Category: Videogames

Tetsuya Nomura Says “No” to Final Fantasy VII Remake

In a recent interview with Famitsu, Square Enix’s Tetsuya Nomura (the James Brown of videogame development) said “no” to a Final Fantasy VII remake…for now. Andriasang translated the following Nomura comment:

Fans are looking forward to an oft rumored remake of FFVII, but I don’t believe this will happen for the time being. However, it’s possible that he will appear in other titles as a guest character.

Millions of fans around the world would love this game and I think it’s only a matter of time until it gets made. Nomura is the key to making it happen. At this time he’s way too busy and he doesn’t appear to be interested. I maintain that it would be the perfect launch title for the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation Portable 2. FFVII remake = insane system seller.

How many of you would buy a FFVII remake?

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What Are You Playing This Weekend?

Another week…another gaming weekend! I’m looking forward to curling up with my games this weekend, partially because there’s some stuff I really want to play and partially because I’m totally over this rain (come on Los Angeles!!!). I’m thrilled that Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgement was released for PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. I love, Love, LOVE “tactics”-style games and I’m sure this one will captivate me.

For quickie game sessions, I know I’ll be playing Skee Ball on my (sim-less) iPhone. It’s so simple and so addictive — absolutely perfect for a cheap iPhone game. There was this one time (not at band camp) when I meant to play the game for five minutes…and ended up playing for two hours. So yeah, I kind of dig this one.

As always, I want to know what’s on your weekend playlist!

Dead or Alive Paradise Brings Big-Boob Physics to the PSP

Of course I’d come across this trailer of Dead or Alive Paradise (PlayStation Portable) on the same day that I posted an article on positive females in gaming. That’s not to say that the ladies of Dead or Alive aren’t positive. It’s just that most people look at them for their…buoyant physics. This trailer features plenty of big-boob physics on the diminutive PSP. Be careful as you’re watching it; I don’t want any of you to lose an eye.

Coffee Talk #71: Your Favorite Videogame Heroines

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the Supreme Court’s alarming decision on campaign contributions by corporations, what the Apple tablet means for gaming, or Brees vs. Favre, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

For decades, videogames have been largely enjoyed by males. While I’m thankful that more and more ladies have been enjoying games, there’s no denying that games have been a “guy thing” for a long time. Despite that — or maybe because of that? — the business has had its fair share of outstanding heroines. From Ms. Pac-Man to Samus Aran to Lara Croft, gaming is full of women that kick ass.

My favorite gaming heroine is Yuna from Final Fantasy Fantasy X. I found her to be more thoughtful and realistic than most videogame characters. Her stilted and unsure speech was absolutely charming and unique. She’s not the typical blow-you-up-with-guns character, but if you crossed her path she’d wipe you out with a summon. I loved how she gained confidence throughout the game’s tale and blossomed into a wonderful hero. Of course it helped that she starred in an excellent game (let’s ignore FFX-2 for a moment).

Today I wanted to see who your favorite videogame heroine was. Do you prefer gun-toting ladies like Joanna Dark? Or maybe the emotional powers of Princess Peach? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Foto Showdown Videos Set Bar for Unintentional DSi Comedy

Check out these two videos of Konami’s Foto Showdown for Nintendo DSi. The tech is pretty fun — the game lets you snap photos and transform them into characters in the game. More importantly, these videos are unintentionally hilarious. I love the sister in the vids. She should get an Oscar or an Emmy for her outstanding performance, particularly in the second clip.

I don’t understand the bully character though. He has the good sense to nail the little brother in the head with a ball, but doesn’t beat him up and steal his DSi. What kind of half-assed bullying is that?!?

Also, am I the only one that’s scared of someone snapping a picture of his schlong to use as an in-game character?

Apple Working with EA on iPad Games?

Apple is aiming to make a big splash with its iPad tablet next week and hopes that games from Electronic Arts will help generate interest in the product. While the iPhone and iPod Touch market is one of the fastest growing segments in the gaming industry, Apple hopes that developers will flock to its upcoming tablet. EA’s games could serve as an example to other developers. According to The Wall Street Journal:

Apple is also working with videogame publisher Electronic Arts Inc. to show off the tablet’s game capabilities, according to one person familiar with the matter.

While I’m sure the iPad (or iSlate or iTablet) will be a success, I’m certain that it will only do a fraction of the numbers the iPhone has done. A lot of people need phones and love the extended multimedia capabilities the iPhone offers. The iPad, on the other hand, appears to be a pure luxury; nobody needs a multimedia tablet with Internet capabilities. With that in mind, the installed base of the iPad will be a fraction of the iPhone’s, making it less appealing to developers.

The important thing to remember is that since both products will presumably be using iPhone 4.0 software, developers can write the bulk of the code for the iPhone and (again, presumably) optimize code for the larger tablet. Theoretically, it shouldn’t add too much additional work. I’ll ping some of my developer friends and see what they think.

If Apple and its partners deliver a healthy dose of games for the iPad, will that make the device more appealing to you?

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Trauma Team Walkthrough: The Magic of Endoscopy

The latest video walkthrough of Atlus’ Trauma Team for Wii goes over the endoscopy gameplay. Find out how the Wii’s motion controls are used to perform this arcane and mysterious medicinal art. Okay, it’s not really arcane and mysterious, but most sciences seem that way to me, which is why I was fascinated by this video. Check it out!

Coffee Talk #70: What Influences Your Game Purchasing?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the democrats totally blowing it in Massachusetts, Apple giving Google the boot for Bing, or your pick for the WWE Royal Rumble, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

There are very few videogames that surprise me. I’ve been playing games for decades and writing about them for almost 15 years. For the most part, I know what games will interest me. I know what I like and I know what I will enjoy. I don’t need to read game reviews to help me make a purchasing decision. Having said all that, Darksiders threw me for a loop. I was mildly interested in the game because of Joe Mad’s involvement (remember, I’m a comic-book geek too!), but I was pretty sure it wasn’t a “must have” for me. A friend’s opinion changed all of that.

One of my industry friends is super hardcore into games and I respect his opinion. Lately he was raving about Darksiders on Twitter. He’s a fairly enthusiastic fellow, so his praise wasn’t surprising. He did surprise me with several well-reasoned tweets that equated Darksiders with classic Zelda games. Whoa. A game with unique and modern graphics that has the gameplay sensibilities of old-school Zelda?!? In the immortal words of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, “Gimme a hell yeah!!!” My friend’s opinion and insight totally sold me on the game, kicking it up to the “must have” category.

I wanted to see what influences your purchasing decisions. Do you rely on reviews from outlets and writers you like? Do you do your own research? Or are friends your biggest influence? What’s the one factor that can change your mind on a game that you’re borderline on?

Pocket God is the First iPhone App to Sell Two-Million Copies

Showing the legitimacy of the iPhone and iPod Touch as a gaming platform, Bolt Creative revealed that Pocket God has sold more than two-million copies in about a year. With comparatively low development costs and a huge installed base, the iPhone platform has been attracting tons of developers. For dubious reasons, a lot of enthusiast gamers foolishly dismiss it as a “fad” (then again, a lot of them called the Wii a fad). Gamasutra has reported:

Bolt Creative has announced its popular and frequently updated iPhone game Pocket God has sold more than two million units since its launch on January 9th, 2009. Pocket God is the first paid application in the App Store to reach the sales milestone, according to Bolt.

I’m loving my (sim-less) iPhone more and more as a gaming platform. With titles like Civilization, Bird Strike, and Skee Ball (my latest addiction), I can keep myself entertained for minutes or hours.

Here are two questions for you. Have your feeling on the iPhone as a gaming platform changed? I’m always looking for game recommendations. Any iPhone games dazzle you?

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Fat Princess Gets Patch and Brownie Town Map

Sony Computer Entertainment of America has announced that Fat Princess will be getting patch 1.04 on Thursday, January 21. In addition to the usual fixes, this patch includes a new map call Brownie Town (as in, “Won’t you take me to?”). A free map and overall improvements? I’m down!

Last time this game was patched, I threw around the idea of getting together and playing it online with a bunch of you. I totally dropped the ball on that one. Let’s make it happen this time! Are any of you still up for playing in RPad’s Army?

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