Operation Backlog Completion 2024

Final Masquerade is Available Again

 My Stories, Writing  No Responses »  Tagged with: ,
May 312017
 

As you might recall, the horror anthology Final Masquerade (which includes my short story “The Artist”) became unavailable after the publisher changed hands.

Now Final Masquerade is back, in both ebook and print formats, with a new cover.

“The Artist” came out last year and is my most recent publication, but don’t forget that you can look forward to “Nightmare Stalker” this summer!

In other (non-horror, non-writing) news, I updated Monday’s blog post to include the official announcement of Tokyo RPG Factory’s new game, the unusually-titled Lost Sphear. It’s one of many games I’ll be looking forward to in 2018.

Have you read “The Artist” yet? If not, will you be picking up Final Masquerade now that it’s available again?

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Hopes for Tokyo RPG Factory’s Next Game

 Video games  No Responses »  Tagged with: , ,
May 292017
 

Square Enix’s Tokyo RPG Factory studio has updated its website with a new image.

This image (pictured right) shows a grassy cliff very different from the snowy landscape of their first game, I Am Setsuna. Tokyo RPG Factory was formed to work on smaller, more traditional RPGs. Could this be a hint as to their next game?

I Am Setsuna had a lot of potential. In my review for MonsterVine, I mentioned that the game seemed like it should have been longer. I enjoyed its characters and gameplay, but the ending felt rushed.

When I played it, I reached a point where I expected it to expand into the story’s next arc and make use of the hints I’d seen in the worldbuilding and side quests of a bigger picture. Instead, it raced through a few new plot points toward a sudden conclusion.

At the time, I wished they had a large enough budget to make a longer game. I also worried that I Am Setsuna’s mixed reception might mean they wouldn’t make anything else.

My second concern seems to be resolved. That image suggests Tokyo RPG Factory has a new game planned, maybe to be announced at E3. Will it be set in I Am Setsuna’s universe? Will it be something entirely new?

Whatever it is, I hope it keeps turn-based combat and traditional JRPG gameplay, including a world map… but I especially hope it’s a long enough game to tell a good story without feeling rushed.

Update: Tokyo RPG Factory has announced Lost Sphear for the PS4, Switch, and PC, an RPG about rebuilding the world with the power of Memory before it disappears forever.

Did you play I Am Setsuna? What do you hope to see from Tokyo RPG Factory’s next game?

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Square Enix Did NOT Say We Have to Wait 3 Years for KH3

 Video games  8 Responses »  Tagged with: , , ,
May 262017
 

Today, Square Enix set the Internet on fire with a financial briefing in which they outlined their future plans.

This outline included three games planned for “FY2018/3 and beyond,” Kingdom Hearts 3, the Final Fantasy VII Remake, and a Marvel game. They “plan to launch each of these upcoming titles in the next three years or so.”

Somehow, fans have taken this to mean Kingdom Hearts 3 and the Final Fantasy VII Remake won’t be out for three years.

But that’s not what Square Enix said at all!

First, these are their plans starting from fiscal year 2018. That means games on the slide could be released in 2018.

Second, these games will be released “in the next three years or so.” In other words, they’ll be released within three years, not necessarily three years from now.

Finally, the slide refers to “a robust pipeline from which 1-2 blockbuster titles as well as multiple mid-size titles are constantly launched every year.” If they hope to release 1-2 blockbuster titles every year, it makes sense that the blockbuster titles listed on the same slide could be among them.

In short, Square Enix did NOT say we have to wait 3 years for Kingdom Hearts 3 or the Final Fantasy VII Remake (or the Marvel game). This news does NOT mean these games won’t be out until then.

Instead, it means these games should be out in 2018, 2019, or 2020. One could come out each of those three years, even.

Update: According to DualShockers, a more accurate translation of the Japanese statement is: “We plan to launch them sequentially over the next three years or so.” That makes the one-per-year scenario even more likely.

Many people have chosen to interpret this announcement in the most pessimistic way, but I don’t think that’s how it was intended. I know I’ve been mistaken before (I never expected Final Fantasy XV’s structure would be so odd), but there’s no need to panic. This news doesn’t rule out a 2018 Kingdom Hearts 3 release date by any means.

I hope Square Enix provides more information at E3, maybe even with more specific windows for their upcoming games. Who knows? Maybe we’ll even get a solid release date.

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