Tag: Square Enix
Review Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail (PS5) - Another Superb Expansion for an Excellent MMO
Dawn but not forgotten
Final Fantasy 14 is in a transitional period. The 2021 expansion Endwalker was effectively the finale to a story that began with 2013's A Realm Reborn way back on PlayStation 3. It was a sort of Final Fantasy meets Avengers Endgame; a story that capped off eight years, four expansions, and over 200 hours of story content in a...
News Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake Sure Is Pretty in Extended 4K Gameplay
Famitsu has all the fun
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake arrives on PS5 in November, providing players who missed this classic JRPG with the perfect excuse to check it out. Storied Japanese outlet Famitsu got to take an extensive look at the game and was even kind enough to upload 30 minutes of 4K gameplay for the rest of us to gawk at. Writing...
News Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail Puts Up Biggest Player Numbers Since A Realm Reborn
An MMO Rennaissance
The future seems incredibly bright for Final Fantasy XIV. Dawntrail hype caused a record number of players to swarm back to the game, with Square Enix boasting its most significant player count since its 2013 relaunch, A Realm Reborn. Spotted by IGN, director Naoki Yoshida thanked players for their continued support in a
News Final Fantasy Creator Finished with the Series, Sees Himself as a Player
The Final Fantasy
Hironobu Sakaguchi, the storied developer and "Father of Final Fantasy," has no interest in returning to work on the series he helped make a household name. He also does not want to know how games in the franchise are made now, feeling that it would impact his enjoyment of playing future entries. Speaking to Bloomberg's Jason...
News Final Fantasy 14's In-Universe Tural Tourism Board Invites You to Take a Tropical Holiday
To the New Zealand of Eorzea
Final Fantasy XIV's eagerly-anticipated next expansion, Dawntrail, is almost upon us (launching 2nd July), and it could be the relaxing tropical holiday from reality you need. In a shockingly involved bit of marketing, Square Enix has whipped up an in-universe travel website that extolls the virtues of Tural, even roping...
News Auto-Cast Firaga with Uniqlo's UT Final Fantasy Collection This Summer
Fast fashion for FF fans
Square Enix has announced "FINAL FANTASY UT", a collaboration between Uniqlo's graphic T-shirt brand and the legendary JRPG series. The collection combines classic Yoshitaka Amano imagery with iconic pixel art from the first six games, as well as designs that will appeal to fans of MMO Final Fantasy XIV and the most recent...
Poll One Year Later, What Are Your Thoughts on Final Fantasy 16?
Don't Cid yourself
One year ago today, on the 22nd June 2023, the latest mainline instalment in the Final Fantasy franchise was released on PS5. Final Fantasy 16 is perhaps the furthest that Square Enix's mainline series has ever strayed from its traditional formula, going full action RPG, complete with Devil May Cry-esque combat. But its bold new...
News PS1 Classic Fear Effect Gunning for PS5, PS4 in 2025
Nothing to fear here
Fear Effect, especially its sequel, is perhaps best remembered for its titillating magazine ads – but this was a decent PS1 action-adventure series for its era. And now, courtesy of original publisher Square Enix and Limited Run Games, the original outing is making a comeback on PS5 and PS4 in 2025. “A lost classic finally...
News Square Enix's Forgotten PS1 Fighting Force Franchise Beats the Count on PS5, PS4
Beat-'em-up is back
We live in an era where no franchise is truly left behind, and it’s genuinely refreshing to see so many classic series revived and re-released on modern hardware. Take Fighting Force, for example, Square Enix’s infamous 3D brawler series which spawned two titles on PS1 in 1997 and 1999 respectively. This author actually owned...
The quest continues
While it's clear that Square Enix isn't making any dramatic changes to Dragon Quest 3 for its HD-2D Remake — outside of the obvious graphical glow-up — it is pushing a handful of smaller improvements and adjustments. This includes a modernised user interface, and the ability to speed up combat — the kind of little things...
News Fed Up with Square Enix, Final Fantasy 14's Healers Are Going on Strike
#FFXIVHEALERSTRIKE
Final Fantasy XIV's eagerly-anticipated expansion is on the horizon, with Dawntrail going live on 2nd July. However, not all players are happy with the game's direction (mechanically speaking). After a high-profile and public snubbing, it seems the long-suffering members of the healing community have finally had enough and are...
News Romancing SaGa 2 Remake Flirts with PS5, PS4 from 24th October
1993 SNES classic getting full-blown 3D upgrade
Old-school 1993 SNES RPG Romancing SaGa 2 is getting a full-blown 3D remake for PS5 and PS4, with the release date slated for 24th October worldwide. The game, originally released more than 30 years ago, is the fifth entry in the SaGa series, and depicts the “epic story of the wars fought between the...
News Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake Is a Full $60 Release on PS5
Jesus Quest!
It looked fantastic in its new release date trailer, but we're sure that some of the excitement surrounding Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake will be dampened when people realise how much it's going to cost. As per the PS Store, the upcoming remake is priced at a rather eye-watering $60 / £60 on PS5. We've grown used to remakes of classic...
News Final Fantasy Creator's Mobile RPG Fantasian Is Journeying to PS5, PS4 This Year
A new dimension
Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi spearheaded an RPG project called Fantasian a few years back. Released through Apple Arcade in 2021, it was a well-received return to the old school JRPG formula — and now it's coming to PS5 and PS4 this winter as Fantasian Neo Dimension. Boasting turn-based battles, handcrafted backdrops,...
News Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake Gets November PS5 Release, Dragon Quest 1 and 2 Remakes Coming 2025
Shadow of the Erdrick
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake finally has a release date. The classic RPG is being reborn on the 14th November, and it's been confirmed for PS5. You can get an updated glimpse of the game via the above trailer, and it's fair to say that the whole thing still looks lovely. The title's official press release reveals that the...
News Life Is Strange: Double Exposure Is a Detective PS5 Game with a Supernatural Side
Max power
Following its announcement a few days ago, Square Enix has hosted a livestream for Life Is Strange: Double Exposure, the Deck Nine developed sequel starring Max Caulfield. In it, it delves into all the game’s details, including its setting, story, and superpowers. Effectively, this is another detective game, albeit with a college campus...
News Final Fantasy 9 Remake Is Almost Certainly Real as Another Database Leak Appears
Tetra Mastered
We've been humming and harring over the supposed Final Fantasy 9 remake for a long time now, wondering whether it's really happening. But it's getting harder and harder to ignore the evidence, with this latest leak all but confirming that the project exists in some capacity. The recent launch of EpicDB, a website that tracks the...
News Very Promising Action RPG Visions of Mana Adventures to PS5, PS4 In August
The legend continues
Having touted a rather vague 'summer 2024' release window since its announcement in December of last year, we're glad to see that Visions of Mana now has a confirmed date. It launches on the 29th August for both PS5 and PS4, and obviously hits that promised summer window after all. What's more, the above trailer gives us yet...
News Square Enix Offers $30 Upgrade to Play Life is Strange: Double Exposure Two Weeks Early
"Hella f*** off!"
A few days of early access for anticipated games, single-player and multiplayer, is something we're seeing publishers increasingly try, and we've been guilty of coughing up extra for the privilege ourselves in certain select cases. Square Enix, always a trailblazer, has taken this concept the furthest we've yet seen, offering a $30...
News Classic Action RPG Revival Visions of Mana Will Finally Get a Release Date Reveal This Week
A vision of the future
Visions of Mana has had a vague 'summer 2024' release window for months, and now that summer is actually here, fans have been wondering when we'll finally get that all-important date. Honestly, we fully expected a reveal during yesterday's Xbox showcase, but to our surprise, it never happened. Fortunately, an announcement is...
News Max Caulfield Returns in Life Is Strange: Double Exposure on PS5
Out in October
Well-loved Life Is Strange protagonist Max Caulfield is back, in an all-new murder mystery adventure, Life Is Strange: Double Exposure, due out on 29th October for PS5. Developed once again by Deck Nine, the team behind the equally excellent Life Is Strange: True Colors, the release will cast an older Max at university, when her world...
Rumour Kingdom Hearts 4 May Be Trapped in the Darkness Until 2026
Hello darkness
One recurring sentiment that’s been shared by RPG fans this year is that, with Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth already released, there’s hope Kingdom Hearts 4 is the next title on the docket from publisher Square Enix. However, according to a well-connected rumourmonger who appears to have inside information on...
News Yoshi-P Tempts Fate, Says 'Almost No Chance' of Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail Server Woes
"We should be good in terms of preparation"
Final Fantasy XIV producer and director Naoki Yoshida is so confident in the MMO's stability that he's tempted fate by stating there's "almost no chance" of server congestion on Dawntrail's launch day, 2nd July. That's some tough talk, considering the
News Final Fantasy 16 Patch 1.33 Makes Us Think the Frame Rate Will Never Be Fixed on PS5
One for PS5 Pro
A new update for Final Fantasy 16 has landed, and to say it's minor would probably be an understatement. Patch 1.33 adds colour-coding to custom controller layouts in order to "improve visibility", and it fixes some very specific issues that most players won't even know exist. While it's nice that the action RPG is still being...
News Square Enix Drops OG Octopath Traveler, Available Now on PS5, PS4
Who needs marketing anyway
Like a bolt out of the blue, Square Enix has released the original Octopath Traveler on PS5 and PS4, and it's available now. The critically acclaimed JRPG was originally exclusive to Switch, released some six years ago, and just yesterday, we learned it was rated for release in Taiwan. Now, it seems Square Enix has decided...
News Octopath Traveler 1 Receives PS5, PS4 Age Ratings Ahead of SGF Show
Only took you six years
The original Octopath Traveler, first released as a Nintendo Switch exclusive in 2018 and then later ported to Xbox One and PC, has received PS5, PS4 age ratings in Taiwan. They've been given ratings alongside already confirmed ports of its sequel Octopath Traveler II for Xbox Series X|S, suggesting the late versions of the...
News Newest Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Patch 1.040 Applies Some Quick Fixes
Get all the patch notes here
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has taken a simple update on PS5 today to fix some bugs and clear up game stability. It's now available to download, and applies the following changes: Fixes to bugs that would very occasionally prevent game progress under specific conditions. Fixes that allow the player to acquire photo...
News Multiple Square Enix Rumours Spread Like Wildfire Ahead of Summer Game Fest
Final Fantasy! Dragon Quest! Kingdom Hearts X Fortnite?
A random assortment of Square Enix rumours have started to circulate on social media, stemming from the enigmatic Midori account. For those not up to date on their insider intel, Midori successfully leaked a number of Atlus and SEGA projects, before temporarily hanging up their rumourmonger...
News Keighley Sticks a Keyblade in Kingdom Hearts 4 at Summer Game Fest Speculation
Sorry, Sora
Unless he’s sneakily trying to throw fans off the scent, there’ll be no Kingdom Hearts 4 at this year’s Summer Game Fest event. Host and organiser Geoff Keighley said during a Twitch Q&A that “people are setting themselves up for failure” by expecting the next entry in the Square Enix and Disney crossover series, but he...
News Three Years Later, Dragon Quest 12 Is Still Nowhere to Be Seen on Dragon Quest Day
Yuji Horii provides a tiny update
We're now three years on from the announcement of Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate, and we still haven't seen anything of the game beyond its logo. There were whispers that the anticipated RPG would finally surface for this year's Dragon Quest Day — the 27th May — but it ain't happening. Instead, all we've...
News Dragon Quest 3's HD-2D Remake Re-Emerges for PS5
Could it be a trilogy?
After eons in the wilderness, Square Enix appears ready to re-acknowledge the existence of Dragon Quest 3’s anticipated HD-2D remake – and could there be more to it? A new trailer to celebrate Dragon Quest Day says that “the legacy begins”, but there’s no mention of Dragon Quest 3 specifically, leading some to...
News Square Enix Bestows New Name on Creative Business Unit 3
Please be excited
Square Enix is undergoing a restructuring process, and layoffs are already underway in the US and Europe as the firm "aggressively" prepares for a multiplatform push. Perhaps in response to feedback, the Japanese publisher has taken the opportunity to rename one of its premier development studios, the Naoki Yoshida-led division...
News Square Enix Layoffs Underway in US and Europe as Restructure Begins
The hits just keep on coming
With the industry in a crisis and Square Enix's marquee titles Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth failing to meet sales expectations, the storied publisher/developer is restructuring to " aggressively" pursue a multiplatform strategy. Sadly, this will necessitat
News Final Fantasy 16, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Fail to Meet Expectations on PS5
Foamstars also not setting the world alight
Square Enix announced earlier this week that it will aggressively pursue a more multiformat-focused strategy, after its big PS5 console exclusives failed to meet expectations. According to Bloomberg journalist Takashi Mochizuki, sales of Final Fantasy 16 did open in line with the company’s targets –...
News Square Enix to 'Aggressively' Pursue Multiplatform Strategy from Now On
Say goodbye to those PS5 exclusives
Square Enix has confirmed in a new medium-term business plan that it intends to "aggressively" pursue a multiplatform strategy across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and PC platforms. Instead of allowing select AAA games from its biggest series to be locked onto one system, the company will look to "build an...
News Visions of Mana Release Date Likely Incoming as Action RPG Gets Age Rated
A clearer vision
First announced in December of last year, Visions of Mana has been stuck with a vague 'summer' release window for months — but now, it seems highly likely that a confirmed date is heading our way in the near future. The action RPG has just been age rated by the ESRB in North America, which is usually a surefire sign that news is...
News Future Funk Season Adds New Maps and Events to Foamstars Later This Month on PS5, PS4
Yes, it's still alive
Square Enix's colourful multiplayer game, Foamstars, is reportedly quite a flop, but the show isn't over yet. The publisher has just announced the next themed season, this time named Future Funk, and it adds some more content to the sudsy shooter. The headline attraction this time around is the addition of three new maps...
News Final Fantasy 14 Servers Suffer Sustained DDoS Attacks, Square Enix Investigating
Login, connection issues persist
Square Enix's ever-popular MMO, Final Fantasy XIV, is currently experiencing a sustained DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) assault. The publisher/developer has warned its millions of invested players to expect login and connection issues until they are successfully repelled. In a blog post, Squeenix revealed that...
Poll What Do You Think of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's Ending?
Materia desires
Spoiler Warning: Naturally, this article contains major story spoilers for both the original Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. It's been over two months since the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and so we think it's about time to try and discuss the game's ending. With Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Square Enix made it clear...
Feature Final Fantasy 16 Expansion Pass Review: Is It Worth Buying?
Final Fantasy 16's DLC offering reviewed
Final Fantasy 16 released on the 22nd June 2023, offering up an action-heavy RPG that greatly deviates from the more traditional blueprints of past Final Fantasy titles. Initially, Square Enix had no plans to expand the game with DLC, but several months after its launch, in September 2023, the publisher...
News Final Fantasy 16 New Game+ Glitch to Be Fixed in PS5 Patch Next Week
Trophy fixes included too
Square Enix has revealed the bugs stopping Final Fantasy XVI players from starting New Game+ and unlocking specific Trophies will be fixed in a PS5 patch slated to arrive at the end of next week. When beginning a second playthrough and deciding to skip the prologue, some users are not seeing essential party members spawn,...
News Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Sales Remain Muted in the USA, Compared to Past Games
Reportedly well behind Remake
There's been a lot of discussion surrounding the commercial success of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The PS5 exclusive launched on the 29th February, but despite garnering near universal acclaim from critics, questions were quickly raised regarding sales numbers, with Square Enix yet to provide any official statistics (which...
Revised approach to HD game development formed
Square Enix appears to have cancelled or at least rescoped the size of multiple unannounced games as a result of an internal review into its development process, with a "content disposal" loss totalling 22.1 billion yen, or $141 million. As a result of the investigation, the publisher shall "revise the...
Rumour Kingdom Hearts 4 Slated for 2025 Release
So says DanielRPK
Kingdom Hearts IV will grace PS5 boxes next year, according to the increasingly reliable online tipster Daniel Richtman (DanielRPK). The TV and film leaker posted to his Patreon that he's heard about a 2025 release date for Kingdom Hearts IV, just days after his claim Sonic Frontiers 2 is in development was backed up by another...
News Final Fantasy 16 New Game+ Bug Preventing Progress, Square Enix Offers Temporary Fix
Just when you thought it was safe to start over
Square Enix has warned Final Fantasy XVI players that it's aware of a potentially progress-impeding bug, specifically affecting players trying to boot up a New Game+ run. The good news is that the developer is prioritising a fix and will push out a patch once a resolution is found. On
News Naoki Yoshida Says Final Fantasy 14 Update Will Fix Dawntrail's Dead, 'Lifeless Eyes'
Like mirrors to the soul
Last week, Square Enix unveiled the official PC benchmark and accompanying trailer for the upcoming Final Fantasy XIV expansion, Dawntrail. The trailer gave fans glimpses of new in-game areas, enemies, and combat upgrades. While that all went over rather well, the game's decade-old character creation engine is drawing ire...
Review Final Fantasy XVI: The Rising Tide (PS5) - A Fantastic Sendoff for Square's Action RPG
Gonna need a bigger boat
The Rising Tide is the second and final expansion for Final Fantasy 16, adding another worthwhile chapter to the tale of Clive Rosfield. Only accessible near the very end of the base game, this DLC is designed to be something of a sendoff for the action RPG, providing a new storyline that brings additional weight to the...
Poll Are You Playing Final Fantasy 16: The Rising Tide?
Making waves
The second and final expansion for Final Fantasy 16, titled The Rising Tide, is out now on PS5 — and if you can believe it, we're fast approaching the base game's first anniversary. But such a realisation has made us wonder... Are you returning to Final Fantasy 16 in order to play through this new DLC? Or could it be that the...
Patch notes are huge
Update: Final Fantasy 16 update 1.31 is available to download now on PS5, ahead of The Rising Tide's release on the 18th April. It weighs in at 2.8GB, and you can read the full patch notes below, in the original article. Original Story: Square Enix has published the patch notes for Final Fantasy 16's next update, which is set...
News Stellar Blade Is a Better Game Than NieR: Automata, Yoko Taro Reckons
Praise from both game directors
Stellar Blade developer Shift Up quite clearly took a lot of inspiration from PS4 great NieR: Automata during the making of its soon-to-be-released PS5 exclusive, but in the case of Automata director Yoko Taro, he thinks that the student has already become the master. In an interview with IGN Japan (via Eurogamer),...
