APA Hotel, and I'm running late. Hironobu Sakaguchi and his 'stache are at the podium, talking about Blue Dragon. Looking for a seat at the Microsoft presser, I find Cheapy D of CheapAssGamer.com, who quickly tells me (over the blaring hair metal music) that he hasn't heard anything the translator has said.

Oh wait! There is is airplane shooting! Now, the airplane shooting is over.

Now, Sakaguchi is saying that the game is nearly finished. It says it takes him 40 hours to play through, even though he knows all its secrets. So, it should take you noobs about a gazillion hours (actually, 70 hours).

He now says that Toriyama (the Dragon Ball and Dragon Quest creator) checked all the 3D models.

The guy two seats down is sleeping. I'm not. Cheapy's not. The RPG does look fun.

Now, we're watching a cut scene. It looks really nice. I just went up and tried to take a pic of Sakaguchi's 'stache. It's way blurry. I was nervous.

The hair metal strikes up again! Cheapy says "yeeeeeeeeeeeeeees." There is a fight on screen. The character Zola and her blue dragon are duking it out.

Sakaguchi says that that's all about Blue Dragon. He adds that even though it looks cute, he put his focus on the human drama. He's going to show us the trailer with English subtitles, which will be on XBL Market Place on September 27th.

Cheapy says he hopes it doesn't have hair metal.

No hair metal so far, but the really nice piano music. It is actually moving. No, seriously. This seems to be the same trailer Microsoft showed at the presser a few days back. But with added English fun!

Now, Q&A session. We were just told "no Final Fantasy questions." We wanted to know how Blue Dragon compares to FF. But whatever.

No one wants to ask a question.

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Okay! We have a contestant!

Someone just asked with is larger, game play or movie part. Sakaguchi says play part. Also, in some of the clips, we can control somethings. Move the character around, press buttons, etc.

Sakaguchi said he picked the clips, because, well, they look more attractive.

Another question: How do you want characters to feel?

He said there is no certain way to play the game. There is a lot of customization. Cheapy says he has a question: Do you read Kotaku? But Sakaguchi picks another dude.

Question: The game play and the system seem a lot similar to (don't say FF!!!) the classic title (don't do it!!!) Chrono Trigger?

Sakaguchi and his 'stache reply: It's nothing like Chrono Trigger. Then paused.

Woah.

Now, he's talking about plastic models. Oh, he says the English version of Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey will be subtitled. But, Sakaguchi got the animated who worked on the Final Fantasy movie to help with the job. HE SAID IT!

He said he is currently working on assembling an English language voice cast.

Another question: Will Lost Odyssey be your *gasp* new Final Fantasy?

Sakaguchi: (in English) Don't say Final Fantasy.

He then actually entertained the question, saying, it is the futuristic version of Final Fantasy. It has the essence of it.

There will be 9 playable characters in Lost Odyssey. Oooooooopps! Sakaguchi just messed up. There are EIGHT. Four of them are immortal and cannot die. Four them are mortal.

Ooooooooooops! There are NINE.

Seriously. He just said that. And then let it drop.

Seriously. He just said that. And then let it drop.

Now, he's talking about going back and forth between cuts and play. He is talking about that. And that's a wrap!

Oh, we get a Blue Dragon toy if we return our press badges. Oh, boy! Brian Ashcraft