Tag: Square Enix - Page 6
News Foamstars Is Square Enix's Answer to Splatoon on PS5, PS4
The sincerest form of flattery
Announced during today's admittedly tepid PlayStation Showcase is Foamstars, a fresh new 4v4 party clearly taking more than a couple of pages from Nintendo's immensely popular Splatoon franchise. Perhaps not the freshest take, but these characters certainly look like they might smell better than the Squid Kids, that's...
News Final Fantasy 16 Gets Another Really Good Trailer, But No PS5 Demo Yet
Not long now
It was one of the most popular pre-PlayStation Showcase predictions: the anticipated demo for Final Fantasy XVI would drop just after the Sony's event. Sadly, it hasn't happened, so you'll just have to make do with yet another trailer for the upcoming action RPG (which is now just under a month away from release, it should be noted)...
News Now May Be the Best Time to Play Forspoken on PS5
Cut the chatter, Cuff!
Square Enix has detailed some of the new additions coming to Forspoken in a free update which will launch alongside the impending In Tanta We Trust DLC (available now if you sprung for the Digital Deluxe Edition). Outside of the aforementioned paid prequel, all players can look forward to new gameplay con
News No Final Fantasy 16 DLC Planned, Said to Be a 'One-Off Game'
Unless PS5 players want it
Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida has revealed there's currently no post-launch DLC in the works for the Square Enix RPG. In a new interview with Game Informer, he calls it a "one-off game" containing an experience to match the full price cost. Yoshida wishes to give fans "satisfaction equal to what they paid or...
News Forspoken DLC In Tanta We Trust Out Now on PS5
For all Digital Deluxe Edition owners
Forspoken DLC In Tanta We Trust is now available for PS5 players who bought the Digital Deluxe Edition version, giving them three days of early access ahead of the main release on 26th May 2023. The expansion is a prequel to the main game and sees protagonist Frey journey back to when Athia was at war with...
News PS Plus Members Can Get a Free Fast Travel in Final Fantasy 14
Available until 1st June
Final Fantasy XIV players looking to save some Gil will want to take advantage of a new PS Plus bonus that went live on the PS Store earlier today. Available until 1st June 2023, active members can claim a free Aetheryte, which acts as a fast travel point for you in the game world. You will eventually need to renew it, but...
News Final Fantasy 16 Is So Polished, It Doesn't Need a Day One Patch
That's what we like to hear
In contrast to the majority of games that release these days, Final Fantasy XVI probably won't have a day one patch. In other words, the development team thinks the game is complete and polished, and that it doesn't need any post-ship adjustments. Director Hiroshi Takai told Game Informer that there are currently no...
News Final Fantasy Could Ditch Numbers for Future Instalments
But how would that make you feel?
One of the things we’ve observed during recent preview events is just how eager Square Enix is to underline that Final Fantasy 16 is a standalone game. While enthusiasts will already know that each mainline Final Fantasy includes its own cast of characters and storyline, it’s easy to imagine how more casual...
Interview Final Fantasy 16's Devs on Clive's Name, God of War's Leaves, and Fulfilling Fans
We chat for 20 minutes with Naoki Yoshida et al
Earlier this month, we were lucky enough to be invited by Square Enix to play almost four hours of Final Fantasy 16 amid the picturesque backdrop of the English capital’s iconic Tower of London. At the location, presumably selected to reflect the obvious European influences in the upcoming PS5...
News Final Fantasy 16 Will Get a PS5 Demo Which Lasts a Couple of Hours Prior to Launch
Focuses on Clive during his youth
Final Fantasy 16 is very close and seriously impressive, but you’ll be playing it even sooner than you think. Square Enix has confirmed that it’s plotting a full-length demo prior to release, which will last a couple of hours and focus on Clive in his youth. It’s the same segment of the game we played during a...
Almost four more hours with Square Enix's huge RPG sequel
Earlier in the year, after playing through a tailored demo designed specifically to showcase Final Fantasy 16’s combat systems, we described the action-heavy PS5 exclusive as a bonafide Game of the Year contender. With publisher Square Enix seemingly intent on showing as much of the sequel...
News Clive's Voice Actor in Final Fantasy 16 Thought He Was Going to Get Fired
"I was so scared"
Bristol-born actor Ben Starr is behind the voice of Clive Rosfield in Final Fantasy XVI, and the latest promotional video for the upcoming RPG is all about the main character. Producer Naoki Yoshida and localisation director Michael-Christopher Koji Fox sit down with Starr to discuss the game's protagonist, while also giving us...
News Final Fantasy 16 Gets an Absolutely Gorgeous Game Informer Cover
Hot stuff
Game Informer has snagged some really good looking covers over the years, but its freshly announced Final Fantasy XVI cover is an absolute beauty. The long-running magazine's next issue — number 356 — will feature a "deep dive into FFXVI’s world of Valisthea, its lore, its characters, and of course, its Eikons". Again though, that...
News Final Fantasy 16's Dog Companion May Be PS5's Best Good Boy Yet
Angelo, eat your heart out
Square Enix, it seems, intends to make Final Fantasy XVI as irresistible as possible to as many people as possible. Enter Torgal, the lovable canine gunning for the enviable position of "goodest good boy" on PS5. He's certainly a contender within the realm of Final Fantasy alone, where the nearest competition is VIII's...
News Final Fantasy 14 Patch 6.4 The Dark Throne Launches on PS5, PS4 Next Week
The story continues
The neverending forward march of Final Fantasy XIV continues (even if director Yoshi-P is currently obsessed with Zelda), with a trailer being released for the next chapter in the long-running MMO. The next patch, 6.4 - The Dark Throne, will set the stage for the next (as-yet-unannounced) major expansion and goes live next week,...
News Square Enix Wants to Release More Higher Quality Games, Starting with Final Fantasy 16
Japanese publisher has big ambitions
Square Enix tends to be unpredictable as a publisher. Take this year alone, for example: it released the highly promoted Forspoken to middling reviews, and then barely lifted a finger to advertise the critically acclaimed Octopath Traveler 2. Meanwhile, last year it dropped a ton of titles on Nintendo Switch,...
Random Final Fantasy 14's Yoshi-P Couldn't Stop Playing Zelda During PS5, PS4 MMO's Test Stream
Do not disturb
As we alluded to in our other article on the subject, the industry has been put on pause for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of Kingdom. And not even Final Fantasy 14 director Naoki Yoshida could put down his Nintendo Switch for a recent test stream, featuring the game’s v6.4 update. Any guesses for what he’s playing? Clearl
News Final Fantasy 16 Really Wants You to Know Its Action Combat Can Be Made Easy
Take it easy
The ongoing marketing campaign for Final Fantasy XVI has tried to make one particular point very clear: you don't have to be good at action games to enjoy the upcoming release. Despite going all-in on skill-based action combat, Square Enix is seemingly terrified of alienating potential players who may not like the idea of mastering...
News Final Fantasy 16 Refused Classification in Saudia Arabia
Square Enix "unwilling" to make necessary changes
Final Fantasy XVI will not be released in the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia, with the nation's official rating board (the General Commission for Audiovisual Media) refusing the eagerly-anticipated title classification. Apparently, this was due to publisher Square Enix's refusal to modify content for the...
News Final Fantasy 16's PS5 Console Bundle Can Be Pre-Ordered Now
Costs £539/$559
If you're in the market for a PS5 and are looking to pick Final Fantasy XVI up next month, you may want to combine the two purchases for the special console bundle releasing alongside the Square Enix RPG. Available for pre-order now is the previously announced Final Fantasy XVI PS5 console bundle, which packs in a PS5 download code...
News Forspoken Wants to Remind You It's Getting a Big Prequel DLC This Month
Enter the Frey
Out later this month on PS5, Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust promises more magical adventures for Frey Holland. The expansion releases on the 26th May, and places a heavy emphasis on dual characters. The DLC's story actually whisks Frey back in time, to a war that shaped the action RPG's fantasy world. You can catch a glimpse of In...
Gallery Final Fantasy 16 Artwork Is a Feast for the Eyes
All character art, Eikons, and more
Typical of the long-running series, Final Fantasy XVI has some downright gorgeous artwork behind it. In fact, it's so good that we've decided to gather it all on a single page for your perusal. Below, you'll find all of the officially released Final Fantasy XVI artwork so far, most of which has been beautifully...
News PS4 Version Helps Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters Sell Two Million Copies
Across all six games
The latest PS4 and Nintendo Switch versions of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters have seen the six-game bundle push past two million copies sold overall. Originally released for PC and smartphones, the collection was updated with some new fonts and boost modes as it arrived on home consoles. Since this is total sales across the...
News Japan Is Keeping Final Fantasy 16 PS5 Controller, Console Covers for Itself
Releasing "only in Japan", says PS Blog
Sony is releasing an official Final Fantasy XVI themed PS5 DualSense controller and set of PS5 console covers, but you won't be able to buy either of them. That is unless you're willing to import them from Japan. A post on the Japanese PS Blog has revealed the two accessories — alongside the worldwide reveal...
News Official Final Fantasy 16 PS5 Console Bundle Revealed
No fancy artwork, though
Sony has announced it'll have an official PS5 console bundle to go alongside the release of Final Fantasy XVI on 22nd June 2023. A standard disc-based PS5 system will include a download code for the Square Enix RPG, but the console won't sport any special decals or artwork. This is simply a normal PS5 boxed up with a PS...
Review Live A Live (PS5) - 90s JRPG Is Still Amazingly Unique All These Years Later
Live life throughout time
Last year saw the remake of Live A Live launch on Nintendo Switch, some 27 years after its original 1994 launch on the Super Famicom. This marks the first time the title has been made available outside of Japan, and now that it's coming to PS5 and PS4, we're happy to report that Live A Live is still a unique and...
Mini Review Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster (PS4) - One of the Greatest 2D RPGs of All Time
Locke it in
Final Fantasy VI arguably perfected the 2D Final Fantasy formula. Ahead of the series' shift to 3D graphics in Final Fantasy VII, the sixth instalment delivered previously unparalleled drama through breakneck plot pacing and a diverse cast of interesting characters. The storytelling that's so often revered in titles like Final Fantasy IX...
Mini Review Final Fantasy V Pixel Remaster (PS4) - Oft Forgotten RPG Deserves Another Chance
V has come to
Final Fantasy V is probably the most overlooked instalment in the mainline series. It didn't come West until years after its original release, and by the time that it finally got a PlayStation port, it had been left in the dust by its genre-defining successors. What's more, V never really received the retroactive attention that was...
News Final Fantasy 12 Director Quashes That Long-Standing Basch Rumour
Will the real fon Ronsenburg please stand up?
Final Fantasy XII, love it or hate it, is a fascinating beast, telling a steam-punk saga of political machinations and out-and-out war. It brings together a colourful cast of characters, some more beloved than others. Game director Yasumi Matsuno, apropos of absolutely nothing, just popped up on Twitter...
Mini Review Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster (PS4) - The Gripping RPG That Rocked Square's Series
Go ahead and jump
Final Fantasy IV is the game that put Square's series on a new path, one that prioritised dramatic, character-driven stories — something that would define the franchise going forward. It tells the twisting tale of Cecil, a skilled knight who starts to question his country's militaristic ambitions. Even 32 years after its initial...
Mini Review Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster (PS4) - Job System Stars in a Solid RPG
Job's a good 'un
Where Final Fantasy II felt like it was really trying to branch away from the original Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy III almost feels like a retread of the very first game. In both its storytelling and its core gameplay systems, the third instalment in Square's series has much in common with its progenitor — although it does well...
Pushing the stunningly-detailed envelope
Longtime Final Fantasy fans, and gamers in general, know that the series brings the heat when it comes to cutting-edge visual fidelity, especially on new hardware. We all marvelled at the PS1 FMVs in Final Fantasy VII, and gaped open-mouthed at that metal AF opening cutscene in Final Fantasy X on PS2...
News Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster's New Exp, Money Boosts Don't Disable Trophies
Pixel perfect
Now that we've actually played the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters for ourselves, we can confirm that the all-new 'Boosts' do not disable Trophies. We always expected this would be the case, but we just wanted to make it clear in case any Push Square readers were wondering. For additional context, 'Boosts' are found in the options menu...
Mini Review Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster (PS4) - The Best Version of a Flawed Final Fantasy
The Empire strikes back
Final Fantasy II has long been considered one of the weaker mainline entries in Square Enix's series. While it did attempt to push the property forward in terms of storytelling, its intriguing but deeply flawed levelling system has left many a player unimpressed over the years. In Final Fantasy II, you play as a group of...
Mini Review Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster (PS4) - Series Originator Is Still Hard to Fault
It wasn't final after all
Ah, the game where it all began. The original Final Fantasy is an incredibly basic (and relatively short) RPG by today's standards, but there's still an inherent charm to its no-nonsense adventuring. It's light versus dark, good versus evil, four heroes standing against the end of the world — and that's just about all...
News Final Fantasy 16 Pre-Launch Livestream Announced
Demo drop?
Square Enix will be hosting a special Final Fantasy XVI event just ahead of its release date. This 'pre-launch celebration' will take place in Los Angeles on the 11th June, and it'll be livestreamed. Outside of this basic information, we don't really know what the event will offer. The publisher says there are "more details to come". Stay...
News Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Trophies Revealed, Including a Platinum Trophy for Each
Kefkaesque
Trophies for the eagerly anticipated Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters have begun to pop up on dedicated sites like Exophase. Each of the six lovingly remastered entries in the series will be bestowed with its own Platinum Trophy, avoiding any annoying cross-game unlock shenanigans (we are looking directly at you, Mass Effect Legendary...
News Final Fantasy 16's PS5 State of Play Was a Huge Hit for Square Enix
State of Play video racks up the views
The irony of the State of Play format is that generally it’s been better suited to single game showcases. Obviously, we know there have been some pretty good multigame broadcasts, but when Sony has used the structure to show off individual games like Horizon Forbidden West or Gran Turismo 7, the reception has...
News Final Fantasy 16's PS5 Collector's Edition Is Being Scalped to High Heaven
Price more than doubled by resellers
Final Fantasy 16’s Collector’s Edition is pretty cool – it’s also completely sold out. Including a statue of the giant titan-like Eikons Ifrit and Phoenix, as well as a set of pins, a steelbook case, and a cloth map, the entire bundle retails for £329.99/$349.99. While you can join a waiting list on...
Soapbox Final Fantasy 16 Is the Most Excited I've Been for the Series in Almost 20 Years
Finally, a Final Fantasy
I'm a massive fan of Final Fantasy. No doubt like many of you reading this, my gaming tastes were shaped by seminal PS1 titles like Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX. As a kid, those RPGs showed me that games could be more than Crash Bandicoot or Tekken 2 — that they could tell epic, 50-hour stories filled with unique...
News Final Fantasy 16 Is Flying Up Sales Charts After Stellar State of Play Show
And that's just pre-orders
Despite being over two months away from launch, Final Fantasy XVI has started to rocket up the best sellers charts on Amazon — and this is the case in both the US and Europe. These charts are based on sales of already released games as well as pre-orders, but generally speaking, you don't see pre-orders rise all that...
News Final Fantasy 16's Theme Song, Performed by Kenshi Yonezu, Is Kind of a Banger
Moongazing
Final Fantasy fans were spoiled today, getting a meaty State of Play Showcase in which 25 minutes of ridiculously awesome-looking Final Fantasy XVI gameplay footage dropped, with the promise of more to come.
News Watch 25 Minutes of Final Fantasy 16 PS5 Gameplay in Glorious 4K
Final fantastic
At the time of writing this article, many of you will have only just finished watching the Final Fantasy XVI State of Play broadcast live — but for those who haven't, and for those who simply want to watch it all again, PlayStation has uploaded the full video in glorious 4K resolution. The action RPG already looked ridiculous on...
News Even More Final Fantasy 16 Info on 'Battle, Side, and Endgame Content' Coming Soon
Square Enix going all-in
We're just over two months away from the launch of Final Fantasy XVI, and Square Enix seems hellbent on drowning us in information. At the end of tonight's State of Play broadcast, producer Naoki Yoshida confirmed that the 25-minute presentation was far from the last you'll see of the action RPG before its June release...
Poll How Was Final Fantasy 16's State of Play Showcase?
Share your reaction to the big livestream
You might already be sold on Final Fantasy XVI, but Sony and Square Enix still felt it necessary to put on a State of Play livestream all about the PS5 RPG. With a roughly half-an-hour deep dive into combat, exploration, and more the focus of the show, no other games were included in the event. Final...
Live Watch Final Fantasy 16's State of Play Livestream Right Here (13th April, 2023)
Live with Clive
Sony and Square Enix will combine for a State of Play broadcast featuring Final Fantasy XVI tonight. We've been promised over 20 minutes of footage from the upcoming PS5 exclusive, with a supposed focus on RPG elements and gameplay mechanics. If you're not quite sold on the latest instalment in Square Enix's beloved series, then you...
Soapbox Watch Another 20 Minutes of Final Fantasy 16? You Must Be Mad
Rob just wants to play it
Final Fantasy XVI is easily my most anticipated PlayStation game. Hell, it's probably the most excited I've been for a PS5 game to date. So when Sony confirmed a new State of Play broadcast featuring over 20 whole minutes of fresh Final Fantasy XVI gameplay, I turned away in disgust. Why? Because I feel like I've seen half...
News State of Play Showcase Set for Thursday, Final Fantasy 16 the Focus
No other games included
Sony has announced it'll be hosting a State of Play livestream this coming Thursday, 13th April 2023. Starting at 10pm BST / 2pm PT / 5pm ET, the show will be all about Final Fantasy XVI. No other PS5 games will feature during the event. The big show will provide a deep dive into the RPG's setting, battle system, and Eikons...
News Final Fantasy 7 Remake Battle Lead Wants to 'Surpass Final Fantasy 12's Gambit System'
Now we're talking
Final Fantasy VII Remake famously swapped out the original's turn-based combat system for a more modern action-based hybrid (with some characters' combat styles being more difficult to adapt than others). With the next instalment, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, lead battle programmer Satoru Koyama is shooting for the stars.
News Final Fantasy 16 on PS5 Will Have a World Map Like in Final Fantasy 10
Pick your destination
As has been pointed out multiple times – including in our preview – Final Fantasy 16 is not open world. The game instead consists of several large sandbox locations, each of which will be densely populated and can be fully explored. And speaking with Play Magazine, producer Naoki Yoshida has elaborated in a little more...