Upcoming Square Games

Full Metal Alchemist

The hitherto unannounced title of Square Enix's upcoming mystery game to be unveiled at the rapidly approaching Tokyo Game Show has been unmasked, and it appears as though the company is going to bring out another new title. The game, an action RPG set to appear on the PlayStation 2, will be entitled Fullmetal Alchemist.

Square Enix is borrowing a page out of Bandai's marketing theory guidebook; not only is the game based off an existing manga, said strip will be exploding into a television series starting October 4 in Japan. The show will presumably be in full gear when Square Enix releases their title, which has previously been slated for arrival before the year is out.

Despite this fast-encroaching release date for Japan, no solid information has been provided on possible localizations. Square Enix does generally localize the bulk of its games, however, so the chances for this title reaching North America are better than most such games.

Hanjuku Eiyuu Tai 3D

Japan's Weekly Jump has the scoop on a new PlayStation 2 Strategy/RPG in development at Square, and it's not what anyone would expect.

Enter Hanjuku Eiyuu Tai 3D, the fourth-installment in the popular "Half-Made Hero" series which originated on the Nintendo Famicom. This new installment, which will make its official public debut from the 20th to the 22nd of this month at the Tokyo Game Show, has a rather clever and eclectic premise; a staple, it seems, for the niche series.

Similar to previous installments, Hanjuku Eiyuu Tai 3D tells the tale of once-peaceful kingdom under siege by a horde of malicious monsters intent on domination. The PS2 game adds a new, humorous theme in the form of a conflict between 2D and 3D; all inhabitants in the castle are two-dimensional sprites, while their attackers are all large, polygonal behemoths.

It's up to the player, as the hero of the kingdom, to lead the paper-thin defenders against their assailants. It's also possible for the protagonist to transform in an egg-like monster, which boosts all essential statistics; thus the strange name, "Half-Made Hero."

Hanjuku Eiyuu Tai 3D currently has no release date, but more information should come steadily out of the Tokyo Game Show regarding story, gameplay, and other details.

We probably won't be seeing this.

And another MMORPG. Now this is just too greedy on Square's part.
Ambrosia Oddyssy

At the Tokyo Game Show, Square Enix announced that it will be producing a new online, action RPG entitled Ambrosia Odyssey. The title will have a backdrop similar to medieval Europe and will be playable both online and offline, much like Diablo or Phantasy Star Online.

Showing further similarity to Diablo, Ambrosia will also feature randomly created dugeons and cities for players to adventure in. Currently, there is no official release date set for the title. However, when it does arrive, it will be on the PlayStation 2, and a beta test of the game is planned to start in Japan during the Spring of 2004

This better not be pay to play. Cuz if it is then Square just dropped a load.

[ February 06, 2004, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: Rattan ]