Square Enix Announces 2009 Q1 Lineup

Today Square Enix announced their gaming lineup for 2009 Q1 and there isn't a Final Fantasy title in the list amazingly.

The titles that were in the list:


Star Ocean: The Last Hope - March 3, 2009
For Xbox 360
Developer: tri-Ace Inc.


Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume - March 17, 2009
For Nintendo DS
Developer: tri-Ace Inc.


Dragon Quest: Hand of the Heavenly Bride - February 17, 2008
For the Nintendo DS
Developer: ArtePiazza


Star Ocean: Second Evolution - January 6, 2009
For PSP
Developer: SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.

Review: Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors

Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors
Square Enix
Available for the Nintendo Wii

Dragon Quest Swords is basically the shell of an RPG with a bit of rail shooter and action game tossed in for something a little different, and though it may have looked good on paper, the concept fails to create a magical experience for DQ fans.

You play your stereotypical young hero setting off on his first journey into the big wide world full of monsters and as usual you are joined by your mentor, a royal and a hottie who help you battle the monsters along the way. As the story unfolds you discover the Queen has been entranced by a demon mask and you must free her from the spell and send the demon back into the depths of the unknown, before your kingdom is destroyed.

Each chapter gives you an area to venture out into where you must follow a set trail, much like a rail shooter, and on those paths there are groups of monster that attack you. While in battle mode, you must use your Wii remote like a sword to hack and slash at your enemies. Problem is if you hold the remote wrong, the strokes will miss and you lose points on your final score, but if you try and hold it right for perfect hits, you’ll waste time and end up dead a lot sooner.

Your battle companions, except for healers are pretty much useless if you don’t give them orders throughout the battle. If you give them a set attack command, they’ll hit once every 5 battles, but give them a heal command and they‘ll hit 3 or more times in one battle.



The graphics are probably the prettiest I’ve seen on the Wii since Twilight Princess, with its mix of cell shaded characters and beautiful rendered backgrounds. The characters’ voices are annoying at best with their horrible accents and repetitive in-game chatter. The dialog sounded like something out of a very bad production of a Medieval Times dinner show with all the thees and thous and afeareds. Is afeared even a word?

I wouldn’t suggest buying this game, especially since the game is about 20 hours in length, but don’t be afraid to rent it, if you’re a DQ fan. I honestly hope that Dragon Quest IX is amazing, because the last two DQ game weren’t spectacular and I’m starting to miss the DQ RPG format. There are enough rail shooters and Pokemon wannabes to go around Square Enix, so stop ruining such a great series with gimmicks.

Rating: 6 out of 10
Rent it

Dragon Quest Swords has new release date

Get ready to kill some slime earlier than expected, Dragon Quest fans!

SquareEnix has officially moved the release date the upcoming Dragon Quest title, Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors to February 19, 2008. The game was original slated for release on February 26, 2008, but I guess the people at Square are just as excited as us for the game's release, so they moved it up.

I personally loved the last two Dragon Quest titles and can't wait to pick up my copy this month.

Review: Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker

[I'm a little late in posting this but life has been busy for me since I got a normal 9-5 job.]



I know there are a lot of closest Pokemon players out there that are afraid to admit they love to catch 'em all, but I have found a shining ray of hope for all you. Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker is a Pokemon like game that has you questing for all the monsters in the Dragon Quest universe.

You're character is sent on a mission to enter a monster scout tournament where scouts from all over the world has finish quests in order to become the ultimate monster scout. You travel through a series of islands impressing monsters to join your three monster team to help you battle through dungeons and caves to gain treasure and more tougher monsters for your team.

Along the way you meet a special creature that asks to fight by your side as you help him collect power from various temples on each island. This power will be used to help protect the world from a great evil.

Your character has the ability to give each monster orders each round and heal one monster once each round. Each monster has its own abilities to destroy enemies, affect them or heal their teammates. You can modify their abilities as their experience grows and you can fit them with weapons which you can buy in scout stations.

Monsters can be bred together to create new monsters or stronger monsters at the scout stations and you can try different group types for different fighting strategies.

To capture monsters you have to impress them with a showing of power by your current team. The higher percentage you get on impressing the monster the more likely they'll join your team. Some times you have to try a few times before the monster will join even with a high impression rate.

The graphics are pretty nice 3D graphics. There is no overworld view, just a first person or third person behind view when running around the land. The graphics aren't as polished as Dragon Quest 8 on the PS2, but they are pretty similar. Think less smooth. The characters and monsters are colourful and comical in appearance. I love how clever some of the monster names and appearances are. Better than the Pokemon characters.

The music is pretty normal. Basic adventuring music. I tend to turn the volume down on most of my games anyway, so I wasn't missing much on this basic midi sounding game. There is no voice overs, just text talk and the sound effect are standard Dragon Quest. Hacks, slashes and fairy noises.

Gameplay is pretty fun. Each island is a decent size and you don't have to spend hours running from point a to point b. The fighting system is easy to pick up on and you have more control over your monsters actions then you would think. Give orders to your monster will result in them performing that exact command, but you do have a choice to just let them fight as they want to too and that works well on easy enemies.

I really recommend this game to adult Pokemon fans and Dragon Quest fans. This game really brings the fun of both games together as well as just being a wicked RPG.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors ships in February

The Newest Entry in the Timeless Franchise Takes Video Gaming to a New Level of Fun and Interaction

LOS ANGELES (December 10, 2007) – Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix™ interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that DRAGON QUEST® SWORDS: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors™, the newest entry in the renowned franchise, is set to slice its way to North American retailers on February 26, 2008.

Developed exclusively for the Wii™, DRAGON QUEST SWORDS: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors fully utilizes the motion-sensing capabilities of the Wii Remote™ to place a mighty blade, protective shield and special attacks all in the palm of your hand. The latest installment of the premiere RPG franchise that has shipped over 43 million units worldwide brings the colorful world of DRAGON QUEST to life, enhancing your action-adventure experience with added levels of fun and interaction.

Story

Five years have passed since the defeat of the Deathbringer, and the kingdom of Avalonia joyously celebrates what seems to be an everlasting era of peace. However, a closer look reveals that things are amiss. Calamity arises within the kingdom, as unfamiliar and powerful monsters invade the outskirts of town. With the Deathbringer gone, what explanation is there for the onset of these monsters? And what of the queen, who has come to hide her face behind a strange mask? Make your way through the perilous journey, solve the baffling mysteries and return order to Avalonia.

Features

* Delve into an unforgettable gaming experience, created by the “big three” – a team comprised of series creator Yuji Horii, legendary manga artist Akira Toriyama and renowned composer Koichi Sugiyama.
* Show off your swordsmanship, block enemy attacks, and use special skills, all through the simple and intuitive use of the Wii Remote!
* Combine materials to personalize your sword, allowing you to engage in battles unique to your customized abilities and powers.
* Experience an epic adventure in the world of DRAGON QUEST, rendered through stunning visuals and a powerful soundtrack delivered by famed game music composers Manami Matsumae and Koichi Sugiyama.
* Take on the challenges presented by all-new features for the North American release, including a “Payback Mode” and four hidden bosses!

DRAGON QUEST SWORDS: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors is rated T (Teen). Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website at www.esrb.com for more information about ratings. DRAGON QUEST SWORDS: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors will be available at North American retailers for the suggested retail price of $49.99(USD).

Dragon Quest: Joker hits stores tomorrow!!!

Exclusive TV Spot for Dragon Quest: Joker.

The newest game in the Dragon Quest series hits stores tomorrow for the Nintendo DS and I can't wait to get my copy. Dragon Quest: Joker allows players to scout the world for monsters to join their ever growing army of monster teams. Much like Pokemon but with cool monsters and a kid with weird hair.

Look for a review of this game in the near future.

Dragon Quest Swords Japanese Commercial (Updated)

The new Japanese commercial for Dragon Quest Swords.



Commercial #2



Commercial #3

Dragon Warrior Slime Keychains on Sale now (Perler Bead Art)

I'm selling my first batch of keychains on eBay. I have 5 sets available for purchase at $3.00 a set.

Shipping for USA and Canada - $3 and International for $5.

Check out the eBay sale here.

New Dragon Quest Swords Cover

God, I need to buy a Wii. First Zelda, then Rayman, then Super Paper Mario and now this ... I so need this system.

[Via Dark Diamond Network]

If I could I would decorate my bathroom in theses ...

Looking for the perfect items to decorate your home in a gamer fashions? Well in Japan, you can buy Dragon Quest Slime accessories to give your home that RPG touch! You can purchase anything from Slime Candles to Slime Pencils.

And to finish off your perfect Dragon Quest collection, check out this Slime bath mat. Perfect to suck up all your water in your bathroom after a good long shower
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This is a Chocobo Tales seat cushion available for sale in Japan. I would love this for my collection!

[Via Game|Life]