via IGN


Square Enix's support for mobile platforms is already notable, but games like Before Crisis Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy IV The After could be just the start. Today in Japan, the company announced the formation of Square Enix Mobile Studio, a fully owned subsidiary dedicated to the development and distribution of mobile contents.

Set to open its doors this April in Sapporo, far to the north of its parent company's Tokyo home base, Square Enix Mobile Studios will be headed up by Square Enix's current head of mobile business, Yoichi Haraguchi. The company expects to have 20 employees in its first year.

This announcement coincides with the start of Japanese distribution on Final Fantasy IV The After. Users of DoCoMo's i-Mode service can download the FFIV sequel now. EZmode users will get a chance later this Spring. ...

via IGN


Another solid week of releases in Australia. The PS3 gets its copy of Unreal Tournament III, the Wii sees the fantastic and under-appreciated Zack and Wiki, the DS gets new Advance Wars (always a reason to break open the piggy bank) and there's a trio of Conflict: Denied Ops on the way too. The PS2 also has two releases this week – albeit very low key; so low key that we don't even have a listing for them. Heck, if you see them on the shelf and are feeing proactive, take a punt. Look out for reviews of this week's major releases in the coming days!

Wii

• February 21 - King of Clubs
• February 21 - The Destiny of Zorro
• February 21 - Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
• February 22 - Jenga: World Tour

DS

• February 21 - Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
• February 21 - Brain Challenge
• February 21 - Cooking Mama 2: Dinner With Friends
• February 21 - Paint by DS

Xbox 360

• February 21 - Conflict: Denied Ops
• February 22 - Jumper: Griffin's Story

PlayStation 3

• February 21 - Conflict: Denied Ops
• February 21 - Unreal Tournament III

PSP

• February 21 - King of Clubs
• February 21 - Final Fantasy: Anniversary Edition
• February 21 - Final Fantasy II: Anniversary Edition
• February 22 - Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles

PlayStation 2

• February 7 - Casper: Scare School
• February 7 - The Waterhorse: Legend of the Deep

PC

• February 21 - Conflict: Denied Ops
• February 22 - My Horse and Me
• February 22 - The Waterhorse: Legend of the Deep

...

via Computer and Video Games


Free Radical has assured PS3 owners that the delays slapped on its platform-exclusive FPS Haze have meant the game is far better as a result. But it's bound to say that isn't it?


Well, thank goodness for that. We were beginning to wonder...

The spokesperson goes on to say the team understands the frustration gamers have been experiencing thanks to the topsy-turvy release date, "but we just want to make sure things are right for the people who'll be playing Haze *very* soon".

...

via Eurogamer


Warhawk game director Dylan Jobe has announced some PlayStation Home functionality for Incog's online war-game, and promises much more to come. Handy for those of you on the beta.

First up is the ability to form groups, meet in Home apartments, discuss tactics and then launch games. Games launched from Home "show up in the global games list in an attractive gold colour". Nice one, Dylan. All this is going into patch 1.3, coming soon at no extra cost to consumers.

PlayStation Home is Sony's upcoming online world, in which players will be able to communicate with one another, set up houses and apartments and show off their in-game achievements, as well - obviously - as coordinating game sessions. It's been likened to Second Life and is due out this year.

"Now this is just the beginning of what we're gonna to be doing with Home and there's some really neat stuff on the horizon," Jobe says in a Sony US blog post. "I'd love to show you more of the cool Home stuff that we're working on but I suspect I'd get a PR-shank to the spine...or possibly a lung."

Also coming in the 1.3 patch, which is in testing right now, are two new troop items to help rebalance the on-foot stuff. The Bio-field Generator produces a healing field and can be attached to walls, vehicles and so on, while the Mechanic's Field Wrench is for repairing vehicles by whacking them repeatedly.

Other new bits include expanded voice-over-IP support, some new paint schemes and insignias, and possibly some new server options if they test well.

Jobe says he'll post an update on the Sony blog when he can talk about the patch release timing, and the Sony blog is where you should go for all the minute details and images about what's going into the free download. ...

via Computer and Video Games


The internet went a bit mental when we reported that Devil May Cry 4 on PS3 forced you to install 5GB of data taking over 20 minutes - and Capcom has done it again with Lost Planet on PS3.

LP: Extreme Condition, which releases on PS3 on February 29 (that's next week), has picked up a mandatory 20-minute installation process before the game can be played, according to reports.

This, as Capcom was quick to tell us after the DMC4 uproar, helps to bring load times between levels down from what would otherwise be inherently slow Blu-ray drive load speeds.

Installation times don't rattle our cage much to be honest, having chose to install files on games where it was optional (Ridge Racer 7) but is it against the principles of console gaming?

Tell us what you think in comments below and look out for a discussion later. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Mario Kart Wii is set to hit the UK on April 25, if online retailer Play is to be believed.

Don't get your hopes up just yet though - this contradicts previous information given out by Nintendo, which dated the game for the April-June window of this years' second quarter.

Nintendo was unavailable for comment, but shopping websites have been known to receive advance information on shipping dates in the past. They've also been known to get it very wrong.

We'll keep on at Nintendo, but in the mean time take a look at NGamer's recent preview to get some insight into what will surly be one of the highlights of Wii's year. ...

via Eurogamer


Just two games for Virtual Console enthusiasts this week, and both for the Megadrive. Say hello to Eternal Champions and Phantasy Star II.

Being Megadrive games, they both cost 800 Wii Points, which is GBP 6.00 / EUR 8.00 or thereabouts.

What are they then? Well, Eternal Champions is a 2D fighter with combatants drawn from every corner of history, including made-up ones, so you've got a caveman fighting a cyborg, etc.

It had fatality style moves and Overkills, and some quirky ideas about control. Obviously I have no first-hand experience of this, but am instead riffing on what our Virtual Console expert Dan Whitehead told me when I emailed him in a panic. For all I know Eternal Champions is actually a game about Louise Redknapp.

The other one, Phantasy Star II, is from a long line of science-fiction RPGs with turn-based combat and top-down graphics.

Look out for a roundup of these, and whatever else Nintendo adds to the VC this month, in a future so near you can reach out and only have to stand around for a week before touching it. ...

via IGN


Need for Speed ProStreet gives you free tracks, free cars and more! Available now, at the PlayStation Store, gamers will be able to expand their ProStreet experience with the no-charge, Energizer Lithium Extender Pack. The pack features two new tracks (Leipzig Test Track & Tokyo Expressway) and two new cars (Plymouth Road Runner & SEAT Leon Cupra). The Extender Pack will also give gamers an opportunity to purchase 14 high-end dream cars including the first ever Bugatti Veyron to be experienced in a videogame, the McLaren F1, the Aston Martin DBR9, and many others! This content will also be available on Xbox Live Marketplace in the coming weeks. Keep checking http://www.ea.com/prostreet/home.jsp for more details.

When you're all set, get ready for another chance to pit your skills and reputation against the best street racers starting February 22, 2008, with Energizer's Community Race Weekend! The weekend's activities are exclusive to Xbox 360 and PS3 gamers. Special prize packs will be awarded to the weekend's winners.

To download the Race Day and gear up for competition, visit Need for Speed ProStreet's Race Day page. ...

Eidos is bringing the PSP game Death Jr. 2: Root of Evil to the Wii in Summer 2008.

Developed by Backbone Entertainment, the game charts the adventures of the Grim Reaper's son. Despite the '2' in the title, this is actually the third game in the series.

We don't like to be judgemental, but it's hard to remain calm when we see a major publisher release a game ported from a handheld that only has a Metacritic rating of 68.

It's also not a good sign that Konami, the previous distributor of the series, isn't involved with this project.

Anyway, take a look at these screens, right here. ...