Allan Milligan

Well, this column is on time this week, not that writing it is that much of a struggle. To put it gently, this has been a slack week at GIA. Vacations, lack of really interesting news, injuries and orgies have all slowed the update pace 'round here to a snail's pace. And finals. Lots of finals. Everyone except me was writing long papers and whining about it. Ha ha ha. :)

Yeah, so we suck. Basically. Hurt our feelings, why don't you?

MONDAY

I posted last week's Week In Review column, And that was it. Wanna make something of it? Do I have to summon the giant talking monkey pirates?

TUESDAY

Square EA issued an official explanation of why FFIV wasn't included in the FF Collection, which just pissed people off more, but hey, that's the way the cookie crumbles. The full story is here.

In other news, we posted some more information about Project Ares, the upcoming Dreamcast RPG by the developers of Phantasy Star IV. It's set in the Age of Exploration, or at least a world that echoes that era, which is a nifty change of pace.

Lastly, but not least, Star Ocean 2 was released in the US on this fine day, and we marked the occasion by posting a few screenshots, and more interestingly, this promotional movie for the game, which boasts a really, really cool soundtrack. Be warned, though - it's a massive, massive download.

WEDNESDAY

Sony shuffled the US release of Grandia, the PSX remake of the Game Arts Saturn RPG, back to the fall, probably October or thereabouts. We also posted the Japanese box art for the game.

In other news, we received more character information from the upcoming Square action/RPG, Dewprism, courtesy of Maktos Translations.

And lastly, we posted 18 more screenshots of Star Ocean 2. 'Tis cool.

THURSDAY

Flash! Legend of Mana is set to include four demos of upcoming titles, including Dew Prism, very probably Front Mission 3, and possibly the less-seen Parasite Eve 2 and the rumored Vagrant's Story.

D2, the upcoming Dreamcast... game which kinda defies classification, was formally expanded to 4 GD-ROMs, which is pretty freaking huge. Here's 26 new screenshots showing what's taking up all that space.

We also posted 20 new sketches and renders of Omikron. 'n stuff.

Lastly, breaking out of the rut of media updates, we posted a full-bodied preview of Front Mission 3, the latest in the strategy/RPG series from Square that's found US shores about as welcome as David Hasslehoff's singing career has. Still, it looks like a sweet little game, and Square EA might wake up and decide to bring over a Front Mission game yet, so we're previewing it like nice little GIA people.

FRIDAY

Ed McGlothin, GIA staffer and diehard Nintendo advocate, posted a glowing review of Shadowgate 64, which should be hitting stores nowish.

And on an amusing note, we posted the opening to Lunar: The Silver Star, the Sega CD precursor to Lunar: SSS. Said opening contained the 80s pop song-ish Fighting In the Darkness, which is, and always was, really really bad. I remember playing the original Lunar, and wincing through the playing of that song. Why WDkicked over the tombstone and resurrected this dog for the Lunar SSS soundtrack CD, I'll never understand. Download this movie only if you still think Molly Ringwald is fresh, Corey Feldman is hot, and leg warmers are the greatest things ever.

SATURDAY

We spent the day battling evil alongside Tom Strong, Promethea, and Captain Nemo. Then we all had iced tea and shot up with heroin. A good time was had by all.

SUNDAY

Andrea H. posted a new Sketch Artist update, and subsequently took a month off, during which time the column will be updated by yours truly. I'll take that opportunity to dole out verbal abuse against the art of the contributors, their mothers, and anyone else I can think of.

Okay, so that's a lie.

In other news, Fritz has written up a guide and map for the Hoffman Ruins, which is apparently a really, really frustrating and tough dungeon in Star Ocean: Second Story. It should be posted shortly after this story goes up, so watch for it. And lo, the children didst frolic in joy.

And lastly, Drew has a very special feature that will accompany his new Double Agent update. It's really funny. Check it out, my brothers and sisters.