Square Enix

Batman: Arkham Asylum Action Figures May Be Late, But They’re Still Great

We’re on the cusp of enjoying the next great Batman game, but if you’re a big, big fan of the last one, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Square Enix has some mighty fine action figures you might be interested in. We saw Batman and Joker in their highly articulated, nicely sculpted polyvinyl chloride at this year’s San…

By Michael McWhertor Published October 10, 2011

Square Enix, Tear Down This Final Fantasy XIV and Give Us Final Fantasy XV

In today’s final and fantastic episode of Speak up on Kotaku, commenter Paradox Me has an absolutely brilliant idea for Square Enix: Trash the failed MMO and recycle its assets for a new single player Final Fantasy game. Why is Final Fantasy XIV so goddamn pretty and why can’t we get this style in a…

By Mike Fahey Published October 6, 2011

It’s Square Enix x Yahoo! Monster x Dragon

Sigh. Double sigh. The “large scale new title” Square Enix and Yahoo! Japan are teaming up on is Monster x Dragon. It’s a “MMO active time strategy” game. Who knows, maybe it’s good! [ANN]

By Brian Ashcraft Published October 6, 2011

This Square Enix RPG’s Name Sounds Terrible, Looks Just Fine

There’s a new Square Enix game on the way for the Nintendo 3DS called Bravely Default: Flying Fairy. Even going by Square’s ridiculous standards, it’s a ridiculous name. Lucky, then, it looks so damn good. Understand that this appears to be an incredibly “traditional” Japanese role-playing game, and that I’m talking about its visuals, not…

By Luke Plunkett Published October 5, 2011

Which Retailer Has the Best Final Fantasy XIII-2 Preorder Incentive?

When Final Fantasy XIII-2 hits North American shores on January 31, GameStop, Best Buy, and Amazon customers that preordered the game will walk away with some pretty spiffy bonus items, but which is the most enticing? This time around it’s not GameStop. In the world of retailer-exclusive preorder bonuses, dedicated video game retailer GameStop normally…

By Mike Fahey Published October 3, 2011

What’s the Reaction When You Make Dragon Quest Games

As far as iconic games in Japan go, they don’t get any more iconic than Dragon Quest. It’s one of those rare games that still ensnares people who don’t game as much as they used to or don’t game at all. So in Japan, working on Dragon Quest must be a pretty big deal, no?…

By Brian Ashcraft Published October 3, 2011

Chrono Trigger Arrives Tuesday on PSN

Square Enix confirmed on the PlayStation Blog yesterday that Chrono Trigger will be available on PlayStation Network beginning Oct. 4. Pricing was not mentioned. What’s more, in response to a commenter who said he’d “Rather be playing Chrono Cross,” Square Enix’s Charles McCarter said “Well, you might not have to wait that much longer…” [h/t…

By Owen Good Published September 30, 2011

Square Enix and Yahoo! Teaming Up for Something (Something Disappointing?)

Square Enix, maker of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, is joining forces with Yahoo! Japan’s mobile game division for a new project. Smart money says it’s a some sort of social or browser game, sure. According to the teaser site, which will reveal the new work on Oct. 5, the two are collaborating on a…

By Brian Ashcraft Published September 28, 2011

Culture

More of Deus Ex: Human Revolution’s Amazing Concept Art

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a game that’s art direction was so memorable, and so well-loved, that I figured it was worth a second round of concept art. Whereas last time we looked at a little bit of everything from a whole bunch of the game’s artists, today we’re looking at some new stuff from…

By Luke Plunkett Published September 28, 2011

Final Fantasy XIV “Damaged” Final Fantasy

For a game with grand ambitious, Final Fantasy XIV has been a grand disappointment. Today in Tokyo, Square Enix honcho Yoichi Wada once again addressed the game’s shortcomings. “The Final Fantasy brand was damaged,” Wada said, adding that the game was being “substantially reworked” so that the game can be revived as the FFXIV that…

By Brian Ashcraft Published September 27, 2011

Will There Ever Be a New Dragon Quest Anime?

Dragon Quest, one of Japan’s most beloved role-playing games, spawned more than sequel after sequel. A manga version ran for around seven years, and there was an anime in the early 1990s. That doesn’t necessarily mean there’s going to be a Dragon Quest anime in the future. It also doesn’t necessarily mean there won’t. “The…

By Brian Ashcraft Published September 27, 2011

When Pokémon Comparisons Don’t Piss You Off

The idea of raising monsters and then having them fight didn’t start with Pokémon. In 1992’s Dragon Quest V, players could select monsters and have them duke it out. That was years before Pocket Monsters came out. Yet, Dragon Quest spin-off Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker, which focuses on capturing and breeding monsters for battles, is…

By Brian Ashcraft Published September 26, 2011

Let’s Take a Walk Through Deus Ex‘s Missing Link

Due out in October, the Missing Link downloadable content for Deus Ex: Human Revolution sees players navigating an augmentation-stripped Adam Jensen through a mysterious freighter. Here’s lead narrative designer Mary DeMarle to show us how that works. Man, Jensen does not look good as this demonstration starts up. It turns out removing augmentations is more…

By Mike Fahey Published September 23, 2011

This Dragon Quest X Train Sure Looks Familiar

In the latest Dragon Quest X trailer, there’s a train. It has several headlights and a curved shaft, and it looks like a train in another game. You can see it above. A similar train appeared in 2003’s Sakura Taisen ~Atsuki Chishio ni~. It was spotted by Japanese netizens, and it looks, well, like the…

By Brian Ashcraft Published September 22, 2011

This Vita Game Is Metal Up Your Ass

I’m not normally a man to carry around regret, but last week, I didn’t get a chance to play this game. The lines, as we’ve told you, were too damn long. But if ever Square Enix were going to make a game that spoke directly to my heart, it would be this. Army Corps of…

By Luke Plunkett Published September 22, 2011

Should the Kingdom Hearts Games That Suck Still Count?

In today’s continuity-shattering installment of Speak Up on Kotaku, commenter Yoshi Salcedo wants us to settle an argument he’s having with his girlfriend over Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts series. Should we disregard the DS games because they suck? My girlfriend and I are both Kingdom Hearts fans, and as usual we argued over who was…

By Mike Fahey Published September 21, 2011

I, For One, Welcome Our New Final Fantasy Rhythm Game for 3DS

While some of my colleagues may not be fans of the first Final Fantasy-based rhythm game for the Nintendo 3DS, I continue to hold out hope for Square Enix’s Theatrhythm Final Fantasy It’s not that I’m a Final Fantasy fan or obsessive about its music. It’s that I just love a good touchscreen-based rhythm game,…

By Michael McWhertor Published September 20, 2011

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance Sure Looks Dreamy

Upcoming 3DS title Kingdom Hearts 3D got a new trailer at the Tokyo Game Show. It’s beautiful. The game is a new KH entry, and it will be compatible with the new 3DS Expansion Slide Pad. Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance will be released next spring. Kingdom Hearts 3D [YouTube] You can contact Brian…

By Brian Ashcraft Published September 20, 2011

No, I Do Not Want To Eat This

　Starting this November, Dragon Quest‘s cute blue Slime character is getting its own meat buns. The blue buns will go on sale at convenience stores across the country. This week Japanese television showed off the Slime meat buns and did a taste test. The slightly sad Slime face combined with the meaty filling make this…

By Brian Ashcraft Published September 20, 2011

Those Horribad Deus Ex: Human Revolution Boss Battles Were Outsourced

A month after release, popular opinion holds firm that Deus Ex: Human Revolution was a well-made game. And yet one niggling flaw stands out, an issue that has been highlighted in countless blog posts, tweets, and video game forums. Those accursed boss battles. They were, in a word, bad. As I played the game for…

By Kirk Hamilton Published September 19, 2011