Anniversaries Boast Extras
By Tina Benitez -- Playthings, 6/1/2007
Originally released in Japan in 1987, Final Fantasy has captured the fancies of gamers everywhere, with more than 75 million units sold worldwide since its launch. This year, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the game, publisher Square Enix, Los Angeles, will be launching exclusive versions of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II for the PlayStation Portable System (PSP) this June and July, respectively.
Both titles contain entirely new content, including all-new character art, updated graphics, new dungeons, a full 16:9 widescreen presentation and an updated camera view, adding to the more than 29 console, online and handheld game versions that have been released to date in the series. Final Fantasy tells the tale of four warriors that possess a crystal and are summoned to bring the world back to balance. In part II, the gang must battle demonic monsters who want to take over the world.
Also celebrating a birthday this year is Eidos Interactive's Lara Croft Tomb Raider, which turns 10. In honor of the occasion, this month the Redwood City, Calif.-based publisher is releasing Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary for PlayStation 2 (PS2) and PC. An advanced version of the Tomb Raider: Legend game, the anniversary edition's artificial intelligence, puzzle levels and game mechanics have been refined. Some nostalgic environments from the original game are also used.
