In a recent interview, Square Enix president Youichi Wada commented on Final Fantasy XII and Dragon Quest VIII, the newest installments of his company's two flagship series. Dragon Quest VIII, which is being developed by Fukuoka-based studio Level 5, has apparently reached a state where it is playable. He also reiterated that the series in contrast to Final Fantasy will remain more focused on retaining its traditional approach to the genre.

Meanwhile, the Square Enix president mentioned how the developers in charge of Final Fantasy XII could not stand the standard RPG pattern of walking, watching an event scene, fighting, collecting items and fighting boss battles. Instead, the game's development team, which is headed by director and producer Yasumi Matsuno, aims at creating a game which is more pro-active when it comes to interacting with the player. According to Wada, this trend will not be limited to Final Fantasy XII, but also to other Final Fantasy titles.

Final Fantasy XII is heading for a summer release in Japan, while Dragon Quest VIII is only listed for a release sometime this year.

• Mainichi Interactive