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E3: Square Enix’s Line Up For E3
Well, Square Enix doesn’t really make games that fit into the horror genre, but for those obsessed with Final Fantasy like me, I figured I post what they will be showing off at this years E3. So head past the break to check them out.
“As our best-selling FINAL FANTASY franchise continues to evolve, Square Enix is focused on creating the best entertainment experiences for all gamers,” said John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix Ltd., and Square Enix, Inc. “Our new partnerships with companies such as Double Helix, Gas Powered Games and Wargaming.net are a testament to our commitment to offer a much broader variety of games across different genres. All while Square Enix remains unchanged in the quality and depth of story we bring to all of the games we publish. We look forward to showcasing the results of these partnerships at E3 2009 as well as several much awaited FINAL FANTASY titles and KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days.” E3 2009 LINE-UP
DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Square Enix Ltd.
Platform: PlayStation®Portable (PSP®) system
Genre: Action-RPG
Release Date: Autumn 2009
DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY does what no other FINAL FANTASY title has done before, bringing together an all-star cast to give players a chance to see their favourite FINAL FANTASY characters engage in high-intensity battles. Experience this renowned franchise, which has shipped over 85 million units worldwide, in a brand new light with this dramatic 3-D action game. Soar through expansive environments and participate in gripping combat, all while enjoying RPG-based character development that adds a rich layer of depth to the story behind the clashing forces. The battle between good and evil begins – What will you fight for?
Official website coming soon.
FINAL FANTASY XIII
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Square Enix Ltd.
Platform: PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system/
Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft
Genre: RPG
Release Date: 2010
Square Enix proudly presents FINAL FANTASY XIII, the latest instalment in the world-renowned FINAL FANTASY series. To celebrate the 13th numbered release in the series, Square Enix has undertaken a colossal project involving the development of various content for multiple platforms. FABULA NOVA CRYSTALLIS®, defined in Latin as “the new tale of the crystal,” is made up of several different titles based on variations of the FINAL FANTASY XIII universe. While each title in the project features different characters, different worlds and different stories, all are ultimately based on and expand upon a common mythos.
In FINAL FANTASY XIII, players will embark on a journey through the cityworld of Cocoon and the outerworld of Pulse, encountering and fighting alongside a diverse group of allies. Execute powerful attacks with weapons and magic, and summon the enigmatic Eidolons with an evolved Active Time Battle™ system. Experience seamless transitions between real-time gameplay and in-game cinematics. Do you have the courage to face your destiny?
The official website can be found at www.finalfantasy13game.com
FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: THE CRYSTAL BEARERS®
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Square Enix Ltd.
Platform: Wii™
Genre: Action-Adventure
Release Date: TBA
FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: THE CRYSTAL BEARERS provides a fresh take on the FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES series as it combines the storytelling depth, expansive world and graphical quality of FINAL FANTASY with motion-driven, real-time action
gameplay. In this world, realistic gameplay and fantastical art direction are brought together for a truly unique experience for Wii users around the globe.
The official website can be found at www.thecrystalbearers.com
FRONT MISSION EVOLVED™
Developer: Double Helix Games™
Publisher: Square Enix Ltd.
Platforms: PLAYSTATION 3/Xbox 360/Windows PC
Genre: Third-Person Shooter
Release Date: TBA
From the creative minds of Square Enix and Double Helix Games, FRONT MISSION EVOLVED brings the classic FRONT MISSION® franchise into an action-packed third-person shooter that gives players full control of a massive humanoid war machine—the wanzer. Players will battle through intense combat situations as they explore an immersive world in both the single player campaign and online multiplayer.
The official website can be found at www.frontmissionevolved.com
KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd./h.a.n.d.
Publisher: Square Enix Ltd.
Platform: Nintendo DS™
Genre: Action-RPG
Release Date: Autumn 2009
Uncover the events that took place during the year Sora was asleep regaining his lost memories. KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days revolves around Roxas, the “other” hero from KINGDOM HEARTS II, and his days as a member of Organization XIII. Follow Roxas and the rest of Organization XIII across the various Disney Worlds, and discover the connection between him, Sora, and the mysterious 14th member, and the reasons behind his eventual departure from the organization. KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days also features a multiplayer mode for the first time, allowing players to control their favourite Organization XIII members!
The official website can be found at www.kingdomheartsdays.com
NIER™
Developer: cavia, Inc.
Publisher: Square Enix Ltd.
Platforms: PLAYSTATION 3/ Xbox 360
Genre: Action-Adventure
Release Date: 2010
Nothing is as it seems in Square Enix’s latest action adventure game, set in a crumbling world plagued by disease and dark, unrecognizable creatures. Players assume the role of the unyielding protagonist, NIER, resolute in his quest to discover a cure for his daughter, who is infected with the Black Scrawl virus. With powerful allies and a mysterious book, NIER encounters things that will confound even the mightiest of warriors.
Official website coming soon.
ORDER OF WAR
Developer: Wargaming.net™
Publisher: Square Enix Ltd.
Platform: Windows PC
Genre: Real-Time Strategy
Release Date: Autumn 2009
Square Enix teams up with strategy game specialist Wargaming.net to present ORDER OF WAR, a brand-new IP set for a simultaneous release across multiple territories. Developed exclusively for Windows PC, the game features massive-scale battles brought to life with a cinematic intensity never seen before in a WWII strategy game. Players will take command of an entire army including ground troops, artillery, tank divisions and aircraft in all-out strategic assaults. The single-player mode can be played out in two campaigns – American versus German forces on the western front and German versus Russian on the eastern front. Missions will be based on key historic events and operations from 1944.
The official website can be found at www.orderofwar.com
SUPREME COMMANDER 2
Developer: Gas Powered Games®
Publisher: Square Enix Ltd.
Platforms: Xbox 360/Windows PC
Genre: Real-Time Strategy
Release date: 2010
Set 25 years after the events of the original game, Supreme Commander 2 begins with the assassination of the newly elected president of the Colonial Defense Coalition. The CDC members – the United Earth Federation, the Order of the Illuminate, and the Cybran Nation – deny involvement, blame each other, and a galactic war ensues! Experience brutal battles on a massive scale! Players will wage war by creating enormous customizable armies and experimental war machines that can change the balance of power at any given moment. Take the role of one of the three enigmatic commanders, each representing a unique faction with a rich story that brings a new level of emotional connection to the RTS genre, or fight the battle online. Where do your loyalties lie?
Official website coming soon.
Downloadable Titles
FINAL FANTASY IV: THE AFTER YEARS™
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Square Enix Ltd.
Platform: Wii
Genre: RPG
Release Date: June 5th, 2009
A true sequel to the classic Super NES™ title, FINAL FANTASY IV: THE AFTER YEARS is an episodic game coming exclusively to Nintendo’s WiiWare™ service June 1, 2009. With both single and multiplayer modes, Wii users will now be able to explore the world of FINAL FANTASY IV with up to three of their friends and coordinate commands into a single attack. Unravel a mystery told through the intertwining stories of a familiar cast of characters, and complete the FINAL FANTASY IV experience with this latest instalment in the franchise.
The official website can be found at www.ff4theafteryears.com
FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a Darklord™
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Square Enix Ltd.
Platform: Wii
Genre: Real-Time Strategy
Release Date: 2009
The latest instalment in the FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES franchise for Nintendo’s WiiWare service, FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a Darklord turns the tables on players by challenging them to take on the role of the villain. As the newly appointed Darklord with a mission to take over the world, players must strategically place monsters and traps inside their tower to ward off invading adventurers. With this follow-up to the kingdom-building simulation FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a King®, Wii users can now enjoy the FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES world from an entirely new point of view!
The official website can be found at www.mylifeasadarklord.com
Let’s start with the good news. Lockbox looks far better than its misleading marketing materials suggest, a supernatural horror movie so darkly lit and color graded that you’ll have to squint your way through jump scares. It’s also anchored by reliable genre performers. That’s also about where the good news ends with this rote adaptation of Knifepoint Horror Podcast story “Winthrop.”
The empathetic Carla Gugino gives her all as Ellen, a saint of a woman with boundless patience who takes on life’s hard luck with a kind smile. After giving up her career as a fashion designer to become caretaker for a dying mother, she’s then forced to reinvent herself once more when her caretaker role ends. That catches us up to the events of Lockbox, where Ellen is asked to take in a cousin she hasn’t seen in quite some time who’s dealing with severe PTSD.
Just as Ellen finally establishes a real connection with Winthrop (Lou Taylor Pucci), it’s interrupted by the arrival of peculiar neighbor Vahna (Katharine Isabelle), who spells clear trouble. When Vahna shows up dead, it sets in motion a supernatural battle of possession.
Image Credit: Aura entertainment
Director Daniel Stamm (The Last Exorcism, Prey for the Devil) and screenwriter Justin Yoffe approach Lockbox in the broadest of brushstrokes, dooming it from the start with clunky storytelling and woefully underdeveloped themes of heady topics like PTSD. Winthrop is a character that comes loaded with emotional baggage and trauma that’s piled on throughout his tragic life, but much like its title, his interiority and history are treated like a tightly guarded secret meant to prolong the supernatural mystery.
The problem here, though, is that Lockbox is too sparse to sustain mystery at all, and it instead robs Winthrop of characterization. It winds up trapping the talented Pucci without anywhere to go, toggling between wounded animal and mentally disoriented.
From there, Lockbox bounds through plot developments without any sense of stakes or purpose, peppered by a smattering of haphazard paint-by-numbers jump scares. The only unwavering constant is Ellen’s resolute faith, and Stamm seems to leave it entirely to Gugino to guide confused audiences through this inconsequential story right up until its supernatural climax.
Image Credit: Aura entertainment
To give more credit, Lockbox at least injects an unconventional exorcism here; just don’t expect much in the way of explanation. When the film finally reveals the meaning behind its title, it dangles a fascinating carrot it has zero interest in delivering. More than a severe lack of fleshing out its characters beyond plot drivers or devices, this faith-based flick also seems terrified to offer any worldbuilding whatsoever.
Yoffe’s script stretches the short story beyond its means instead of fleshing it out, and Stamm fills out the gaps with cheap CGI scares and overwrought performances; Isabelle’s Vahna is beyond cartoonish in her villainy. It’s also pretty nonsensical, treating only Ellen’s faith with the utmost sincerity and largely squandering its typically reliable talent. So much so that the final imagery, pure sunkissed saccharine sentimentality, leaves you with the feeling that this horror movie might be better suited as an entry in Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Lockbox releases in select theaters on July 3, 2026.
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