News

Apex Digital and Infinium Labs, companies new to the gaming market, have each designed a console to compete with the industry giants: Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft.

Apex's machine, called the "ApeXtreme," will be released within the next four months and will carry a price tag just under $400.
Details about the ApeXtreme can be found at PCReview.co.uk.

Infinium has yet to give a specific date for release of the "Phantom;" however, the Phantom debuted at the Ultimate Gamers' Expo in Los Angeles last August. The console's expected price range is from $300 to $500.
Details about the Phantom are available at Infinium Labs.com.

Both the ApeXtreme and the Phantom use a modified version of the Windows XP OS and support broadband Internet connection.

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Neither of the machines sound like anything amazing to me; so far they have minimal publisher relationships. However, at least one of the two consoles will have some degree of support for running games designed for PC play, which is an interesting attempt at melding desktop to console gaming.

One other noteworthy piece is the price of each console--compared to the $99 Gamecube, it's hard to see how these virtually unknown companies can compete.

Announced on the 7th of this month, the Final Fantasy game that some people love and others hate has reached the 500,000-user mark. Over a million characters have been created since launching in May of 2002.

So while some Final Fantasy fans may avoid the game, because of fees and being strictly on the computer, there is still a very healthy fanbase for FFXI.

Source: RPGamer

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I myself tried the game, but just couldn't get into it. It looks like fun, and it's easy enough to play, however I'm strictly a console gamer. I can see how someone who does like playing their games on the PC, and doesn't mind a monthly fee, would enjoy this game tremedously.

We have a new fanfiction by SpacemanSpiff, now in the FF4 section. It's called Reflect and Reveal, and takes place just around the beginning of the game.

Please visit our FF4 fanfiction section to read it.

New details have surfaced about Squeenix's follow-up to their successful Kingdom Hearts title.

These details mainly focus on gameplay. The basic game mechanics will remain mostly unchanged in the sequel. One aspect that will have some changes is the summoning system, though. The changes will make it easier to use summons in a battle. There are also plans to rework the Gummi Ship.

There is still not even a Japanese release date for the game, however.

Source: RPGamer

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I have only played about two hours of KH1 or so, and it seemed like a really good action RPG. Hopefully, the sequel will be just as good (if not better) than the original. What I hope even more though is that I can finish KH1 before the second is released in the North America.

A Sony representative has revealed some details concerning the design of the Dual Shock 3, the controller of the Playstation 3.

Maybe not shocking is that there are only a few changes made from the Dual Shock 2 in its design. One change that a trigger button is most going to be added under its right handle. Wireless capabilities are also going to be added in order to better compete with Nintendo's Wavebird controller. Other than this though, the controller is basically going to remain the same as the Dual Shock 2 as the latter was with the PS1 controller.

Source: Games_Are_Fun

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Sounds good so far to me. The Dual Shock 2 is a decent controller. No reason to drastically change a good thing. The additions are nice are handy too. Even with the addition of the trigger button, I think the N64 controller is still going to be my favorite to use with First Person Shooters (besides a keyboard and mouse) though. The N64 controller just feels right for them.

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, scheduled for release on February 9, 2004 on the Nintendo Gamecube, will be the first FF title released in the US on a Nintendo console since the 1994 release of Final Fantasy III US (aka FFVI).

Crystal Chronicles features a large emphasis on multiplayer gaming, supporting up to four players simultaneously via Gameboy Advance consoles linked to the Gamecube.

Gamespot features a collection of screenshots of the Japanese game release.

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The story sounds a little weak, the battle system has moved from turn-based to real-time, the magic system is apparently "item-based" like FFVIII, and Square wasn't even willing to give it an "official" spot in the series with a Roman numeral of its very own.

Thus, I'm a little skeptical about the game, but nevertheless would give it a shot, assuming I could find a Gamecube and GBA to borrow.