LOS ANGELES, Nov. 11 – Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix(R) interactive entertainment products in North America, announced an updated lineup for the first quarter of 2009 today.

In addition to the previously announced STAR OCEAN(R): Second Evolution(TM) for the PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) system and STAR OCEAN: THE LAST HOPE(TM) for the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Square Enix revealed that both the remade classic, DRAGON QUEST(R) V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride(TM), and the latest entry in the VALKYRIE PROFILE(R) series, VALKYRIE PROFILE: Covenant of the Plume(TM), will be primed and ready for Nintendo DS(TM) owners come 2009.

The countdown begins today for the first offerings of an exciting new year!

STAR OCEAN: Second Evolution
Developer: SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
Publisher: Square Enix, Inc.
Platform: PSP system
Genre: RPG
ESRB: T (Teen)
Ship Date: January 6, 2009

Following the exploits of humankind’s journey across the stars, the STAR OCEAN saga comes to life in the completely remastered STAR OCEAN: Second Evolution, exclusively for the PSP system. Now with a revised game engine, an improved battle system and fully voiced, all-new animated scenes displayed in 16:9 widescreen, players can experience their journey through the rich STAR OCEAN universe like never before.

The official website can be found at http://na.square-enix.com/starocean/.

DRAGON QUEST V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
Scenario & Game Design: Yuji Horii
Character Design: Akira Toriyama
Music Composer: Koichi Sugiyama
Publisher: Square Enix, Inc.
Developer: ArtePiazza
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: RPG
ESRB: E10+ (Everyone 10 and older)
Ship Date: February 17, 2009

Never before released in North America, this entry in the Zenithia Trilogy follows a journey that transcends three generations. Travel alongside your father on his quest to see the world, grow to set forth on a journey of your own and face life-altering decisions as you continue your family’s legacy. DRAGON QUEST V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride makes its way to Nintendo DS on February 17, 2009.

The official website can be found at http://na.square-enix.com/zenithia/.

STAR OCEAN: THE LAST HOPE
Developer: tri-Ace Inc.
Publisher: Square Enix, Inc.
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: RPG
ESRB: Not Yet Rated
Ship Date: March 3, 2009

STAR OCEAN: THE LAST HOPE is the latest entry in the futuristic STAR OCEAN series of RPGs. Science fiction and fantasy meld in this long-awaited continuation of the celebrated franchise from developer tri-Ace Inc.

The official website can be found at http://na.square-enix.com/starocean/.

VALKYRIE PROFILE: Covenant of the Plume
Developer: tri-Ace Inc.
Publisher: Square Enix, Inc.
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: RPG
ESRB: Not Yet Rated
Ship Date: March 17, 2009

Destiny by sinner sought. Tragedy by power wrought. The origins of a cult classic are revealed in VALKYRIE PROFILE: Covenant of the Plume, the third entry in the critically acclaimed VALKYRIE PROFILE series. Development studio tri-Ace returns to craft a gameplay experience that boasts a captivating storyline with ties to Norse mythology and a familiar yet refreshing battle system enhanced with deeper strategic elements. VALKYRIE PROFILE: Covenant of the Plume marks the debut of the series on Nintendo DS with its arrival on March 17, 2009.

Anyway, little known fact about Dylan Garret — I used to write for a very large and important video game website back in the day before it turned into a crappy shill for the industry that started changing all their “I”s to “We”s in articles, and still mod over on their message boards. And let me tell you, those message boards are blowing up right now. Sony fanboys feel betrayed, 360 fanboys are rejoicing, and the rest of us folks with calm, cool heads are watching the riot with smirks on our faces, occasionally taking the time to post that GIF of Michael Jackson eating popcorn from the Thriller video.

Personally, I’m all for whatever gets a game into the most hands possible. I get why Sony fanboys might feel betrayed — a lot of big reasons to own a PS3 have jumped over to 360 already, and today, probably the biggest reason to shell out the big money for Sony’s box has also jumped ship. But hell, if you already own a PS3, nothing’s changed. If you don’t, now you too get to experience Final Fantasy XIII. It’s win-win, guys. Let’s not be spiteful here.

Truthfully, I haven’t been all that psyched about FFXIII — looks too much like a desperate return to the zippers-and-pleather era of Final Fantasy, still trying to ride the success of FFVII over a decade later. I actually thought FFXII was the best new Final Fantasy to come out in a long time. I dug that the main character wasn’t some moody bastard whining about how he has to save the world despite his own chronic depression, that it was just some kid who kind of had nothing to do with the epic events going on around him, almost like an objective, sort of naive outsider view on the whole twisted world of war and international politics. The combat and dungeons could have used a lot more love (breaking down why would be a whole ‘nother article altogether), but I really dug the direction they were going with it. Now it’s back to spiky hair, latex, and motorcycles named Shiva, and I’m just not feeling that as much anymore, personally. I want Final Fantasy, not The Matrix.

That said, of course I’m still gonna buy the thing the day it comes out. Hell yeah. It’s a good day to be a gamer.

UPDATE: Looks like Howard Brown totally did beat me to the punch on this bit of news, but without my colorful commentary, so I guess I’ll leave this up as well. After all, it’s news so big, it deserves two posts.

We’ll have more details on this as it develops.