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?

Source

Brock Lesnar Blames Canada, Speaks Out Against Obamacare

Former WWE Superstar and current UFC fighter Brock Lesnar had some choice words for Canada after dealing with a life-threatening illness. During an interview with ESPN, “The Next Big Thing” took a shot at Canadian health care and the health-care reform efforts in America:

I went to the hospital in Canada, realized quickly that I had to get out of Canadian health care and get back to Bismarck in the United States.

It was like I was in a third-world country, I just looked at my wife and she saved my life and I had to get out of there. The only reason I’m mentioning this, I’m mentioning it to the United States of America because President Obama is looking for health-care reform and I don’t want it. I’m speaking on behalf of Americans. I’m speaking on behalf of our doctors in the United States that don’t want this to happen and neither do I.

It should be noted that Lesnar was comparing a presumably tiny hospital in rural Canada to The Mayo Clinic. The comparison is a bit…silly, but if he wants to use that to form his opinion on health-care reform…well, he’s a big guy and I’m not going to him that he’s being stupid.

Tarver Games’ Chris Cross Kicks Off His Blog

My friend Chris Cross from Tarver Games, makers of the excellent Ghosts Attack for iPhone, has started a blog. It’s a blend of business and pleasure. By business, I mean updates on Tarver’s development efforts. By pleasure I mean donkeys, monkeys, and classic cars. He’s a hilarious and smart guy, so I encourage you to check it out!

Confession: I Want to See Tooth Fairy

I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I want to see Tooth Fairy starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. As a wrestling fan, I feel it’s my duty to support his movie career. Supporting The Rock’s movie career will help other sports entertainers be accepted as…uh…entertainer entertainers. Plus, he’s just good in that macho-man-becomes-sensitive-guy role (see The Game Plan).

Plus, the movie has Julie Andrews! I forget that this woman is alive and still bringing it. She was brilliant in The Sound of Music. It’s amazing that she’s entertaining a whole new generation of moviegoers more than 40 years later with excellent movies like Enchanted and Shrek 2. She deserves a Nobel prize for four decades of awesomness (I think they give one out for that, no?).

So there’s my confession. Any chance any of you are interested in the movie?

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?