Square Enix in your pocket: PSP edition
by Ross Miller 
{ Jun 26th 2007 at 7:58AM }
Long-time Square Enix fans will find yourselves either dismayed or curiously nostalgic (probably a bit of both) by the sheer number of enhanced remakes -- five of the seven PSP titles are ghosts from the company's past with upgraded visuals and new content. What's left is a brawler with an assortment of fighters from the Final Fantasy universe and a long-in-development (though visually impressive) extension of the Final Fantasy VII lore.
Take a gander at the upcoming games after the break.
Star Ocean: First Departure and Second Evolution
Revealed by producer Yoshinori Yamagishi at the Square Enix press conference preceding this year's party, First Departure and Second Evolution are remakes of the first and second Star Ocean titles, respectively.Yamagishi said that the improvements include new characters and content, new graphics with both two- and three-dimensional elements and new cinematics that include anomation from Production I.G. (Ghost in the Shell).
No release dates have been given for either title.
Final Fantasy Dissidia
When we first saw scans of Dissidia that gave the impression of a brawler, our first thought was Ehrgeiz, Square's previous attempt (alongside Namco) at the fighting genre with FF characters. Sure, it had Cloud Strife and Sephiroth back before the FFVII series expanded into three million spinoff titles. Though interesting, the game ultimately left us disappointed.The latest from Famitsu reports that the game revolves around two gods, Cosmos (representing order) and Chaos (representing ... well, you know). An imbalance in the world lead to Chaos having an upper hand in an eternal war, and both sides bring forth their best fighters to do battle. Confirmed characters include Warrior of Light and Garland (FFI), Zidane and Kuja (FFIX) and Sephiroth. The trailer for the game is now available online.
The combatants will have special skills for use in the match, and causing damage to both your opponent and the environment will grant you access to more special abilities. Each of the at least 10 protagonists will have a storyline mode to play through.
No release date has been announced.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
As the latest title in a string of FFVII extension, Crisis Core has been in development since at least October 2004. The game centers around Zack Fair, the SOLDIER who Cloud took somewhat of a liking to in the original game, as he tracks down ex-SOLDIER Genesis. On his journey, he encounters familiar faces such as Sephiroth, Aeris, and Cloud.The latest trailer for the action-RPG shows some gorgeous visuals for a PSP game, including some ridiculous hair. There are two playable demos reportedly at the Square Enix party: one battle against series veteran Bahamut, and one against Genesis.
Crisis Core has been dated for September 13 in Japan and is reportedly coming to US this year.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Lion War
An update to the original PlayStation One Final Fantasy Tactics, The Lion War was announced alongside another Ivalice Alliance title, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 for the Nintendo DS. Enhancements include anime-styled cinematics, two character classes (Onion Knight and Dark Knight), the inclusion of FFXII's Balthier, and wireless multiplayer modes, both cooperative and versus.
Initially revealed in December 2006, the game was released May 10 in Japan. A North American version is coming in October; importers can purchase the game from Play Asia.
Final Fantasy I and II
The first two Final Fantasy games are also being remade for the PSP. Unlike Final Fantasy I-II: Dawn of Souls for Game boy Advance, each title will be released separately. According to Square Enix's press release, each version will "contain the best treatment of the classic RPGs" (and there are many treatments to choose from) and reportedly will include updated graphics, new character art and dungeons, an "updated camera view" and will be featured in PSP's native 16:9 widescreen.Final Fantasy I and II will be released June 26 (today!) and July 24, respectively, in North America for $30 apiece.
Gallery: Final Fantasy I (PSP)
Gallery: Final Fantasy II (PSP)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jay @ Jun 26th 2007 8:12AM
But Final Fantasy 1 and 2 were already re-released on the GBA a few years ago? And on the PS1... And of course the originals on the NES.
Star Ocean is the only game I'm interested in there.
hvnlysoldr @ Jun 26th 2007 8:29AM
I'm going to wait for the VC or DS remakes.
JodyAnthony @ Jun 26th 2007 8:42AM
I got the japanese version of Final Fantasy for PSP because I am a huge nerd, and it had an english language option. Game looks great. I haven't played it since my NES days, so I'm looking forward to making my way through. The graphics are pretty nice. I like the big sprites a lot.
That being said, I want those Star Ocean games more than anything else on PSP, with Final Fantasy Tactics being a close second, and Crisis Core being a close third. Damn you, SquareEnix.
megaStryke @ Jun 26th 2007 9:21AM
I, for the life of me, cannot understand how, with the space available on a UMD, that they couldn't squeeze FFI and II onto a single disc and release it as a single package. After giving us Dawn of Souls, it seems like a big slap in the face for no other reason than "gimme your money, bitch!"
Justin U @ Jun 26th 2007 9:44AM
Yet, you know people will pay seperately for both.
megaStryke @ Jun 26th 2007 10:02AM
Well, if it works for the Virtual Console....
sheppy @ Jun 26th 2007 10:20AM
Yo, JodyAnthony... please tell me you imported Tales from Europe. I'm rather confused how they would translate that game, release it in Europe, and never bring it stateside.
OrganicShadow @ Jun 26th 2007 10:39AM
I've never played any of these games they are remaking. It would be cool to get to experience them for the first time without crap NES graphics, so this sounds exciting for me. My only worry is that I hear a lot of people say FF 1 & 2 are crap, and don't have much to say about the first two SO games either.
Hopefully there will be demos but I highly doubt it.
JodyAnthony @ Jun 26th 2007 10:24AM
havent yet, but really want it. I imported Breath of Fire 3 from europe though. I love that game.
Christopher7xii @ Jun 26th 2007 10:51AM
These titles are so much better than the GBA remakes though. Not saying they should be separate, but for the guy mentioning "didn't they do this already on GBA?". Played through the FF1 on PSP (import) and loved it all over again.
Fuck Star Ocean 2. That game was horrible, as I got it from K-mart for $9 on clearance way back when. I played through it, and totally realized why it was priced at $9. The storyline was boring, the character interaction sucked, the "skills" system was lame and underdeveloped. All and all, I had a horrible experience with that game.
Final Fantasy Tactics though, and Dissidia... I totally look forward to both of those titles.
JodyAnthony @ Jun 26th 2007 11:02AM
Star Ocean 3 is where it's at. One of my favorite games of last generation.
megaStryke @ Jun 26th 2007 11:05AM
@Christopher7xii
"These titles are so much better than the GBA remakes though. Not saying they should be separate, but for the guy mentioning "didn't they do this already on GBA?". Played through the FF1 on PSP (import) and loved it all over again."
So what exactly did they do that made it so uber? Added one new dungeon? Anything else? A $30 dungeon is it? More than that if someone imported it? I'll pass, thank you.
bl13 @ Jun 26th 2007 11:07AM
Does anyone know if there's an English option in the Japanese release of Final Fantasy Tactics?
Also I'm very confused by the combat system of Tales of Eternia.
Christopher7xii @ Jun 26th 2007 11:09AM
@megastrike
They revamped the music, the graphics, added CGI cutscenes, and a new dungeon. That, at least in my opinion, makes this version superior. I mean, if both were free, which would you choose? The one with less features? I severely doubt it. If you do, then you're a retard.
Christopher7xii @ Jun 26th 2007 11:12AM
@bl13
Sorry, no English option on the Japanese release. Gotta wait til Fall =/
Matt B @ Jun 26th 2007 11:16AM
I'm in ur pockets, scarfin ur lintz!
megaStryke @ Jun 26th 2007 11:21AM
@Christopher7xii
"They revamped the music, the graphics, added CGI cutscenes, and a new dungeon. That, at least in my opinion, makes this version superior. I mean, if both were free, which would you choose? The one with less features? I severely doubt it. If you do, then you're a retard."
It uses the cutscenes from the PS1 compilation. I don't know how many times they've remixed or reworked the soundtrack, given how many times the game has been re-released. And the graphics? This is PSP! If the DS can have a full 3D Final Fantasy III, I wouldn't expect anything less from a PSP Final Fantasy title.
These PSP ports are basically the "HD Street Fighter II" editions of these games: a gussied-up version of something we've played five bajillion times already. Again, I wouldn't mind so much if they had put the two games on one disc, but they didn't, and I refuse to pay twice as much for redrawn sprites.
sheppy @ Jun 26th 2007 11:28AM
Well, megaStryke, that's very special of you. Truthfully, you can take this position. It's all about choice. For me, $30 is a nice price for a completely remade Final Fantasy (and a little clue, I like that it stayed in 2D... because FFIII? Yeah... fucking ugly. DS can do many things well, 3D is not one of them). However, I hated FFII. If I buy the version at all, it will HAVE to be clearance binned and at no more than $10... and just for completionists sake.
Meanwhile, FFI, well, played through the original revamp which served as source material for the PSX and GBA remakes, Wonderswan. In a foreign language no less. I love the original. I'd gladly pay $30 for a remade version.
You... you can skip it. Big flaming deal.
megaStryke @ Jun 26th 2007 11:33AM
Oh, and one more thing:
"I mean, if both were free, which would you choose? The one with less features?"
Umm, what? The issue at hand is that one version is substantially more expensive than the other and that the added features don't justify the cost. If they were free, then there would be no problem. They aren't, so we have to forget about Fantasy Land for a second and return to the Real World where people actually have to pay money for goods and services.
megaStryke @ Jun 26th 2007 11:43AM
Is there something about the Final Fantasy franchise that makes people lose all sense of... well... sense? With the myriad of FFVII spin-offs, people are still harping about a FFVII PS3 remake. Meanwhile, Square Enix gives you less (one game instead of two) for more ($30 for one game as opposed to two for $30), and people defend it as a choice? All these ports on the Wii with $50 price tags and people are up in arms. Pacman Championship Edition goes for $10, and people can't see past the fact that it is actually a SEQUEL. But when it comes to Final Fantasy? OOOOOOOOOOOH! Let me give you bank account, credit card info, and Social Security Number!
Nintendo did this same shit with the GBA, remember? Releasing Mario 2 and 3 separately for $30 a pop when years back they released Mario All-Stars. They didn't even have the decency to up the visuals. I didn't fall for that and I am certainly not falling for this.
Michael @ Jul 22nd 2008 11:50AM
Hey, if you don't like it, dont buy it megastryke...
hey, if it wasn't for square-enix we wouldn't have xenogears or any of the other awsome titles they've put out.
not to mention the fact that the guys that work for square are really cool people...
I mean I wrote a letter to takeharu ishimoto about a song that "the world ends with you" inspired me to write and he actually listened to it and wrote me back..
I mean how cool is that.
not to many artists will do that.
anyways, back to my point
if you don't like the deal don't buy it,
but don't diss square-enix
sheppy @ Jun 26th 2007 12:02PM
@megaStryke
Dude, you're digging the hole deeper and deeper.
Do you really think, for even a fraction of a second, that Final Fantasy on PSP appeals to anyone but the hardest of the hardcore fanboys? Do you really think the Mario remakes appealed to people other than Mario fanboys?
It's about knowing your market and marketing at your market. Obviously, megaStryke, you're not part of their market. You're not buying the game nor do you have interest in what it has to offer. So frankly speaking, SquareEnix could give a fuck about you and your money since it won't be winning over either anytime soon.
But if you're interested, you can wait for FF Tactics remake which even includes new cutscenes and a versus mode. Or wait for the other games coming soon. FFI&II remakes are not for you. Move on.
SuMtOnE @ Jun 26th 2007 12:19PM
wow where can i pick up one of that SquarEnix PSP?
megaStryke @ Jun 26th 2007 12:43PM
@sheppy
"Do you really think, for even a fraction of a second, that Final Fantasy on PSP appeals to anyone but the hardest of the hardcore fanboys? Do you really think the Mario remakes appealed to people other than Mario fanboys?"
I'm sorry. I was under the false impression that Final Fantasy was one of the top five highest-selling franchises in gaming. Wait... that wasn't a false impression. That's a fact.
So let's see. A game in one of the highest-selling franchises must undoubtedly appeal to gamers outside the niche hardcore crowd. Sales don't lie. If that is the case, more casual gamers who associate RPG with Final Fantasy would love to snatch up a game with the Final Fantasy branding. Therefore, these RPG-casual gamers must be part of this target market.
And by the way, those Mario remakes I told you about? The ones that you say were just for the hardcore? They were two of the biggest sellers on the GBA. Apparently, some other people wanted a piece of the action.
Anyway, I played through Dawn of Souls. I loved Dawn of Souls. Here's my point. Final Fantasy I and II was eventually released as a compilation for the Famicom. The PS1 received Final Fantasy Origins, which contained both games plus added features. The GBA got Dawn of Souls, which added even more extras (minus cutscenes) along with those two games. Now the PSP versions hit and they get split into two separate games? Am I the only one who sees something wrong with that?
sheppy @ Jun 26th 2007 12:52PM
"Now the PSP versions hit and they get split into two separate games? Am I the only one who sees something wrong with that?"
Truthfully, no. You're not the only one who sees something wrong with that. As for me, well, let's put it this way. I know what part I would play. It sure as fuck won't be the sequel where majority of my focus in leveling in that game was hitting my own people. So if they were packed in together, I would still only play Final Fantasy and not the second. So it's a bit of a no harm, no foul from my position.
And yes, those Mario remakes did sell millions, and to who? Obviously not Madden fans. Of my gaming friends, the people who have those games, myself included, bought them just to have a portable version of their favs. That role fit nicely. I'm also one of those people who has Dragon Warrior 1-III on GBC.
Guess I'm just an all around bastard to you. I see a remake of a game I love and would play again and again, and I have no issues dropping coin on it. Then again, my collection IS pretty massive.
megaStryke @ Jun 26th 2007 1:18PM
If Square Enix just HAS to do remakes, they need to give me more than a simple coat of paint. You know what the best remake in recent memory for me is? Mega Man Powered Up. Sure, Capcom could have just chucked in a prettied-up version of the original but instead they went the full distance and truly expanded the experience of an otherwise short game. Among others, that was thanks in no small part to the level editor. Now, we have Final Fantasy I and other than the promise of a new dungeon at the end, I don't feel that Square Enix did enough to really expand beyond what has already been done to death.
And I'm surprised that you had to resort to attacking your own party in Final Fantasy II in order to get them to level up. I just fought against tough monsters. Besides, it was an RPG that enhanced your stats based on performance. You get hit, your HP will rise. Bombarded with status ailments? Your immunity increases. Punch people and watch your muscle grow. If anything, I wish MORE RPGs were like that as opposed to using an arbitrary experience point system. You gained a level! Here's a +5 to intelligence! Ummm... but I'm not a magic user, so... could I get a strength boost instead? No? Damn.
JodyAnthony @ Jun 26th 2007 1:25PM
"I DONT LIKE THE GAME SO NEITHER CAN ANYONE ELSE!!!!!" - megastryke
megaStryke @ Jun 26th 2007 1:39PM
Ahhh, so I've been given the JodyAnthony treatment. I thought I would never seen the day when I'd be stabbed in the back.
Did I say I didn't like Final Fantasy I? No.
Did I say I didn't like remakes? No.
Did I say I didn't like Final Fantasy remakes? No.
Did I say I didn't like fifty bajillion remakes of a Final Fantasy game that offers little in the way of value over its predecessor, which in actuality was MORE full-featured than the current incarnation? You damn right I did.
Its not like I'm slamming the game for no reason whatsoever. I have legitimate concerns over these two games, concerns that I believe are quite reasonable. I'm sorry that I dared to question the judgment of the almighty Square Enix.
JodyAnthony @ Jun 26th 2007 1:41PM
I was just trying to be funny. The point is, so what if they released it with no changes? What difference does that make? Don't buy it. It's really quite simple.
JodyAnthony @ Jun 26th 2007 1:51PM
I still love you, boo.
megaStryke @ Jun 26th 2007 2:12PM
If it was released with no changes from Dawn of Souls, that would be better than splitting it in half and charging for each game separately.
But enough. Final Fantasy is a beast that cannot be subdued. It can only be fed in the hopes that temporarily bating its voracious hunger will minimize the number of casualties in its wake. In a way, its an embodiment of the apocalyptic creatures that typically serve as the primary threats in the Final Fantasy universe.
But I am not a Warrior of Light, so it's not my problem. Let it run its course. Fuck it. I'll be an NPC.
JodyAnthony @ Jun 26th 2007 2:43PM
megastryke, I dont know why exactly, but I really like the way you worded that post
Nobuyuki @ Jun 26th 2007 2:56PM
The reason they sold Dawn of Souls as 1 and 2 packaged was because they were straight ports of the Wonderswan games, there wasn't very much new. With the PSP games they completely redid the graphics and music, which actually costs money to do. It's reasonable to me to sell them separately at that point.
sheppy @ Jun 26th 2007 3:29PM
"If anything, I wish MORE RPGs were like that as opposed to using an arbitrary experience point system."
If I had unlimited resources and COULD stand toe to toe, studio wise, to a moster like SE, your wish would become a reality. Mainly because I thought of a system where you literally never level, instead your stats are augmented by how you play your character over the course of the game. Naturally events over the period of the title would add to the stat pool but the game would balance out your characters based upon play style. Just one part of a massive concept myself and a few others pounded out. We want to get a playable battle engine up and running but that's backburner to our other game. Doubtful such test will ever see the light of day but... THIS is one of the character designs (actual model is currently in the ZBrush stage... mainly because I'm going through some Gnomon Tutorials to learn ZBrush in my spare time).
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/40855733/?qo=24&q=by%3Asheppyboy2000&qh=sort%3Atime+-in%3Ascraps
Purple Haze @ Jun 27th 2007 4:35AM
I'm trying not to be excited for crisis core even though FF VII is my favorite game ever. I'm pretty sure Square-Enix will screw it over with some stupid story that doesn't matter and a screwy battle system that ie nothing like VII. Final Fantasy games are supposed to be turn-based.
Bluebreaker @ Jun 27th 2007 7:45AM
Worth noting in both games the leveling and class balancing system were almost overhauled in the Dawn of Souls version (a GBA bestseller btw) versus the surprisingly rough Origins version. Thief and Red Mage can be used through the entire game and your player characters in 2 were WAY easier to level and didn't get shafted if they wanted to use magic instead of fighting. I wonder if they'll tune up the mechanics in the PSP version more?