Riding on by

Online MMO Final Fantasy XIV was originally set to release on the PlayStation 3 way back in 2010 – but after a disastrous PC launch, which essentially required publisher Square Enix to rebuild the entire game, the console port went missing for a while. Two years, to be precise.

With the title’s A Realm Reborn overhaul on the cusp of release, however, Square Enix has unveiled the very first images of the PS3 game. “In our first PS3 reveal we wanted to give you a guided tour around the UI and menus,” Benjamin Bateman explained on the PlayStation Blog. “With a wealth of different options and commands at your fingertips at any one time it was important for us to create an elegant UI that is easy to read and navigate.”

The game takes stylistic inspiration from previous Final Fantasy titles, delivering a look that will be “instantly familiar to long-time fans of the series”. You’ll be able to customise the UI elements to your tastes, allowing you to tailor the game to suit your personal preferences. “Menus are simple to navigate with the command you’re looking for being only a few button presses away,” Bateman continued.

For an MMO running on aging hardware, the game actually looks pretty impressive too. “Final Fantasy XIV takes full advantage of the PlayStation 3's resources to bring you the amazing visuals you’ve come to expect from Final Fantasy,” the community manager enthused.

The title’s due out at some point next year. Square Enix promises it'll be releasing some PS3 footage soon. In the meantime, let us know whether you're still excited for the game in the comments section below.

[source blog.eu.playstation.com]