Eorzea is both vast and beautiful.

Several months back Square Enix released a video showing off the world of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. The video featured various key locations throughout the region of Eorzea and even made sure include footage from both the PC and PS3 versions of the game. Funnily enough that video was actually labeled ‘Part 1′ and now at last SE has released the second part for all to enjoy. So check out the video below in order to get a second glimpse at what really is shaping up to be a beautiful and diverse game world.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is set to officially launch worldwide for both PC and PS3 on August 27. The game will come in both standard and collector’s editions and can be preordered here. Stay tuned to Blistered Thumbs for continuing coverage of all things Final Fantasy and be sure to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

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Fans of the original Ragnarok Odyssey take note of the redesigned HUD.

When Ragnarok Odyssey first came out for PS Vita six months ago I found it to be a superior monster-hunter clone with plenty to offer fans of the formula. So it came as no surprise to me that, between its quality and ties to the massively popular Ragnarok Online franchise, the game was ultimately a hit. Indeed, it was so popular that its creators have decided to remake the game with the intent of this time bringing the action to the PS3 as well.

Ragnarok Odyssey Ace will include all the DLC from the original game along with numerous new enemies and bosses, a plethora of new skills, and even new dungeons including the Yggdrasil Tower which will function as a randomly generated dungeon. ROA will also feature cross-play for both online and local multiplayer for the PS3 and Vita versions of the game, the ability to import save data from the original Ragnarok Odyssey, a redesigned HUD, rebalanced gameplay adjustments and a new extra episode available post-ending.

Now comes news that Ace will include one more feature: an international release. As with the original RO, ROA will be brought to America by the publisher formerly known as XSEED and now going by the moniker of Marvelous USA. Meanwhile, the European/UK release will again be handled by the game’s Japanese publisher GungHo Online Entertainment. Check out a Japanese trailer for the game below.

Ragnarok Odyssey is currently being aimed for release in North America, Europe, and the UK sometime this winter. Marvelous USA plans to prominently feature the game at E3 this year so no doubt more information on the game will be inbound soon. So stay tuned to Blistered Thumbs and be sure to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Source: Marvelous USA

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We’ve made it through the first prison block, but we still have to tackle the second.  In addition to that, it seems that Castle Brennenburg has a sewer that we must tackle as well!  There’s no way that anything could go wrong there, right?

PART 10:

PART 11:

PART 12:

This is my 50th Let’s Play!  For my other work, including previous installments of Amnesia, check out my archive, here!

Card 4, by Keveak:

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X gon give it to ya, X gon deliver to ya.

Good news, Mega fans! One of the franchise’s all time classic entries is headed to the Wii U Virtual Console next week. Said classic is, of course, the one and only original Mega Man X . If you have never played this classic action-platformer, originally released for SNES back in 1993, then you are in for a treat. Not only was this the first time that the Mega Man series had gone 16-bit, but it also introduced the world to such memorable characters as Zero, Vile, Sigma, and the titular X himself. As with all Wii U VC games, MMX will be playable on both the TV and directly off the GamePad, and will feature full save state support for those of you in need of help. Trust me, you will be in need of help.

I cannot tell you how many times I must have played through this game as a kid, and I am always happy to see new folks get the chance to experience its pleasures. Speaking of the Wii U Virtual Console, do not forget that at the moment another genuine bona fide SNES masterpiece by the name of Super Metroid is also available and for the ridiculously low price of 30 cents through June 12.

Mega Man X will arrive on the Wii U via the eShop on March 30. Stay tuned to Blistered Thumbs for continuing coverage of all things Wii U and be sure to share your thoughts, opinions, and favorite MMX memories in the comments section below.

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I’m afraid I just blue myself.

While Microsoft has been taking something of a beating in the court of public opinion this last week, that has seemingly not dampened the company’s rather large ambitions both in regards to their current and future consoles. In an interview today with OXM, Microsoft’s Senior Vice President of Interactive Entertainment Business, Yusuf Mehdi, (who you may remember from this week’s Xbox One announcement event) stated that the company still hopes to sell another 25 million Xbox 360 units over the course of the next five years. According to Mehdi:

“We believe over the next five years we can break a 100 million unit installed base. That’s something we’re shooting for, it’s not a financial plan as such, it’s just rough numbers if you will. To sell another 25 million, half of those will probably come from replacements, but half will come from new buyers. And the way we’ll break into those segments is by hitting new price points, getting new classes of entertainment to come with the Xbox, and breaking into new customer segments. So you’ll see the Xbox 360 continue to exist, even as we launch the next generation Xbox One.”

Speaking of the One, Mehdi also reflected on the apparently overwhelming confidence he and his company have in regards to the success of the upcoming console generation as whole. According to him “Every generation, as you’ve probably heard, has grown approximately 30%. So this generation is about 300 million units. Most industry experts think the next generation will get upwards of about 400 million units. That’s if it’s a game console, over the next decade. We think you can go broader than a game console, that’s our aim, and you can go from 400 million to potentially upwards of a billion units (Update: just to clarify, he’s talking about all next gen consoles combined here). That’s how we’re thinking of the Xbox opportunity as we go forward.” If nothing else, Microsoft remains ambitious. You have to give them that.

Finally, in order to close things off with a little bit of positive news, Microsoft is unlocking Xbox Live Gold membership this weekend free of charge for all Netflix members in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, Brazil, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Chile, Colombia and Argentina. Why are they doing this, you may ask? In order to allow everyone to watch the new season of Arrested Development, which will go live exclusively on Netflix at 12:01 am PT on Sunday. In the meantime, Microsoft recommends that everyone get ready for the release by doing a marathon of the first three seasons of the show. I, for one, have to say there are worse ways to spend a weekend.

Stay tuned to Blistered Thumbs for continuing coverage of all things Microsoft and be sure to share your thoughts, opinions, and favorite AD quotes in the comments section below. And remember, here in the states we call it “a sausage” in the mouth.

Source: OXM

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Smug as always, eh *mute?

On the last episode of the BT Podcast I expressed some surprise at the idea that Christine Love was making downloadable content for her visual novel, Analogue: A Hate Story. I had never seen such a thing before. As it turns out, I won’t get to.

In an announcement on her personal site, Love formally announced that the DLC project known as Hate Plus is now a sequel. Although some specifics are still being nailed down, Plus will pick up where the original left off, while expanding on the events that led up to the first story. Perhaps more importantly, “It’ll continue from your Analogue save file, so each ending will have its own route with equal focus.” There should still be a mechanism for enjoying the game without a Hate Story file, but hang on to it just in case!

Hate Plus will hit PC during “Summer 2013.” It should retail for $10.

Source: Christine Love

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One of these things is not like the others. One of these things does not belong.

Looks like it is time for two more Dragon’s Crown character trailers. First up, we have the Dwarf, aka the character who helps prove that DC‘s rather unusual character designs are not just limited to female characters. If nothing else it is certainly unique. I will give the game this much: I have honestly never seen anything quite like it.

The next trailer actually gives us a character with a design that is, dare I say, fairly reasonable looking–which makes her a fairly poor fit with the rest of the game’s characters. Either go all in with the over-the-top character designs or do not bother at all, I say. Doing both is just problematic. Oh well. Regardless, check out the two trailers below and judge for yourselves.

Seriously, looking at the Dwarf for long periods of time is like looking at the sun: it blinds me, hurts my eyes, and leaves me never wanting to look directly at it again. Dragon’s Crown will arrive in North America for PS3 and PS Vita on August 6. A European release remains pending for an as yet undisclosed date later this year. Stay tuned to Blistered Thumbs for continuing coverage of the game and be sure to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

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The xbone is a nightmare for all of us.

A lot of things have been said about the Xbox One since its announcement on Tuesday. Microsoft vice president Phil Harrison spoke of a system that needs to be online every day, sources confirmed the existence of used game fees and authentication codes, while spokesperson Major Nelson released a statement that reads, “Xbox One is designed to support the trade in and resale of games. Reports about our policies for trade in and resale are inaccurate and incomplete.” But now it looks like all of this may be meaningless.

Speaking to Polygon, “sources familiar with the system” are now saying that nothing is set in stone anyway. Brian Crecente reports that, “The ultimate system that Xbox One will use for used games and online authentication sounds like it is still in open debate on some level internally,” although he does mention (with some certainty) that the aforementioned encryption keys will be coded into the Blu-ray discs.

The good news is that “the company is also experimenting with special exemption codes that could be given to select people in very particular, internet-free situations, like active-duty soldiers serving in war zones,” which was a concern I brought up on the last BT Podcast. However, the bad news is that either the Xbox Team at Microsoft has no idea what they are doing, or they are waiting to see how the internet reacts to these rumors before carrying out the most restrictive plan they can.

We will certainly hear more in the weeks leading up to E3, but until then nothing is certain. The best we can do is to continue to voice our concerns and plainly state what we want from the Xbox One.

Source: Polygon

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In other news: here’s what xbox one box art looks like.

UPDATE: Microsoft has yet to confirm or deny MVC UK’s report on their used game plan, but investors aren’t sticking around to find out. Gamespot is reporting that Gamestop’s stock price has already slipped 13.36% in the hours since the story hit the web.

Will it continue to fall? Will anyone from the Xbox One PR team step forward to clarify the situation? We will let you know as soon as the information becomes available.

ORIGINAL STORY: The dramatic saga of the Xbox One’s vague feature-set continues.

According to a report from MCV UK, “retail sources” have confirmed to the publication that Microsoft does have a plan in place to handle used game sales at a brick and mortar level. Specifically, Microsoft (and their publishing partners) will simply take a percentage of used games sales directly from Gamestop and other stores. Although this report remains unconfirmed, it looks as though “retail’s slice will be as little as ten per cent.”

“But wait,” I hear you asking, “I thought Xbone games were tied to my Live account once they were installed on the system?” That’s true, gentle reader, but it looks like MS is one step ahead of you there. You see, if a retailer is going to sell used Xbox One games, they are going to have to register each copy with Microsoft’s own game-tracking system, which will then rescind your permission to play your installed game–which is why online connectivity is required for single-player titles as well.

So, used games are going to exist on the Xbox One. However, it looks like Microsoft will be closely monitoring everything we do with its system and software. You will need to log into your account to play on a friend’s machine, trades and sales between consumers will require an activation fee, and retail resales will be carefully regulated by publishers. Welcome to the next generation.

Source: MVCUK

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Screenshots don’t do it justice.

UPDATE: The day has finally arrived! Dust: An Elysian Tail is now on Steam. In fact, it’s already the #1 seller. Consider this your reminder if you forgot to mark your calendar back when we broke the news of the port.

ORIGINAL STORY: I’ve gushed about Dust: An Elysian Tail and its excellent soundtrack at some length. But now it looks like the Xbox Live Arcade exclusive will finally be available for another platform. At PAX East, creators Dean Dodrill and Alex Kain revealed that a PC port will be hitting Steam at some time in the future.

In addition, the Humble Hearts team made a few passing references to a possible sequel. Dodrill mentioned that he has “a lot of ideas for Dust 2.” Players who have completed the original know that it sets up future adventures in the fantastic realm of anthropomorphic animals and MetroidVania exploration.

Source: Polygon

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