been on my radar. But damn, it should've been! The Mistwalker game is sporting some of the best DS graphics I've ever seen. Just look how it impresses that barefoot lady in the above ad! This game is toe curling good.

Another clip after the jump.

Attack of the Clones (And Ash)

Mark Wilson — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:00:00 MDT

It must be some tradition, but this group of Star Wars fans lines up and walks around the TGS grounds constantly. We think maybe that's all they do. Can you imagine that planning phone call?

"Hey Fred, you coming with us to march around TGS tomorrow in our Stormtrooper suits?"
"The fact that you even had to ask me questions your commitment to this project. I'll be there, but I hope that you won't."
"Today is the worst day of my life."

Also, while at TGS, we got hands on with a phone game, a phone game that had a peculiar way of saying "split." What was that peculiar way?

GDC07: Blue Dragon Lands In August, Lost Odyssey Holiday '07

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 13:20:07 MST

We had a chance to sit down with Mistwalker's Hironobu Sakaguchi this morning to get an update on the current state of the man's two RPGs, Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey.

Sakaguchi walked us through one of Blue Dragon's boss fights, a mainly hands-off experience, plus one of the three on-rails shooter segments. The Blue Dragon North American release looks like it will be happening this August, with three separate pieces of downloadable content, described as "huge", released over a three to four month time period after launch. English voices were in place, but players who prefer Japanese dialogue are in luck—we were told that the original voiceover work will remain intact as an option for the US release.

The Final Fantasy creater then moved on to his more Western tailored RPG Lost Odyssey, previously demoed at the Tokyo Game Show.

While Sakaguchi prefaced his non-interactive demo with a warning about the early state of the game's lighting, the Unreal Engine 3-powered game still looked gorgeous. According to Sakaguchi, Mistwalker is "working to produce a level of graphics greater than Gears of War." Are they successful? I'll stand by a firm "umm maybe?"

We were shown an extended real-time cutscene, one that involved the male lead, Kaim Argonar, and his female compatriot meeting with their newest partner who just happens to be a womanizing drunkard. The animation and lip-synching was mostly spot on in the early demo. Sakaguchi let us know that the game would be originally voiced and synched in English, with a Japanese dub or subtitle treatment to follow for Lost Odyssey's native release.

Beyond Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey and the upcoming Nintendo DS RTS title A.S.H. (Archaic Sealed Heat), Hironobu wouldn't say what else he was working on. Sadly, Sakaguchi declined to answer my request for a Rad Racer III. Michael McWhertor