The Xbox 360 exclusive Lost Odyssey may be a beacon of hope for the console's anemic Japanese user base, but that success will come at a price -- your eyes. According to Lost Odyssey architect Hironobu Sakaguchi, the upcoming plot-heavy RPG will feature several "1000 Year Dream" sequences, 34 to be precise, each designed to flesh out the narrative penned by Japanese author Kiyoshi Shigematsu; and each told not through cut scenes, but rather with pop-up text, taking upwards of 5 to 10 minutes to read.

Sakaguchi admits that he once entertained the idea of using voice overs for the sequences, but opted instead to make the player experience Shigematsu's work in its 'purest form', namely written word. You mean, we have to read?! The idea of spending 4 or more hours scrolling through text on the screen is not our idea of fun, and we immediately feel sympathy for those players without bionic vision, or just those playing on smaller than average sets.

We'd like to think that there's a method to Sakaguchi's madness, though his admission that Lost Odyssey will clock in at 40 hours, with 20 of these devoted to non-interactive story sequences, seems to stretch the boundaries of what can be considered a game, rather than just an interactive storybook. Nevertheless, Japanese Xbox 360 owners can pick up Lost Odyssey on December 6, while those in North America and Europe will have to wait until February to go blind.

In a recent interview with Famitsu, Mistwalker founder Hironobu Sakaguchi said that their latest project, the Xbox 360 RPG Lost Odyssey, is 70% complete and that they are currently working on tuning, balancing the gameplay and reducing load times.

According to Sakaguchi, in a translated transcription provided to IGN by Microsoft, the game will use a fixed camera but will incorporate cinematic techniques such as "camera vibration and focus effects" to provide realism. In terms of content, Sakaguchi said the primary theme is "humanity." The music, by Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger) is reportedly a big change in style from his previous work on Blue Dragon.

Also discussed is the battle system, which IGN described as a wall system that will "require players to ensure that the front guards protect the rear," that enemies will also "use these formations" and that there are plans to incorporate "analog trigger system for physical attacks" to breach the walls. The description is rather ambiguous and confusing; we've contacted Microsoft for a copy of the translated interview.

1UP has again braved the bands of manga-fiending young'ns to investigate the happenings at this year's Jump Festa jumpoff. While all major Japanese publishers (and Microsoft) were present, Square Enix was reppin' in full force, offering playable versions of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP), and Seiken Densetsu: Heroes of Mana and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (both for DS). Trailers for additional titles were also on display (see embedded videos below).

In a private theater, Square Enix previewed more new footage from its upcoming 2007 lineup, including a glimpse at Final Fantasy Versus XIII (PS3). The montage concluded with a brief flash of an armored man, grimacing as he stood on what appeared to be a battlefield. The teaser shot was followed by the words: "And something new coming in 2007."

The latest issue of Famitsu sports a bonus Lost Odyssey demo disc, arriving fashionably later than expected. We're assuming this is a playable version of the brief scenario that was previewed at Tokyo Games Show and not selected for best-in-show. Maybe a more intimate look will convince Japanese consumers (if they've even got a Box to play it on).

Major Nelson has once again updated his blog with a convenient list of X06 additions to the Xbox Live marketplace. If you're in any way enamored with glitzy trailers, pre-rendered footage or relentless teasing, you'd best switch on your console and start downloading some of these clips:

• Call of Duty 3
• Banjo Kazooie
• Marvel Ultimate Online
• Viva Pinata
• Assassin's Creed
• Splinter Cell: Double Agent
• Blue Dragon
• Lost Odyssey
• Bioshock
• FIFA 07
• Rainbow Six Vegas
• Halo Wars

If you're a more traditional gamer and actually enjoy interactive forms of entertainment, you'll be pleased to learn that several of our readers have spied F.E.A.R. and Sonic the Hedgehog demos scurrying about in the marketplace. Be sure to let us know what you think of them, but not before viewing the embedded video (after the break) and answering one simple question: What the hell is going on with that nose?

Videos have started hitting the net from the Tokyo Game Show 2006, and they're already impressing us. It's nice to see so many new RPGs coming out. Here are some of the best for your viewing pleasure.

Wired's Game|Life blog has posted an early, albeit vague, impression of Hironobu Sakaguchi's pair of upcoming Xbox 360 RPGs, Blue Dragon & Lost Odyssey. During today's media briefing in Shibuya, Japan, Sakaguchi took the stage and demoed (read: picked up controller and played) his studio's new projects.

While Game|Life doesn't provide many specifics, its post does draw some big comparisons, describing Blue Dragon as a fusion of Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, with "maybe" a dose of Grandia. Game|Life notes that enemies are on-screen (i.e. no random battles) and that the Job Change system (from Final Fantasy V) is featured in Blue Dragon.

Game|Life's description of Lost Odyssey is even more provocative, as it declares the game to look like a "much more dramatic" Final Fantasy. We're sure that Microsoft has its fingers crossed that this impression will stick -- and spread. We'll hit you with our own from the show floor in the coming days.

In the meantime, see for yourself:

• Blue Dragon
• Lost Odyssey