ffvii
Latest
Watch the opening to 'Final Fantasy VII Remake' right here
Arguably Square Enix's biggest project ever creeps towards it (delayed) launch date, and to keep everyone interested, we get to see what is apparently the entirety of the opening movie for Final Fantasy VII Remake.
'Final Fantasy VII Remake' feels ambitious and different
After a long wait, and three trailers in the last month, Final Fantasy VII Remaster was in playable form at E3. The early, 15-minute demo answers a lot of my questions and concerns regarding the remake's battle system and game dynamics — suddenly all that talk of active time battle gauges, abilities, staggering and player switching made much more sense. Square Enix laid up the demo in a smart fashion, kicking things off with a video to explain how the aforementioned combat system, all led by one of the game's minor characters. FF7R attempts to straddle the sudden battle dynamics of Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy XV and the slower paced menu-led "active time battle" system of earlier FF games and the original FF7. I was a little confused by Square Enix's explanation during its E3 showcase last night. The system seemed overly complicated; as if I would be pressing several buttons nearly all the time. Yes, it's more involved than the game it's based on, but once you get down to it, it begins to work together pretty well.
How many times do I have to buy 'Final Fantasy VII'?
Ahead of whatever Square Enix shows at E3 this year, lots of questions remain regarding its remake of Final Fantasy VII. Since being announced at E3 2015, details and updates have been scant. For a while, it was all a little worrying -- until Square Enix snuck out a slightly longer trailer last month. It was proof of the game's continued existence and came with the promise of more details in June. Hopefully, it meant today. It's already taken four years to get this far, and the original game launched on the first PlayStation 18 years before that.
Square Enix CEO: We're 'going to explore the possibility' of Final Fantasy VII remake
So far, Square Enix has said that a Final Fantasy VII remake would be "unrealistic," "tough to do in HD" and "not happening." But hold out hope, die-hards, because during an interview at FFXIII's launch party, Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada finally admitted that the company is "going to explore the possibility" of revisiting the classic RPG. He didn't completely reverse the long-held position, as he says Square Enix has to decide "whether or not we're going to do it, if we're going to do it, and the platform," but he did finally admit that there have been a lot of fan requests to see the game in a new form, so he's giving it some solid thought. Of course, the huge success of the game's re-release on PSN probably didn't hurt either. If Square's convinced a remake will sell (and people will play through Gaia yet again, possibly even on yet another platform), we'll probably see it somewhere sooner or later.
What if Final Fantasy VII came out 10 years earlier (and had questionable artwork)
One of gaming's favorite pastimes: "What if" scenarios involving Final Fantasy VII. What if they actually made a next-gen version that looked like Advent Children? What if Square hadn't defected to the PlayStation? What if Aeris didn't have to die and instead was real and we were in love and got married? Of course, only slightly less popular is the "What if Final Fantasy VII came out ten years earlier and was 8-bit" scenario. We're pretty sure someone already did the actual work of porting the game over to the Famicom (thanks, Shenzhen Nanjing Technology Co, Ltd!) but in case you missed that, take a gander at Martin Barreby's non-interactive reimagining after the break. Sure, some of the art looks like it's cut from a fanfic and the gameplay actually looks worse than 1987's Final Fantasy 1, but it's "just a small project with not that much effort put into it" says Barreby, so lay off. Next: What if Cloud's sword and hair were subject to the same laws of gravity that we are?
Nomura: FFVII remake not happening 'for the time being'
Look, Cloud Strife fans, we feel your pain. We do! Honestly. We're just not exactly shocked to see Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura stating that the possibility of a Final Fantasy VII remake being created as a no go, at least "for the time being." In a recent issue of Famitsu (translated via Andriasang) -- the Cloud Strife-themed part of a multiweek look at game characters -- the character's creator admitted that he is quite aware "fans are looking forward to an oft-rumored remake of FFVII." Unfortunately, he also noted "I don't believe this will happen for the time being." In a seemingly futile effort to assuage the damage done by that statement, he added, "It's possible that he will appear in other titles as a guest character." You mean like Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Mr. Nomura? Yeah, we're just as worried as you are, folks.
Special Edition Advent Children PlayStation 3 unboxed in all its matte glory
There's a lot to love about the special edition 160GB Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete Cloud Black PlayStation 3 bundle that was unleashed this week in Japan -- a fancy Strife Wolf emblem, a copy of Advent Children Complete on Blu-ray, and a Final Fantasy XIII demo you can't play anywhere else -- but perhaps our favorite part is the console's matte finish. For us, a smudge-resistant PS3 is well worth the 49,980 yen (US $505) price of admission. 1UP has the unboxing, hit up the read link for more pics.[Via Joystiq]
The Digital Continuum: Square Enix's next MMO
This recent interview with the Final Fantasy XI team by James "Milkman' Mielky of 1up.com internet fame got me thinking about the next MMO to come from the Square Enix camp. There isn't much meat on them bones as far as the next project goes, but the interview does get the team to talk just a little bit about it. It seems as though one thing is clear: Their newest MMO won't be too similar to Final Fantasy XI. While the developer says that they've learned through mistakes and player response with their original game, it seems that they really want to try something different.I'd be decidedly surprised if Square Enix didn't make a new MMO somehow based in the Final Fantasy universe considering the popularity of the franchise. It's very possible that when FFXI producer Hiromichi Tanaka said, "-we're not going to make something that'll be exactly like FFXI" He merely meant that mechanically speaking the new game would be very different. Which quite honestly should be a given considering the somewhat esoteric and now archaic control/menu system featured in their first game. Also, it would be nice to play a Final Fantasy MMO that wasn't so harsh on players who died -- losing experience is a deal-breaker for many players these days.
Why Crisis Core is on PSP, not DS
Square Enix is a firm supporter of both handhelds, with a number of great titles available on both Sony PSP and Nintendo DS. However, why was (arguably) their biggest game developed exclusively for PSP, instead of the more-popular DS? Pocket Gamer talked to producer Hideki Imaizumi and executive producer Yoshinori Kitase about exactly that: "Yes, there are a lot of DSs out there - but does that mean that our products sell in relation to that? That our sales grow with how many DSs or PSPs there are out there? It's not really the case." The PSP seemed appropriate for a number a reasons, one being the more adult age group the PSP seems to attract: "the demographic was higher teens to young adults as opposed to small children. The PSP seemed closer to that demographic than DS in general. So we feel we really made the right choice." As a joke, he added "We'll make a DS game called Brain Age: Final Fantasy for DS [laughs]." To be honest, we wouldn't mind trying that out.
Crisis Core is not the end of the FFVII compilation
1UP's James Mielke had a chance to chat with Crisis Core's director, Hajime Tabata. In the interview, he notes that the world of Final Fantasy VII will continue to expand even further. Crisis Core is but the most recent addition of a long series of works expanding the FFVII universe, such as Advent Children, Dirge of Cerberus and Before Crisis. Tabata notes that "the Compilation's finale will take some other form." Could the long-rumored FFVII PS3 remake become reality?For the complete interview, check out 1UP. Stay tuned for our review of Crisis Core next week.
Watch Zack dance with a Cactaur
Oh no! You're caught in a fight for your life! Your life is in certain doom -- what do you do? Easy: if you're like Zack from the upcoming Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, you dance with a giant animated cactus. Duh.
Cloud, Aerith and the Turks star in new Crisis Core vids
In just a few weeks time, a real Final Fantasy VII prequel will await you: Crisis Core's English release has us quite excited, and these new videos look really fantastic. We were doubtful of the dub at the first, but these new videos have alleviated many of our fears. Check out IGN for even more videos. [Thanks, CyborgSPIKE!]
Huge Crisis Core media update
Square Enix has been generous today, having given us a huge set of screenshots and videos for the company's upcoming Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core. With the game's release date just a month a way, we expect to hear and see more about this title. But for now, bask in the radiant media that we have in the present. The time will come when we finally get to hold this hot title in our hands. More videos after the break.%Gallery-6657%
Final Fantasy VII ported to the Famicom. Finally!
Remember back in the late '90s, when Square was so frustrated trying to fit their opus Final Fantasy VII onto the cartridge-based Nintendo 64 that they made their famous defection to Sony? Well, just a short decade later, China's Shenzhen Nanjing Technology Co, Ltd has apparently done what Square couldn't, squeezing the PlayStation epic onto a cartridge. And not just any cartridge .. a Famicom cartridge. How's it feel to be shown up, Square?Of course, the conversion isn't perfect. According to a write-up from intrepid blogger CinnamonPirate (who unearthed the 2MB ROM from a Chinese blog) the polygonal graphics and cut scenes are gone, replaced with an impressively wide array of sprites, many stolen from other Final Fantasy games. The story remains surprisingly authentic, though, encompassing the entire three-disc epic while only leaving out a few optional side stories (bye bye, Yuffie and Vincent). The wide array of weapons, magic and materia from the original is a bit restricted in the port, but frankly, we're impressed that features like materia-leveling made it on to the 20+ year old hardware in any form.The company behind the cart is apparently now primarily makes MP3 players, so our hopes for a Colecovision version of Final Fantasy XII will probably remain unfulfilled.
Crisis Core website updates with new content
So, there's this small company called "Square Enix" and they're making a game called Crisis Core. Haven't heard of it? It's a prequel to a game called Final Fantasy VII. Yeah, we never heard of it either. To help us out, Square Enix has updated the official Crisis Core website, with character bios and (more importantly) videos of the new battle system. If you aren't caught up on this game, you may want to check it out. Maybe.[Thanks, CyborgSPIKE!]
Crisis Core: now in English
IGN has managed to snag the very first English language footage of Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core. This long-awaited prequel to the fan-favorite FFVII launches exclusively on PSP in March, and we've been curious to see how the English language version was going to turn out. Here, watch it for yourself and tell us what you think. Then, feel free to visit IGN for some character bios. Trust us, there's a lot more Crisis Core info coming soon. Stay tuned as we get closer to this hotly anticipated launch.
Pre order Crisis Core, get a UMD case free
You're going to get Crisis Core, right? Might as well get a free bonus with it. Pre-orders of the game will include a special "Shin-Ra Electric Power Company" UMD case. Currently, only amazon.com is showing the pre-order bonus, but other retailers should carry the bonus as well. The game releases March 25th. Happy shopping.[Via CAG]
New Crisis Core trailer focuses on Zack and Angeal
Can you feel it? Crisis Core has been long in the making, and it's finally coming over to the States. This brand new CG trailer focuses on the Shin-Ra soliders, Zack and Angeal. How they tie into the Final Fantasy VII universe will all be revealed when the game launches this March. Retailers are taking pre-orders -- check your favorite one and get ready to make a deposit!
Final Fantasy VII sculptures to kill your wallets in January
Click for high-resolution image. You know what the meanest time to release new products is? January. Our wallets have taken huge Christmas-related blows, and need some recovery time. Not for you, says Square Enix. This January, Square Enix is releasing a set of Final Fantasy VII related merchandise that you may want to pick up before Crisis Core's March release.For example, you may want to invest in this sculpture of Aerith. Looks nice, right? Too bad it'll cost you $220.00. It'll be available on January 10th. The "Masterpiece Arts" sculpture of Cloud will cost a whopping $399.99 and will be available on the same day.Thankfully, something a bit more reasonable has been announced as well. "Play Arts" figures of Cloud, Tifa and Aerith will be available for $24.99 each. Those are available on January 3rd. Are any PSP Fanboy readers going to go broke buying one of these pricey figures?%Gallery-9087%
Today's most remote video: FFVII on your PSP
Care to see just how useful the new Sony firmware update can be for the retro gamer on the go? GameVideos tested out the new Remote Play feature for PlayStation One games, specifically the target of so many remake requests, Final Fantasy VII. Check out the video after the break, and hope for a time when a PlayStation 3 firmware updates allows for streaming PS2 play.
