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This calls for a toast, no?
GameSpot finally managed to snag some playtime with the much-anticipated Final Fantasy brawler for the PSP. Needless to say, it's looking real good.
GameSpot hands-on with Dissida
Trailer (no Tidus, just no)
And that's not all. We've got a lot going on in the RPG world. Click here to find out what else is in store.
One of the most anticipated releases of the year, Fable II, is out in stores and is already recieving some critical acclaim!
Well its confirmed, The brand new street fighter movie is already on the works even as we speak, so im proud to present, the 1st images exclusively for FR 
Executives from Square, Capcom, and Namco Bandai open up about how they feel their country is losing gaming clout--and how they think the Japanese game industry can turn itself around.
At their Fall Press Conference this past Wednesday, Nintendo announced a new DS, titled the "DSi." Here is the source.
If that doesn't get you excited, here is a new rumor to chew on!
Redux of publisher's Final Fantasy/Disney mash-up RPG first released on GBA in 2004 will arrive on the PS2 in North America later this year.
If you've been scratching your pennies together throughout the summer wondering what to buy, you're in luck. A plethora of anticipated games have finally arrived!
Tales of Vesperia - Released: August 26, 2008
Tales of Vesperia is the best game yet in the series, and a beautiful and entertaining RPG in its own right.
GameSpot score: 8.5 (click for review)
Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice - Released August 26, 2008
Pure, unadulterated fan service for the Nippon Ichi faithful and strategy RPG enthusiasts, though outsiders may find it incomprehensible.
GameSpot score: 7.5 (click for review)
N+ - Released: August 26, 2008
The addictive gameplay and stylish design of N+ fit almost perfectly into the tight confines of today's handhelds.
GameSpot score: 8.0 (click for review)
Infinite Undiscovery - Release Date: August 29, 2008
Infinite Undiscovery is a role-playing game exclusive to the Xbox 360.
The epic story of love, betrayal, and redemption is reborn better than ever in glorious 3D.
This morning at its press briefing at the E3 Media & Business Summit, Microsoft stunned many in the audience by announcing that Final Fantasy XIII is now in development for the Xbox 360. Not only is the game coming to the console, but it will arrive on the same day and date as the PlayStation 3 edition of the game, with no timed exclusivity of any kind. However, when exactly that is remains a mystery, given that the graphics-intensive role-playing game still has no firm release date.
"We believe that releasing an Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII will allow us to provide the game to even more fans in the two regions of North America and Europe," Square Enix boss Yoichi Wada told a stunned audience. No mentioned was made of Japan, where the 360 is far less popular than the PS3.
Following the game's official Web site being spotted overnight, Square Enix has confirmed that Chrono Trigger will release for the DS this holiday. Unlike the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest remakes, Chrono Trigger will not receive a graphical overhaul, though it will be reformatted to utilize the DS' dual-screen presentation and touch-screen functionality. The remake will also include a Wireless Play mode and an all-new dungeon.
Final Fantasy IV (originally known as Final Fantasy II in the US) has seen a number of rereleases throughout the years, the most recent of them appearing on the GBA as Final Fantasy IV Advance. However, not content with mere ports, Square Enix has decided to completely remake this epic adventure from the ground up similarly to what they did with Final Fantasy III. The end result is a fully 3D game that looks better than ever and includes several new gameplay features such as voice acting, but is still unmistakably Final Fantasy IV.
...Besides his tit-for-tat lawsuits with Take-Two--which were finally settled in April 2007--Jack Thompson has engaged in numerous other legal maneuvers against the game industry. In federal court, he unsuccessfully attempted to have another Take-Two game, Bully, labeled a public nuisance. He also coauthored a Louisiana bill banning the sale of obscene games to minors--a bill that was briefly made law before being struck down.
Now, though, it appears Thompson's crusade against games may be coming to an end--in the legal arena, anyway. A Kotaku correspondent on the scene reports that today, the Florida Bar requested in court that Thompson be given an "enhanced disbarment." According to 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida spokesperson Eunice Sigler, the measure--if imposed--would prohibit Thompson from practicing law in the state of Florida for the next 10 years.
For many years, the Internet was the "final frontier," operating largely unregulated — in part because of the jurisdictional nightmare involved in trying to enforce laws when communications crossed not just state lines but also national boundaries. That was then; this is now.
Legislation that affects the use of Internet-connected computers is springing up everywhere at the local, state, and federal levels. You might be violating one of them without even knowing it.
...believe it or not, the actual Wii console is still in short supply, a year and a half after its release.
Some groups blast the video game industry for making games too violent, but not Greenpeace. Instead the environmental group is attacking game console makers Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony in a new report that calls each of their next-generation video game consoles a "toxic menace." The claim is based upon the hazardous chemicals found in the consoles.
Oooh, pretty color. Japan may get like a hundred different colors for their hardware, but at least we get a few unique systems with special bundles like these.
Sony has recently announced the Madden 09 PSP Entertainment Pack, and it includes a copy of EA's upcoming football simulator and a very slick-looking metallic blue PSP. The entire bundle will retail for $199.99 and go on sale right alongside Madden 09 on August 12, which is bound to be a big day for game retailers across the US. And there's more, as you can see by that picture- you also get a 1GB Memory Stick Pro Duo and a couple sweet little bonuses; one for all you die-hard pigskin fans and one for any music fan. There's a NFL Films presentation, "NFL: In Just One Play," and a voucher to download Beats from the PlayStation Network through the PSP's PC hookup. Sony says this cool piece of software uses "beat-tracking technology to create gameplay from any song that the player supplies." In short, there are plenty of reasons to want this very attractive bundle when it drops in August.
Of course, we'll be on the lookout for any Madden 09-related bundles for the PlayStation 3, and if Sony and EA decide to collaborate on one, we'll be sure to let you know. For now, you can nab the game, a pretty blue PSP, and a couple nice extras for a very agreeable price.
"Never one to let an old Final Fantasy setting die. Square Enix has just released two new online card games that use characters from Final Fantasy IV.
The two new games, launched yesterday on the Square Enix Members site (meaning you need to be a member to access the games), are titled Daifugo (Multi-Millionaire) and Portica Sodatsusen (Portica Competition).
In Multi-Millionaire, players put down cards that get sequentially stronger, trying to reduce their hand size. For Portica Competition, you play in a ztyle similar to Old Maid, with a few new twists, like the ability to capture cards."
Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), the author of California's law attempting to prohibit the sale of extremely violent video games to minors, today urged parents to avoid purchasing the latest graphically violent video game - Grand Theft Auto IV - scheduled for release on Tuesday, April 29. GTA IV, the newest in the ultra-violent video game series, is expected to be the year's most popular game despite its rating of M for adult audiences.
"It is imperative that parents avoid purchasing this game for their children and always review the video games their children are playing," said Yee, who is also a child psychologist. "Unfortunately, the makers of Grand Theft Auto have a history of deceiving the ratings board and the public on the true content of their games. Parents beware: this game undoubtedly glorifies violence, is extremely realistic and designed for adults only."
In June 2005, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and GTA's creator Rockstar, were involved in a multi-million dollar scandal called "Hot Coffee," in which Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, a game originally rated M by the ESRB, was found to have hidden animations allowing players to watch graphic scenes of oral sex, nudity, and simulated intercourse. The scandal resulted in the game being pulled from most store shelves, a $2.75 million klassaction settlement, and the stocks of the Rockstar's parent company (Take Two Interactive) losing nearly half their value.
The ESRB rates a game based solely on a short video clip and information supplied by the game's maker and does not actually play or review the full content of the game. While M-rated games are designed for adults, there is no prohibition to selling such games to children. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission reports that 42 percent of unaccompanied children 13 to 16 years of age can successfully purchase M-rated games.
In addition, a recent report by the National Institute on Media & the Family found complacency among retailers, parents and the gaming industry regarding video game rating awareness, enforcement and usage. Among the report's highlights was a retailer grade of C-, with national retailers receiving a D and rental stores collecting a failing (F) grade. The game industry as a whole received a C and the ESRB received a C+.
