Tag: Square Enix - Page 13
News Grid-Based RPG Dungeon Encounters Out Now on PS4
PS Plus discount available
Square Enix has a brand new RPG launching on PlayStation 4 today, and there's a fairly good chance you've never heard of it. Announced just a few weeks ago alongside the quite promising Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars, grid-based RPG Dungeon Encounters can be picked up now from the PS Store. Better ye
Mini Review Actraiser Renaissance (PS4) - SNES Remake Is a Game of Three Thirds
Generous, gabby god game
Praised for being "A Game of Two Halves" in issue two of Super Play, gaming magazines like CVG and Mean Machines were consistent in applauding SNES ActRaiser in the early 1990s for combining two contrasting gameplay styles. This effective structure is preserved in PS4 Actraiser Renaissance, as this remake retains the...
Final Fantastic
There's simply no stopping Final Fantasy XIV. The MMORPG has gone from strength to strength in recent years, bolstered by superb expansions like Stormblood and Shadowbringers. And now, as we close in on the upcoming release of Endwalker, Square Enix has confirmed that Final Fantasy XIV is the most profitable Final Fantasy game ever...
News Headbang Your Way Through Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy PS5, PS4 Launch Trailer
Come and get your love
Square Enix hasn’t had the easiest time capturing the irreverent nature of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy in trailers, but this launch trailer nails it. Dropping a good two weeks prior to the Eidos Montreal adventure’s PlayStation 5 and PS4 release date, the 120-second hype builder has a good mix of humour, outright...
News Marvel's Avengers Attracts Ire After Adding XP Booster Microtransactions
After XP gain was slowed in previous patch
Humanity loves a good pile-on, and Marvel’s Avengers has become the whipping boy of the games industry this past year. The co-op brawler – which was above average at best, let’s be real – has attracted ire for all sorts of reasons, from its console exclusive Spider-Man money hat through to its...
News Dragon Quest X Offline Hits Japan Next Year on PS5, PS4, But Still No Word on a Western Release
X marks the spot
Dragon Quest X: Rise of the Five Tribes Offline is exactly what it says on the box — it's an offline version of Dragon Quest X, the online MMO that first launched for the Nintendo Wii (!) back in 2012. Despite the game's success in Japan (it was ported to the Wii U, PC, and 3DS) it never actually made it West — and it's looking...
News Final Fantasy XVI Has an 'Expansive' Skill Tree System Built for Unique Character Growth
Branching out
Final Fantasy XVI didn't turn up during Tokyo Game Show 2021 over the weekend, but Square Enix is still happy to chat about the upcoming RPG. In a recent interview (as reported by Siliconera), producer Naoki Yoshida revealed that the highly anticipated title will feature an "expansive" skill tree system, which is meant to allow for...
News Dungeon Encounters Puts the Square in Square Enix with Grid-Based RPG
Coming to PS4 this month
There are only so many ways you can present a turn-based RPG, but it seems Square Enix is making attempts to find new ones. We've already had the announcement of Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars, which puts a playing card twist on the JRPG, and now, the publisher has announced Dungeon Encounters. This newly unveiled...
News Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Dated for 18th March
Second demo out now
Square Enix has slapped a release date of 18th March 2022 on Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin as part of its TGS 2021 showcase. The collaboration with Nioh developer Team Ninja has also issued a brand new trailer to coincide with the announcement, and it does its best to avoid saying the word "chaos". Instead of that,...
News Chaos! Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Schedules TGS Showcase for This Saturday
Time for more chaos
Square Enix will be taking some chaos to TGS 2021 as it shares word of a Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin digital showcase taking place this Saturday, 2nd October 2021. The tweet confirming the news reads: "Tune in to our Tokyo Game Show Special Broadcast on Saturday October 2nd to hear the latest on #StrangerOfParadise...
Hands On Don't Sleep on Voice of Cards - It Could Be a Special RPG
No, it's not really a card game
The awkwardly titled Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars was revealed during the latest Nintendo Direct, and if you're anything like us, you quickly realised that it was some kind of card game (it's in the name!) and then stopped paying attention. Look, we want our role-playing games to whisk us away to gorgeous...
News Life Is Strange Remastered Turns Back Time on 1st February
Butterfly effect
The delayed Life Is Strange Remastered Collection will turn back on time on 1st February, publisher Square Enix has announced. The bundle includes improved versions of both the original Life Is Strange and prequel Life Is Strange: Before the Storm. Both games will boast remastered character and environment visuals, as well as...
News Tomb Raider, Marvel's Avengers Maker Now Co-Developer on Xbox Exclusive
Really
Well, this is a bizarre and frankly unexpected announcement: Crystal Dynamics – one of the most prolific third-party developers, responsible for games like Rise of the Tomb Raider and Marvel’s Avengers – has been announced as a co-develop
News Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars Is a PS4 Card-Based RPG From NieR Mastermind Yoko Taro
Rolls the dice next month
Square Enix has announced Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars for PlayStation 4. It's a role-playing game that's all about cards, featuring turn based battles and some lovely looking character artwork. What's more, Yoko Taro — the main brain behind the NieR games — is creative director, so you can probably expect some...
News SNES Classic ActRaiser Renaissance Revived for PS4, Out Today
Surprise
Cult classic platformer-cross-city-builder ActRaiser will enjoy a Renaissance on the PlayStation 4 from, well… Today! Surprise! The legendary 90s title – a fond favourite of Managing Director Damien McFerran – has been completely remade in high definition, and features the original soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro. “Actraiser Renaissance...
Hands On Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Is Mass Effect in Comic Book Clothing
Kree whiz
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy doesn’t just wear its Mass Effect influences on its sleeve: it prances them about like Chris Pratt in the opening exchanges of the franchise’s first movie. The similarities to BioWare’s space-faring soap opera are so plentiful that they’re almost impossible to ignore, but following the success of...
News Dragon Quest 11 Dev Orca Also Co-Developing Dragon Quest 12
Together again
Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate is starting to sound like quite the undertaking, as another Japanese studio has revealed that it's working on the game alongside Square Enix. Orca is a developer that also helped out with Dragon Quest XI and Dragon Quest XI S, and it's currently hiring all kinds of artists for Dragon Quest XII. If...
News Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Has Gone Gold Ahead of PS5, PS4 Release
Come and get your love
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy will not be the victim of a last-minute delay, as the spin-off has gone gold ahead of its 26th October release date on PlayStation 5 and PS4. For those not familiar with the lingo, when a game goes “gold” it means that the master version of the product is finished, and is ready for...
News Dragon Quest XII Is Being Developed by Both Square Enix and Japanese Studio HexaDrive
But it's still very early days
Japanese studio HexaDrive has revealed that it'll be co-developing Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate alongside Square Enix. HexaDrive has worked with Square Enix multiple times in the past, the most notable collaboration being Final Fantasy XV. A bit of background: HexaDrive primarily works with other companies on...
News Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Features Cosmo the Spacedog in New Story Trailer
Which makes it good
There was quite a bit of Marvel in the PlayStation Showcase, wasn't there? In addition to announcements for Marvel's Wolverine and Marvel's Spider-Man 2, we got a brand new trailer for Square Enix's promising sci-fi action adventure, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. In it, we see Peter and the rest of the c
News Forspoken's Latest PS5 Trailer Is Witty and Weird
Square Enix doing something a bit different
Forspoken, the new PlayStation 5 console exclusive from Square Enix, is wonderfully bizarre. This brand new trailer shows star Ella Balinska pulled into an alternate dimension; from the rooftops of a New York-style city to a fantasy land with dragons and talking arm attachments. It’s very Western for a...
News Marvel's Avengers' PS5, PS4 Exclusive Spider-Man Swinging By This Year
But not part of PlayStation Showcase
Marvel’s Avengers’ controversial PlayStation 5 and PS4 exclusive character, Spider-Man, will arrive this year. Crystal Dynamics confirmed the web-slinger as part of its all-new roadmap, which puts an emphasis on “replayable” content rather than cinematic expansions, like the recent War for Wakanda add-on...
Review Life Is Strange: True Colors (PS5) - Lame Story Saved by Great Characters
Chently please
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm has always felt like a well-kept secret; forever playing second fiddle to the two mainline entries that released either side of it, but quietly better than them both. We have Deck Nine Games to thank for that, which now finds itself at the helm of the franchise's next big game as original creator...
News PS5's Forspoken Could Feature During PlayStation Showcase
It has been Forspoken
Ella Balinska, the star of Square Enix’s upcoming action RPG Forspoken, has hinted that more information about the PlayStation 5 console exclusive is coming soon. While she doesn’t explicitly refer to Sony’s PlayStation Showcase – scheduled for this week – the release’s position within the PS5’s portfolio would...
News PS Now Adding Five Final Fantasy Games Over Coming Months
Phoenix down
Final Fantasy is such a misleading franchise name, isn’t it? It’s like the Neverending Story: how come it ends in under two hours? Anyway, as you know, there are dozens of Final Fantasy games – and five of the better ones are coming to PS Now. This is a staggered rollout, with Final Fantasy VII being the first to join on 7th...
News Here's Another Brief Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Cut-Scene
Groot stuff
The marketing cycle for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy seems to centre on out-of-context cut-scenes, but at least Square Enix is picking ones that feature new characters. Here we’re introduced to Grand Unifier Raker, the leader of the Universal Church of Truth. Our Google-fu informs us that this intergalactic faction first featured...
News Guardians of the Galaxy Game Has Its Very Own Rock Album
Original tracks and licensed music used
The music of the Guardians of the Galaxy films has always been a very important component, and it will be no different in this year's videogame adaptation. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, hitting PlayStation 5 and PS4 on 26th October 2021, will ship with its very own rock album made up of entirely original...
News Here's 13 Minutes of Life Is Strange: True Colors Gameplay
HMV
Life Is Strange: True Colors is just a few weeks away from release at this point, meaning it's time for publisher Square Enix to share as much as it can about the game without spoiling things. The big media blast in the lead up to launch has arrived, and today we've been treated to 13 minutes of raw gameplay featuring protagonist Alex Chen. All...
News Marvel's Avengers' Free Black Panther Update Looks Impressive
Vibin' with all this Vibranium
Marvel’s Avengers isn’t a bad game, it’s just a bit of a bland one. Fortunately, the game’s hotly anticipated War for Wakanda update looks set to add a little spice to the co-op brawler. Frankly, this looks absurdly large: there’s a new campaign, missions, villains, enemies, and even a fresh biome to explore...
News Become a Local Radio Station DJ in Life Is Strange: True Colors' Wavelengths DLC
Choose playlists and ad-lib over commercials in neat expansion
Life Is Strange: True Colors’ previously announced Wavelengths DLC, which is due out on 30th September, will add depth to supporting character Steph, as you become a DJ for Haven Springs’ local radio station. The expansion – set across four seasons – will see you controlling the...
News Official Dragon Quest Survey Asks Fans to Help Shape Series' Future
Dragon request
Square Enix has launched a rather in-depth survey regarding Dragon Quest as a franchise. Most notably, the 30-question survey asks fans what they want from the beloved role-playing series going forward, inviting users to write down all of their ideas, hopes, and dreams for future games. While we doubt that Square Enix is going to...
News Life Is Strange: True Colors Adding DLC Episode, Remasters Delayed
Steph to star in Wavelengths
Life Is Strange: True Colors is still on track for its 10th September release date – despite a heart-stopping letter being published on the series’ social media accounts – but Life Is Strange Remastered and Life Is Strange: Before the Storm Remastered will not deploy until Early 2022. Square Enix explained that...
News Here's a New Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Cut-Scene, Ahead of October PS5, PS4 Launch
Lady Hellbender makes her grand entrance
It’s been quiet on the Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy front since the game’s announcement at E3 2021 earlier in the year, but the title’s 26th October release date is Rocketing [Sigh – Ed] ever closer, so here’s a new cut-scene from the game. It features Lady Hellbender, as “the Guardians try...
News Marvel's Avengers' Free Black Panther Add-On Claws 17th August PS5, PS4 Release Date
Wakanda forever
King T’Challa will make his grand entrance in Marvel’s Avengers on 17th August, when the War for Wakanda heats up on PlayStation 5 and PS4. The campaign – which will be free for all players – will add the Black Panther to the roster of playable superheroes, and will add two new villains, a new biome, new enemies, and the...
Badge of honour
The World Ends With You launched in 2007 on Nintendo DS and quickly gained a cult following despite that year being packed with a seemingly endless supply of classics. Designed by Kingdom Hearts director Tetsuya Nomura, it was a darker variant of the usual Square Enix RPG formula. Taking a modern setting, a prescient focus on memetic...
News Shadow of the Tomb Raider Patched to Run 4K, 60fps on PS5
Boosted backwards compatibility
As someone who played Shadow of the Tomb Raider and found it relatively enjoyable earlier in the year, it’s nice to see Square Enix take the time to update the title for PlayStation 5 backwards compatibility. While we’re still waiting for Sony to patch key PlayStation exclusives like Uncharted, the Japanese...
Random Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest Music Features in Olympics Opening Ceremony
NieR and Kingdom Hearts too
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics start today with the opening ceremony, which has given way to hundreds upon hundreds of athletes introducing themselves to what is essentially an empty stadium. The coronavirus pandemic means spectators won't be present for any of the competition's events, making for a rather strange atmosphere as...
News Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Could Come to Consoles If There's Demand, Says Square Enix
Demand, you say?
Hmmm, we're going to have to file this one under "Square Enix is taking the piss again". In a new Q&A regarding the recently announced Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, the Japanese publisher has hinted that the collection could end up on other platforms if there's enough demand and support. Right now, the remastered games are only...
News Dragon Quest 12 Will Shape the Future of the Series, Says Square Enix Boss
A new kind of quest
We still haven't actually seen Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate in action — all we've got to go on is a logo and Square Enix telling us that it's a more "mature", choice-driven story — but it's clearly building up to be a big deal for the franchise. Dragon Quest has always been huge in Japan, and although it's never...
News Black Panther to Be Voiced by God of War's Kratos Actor in Marvel's Avengers
Story to depict an older T'Challa
The premature passing of the late but great Chadwick Boseman has cast a cloud over the Marvel Cinematic Universe ever since the news broke, and also created challenges for Marvel’s Avengers’ upcoming War for Wakanda expansion. Now, it’s been confirmed that Christopher Judge – famous for his role as Kratos in...
News Final Fantasy 16 Won't Be at TGS 2021, But English Voice Recording Is Almost Complete
A small dev update
We're all waiting for the next big update on Final Fantasy XVI — and that's been the case for quite some time. Many predicted that the action RPG would finally show up during Square Enix's E3 showcase, but it never happened. Likewise, some have always said that its return would be saved for Sony's supposed summer event — but...
News Black Widow's White Movie Attire Arrives in Marvel's Avengers on PS5, PS4
She's done running from her past, apparently
The white threads that Scarlett Johansson is sporting in Marvel Studios’ Black Widow are now available in Marvel’s Avengers – for a small fortune, of course. The white jumpsuit will cost you 1,400 Credits, which works out at about $14 – an extortionate sum for a single cosmetic. It does look...
News Final Fantasy VII Remake 2 Will Likely Take Gameplay Elements from Yuffie DLC
Combo maker
With DLC and expansions, developers often experiment with new gameplay mechanics, or build upon existing systems. And sometimes, these additions make it into the next full game — especially if they're well received. With Final Fantasy VII Remake: INTERmission — commonly referred to as the 'Yuffie DLC' — Square Enix introduced some...
Rabite stew
Legend of Mana was a weird game when it originally launched in 1999, and it's even weirder 22 years later. This is an action RPG where you essentially build your own adventure. Right from the start, you're given next to no guidance on where you are or what you need to do. Most players will find that there's barely a main story until...
News Marvel's Avengers Will Soon Let Everyone Play as the Same Superhero on PS5, PS4
Everyone's the Hulk
After making a big song and dance out of it earlier in the year, Marvel’s Avengers will soon allow everyone to play as the same superhero online if they so choose. This feature was temporarily enabled in the Tachyon Anomaly event, but developer Crystal Dynamics has confirmed it’ll be a permanent addition in a forthcoming...
News New Mana Game in Development for Consoles
The legend continues
A brand new entry in the long running Mana series is now in development for consoles. The project was confirmed by producer Masaru Oyamada during the property's 30th anniversary livestream, but it's still early days, so there's nothing to actually show yet. In any case, this is pretty big news. It's been over seven years since...
News A Free Demo for NEO: The World Ends With You Is Coming to PS4 Very Soon
Progress will carry over to full game
NEO: The World Ends With You brings Square Enix's cult hit RPG series to PlayStation 4, and it's looking pretty good. For fans who can't wait to get their hands on this new entry, you're in luck: the publisher has just announced it'll be releasing a free playable demo, and it'll launch very soon indeed. It hits...
News PS5 Console Exclusive Forspoken Aims to Be the Best Looking Open World Game Ever
Big ambitions
Square Enix has lofty ambitions for Forspoken, its new PlayStation 5 console exclusive action role-playing game. Speaking as part of a puff piece for AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution technology, Luminous Productions studio boss Takeshi Aramaki explained that the developer’s goal is “to achieve the highest quality visuals ever...
News Marvel's Avengers Dev Urges PS5 Players Not to Stream Due to IP Being Displayed on Screen
Hot fix is due first thing tomorrow
Poor old Marvel’s Avengers, eh? Crystal Dynamics has been desperately trying to revive the fortunes of the live service game, but despite some meaningful improvements, it very much remains on life support – at least until the Wakanda update later in the year. The developer would have been hoping for a big...
News Final Fantasy IX Animated TV Show Announced
Aimed at a younger audience
Classic PlayStation RPG Final Fantasy IX is getting an animated TV series, it seems. Planned to enter production either later in 2021 or in early 2022, the show will cater to a younger audience — namely 8-13 year-olds. It's being created by Paris-based company Cyber Group Studios, in conjunction with Square Enix. "The...