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A Single Mistranslation Changed One Final Fantasy Character’s Entire Motivation
Avid Final Fantasy VI fans might have noticed an inconsistency among the various releases of Square Enix’s classic role-playing game. While joining your ragtag group of Empire-fighting rebels in the 1994 Super Nintendo version, wandering gambler Setzer says, “The Empire’s made me a rich man.” As if he’s sacrificing money to do the right thing.…
By Jason Schreier Published April 24, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Key Developers Leaving Square Enix…for Social Gaming
Turnover at game companies is high. But Japanese game developers who work on big titles for big companies tend to stay put. But what happens when your company is being eclipsed? In the past few years, the Japanese mobile and social game industry has exploded. Companies like DeNa and Gree are doing great business, while…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 23, 2012 -
Square Enix Really, Really Wants You To Play Final Fantasy XIV
Did you stop playing the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Final Fantasy XIV? Square Enix wants you back. All returning players will get access to a 10-day free trial from May 9 to May 20, the publisher said today. Returning players will be able to test out all of the heavily-criticized MMORPG’s new features. On…
By Jason Schreier Published April 20, 2012 -
Preorder Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, Get This Adorable Stylus
Square Enix said today it would include this cute stylus as a preorder bonus for Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, which is great for two reasons: 1. It’s adorable. 2. It’s an actual bonus, not content that has been stripped from the game and only made available to people who preorder. Theatrhytmhtmhmrhmrthmrthm, which is basically Elite Beat…
By Jason Schreier Published April 19, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Call of Duty: Elite Abandoning Japanese
The much ballyhooed Call of Duty: Elite online service will not be available in Japan. Square Enix, Call of Duty‘s publisher in Japan, revealed that a Japanese version isn’t happening due to localization issues. According to Square Enix, the game’s original publisher, Activision, worked hard to get localized versions of Elite released in different territories.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 19, 2012 -
My First Tentative Steps into the Turn-Based Tactical World of Wakfu
I’ve wandered through dozens of fantasy worlds in my massively multiplayer online gaming career, but Wakfu is the first one I’ve played where my wanderings were tied to a grid. Released in North America by Square Enix, Wakfu is one of a trio of online games by French developer Ankama Games (Dofus and Dofus Arena…
By Mike Fahey Published April 18, 2012 -
Kotaku EastSquare Enix’s Dual-Wielding Game Shooting Up a Japanese Arcade
Gunslinger Stratos is an upcoming third-person shooter for Japanese arcades. The Square Enix title features four-on-four online combat that allows players to face off against others across Japan. It is also dual wielding. Players can take their pistols and conjoin them to form new weapons. Check out gameplay in the above video. More details in…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 16, 2012 -
Square Enix Has Their Own Radio Channel
Square Enix fans rejoice: the publisher has opened up a streaming radio channel that plays music from many of their games for free. There aren’t a huge number of games yet, but hey, Xenogears is on here, which should make many people happy, judging by the zealous comments I regularly hear about that game’s soundtrack.…
By Kirk Hamilton Published April 12, 2012 -
Hitman: Absolution Joins the List of Games Screwing You Over With Pre-order Weapons
Square Enix today announced the fancy version of Agent 47’s continuing stealth saga Hitman: Absolution, called the Professional Edition. The Professional Edition and standard edition are both now available for pre-order at multiple outlets, but with a small catch. Like so many other publishers and game releases before it, Square Enix is offering different pre-order…
By Kate Cox Published April 11, 2012 -
Quantum Conundrum Could Be a Wonderful Spiritual Successor to Portal
Everything’s in first-person. Your silent hero is equipped with a high-tech gadget that can manipulate chunks of the environment. You progress through a series of rooms, each stuffed to the brim with quirky crate-and-button-based puzzles that need solving. And an omniscient voice is talking to you the whole time. Stop me if you’ve heard this…
By Jason Schreier Published April 11, 2012 -
Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC Cracks Joke About Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC
Here’s Gilgamesh, the newest piece of downloadable content for Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XIII-2 You might recognize Gilgamesh from his appearances in Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VIII, among other games in the longrunning RPG series. You might also recognize his ridiculous, fourth-wall-breaking sense of humor. Gilgamesh is out now for 320 Microsoft Points…
By Jason Schreier Published April 10, 2012 -
Kotaku EastDressing Final Fantasy as Assassin’s Creed Still Looks Underwhelming
Yes, yes. Japanes role-playing game Final Fantasy XIII-2 is getting downloadable costumes that include Mass Effect and Assassin’s Creed outfits. If you didn’t find the screenshots thrilling, here is the AC trailer…you might find thrilling. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: I really don’t understand the point of these cross game costume…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 10, 2012 -
Who Better Than Star Trek‘s Q to Star in Quantum Conundrum?
If anyone is qualified to create an Interdimensional Shift Glove it’s the man that flexed his interdimensional muscles s dozen times over the course of three different television series. John “Q” de Lancie steps into the disembodied voice of Professor Fitz Quadwrangle in Airtight Games’ Quantum Conundrum Now here’s a man that’s perfectly happy being…
By Mike Fahey Published April 4, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Final Fantasy Characters Are Now Modeling Italian Clothes
Final Fantasy characters sure are stylish. Maybe it’s their razor thin body types. Or the hair. But they look like models. And now, they don’t only look like them, they are. The latest issue of Japanese men’s fashion mag Arena Homme Plus features Final Fantasy XIII-2 characters modeling Prada’s summer collection. These are clothes for…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 4, 2012 -
Kotaku EastKingdom Hearts Tries Its Hand at Augmented Reality Games, Fails Miserably
In the Kingdom Hearts series, the player character often teams up with two other party members as you explore the game’s various Disney worlds. In Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance however, players use friendly versions the game’s monsters—called “Dream Eaters”—as party members instead of the usual Disney characters. Besides leveling-up through battle, your Dream…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published April 3, 2012 -
Kotaku EastFinal Fantasy Versus XIII Finally Emerges. On the 3DS. As Music Game DLC.
Where the hell is Final Fantasy Versus XIII? Who knows. Oddly, a song from the unreleased game is launching as paid DLC for Nintendo 3DS game Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy on April 4. Hopefully, this means that Square Enix will be talking more about Final Fantasy Versus XIII in the near future—instead of, you know, simply…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 2, 2012 -
Figure-Skater Uses Chrono Trigger Music, Sadly Does Not Win
Canadian figure skater Kevin Reynolds competed at the Four Continents Championships in Colorado early last month. He only finished eighth, but in our eyes, he was the real winner for his choice of music. Forgoing the obvious choices of either classical or pop, Reynolds skated along to a medley of music from classic RPG Chrono…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 2, 2012 -
April Fools! All of These Announcements Are Fake—but Which Ones are Funny? [Updated AGAIN]
Alright, it may be a Sunday, but it’s still April Fools’ Day, a very special day in video gaming, and many of its companies, studios and merchants are pulling hoaxes and stunts, and making gag announcements. So let’s round up as many as we can here! MetaMeta Critic (Paradox Interactive) The developer of of PC…
By Owen Good Published April 1, 2012