IceSeraphim:
Um, sounds pretty cool. I looked up the reviews on ign and videogames.com, and they both gave it great reviews. Sorry, I haven't played it myself.
Phantasy Star Online is not Massively Multiplayer, it's just 4 people at a time. Microsoft is not evil, they're just really gosh darn good marketers. But thier products still suck. And if you wanna see how much Nintendo's dropped it's goodie two shoes image, look at Conker64. Although it is kinda juvenille potty humor, from what I've seen. But the RPG's should be way better, because it uses disks too, so the space problem is eliminated. Oh, and a reason to buy a Dreamcast? It's C-H-E-A-P. $99 is pretty sweet, less if you grab one used.

Googleshng:
While I agree with IS' first correction, PSO is NOT a Massively Multiplayer Online RPG (as I've stated many a time, it's more like Secret of Mana with modem support for the other characters), when it comes to that second correction, I... will let you finish this thought yourself. Now then, I have no opinion at all on Shadow of Destiny, so it's on to the Gamecube issue. A disturbing number of people (not you mind you, I hope) have this insane notion that Nintendo has something against RPGs. To these people, I'd like to point out the fact that the game series so popular that you can't escape it's presence (Pokémon) is SERIOUSLY supported by Nintendo. That's not even a recent trend. Remember how early Nintendo Power subscribers got free copies of Dragon Warrior, or the massive ad campaign for Earthbound? I'm getting a tad sidetracked though. The reason the N64 library isn't exactly overflowing with RPGs is that, well, much to the surprise of a great number of people, as the SNES faded from the limelight, suddenly every single RPG developer spontaniously abandoned the traditional notion that RPG players don't care much about graphics, in favor of the notion that all RPGs must be crammed with so many high quality rendered cutscenes that they fill multiple CDs. Since the N64 has no CD-ROM drive, they moved off to rounder pastures. The Gamecube meanwhile is not a cart based system, and has everyone around drooling quite a bit. That and there's already a good number of RPGs in development for it. Now then, as for the DC, well, quite frankly, if right now, everyone even thinking of releasing a game on the DC were struck dead, it would STILL be worth picking one up. In addition to being VERY cheap, it has a very very nice selection of games on it. RE:CV, Power Stone 1 and 2, Soul Calibur, Grandia 2, Shenmue (and it's upcoming sequels), PSO, and of course Skies of Arcadia, which just might be the best RPG of all time, just to name a few.

IceSeraphim:
A what RPG? Have you ever seen the Hulk Hogan cartoon? Baaaaad. on the other hand, why haven't they put the storylines into the wrestling games? It would make them so much better. After all, that's what wrestling thrives off of. God knows it's not the women with the big *censored*. That's just a bonus.

Googleshng:
You know, this strikes me as the kind of question THOR would be good at handling. I believe he's given the matter a lot of thought. Why not ASK HIM about it? Yes, I'm hinting at something. Beyond that, I've always thought wrestling games should involve following choreography rather than be the odd fighting games they tend to be. Of course I've also always thought that in football games you shouldn't be able to directly control the players at all, just come up with plays and such, maybe add an RTS type setup to influence the action too. So maybe I'm just a bad person to ask about sports games.

IceSeraphim:
Best PS2 RPG? Hmm, toughie, seeing as how I don't have one. Although it doesn't look like there are many right now. As for other genres, I'm looking forward to Blood Omen II and Tenchu III, but I've said that way too much already, haven't I?

Googleshng:
To my understanding, there aren't any good PSX2 RPGs out at this point. That's why I don't have one. Well, that and the ludicrously high price tag. Xenosaga shouldn't be TOO long a wait though. I mean, it HAS been in development for over a year, plus the storyline was already mapped out before they started. Oh, and what the heck evidence is there that the famous Will Smith is into RPGs?

IceSeraphim:
Well, looking it up on GameFaqs.com, I discovered that yes indeed, you do gain items and gold from this minigame.

Googleshng:
While you don't get anything from it that you couldn't get elsewhere, playing around with the little weirdo is a good way to rake in some extra money, stat boosting items, and other nifty trinkets. Plus I'm told it's pretty fun too.

IceSeraphim:
Dexterity basically means your handling skills. IE: balance and weapon control. It's kinda the counterpart to agility. Someone with high dexterity has greater accuracy usually.
E3? I've taked to a person who's been there. While it sounds like a dream, I'd bet the people who are being paid to report would be a little annoyed at the general public rubbernecking. After all, it is geared towards marketers, not general gamers.
Fake a press pass... Ooh, that reminds me, I know a few reporters, I should ask them for thier press credentials.

Googleshng:
The official definition of dexterity is "adroitness in using the hands", which, in terms of pretty much every RPG out there, means it's the stat that determines how often you miss, and in terms of real life, it's what we computer using videogame players have that others don't. 8) Oh, and as for E3, the last day (Saturday) the general public IS allowed in, but only if they pay through the nose and are over 18.

IceSeraphim:
1.*cough*Xenogears was two disks*cough* i think the WSC would be awesome, if only because Square seems to like it so much with the re-releases of FF1-3. Oh fun fun fun.

Googleshng:
I wouldn't say people are obsessed with the WSC. There's a VERY small but vocal clump of people who are highly interested in it for the sake of the odd game that really catches their eye, but everything has those. I mean, there's highly satisfied Virtual Boy owners out there. There might even be one or two who love the Jaguar. It just seems like it has a big following because I've been printing every letter about it. The odds of it actually standing up against the GBA are about as slim as you can get, but hey, it's a cheap little thing with an exclusive game or two, so if you're one of the few people who dig it, good for you!

IceSeraphim:
2. Buh?

Googleshng:
Hmm... Legend of Dragoon is a horrificly generic RPG that primarily draws it's inspiration from FF7. Beyond the Beyond is a relatively original but quite underwhelming PSX RPG that came before FF7. So, I don't quite follow your analogy. I also REALLY wouldn't call BtB old school. I mean, it's for a system that still has games coming out on it.

IceSeraphim:
3. Sony products rock. They just can't make playstations. Mine died this weekend. I have to go out and buy a PSone now... ooooh, it's so kawaii!! Oh man, I just shouted randomly in Japanese. I've been hanging around my roomate too much.

Googleshng:
Best marketting? I don't know if I'd say that. I mean, what's up with those "PS9" commercials. Aside from just being odd and stupid, they also kinda brag that Sony will eventually be coming out with another console that will most likely be backwards compatable. It seems to me if you want to sell something, you shouldn't call attention to the fact that you'll be replacing it with something better in a few years.

IceSeraphim:
4. Spearow's cool. It evolves into that awesome crane. I went out of my way to find that insteasd of using a Pidgey.

Googleshng:
When I first read this question I thought you were freaking nuts (because I thought you said Fearow), but then I suddenly realized that thats what the Amano sketch of Boko looks like. Then of course I noticed you said Spearow, which they look like a bit in-game yeah. Then of course Chocobos themselves are blatantly ripped out of NausicaŠ of the Valley of Wind, and then my train of thought just kinda derails, so I'll just be moving on now.

IceSeraphim:
1. I don't know. But I used to.

Googleshng:
Akihiko Yoshida. I used to know that too, but forgot, making you the first person in who knows how long to get me to actually research an answer. Get yourself a cookie for that! He also did the character designs for FFT, but if you really like the look of VS, what you should really check out is anything and everything related to AD&D's Planescape setting. It all has that sharp dirty brown look... you know, "that sharp dirty brown look" really doesn't sound anywhere near as good as it looks.

IceSeraphim:
2. I never got that far. Stupid cart died. That's what I get for used goods...

Googleshng:
Well, since the masamune wound up popping out of the mammon machine, then eventually finding it's way to Frog, if you jammed his into it, you'd have to leave it there for him to get later, AND after everything was over and done with, there wouldn't be a Masamune left to be all cursed in CC! It's kinda like Benedict's arm. Oh, and by kinda I mean exactly. As for your other question, if memory serves, red rock=chunk'o'Lavos. Frozen Flame=chunk'o'Lavos. So yeah, that'd be the same thing.

IceSeraphim:
3. Have you ever watched the old old 30's 40's and 50's cartoons? Now those were for adults only. See, about 50 years or so ago, we had this huge fuss over comics, led by some guy that saw pornographic images everywhere. Hence, really strict measures went into place regarding what can and can't be shown. Cartoons and comics geared towards adults were eliminated. Ever notice the surge in dark comics in the 70's? Guess when the laws were repelled. It comes from our puritan roots. There are plenty of countries that show cartoons and comics like that. We just had a bunch of laws that set that in our minds. Look at Britain, they edit the Simpsons for god sakes. Just remember though, most of those hard core, violent, and nudity filled animes were shown late night or on cable, the same places our shows like that are.

Googleshng:
Interesting history lesson, but it doesn't quite answer the question. I would say in this hypothetical Japan-free world that someone somewhere else would have gotten it into their heads to make cool cartoons not geared at kids, but they almost definately wouldn't have the same sort of common elements, since you know, giant swordwielding robots fighting demons that secretly control major corporations are the sort of thing that doesn't get into your national collective psyche without the kind of massive culture shock Japan had. They pretty much went straight from the feudal period into the 1940s overnight. Of course with no means of peeping into parallel dimentions, this is a pretty moot argument.

IceSeraphim:
They turned Ghaleon good? Man am I glad I never played it. Actually, didn't the original Lunar story reveal that he was being controlled at the end? I seem to recall that.....

Googleshng:
If you think they turned Ghalleon GOOD, your personal morality is a bit unsettling. I mean, the original Lunar had well enough developed characters that he wasn't out and out kill-everyone-because-they're-there evil, and in Lunar 2 he's pretty much the same, but with a bit of despondance mixed in. There's a huge difference in not wanting all of humanity to be driven insane and eaten by Cthulu Zophar and being GOOD. At that he doesn't exactly hop into your party and help out either. Otherwise, well, I found L2's dub to be a LOT better, especially when it comes to Ruby vs. Nall... oh, who am I kidding, that's all I'm basing that statement on. Plot and characters I rate roughly equally, and gameplay was seriously improved. Not as much effort really seemed to go into remaking Lunar 2 as Lunar 1 though. I mean, they made the world SMALLER, plus there's no really cool game hidden on the Making of CD. 8)

IceSeraphim:
No, there isn't, but Square is on a Final Fantasy kick right now, as evidenced by thier statement that they were just going to milk that cash cow for all it's worth. Or something like that. I think Square's gonna fall flat on it's face if it doesn't start marketing things better. Like "From the people who brought you Final Fantasy.... The next evolution in Rpg's..... Vagrant Story" or something like that.

Googleshng:
Is there anything stopping Square from making their own version of Xenosaga? Nah, nothing aside from copyright law, lack of desire, and dubious profitability.

IceSeraphim:
Huh? Again, that is ridiculous. Why would it take more space to store the lines with accents than without? And no, I'm quite sure the dialouge was the same everytime I played it.

Googleshng:
That seems a little dubious to me too. Correct me if I'm wrong, but each character says something different in all the various scenes, not just the exact same line with a different accent. Besides which, the ammount of space text takes up on a CD is seriously negligable. Meanwhile the hits to the proccessor and ram applying accents on the fly, while still pretty marginal, would be taxing resources that aren't quite as abundant on the PSX.

IceSeraphim:
Again, I hope you're being humerous there..... FPS fan here....

Googleshng:
RPGs may be the only factor in your console buying decisions, but most people consider other games too. Of course, I haven't seen any interesting games on the thing period, so unless it makes a REALLY good showing at E3, it'll most likely crash and burn. More on this next time you hear from me, at E3.