Gyromancer now on Xbox Live Arcade, Steam

Square Enix and PopCap Games have released their first collaborative game development effort, Gyromancer, on XBLA for 1200 points and on Steam for $14.99. Gyromancer is a strategic puzzle RPG that offers a deep storyline, a multifaceted leveling system and 50 monsters to call upon during battle.

Players assume the role of Rivel, a summoner who ventures through the enchanted Aldemona Wood. Each stage contains its own objectives, from defeating beasts that block the player’s way, to solving puzzles before time runs out. Rivel can learn to summon dozens of the beasts he encounters, bending their power to his will and commanding them in battle. Hidden within each stage are a number of rewards earned for completing feats great and small.

Look for the game on Steam and Xbox Live Arcade today.

Final Fantasy XIII release date: March 9, 2010

Square Enix today officially announced the North American street date for its next Final Fantasy game. And what a fitting day for such an announcement - Friday the 13th. Final Fantasy XIII will be released in North America on March 9, 2010 and will be available for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 (see the brand new announcement trailer for some inside info from the developers).

The game is being produced by Kitase Yoshinori (Final Fantasy VII, X and X-2), directed by Motomu Toriyama (Final Fantasy VII, X and X-2), will feature character design by Tetsuya Nomura (Final Fantasy V, VI, VII, VIII, X) with art direction being handled by Isamu Kamikokuryo (Final Fantasy X, XII). Rounding out this reunion of sorts is Misashi Hamazu (Final Fantasy X, Dirge of Cerebus) who will create the orchestral score, and Takeshi Nozue (Advent Children), who will direct the cinematics. The game will also feature “My Hands,” a single from Leona Lewis’ upcoming album Echo (set for release Nov. 17, 2009).

Final Fantasy XIII features a brand new world, an improved Active Battle System (ATB), an all new summon system that features the ability (Gestalt mode) to let players combine with their summons (Eidolons) to deliver devastating amounts of damage, a brand new game mechanic called Paradigm that lets players assign roles to part members that can change the tide of battle and high definition graphics and sound enabled by development on the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Look for the game in stores March 9, 2010. Square Enix promises to reveal more about this game in the days, moths and weeks leading up to its release next year so stay tuned. You can learn what there is to know about Final Fantasy XIII by visiting www.finalfantasyxiii.com. The site features new info on characters Fang, Hope and Serah today.�

Crystal Defenders now on PSP go

Crystal Defenders has been released on PSP go this week via the PlayStation Network. The game from Square Enix is based on the job classes and locations from the popular Final Fantasy Tactics game and is being billed as a “defensive simulation.” Does that mean when someone say that it sucks that it somehow gets defensive and storms out of the room or something? I’m not really sure, but it is only $10.00 USD. More likely is that it is a tower defense style game. In it you deploy units to defend crystals of wave after wave of bad guys. The game is based on the WiiWare game of the same name released in Japan at the beginning of this year.

According to Square Enix the game is easy enough to understand: monsters an area in waves until they are defeated or reach an exit; if they make it that far, they steal some crystals. Players have to decide where to deploy various jobs such as Black Mages or Soldiers that will attempt to defend the party’s crystals. Factors such as map terrain, monster strengths and weaknesses, job attributes, and more will play a role in determining what actions a player should take.

Look for the game on the PSP go via PlayStation Network, right now.

Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers pre-order details

Pre-orders are now available for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers, according to word from Square Enix this week. GameStop is offering $5.00 off the game at the time of purchase (details here), Amazon.com is giving a themed, limited edition 2010 calendar (details here), and Best Buy is offering an exclusive soundtrack sampler to its pre-order customers. (details here). Doesn’t seem all that exciting to me, but whatever makes your world spin around.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers ships in late Dec. for the Wii.

Order of War extras released

Square Enix and Wargaming.net have released a batch of free downloadable content for Order of War today to apparently celebrate one month of being available to consumers. Okay. If you find this action-focused World War II strategy game enjoyable then you might want to check out the new stuff for it. It includes formerly exclusive bonuses that were available only through special pre-order offers. With this update, all players will have identical content, regardless of where they purchased the game. much to the chagrin of early adopters who thought they were special for buying the game early.

The free downloadable content update includes heavy bomber squadrons (German Arado and Allied B-24 Marauder heavy bomber), infantry mortar launchers the addition of heavy artillery strikes added to the air support menu and a survival mission mode where you fend off waves of attacking enemies for as long as possible.

Those that already own the game simply need to launch it and let the auto-update feature do its job.

Space Invaders Extreme 2 dated for Oct. 20

TAITO, now a Square Enix subsidiary, is preparing for an Oct. 20 launch of Space Invaders Extreme 2 on DS. Now with 45 percent more fiber! Like the last game players need to fend off those filthy aliens, beat those bosses and shoot anything that moves to save the planet and avoid that GAME OVER screen.

The latest game promises single player modes like Score Attack and Time Attack, multiplayer via Nintendo Wi-Fi connection , leaderboards, and crazy mini-games like Fever Time, Super Fever Time and Bingo.

Look for the game in stores next week.

Final Fantasy XI Ultimate Collection in Nov.

Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XI Ultimate Collection will be released on November 10th in North America, in time for the holidays. A comprehensive compilation of all the content created within the title’s history, this new entry to the FINAL FANTASY XI catalog will be priced at $19.99 and available as a retail product for both Windows PC and Xbox 360, and as a PC download through select digital content distributors.

Described as a “one-size-fits-all upgrade” for current players, as well as an entry level package for new players, this new compilation includes the four previously released expansion packs – Rise of the ZilarT, Chains of Promathia, TreasureS of Aht Urhgan, and Wings of the Goddess – as well as the three add-on scenarios released in 2009: A Crystalline Prophecy - Ode of Life Bestowing, A Moogle Kupo d’Etat - Evil in Small Doses and A Shantotto Ascension - The Legend Torn, Her Empire Born. The third add-on scenario, A Shantotto Ascension, will officially launch later this year.

For more information about FINAL FANTASY XI, check out the game’s official website at www.finalfantasyxi.com.