The same as KH2, which is pretty thick (yay). However I was a bit dissapointed with KH2's larger text size. How would you describe the text in this guide; small and packed with info (like Fantasy Fantasy X-2's) or larger and basic (self explanatory; Final Fantasy X?).

Sorry for all the questions. ^^)
You'd think I could just wait the two days.

Yep. Ask your local walmart about ordering it for you.

Looks like it but only by about $5 when compared to EB/GS's price with the 20% discount.

Small text size, packed with info that covers all the basics from Espers to Quickenings, Clan and Mob hunts, 46 pages of Bestiary information and images plus a crap load more.

Agg out of all the days I don't go to my local Gamestop it had to be today! I am definately going tommorrow to get my hands on that guide. ^_^

Finally! It looks like the Canadian EB Games now have a SKU for it, and I just rang them up and told them to change my preorder from the regular walkthrough guide to the LE guide.

Wicked!

I really dig the guide and the Art Collection is a good enough addition. My only gripe is that there could of been some more artwork especially some of the conceptual stuff that's been released before:
http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/1443/img008kp6.th.jpg http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/9/img009pd6.th.jpg

Then again the bonus DVD with the CE has it's own art gallery too. Of course I'd much prefer Brady Games to team up with SE again and release just an artbook similiar to their Art of Final Fantasy IX book and I'd gladly drop cash down for that.

Give 'em a call first. The guy at EB told me they wouldn't be getting them until Friday since they only left the warehouse yesterday so he was quite surprised when they came in today with the game.

I said screw it and ordered it online at the ebgames website since they are still taking orders for it. Artbook looks great and a 351 pg color strat guide is awesome. Cost me a bit more than if i got it in the stores (as does the CE game), but i work all day so whenever i can save trips to the stores im good with that.

Oh and can anyone detail how widescreen is handled. Is it like VP 2 where the menus and cutscenes and stuff are formatted and the image zooms out to actually reveal more scenery and content rather than cropping the image? I hate crops. Also the fmv's, it was mentioned here that black borders appear on the sides, but is the image squished in any way and is there more video revealed because they were rendered in widescreen but had to confine to 4;3 or were they rendered in 4;3 and are now big squares in the center of the screen?

Breaking news: a "friend" of mine (I'm only using that to keep things simple) just put in his away message that he has the game.

He has no reason to lie about getting the game, so I suppose a local store around here was very nice to him.

EDIT: He just informed me that our local Best Buy sold him the game. Welp, so much for the 31st.

I've yet to experience an early release of a game like this. All the game stores in my area are firm about releasing on the 31st. =/

Funcoland used to be really good about early releases. I got Castlevania: Circle of the Moon two weeks early from them. I'd be willing to bet that several retailers, or at least Best Buys already have FF XII, but they're forbidden to sell it until the release date. Employees get in major trouble over that.

The Pre release rumors are right,my friends imported a copy and he received it today..i even saw it. (cool cover, one of the best in the series i have to admit)

Well, we got copies of the limited edition at Gamestop yesterday, we just can't legally sell them until the 31st. So we won't. Besides, how else owuld a midnight release be any fun? We are able to sell the LE guide though - and it is flippin' sweet. It's a lot like the KH2 guide, right down to how thick it is. And the artbook rocks the house - I LOVE those damn espers. The design of this game is just incredible. I am going to be so worthless around the house for the next month...

Picked up me LE guide today; got a Penello cover. The artbook's really nice.

Yeah I'm really happy with the LE guide and it's worth the price IMO. I just haven't flicked through the guide obviously for spoiler reasons but it seems pretty stacked.

Holding the game though...I really dig the LE tin and like how it's all engraved on the front with the logo and Judge. I just wish I could of walked out with it though. :(

Here's a good interview with FFXII Producer, Akitoshi Kawazu:
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6160463...stnews;title;2

He also talks about which scene was the one that was added back into the US and European version and why due to similiar real life incidents that had occurred in Japan around the time of the intended game's release involving kidnappings of minors.

I went to EB today (they don't have Clubhouse Games, WTF?) and saw they had the covers for the CE edition out. It looks very nice, and much thinner than I thought. I assumed it was going to be one huge tin case. That alone makes it worthwhile to own.

I didn't see any guides though, the LE or the normal edition. I'm now seriously thinking of picking the LE version up when the game comes out instead of getting Clubhouse Games (I pre-ordered from a much better EB). I just hope they're not sold out by the time I get there. Does it come with anything cool besides the artbook that's not with the normal version?

Aside from the folio folder and different covers I believe it's just the same as the regular edition.

Yeah, the artbook's on par with the Art of Final Fantasy IX book we got way back when -- much better that the FFX-2 artbook, IMO.

I flipped through a couple page of the guide, making sure to stay the hell away from the actual walkthrough, and I'm really starting to get excited for this game again. So much to do!

Great interview, especially the quote about Kawazu keeping his own preferences out of the game. This is Matsuno's through and through!

Most awesome words I've heard all day. FFIX may not be one of my fave FFs, but man, that artbook rocked. The FFX-2 artbook, in particular, was absolutely horrible. Now I'm definitely going to get the LE guide.

So who's going to be glued to the TV set for weeks when it comes out? I can't. My sister doesn't like it when I play console games in the bedroom, so I have to wait til she leaves, unless she wants to watch me play.

I'm assuming that since the Ashe cover that Simo posted had a close-up of her CG render that the Penelo cover has a close-up of her CG render, correct? I'm asking because I'd like to get the Balthier cover; all I'd have to do is look at the bottom for Balthier's legs.

Agreed although I'd give 'The Art of FFIX' more props just because it's more and pages and naturally full of more content. Again I'd wish Brady and Square-Enix would re-team for a full on artbook but the one with the LE guide is sufficent. :)

I will be....when I'm not working in the day anyways. I'm actually working on the day of release so my sister in-law will be grabbing my copy for me so no surprises what's going to be on my mind all that day.

Yep, it's their portraits which look pretty much like those in my sig. Both the front and back cover are themed to whatever character you get but so far I've heard more people getting Penelo than anyone else.

I went to my local Gamestop and all they had was the regular edition guides. Aggg! They told me to stop by tommorrow because it might be in. ^_^

I'll probably get the Ashe or Penelo folio. The art book sounds wickedly great!

Why hello thar.

Too bad I'm not ready to start seriously playing it yet. =\

And why is that If I may ask?

I came, you bastard! Why hello to you too! ^__^

Ugggghhhh.

I got the guide, and I love it. I like the inclusion of a shot of every piece of equipment. I love weapon design, and not since articles on Secret of Mana in old Nintendo Power magazines have I seen this kind of weapon coverage.

However, I'm continuing my love/hate relationship with this game. The dungeons near the last 1/3rd of the game are HORRIBLE (as in, the ABSOLUTE WORST I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED). They drag on and on and have no storyline, and just use the same tedious map designs repeated for like, 10 floors in a row. You feel like you're just on a treadmill for 3 hours, then the game says "enough, here's a boss" and you continue on with the game.

For every aspect that I like, there's a counterpart that I dread having to experience again. Like the stupid concept of randomly assigned treasure. You might find a secret room with a treasure chest inside, only to get 1 gil instead of a cool weapon, just because the odds were 70/30. It's crap.

Plus, as I've said, the storyline is just... very shallow and cliche. Frankly, it needs 10 times the character development it actually has.

The characters (in concept) are great, the graphics are for the most part incredible, the music is classic Sakimoto, and the dialogue is the best in any game I've ever played, but it's dragged down by this other stuff that is just so frustrating.

For a while, I was in love with the dungeons (even with the obnoxious random treasures). But then I got into the Sandsea. It just dragged... and dragged... and dragged... and dragged... and it was the same enemies... and the same tactics... and the same draggy feeling...

I gave up on the game for a while and went to TotA instead. ;)