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E3 2009 Final Day: June 4th marked the final day of E3 2009. By that time, people were allowed to take pictures of the gigantic, 14 feet LED screen in the Square Enix booth. Thus, I would be removed from the duty of preventing picturing taking of the LED screen and placed to monitor the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers demo site. Allow me to inform you about the playable demos!

1. Final Fantasy Dissidia: This is Square Enix’s epic fighting game consisting of all the protagonists and antagonists of Final Fantasies I-X. In essence, this is every Final Fantasy fangirl/boy’s dream. Do you want to see a match up between Squall and Sephiroth or a battle between Zidane and Tidus? This game makes all of that a reality. The fighting is fast-paced and all the classic moves such as Cecil’s Darkness to Cloud’s Omnislash are present in this game. This game is slated to come out in late August. There is an exclusive Gamestop Dissidia bundle which features a silver PSP, a 2GB memory stick, Final Fantasy Dissidia, and Final Fantasy Advent Children. This is a must buy for all Final Fantasy fans!
2. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles The Crystal Bearers: This Wii game takes place 1,000 years after the original Crystal Chronicles game. The demo features a single player campaign where you take on the role of Layle, the impetuous crystal bearer of the game. The crystal embedded into his body gives him the ability to manipulate objects and created force fields. Crystal bearers are eschewed and frowned upon in the game’s society. You essentially possess Jedi force powers in which you can use the Wii-mote to target and pick up objects or people and fling them with the flick of a wrist. In the demo, there is a scene where Layle is chased by chocobo knights. In the Final Fantasy universe, chocobos are large turkeys that are generally used as mounts. During the chase, you have to target the riders with the Wii-mote and throw them off their mounts. The game is action-packed, simple, and fun; and is to be released in late 2009 or early 2010.
3. Order of War: Square Enix, the king of RPG’s, is releasing a real time strategy game for the PC. Order of War is a World War II game and the demo places you in the position of the Allies. Take the position of the commander and plow your way through German forces. A neat feature is the cinematic button that allows the player to see close-ups of the actions that are currently in progress. Order of War is expected to be released in September of this year.
4. 
   Final Fantasy IV: The After Years: This game’s 16-bit graphics are redolent of the pre-FF VII era. The game takes place 17 years later where a second moon appears in the sky which causes the Crystals to emit a soft light. The protagonist is the son of FF IV’s Cecil and Rosa, Ceodore. The game plays in an episodic manner in which you download parts of the story via WiiWare. Most of the chapters are already available for download and the final chapters will be available sometime in September, 2009.
5. Project Cube: Square Enix surprised me with this X-Box exclusive twin-stick shooter which is reminiscent of games such as Robotron. The left control stick is for movements while the right is for shooting. The right trigger is used for dashing and when timed right, it will temporarily stun your enemies, allowing you to reach another vantage point. Dashing is also used to defeat enemies that only become vulnerable stunned. Holding the left trigger brings up a shield that corrals incoming bullets and allows you to reflect them all at will. One of the more interesting features of the game is red splatter on the floor left by defeated enemies. Upon first glance, one would assume it is blood. According to Square Enix, it is actually “robot machine oil.” The game will also feature a multiplayer that was not shown at E3. The release date is still to be announced.
   
6. Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days – Just to clear the confusion, this DS title is pronounced “Three Five Eight Over 2.” The star of the show is Roxas, a character familiar to those who have played Kingdom Hearts 2. Here, you will learn more about the egregrious Organization XIII and the mysterious 14th member, Shion. The demo is very reminiscent of the mission-based system of Final Fantasy X-2. A multiplayer feature has been added that allows players to choose from any of the Organization XIII members. For those eager to delve into Roxas’ story, this game is expected to come out in fall of 2009.
7. Final Fantasy VII – Yes, this is the game that revolutionized RPG’s with its intricate story and extravagant CG graphics. What more do I need to say? If you are not tired of Square Enix re-releasing their Final Fantasy games, go download this for the Playstation 3. If you have no other RPG to play while waiting for Final Fantasy XIII, I recommend playing the good memories all over again.

There you have it folks! That is the demo line-up for Square Enix at E3 2009. The games that were previewed but not playable include: Final Fantasy XIII, Front Mission Evolved, Supreme Commander 2, Nier, and Final Fantasy XIV. A simple internet search will allow you to find more information about these games. Square Enix has once again proven itself to be a major powerhouse in the video game industry by appealing to both western and eastern audiences. I envisage a very auspicious future for Square Enix.

I want to make a final comment that the people I worked with were great and fun to interact with. I felt that my fellow workers helped contribute to the convivial atmosphere that permeated throughout E3 2009. E3 is a wonderful experience that I hope all gamers can enjoy at least once in their lifetimes. For those interested, E3 2010 will take place from June 15-17! Mark those calendars for the 2010 E3 expo!

E3’s final day ranks a 4 out of 5 for me!

Guest Blogger: Mark Casino (LA RPG Examiner)