The original Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children was an extremely odd film. Lauded for its superb art direction, outstanding animation and excellent action scenes, it ticked all of the major boxes, especially the one marked 'fan service'. But it was also poorly scripted, incredibly confusing and generally really really difficult to follow, and went down as a failure in most people's eyes. Several years on, Square have released this new 'complete' version, offering not only an upgrade to blu-ray disc but also around half an hour of restored or newly created footage. So how well does this new version stack up to the original?



Let's start with the first thing I noticed - visually, this remains an absolutely astonishing film to look at, even more so in the new 1080p transfer. The original footage makes a near faultless transfer to HD, while the new footage is even better. Square's team made efforts to improve the texture quality, particularly on items like metal and cloth, and the addition of blood and dirt adds a bit more bite to the action scenes. The images frequently go into uncanny valley territory, with some tremendous landscape shots (most notably the establishing shot of the city of Edge). Overall, it's a brilliant upgrade, and if watched on the right equipment should blow you away. Sound has been upgraded into a Dolby Digital TrueHD mix, and pleasingly there is a high quality mix offering both English and Japanese voiceovers. I think the quality of the dub is extremely good (though issues with lip synching remain) but it's nice to have the original language track there if necessary.

However, the real question is 'Is it a better movie than the original?' and fortunately I can safely say that yes it is. The new footage mostly goes towards a bit more fleshing out of the story, and clarifying some of the confusing points, such as the exact nature of the geostigma disease and the motives of the mysterious Rufus Shinra. Make no mistake, it's still very much a film for those who have played the game, dealing as it does very heavily into the backstory, but that was never really a problem for fans of the films. There's also a welcome increase in screen time for some characters, particularly the assemblage of the original cast near the end of the film. The biggest increase in depth goes to the character of Denzel, who was so intangible as to be largely irrelevant in the original cut. Here he benefits from much more backstory, balancing his inclusion far better.



Though the renowned action scenes have had less done to them, they benefit greatly from the increase in resolution and the aforementioned 'dirtying-down'. Extra footage has been added to several fights, including the Bahamut battle and the final confrontation with Sephiroth, but the biggest change comes to the highway chase scene, which is hugely expanded and includes a fantastic moment of motorbike/helicopter interaction which is probably worth the price of entry alone.

Extras are a bit thin, but the quality is generally high. Two documentaries cover the original game's storyline and the legacy it left behind, while a third investigates the 'Compilation of Final Fantasy VII' which comprised of the film itself, the anime Before Crisis, the PSP game Crisis Core and several other sources. The main draw here is the half hour anime On the Way to a Smile - Case of Denzel which is a traditionally drawn piece focusing on the history of the character Denzel. Surprisingly bleak and melancholy, it offers a pleasing contrast to the slightly flighty main film and is well worth a watch. There's also the usual assortment of trailers, and a long and impressive Final Fantasy XIII teaser, which replaces the demo from the Japanese edition. It's worth noting that many of the special features from the collector's edition of the original Advent Children are not here, including the animated short Last Order.



Overall then, this isn't a disc which is going to convert any new fans to the Advent Children cause. What it does do is present those fans with a significantly better version of the film. Even if, like myself, you aren't a super hardcore FFVII fan, this is well worth watching for the outstanding audio-visual experience and some killer action scenes. For anyone who already loves the film, or is interested in seeing it for the first time, this is the version to go for.

[8]

OK, so just before E3 I made a series of predictions about what would/might/wouldn't happen. Let's go back and see how far off base I was.

Things that were definitely going to happen



Sony announces PSP Go - Hardly needed a rocket scientist to figure this one out and it was actually confirmed before the show got underway. CORRECT!

Nintendo hypes the hell out of MotionPlus - There definitely was another extensive Wii Sports Resort demo, but Nintendo didn't show any third-party titles that involved the peripheral, and the three new Nintendo games revealed all seemed to be MotionPlus free. WRONG!

Microsoft announces motion-sensing camera - Again, quite an easy one, although the software that was shown turned out to not just be 'crappy family friendly casual games' but some interesting and exciting stuff. CORRECT!

Sony and Microsoft go head-to-head on software - Definitely true, although the titles I picked were off. Heavy Rain didn't appear at the press conference at all, neither did Mass Effect 2, and Assassin's Creed II actually appeared at Sony's press conference when I called it for Microsoft's. Also, nothing shown of The Ballad of Gay Tony.

The Beatles:Rock Band to be playable and a show stealer - Mostly correct, although Harmonix didn't reveal a full tracklist. But it was a big sensation, and there certainly were Beatles appearances galore. CORRECT!

Something to appear out of nowhere and blow us away - This did of course happen, as it always does. For me, Final Fantasy XIV took the surprise of the show award, with Metroid:Other M close behind. CORRECT!

Things that potentially could have happened



Nintendo makes partial return to the hardcore - Very much so, with Nintendo debuting several titles for gamers. The WIP of Zelda was so in-progress it only appeared as a piece of art, but Metroid:Other M and Super Mario Galaxy 2 filled the gap admirably. CORRECT!

Sony show 'Project Trico' - I predicted that this would be held until TGS, which was of course totally wrong. The Last Guardian as we now know it, wowed the crowds and almost certainly wold have stolen the show had it not been for the leak. WRONG!

Final Fantasy Versus XIII breaks cover, goes multiplatform - Oh dear. Kind of missed that one. WRONG!

Kojima unveils new Metal Gear, goes multiplatform - Yup, spot on. I also correctly predicted he'd show more than one game, borne out by the three Metal Gears and also his involvement with Castlevania:Lord of Shadows. CORRECT!

Alan Wake returns, is substantially different - It definitely returned, although whether you'd call the differences 'substantial' is up to personal opinion. I'll give myself the benefit of the doubt on this one. CORRECT!

Things that probably weren't going to happen



PS3 price cut/PS3 Slim announcement - Sure enough, no sign of either. CORRECT!

Zune HD integrating with XBLA titles - Apart from the eponymous marketplace coming to Xbox 360, no mention was made of Zune. CORRECT!

DSi Virtual console featuring GB/GBA games A lot of people thought this was a dead cert, and it'll probably still happen at some point, but for now not a whimper. CORRECT!

Beyond Good and Evil 2 shown - I wish this one had been wrong. CORRECT!

Duke Nukem Forever revived - Looks like we'll have to make jokes about Huxley now. CORRECT!

Final Fantasy VII remake announced - Admit it, in a dark shameful corner of your heart, you want it to happen. CORRECT!

These games are shown - I was doing fine until I said 'any Metroid title'. D'oh.WRONG!

It's my 21st birthday on Tuesday, and as a result, my longtime friend and co-conspirator Corporal Rutland, messed around a little with the Rock Band 2 poster editor and Photoshop, and came up with this...



The most awesome thing ever. But then there was also this...



He printed them up and had them laminated, and I'm going to frame them and hang them in my room. Most amazing presents ever.

Hey, welcome to a blog full of E3 predictions. In no way are these predictions based on anything other than my own fevered imagination and questionable powers of reasoning. And with that, let's start with...

Things that will definitely happen:



Sony announces PSP Go! - Pretty self evident, but the rumours have been flying about for months from umpteen sources, so I think it's safe to call this one a fact.

Nintendo hypes the hell out of MotionPlus - Nintendo will push the new addon in a big way. There'll no doubt be another Wii Sports Resort demo, plus a huge reel of thirdparty games with support. I'll also say that there'll be a new title announced which is MotionPlus compatible (see below)

Microsoft announces Motion-sensing camera - Again, pretty much a given after the huge number of rumours that have leaked out. It's what software that is announced alongside which will really make the difference. I'm going to predict several crappy family friendly casual games.

Sony and Microsoft go head-to-head on software - For Sony, it'll be all about the huge exclusives - God of War III, Heavy Rain, MAG, Uncharted 2. Microsoft will have a few of their own, but I predict them to follow last year's example and lean heavily on third party presentations. There's no doubt Modern Warfare 2 will be at the Microsoft conference, and I expect big showings from Assassin's Creed II, Mass Effect 2 and Splinter Cell Conviction also, as well as maybe the first footage of the new GTAIV DLC.

The Beatles:Rock Band to be playable and a show stealer - Harmonix will pull the trigger and unleash full details including an on the floor demo and full track list , and it will take the show by storm. I wouldn't rule out an unexpected Beatles-related celebrity appearance either.

Something to appear out of nowhere and blow us away - It happens every single year. Inevitably the biggest talking point of the show will be something we never saw coming, be it a new game announcement, or a piece of industry news. Remember the FFXIII bombshell last year? Better get your flame-resistant jackets ready.

Things that might happen



Nintendo makes partial return to the hardcore - After taking a great deal of flak for last year's conference, and the subsequent (relative) failure of Wii Music, I predict Nintendo will throw a few bones to the hardcore Wii gamers. There'll still be tons of casual stuff of course, but I think we will at least see a WIP trailer of a new Zelda plus at least one other franchise revival, probably F-Zero or Starfox. Kid Icarus, if it ever existed, is dead and buried.

Sony show 'Project Trico' - I'm unsure about this one. It would provide a huge PR boost, which Sony desperately needs, but at the expense of distracting from important titles like Uncharted 2 for what is at the very earliest a 2010 release with relatively niche appeal. This will come to light for sure at TGS but I don't think we'll see it here.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII breaks cover, goes multiplatform - The first part is a reasonably safe bet, with Square needing to keep the hype machine running and Versus still an unknown quantity at this point. The second one is more of a shot in the dark, but it makes commercial sense, and I think Square and Sony's love affair is well and truly over at this point.

Kojima unveils new Metal Gear, goes multiplatform - I actually think Kojima will reveal something else as well as Metal Gear, but whatever he does, it's bound to be multiplatform. With increased western influence on both himself and Konami, and the furore over MGS4's non-appearance on 360, it would be silly at this point not to. Plus, his teaser site's countdown runs out on the same day as the Microsoft press conference. Coincedence?

Alan Wake returns, is substantially different - Every year we expect this, but the rumours have been swirling stronger this year. For all the vapourware tags, Remedy are a top developer, and the fact that inerest has held together this long shows the excitement about the concept.

Things that probably won't happen



PS3 price cut/PS3 Slim announcement - Sony will stretch out the current PS3 price as long as possible as they look to claw back every last penny and cent. There will be a price drop this year, but it's likely to be much closer to Christmas. Meanwhile, while I'm beginning to believe the PS3 Slim exists, it's no doubt far too embryonic to be shown off yet.

Zune HD integrating with XBLA titles - Too many technical headaches, too many licensing issues and too much wishful thinking. Bonus prediction - Zune HD will again not see release outside of NA.

DSi Virtual console featuring GB/GBA games - Not something I think Nintendo is prepared to put time and effort into at this stage, and the market would be a bit more niche. Maybe at TGS, but it's a little early in the DSi's lifespan.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 shown - Ubisoft seem to have locked it away in the basement, once again the unloved child of the publisher that brings you Imagine Babyz.

Duke Nukem Forever revived - Although 3D Realms has shown signs of life, I think it's best that this one stays dead and fades away, and I'm pretty sure any straight thinking publisher will think that also.

Final Fantasy VII remake announced - Look, can we just let it go already?

These games are shown - Pikmin 3, Kingdom Hearts III, Fallout New Vegas, Deus Ex 3, any Metroid title, Kid Icarus Wii, Half Life 2:Episode 3 and many, many others...

Agree? Disagree? Leave comments telling me how accurate/WRONG I am.

I don't mean achievements or trophies, though they can count obviously. What I mean is - What feats have you
accomplished in games that have made you super proud and satisfied? They don't have to be particularly
difficult or obscure, just stuff that you think would look good on a gaming CV. For example, a few of mine
would be:

- Completed Halo:Combat Evolved on Legendary difficulty

- Got 1000 gamerscore in Prince of Persia

- Defeated Sephiroth in Kingdom Hearts II and the Lingering Sentiment in Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix +

- Chose 'The Needs of the Many' at the end of Fable II

Edit - How could I have forgotten completing the figurine collection in The Wind Waker? That took
aaaaages!

You get the idea. Like I said, doesn't have to be hard, just something that you feel proud of. Let me know in the
comments.

There's an important preface to this review - namely that fact that I'm British. Here, Baseball ranks just below lawn bowls and hitting your head against the wall as sports we're interested in. It literally has no presence here whatsoever, the game isn't played on any level above enthusiatic amateur, and TV coverage is non-existant. The only reason I'm a fan of the sport is that I've got relatives over in Canada, and thus whenever I'm over there I take the opportunity to see the Blue Jays play as much as possible. Nevertheless, without access to the regular reports, highlights and analysis that are available in North America, I'd call myself a casual fan at best. Bear that in mind as you read the review. Also, since this game isn't available in Europe, this is a review of an imported NA copy.


MLB09 The Show review - Playstation 3



It's been a long time since a demo sold me on a game, but after Samit's super-gushing review I felt I needed to give this one a go, so I logged onto my US PSN account and downloaded the demo. A couple of hours and a few playthroughs later and I had an order ready to go. It's a testament to MLB09 that so much of what makes it great can be showed of in such a short space of time.

Let's start with the presentation, which is simply extraordinary. Graphically it's up there with the best. All of the players are instantly recognisable, uniforms are super accurate and stadiums are highly impressive recreations. There's a fantastic lighting model and some great graphical flourishes, such as the splinters which go flying when a player breaks a bat, or the way baserunners get progressively more dusty as they make more slides. It's complemented by superb animation, every pitcher having their distinct throwing style recreated, and outfielders in possession of a vast library of dives, catches, throws and tags to make the play move together organically. My only criticism is that the skyboxes outside of the stadiums can look a little patchy, but you won't really see them too much anyway. Sound is also a highlight, the commentary team sounding very natural, while the crowd will cheer and boo enthusiastically (certain players are greeted much more excitedly, for better or worse) and the stadia sound effects will sound out over certain plays.



In terms of playing, MLB09 feels pretty rock solid. Batting remains as simple as it ever has been in baseball games - press X to hit - but features like an instant swing analysis, which lets you see exactly where the last pitch was, your contact and how early or late you were make it an enjoyable tactical experience. Pitching is excellent, different pitchers noticeably pitching in different styles, while a power meter controls speed and breaking. If you've got a Dualshock there's excellent use of rumble, getting stronger as you move further out of the strike zone, and the array of different pitches and pitchers is huge, with each club having its full bullpen to draw on. Fielding keeps it simple, with each base assigned a facebutton, but this means that you'll always know hwere to throw, and plays and outs quickly become intuitive. Fielding is also enhanced with options to dive for balls or jump at the wall to deny home runs or fouls. There's an in-depth defensive menu to position the fielders, and far more tactical depth than I could ever hope to go into.

There's plenty of different modes to try out in, as your basic single game exhibition is joined by a dedicated league mode. Even more in depth is Franchise, which apart from playing on the field also hands you total control over every aspect of the club - drafts, salaries, trades - you name it, it's in there. There's also Road to the Show, in which you guide a single player throughout his entire career, from starting off at AA teams all the way up to the big leagues. It's a fascinating mode, and great fun to play, although the sheer number of games involved can be wearying. Elsewhere, online works much as you'd expect, the games I played being steady and mostly lag free. One thing I'd definitely like to see in a lot more games is the 'Friendly quit' option, which allows you to forfeit the match if you have to leave for any reason, making things a lot more civil and providing far fewer accusations of ragequitting.



Beyond these back of the box bullet points though, it's in the details where MLB09 really shines. There's tons of little tweaks that make the game special, I'll throw out just a few. The fact that each side has their full roster of uniforms to choose from, including vintage kits. The ability to import music into the game to use as walkup tracks. The fact you can record your own chants over headset and put them into the gmae. The way the commentators have recorded so much commentary that they have a unique comment for nearly every player on the field. The ability to take your own screenshots, and replay and exports as an MP4 any play in the game. The list goes on, but the point is this is a game saturated in detail, right down to the way the pitchers hold the ball, or the dimensions of each park. What matters even more though, is that even without those wonderful touches, MLB09 would still be a rock solid, super fun game. They're just the icing on a particularly tasty cake.

[9]

P.S. Also, Samit, if you read this, I hope you enjoyed last night's game :-D