[Rattan]

Yoichi Wada made some minor but intriguing comments about future games in a recent interview with Mainichi Interactive. The head honcho of Square Enix mostly discussed Dragon Quest VIII and Final Fantasy XII, two highly anticipated PlayStation 2 titles.

According to Wada, Dragon Quest VIII is now in playable form, and he has already enjoyed the privilege of sitting down and playing it. He remarked that it was strange to see a Dragon Quest game in 3D format, but he emphasized that the Dragon Quest series still carries the same traditional thematic elements.

As for Final Fantasy XII, Wada mentioned that the developers of the title are not content with the traditional format of walking, watching cut scenes, fighting, and getting special items. Instead, the developers are attempting to create a more interactive game. Wada promised that this new trend would be applied to future Final Fantasy titles.

While Final Fantasy XII is scheduled to be released this summer in Japan, Dragon Quest VIII has only a vague 2004 release date. RPGamer will post updates regarding these titles as soon as the information is available.

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Square Enix recently revealed four new characters who will assist the hero of Dragon Quest VIII in his epic journey. In no particular order, they are: Jessica, a strong young woman who uses a whip in battle; Trod, a green-skinned person who resembles a monster; Youngus, a strong fighter with a scar on his face; and Kukul, a fencer with silver hair and a strange laugh.

Dragon Quest VIII will be released in Japan sometime this year. A North American release has not been announced.