Technically, getting a Western release of Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, Square Enix’s critically-acclaimed so-far-Japan-only JRPG, in our native tongues counts as an improved version to me. But while it’s great that Squenix finally confirmed the 3DS game for Europe in 2013 and America in 2014, gamers were slightly concerned when the company announced an updated version with expansion content, misleadingly titled Bravely Default: For the Sequel. It features better battles, better UI, better graphics, and more content in general that may hint at a sequel. Interestingly, it also has multiple language options (including English), which made everyone concerned about whether or not this better version was the one the rest of the world would also be getting. Read more…
When you think of HD game remasters, you generally focus on the visuals. Besides being rerendered in a higher resolution, HD versions sometimes have higher-res textures, framerate fixes, or small bonus touches. You don’t generally consider the audio, which is often the same music the game had before. But since Square Enix is making many more improvements for Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD (like creating new models), they’ve also redone more than 60 tracks from Final Fantasy X‘s 91-track soundtrack. That’s pretty cool! Read more…
Despite selling over three million copies, March’s Tomb Raider prequel-reboot still failed to meet publisher Square Enix’s (apparently astronomical) sales expectations. However, that doesn’t mean the game is a failure, at least if this news is to be believed. Dark Horse is working on a new Tomb Raider comic that serves as a canonical sequel to the recent game’s origin story. Writer Gail Simone noted that the story occurs a few week’s after the game ends, but most interestingly will lead “directly” into a sequel. Read more…
There’s a lot of ways to do an HD rerelease of a classic videogame. Do you go through and make sure everything looks and runs great, then make even further improvements like Bluepoint did for Sony’s Shadow of the Colossus? Or do you basically just tell the game to rerender at a higher resolution and call it a day like Capcom’s Devil May Cry? Square Enix thankfully put more effort into their upcoming rerelease of Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2. (Admittedly, they had lost a bunch of source files and had to redo a bunch anyway, but whatever.) Check out this comparison video between the original SD version and the new HD remaster, making sure to bump the video quality up to 720p or 1080p. Read more…
When the first trailers for Final Fantasy XIII came out, showing main character Lightning riding on a train, everyone immediately drew comparisons to the opening of Final Fantasy VII, with Cloud riding on a train. Connections were also made between the weather-based names and their demeanor. So how fitting is it that preordering Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, the third and final game of the FFXIII trilogy, will grant players Cloud’s outfit and massive Buster Sword? Read more…
This was briefly covered in Sony’s press conference, but the footage has now surfaced online. After years of waiting and many empty promises, Square Enix has finally revealed a full trailer for Final Fantasy Versus XIII, with new cutscenes, new graphics, and lots of gameplay showing its completely revamped combat system. Furthermore, the game is now known as Final Fantasy XV; it’s no longer a spin-off, but the next installment of the long-running series. The online excitement right now is palpable, as people are practically cheering in the streets. The game has so far been revealed for PS4, with no word of an Xbox One or PC release. Read more…
Kingdom Hearts fans may still be waiting for the perpetually undeveloped Kingdom Hearts III, but at least the wait will be over for an HD update soon. Square Enix has revealed that Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX will be releasing on PS3 this fall, on September 10, 2013. The game includes HD versions of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix (a minor update to the game that was previously Japan-only) and Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories (a PS2 remake of the GBA original). Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days has also been remade as almost three hours of HD cutscenes, so you get the story without any of the mediocre gameplay from the DS original. Read more…
The Wii U is hurting for games, and I’m not sure ports of previously released games is the way to fix things. Most of a port’s potential customers probably already bought it. That being said, Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut is looking to be the better version for those who waited. Read more…
You can’t fault gamers for expecting Final Fantasy X HD to be out by now. First announced at TGS 2011, the HD update to the PS2’s first Final Fantasy game seemed like something that wouldn’t take too long to push out. We didn’t know if it would be an extensive retexturing with numerous fine-tuning like with the Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection or a cheap-and-dirty rerelease a la Capcom’s HD reissues, but either way, it should have been out in 2012. However, all we’ve seen so far is a few HD models, with the promise of a 2013 release. Read more…
I know that Sleeping Dogs, Square Enix’s open-world romp through the grimy streets of Hong Kong, only came out about half a year ago, but it seems like it has been longer. That’s why I’m always surprised when more downloadable content is released for the game. A new DLC offering, “Year of the Snake,” comes out today, and it has protagonist Wei Shen continuing his cop duties in a less undercover manner. Read more…
Consider me somewhat unduly excited, but I can’t help it: Square Enix has finally announced a Western release for Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX. It’s an HD collection consisting of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix (the slightly improved original game, previously only released in Japan), Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories (the PS2 remake of the GBA interquel), and redone, expanded cutscenes that tell the story of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (a DS spin-off set around the same time as Re:Chain of Memories). Naturally, trophies have been added as well. Read more…
Do you remember Ghost Trick? It was a Capcom DS game from the creator of the Ace Attorney series. You played a dead detective who had to solve mysteries to discover information about his murder. There was also a cute dog. Well, NeoGAF solved an alternate reality game from Square Enix and discovered a teaser trailer for their next game. It seems to be about a dead detective who has to solve mysteries to discover information about his murder. There’s no word on whether a cute dog is involved. Read more…
You can’t have a new AAA game come out anymore without offering a collector’s edition or limited edition of some sort with additional goodies that only hardcore fans care about. (Considering that even new IPs come out with collector’s editions, targeting fans who haven’t played the game yet seems odd.) The new Tomb Raider reboot is no exception, with a collector’s edition being made in limited quantities. Read more…
I was pretty thrilled when I first heard about Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix. The collection gathers Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, and the cutscenes from Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and puts them all in HD on PS3 with trophy support. Now there’s a trailer to show off what the game looks like, and it definitely gets me pumped. Read more…
When I heard that Square Enix was rereleasing Final Fantasy X in HD, my first thought was “I hope they do that for Kingdom Hearts.” We may still be waiting on that version of FFX, my dream looks like it’s coming true, as Famitsu is reporting on a new HD collection announced at this year’s Tokyo Game Show. The original Kingdom Hearts is back, but there’s more to it. Read more…
After the cliffhanger ending of Final Fantasy XIII-2, everyone expected another installment in what Square Enix has come to call the “Lightning Saga.” Of course, Square Enix seems to have a thing for convoluted names lately, which means that instead of calling it Final Fantasy XIII-3, they’re going with Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Oh well, there’s a lot of interesting stuff going on with the game, and Famitsu has just revealed a lot of it. Read more…
Looking for a little more Lightning in your life? Rather than a XIII-3, Square Enix has announced Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, a brand new installment in the series, set for a 2013 release. It’s set hundreds of years after XIII-2, and features a 13-day doomsday clock, a little reminiscent of Majora’s Mask. The player can complete objectives that will decrease or increase the time left in their attempts to save the world. Read more…
When companies talk about putting ads in games, there’s generally much gnawing of teeth as gamers envision a future where games are filled with pop-up ads. But what about getting to play high-def games in your browser for free with the support of interrupting ads? That’s Core Online, a new service from Square Enix, and it sounds pretty awesome. Read more…
One of the most intriguing things to come out E3 2012 was Square Enix’s realtime tech demo Agni’s Philosophy. (You may take that as a sign of how comparatively tame E3 was this year, but I’m still legitimately impressed by the footage.) Square Enix has never been a slouch when it comes to graphics; say what you will about Final Fantasy XIII, but it pumped out some really impressive visuals on the PS3, blurring the line between prerendered cutscenes and in-game cutscenes. Now the company is showing off what else the tech running the demo can do. Read more…
After much of the hubbub surrounding the initial release of Final Fantasy XIV, it seems Square Enix has been trying to restart the messy MMO. Now we’ve gotten a new trailer and several screenshots featuring the new title “A Realm Reborn.” Dropping the “2.0” moniker is a good idea, I’d bet. They had released some screenshots at E3, but now, here comes the hype trailer. Will this bring players back and improve the situation? Let’s hope so, as visually, the new cinematic looks great – it’s even tempting me. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jul 24, 2012 in Videogames
The other day Kotaku posted a rumor stating Final Fantasy Versus XIII had been cancelled. More and more sites reported on it, ourselves included, which eventually led Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada to refute the claim via Twitter. Not only did he deny the cancellation, Wada even mentioned having recently attended a presentation for the game, and being incredibly impressed by the quality of the cityscape. This is great news for diehard fans who had purchased a PS3 with the expectation of being able to purchase the exclusive title. Of course, whether or not it’ll remain a Playstation 3 exclusive remains to be seen.
Alright everyone, I’ve got some bad news: it seems that Final Fantasy Versus XIII has been cancelled. Wait, what’s that? You’re not surprised? That look of apathy and disinterest you’re giving me is surely the result of something else, right? After six years of waiting, I suppose people just gave up hope, especially with so little news on every front. While this is still a rumor, let’s just say it the most obvious and sensible rumor we’ve heard in a while. Read more…
Recently, Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada caused a bit of controversy by openly admitting that the Final Fantasy franchise had failed to perform in recent years, having yet to top the seventh entry in the series — Final Fantasy VII. As Wada explained, it’s for this very reason that they’ve yet to remake it, despite countless requests from gamers. In truth, topping the game might be a bit much to ask. It came during a pivotal time in the industry. The game marked a change in physical mediums, and was the first Final Fantasy to feature 3D graphics. By virtue of those facts, the game will forever be credited as having broken new ground.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jun 26, 2012 in Videogames
Here’s a look at the Dragon Quest X Wii bundle due out in Japan later this year. While it’ll likely remain a Japanese exclusive — especially with Nintendo’s Wii U on the horizon — I can’t help but feel we’re missing out. The box itself is quite gorgeous, featuring a slightly larger image of Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Quest X box art. The bundle itself comes complete with a copy of the game, a black Wii with a matching black Wiimote, Classic Controller Pro, a USB stick and to top it all off, a 10,000 yen prepaid Nintendo Points card. I suppose how badly we’re missing out still depends on how good the game turns out, but I have high hopes — even if it’s an MMO of sorts.
