The Last Remnant Might Not Come to PlayStation 3 After All

Maybe you remember a game called The Last Remnant? It was Square Enix's first 7th generation game, their first multiplatform project, their first game using a licensed game engine (the Unreal Engine 3), and what they called 'An RPG for the World.'

Though the game was announced for worldwide release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Square Enix later announced that the game would premier first on Xbox 360 worldwide, then be followed by a PC version, and would eventually be released on PlayStation 3 later.

As you may recall, the Xbox 360 and PC versions are done and out worldwide, though neither were particularly well-received (especially by critics in the West). Despite this, the sales weren't what I would have considered bad, and the game itself employs some great ideas.

However, since the game's PC release in March, any news of this title has fallen silent, and until recently, I completely forgot about it.

Well at a recent shareholder's meeting in Japan, Square Enix boss Yoichi Wada expressed concern over the game's profitibility, declining to confirm if the game was indeed going to make the leap to Sony's platform.

Though Sony fanboys like to scream "M$ paid Square off!!1," the fact that UE3 and PS3 don't always get along well is well-documented, and the choice to release the more developed version first doesn't seem incredibly far-fetched to me.

With the game noticibly absent at E3, and considering how much the press over here has hated the game, I myself have been wondering what has befallen the once-multiplat title. Wada's hesitance to confirm the PS3 version at a share-holder meeting, and his expressing concern over the game's profitibility, suggests that the PS3 version's future may indeed be uncertain.

What do you think? Should the game come out for PS3 no matter what? Are you content to have it just on 360 and PC? Do you even care about this game at all?

[Destructoid]

The Last Remnant Headed for Steam, Other Titles to Follow

Valve, developer behind the downloadable PC software solution, Steam, announced today that RPG giant Square Enix has come aboard the service with it's "RPG for the World," The Last Remnant.

Square Enix announced to Japanese press yesterday that the game will be made available on launch date (April 9, 2009) via Steam, but no mention of a North American or European version was made. This announcement by Valve and Square Enix, however, has indeed confirmed that the PC version will see our shores on the same date as the Japanese version.

In addition, John Yamamoto, President and CEO of Square Enix Inc. and Square Enix Ltd. (the North American and European branches of the company) implied that more Square Enix titles will follow The Last Remnant into PC gaming territory. Whether these titles will be older titles retroactively made available (like Final Fantasy VII and VIII which were available for PC previously), or if this statement applies to newer titles is ambiguous, but should come as pleasant news to PC gaming enthusiasts.

Currently, there has been no mention of retail copies of The Last Remnant, but we assume they will exsist for those who do not wish to use Steam.

The Last Remnant will be available for Windows-based PC on April 9, 2009 worldwide. The Xbox 360 version is already available. There is still no word on the PlayStation 3 version.

Interested parties can read the official statements via Kotaku.

The Last Remnant PC Demo Available Next Week, Plus New Characters

If any of you have been holding out for the PC version of last year's The Last Remnant, you should be pleased to hear that the demo for the Japanese version will be available for download late next week on February 27, 2009 from the game's official website.

The website has also revealed that the upcoming PC version will contain new playable characters that were not recruitable in the Xbox 360 version. I won't list them here though because some of them are spoilers if you haven't finished the game, (when I read the list, I was all 'What? S/he does/n't join your team?'), but you can read the list on the Japanese site here.

The Last Remnant will be available on PC in Japan on April 9, 2009. There is no word on North American or European dates. There is still also no word on the PlayStation 3 version. The game is already available on Xbox 360 worldwide.

Go Download the Last Remnant Benchmark. Also, Release Date

Square Enix has just put the benchmark for The Last Remnant up for free download via the game's official site.

For those unfamiliar with PC benchmarks, they are mini-programs that run the final game's engine in various modes in order for users to see how the game will look and run on their PC in various modes. Though the practice seems rare in North America, it is done frequently in Japan when a company releases a game that needs a medium to high-end graphics card.

Interested parties can download the benchmark for free here, though some users may need to run AppLocale in order to use it (I'm not sure).

If you do download the benchmark, please leave a comment to tell me your impressions.

Square Enix has also announced that a trial version of the game will be available for download "soon," though no dates have been given.

It has been announced that The Last Remnant will be available for Windows PC on April 9, 2009 (probably worldwide). It is already available on Xbox 360. There is still no date for the PlayStation 3 version.

PC Version of The Last Remnant looks suspiciously like The Last Remnant

The recent issue of Famitsu has dropped the first info on the PC release of Square Enix's The Last Remnant, and lists 4 new features that the PC version will contain.

1st, it appears that the game will contain both the Japanese and English voice tracks, allowing you to listen to the characters' witty banter in whichever language you prefer. The lip sync was done to the English cast, so Japanese gamers who were disappointed with the Japanese cast can now be disappointed with the English cast! Finally, equality.

2nd is the removal of limits on Leader units. In the Xbox 360 version, you can only assign a certain number of Leader units to your active Unions, and must fill the other spaces with generic soldiers or leave them empty. The PC version will let you completely ignore the generic soldiers if you want to, and fill all your active slots with Leader units.

3rd is the inclusion of a high speed battle mode. This doesn't appear to have any function other than making the battles play out faster. For the impatient gamer, I suppose.

Finally, you will now be able to preview weapons and equipment at shops before you spend your cash. This function will let you see what the item looks like equipped, what abilities it has, and what it can do for your character.

...Does anyone else feel like all of these functions really should have been in the original to start with? That's kind of annoying.

However, the only of these that I'm really broken up over is the Leader unit limit. That really would have been nice in the 360 version. :(

The Last Remnant will be available for PC sometime this year in North America, Europe, and Japan.

RPGs Dominate the Xbox 360 Charts in Japan

In news that should surprise roughly no one, 2008's biggest 3 Xbox 360 titles in Japan were all RPGs. And I bet you could name them all without even looking!

They are, in order, Namco Bandai's Tales of Vesperia, Square Enix's The Last Remnant, and tri-Ace and Square Enix's Infinite Undiscovery. Shocking stuff, right?

In addition to these obvious titles, other RPGs also managed to rank in decently. Bethesda's Fallout 3 ranked in at number 8, Lionhead and Microsoft's Fable II pulls the number 12 spot, and Mistwalker and Microsoft's Lost Odyssey shuffles in at number 26 (not bad for a 2007 title).

Check out the full list scanned from Famitsu Xbox 360 below.

The Last Remnant PC Date Vaguely Confirmed... Sort of

Square Enix has just recently dropped info that their "RPG for the World" The Last Remnant will be making its way to Windows-based PCs sometime next spring.

They have also mentioned that the Windows port will have extras that are not included in the Xbox 360 build, though give us no clue as to what those extras might be.

However, this leaves more questions than answers. When, exactly? Will the Windows version be released worldwide simultaneously like the 360 version? Will it require a keyboard/mouse combo, or use a gamepad? Is the texture pop-in fixed? We have no good answers for you, but I suppose for those waiting with bated breaths for the PC version, this news should be welcomed.

Unfortunately for anxious PS3 owners, no mention of the Triple port has been made at this point.

We'll keep you posted.

P.S. The Last Remnant has kind of gotten some bad press. However, I am a ways in on my 360 version, and I rather like it. The texture pop-in is lame, but its no deal-breaker, and the game is rather fun if you like turn-based JRPGs. Also, the graphics are very good, and the English VAs do a great job. But it is quite difficult (read: frustrating) at times. Just my 2 cents.

I'll do a full review after I finish it (and have some time). ^_^;

The Last Remnant DLC Announced

It's a DLC Announcement Party on Xbox 360 this week, and it seems like just about everybody's invited.

The latest RPG to hop on board the DLC announcement band wagon is Square Enix's recently released The Last Remnant. However, TLR's DLC isn't so much an expansion as Fallout 3 or Fable II's DLC. But most of it is free.

Shamelessly copy-and-pasted from the press statement:

Challenge Pack 1: “Purgatory’s Sins”
Price: Free
Release date: Gold Member: 1st December, 2008
Silver Member: 8th December, 2008
Level up your game with this pack of ultra-challenging guild tasks. Adequate game progression is necessary.

“The Key of Ancient Ruins”
Price: Free
Release date: Gold Member: 1st December, 2008
Silver Member: 8th December, 2008
Unlock the gates to the Ancient Ruins with this key, and discover what mysteries lie within its crumbling depths.

“March to War Set”
Price: 100 MSP
Release date: Gold Member: 15th December, 2008
Silver Member: 15th December, 2008
Three special unlockable formations (Scatterswarm, Goblet and Catapult) that will boost your tactical strength during battle.

Challenge Pack 2: “The Price of Lies”
Price: Free
Release date: Gold Member: 22nd December, 2008
Silver Member: 29th December, 2008
Add this pack of the most difficult guild tasks yet. Adequate game progression is necessary.

So, yeah. Mostly just challenge packs, etc. But free is free. I won't complain if you won't.

Some Story Trailers for The Last Remnant

I admittedly haven't covered much on Square Enix's upcoming The Last Remnant. This isn't because I'm not interested in the game - I am - it's just that I've already covered the majority of the story and character content that Famitsu has provided, and haven't really been shown anything new that I thought was pertinent to relate to you.

But one thing that is easy to get interested in is a good trailer. The Last Remnant has some. One short Japanese commercial and one longer English trailer. Give them a watch below.

English Awakening Trailer


Japanese Story CM


The Last Remnant will be available worldwide on Xbox 360 this Thursday. There is currently no official release date for the PlayStation 3 or PC versions.

Not News: 3 RPG CMs

I know, you love to start your week off with a little bit of Japanese TV. But not too much. Maybe just a few seconds, y'know, to get things flowing. Don't worry, we've got you covered with 3 different Japanese RPG commercials, each a quick 15 seconds long.

What's that, you say? You're a hopeless fanboy and you won't even watch commercials for games on other consoles? No need to worry, as there is a commercial for each of the current consoles. Just skip those other commercials for those consoles that you hate, and pretend that we're catering only to you!

The Last Remnant (Xbox 360)


Rune Factory Frontier (Nintendo Wii)


Shiro Kishi Monogatari (PlayStation 3)


Sure, none of these commercials are particularly newsworthy, but that's why we're a blog! ;)

Scan Catch-Up Deluge

Is it just me, or has this week felt pretty slow in terms of news? I guess there were a couple of games announced (probably most the notable being Devil Survivor), but things have just felt a little slower than normal. Maybe that's a good thing...

Anyways, below are a whole pile of RPG scans from the latest issues of Famitsu and Jump. They all surfaced today (as far as I know), so I'll just throw them all together here for your browsing interest.

Annie no Atelier: Serashima no Renkinjutsushi (Atelier Annie: Alchemist of Sera Island)
Nintendo DS
Gust
January 29, 2009 (Japan)



Chrono Trigger
Nintendo DS
Square Enix
November 20, 2008 (Japan), November 25, 2008 (North America)



Destiny Links
Nintendo DS
Namco Bandai
February 05, 2009 (Japan)



Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito (Guardians of the Starry Sky)
Nintendo DS
Level 5, Square Enix
March 2009 (Japan)



Gensou Suikouden Tierkreis (Suikoden Tierkreis)
Nintendo DS
Konami
December 18, 2008 (Japan)



The Last Remnant
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Square Enix
November 20, 2008 (Xbox 360, Worldwide), TBA (PlayStation 3, PC)




Ougon no Kizuna (Golden Bonds)
Nintendo Wii
Jaleco
Winter 2008/2009



Phantasy Star Zero
Nintendo DS
Sega
December 25, 2008 (Japan)



Rune Factory Frontier
Nintendo Wii
Marvelous
November 27, 2008



Lots of stuff here. I'll take translation requests in the comments.

Thanks to Gamekyo and RPGLand for the scans.

Japanese Scans Ahoy!

Remember those Chinese scans? Y'know, the ones I can't read?

Well, RPGLand has graciously scanned the Japanese versions of both the recent Star Ocean 4 and White Knight Story articles, so they are now officially up for translation requests.

Additionally, they have also included a new article on the upcoming The Last Remnant, so I will take requests for that article as well.

Check the scans out below (thanks RPGLand):

Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope
Xbox 360
tri-Ace, Square Enix
Available February 19, 2009 (Japan), March 03, 2009 (North America)



Shiro Kishi Monogatari: Inishie no Kodou (White Knight Story: Pulse of Antiquity)
PlayStation 3
Level 5, SCEJ
Available December 25, 2008 (Japan)



The Last Remnant
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Square Enix
Available November 20, 2008 (Xbox 360, Worldwide), ??? (PlayStation 3, PC)


As usual, translation requests open in the comments.

TGS 2008: Gameplay of The Last Remnant, I Don't Know What the Hell is Going On

So I watched the new gameplay vid for Square Enix's upcoming The Last Remnant, and I... don't get it. Like, what is going on? What are you supposed to do? I just can't figure it out...

Watch the vid below and tell me if you understand how you play this game. Because I can't right now.

Pre-Order Last Remnant, Get Some Stuff

While North America may not be getting the Xbox 360 Pro Bundle that Japan is, there are a few interesting pre-order bonuses for those eager to put their money down for the title.

GameStop/EB Games and GameCrazy are offering the standard "get rare in-game stuff" download code with the pre-order (seemingly a standard on 360 RPGs), but BestBuy is offering a limited poster for those who are interested in the game's art.

No faceplate or soundtrack, but I guess we'll have to make do with what we can get.

TGS 2008: The Latest Last Remnant Trailer is New Levels of Epic

Square Enix has just released a brand new trailer for its upcoming "RPG for the World," The Last Remnant, for TGS 2008. Take a watch below:


Now, I've been waffling a little bit on this title. On one hand, I like a lot of the art direction, and the story seems like it could be good, but on the other, I still don't know how I feel about the battle system (I really need some hands-on time with it to know if I like it or not).

Regardless, this latest trailer can only be described as EPIC, and if nothing else, at least shows that Square Enix still knows how to tell a cool story. You have my attention, Square Enix.

The Last Remnant will be available worldwide on Xbox 360 on November 20, 2008. There is still no release date for the PlayStation 3 and PC versions.

Last Remnant 360 Bundle Confirmed for Japan

Remember this rumor? Well, it is apparently true, and Japan will be receiving a limited The Last Remnant + Xbox 360 Pro bundle this November when the game launches worldwide.

Officially, the bundle will contain an Xbox 360 Pro console (of the new 60GB variety), a copy of The Last Remnant, a limited Last Remnant faceplate, and a premium The Last Remnant soundtrack.

The bundle will be on sale on the same day as the game's launch, November 20, 2008, and will retail for 34,800 yen (for your reference, normal Xbox 360 Pros normally run for about 29,800 yen).

There is no word on a similar bundle for North America or Europe, and it just isn't very likely.

Microsoft's official announcement here.

COMBO BREAKER!! The Last Remnant Feeds Your HD Fetish

So you thought this week was going to all SD and handhelds, did you? Not if Square Enix has anything to say about it. Courtesy of Famitsu (via Gamekyo), behold 10 enormous pages of The Last Remnant screens, details, and artwork.

The massively enormous article details all of the characters and battle system points we've heard of so far, all packaged nicely into one of the most visually appealing articles I have seen from the publication. Take a look at all the goodness below.






The Last Remnant will be available worldwide on Xbox 360 on November 20, 2008 from Square Enix. There is currently no release date set for either the PlayStation 3 or PC versions.