Roleplay: An RPG Blog

Final Fantasy I and II on iPhone

February 27th, 2010 by Colin Temple

Square Enix has now released the first two classic installations of the Final Fantasy series on Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch devices.

Both Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy II are now available in the App Store. The games have been modified to make use of the iPhone’s touch screen.  Both games also feature added dungeons and extras that are unique to the iPhone version.

Still a wait for Final Fantasy Versus XIII

February 19th, 2010 by Colin Temple

Although the main title in the FF13 project, Final Fantasy XIII, is just over two weeks away from its English-version release, we shouldn’t expect to see its PS3-exclusive counterpart anytime soon.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII, which features an independent story in the same universe as FF13, may not even be shown at E3 this year. Tetsuya Nomura, who is heading up the project, told Japanese magazine Famitsu that development is going well, but that whether or not we’ll see the game at E3 is an “uncertain situation”.

The game has fallen a bit behind schedule due to changes to its world map system, reportedly so that characters can be shown on screen.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII is a PlayStation-3 exclusive, unlike FF13, for which the English version will also be available on the Xbox 360. Final Fantasy XIII comes out March 9 in North America, Europe and Australia, and last December in Japan, where it is also PS3-exclusive.

Next Kingdom Hearts won’t be Kingdom Hearts III

February 19th, 2010 by Colin Temple

Tetsuya Nomura, the man behind the Kingdom Hearts series, has gone on record to say that the next Kingdom Hearts game that his team puts out will not be Kingdom Hearts III, and will not star Sora as the main character.

In an interview with Famitsu, he did say that the game they’re focused on now will tie in more closely with the main Kingdom Hearts storylines, but this isn’t KHIII.

However, the Kingdom Hearts III is still on the drawing board — the news only means that we shouldn’t expect it too soon, as there’s more to come first.

Kingdom Hearts III is in the works

February 9th, 2010 by Colin Temple

The third main-line installation of the Kingdom Hearts series is in the works, according to series creator Tetsuya Nomura. Confirmation comes after Nomura hinted about the title last September.

Nomura, who has served as director and designer on Kingdom Hearts titles to date, has told Japanese magazine Famitsu that his team is under pressure to work on Kingdom Hearts III from fans, and is working to bring it about.

This confirms that the game is on the way, but is only in the early design stages.

More on Kingdom Hearts III it comes.

New Dragon Age title in early 2011

February 9th, 2010 by Colin Temple

EA and BioWare have announced that the next title in its new Dragon Age franchise will be out in early 2011.

Dragon Age: Origins just launched the series last November, and more downloadable content and a standalone expansion are in the works. The news that a second full title is coming in about a year shows dedication (and perhaps aggression) in advancing the Dragon Age line.

Meanwhile, BioWare is currently basking in the success of Mass Effect 2. The third installment to that series is unlikely to be out until sometime in 2012.

Star Trek Online offering lifetime subscription

January 16th, 2010 by Colin Temple

Cryptic Studios, the company behind Star Trek Online, is offering an alternative to the standard monthly pricing model that most MMOs run on. Instead of paying per month, or per year, would-be starship captains can put down a larger amount upfront, and guarantee their lifetime access to the game.

I’m saying “lifetime” a bit liberally here, meaning as long as Star Trek Online stays online, although there are probably enough Trekkies in the world to keep it alive much longer than Tabula Rasa, even if it turned out to be underwhelming.

Those who pre-order the game can sign up early and get the full lifetime membership for $239.99 US. Wait until after the game launches and the price will go up to $299.  The lifetime membership has the added bonus of offering two extra character slots above the monthly subscription, which costs $14.99 per month. These two slots are also available to annual subscribers, who pay $119 per year.

Unique to the lifetime membership, however, is the ability to play as a character who has recently been liberated from the Borg collective.

All subscription options are in addition to the purchase of the game itself, which will come packaged with a 30-day free subscription.

Star Trek Online launches February 2 in North America, and February 5 in Europe.