When Square Enix announced the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection for Final Fantasies 1 through 6 back in 2021, I was overjoyed. For too long had PC folks had to 'make do' with the quite nasty mobile ports of these games, and the Pixel Remasters looked set to finally rectify that with proper versions replete with their original artwork. But one thing was missing. Well, several things were missing it turns out, but chief among them were, of course, its damn fonts - a point of contention that's plagued many a Square Enix PC port in recent years, and one that fans quickly set about trying to fix with mods. Extra salt was then added to the wound when Square Enix said that last year's Switch and PS4 versions of the Pixel Remaster series would have two different font options straight out of the box - and it's only now that the PC versions have finally caught up.
]]>The Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters have launched today, bringing versions of the early Final Fantasy games to PC that we hoped would finally be prettier than the not so nice-looking mobile ports we'd been treated to in the past. They are prettier, indeed, and even have new music, but all that was slightly overshadowed by the frankly terrible interface font choice. Fortunately, fans work fast and there are already instructions for "fixing" the pixel remaster fonts just hours after launch.
]]>To make way for the upcoming Final Fantasy 1-6 Pixel Remasters, the current versions of Final Fantasy 5 and Final Fantasy 6 will be pulled off Steam later this month. Since these are the ugly mobile ports, I think it's safe to say they won't be missed, though. Both Steam pages for Final Fantasy 5 and 6 have been updated with disclaimers that they'll "no longer be available for purchase after July 27th 2021". They then say you should buy the remastered versions instead which are "coming soon".
]]>After spending several years making vintage Final Fantasy games look worse with remastered re-releases toting blurry graphics and ugly menus, Square Enix might give people what they actually wanted in the first place. During their E3 showcase today, Squeenix announced a "Pixel Remaster" series of Final Fantasies I through VI. Information is vague right now but they sure do look like ye olde FF games with ye olde pixel art.
]]>Following the epic boyband road trip of Final Fantasy XV, Square Enix now plan to let us create our own pop trios in Dissidia Final Fantasy NT. Today they announced the 3v3 crossover brawler, made with Dead Or Alive developers Team Ninja and released on PlayStation 4 in 2018, is coming to PC as a free-to-play edition. I think my dream pop trio might be Noctis, Kefka, and Sephiroth? Or Yuna, Lightning, and Noctis could be an interesting musical dynamic. Squeenix insist the trios do fight each other, but I assume it's mostly about building and admiring your dream lineup.
]]>It’s the 30th birthday of Final Fantasy, says Square Enix. The first in the series was released in Japan on this day in 1987 and an old story goes that the name was chosen because Square was in financial trouble at the time – almost bankrupt – and it was likely to be their last game. But that’s rubbish, the creator later said in an interview. It turns out any old F-word would have done.
It’s nevertheless a series worth celebrating. A tropey, dopey JRPG series that somehow manages to be comforting and friendly. At least, some of the time. Here’s the highs and lows of the series.
]]>Have You Played? is an endless stream of game retrospectives. One a day, every day of the year, perhaps for all time.
The Final Fantasy games are finally arriving on PC. A while ago, I decided to play through every game in the series, in order. It's currently possible to play through 3-9 and I'm happy enough to begin at three, given that many fans had told me it was a good starting point. I've played for around an hour - 64 minutes says Steam - and have absolutely no desire to continue. Have you played it? Am I wrong to give up so quickly?
]]>There's been something of a PC kick from the classically console-only Japan-born publishers in recent times. We've had Platinum's Revengeance, Capcom's continued fighting game efforts and a whole host of seemingly random attention from Square-Enix. Following on from the re-release of the ancient PC ports of Final Fantasy VII and VIII in recent times, today brings Final Fantasy III to our noble borders. Unlike those, FFIII has never been encountered on our shores before, despite being ported to basically everything once it finally received an English release on DS in 2006. This version is presumably based on that, which (according to Wikipedia) improved the battle and job systems as well as adding character details while leaving the plot intact.
]]>OK, first things first: this probably isn't the Final Fantasy III you're thinking of. Final Fantasy III on SNES was actually Final Fantasy VI. So if you get your hopes (and multi-colored hair) up for Terra, Locke, Kefka, and co, you'll probably end up disappointed. However, this version of Final Fantasy III is actually pretty great - just significantly lighter on heartbreaking plot, iconic opera scenes, and the greatest giant purple octopus in all of gaming. But this old-school FF III - which is an up-rezzed port of the excellent Nintendo DS remake - isn't as creaky or uneventful as one might expect. It's a bit odd that it's suddenly coming to PC eight years later, but I'm certainly not one to look a gift chocobo in the steel-crushing beak.
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