9:03PM, January 31, 2005 // News // Mike

Phantom Dust English Box Art

The new, more "westernized" version of Phantom Dust's box art for the U.S. has been posted by EBGames.com.

What do you think? Discuss it in the forums.

Source: EBGames.com

 

4:03PM, January 28, 2005 // News // Ryan

Massive Phantom Dust Preview Up at 1UP

This is the big daddy. 1UP.com has just posted my massive four-page, "Spotlight" article on Phantom Dust. The menu includes an in-depth interview with Phantom Dust producer Yukio Futatsugi, brand new screens and video, professional photos of Futatsugi, and tons of new factoids about the game. It's a must-read article, if I do say so myself.

The article is currently featured on the front page. Or can be accessed directly: http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3137981

Discuss it in the forums.
 

5:34PM, January 21, 2005 // Feature // Ryan

Conversations with Yukio Futatsugi: Volume Two

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continuing in our special “Conversations with Y. Futatsugi” feature, this time the Phantom Dust director discusses some of his inspirations when developing the game. While most of the content of the interviews has already been included in articles for XBN magazine, 1UP.com and XBM magazine in the U.K., there are some interesting quotes that hit the cutting room floor and can be presented here exclusively on this site.

Topic Number Two: The MTG Connection

For fans of Phantom Dust, it’s quite obvious that the gameplay stems from popular card games such as Magic: The Gathering. Not surprisingly, Futatsugi was heavily into these table top card games, including Magic. Futatsugi went on to say that he has little time for card games now, and that the direction of Phantom Dust evolved into something very unlike the Magic world.

“MTG is like many card games,” says Futatsugi, “They are set in a Tolkien-inspired fantasy world whereas Phantom Dust is post-modern.”

Asked how the direction of Phantom Dust evolved over time, Futatsugi comments, “We really didn’t want to do a fantasy setting. Instead, we wanted to explore something with psychic powers like you find in Akira and Dragon Ball Z – something that empowers the player.” He adds, “I think we were a little worried about whether a fantasy setting would be popular in America or not.”

Lastly, Futatsugi had this to say about the goals he had for Phantom Dust, “One more goal was to make a game I wanted to play,” Futatsugi laughs. “A game I could play long after development was finished.”

And in this regard, it seems he was successful, as Futatsugi has noted on several occasions that he still logs onto Xbox Live to challenge players. And even though he is knee-deep in his next project, chances are that Futatsugi will be battling online come Phantom Dust’s North American release next month.

Discuss it in the forums.

8:58PM, January 18, 2005 // News // Mike

Phantom Dust Hands-on Preview at TeamXBOX

Dale Nardozzi - "Legba" has posted his Hand's-on Preview of Phantom Dust at TeamXBOX. We'll have to wait and see if his mention of "3.0-like feature of clan creation" pans out. Big thanks to our forum member NinjaWolf14 for the head's up. You can check out the preview here: http://previews.teamxbox.com/xbox/926/Phantom-Dust/p1/

Discuss it in the forums.

3:52PM, January 16, 2005 // Site Info // Mike

Phantom Dust Xbox Live Battle Videos

10:04PM, January 1, 2005 // News // Mike