All Things Virtual 8.0

This is a missing article that I began to write and… well, never quite added much else to it. Suck it.

Yujii Hori Marks the Spot

This week SquareEnix dropped a bomb on the videogaming world by announcing that the next installment in the Dragon Quest series, arguably the most successful RPG franchise in Japan, will not be gracing any home consoles but will instead be housed in Nintendo’s breakout portable: the DS.
Reactions have covered the entire gamut, from unabashed praise to anger and hate, as this is surely one of the most important developments in recent days. I for one think that the move is a bold yet smart one. The DS has a huge install base and, visually, the screens released so far show that the graphics have suffered little and are consistent with Dragon Quest VIII’s style on the PlayStation 2. One thing that has already proven to divide gamers’ opinion is the move from a turn-based battle system to an Action-RPG style.
One thing’s for sure. Given the history of the series’ economical success in Japan, the DS stands to increase its already phenomenal sales once Dragon Quest IX hits stores in the land of the rising sun.

Facehuggers at SEGA

It seems that Sega has landed the 20th Century Fox’s Alien license and will be making a couple of titles based on it, one of which is rumored to be an RPG. I’ll keep this one short, but as an avid fan of the franchise, I must say I am beyond stoked.
Ah. If only it were an Alien vs Predator RPG.

Matsuno-less Tactics

Another announcement of great proportion is that of a refurbished port of the original Final Fantasy Tactics for the PSP. S-E says the new job classes will be implemented as well as animated cut-scenes and a new localization (finally!).
Also, what seems to be a sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance has been announced. No system has been named, but most would bet on the DS. Now, what kind of treatment will Ivalice receive now that said world’s creator, Yoshinori Matsuno, is no longer with the lauded developer? Food for thought, that.

The Hyrulean hits keep coming

Following the delay of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for Nintendo’s DS to October 2007, Nintendo saw fit to let us all know that a new and exclusive Zelda title has been in production for a year now for the Wii.
Eiji Aonuma has stated that Twilight Princess is the last Zelda that plays in the way we’ve all come to expect from the series. If that is the case, then this next installment of the series on the Wii should be something absolutely new for the series. Hmmm. So much speculation left to do.
All of you fanboys allergic to change better savor Twilight Princess as this may be the last of the old Zelda formula we may bear witness to.