E3 2005: Square-Enix Booth Tour @ Gaming Target

Written by Kyle Williams on June 03, 2005

Special: Square-Enix is hard at work on seven PlayStation 2 titles and Kyle takes them all on, previewing each in an E3 booth tour of the company's lineup.

Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (PS2)
The cinematic Advent Children has been teasing us with images that revisit the beloved Final Fantasy VII for a couple of years now. I think that the head honchos over at Square Enix took note of the self-perpetuating hype machine that is following its development as they have now announced Dirge of Cerberus, a sequel to the venerable FFVII.

Dirge of Cerberus tells the story of Vincent Valentine, taking place three years after the end of Final Fantasy VII. Familiar Final Fantasy VII characters will join Vincent as he confronts DG, Deepground, Soldiers and uses his gun to unravel the mysteries surrounding Midgard.

As the final part of the triptych that makes up the Final Fantasy VII Compilation, Dirge of Cerberus takes place nine years after the events of the mobile adventure Before Crisis and one year after Advent Crisis.

Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
A long time coming, Final Fantasy XII is finally on the horizon for the PS2. Building upon the tradition of excellence that Final Fantasy maintains, FFXII tells a new story set in the world called Ivalice. Ivalice is home to many races that find magic a commonplace activity and airships filling the sky above.

FFXII is introducing a new combat system dubbed Active Dimension Battle. The ADB system is helping to improve the flow of the game by removing the seam that has traditionally existed between combat and the surrounding world. This shift, as slight as it may sound, will work wonders to alleviate the tedium that often accompanied the later stages of a Final Fantasy game. Of course, it won't hurt that FFXII is absolutely gorgeous.

Full Metal Alchemist 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir (PS2)
Based off of the anime of the same name, Full Metal Alchemist 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir brings the story of Edward and Alphonse Elric back to the PS2. Fans of the animated series will feel right at home amidst the cel-shaded graphics, familiar settings, and voice talent culled directly from the show. They will also be treated to 30 minutes of brand new animation that is being produced for Curse of the Crimson Elixir.

Of course, Full Metal Alchemist 2 has a little something for those not as familiar with the source material, too. A compelling story is being accompanied by a slew of weapons, including several transmutable weapons from the previous title, new alchemy attacks, and a customizable combo system, all of which will come together to keep combat fresh and exciting. Throw in the fact that Alphonse, your younger brother and partner in combat, is implementing a new AI system to cover your back and you have the recipe for alchemy induced success.

Kingdom Hearts II (PS2)
It is no surprise that Square Enix is hard at work on Kingdom Hearts II. The fusion of Final Fantasy staples and Disney characters proved to be the key to a chest full of money. Critical acclaim accompanied the commercial success and this sequel reunites Sora, Donald, and Goofy, the heroic trio from the original title, in their quest to find Sora's friend Riku and the missing King Mickey.

Kingdom Hearts II picks up shortly after the events of the Game Boy Advance title, Chain of Memories, and finds our heroes in Twilight Town. Filled with a vibrant cast of supporting characters including Disney icons from films like Mulan and Hercules. This adventure is bound to bring magic back to the Playstation 2.

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (PS2)
Originally introduced to US audiences more than 15 years ago as Dragon Warrior, the Dragon Quest franchise is as beloved as almost any other role-playing series in existence. Finally making its way to three-dimensions and the Playstation 2, Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King takes players into a unique fantasy world for an epic quest to save your country and King.

Journey of the Cursed King brings Yuji Horii, the creator of the Dragon Quest series, back to the helm for this epic adventure. Joined by renowned artists, composers, and developers, Mr. Horii's Dragon Quest VIII has already sold millions of copies in Japan and is sure to captivate the US audience when it makes its way to shelves.

Radiata Stories (PS2)
From the developers of Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile comes Radiata Stories, a fantasy role-playing title that thrusts players into the conflict between humans and fairy creatures. A playable cast of more than 150 characters will be available for players to recruit and take with them on their adventure, becoming more than just background characters as players take advantage of the Link Battle System. This battle system is taking real-time combat and straightforward controls and combining them with a link attack in which all party members join as one, link if you will, to land devastating blows upon their enemies.

Romancing SaGa (PS2)
The latest in the line of SaGa role-playing titles, Romancing SaGa is bringing eight playable characters to the table in the most expansive SaGa story to date. Picturesque 3D graphics will help the game's events and mini-quests come alive as players fight to rid the world of Saruin's evil.