Video games by vxzl.com

After three action platforming installments on the PlayStation 2, Jak and Daxter started branching out. In 2005, Jak X: Combat Racing tossed the platforming aside, while the PlayStation Portable title Daxter returned to the team’s genre roots, but left out Jak.

Does Daxter really need pants?

Today Sony announced that its dynamic duo is reuniting and returning to more familiar territory with Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier for the PSP and PS2. Set for release later this year, The Lost Frontier will combine the series’ action-platforming roots with its penchant for vehicular mayhem. In addition to wielding the new gunstaff–a weapon with the ability to transform into new weapons–Jak and Daxter will take the fight to the skies in five kinds of aircraft.

To develop The Lost Frontier, Sony has turned to High Impact Games. While the studio hasn’t worked on Jak and Daxter before, it does have experience adapting another Sony platforming duo’s antics to the PSP. High Impact’s first game was 2007’s Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters for the PSP. Last year the studio not only ported that game to the PS2, but also released a PSP follow-up, Secret Agent Clank.

With the release of both MLB 2K9 and MLB 09: The Show, this week marks the start of the virtual baseball season. Look for GameSpot’s full review of both games in the coming days but, for now, here’s a select sampling of what people are saying in the forums about both games:

Provokt tells us about his first online game in MLB 09:

The game was insane. I guess you could say I had a little fun. I was down 5-2. Came back and tied it 5-5. Went up 8-5 and lost the lead in the bottom of the ninth when he tied it up with yet ANOTHER HR 8-8. Went up 10-8 in the top of the tenth with a Schumaker HR (sigh) then lost the lead again in the bottom of the 11th when…you guessed it…another HR. This one by Swisher (his 2nd). Top of the 12th I went up with a 3 run shot (ugh) 13-10 then he forfeited. Kinda lame as I was getting into it. We each had 17-19 hits for the game.

MLB 2K9 is growing on kaneNsharp:

At first I was disappointed in this years MLB for the fact that I was hitting 10 HRs a game and absolutely destroying the opponent. Sure the Glitches like the first baseman taking his foot off the bag for an easy out at first or the rare occasion the game play slows down so that my outfielder cant make the running catch but I get over that. But with the sliders called Guru 2.0 my game play has been a lot better with a more realistic experience which is what I was looking for in MLB 2k9. So if your are interested in purchasing this game I would say go for it, if your having any doubts you could always rent it.

Like many others, JHahN812 has seen the “first baseman bug” in MLB 2K9:

I get this a lot when I play, and it would appear as if I am making a good throw but a lot of times when I field a grounder and throw to first my first baseman will leave the bag and the runner will be safe. Anyone else having issues with this? Any ways to prevent it?

maddcow11 might have a solution for JHahN812’s problems:

I’ve read that if you release the left stick while throwing it helps. I just played a game trying to do this and it didn’t happen at all.

MLB 09’s stadiums have impressed LeapPipeCinche:

some of these ballparks are just beautiful to look at.
im really having a hard time trying to pick 1 NL team i want to spend all that time doing a chise mode with for the long run. i dont want to get part way into a season and then start thinking about doing a chise as someone else. i dont want to start over again.

Kronikon16 is already adjusting sliders in MLB 2K9:

Now for the game play. I’ll [say] this till I’m blue in face. Adjust your sliders people. I played around with it from inning to inning for the first half of 3 games, and once I found the right setting, I played a full game and was very happy. Some gamers will complain that it’s too much work to figure out where to set them, but once you do, it’s well worth it. My first full game was a classic 3-2 victory for my Braves over the Phillies. No homeruns aloud by either side, and pitching that would make any baseball sim fan happy.

trenken isn’t happy with the batting in MLB 09:

I traded 08 in a month ago and I regret it. The batting in 09 is awful. It was much better in 08. I’ve played 10 games, no home runs, not more than 4 hits in a game, and only 5 hits over the last 3 games, and just 1 hit in the game I just played. That is not a realistic game of baseball at all.

Npo86 has some tips for MLB 2K9 pitching online:

First of all you must change speed…I cannot stress this enough!!!…you have to dictate the at bat with changes of speed…it may take an inning or so but you must figure out what your opponent is gearing up for…to do this throw a variety of pitches out of the strike zone. For instance, throw a curve low a fastball high and a changeup outsside close enough that he can make contact but too far to do anything…trust me these hitters can make contact as if everyone is freakin vlad….this will show you if he tends to think fast ball first or off speed first.

At E3 2009, we had a chance to get together with Warner Brothers’ Scott Fleming, producer of Scooby-Doo First Frights, and play the Wii version of this upcoming platformer. We even had a chance to play with him in the game’s Cooperative mode, and you know, we actually had a good time! Are you or your kids into Scooby-Doo? Read on for more information.

Who’s Making This Game: Torus games is working on Scooby-Doo First Frights. They’re no stranger to working with others’ intellectual properties. They’ve developed games featuring Beavis and Butt-Head, Shrek, Curious George, Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, and others.

What the Game Looks Like: Scooby-Doo First Frights features a cute, kid-friendly art design with younger-looking versions of the characters we all know and love. The game takes place during the early days of Mystery, Inc. Shaggy, Scooby, and company are shorter and clearly younger than we’ve seen before, and the game will detail what brought them together. The level that we played took place in an amusement park (a series staple, of course!), and featured colorful backgrounds and sets that were comfortable fits for what you’d expect in a Scooby-Doo game.

What There Is to Do: The game is primarily an action platformer, so you’ll spend most of the game leaping around, collecting Scooby Snacks, and beating up on enemies. However, you aren’t stuck doing this alone: Scooby-Doo First Frights features local two-player co-op, so a friend can drop in and take over for the second character, which is otherwise controlled by the AI. You can switch between characters easily, which is important, because only certain characters can perform certain moves. For example, Shaggy can whip across chasms, whereas Scooby can fit into smaller cubbyholes, so you’ll need specific characters for solving certain puzzles. And sometimes you’ll need to cooperate, such as when you must press two levers at once.

How the Game Is Played: The controls are simple, and the game supports the Wii Remote, the combo Wii Remote and Nunchuk, and the classic controller. We used the remote tilted on its side in a traditional controller manner, and controlling our character was simple using the D pad to move, the 1 button to attack, and the 2 button to jump. Every character has different attacks, and they also have alternate costumes that grant them different abilities (such as Fred’s football uniform). We spent most of our time as Scooby, for a very good reason: His main weapons are linked sausages that he twirls around like nunchaku. The combat is simple, but you can charge up your attack, or perform a ground pound by double jumping and then holding the attack button. We also took control of Shaggy a few times, who uses a slingshot to pelt enemies at a distance. It came in handy against the miniboss we fought, which was a creepy, rotund clown that bounced around the screen using a trampoline.

Of course, there’s plenty of jumping too. We navigated across platforms separated by flowing water, and in a fun little chase scene, we ran toward the camera as a giant ogre chased us, jumping over logs and leaping across gaps along the way. (Unsurprisingly, this was very similar to the boulder scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark, except that this was an ugly living boulder with legs and, presumably, bad breath). In another charming scene, we rode a white-water raft of sorts, beating up on living baby dolls all the while.

What They Say: Scooby-Doo First Frights should appeal to players of all ages, and will let parents and kids enjoy themselves together. If the child finds a portion too difficult, he or she can drop out and let the parent drive things, and then drop back in when ready.

What We Say: The game looks really cute and seems like lighthearted fun, with some co-op moments reminiscent of the Lego platformers. There’s still some work to be done: the collision detection makes it easy to bump into your fellow player and slide off of platforms, and the postdefeat spawning system caused us to respawn above water or a crevasse and fall to our death multiple times. However, we like the adorable art style, and it seems like a game anyone could pick up and play.

Scooby-Doo First Frights will feature voice actors from the animated series (such as voice-acting veteran Frank Welker), so current fans should feel right at home. If you’re into Scooby, you won’t have to wait long to jump into the Mystery Machine: The game is due for release on the Wii, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo DS this fall. In the meantime, grab some Scooby Snacks and reminisce about all of the sadistic things you always wanted to do to Scrappy.

LOS ANGELES–The entire game industry is working overtime because of this week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, and the people working on Sony’s PlayStation Network store are no different. Ordinarily updated only on Thursdays, the online storefront for the PlayStation 3 and PSP is getting three new volleys of content this week for North American consumers.

Has the statute of limitations on spoilers for this one passed yet?

Sony opened up the release spigot Tuesday with the addition of two hit PlayStation games to the downloadable catalog: Final Fantasy VII and Medal of Honor. Final Fantasy VII is the oldest game in the Square Enix series yet to be remade, but at least those clamoring for Cloud and Sephiroth will be able to relive the original story for $9.99. Meanwhile, Electronic Arts’ original World War II shooter Medal of Honor will cost the more standard $5.99.

The rerelease isn’t the only Final Fantasy-related content new to the PlayStation store. Sony also put up new themes, trailers, and wallpaper for the upcoming PSP fighting spin-off Final Fantasy: Dissidia. Rounding out the releases are free downloadable content for Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce and a slew of E3 trailers for Uncharted 2, Fat Princess, Heavy Rain, and more.

LOS ANGELES–As part of Nintendo’s 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference yesterday, the publisher shuffled out a number of role-playing games headed to the Wii and DS over the next 12 to 18 months. Along with announcing Mario and Luigi RPG: Bowser’s Inside Story and Golden Sun for the best-selling portable, Nintendo also said that Kingdom Hearts 358/2 from Square Enix would arrive for the DS in North America on September 29.

How about we just go with Kingdom Hearts 179.

358/2 Days is set between the events of Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts 2. The game follows KH2 character Roxas while he was a member of Organization XIII, and as is the series’ trademark, it will take place across a wide variety of Disney universes. 358/2 Days will also introduce a multiplayer mode to the series, allowing four players to join up together locally.

Check out GameSpot’s brand-new impressions of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 from E3 2009 to learn the latest on the role-playing game. For more from Square Enix, check out GameSpot’s coverage of the publisher’s press conference, which is set to begin at 11:30 a.m. on June 3.

LOS ANGELES–This morning at the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo, Nintendo showed off its newest wares during a massive press event at Club Nokia, across the street from the Los Angeles Convention Center. The hour-and-a-half event trod familiar ground for the most part, talking up casual gaming and showing off the previously revealed Wii Sports Resort’s Wii MotionPlus-enhanced playability. The biggest news came via the unveiling of four games: the online-enabled Wii Fit Plus, the Team Ninja-developed Metroid: Other M, New Super Mario Bros Wii, and Super Mario Galaxy 2.

A first look at Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Though Nintendo president Satoru Iwata and Nintendo of America executives Reggie Fils-Aime and Cammie Dunaway were on hand, one person was noticeably absent. Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of the Wii and Nintendo’s most iconic franchises, was nowhere to be seen at the event, after being onstage for the past several years. The oft-honored designer had been in the US as recently as last fall, when he held a series of press roundtables to promote the slow-starting Wii Music.

As it turns out, Miyamoto is at E3 2009. More specifically, he hosted a similar press roundtable behind closed doors in a LACC theater, where a small group of reporters came to hear him discuss his thoughts on the state of gaming and Nintendo’s future.

LOS ANGELES–When Marvel vs. Capcom 2 launches on the Xbox 360 and PS3 this summer, it will do so with the addition of online multiplayer action, a glaring omission in previous console ports of the arcade fighter. Another upcoming crossover brawler from the publisher–Tatsunoko vs. Capcom for the Wii–may be in for the same treatment.

Where else would a giant transforming lighter do battle with a small girl and a space bird-lady?

Capcom has announced that it is “looking into adding new features to the game, including possible additions of several new characters from both Capcom and Tatsunoko and is exploring the option of online gameplay.”

Currently the game has a roster of more than 20 characters pulled from both companies’ brands. Capcom is represented by mainstays like Street Fighter’s Ryu and Mega Man, while the anime studio Tatsunoko brings Ken from Gatchaman and the cybernetic Casshan.

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Ultimate All-Stars is set for a winter release on the Wii in North America. For more on the title and the rest of Capcom’s lineup, read GameSpot’s pre-E3 previews–and also check out the ongoing coverage of the Electronic Entertainment Expo.

LOS ANGELES–Of the Big Three press conferences at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, Sony’s could be the most newsworthy if even half of the announcements rumored to take place actually happen. Whether it’s a UMD-less version of the PSP, a new motion-sensing controller, a redesigned PlayStation 3 (perhaps with a price cut), or, say, actual games, the scuttlebutt and speculation surrounding the press conference has been building for months.

[UPDATE] As it turns out, one large cat was let out of the bag days before Sony executives could flip on their stage teleprompters. On Saturday, leaked video from Sony’s in-house, PlayStation-focused magazine Qore revealed the PSP Go, the long-rumored fourth version of the handheld. In the clip, Sony Computer Entertainment America hardware marketing chief John Koller described the handheld’s features, which include 16GB of flash memory, a sliding control panel, a smaller 3.8-inch screen, and no UMD drive. Koller also mentioned that the PSP edition of Gran Turismo–first shown off in 2004–would be formally “announced” at E3 and appeared to confirm reports of a new PSP Metal Gear Solid game.

Kratos has been tasked with hunting down the PSP Go leaks.

While much of the anticipation for Sony’s conference is built around whispers of what might be, there are some safer bets about titles that might be featured. Sony already has a lineup of heavy hitters confirmed for the show, including God of War III, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, MAG, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, Heavy Rain: The Origami Killer, and Pixeljunk Shooter, all of which will be featured during GameSpot’s live stage show direct from the E3 show floor.

If you played Supreme Commander, the excellent PC game, then you know that Chris Taylor and Gas Powered Games can make a great real-time strategy game. You also know just how ambitious and massive they can be. Supreme Commander was a complex and satisfying game, and it looks like its sequel is going to be just as massive but will address a number of problems with the original. Better art design, a better economy, and improved pathfinding are just some of the improvements that we can look forward to. We got to sit down with Gas Powered Games’ Chris Taylor for a demo at E3 2009, and he filled us in on the details. Want to know more? Read on!

Taylor mentioned at the beginning of the demo that he wanted to explore story and characters more in Supreme Commander 2, but that he also wanted to continue to focus on technology just as much as before. He then showed us our first glimpse of the game, an overhead view of a map called “Illuminate 5.” If you’ve played the same developer’s Demigod, you’d be familiar with the art style of the backgrounds. It featured a giant arena hovering over an illuminated city, and its color palate and 3D-on-2D look were highly reminiscent of the aforementioned game. This isn’t the only aspect of Supreme Commander 2 that takes its cues from Demigod. The same graphics engine is being used, which makes Supreme Commander look more natural–and run smoother. Expect the game to run on a variety of systems, and to run better than its predecessor. Of course, Demigod is also known for its multiplayer connection issues. Taylor acknowledged the problems, adding that Gas Powered Games has learned a lot from the experience. The developers have yet to settle on a multiplayer technology partner, but assured us that the Impulse multiplayer technology powering Demigod will not be used for Supreme Commander 2.

Expect Supreme Commander’s level of strategic zoom to return in Supreme Commander 2. If you recall, the original allowed for unprecedented zoom levels, letting you pull the camera directly into the action, as well as out to an expansive overhead view that reduced the units to small geometric icons. We didn’t get to see the most distant zoom levels in the demo, but Taylor suggested that the process of zooming in and out will feel a lot more natural, and that the transition between fully rendered units and icons will be smoother and more sophisticated. The stronger art style should also make it easier to identify units at a distance.

Speaking of that art style, expect to see fewer generic units across the board. The Aeon faction has evolved into a new faction: The Illuminate. We saw their units in action, and they look more organic than their prior counterparts. All three factions–the new, as well as the returning Cybrans and the UEF–possess more-detailed units, with a stronger overall appearance. We watched as UEF tanks were attacked by Cybran gunships, with lasers flashing everywhere, and though this battle would generally have tipped in favor of the gunships, you’ll now be able to use a unit cannon to fling units from the other side of the map and get them right into the action. This lets you bring the proper counters into the battle much more quickly and leads to more flexibility than before.

Actually, flexibility is the name of the game in Supreme Commander 2. In the original, early units were rendered almost totally obsolete as you gained tech levels. Now, tech upgrades affect existing units, and new tech trees will let you outfit units with things such as additional (or longer) barrels, antiaircraft weaponry, and more. These skill trees are another of Demigod’s features that inspired Supreme Commander 2, according to Taylor. You will also be in charge of the all-important ACU unit, just as before. Its upgrades also allow for a more flexible approach. For example, you can add artillery to the ACU’s shoulders, grant it torpedoes, perform a “core dump” ability should you fall under nuclear attack, or even pop off its head if you need to quickly escape from battle (the benefits of such a move remain unclear). Of course, there are all-new units as well. For example, though experimental units return, there are also mini-experimentals, such as an Illuminate unit that Taylor affectionately referred to as an Ear Canal. These snail-like units look as if they would have been at home in Star Wars: Episode One, and were cool to watch as they moved across the map. We also saw a standard experimental unit called a Cybran-zilla, which looked appropriately draconic. There will also be naval units, but we weren’t able to see them in action in the demo.

The economy has been tweaked as well. Energy and mass are still your two resources. However, now you will be able to purchase a unit or upgrade only if you can afford it, rather than queue it up as you could in the original. This means that players are less apt early on to paint themselves into a corner that they can’t escape from later. Additionally, you will be able to earn experience by attacking other units. This experience can be used to research upgrades (though so can other resources). This means that if you prefer to turtle up, you will still have access to upgrades, though players who want to get into the action immediately will still be able to tech up as well. Pathfinding has also been improved. According to Taylor, when you have hundreds or thousands of units in play at one time, it’s more difficult for a PC’s processor to keep up with the pathfinding needs of the game. Newer software technology and multicore processors will now lead to better pathfinding, wherein units will adjust their path even before reaching the object in their way, much as you would notice someone walking directly toward you and move to the side, rather than waiting until you are directly in front of him or her.

What we saw of Supreme Commander 2 looked great. The stronger art style serves the game well; the bland, austere environments of the original have given way to a more interesting, artistic feel. We saw impressive details everywhere, from the smooth animations of mass extractors to excellent lighting and shadows. And of course, the battles were huge, raging across enormous vistas just as big as those in the original. Taylor wants the game to run–and run well–on three-year-old hardware (the first game brought even some then-modern systems to their knees). Sadly, we didn’t get to see any nukes, though Taylor assured us that nuclear warfare is back and will remain the most powerful attack in the game.

Taylor also talked briefly about the “neural net,” an evolving database that lets the AI adjust for actions that you make during battle. For example, if the enemy spams gunships and you keep taking them down, it will use what it learns from the net to adjust its strategies. Clearly, Gas Powered Games aims to make Supreme Commander 2 just as big as the original while streamlining its complexities in ways that make sense for both veterans and newcomers. We’ll have to wait and see if Gas Powered Games can succeed: Supreme Commander 2 is due for release for the PC sometime in 2010. There will also be an Xbox 360 version, developed concurrently within the same studio, though we learned no additional details about that version. We’ll bring you more on this hotly anticipated strategy game as details become available.

LOS ANGELES–Square Enix’s announcement last year that Final Fantasy XIII would arrive on the Xbox 360 in addition to the PlayStation 3 was one of the biggest news items from the 2008 Electronic Entertainment Expo. This year, the company delivered one more shocker, abruptly announcing during Sony’s E3 2009 press conference yesterday that Final Fantasy XIV Online is due for release on the PS3 in 2010.

A Final Fantasy for a persistent, online world.

Final Fantasy XIV Online will be the second massively multiplayer online role-playing game in the franchise. The first such game, Final Fantasy XI, debuted on the PC in 2003 and found its way to the PlayStation 2 the next year. An Xbox 360 edition followed in 2006. In a follow-up announcement, Square Enix said that FFXIV Online will also see a global release on the PC, with localized editions appearing in Japanese, English, French, and German.

Thus far, the only hard detail Square Enix has shared about FFXIV Online is that the game will be set in the world of Eorzea, a new setting that has not appeared in previous franchise installments. However, that will soon change, as Square Enix is hosting a press conference today, the second day of the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo, to discuss the new title.

[11:27] A mob of journalists are standing outside the theater, waiting to be let into the Square Enix conference.

[11:29] Journalists are chattering about what the announcements will include. Speculation abounds that there could be other games besides FFXIV Online, but chances seem unlikely.

[11:30] Press conference is due to start right now. No word as to when the conference will actually start.

[11:32] No filming is allowed at the event. Hopefully non-flash photography is still within the rules.

[11:32] Conversations have drifted away from Square Enix news to, oddly, 50 Cent.

[11:34] Square Enix employees are shuffling in and out of the theater.

[11:39] People are beginning to sit down, but it doesn’t look like Square plans to open the doors anytime soon. No updates either.

[11:41] Frazzled-looking tech people have exited the room.

[11:45] Two lines have been consolidated into one, perhaps this means something.

[11:45] …and we’re entering the theater. Hooray!

[11:49] Square Enix PR is standing at the podium on a makeshift stage. A panel with three name cards is present.

[11:51] The panelists include director Nobuaki Komoto, producer Hiromichi Tanaka, and senior vice president Shinji Hashimoto.

[11:52] Only thing Square Enix has announced so far is that no filming is allowed. A large screen with the company’s logo is displayed on a wall in the front of the theater.

[11:54] “Sorry we’re running a little late,” a rep tells the amassed crowd. “We’ll be bringing our speakers on right now.”

[11:54] Hashimoto, Tanaka, and Komoto are walking in now.

[11:54] Hashimoto would like to clarify some confusion regarding the exclusivity.

[11:56] Through a translator, he says that some folks interpreted that it was an exclusive, the announcement would be coming to the PS3 and PC.

[11:56] “We are considering all options at this time, including Microsoft hardware.” (Emphasis added.)

[11:56] The QA session is about to get started. Mics are being passed around.

[11:57] A question is being asked about old races: “What are the ties to FFXI?”

(Left to Right:) Hashimoto, Tanaka, and Komoto

[11:58] Tanaka says, “These are different races, a different world than FFXI, the name of the world is Eorzea.”

[11:58] “The reason we made them similar in FFXI was so that the players who have been playing XI and liked the character can choose a similar type of race,” he says.

[11:59] “An example of why we did this,” he says, “is like we have one actor in many movies–in one movie he’s an assassin robot, in another it’s a spy, but it’s the same guy. We want you to think of it the same way.”

[11:59] The next question: “What happens to FFXI now?”

[12:00] Tanaka says that the development for FFXIV started appearing four to five years ago.

[12:01] “We started going into full gear the past few years. This has been going along at the same time as FFXI.”

[12:01] “We still plan on continuing developing for FFXI,” he says.

[12:01] “We have a year planned for FFXI still in the works.”

[12:01] He confirms that there are no plans in the near future to stop development.

Hashimoto, Tanaka, and Komoto onstage, flanked by an MC (left) and translators (right).

[12:02] Next question: “What kind of influences from other MMOGs like World of Warcraft have there been on FFXIV?”

[12:02] Komoto responds, “As with WOW, they’re aimed at the casual user. We’re aiming for more casual users. However, we don’t want to make a copy of WOW. We want to be unique.”

[12:03] “Is the action going to be action or turn based?” asks a new questioner.

[12:03] “We can’t answer that yet” is the succinct response.

[12:03] Next question: “FFXI has evolved a lot over the years, with the ability to play solo like WOW. Will you be carrying over the ability of being able to play solo?”

[12:04] “Yes, all of the knowledge and experience we got, we plan on using in the development of FFXIV.”

[12:04] “FFXI was originally designed based on party battles. With FFXIV, we’d like to have content for solo players, as well as extremely large battles for players to play together.”

[12:05] Next question: “Are there plans for worldwide launch of the game, simultaneous worldwide release?”

[12:06] Tanaka says, “Yes, we will launch worldwide, in all regions, in the same four languages as we already announced.”

[12:07] Tanaka also confirms that the servers will be worldwide, and there will also be cross-platform servers.

[12:08] Next question: “Will Square respond to players’ feedback like they did in FFXI to make their lives in the game easier?”

[12:09] Komoto: “We believe that the user’s voice is very important. We want to keep getting advice. We are currently still getting advice from FFXI users, we hope to get their feedback from FFXIV.”

[12:11] “We hope to have users play XI and then another day play XIV. Communities will be independent, but if they want to communicate they can,” Square Enix noted.

[12:11] Question: “Are there any plans to translate the game into Spanish?”

[12:12] “Currently we don’t have a Spanish development, but if there are enough users that want it, we’ll certainly consider it.”

[12:12] “To get good translators in Japan, it’s very difficult, but if users want it, then we’ll definitely consider it.”

[12:12] Another questioner queries: “Are there any special elements in the MMO genre that you will improve with this game?”

[12:13] Komoto says, “Our plan from the beginning was to make the best Final Fantasy game available with FFXIV. That was our vision.”

[12:13] “We thought, ‘How can we make the best FF game?’ We decided on the MMO genre.”

[12:14] However, we are trying to implement a lot of new systems that other MMOs have not used in the past,” he continued. “So in that sense, it may be revolutionary.”

[12:14] Next questioner, please. “When did you decide to make this installment an MMO rather than a traditional RPG? It’s unusual to have another MMO as FFXIV.”

[12:18] Tanaka says, “We’ve been asked that question by a lot of people. It comes down to, originally FFXI was designed for the PS2, and it moved to Windows and then the 360. A lot of people have asked about making a port of that to the current machine. But unfortunately with an MMO of this size, you have to be maintaining and developing new content.”

[12:18] “Was yesterday’s trailer the same quality that we’ll actually see in the game?” is the next question.

[12:20] Komoto says, “Yes, there were parts that were prerendered, but parts were running on the in-game engine.”

[12:20] “Is that then the actual quality that you are aiming for?” the questioner asks as a follow-up.

[12:21] “Are the fights many vs. many rather than one vs. one, and will there be changes in the battle system?”

[12:21] “Good question, but I don’t know how much I can answer. But we will have battles against many vs. one or many vs. many.”

Unfortunately we’ve yet to see any more footage of FFXIV. The Square Enix logo sits motionless on the projection screen.

[12:22] And the next question is: “What’s different from FFXI, and what would they like to do in this game?”

[12:23] “We will have the same type of storytelling and expand on in-game systems. The player will be able to grow and develop in a natural way. It shouldn’t put a lot of weight on the player itself, and through this, we’ll develop the job system into something quite different.”

[12:24] Tanaka follows up with: “FFXI has gotten better. For FFXIV we want to make it so that if you want to play in a party, you can, if you want to play solo you can, or if you want to play all day, you can. We will have game systems and content there for all types of people.”

[12:24] “Have you given any thoughts to your beta testing? Will you let FFXI users into the program?”

[12:25] Tanaka says, “As with the actual release, we don’t have a concrete beta schedule yet. All we can say is that we will have a beta. When we do have a schedule we will give that to you.”

[12:25] “Is there any possibility of porting FFXI characters to FFXIV?”

[12:27] Tanaka says, “The game is completely different. There won’t be any way to take your character from XI and take it to XIV.”

[12:27] He continues, “Since the character design is very similar, you can create a new character that will be like what you played in FFXI.”

[12:28] “Also, FFXIV will not be using the PlayOnline system. However, the friends list will be transferred over to the FFXIV system.”

[12:28] Last question, “If I’m new to the MMO genre I have many options to choose from. Why would I choose FFXIV over these games?”

[12:28] Komoto says, “We believe that players will fall in love with the world we’ve created and the story we have to offer. That’s probably our biggest thing.”

[12:29] And that’s it!

[12:30] Check back throughout the day for GameSpot’s continuing coverage of the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo.