Details on the progress of Lost Odyssey are few and far between these days, so we'll take what we can get. According to IGN, Hironobu Sakaguchi, head of Mistwalker, has given a small update on Lost Odyssey to Japanese gaming magazine, Famitsu. According to Sakaguchi, the game's background music and packaging are complete. Also, an outside development team known as Feel Plus is currently tweaking the wall system and other gameplay systems. Readers will recall that Lost Odyssey uses a system in which soldiers in the front lines must protect the vulnerable but powerful magic users in the rear.
Sakaguchi notes that there will be new details revealed in the near future. IGN speculates we may hear more at E3. Considering this is one of Microsoft's biggest projects, we're inclined to agree.
If you've been waiting for a version of Blue Dragon with English subtitles and you happen to live in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, or Singapore, then you are in luck! Siliconera reports that Microsoft has officially released Blue Dragon to Asian territories outside of Japan. This version of Blue Dragon features Japanese or Korean voice acting and both Chinese and English subtitles. Before you start getting your importing hopes up though, we must inform you that the game is region locked, unlike many Asian Xbox 360 games. However, if you just so happen to have a Japanese Xbox 360, more power to you.
The rest of us, unfortunately, will be waiting until the English version's official August release.
Speaking to Famitsu (translated by IGN), Hironobu Sakaguchi reveals new details of Mistwalker's current Xbox 360 project Lost Odyssey. The game is now 70% complete, and the development team has reached the "balancing and tuning" phase of production. The music (composed by RPG legend Nobuo Uematsu) is nearly done. Sakaguchi notes that the game's theme focuses on "humanity" and that the music conveys inner emotions. The camera will remain fixed in the game, though there will be cinematic rumbling and focus effects used.
Finally, Sakaguchi reveals more information about Lost Odyssey's combat. Lost Odyssey will use a wall system that requires the front lines to defend those in the rear. This is crucial, as magic users cause the most damage and must be protected (this is in line with what Sakaguchi told us at GDC) Also revealed, certain items will require skills to equip and the game features a crafting system that binds magical items to weapons.
Speaking to Japanese website, Gpara.com, Mistwalker head, Hironobu Sakaguchi, expressed interest in taking the inevitable sequel to Blue Dragon online. Sakaguchi told the website (translated by Eurogamer), "Specifics aren't finalised, but there's a possibility that it will be produced as an online title." Granted, it's possible that something was lost in translation, but it sounds as though Sakaguchi wants to make online functionality central to Blue Dragon 2. Of course, it's just as likely that the online functionality could be limited to simple things like item trading or the Mechat shooting segments. Given the original title's relative success in Japan, adding online functionality could be a good way to get more Japanese gamers on Xbox Live.
American gamers will finally get their shot at Blue Dragon in August.
Speaking with GameSpot during GDC, Final Fantasy creator and head of Mistwalker Studio, Hironobu Sakaguchi, had some interesting things to say about his recent projects, Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, as well as a few choice thoughts on Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, and game development in general. One nice bit of info: There will be a playable demo of Blue Dragon available on Marketplace before the game ships in August (Sakaguchi hopes for a June or July release for the demo).
CVG, a professional website mysteriously lacking a favicon, has posted an English review of Blue Dragon. In short, the game is good, and the review contains nothing but praise. Seriously, not one flaw is listed. Frankly, it's hard to trust reviews that are entirely positive, but it still likely means good news for RPG fans. Overall, the review states that the game just feels incredibly polished, that it "reeks of class." The graphics are clean, the battle system doesn't get old, and there is plenty to do. We won't be seeing Blue Dragon stateside until next year, but it looks like the wait may be worth it after all. Hit the read link for the full review.
Has anyone else out there actually played the game?
We missed the Blue Dragon update last week, so this week we have two new videos for you. The first -- embedded above -- is Blue Dragon's playable opening sequence. It's very serene and poetic in that Howl's Moving Castle sort of way, though we're not sure how much we like the robotic voice that announces what you're doing. Hearing the digital female voice say "item" as you pick something up sort of pulls you out of the narrative. Still, the game is gorgeous. The second video -- embedded after the break -- showcases a shooting sequence, which takes place in (what else?) an airship. The shooting sequence is in real time, which might allay some of the fears of RPG fans that are more accustomed to KOTOR. Watch both videos and tell us what you think . (As always, high definition versions are available at the official Blue Dragon site.)
Blue Dragon, Microsoft's great white blue hope in Japan, isn't even available yet, and rumors are already flying about Blue Dragon 2: the Dragoning*. According to Strategyinformer.com, Famitsu is reporting that Mistwalker is already in production on Blue Dragon 2. It's a well-known fact that Microsoft is pinning all its hopes on Blue Dragon to lift limp 360 sales in Japan. If a sequel is already in development, they must be very confident that it will do just that. Then again, the article doesn't actually mention what platform the game would appear on, so it's possible that Blue Dragon's developer, Mistwalker, is planning to take the game multi-platform. Whatever MS and Mistwalker have up their sleeves, we'll wait to see how good the first Blue Dragon is before we start clamoring for a sequel.
The official Blue Dragon website has been updated yet again with a new video (and new screenshots, too). The video features some of the game's non player characters (NPCs) that the player can interact with. They range from weird looking Snifit doppelgangers to minotaurs. Our favorite in the video is what appears to be a living mural on a wall. Check out the video after the break. Oh, and be warned, the music is ... different.
It's windy and cold outside Fanboy Towers today, and we're betting it's a cold day in Hell, too. First, EA's Superman Returns demo is actually good, and now an Xbox 360 game is in the top 5 on Famitsu's most wanted list. Blue Dragon has landed in 3rd place on the recent poll, outdoing both Metal Gear Solid 4 and the beloved Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. We've blogged (probably too much) about Blue Dragon's importance before, but it now stands at an all time high. With the Playstation 3 launched (and sold out) and the Wii as well, Microsoft has their work cut out for them if they want to make a dent in the Land of the Rising Sun. Ironically, this is also their biggest opportunity. With the PS3 sold out, Microsoft has a big chance to take money away from those who were unable to get a PS3 (hell, with PS3 money you could buy the Blue Dragon bundle and have enough yen left for a sushi dinner).
Still, one game may help Microsoft gain a foothold, but it is not enough to sustain interest. If they don't keep rolling out the Japanese flavored content, Japan could quickly drop the 360. As our sister site, Joystiq, points out, the Japanese are not shy about buying a system for one game and then selling it. Then again, Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 has managed to crack the number 15 spot. Maybe that will be enough to hold Japan until Lost Odyssey.
The official Blue Dragon website was updated with a new video on Friday. The video displays some of the combat evasion tactics that are available to players. This should come as a relief to those that hate constant battle. There are several different ways to evade monster detection: bombs can be thrown to paralyze enemies, players can turn invisible to avoid detection, and enemies can even be killed, avoiding a battle sequence entirely. We'd like to know if killing enemies pre-battle still nets you experience points, but the ability -- presumably granted with a special item -- is welcome. It adds some freshness to the game, which is always welcome in an RPG. Watch the video after the break.
There are two new Blue Dragon videos up on the official site. The first, set to some of the most terrible rock music imaginable, demonstrates the game's shadow combat system. Somehow, the music gives it a very weird twist. It's as if it were a joke. Seriously, it sounds like Bob Dylan after a stroke. The second video showcases one of Blue Dragon's most overlooked features: walking! If you've ever wanted to see a kid walking around looking at stuff, now's your chance. Both videos are embedded after the break.
We found these Famitsu scans of Blue Dragon over at French gaming site, Xboxygen. The scans reveal profiles of each character's shadow. For those that don't know, the premise behind Blue Dragon is that each character has a living shadow that is used in combat. The main character's shadow just happens to be a dragon, hence, Blue Dragon. Clever, huh? Anyway, our Japanese is rusty, but we think the shadows are named thus:
Giant bird - "Phoenix"
Giant bat - "Killa/Killer Bat"
Giant tiger - "Saber Tiger"
Dragon - "Dragon" (Boy, that one is creative)
Minotaur - "Minotauros"
We're not sure what the other scans are about. Anybody care to translate, or just give us a general idea?
Details on the progress of Lost Odyssey are few and far between these days, so we'll take what we can get. According to IGN, Hironobu Sakaguchi, head of Mistwalker, has given a small update on Lost Odyssey to Japanese gaming magazine, Famitsu. According to Sakaguchi, the game's background music and packaging are complete. Also, an outside development team known as Feel Plus is currently tweaking the wall system and other gameplay systems. Readers will recall that Lost Odyssey uses a system in which soldiers in the front lines must protect the vulnerable but powerful magic users in the rear.
If you've been waiting for a version of 
Speaking with GameSpot during 
