Tag: Square Enix - Page 5
Poll Are You Playing Final Fantasy 16?
Live with Clive
The day is finally upon us, Final Fantasy fans (and everyone else who's been looking forward to this rather drastic departure for the series). Final Fantasy 16 is out right now on PS5 exclusively, and it's fair to say that the hype for this one has been immense. Fortunately, the game itself is fantastic, as noted in our Final...
News Full Final Fantasy 16 Takeover on PS Store for PS5 Launch
The big day
Sony continues to throw all of its marketing muscle behind the newly released Final Fantasy 16, as the PS Store has been reskinned to reflect the title’s arrival today. In addition to some eye-popping artwork, which takes up the entire upper-half of the PS5’s store, there are also appropriate links to the product pages for both the...
News Square Enix Devs Pester Director Yoshinori Kitase About Remaking Final Fantasy 6 Constantly
Good
Final Fantasy seems to be having something of a resurgence, if you haven't noticed. It's not like the decades-old RPG series ever went away, or anything, but Square Enix seems focused and determined of late, done with distracting frivolities. Final Fantasy XVI, the next mainline entry and a triumphant return to form, is out today, and
News Star Ocean The Second Story R Adopts a Bold Visual Style on PS5, PS4
Stunning 2.5D remake is a delight
Star Ocean The Second Story R, the previously leaked remake of PS1’s legendary 1998 JRPG, has been officially announced – and it’s coming to PS5 and PS4. This one adopts an impressively bold artstyle, building on the legacy of the original by retaining its sprite character models but overhauling the...
Review Final Fantasy 16 (PS5) - Final Fantasy's Triumphant Return to the Top
Flames of Rebirth
Final Fantasy 16 is the furthest the mainline series has ever strayed from its traditional RPG roots. It's more of an action game with RPG elements bolted on than it is an RPG with action combat, but at the same time, it boasts all of the ingredients that we associate with the greatest Final Fantasy titles. Its character-driven...
News First Final Fantasy 16 Review Awards a Near-Perfect Score
Famitsu has its say
The first PS5 review score for Final Fantasy XVI has been published online, by way of Japanese magazine Famitsu. The outlet awarded the Square Enix title a 39/40, with three reviewers handing the RPG a 10 and a fourth giving it a 9. More verdicts are expected to hit the Internet in the lead-up to tomorrow's launch. Reported by...
Random Talented Pixel Artist Recreates Chrono Trigger's Leene Square in Glorious HD-2D
Dare to dream
Chrono Trigger remains perched upon a JRPG pedestal all these years later, virtually unrivalled in terms of reverence. In a reality in which we already got a Final Fantasy VII Remake, there really is nothing else in that realm more deserving of the remake treatment. Until that happy day finally comes, we can at least better imagine...
News Final Fantasy 16 PS5 Pre-Load Available Now
Begin the big download
If you have pre-ordered a digital copy of Final Fantasy XVI via the PS Store, you should now be able to pre-load the PS5 title ahead of launch on 22nd June 2023. It's a big 90.131GB download, so you'll save tons of time by taking advantage of the option. The pre-load also includes the small 300MB day one patch, so you needn't...
News Final Fantasy 16's PS5 Marketing Hype Peaks with Official Exhibition at Tower of London
Real-life swordsmith spent months crafting replica
No expense has been spared for Final Fantasy 16’s all-encompassing marketing campaign, and with the PS5 console exclusive launching later this week, publisher Square Enix’s efforts have peaked. The Japanese juggernaut has partnered with the UK’s Royal Armouries – a world-famous museum that...
News Devil May Cry Designer Crafts Magnum Opus with Final Fantasy 16
Ryota Suzuki says it's his "personal masterpiece"
Ryota Suzuki is the battle director on Final Fantasy XVI, but before signing up with Square Enix, he spent more than two decades working on some seriously impressive action games for Capcom, like Devil May Cry 5, Dragon's Dogma, and Monster Hunter: World. Suzuki says that the next mainline entry...
News Final Fantasy 16's PS5 File Size Pegged At 90.1GB
Make space
Pre-loading for Final Fantasy 16 will begin on 20th June, and now we have word of the release’s file size. As shared on Twitter by PlayStation Game Size – a reliable account which scrapes Sony’s servers for information on upcoming games and patches – the hotly anticipated console exclusive action RPG will weigh in at 90.18GB in...
News Final Fantasy 16's Painterly Japanese Commercial Is Epic
Packing a punch
The Japanese commercial for Final Fantasy 16 goes hard – alarmingly so. This extended television spot features several renaissance (?) style paintings, which are animated in a kind of stop-motion style to bring them to life. While dramatic music plays in the background, a voiceover speaks in Japanese, presumably spouting deeply...
News Just Like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Final Fantasy 16 Was Going to Ship on Two PS5 Discs
And it only changed at the last minute
Square Enix’s penchant for high quality, pre-rendered 4K cinematics means its games can seriously bloat in size. It was confirmed recently that next year’s Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will ship on two PS5 Blu-ray discs, and the same was almost true of Final Fantasy 16 – in fact, the developer was only able to...
News So, Final Fantasy 16 Will Have a Day One Patch on PS5 After All
Of course it will
After making a big song and dance about the fact that Final Fantasy 16 won’t have a day one patch – an admittedly uncommon scenario in 2023 – publisher Square Enix has since admitted there will actually be an update ahead of release. The patch, which will weigh in at around 300MB, will fix a minor progression issue, a few...
News Final Fantasy 16 Dev Pleads for Cooperation As PS5 Game Leaks
"We're in the process of a thorough investigation"
As we reported earlier in the week, Final Fantasy 16 copies have found their way into the hands of consumers ahead of next week’s release, and unfortunately spoilers are starting to circulate all over the web. This has prompted Square Enix to release a statement on the game’s official social...
News Whoopsie! Square Enix Just Leaked Another Star Ocean Remaster
Sieve Enix
The existence of a Star Ocean: The Second Story remake, called Star Ocean: The Second Story R, has been leaked, not by a data miner or a leak-happy insider but instead by Square Enix's own Support Centre website. Since removed, the leaked logos (with a Japanese variant) were caught by Gematsu
News Final Fantasy 16 Has Leaked One Week Early, and We've Already Seen Spoilers Online
Not like this
Final Fantasy XVI is still a week away from its release (at the time of writing this article), but some physical copies of the game appear to have gone public ahead of launch. Reports started spreading across social media earlier today (as covered by VGC), and we can confirm that the leaked images seem legitimate. Unfortunately, we've...
News Final Fantasy 16's New Trailer Is Here to Remind You It's a PS5 Exclusive for a Reason
Flagship new-gen features highlighted
Final Fantasy 16 has had no shortage of trailers in the lead up to its release, but this latest one exists to remind you the game is a PS5 console exclusive for a reason. Sony has obviously furnished publisher Square Enix with lots of cash, but that’s also resulted in a title that’s designed to take...
News Final Fantasy 16's Demo Has Been a Huge Hit With PS5 Players
Clive out of Clive
The Final Fantasy XVI demo really seems to have struck a chord with those who have played it. Offering up over two hours of gameplay through the title's prologue chapter — and topping things off with a special combat-based mode — the demo feedback we've seen has been incredibly positive overall. A quick Google search reveals...
News No, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Is Definitely Not Releasing on PS4
Rebirth, but current-gen only
This might not be a huge surprise to pundits paying attention, but the eagerly anticipated PS5 exclusive Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will not be coming to PS4, Square Enix has confirmed. Again. But let's back up for a moment. Last week, following the announcement that Rebirth would actually be coming out in early 2024,...
Poll What Do You Think of the Final Fantasy 16 PS5 Demo?
Hot stuff?
It's finally time for Final Fantasy XVI... Well, the playable demo, at least. Out right now on PS5, the demo features a sizeable chunk of the game's opening act, as well as a battle-based mode that showcases the abilities that you unlock later on in Clive's adventure. it's a robust offering, giving players a decent idea of the upcoming...
One of us! One of us!
If you were lucky enough to experience even a single blissful summer playing Final Fantasy before the weight of the world began to bear down on you inexorably, you'd know it can be a beautiful, all-consuming thing. You aren't alone either; Square Enix's freshly minted top executive, Takashi Kiryu, would also regularly no-life...
News Kingdom Hearts, NieR Automata Teams Assisted on Final Fantasy 16 for PS5
Calling in the big guns
We know that Sony has helped Square Enix optimise Final Fantasy 16 for the PS5, and now we have confirmation that both PlatinumGames and also SE Creative Business Unit 1 were involved. During yesterday’s pre-launch livestream, it was confirmed that Takahisa Taura of NieR Automata fame led a team from within PlatinumGames to...
News PS5's Final Fantasy 16 Marketing Onslaught Has Started with Sick London Buses
The marketing wheels go round
Sony may be frustrating beyond belief at times, but when it’s got a big game in its portfolio, you can bet your bottom dollar it’s going to make sure you know about it. Final Fantasy 16 is the next major PS5 console exclusive on the horizon, and with the release of today’s demo, the marketing onslaught is well...
News Sony's Partnership with Square Enix Has Never Been Stronger, Says Jim Ryan
He values "everything we do together"
PlayStation bigwig Jim Ryan made a surprise appearance during Final Fantasy 16’s pre-launch livestream overnight, where he said that his company’s relationship with publisher Square Enix has “never been stronger”. In the brief speech, he mentioned that Sony’s collaboration with the company “goes back...
News Final Fantasy 16 Demo Out Now on PS5, Progress Carries Over to the Full Game
Over two hours of gameplay
The highly anticipated demo for Final Fantasy XVI is out right now on PS5, giving everyone a chance to play through a generous chunk of the game's opening act ahead of its full release on the 22nd June. Just to be clear, the exact launch time for the demo is 9AM BST / 10AM CEST / 1AM PT / 4AM ET on the 12th June (today, at...
Preview Ignore the Snark, Foamstars Is Good
Bubble trouble
If the Internet is already dead set on writing Foamstars off completely, then it'll be red in the face come PS5, PS4 launch day. Despite the comparisons it's attracting, this isn't really a Splatoon rip-off, and most important of all: it is really quite enjoyable to play. We had the chance to compete in multiple local matches at...
News Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's PS5 Trailer Compared to PS1 Original
Iconic scenes revisited
We glimpsed some iconic moments from Final Fantasy 7 during yesterday’s Rebirth trailer, including Cloud’s arrival at the Chocobo farm and the first footage of Elena. It’s interesting, then, to see some of these iconic scenes compared to the PS1 original – and an industrious TikToker, as spotted by GamesRadar
News Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Will Ship on Two PS5 Discs, Square Enix Proudly Points Out
It's a big one
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will be spread across two discs when it launches on PS5, Square Enix confirmed — seemingly with some amount of pride — at the end of the title's new trailer. This suggests that the anticipated sequel is simply too big to fit on one Blu-ray disc, despite the fact that these days, discs are essentially just...
News Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Gets PS5 Gameplay as Early 2024 Release Window Is Confirmed
The unknown journey continues
Despite the fact that Final Fantasy XVI is out in just a couple of weeks, Square Enix has been bombarding us with new Final Fantasy VII Rebirth news. The anticipated sequel ended up being the closer to Summer Game Fest Live, and we saw a lot more of the game than we thought we would at this point. The new trailer shows...
News Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth PS5 Gameplay at Summer Game Fest? Nomura Promises More Soon
Latest daily update is light on details
Square Enix’s week-long trolling exercise appears to have concluded with the vaguest Twitter update on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth yet: “More information will be revealed soon.” That it! That’s the sole confirmation from creative director Tetsuya Nomura, following previous Earth-shattering reveals about...
News Square Enix Doesn't Think You've Seen Enough Final Fantasy 16 PS5 Gameplay
Make them stop
At this point, Square Enix appears to have taken several chapters out of the Jim Ryan Marketing Playbook, inundating fans with so much Final Fantasy XVI gameplay it appears that the Japanese firm aims to achieve Total Mindshare. Despite politely requesting an end
News In a Shock Twist, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Will Have Music on PS5
Bizarre development updates continue
Oh, this is just getting silly now. We were willing to entertain the idea of these daily Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth updates when the development team was vaguely discussing the release’s progress, but now we have the Earth-shaking confirmation that the title will have music in it. The
News Acclaimed PS5, PS4 RPG Sequel Octopath Traveler 2 Tops One Million Sales
Milestone maker
There were concerns that Octopath Traveler 2 may have underperformed, despite it receiving a stellar reception from critics, but news today confirms that title has topped one million units. Obviously, we’ll need to wait and see whether that measures up to Square Enix’s notoriously aggressive targets, but it certainly paints a...
News After a Year of Silence, the Final Fantasy 9 Remake Rumours Have Re-Emerged
White Mage Grubb casts Esuna
As if hit with the recommended dose of Echo Screen, the silence surrounding the long-rumoured remake of Final Fantasy IX has lifted once again. Noted industry insider and White Mage Jeff Grubb has fanned the flames of speculation this time, reigniting the unholy conflag
News Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth PS5 Has 'New Comrades' You Can 'Cooperate With'
Wow!
The breaking news just keeps on coming out of Square Enix: today it's been confirmed Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PS5 will feature "new comrades" that you can "cooperate with". Wow! This is the fifth development comment the company has issued, and none except the first have been of much — if any at all — substance. Still, now you know...
News Odd Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Quotes Continue, Don't Need to Play the First Remake
Square Enix has "made preparations"
Square Enix is back for the fourth day in a row with a slightly strange Final Fantasy VII Rebirth quote, today announcing you don't need to have played PS5, PS4 title Final Fantasy VII Remake in order to enjoy the sequel. The company says it has "made preparations so that players who did not get a chance to play...
News Breaking News! Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Will Have a Story
And characters!
In what is a shocking new direction for Final Fantasy — and the role-playing game genre as a whole — Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will have a story as well as characters. Hard to wrap your head around isn't it? But it's apparently the truth. Square Enix has released another weird developer update on the upcoming sequel. This...
News Square Enix Allegedly 'Slightly Panicking' About Final Fantasy 16 PS5 Pre-Orders
Apparently tracking behind Final Fantasy 15
We’ve played quite a lot of Final Fantasy 16 now at various preview events, and as we’ve described it in past write-ups, we believe it’s going to end up a bonafide Game of the Year contender. However, there are the slightest rumbles beginning to
News Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Will Offer a 'High Degree of Freedom' on PS5
Another vague update on Square Enix's remake sequel
Is this a bit weird now? Following on from yesterday’s unexpected Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth update, where publisher Square Enix promised the game was progressing smoothly and that a release date would be nailed down soon, the firm has offered a vague update on how traversal and navigation across...
News Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth PS5 Dev Progressing Smoothly, Release Date Being Nailed Down
An unexpected update
Out of seemingly nowhere, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth producer Yoshinori Kitase has provided an update on the upcoming game. In the short Twitter statement, he says “development is progressing smoothly and according to plan”. He adds: “We are currently working on nailing down a release date for the game.” And that’s it –...
News Final Fantasy 16's Liquid Flame Boss Battle on PS5 Will Melt Your Eyes
Ifrit, eat your heart out
It's been nine long years since the launch of the last mainline Final Fantasy game, and the anticipation for Final Fantasy XVI (launching 22nd June on PS5) is becoming an all-consuming conflagration. Dumping further fuel on the flames (pardon the pun), Square Enix, via IGN's First series, has debuted some scintillating new...
Random Final Fantasy 16's PS5 Performance Mode Made Moogles Look Like Hedgehogs
Kupo!
As Final Fantasy fans well know, Moogles are a mainstay of the series (introduced in Final Fantasy III), and are as iconic as they are capricious. The little blighters made life difficult during the development of the imminent Final Fantasy XVI, too, according to some amusing anecdotes from the game's developers. In a new interview, XVI...
News Final Fantasy 16 Demo Spotted on PS Store
It's almost time
The long-promised playable demo for Final Fantasy XVI will obviously have to release in the near future, since the full game is out on the 22nd June. And as spotted by users on Reddit, the demo now shows up on the PS Store, specifically if you're browsing via mobile. We weren't able to replicate this ourselves, but it's possible...
News Final Fantasy 16 Devs Considered Hybrid Combat System, But Craved Something 'Complete'
All-in action
Final Fantasy XVI developer Creative Business Unit III — an internal studio at Square Enix — set out to try something new with the series' latest instalment. The team's goal was to create a Final Fantasy title that could attract a "new generation" of players, and the main thrust of its plans manifested as an all-action combat...
Praise Bahamut
A PS4 version of the upcoming Final Fantasy XVI was in development at some stage, although getting it up to snuff would have added years of dev time, producer Naoki Yoshida has revealed. In an interview with Final Fantasy Union, Yoshida said on the matter: "What I can say is that while developing, we originally had a plan to release...
News Action RPG Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest Adventures to PS5, PS4 in September
Worldwide release date confirmed
The shockingly named Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai now has a release date. It launches worldwide for PS5 and PS4 on the 28th September, and it's nice to see Square Enix committing to releasing new Dragon Quest titles on the same day all over the globe. We're sure Dragon Quest XII and Dragon Quest...
News Final Fantasy 16's Harder New Game + Difficulty Will Keep Players Busy for a Long, Long Time
Final Fantasy Mode
Once you beat Final Fantasy XVI, you'll be able to play through it again with all of your abilities and equipment intact, thanks to a dedicated New Game + mode. But if you really want to dig deeper into the game's combat system, then you might want to try Final Fantasy Mode — an exclusive difficulty option that's available on a...
News PS5 Fans Were Hoping for an Update on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth This Week
Nomura no-show
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was nowhere to be seen during yesterday's PlayStation Showcase, a conspicuous absence which fans were quick to note. Now, to be entirely fair to Square Enix, it probably didn't want to split focus so that it could show us more Final Fantasy XVI gameplay (even after we did everything in our power to stop...
Review Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust (PS5) - Better Than the Main Game
Square Enix just did that
In Tanta We Trust is a rare example of DLC better than the main game it's based on, but that doesn't mean you need to rush out and buy a PS5 copy of Forspoken in order to play it. This optional expansion trumps the original campaign purely because it doesn't need to bother with the baggage of an open world experience: vast...