Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Looms Large
Thanks to IGN Pocket for their hands-on impressions of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, in which they discuss the tactical RPG GameBoy Advance title due out September 8th, and mention "The release of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is pretty historical, as it's the first [U.S.] Square game released on a Nintendo system since the company decided to pull the plug on Nintendo development back in the N64 days." Also discussed is the shrewd opening act, where there are "...a group of kids on a school's playground during wintertime, as a snowball fight breaks out... it's a very clever implementation of a training mission." Nintendo are pushing FFTA with an enticing bundle deal, although final English-language reviews, excepting this 'well-researched' one, are still pending.
These tecnological days, 2d tile-based games are like black and wite movies at your hometown cineplex. But in contrast to black and white (which is used only when a director wants to convey something with his story because otherwise it would be seen as a cheap gimmick - well... expensive cheap gimmick), 16bit style gaming is still a viable technology and a viable market and a viable channel to produce stories (in contrast to the old 8-bit days gaming).
I already love Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, I loved Tactics Ogre: Knight of Lodis (also on GBA), and I will buy this title when it comes out.
"I am slashbot, hear me roar!"
As a fan of the original FFT i've been looking forward to this one. Although the more serious medieval setting has been traded in for kids in a suburb (as far as i've seen) it should be interresting to see what they'll do with it. Although it doesn't really help Nintendo with getting rid of their "kiddy" image.