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Phantasy Star Universe, the highly anticipated PlayStation 2 and PC installment to Sega's Phantasy Star series and the sequel to the critically acclaimed Dreamcast online RPG, is no doubt gaining more and more hype as its release date slowly but surely approaches. Sonic Team has thrown fans yet another bone this week by way of an update to the game's website which features some brand spanking new movies and gameplay screenshots. But that's not all; a bit of tidings involving a next-gen version of the large multiplayer title has been bouncing about the rumor mill lately, stirring up information on a possible XBox 360 release. Sega has not yet commented on the legitimacy of these reports.

As far as pre-launch preparations go, Sega Link ID registration - necessary for accessing the title's online mode - is now open to gamers in Japan. Fans who register between the dates of November 25th and January 31st will also be given an in-game item, free of charge. As an added bonus, anyone who preorders Phantasy Star Universe will receive an artbook full of the series' concept works and a CD soundtrack. However, both offers are currently exclusive only to Japanese gamers.

Phantasy Star Universe is set to arrive in Japan on February 16th, 2006, followed by a May release in North America. Europe has not been given a concrete launch date as of yet, but the game is expected to reach its shores at some point within spring of next year.

Sources:
CVG
RPGFan

Square-Enix has announced that Nobuo Uematsu's "More Friends" concert performed at E3 earlier this year with a subsequent tour, a follow-up to his "Dear Friends" tour, will be recorded on to a CD and released in Japan. The CD will be entitled "More Friends music from FINAL FANTASY ~Los Angeles Performance 2005~." The concert was primarily orchestral-styled renditions of the classic Final Fantasy music, but it featured guest vocalists RIKKI (for FF X's Suteki Da Ne) and Emiko Shiratori (for FF IX's Melodies of Life) as well as Uematsu's rock band, The Black Mages (joining the orchestra for a rendition of the first of FF VII's final battle themes, One-Winged Angel).

Surprisingly, there is no word on a US release thus far despite the concert taking place in the US and the good reception of "Dear Friends" in the US. Future US and European releases are probable, but there's no information regarding that yet.

The track list from the concert (and presumably on the CD), is as follows: Swing De Chocobo (an arrangement of The Chocobo song by guest conductor Arnie Roth), Final Fantasy Main Theme (from multiple FF games, notably I and IV), The Rocking Grounds (IIIj), Terra's Theme (VI), Draco and Maria Overture (VI), Aria Di Mezzo Carattere (VI), Wedding Walz and Duel (VI), Bombing Mission (VII), Aerith's Theme (VII), One-Winged Angel (VII), Liberi Fatali (VIII), Maybe I'm a Lion (VIII), Melodies of Life (IX), A Place to Call Home (IX), To Zanarkand (X), and Suteki Da Ne (X).

Other songs that were confirmed to have been played during the tour but not in Los Angeles were Theme of Love (IV), Dear Friends (V), Love Grows (VIII, an instrumental rendition of "Eyes on Me"), Vamo' Alla Flamenco (IX, the Chocobo H&C song), and Ronfaure (XI). It isn't out of the question for Square-Enix to add some of these, but the fact that the CD is of the LA concert makes it unlikely.

A new update, brought to you by none other than Del S and myself, this time focusing on two games.

Added to our Final Fantasy Tactics section are two pieces. One is from L. Cully , an already notorious writer here at the Caves of Narshe for her previous work on Final Fantasy 6, and the other comes from a newcomer, Damien Valar, whom we hope you'll appreciate the style.

Damien Valar also helps build up our Final Fantasy 7 section, with the addition of his serious and original piece, while Del S himself proposes a 4 chapters piece, filled with his usual british style and personal interests in armed forces.

Enjoy your reading, and don't hesitate to share your opinions on these new pieces here.

With the X-Box debuting today for $299 or $399 depending on the 'extras' included, the pressure is on for Microsoft's rivals to announce a launch price for their consoles.

Sony CEO Howard Stringer announced to Fortune magazine that he expected the PS3 to launch for between $300 and $400 next spring, making it competitively priced.

This may come as somewhat of a relief to Sony fans, especially after another Sony spokesperson announced that the PS3 would be "very expensive" due to the Blu-Ray DVD technology. Stringer confirmed that the company would be taking a loss on the console price in order to keep it from being prohibitively expensive to gamers.

Stringer also hinted at the release of a media bundle to showcase the PS3s abilities. Whether these will be along the lines of the FFVII "remake" or actual demos of things to come is unknown.

Source: CVG

Famitsu scans out of the latest issue of the Japanese magazine reveal some new and somewhat nostalgic information concerning the upcoming Nintendo DS RPG, Seiken Densetsu DS: Children of Mana. Reportedly, series creator Koichi Ishii has teamed up with development company Next Entertainment in an effort to produce a game very similar to the popular Super Nintendo action RPG, Secret of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 2).

First of all, the "ring command" system featured in Secret of Mana will make its return in the newest handheld installment. The system will be used via the DS's touch screen, enabling players to control the menu in a swift, easy fashion.

Perhaps the best additions - not to mention the most interesting - are the two new characters being introduced into the cast of Children of Mana, both previously from Secret of Mana. The Dwarven blacksmith who originally assisted with weapons, Watts, is now said to be a wanderer from a foreign country and apparently a noble within the world of Children of Mana. There's also Moti, the dancing shopkeeper from Secret of Mana who has somehow transformed into the elder of Illuja Island - the hometown of the latest game's heroes. Famitsu magazine has confirmed that both characters' roles will be of more importance than they were in Secret of Mana.

Seiken Densetsu DS: Children of Mana is due out in Japan this winter. Although Square-Enix has trademarked the title in the US they've yet to give any word on a North American release date.

Source: RPGamer

November 15th, 2005 almost marks a new beginning for Enix's flagship series. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King will be the first DQ game in the US to use the Japanese series name (thanks to Enix acquiring the US rights to the name in 2003), it is the first DQ game to be played in full 3D, and it has received both commercial success (3 million copies sold in its first week in Japan) and critical acclaim (a 9.0 from Gamespot and a 9.5 from 1up). American gamers can experience what is being hailed as the best game in the storied series on the PS2 starting today.

Dragon Quest VIII uses the creative talents of the series' original "big three" (Producer/Director Yuji Horii, character designer Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball __ fame, and music composer Koichi Sugiyama) and the visual stylings of the development team Level-5 (most well-known for their Dark Cloud games) to create this PS2 RPG. You assume the role of a name-it-yourself silent protagonist who teams up with the kind-hearted former bandit Yangus, the attractive young sorceress Jessica, and the suave Templar Angelo to try and save the kingdom of Trodain from the evil jester Dhoulmagus. Dhoulmagus has used a powerful magic scepter to transform the good King Trode in to a troll, his daughter in to a horse, and every other denizen of Trodain in to thorns. Somehow, The Hero (as every principal protagonist in the DQ/DW series is called), a young guardsman of the castle, managed to be unaffected by the spell and now travels with the king and princess on a journey to undo the curse.

One thing that is particularly striking about Dragon Quest VIII is the modern visuals. The massive, immersive continuous 3D world really looks excellent. However, that's where most of the modern features end. Dragon Quest VIII uses the traditional methods of random battles, level-ups, and round-based combat that the series has used since it's beginning in 1982, but it offers a degree of customization by allowing characters to distribute Skill Points earned a level-ups to different weapon skill levels and innate skill levels. For example, Angelo learns a great deal of healing magic if you give him points in Staves, and learns offensive movies if you give him points in Swords. In any case, the game looks to be extremely old-school rpg with absolutely gorgeous, if a bit cartoonish, graphics and a world map that's a wonder to behold.

And if that isn't enough to pique your interest, keep in mind that DQ VIII contains a bonus demo for Final Fantasy XII, which you may have heard gaming sites discussing in detail recently. That will only serve as added incentive for fans of Square-Enix to purchase this new game.

So let's review: Switching to Japanese titles, hitting 3D for the first time, excellent visual presentation, commericial success, and consistent critical acclaim? Sounds like Final Fantasy VII to me. Will DQ VIII parallel FF VII's succes? Probably not, but in any case, if you've been a fan of the Dragon Quest series for awhile or at least have a fondness for old-school RPGs then this game might be worth checking out. If you want to learn more about DQ VIII, check out some of the links below.

Gamespot's review
1up's review
Square-Enix's official website
Wikipedia's DQ VIII entry