When the folks at Square Enix throw a party, they really throw a party.

Tonight in Tokyo, Square Enix put together a private press event known simply as the Final Fantasy XIII Premiere Party. Focused almost entirely on the upcoming RPG that will usher the legendary franchise onto current-gen consoles, the event was a somewhat unusual mix of a standard press conference and a launch party. Several stage presentations (hosted by TV personality Mona Yamamoto) were given to announce some major news regarding the game, while playable demos were available off to the sides for attendees to enjoy. There were also, of course, many yummy drinks to go around and flashy lights to get lost in. If you want to get a better sense of the event as it happened, feel free to check my live blog that was tragically cut short by a dead battery and less-than-ideal blogging conditions.Below is a brief overview of the event for those who are Final Fantasy obsessed (like me). I encourage the reader to remember that the entire party was hosted in Japanese, so a number of details were unfortunately lost. However, all the major announcements should be covered.Arguably the biggest announcement to spring forth from the ritzy affair, Square Enix officially announced the release date and price point for the Japanese version of Final Fantasy XIII PS3 BundleKaz Hirai made a brief appearance in order to comment on the recent successes of the Final Fantasy games on the PlayStation family of platforms. His presence also corresponded with the announcement of a new PS3 bundle, which will include a copy of the game. This is the only detail available right now, as pricing and launch dates were not discussed. This is not confirmed for a U.S. launch, but a western version of the bundle seems plausible.Final Fantasy XIII ElixirWhile not entirely videogame related, Square Enix took this opportunity to unveil the Final Fantasy XIII branded elixir, which was served at the party to the sea of eager Japanese press and the occasionally befuddled U.S. journalist (see: Clements). The elixir is scheduled for launch this winter in Japan and the logo for the drink marks one of the first times the font for the words "Final Fantasy" was allowed to be changed (it looks a bit curvier). A marvelous Square Enix PR representative allowed me to sample her glass of elixir. I was not a fan.The hands-on demo of the game was arguably the "main course" of the evening, as stations were set up along the sides of the venue for everyone to play -- in very short bursts. The demo boasted two different missions to experience: one that followed Lightning and Hope and another that followed Snow and his crew. Both were entirely new and featured new environments and mid-battle summons. This was the first time these summons were available in a hands-on demo. Although my time with the game was short, I'm still amazed at Final Fantasy XIII's character models. It's a really pretty game.As I covered in my hands-on article, Square Enix ended the night by debuting a brand new trailer for Final Fantasy XIII, which was a great way to complement the playable demo. Although it was being shown on a particularly pleasing system (massive HD screen and ear-shattering speakers), I found the trailer itself to be of special quality. There were some stunning CG sequences in there, including a bittersweet kiss between Snow and newly announced Serah. The trailer also reveals that Sazh's summon will be the one and only Ifrit (if looks are anything to go by), which transforms into a hotrod with machine guns. Yes, that's what actually happens.Cocoon SymphonicsParty guests were treated to an incredible performance by the Cocoon Symphonics group -- a terribly talented, full orchestra -- which played three songs from the Final Fantasy XIII soundtrack composed by Masashi Hamauzu. Each piece was stunning and hearing the performance in person really was a wonderful experience. The first piece actually started with a beautiful piano solo which, upon completion, queued the curtains behind the stage to rise up and reveal the rest of the orchestra in all its glory.Special Performance by Sayuri SugawaraOne of the highlights for me was the performance that followed Cocoon Symphonic's three-piece set. Square Enix revealed the title track artist for Final Fantasy XIII, Sayuri Sugawara, who then came on stage and performed the game's Japanese title track, "Kimiga Irukara," with the orchestra as backup. To say that the performance was "mesmerizing" would be an understatement. Sugawara's powerful, skilled voice was only matched by her humble grace on stage, and the end of the song was greeted with a wave of applause. My only regret is that I wasn't given the opportunity to get her autograph...



