Final Fantasy XI tedium, PS3 pricing, and more.

Another week has come and gone, which means that it’s time for another Week in Review.  I know that’s a dull intro, but to be completely honest, it was a rather dull news week.  At TNL, we’re all about consistency.

Monday: Monday was an especially quiet day, but you might not have noticed since Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People, Episode 1: Homestar Ruiner dropped for WiiWare and PC.  It’s the first of five episodes, and if you’re a fan of point-and-click adventures, or Homestar Runner, or fun, you might want to check it out.  Never heard of Homestar Runner?  Kiss your evening good-bye.

Tuesday: According to a recent Kotaku item, the DS remake of Dragon Quest V has now sold over a million copies in Japan.  That’s pretty impressive when you consider that it has only been out for less than a month.  And in case you’ve forgotten, Americans can expect a localized version of the Dragon Quest IV remake next month.

Wednesday: Our very own Valerie Hilgenfeldt wrote a most compelling piece on the controversy surrounding the online-only Final Fantasy XI.  It seems that the inclusion of some nearly invincible bosses, such as the Pandemonium Warden, is fueling a discourse on the excesses of MMORPGs.  Truth be told, this is just another instance of bad design in what was already, for about fifty other reasons, an unenjoyable game.

Thursday: The release of Tales of Vesperia in Japan gave the Xbox 360 one hell of a sales boost in the island nation last week.  Moving nearly 25,000 units, Microsoft managed to trump the almost 10,000 PS3s sold .  And if you have even a passing knowledge of the Japanese gaming market, that is indeed news.  Also, the DS just barely edged out the PSP in an ongoing neck-and-neck war for handheld dominance.

Friday: We head into the Leipzig Games Convention this week, and as Sony is the only one of the Big 3 holding a press conference, Sony-related megaton rumors are to be expected.  But if you had visions of a PS3 price cut dancing in your heads, move right along to your next wet dream.  Sony spokesman Nick Caplin has made it clear that no such announcement will be made.  On the other hand, that makes one less SKU to confuse the living shit out of the masses, so see this development as you will.