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Square-Enix's long-running Final Fantasy series has reached twenty-five years, and the company is celebrating by hosting festivities in Tokyo on September 1st. Currently the picture above is supposed to be for Final Fantasy XIII-3 titled "A Storm Gathers", which will head in a "new direction" after Final Fantasy XIII-2: A Requiem of the Goddess, a DLC side-story that focuses on protagonist Lightning.

However, Versus XIII is still in development, according to Yoichi Wada.

Furthermore, Square-Enix's Japanese online e-Shop is selling their Ultimate Box Collection for the anniversary, including the main thirteen Final Fantasy games, some artwork and music and a couple of anniversary discs. The price tag is 35,000 yen (~$450). The collection includes:

• Final Fantasy (PS1, 1 disc)
• Final Fantasy II (PS1, 1 disc)
• Final Fantasy III (PSP, 1 disc)
• Final Fantasy IV (PS1, 1 disc)
• Final Fantasy V (PS1, 1 disc)
• Final Fantasy VI (PS1, 1 disc)
• Final Fantasy VII International (PS1, 4 discs)
• Final Fantasy VIII (PS1, 4 discs)
• Final Fantasy IX (PS1, 4 discs)
• Final Fantasy X (PS2, 1 disc)
• Final Fantasy XI Vana'diel Collection 2 (PS2, 1 disc)
• Final Fantasy XII (PS2, 1 disc)
• Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, 1 disc)

The compilation also includes the following limited edition bonus items:

• Special anniversary video disc
• Crystal ArtWorks -- an anniversary visual art collection
• A two disc anniversary music selection CD
• Final Fantasy XIV Mogu Mogu Earring item code
• Mini replica of Amano FF 25th Anniversary visual and stand.

It will be available exclusively through the Japanese online store starting December 18th.

Sources: DigitalSpy [1,2] | andriasang; Images via DigitalSpy

About a week ago Square Enix put up a countdown on its site. People started believing that it was related to cult classic The World Ends With You. Shortly after, the countdown had background music added that sounded very familiar to TWEWY's music. The internet went crazy with rumors of a sequel. People were getting anxious at the countdown ticked down to zero.

3...

2...

1...

Zero!

What is it? Is it a sequel?! 

iOS PORT!

...What.

Yup. Square Enix built up all this hype for the same game, just on a different device. How much will it cost? $20! Quite a high price for a mobile app. The game is set to release today, so if you should so happen to want to play it on the go (even though the DS is already portable), now's your chance!

Source: Square Enix (Headphone Warning!)

If you're looking for a decent strategy RPG with a truly old school feel, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together might be the game for you.  Originally created in 1995 for the the Super Famicom by Quest, the game has recently been remastered for the PSP by Square-Enix.

Due to the death of the king and the lack of a true successor, the recently obtained peace of Valeria has ignited into full blown war. As the Hero of Golyat and the leader of the resistance it's up to you to acquire and train soldiers capable of regaining the peace of your isles.  Beware the choices you make. The loyalty of your soldiers will drop if they don't agree with your decisions; if it drops too low they will desert your army.  The enemy units are pretty intelligent, and provide a worthy challenge throughout the entire game. The musical score is amazing. The characters are lively and vivid. Their are multiple endings and side quests, and the best part is due to the "World Tarot", which you can keep your levels and items while you do them.  The game is almost perfect, a fact reflected by the majority of video game reviewers seeing as how across the board it's received a 9/10 rating.  The game's one true blemish exist within its level up system.  Instead of leveling up individual characters, you level up the class itself. This means any time you receive a brand new class you must train it from level one, while fighting enemies on par with the rest of your units. However, if you're someone who's been looking far and wide for a decent game for the PSP I whole-heartedly recommend Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together.

Game Info:

• Sequels: Deus Ex (2000), Deus Ex: Invisible War (2003)
• Production/Development: Square Enix, Eidos Montreal
• Genre: Action, Role-Playing
• Release Info: 8/23/11, XBOX/PC/PS3/MAC
• ESRB Rating: Mature 17+

The Human Revolution is upon us. The limits we once faced are no more and the time has come to redefine what it means to be human. The question is, at what point does this self-created evolution cross the line? Should there even be any line at all? Either way, you have to decide. Will you join the revolution? Or will you join hands against it? (This review is based on the PC version.)

As much as I disliked Final Fantasy XIII, the sequel looks more promising with many more features tacked on to the gameplay and a hopefully more refined story. A long interview from Famitsu with the game's director Toriyama contains many interesting details about Final Fantasy XIII-2. Toriyama states that it'll be released in Japan on December 15th. However, for those of us who prefer a little English from interviews, here we go!

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan announced at their press conference that HD editions of certain popular games are going to be released on their PlayStation 3 and PS Vita platforms. Square-Enix will be releasing Final Fantasy X HD Edition on the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita. Konami will release Zone of the Enders HD Edition (Z.O.E.) for both of the previously mentioned consoles, as well as the Xbox 360. As of this time a release date is unknown.

Sources: [Anime News Network via 4Gamer]

Square Enix has recently announced the release date for the latest game in their Final Fantasy franchise. The newest member of the popular Dissidia series, Dissidia Duodecim will be for the PSP. The game is set to release in Japan on March 3^rd 2011, March 22^nd in North America and March 25^th in Europe. The sequel features numerous changes and additions to the playable cast of heroes and villains of the Final Fantasy franchise.

Source: FF wikia

A few days ago, Square-Enix held its “1st Production Department Conference” citing various changes to the upcoming titles of the Final Fantasy franchise. Among those changes (besides changing the name of Final Fantasy XIII Agito to Final Fantasy Type-0) was the announcement of Final Fantasy XIII-2, the long rumored—now official—sequel to the company’s latest numerical installment.

Square-Enix already released an epilogue novel called “Final Fantasy: Episode I” which continues the ending sequence in the end of Final Fantasy XIII. The basic summary is that Lightning, while searching for Fang and Vanille, ends up in an empty dimension. Fans got a peek of this new dimension in a leaked trailer that spread rapidly through video sharing websites such as Youtube. However, a higher quality trailer will be released the 20^th in Japan, meaning it has probably gone viral as this article is being written. Final Fantasy XIII-2 is slated to be released 2011 in Japan, and tentatively Winter 2011/2012 for North America and Europe. Given Square-Enix's track record with deadlines, it's to be taken with a grain of salt.

Watch the trailer below the jump!

As if the current consoles, portable or otherwise weren't enough for Square-Enix, the Japanese company have moved onto social networking sites, such as Facebook. There are currently two applications in the beta stage: Knights of the Crystals and Chocobo's Crystal Tower. Personally I am trying Knights of the Crystals, and when I am bored, I will move onto Chocobo's Crystal Tower along with all the various games strewn over my news feed.

After ten straight minutes of playing Knights of the Crystals, it is very similar to the early installments of Final Fantasy. Only...you're not setting out to rescue a Princess. The player has the option to pick a name and gender, as well as have the ability to change job classes, a staple in the series. Another reference is that when you defeat bosses, the ever-so-famous Victory Fanfare Theme can be heard. The art is somewhat reminiscent of the Tactics series, but I would chalk it up as Nomura's style of drawing (see: Before Crisis Turks or Dissidia). Other than that, it feels like a good ol' RPG to me.

Chocobo's Crystal Tower is about breeding a chocobo, sort of like that Tamogotchi we all had back when we were little. Only now it doesn't double as a pedometer anymore, yet a general procrastination tool. Or your gateway to finally shelving that Farmville addiction you've secretly harbored but were too ashamed to admit it in public. I probably won't be playing this because it looks like one of those DS games about raising pets, which are too casual for my tastes.

For now I will stick with Knights of the Crystals and see where Square Enix takes it.

Photo credit: IGN

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, coming to American gamers for the Nintendo DS on October 5th, is yet another entry to the increasingly crowded series of spin-offs Square Enix has made off of its main franchise. Unlike Final Fantasy Tactics A2 (Tactical RPG) or Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales (Adventure), however, The 4 Heroes of Light plays a lot more like a traditional RPG, with tun-based battles and random enemy encounters, as well as a story about saving a princess.