This message has nothing to do with gaming or anime. This is a personal message about my sister.

On April 8,2009 we found out she has DSRCT (desmoplastic small round cell tumor).

It's a type of sarcoma cancer, for more info click here. Taylor is only 17 years old as of January 31st, 2009.

Please if can take time out of your day, take time to visit Taylor's Caring Bridge and sign her guestbook. She'd really appreciate it and she reads them every time she gets online, the link is found at the end of this post. My mom is always updating the page with news about Taylor, more pictures, etc.

Some of you may know my sister online as Subtle.Edge, SayaBloodPlus18, or EvilAngel18.


http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/taylorhargrove

At this years E3 a big shocker was the announcement of Final Fantasy XIV Online. There is already an official website for North America, which features the new trailer shown. Here is a little tidbit on what to expect from Final Fantasy XIV Online:

Platforms: PlayStation 3, Windows
Producer: Hiromichi Tanaka (FF I, II, III, XI)
Genre: MMORPG
Director: Nobuaki Komoto (FF IX, XI)
Release Date: 2010
Art Director: Akihko Yoshida (Vagrant Story, FF XII)
Unit Price: TBA
Music: Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy Series)
Subscription Fee: TBA
ESRB Rating: Pending

Talk about this being the codename Rapture has flooded message boards and gaming communities alike, due to pictures being leaked with the Crystal Tools logo imprinted on the pictures, and the resembalance to Final Fantasy XI. We can expect to see Galkas, Humes, Elvaans, Mithras and Taru-Taru once again in this title. Hopefully more information will release in due time.

Final Fantasy XIV Onlines Official Site: http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com

After announcing three Entertainment Packs this year (Rock Band Unplugged, Hannah Montana: Rock Out the Show and Assassin's Creed), Sony announced today that will bundle Dissidia: Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children along with a Mystic Silver PSP 3000 and a 2 gigabyte Memory Stick Pro Duo. The Package will be GameStop exclusive and will cost U$199,99, shipping on August 25th.

Source: The Lifestream.net

In an interview with Final Fantasy Union, Director Takeshi Arakawa and Producer Yoshinori Kitase reveal some of the new additions and changes for the US version. One of them being new character appearances and abilities for the playable characters.

Final Fantasy Union: You’ve mentioned there are some differences between the Japanese and Western versions; will there be any other differences?

Takeshi Arakawa: You can see new abilities for the characters, which are only available in the overseas version. Also there are some characters which don’t appear in any events in the Japanese version but they do in the western version.

FFU: So there will be a few more cameos?

Takeshi Arakawa: Yes, that’s right.

Source: Lifestream.net

Last week some of the Square-Enix staff, namely planning director Takashi Arakawa and Yoshinori Kitase (director, writer and producer) were present at a gaming event in Munich, Germany. Below is a translation (thanks to Tetsujin) regarding their writing of the scenario and possibly ideas for a sequel.

The German gaming site play3 interviewed them about the PSP game Dissidia.

- How do you make sure that no logical errors or plot holes find their way into the story and presentation of so many Final Fantasy games?

We have three measures that prevent that. First of all, a majority of the Square Enix staff already took part in the development of previous FF games. Secondly, we publish guide books in Japan that also serve us as reference archives. And thirdly, we have a couple of employees - like a young female colleague for example - who played through all of the FF games and really know all the details.

- How long does it take to play through Dissidia?

- Arakawa-san: The Japanese version has a whole 40 hours of playtime. The US/European version allows to play through the game in a mere 10 hours by having branches in the game’s story mode. Apart from that, the balancing for the duels has been slightly readjusted. You can still play through the long version of the story mode if you feel like it, though.

- How do you develop for the PSP and how do you see the future of that portable system?

- Arakawa-san: Our development teams are in constant competition with each other. Every department has their own approach and tweaks the engine that fits their game the most.

Kitase-san: A majority of the Kingdom Hearts 2 staff has worked on Dissidia. The similarity between PS2 and PSP paid off for us. What else can be done with the PSP is something we will show with Final Fantasy Agito XIII. Apart from that, we still have lots of other PSP projects in the making.

Another article didn’t reveal anything new except for one interesting bit at the end:

“According to Kitase-san, a sequel would be ‘very interesting’. Maybe it’ll include Kingdom Hearts characters then?
‘Basically, yeah, that’d be possible. Although we’d have to discuss that with Disney, of course…’ ”

Source: Lifestream.net

Soon we're about to get the FFXIII demo included in the Blu Ray release of FFVII: AC Complete. Even though it won't represent 100% of how the game will be in the final release, it sure has some surprises. That is, the release date in Japan.


The USA and European release will probably have the game somewhere around 2010, but if you are a serious addict, learn some Japanese and grab the game this winter.

Via Gamezine

Seems Square Enix didn't care much to announce this but Final Fantasy VII: International made a sudden appearance in the Japanese and Hong Kong PSN stores.

For the price of ¥1500 it offers many new features which were already in the Euro & US version of Final Fantasy VII. This includes both gameplay and story, better change between materias, arrows showing the entrances and exits and an extra cut scene.

There is still no information about an Euro/US version.

Sources: DarkZero

SQUARE ENIX MEMBERS
The official Square Enix community site SQUARE ENIX MEMBERS has just gotten a major upgrade! Register games to earn Points; build a My Page to show off your collection; join Groups to mingle with other members; create an avatar to represent yourself in the community! Visit today to check out everything the new MEMBERS has to offer!

VALKYRIE PROFILE: Covenant of the Plume
Nintendo DS | Available Now | Official Site
The time has come to reap vengeance on the valkyrie who claimed the soul of Wylfred’s father. Armed with the sinister power of the Destiny Plume, he is faced with a life-altering decision. Will he succumb to the darkness in order to exact his revenge? On the crimson-stained battlefield, victory belongs only to true tacticians of war.

FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Echoes of Time
Nintendo DS, Wii |Available Now | Official Site
A veiled darkness dwells in the shadows of a peaceful era as unforeseen events begin to shape the flow of time. On your birthday, you begin the traditional rite of passage of your village but passing the final test is only the beginning of your adventures.

Fret not, Hero, the tasks before you are not yours alone. Join with other adventurers — whether they’re on the Nintendo DS or the Wii — and undo the echoes of time!

DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY
PlayStation Portable | TBA | Official Site
Reigning from distant realms, the two gods had gathered warriors from all lands to lead them in savage war. Under vicious attack without relent, the warriors fighting for Cosmos started to fall one by one. The conflict that has continued for eons is now about to end in Chaos's favor. As for the few surviving warriors — their fates are about to be determined.

What will you fight for?

The theme song for Advent Children complete will see Japanese vocalist Kyosuke Himuro (--performer of Calling, the theme used for Advent Children) team up with Gerard Way from the band My Chemical Romance. The two will perform a song "Safe and Sound" written especially for the movie. The song will also be available to download from iTunes on Mar 29.

You can watch the tailer here.

Sources: AC.net

Tetsuya Nomura hinted at another installment in the FFVII series in the maybe distant future. When asked by a Japanese magazine about the next part of the compilation he replied -- "We do have an idea for the next Compilation, and for the time being, that's all we can say. It won't start up anytime soon."

Source: AC.net