A Brief Refresher On Xenogears
I have never played Xenogears (I know!) and so I never actually knew what the games were all about. Now, thanks to Lore, I do. A hamster on a cross, eh? Okay…
Video Games, Reimagined As Classic Paperback Novels
Digital artist Zachary Knoles really touched the spot when he redesigned video games and its characters as aged, dusty covers of classic paperback novels.
If You Liked Pacific Rim, This Is The Video Game For You
Both Pacific Rim games are terrible, by all accounts, which is totally unsurprising yet disappointing nonetheless. You'd think someone would be able to make a decent video game out of giant robots fighting aliens.
The Coolest Mecha In Japanese Video Games
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Ajs6lFKD--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18fxgo1mg0b7jjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--P0CrQHDJ--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18fxgo1mg0b7jjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--4HqU1sRY--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18fxgo1mg0b7jjpg.jpg, (large)])
Besides mecha anime, video games also feature some of the most awesomely-designed armoured fighting vehicles. Japanese games—mostly shooters—tend to dominate this field (sorry MechWarrior), so narrowing down our selection to Japenese mecha was an obvious decision from the beginning.
These Video Game Towns And Villages Were Doomed From The Start
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Ufp2xYIm--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18eeg5ehsw5kypng.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--jHBvtFNW--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18eeg5ehsw5kypng.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--2TSXQmRi--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18eeg5ehsw5kypng.png, (large)])
Oh those lovely hometowns, starting villages... Their peaceful and harmonious atmosphere ensures that there's nothing to worry about; our journey is yet to begin. And then suddenly, it's all gone, leaving behind nothing but dust. And sometimes a bit of fire.
The Dream of Playing an Anime
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--p6O0VKrQ--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/182l9hfx30iq2jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--X1hTMNAX--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/182l9hfx30iq2jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--eJLkxdWi--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/182l9hfx30iq2jpg.jpg, (large)])
During my sixth grade year, two things happened that would change the direction of my life forever: I saw my first anime (Lodoss War) and I played my first RPG (Final Fantasy VI). Both were gateways to expansive realms filled with amazing stories. And in my adolescent mind, a dream coalesced, "What if you combined anime …
The Folks Behind Xenoblade Are Making a Wii U Game
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--wRMDOY6v--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17yzromchgonqjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--NIxoVTwo--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17yzromchgonqjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--GMF5TGmv--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17yzromchgonqjpg.jpg, (large)])
Game designer Tetsuya Takahashi and his team at Monolith Soft are working on a totally new title for the Wii U.
Gears, Gods, And Giant Robots: A Look Back At One Of The Best RPGs Ever
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--CXicr2J8--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17n0f4x09faqbjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--bL7jWW7r--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17n0f4x09faqbjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--LqVO2EI3--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17n0f4x09faqbjpg.jpg, (large)])
The other day on Twitter, fellow Kotaku writer Kate Cox mentioned she had just finished Xenogears, Square's classic PlayStation role-playing game. Since Xenogears is one of my favorite games, a classic up there with the best RPGs ever, I bugged her roughly 19283493849284924 times to come chat about her experiences for …
Square Enix Has Their Own Radio Channel
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Xca9IYZC--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17jdzhc1b7e94jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--hDxLQugA--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17jdzhc1b7e94jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Osf6FHS6--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17jdzhc1b7e94jpg.jpg, (large)])
Xenogears Lives On In This Awesome Painting
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7q07pcaw--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j196hiue5dtjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--j6PHznjt--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j196hiue5dtjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--RMS-WvAZ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j196hiue5dtjpg.jpg, (large)])
Artist Jake Murray pays tribute to classic RPG series Xenogears in the best way possible: with heroic fan art of star Elly Van Houten.
Xenosaga Studio Making a Wii U Game
Monolith Soft, known for the Xenosaga games, is working on a new title for the Wii U and currently taking applications for the game. What could it be? [Monolith Soft]
How One Man Stopped Square-Enix From Letting Gamers Kill Yahweh
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ECJa_z0d--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j26v5wq40uojpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--4AeO_fxi--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j26v5wq40uojpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Q5BM6ngQ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j26v5wq40uojpg.jpg, (large)])
The attempt to include overt references to Judeo-Christian figures in the classic role-playing game Xenogears caused a few translators to quit — they feared a violent backlash — and prompted a change in the name of the game's final boss, according to one of the people who brought the game to America.
Xenogears, A PlayStation Great, Becomes A PSone Classic
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--VVsqnwHT--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18hd4rvu3gd8njpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--xeT_KAkj--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18hd4rvu3gd8njpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ss5GKVeZ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hd4rvu3gd8njpg.jpg, (large)])
Well, we can't say we didn't see it coming, but the arrival of PlayStation role-playing game classic Xenogears as a downloadable PSone Classic is still welcome news. The official PlayStation.blog heralds the release of Square Enix's turn-based RPG on the North American PlayStation Store tomorrow.
ESRB Lists Xenogears, Three Other PS1 Classics
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--OXKg0CxB--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18hdcxhmhjn7bjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--8K377ZyO--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18hdcxhmhjn7bjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--LqRF0_e4--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hdcxhmhjn7bjpg.jpg, (large)])
Four classic titles from Squaresoft (now Square Enix) have been rated by the ESRB for release on the PSP and PS3, indicating an imminent release to the North American PlayStation Store.
Final Fantasy VII Writer Sees End of The Nintendo Era
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ggpApMRm--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j3fz4ac2aimjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--DK2QqhS_--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j3fz4ac2aimjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7OGPWAFW--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j3fz4ac2aimjpg.jpg, (large)])
Since the release of the Game Boy, Nintendo has ruled portable gaming. That era is over, says Masato Kato, the writer of FFVII, Xenogears and Chrono Trigger. But why?
Humans + Gears: Xenogears ReMixed
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--IJp6w7dg--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18hey0w3hdfj3jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0CGmcQfo--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18hey0w3hdfj3jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--iHuetpAQ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hey0w3hdfj3jpg.jpg, (large)])
The world's most powerful collection of video game music remixes has delivered yet another outstanding free fan-made tribute album, as OverClocked ReMix releases Humans + Gears: Xenogears ReMixed.
Square Enix Classics Start Hitting Japanese PSN
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--DHQ_0yuu--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17myektyehlwbjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--sel_bLcb--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17myektyehlwbjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7M8_TFvO--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17myektyehlwbjpg.jpg, (large)])
If you need to get your "man, the Japanese PSN is so much better" rants out of your system first, do it, then get back to us. All better? Right, on we go! Square-Enix has committed to re-releasing many of their classic titles over the PlayStation Network, starting today, with two Square games (Xenogears and Einhander)…