Many details have been floating around as of late about our most anticipated Final Fantasy soon to come. What better way to get them all out in the open then with a big FF13 news post!

Chocobos

You will be reunited with the big yellow birds that we've grown to love over the many years, for they roam Pulse freely, with the ability to provide quickened transportation throught the game. They aren't planted to the ground however, and can jump to higher locations where you could not reach by foot. Chocobos can also find treasures around the world by having an exclamation point appearing over their heads when they sense treasure nearby (much like in FFIX).

You won't be completely safe from harm while riding a Chocobo this time, they will have a health gauge to indicate their life in feathers. You will lose one feather per attack upon the Chocobo, and once you've lost them all, your bird will flee.

Alexander

Hope has the ability to summon the legendary Eidolon Alexander to battle. Alex can punch enemies from a far distance in standard mode, making him a ranged attacker. His Driving Mode is that of a fortress which blasts enemies from afar with multiple cannons.

Box Art

The box art of FF13 which has not 'officially' been released as of yet, seems to have surfaced finally, and to no suprise, is as plain-jane as the other JP box arts for the Final Fantasy series'.

Who said Square-Enix will only be known for their Final Fantasy & Dragon Quest franchise? Apparently SE wants to build its portfolio of established, multi-million selling gaming franchises, and hopes to do so when it releases 'two or three' new titles in the coming years.

Speaking to Reuters Japan, Square-Enix President Yoichi Wada said the company has a few big titles in the works that he believes can be put on the same pedestal as its own Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy franchises. While he obviously wouldn't divulge specific details, Wada did say these new titles are expected to be released late next year, or early 2011.

Wada would continue to say that Square-Enix hopes to have eight major franchises, each with the capability of selling two million copies, and could release one title every quarter. As pointed out, Square-Enix's acquisition of Eidos Interactive means these 'new titles' may not be your traditional, spiky-haired RPG's the company is known for.

The company also has high expectations for its long-awaited Final Fantasy XIII. Wada believes the multi-platform title can sell over six million copies worldwide.

Weird name, but in all seriousness we can finally put a name to the magazine spreads that have been massing in gamer magazines. Nier (If you've forgotten, [click here] to refresh your brain) will release on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles as an Action Adventure game. Fans of the Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden series' will be more drawn to this title due to its similarities.

The synopsis for this upcoming title is of a man in his thirties who goes on a journey to find a cure for his daughter’s illness. The illness is still unknown, but perhaps at E3 where this game will showcase and more will be unveiled, we will find out.
 

I'm sure I am not the only one getting vexed here. It seems Japan wont be anticipating Final Fantasy XIII in Winter of 2009 like their precioius demo stated, it will likely be a 2010 release instead, which means longer waiting for us over in NA. This news came about in a meeting with Square Enix Holdings, where Japanese press asked them some questions about Final Fantasy XIII and the highly anticipated Dragon Quest IX, here is the question in, well, question!:

Press: "Will Final Fantasy XIII be released within the fiscal year?"
SE Holdings: "God knows. ... Is the truth (laughs). I'll try!"

Well I have a question for ya, what is so damn funny? At any rate, nothing us raving fans who create shrines online for our favorite games made by Square Enix can do about it. I guess we will have to wait til 2010, thank god TruBlood will be back on in June!

What is with all these new secret games? At any rate, there is a new game which has surfaced, the title is called Front Mission: Evolved, which will debut on the lovely Xbox 360. A website has been launched for it, however there is absolutely jack on it as of yet.

Check it out here [Click Me]

Some impressive screenshots of this exclusive game have been featured in Xbox Magazine, below is a scan for your viewing pleasure. Click on the image to view its full potencial.