• 'Final Fantasy 9' search numbers and chatter are spiking as a result of a children's picture book release by Square Enix
• Misleading headlines are hinting at a long-rumored remake, rather than a new piece of merchandise
• Interest in the rumored game remains massive, and I still hold out hope we'll hear news this year

I love Final Fantasy IX. Along with a Spyro the Dragon game, it was one of the first video games I got for the original PlayStation as a child, and the one that taught me games could tell immersive, heartbreaking stories.

Speaking of heartbreaking, I've naturally been following the breadcrumb trail we've been thrown by leakers around the long-rumored remake of the game. I was sure we'd get news last year, around the game's 25th anniversary, and was disappointed when that milestone came and went.

There's been a recent spike in Final Fantasy IX (FF9) searches online, as some outlets have reported a 'new FF9 release' coming this year. Of course, these headlines are clickbait: rather than a new entry for our best RPGs and best PS5 games lists, it's a new piece of merchandise, a children's storybook centred around Vivi — one of the game's most popular characters. There is no confirmation we'll be seeing a Remake this year.

However, I remain optimistic we'll see it eventually. The existence of the FF9 remake was first revealed via a massive Nvidia leak of upcoming Square Enix games, including a Chrono Cross Remaster, Final Fantasy Tactics remake, and Kingdom Hearts 4, all of which have since been either released or announced.

While some leakers reported that IX has been put on ice, the swell of renewed interest in the property and the success of the range of 25th anniversary merch (with new concept art, such as the piece above) must show Square Enix that a remake is worth persevering with.

It wouldn't even have to be an AAA, ground-up rebuilding of the game, with real-time action combat like the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy. It would likely be much more like the recent Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, which uses chibi-style visuals, charming dioramas, and scanned puppets alongside traditional turn-based combat. Coincidentally, we gave that game 4.5 stars in our review.

This is the perfect way to adapt FF9 into the modern age. The original Final Fantasy IX consisted of scenes made up of two elements: gorgeous static 2D backgrounds, and characters, monsters, and other moving parts laid over the top of those backgrounds. There's no reason Square Enix couldn't keep that vibe with crisp, modern visuals, just as it's done for Dragon Quest.

Turn-based combat is seeing a resurgence thanks to the success of titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and of course, it's much easier to animate. It would represent a significantly cheaper investment on Square's part than a frantic, real-time, AAA game needing loads of highly interactive 3D environments.

Come on, Square Enix. Give the people what they want, lean into this surge of fan interest, and deliver us a return to Gaia. If we get a surprise reveal before the year's out, it's bound to end up on lists of the best JRPGs for 2026.

• Director of the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy, Naoki Hamaguchi, has spoken about the series going multiplatform
• He stresses that going multiplatform "will not in any way lower the quality of the third installment"
• Part 3 is largely speculated to launch in 2027 or 2028

Final Fantasy 7 Remake director Naoki Hamaguchi has spoken about the upcoming finale of the remake trilogy, as well as the impact of a potential multiplatform release across PC, PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and Switch 2.

Speaking to Automaton, Hamaguchi noted the concern about the remake series shifting to a multiplatform release. "However," he said, noting the strong reception of both the Xbox Series and Switch 2 versions of the games, "our decision to go multiplatform with the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series will not in any way lower the quality of the third installment. Our development structure simply doesn’t work that way to begin with."

Hamaguchi goes on to talk about various optimizations for each platform, highlighting the use of Game-Key Cards on Switch 2 in order to download the full game to the console without compromise. He also references the Switch 2's "ample memory" which makes the platform even more viable for the trilogy.

Hamaguchi then confirms that PC is serving as the development team's lead platform, while going on to explain that: "when adapting the game for each platform, simply lowering quality across the board isn’t necessarily the solution, because this can compromise the intended visual expression. That’s why we make sure to review everything by eye and fine-tune so that each port matches the original vision."

The full interview is really worth a read; Hamaguchi does a great job of explaining the benefits and processes of multiplatform development in a very easily understandable manner.

So far, the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series, including Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, has been lauded for the quality of its ports across PC, Xbox, and Switch 2. I don't expect that to change with the third entry even if Square Enix plans to launch the game across all major platforms on day one - thus ditching the PlayStation timed exclusivity of Remake and Rebirth.

Ever since I first played it on the PS5 a few years ago, I’ve been certain Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a gaming masterpiece – the inarguable best way to play the role-playing game (RPG) classic that is Final Fantasy VII. But now that it’s coming to the Nintendo Switch 2, is the game still as excellent?

TL;DR, yes, but I’m left feeling like the Switch 2 edition is only the second best way to play the best way to play Final Fantasy VII.

I’m not the only person who loves Final Fantasy VII Remake. Former TechRadar Computing Hardware expert Jackie Thomas gave it five stars out of five back when it released on the PS4 almost six years ago, and the story, music, and general beauty of the game haven’t changed with this port.

But as you’d expect, going from a home console to a handheld hybrid, some technical downgrades are to be expected – with both texture quality, framerate, and fidelity dips noticeable, though playing in Docked mode does give it a noticeable visual bump.

That said, are you playing on the Switch 2 for graphical superiority? If you are you might want to rethink your console choice, as the true beauty of the Nintendo hybrid is its ability to game on the go, and for an tens-of-hours-long RPG – that’ll hold your attention between 30 and 90 hours based on whether you want to focus on the story, complete a few side quests along the way, or seriously devour every piece of additional content across both the main campaign and bonus Intermission downloadable content (DLC) episode – is essential for more time-strapped gamers.

Finding time to play all of that at home can be tough, especially if you share your TV. Taking Final Fantasy 7 Remake on the go as part of your morning commute, on trips if you travel regularly, or simply enjoying it in portable mode on the couch while someone else uses the main screen in your home entertainment setup makes finding the time much more manageable – meaning you can actually start enjoying the games you buy, and not just stare at them in your ever-growing digital library.

If this convenience is what you crave, you’ll love Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on the Nintendo Switch 2. For everyone else, this game is still required reading, but you’d be better served by its PlayStation 5 edition (provided you have access to the console).

Final Fantasy 7 Remake is part one of Square Enix’s recreation of the 1997 RPG, Final Fantasy 7. While it is, in some ways, simply a third of a game, the care and attention put into every inch of this title doesn’t leave you feeling shortchanged.

As I mentioned in the intro you can easily spend close to 90 hours playing Remake if you sink your teeth into every challenge the game has to offer, including finishing every side mission, earning the high score in every minigame, completing the game on Hard mode (which requires a whole replay), and besting the greatest foes in Shinra’s virtual battle zone.

I can say, as someone who has done exactly this, you won’t regret the time you spend in Midgar, but even if you simply focus on the main quest-focused story (including the Intermission story featuring Yuffie), then you’ll still be savouring Final Fantasy VII for around 30 to 40 hours.

Even if you’ve played the 1997 version, there’s plenty to enjoy here too.

The Remake expands on the story in a way that better fleshes out each character, the relationships between the key players, and (if I’m honest) makes the experience much more engaging rather than what could at times feel like a slog.

There are a few new twists and turns to discover as well, but every single one feels like a worthy addition to the mythos and the core story FFVII is telling – rather than fluff that would detract from its message.

Combat ready!

The gameplay has had a tune-up, too.

I enjoy turn-based battling, but Final Fantasy VII’s approach to combat is undeniably more active and approachable to a wider audience. At the same time, I appreciate the “Classic” difficulty mode the game introduces, which helps to return some of the accessibility offered by turn-based combat if you want it.

If playing regularly, you must actively attack and block with your character to charge ATB so you can perform more powerful skills and spells. In Classic mode, the characters all fight and guard automatically, letting you simply focus on which enemy to target and when you want to use those more powerful moves.

It’s not a substitute for the slower pace of turn-based fights, but feels closer to it if you require a slightly calmer pace.

In any case, with this more active approach to combat comes complexity where lots can be happening at once – especially in bigger fights that have Cloud, Tifa, and Barrett slashing, punching, and firing away at a small army of Shinra guards and bots returning fire – but the Switch 2 did its best to keep things flowing smoothly.

There’s no in-system way to track framerate, but the gameplay did seem to hold steady at 30 frames per second (fps) as Square has promised. If you’re used to higher rates, you’ll notice some frameyness to the game in handheld mode, but honestly, it doesn’t detract from the experience – especially since this isn’t a game like a shooter where 60fps-afforded precision is essential.

There are also a few noticeable texture and model downgrades compared to the PlayStation version, which are even more apparent if, like me, you’re used to the PS5 rendition rather than the PS4 edition of Remake. When you dock your Switch 2, however, things do start to look a lot better, and even in handheld mode, there is an undeniable beauty to Final Fantasy VII Remake that persists even if the overall quality has taken a hit.

Again, as I mentioned in my intro, it’s also not like you’re choosing the Switch 2 for its graphical fidelity. Quality is the price we pay for handheld convenience, and I’ll hold firm to the fact that this port does look great, even if not quite as great as the PlayStation edition. It just comes down to what you value more.

The only other point I’ll make on the Switch 2 vs PlayStation comparisons is cost.

At launch, the Switch 2 Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade will cost you $39.99 / £39.99 / AU$69.95. It’s a reasonable price of entry in my mind, but you should note that a twin pack of Remake and its part 2 Rebirth on PS5 will set you back $59.99 / £59.99 / AU$159.95 (it’s not such a great deal based in Australia at full-price, though I’ve seen it on sale for much less in each of these regions meaning it’s a better deal than these numbers make it look).

Two games for effectively the price of one-and-a-half (or even for the price of one if you get the twin pack with a discount) is clearly a good deal. So if you have access to both consoles, and won’t appreciate the convenience of handheld mode, or would appreciate the better value proposition, then you might want to consider your options for how to experience Final Fantasy VII.

Should you play Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade on the Switch 2?

Play it if…

Don’t play it if…

Accessibility

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade has several difficulty controls to help with accessibility.

There’s Classic mode if you’d prefer a simpler battle system, but also the ability to always have max HP, a full ATB gauge, and constantly deal max damage (among other effects) that can make the game more approachable.

Beyond this, there are subtitles for all cutscenes, and there isn’t a built-in colorblind mode, which can unfortunately make a couple of fights and minigames a little tougher if you are colorblind.

How I reviewed Final Fantasy VII Remake on Nintendo Switch 2

I’ve already put over 80-hours into Final Fantasy VII Remake and its DLC episode on my PS5 – as I mentioned in my review, I enjoyed it so much I went out of my way to get every trophy – so I already knew my thoughts on its mechanics and its story before booting this title up, and had a great point of reference for the Switch 2 version.

The focus of this review was to test how well the Nintendo Switch 2 can handle the game I love. To test this, I played the title over many, many hours in both docked and handheld mode, made sure to explore both the main story, side quests, and minigames, and made notes about its technical capabilities.

I reviewed this game using a standard Nintendo Switch 2 when in handheld mode, and on a Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED with a Sonos Beam (Gen 2) soundbar, and an 8BitDo Ultimate 2 controller in docked mode.

This year has been an absolutely unbelievable one for gaming. Just a few highlights include Donkey Kong’s long-awaited return to 3D, a Hollow Knight sequel that lived up to the hype, and a very French take on the Japanese role-playing game.

Speaking of JRPGs, there have been a whole lot of awesome titles released throughout 2025 – especially if we’re talking about remakes. I’ve personally reviewed and played through many of these, and now I’m here to share my undisputed favorites of the year. I’ve included everything from traditional turn-based entries to action-based adventures, with heavy hitters from the likes of Square Enix and Nihon Falcom.

Before we kick things off, it’s worth noting that I’m specifically ranking the best JRPGs that have been remade – not remastered. Sure, the lines can be blurred at times – more on that later – but titles such as Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army and Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster won’t be making an appearance here. We did love them, though! With that out of the way, let’s get into my top three picks.

3. Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles

OK, this one straddles the line between remaster and remake, but I think there’s a big enough overhaul to consider it to be a member of the latter camp. With expertly enhanced visuals, full voice acting, and wonderful quality of life updates, Square Enix’s Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles feels like the definitive way to play one of the greatest tactical RPGs ever released.

Something that makes this game incredibly addictive – hence my decision to pour more than 60 hours into it on PS5 – is the iconic and wonderfully designed job system. This allows you to experiment with your units to optimize their skill set, adopt useful passive abilities, and ultimately, crush your opponents in battle. I spent hours upon hours tinkering with my team in order to make it through some of the game’s tough battles – there are a lot of those, by the way.

And the story? Well, it’s easily the most compelling and engaging out of every entry on this list. In a kingdom riddled with corruption, political instability, and inequality, you’ll take control of Ramza Beoulve, a young noble who is forced to navigate a war over Ivalice’s throne. With themes that cover class warfare and institutional power abuse, the narrative is both intricately layered and more timely than ever.

More generally, though, you’re getting brilliantly designed tactical combat, a wonderful score, and excellent performance from a true classic reborn. With all of that in mind, it’s no surprise that The Ivalice Chronicles won Best Sim / Strategy at The Game Awards 2025.

Read my full Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles review.

2. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

If one game caught me off guard in 2025, it was certainly Nihon Falcom’s Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter. As someone who had no previous experience with this series, it proved to be the ultimate entry point. See, this is a ground-up remake of the very first part of the Trails story, and my oh my did it grab my attention.

This is an exemplary remake that offers both a high-octane action combat mode, alongside a more slow-paced turn-based approach. That variation makes for seriously engrossing gameplay, and the unique orbment system means you’ll have to carefully consider your approach to every battle.

Visually, this game is a delight as well. The original game, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, used chibi-style sprites in combat as well as cutscenes. But here, you’re presented with stunning 3D models overflowing with personality. Pair that with vibrant environments, natural-looking shadows, and excellent animations, and you’re looking at a real beauty.

Performance is also phenomenal, at least on the PS5 version I played, and there’s voice acting, a fantastic revised score, plus a modernized UI. With its intoxicating gameplay and twist-filled narrative, I’d consider this a must-play for fans of the JRPG genre. And with a remake of First Chapter’s sequel coming in Fall 2026, there’s no better time to play!

Read my full Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter review.

1. Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake

Was it ever in doubt? Square Enix and Artdink’s remake of Dragon Quest I & II is an outrageously good revival of two pioneering JRPG titles. Honestly, with the exception of our game of the year, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, I think this is the most fun I've had with any title all year.

So, what’s so special about this game? First of all, the HD-2D graphics are absolutely stunning, with everything from detailed and faithful character sprites, incredible lighting, and polished environments immersing me entirely in this medieval-inspired fantasy world. The grandiose orchestral score is also among the best I’ve heard. It’s emotive, memorable, and perfectly suited to the epic adventures that await you.

On top of that, the amount of new content genuinely blew me away during my playthrough on Nintendo Switch 2. Both entries come with significantly expanded areas, stories, and dialogue, which results in a far more fleshed-out experience than the NES source material offers. Like the previous two inclusions, voice acting is here again, and it’s truly exceptional. There’s so much care and personality poured into every performance, making for so many entertaining and moving moments.

There’s more new stuff too, like Sigils, which grant ‘souped-up’ skills and scrolls for instantly learning fresh abilities. Updates like auto-saving make the punishing random encounters so much more manageable, and the inclusion of three difficulty modes means that Dragon Quest is welcoming to all, regardless of their knowledge of the series.

In the end, this effort stands as the perfect way to cap off the remade Erdrick Trilogy, following the success of Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake – that one comes first, interestingly. The single-unit journey of Dragon Quest I is intimidating, challenging, but oh-so satisfying. At the same time, the now four-member adventure of Dragon Quest II is gripping, expansive, and unforgettable. If there’s one remake you play on this list, make it this one.

Read my full Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake review.

• Final Fantasy 14 director Yoshi-P (Naoki Yoshida) is still enjoying working on the game
• He admits he'd rather be working more on the creative side of the game, but says he's not bored after more than a decade working on the MMORPG
• He's recently been working on other projects within Square Enix

Final Fantasy 14’s legendary director and producer Naoki Yoshida has discussed his role on the game in a new interview.

Perhaps best known as Yoshi-P, Yoshida acknowledges that while he’s working on other projects within Square Enix, he’s still planning to keep working on the long-running MMORPG “for at least a good while”.

Speaking to Noisy Pixel at PAX West, Yoshida had the following to say about his time working on the game:

"People tend to say we're creators or creative, but I am an employee at Square Enix and I receive money to make games, and I think my primary purpose is to make games so that we are delivering it to gamers out there, fans, players that want to consume our product.”

“I think that is fundamental or a minimum requirement that I have because I belong to this company,” he added, describing himself as “more of a businessman” than one of the creatives behind Final Fantasy 14.

Yoshida explained that he can’t get bored with working on the project because there’s still more he wants to add to the game, which launched in 2010 but was relaunched under his guidance in 2013.

"I don't think so, because there are a lot of things that I have yet to actualise in 14, things that I want to do, things that I must do, things that require to be taken care of,” he said.

“And so I think for at least a good while, I should be ok,” he added, while also joking he wants to do less in the way of “management or operational things” and help more with game development design.

Yoshida has recently worked on Fantasian: Neo Dimension, but was a producer on Final Fantasy XVI, which launched in 2023. Final Fantasy 14’s most recent expansion, Dawntrail, launched in August last year.

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• Nintendo's Game Key Cards haven't been well-received since Switch 2's launch
• Final Fantasy 7 Remake, originally released in 2020, will come to the console, but only as a Game Key card
• The game weighs in at 90GB

The Nintendo Switch 2 port of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, which finally got a release date at last week’s Nintendo Direct, will get a physical release on January 22, 2026 - but it will only be a game key card in the box, and it's set to be huge.

The format, which has been much-maligned among physical game collectors, will essentially offer a license for a downloadable version of the game, but not the full title on the cartridge.

As shown on Square Enix’s store, the game is clearly labelled as offering a Game Key (thanks, Eurogamer), meaning it’s of little use without an internet connection.

While game key cards have become prevalent in the Nintendo Switch 2’s early months, Final Fantasy 7 is seemingly landing on that format because of the sheer volume of the game.

Nintendo Switch 2 cartridges are available in up to 64GB sizes, but Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade weighs in at around 90GB according to its eShop listing, so you'll likely need to buy a Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express card.

If you already played the game on PS5, PC, or even PS4 when it launched in 2020, you’ll likely be less fussed about this decision, but it does mean Switch 2 owners will see Cloud Strife and co. take up a third of the console’s base storage capacity. Given that the Switch 2 doesn’t use microSD cards (which are reasonably cheap) and instead needs microSD Express cards, it could end up being an expensive addition to your library as a result.

While some developers have managed to fit pretty sizeable games onto cartridges (every week that goes by, Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 feels like witchcraft), others have suggested performance can suffer.

Earlier this month, one developer on Star Wars Outlaws suggested that Switch 2 cartridges “simply didn't give the performance we needed at the quality target we were going for" on Bluesky.

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From French developer Sandfall Interactive, with a relatively small team, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has taken the gaming world by storm. Wonderfully, 33 days after its release, it had sold 3.3 million copies: you couldn’t write a better stat!

Naturally, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is often compared to the likes of Persona, Dragon Quest, Chrono Trigger, and the Tales series to name a few. But it’s Final Fantasy, one of the best role-playing game (RPG) series, where the comparisons mostly come back to. But why is that?

Well, if you haven’t checked in on the Final Fantasy series for a while, it abandoned the concept of traditional turn-based combat a while ago. Players hark back to the 90s-2000s era where Final Fantasy had arguably one of the greatest runs in gaming - from Final Fantasy 6 all the way to Final Fantasy 10 (and there’s a lot of love for 4, 5, and 12 as well).

Final Fantasy has now taken on a more action-based style in recent years, especially with its most recent releases of Final Fantasy 16 and the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series, and needless to say, this has been met with mixed reactions from longtime fans of the beloved series. Expedition 33 gives these fans that turn-based combat high they’ve been chasing.

Crucially, however, Expedition 33 innovates in simple ways not just in this tried-and-true combat formula, but it delivers in other key areas, and as a Final Fantasy fan, I think there are a few things the old dog of JRPGs could learn from this young pup.

Same, but different

Traditional turn-based combat has players taking turns to select an action, and once that action is executed, it’s the enemy's turn. It necessitates planning and strategy for what the enemy could throw at you, while praying they don’t. Many a time in Final Fantasy have I stared at a character’s sliver of health, praying the boss doesn’t annihilate them (spoiler: they often do).

Expedition 33 changes this. During the usually ‘passive’ elements of the turn-based gameplay (the enemy's turn), players can dodge or parry enemies' incoming attacks to not only negate damage but depending on what Pictos and Luminas (Expedition 33’s semi-active abilities) players have equipped, they can earn back health, pull off powerful counterattacks or gain Action Points (AP) to execute stronger skills on their turn.

This simple innovation rewards the player’s skill and timing with instant bonuses. A quick heads-up for those who haven’t got around to playing Expedition 33 yet: you will die, often, especially against late-game bosses. The point is to learn your enemy’s moves, nail the timing, and reap the rewards. Yes, you will get frustrated (lord knows I did more than a few times), but when I finally killed off a comically large and difficult boss, the sense of achievement was staggering.

While the Final Fantasy series is now using an action-based, almost hack-and-slash approach in its newer games, which I have sometimes enjoyed, if it were to go back to turn-based combat, it could definitely take some pointers from Expedition 33’s style.

Bigger isn’t always better

One of the first things I noticed playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on its release was just how massive the world was. Every area was interconnected with sprawling fields, towering mountains, and wide open spaces that got me so excited. I could hop on a Chocobo and make the trip from Kalm to Junon with this much detail and these gorgeous graphics?? Heck yes!

Then came the side missions from arguably gaming’s most irritating ‘companion’, Chadley. Scan this ten times, beat these enemies five times, etc. It sucked my enjoyment out of the world. Yes, I could ignore these missions, but when they’re plastered across the screen and Chadley often calls you to remind you about the them, it’s quite difficult to ignore. Also, I do blame the completionist in me for getting drawn in.

So, when I booted up Expedition 33 and made it to the game’s overworld for the first time, it was like being greeted by an old friend. Taking cues from its predecessors, areas were divided up into solitary, linear levels and dotted around the overworld, each taking on its own gorgeous, unique look. Crimson forests, underwater worlds, sprawling cliffs: each biome had its own identity, but felt effortlessly connected.

And best of all? No distractions. Expedition 33 leaves you to your own devices, sign-posting your objective but leaving you to enter other worlds and take on enemies as you see fit. And while Expedition 33’s world wasn’t as big as other RPG’s, no space was wasted. Its world is visually striking in every corner. Final Fantasy 16 players will know where I’m coming from: big, open fields with next to nothing in them are too common a sight.

The story, the music

Final Fantasy has always excelled is in its phenomenal scores. From Nobuo Uematsu’s legendary compositions, such as One Winged Angel from Final Fantasy 7 and To Zanarkand from Final Fantasy 10, these soundtracks are special. His successors, who include Masashi Hamauzu, Yoko Shimomura and Masayoshi Soken, have done more than enough to fill his shoes since. Final Fantasy is arguably the standard bearer for video game scores.

Expedition 33 smashed it out of the park with its score. Haunting, heartbreaking, beautiful, powerful, calming - Expedition 33’s soundtrack captures every emotion. Alicia gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. Une vie à t'aimer is an 11-minute masterpiece that stuns with its soaring vocals, captivating strings, and shredding electric guitar solo. Crucially, it does all this with a unique sound that is unmistakably French, giving it that twist again.

Final Fantasy’s stories have always been epic tales of 'good vs evil' in fantastical worlds that aren’t afraid to stray from the path. But I can’t help but feel that recent mainline entries such as Final Fantasy 15 and 16's stories lacked the unique flavor that each story used to have. 15 had an excellent dynamic between its four lead characters, but the antagonist felt absent for large parts of the story and the pacing was off, with the start feeling slow and the ending feeling rushed. 16 was an improvement with some excellent character depth, but the pacing again felt off and the numerous antagonists felt as memorable as past villains like Sephiroth (from 7) and Kefka (from 6).

Expedition 33’s story, where groups known as Expeditions must set out to defeat the Paintress after each Gommage (where masses of the population of a certain age disappear), with every attempt before this one unsuccessful. The story feels inspired by other RPGs in its beats, but crucially has that bold originality thanks to its spectacular world and frankly, macabre, somber tone. Journals of old expeditions add to the worldbuilding in subtle ways, and the phenomenal performances of the cast give this story a really dynamic, emotionally heart-wrenching, and engaging feel like no RPG I’ve played in a long time.

A sequel? We can only hope

Without giving anything away, it’ll be interesting to see whether Sandfall treats Clair Obscur as a linear or anthology series, the latter invoking Final Fantasy as a series of games connected only really by name. This is hoping we actually get a sequel, of course.

There aren’t many things I’d change about Clair Obscur: it’s marvelous. Exquisite design, gorgeous visuals, striking music, an emotionally charged, beautifully written story with familiar but original gameplay, it really did do it all. There are some minor changes I’d make, however.

A journal is a faithful companion in an RPG, to keep track of quests, the enormous amount of sub-bosses to beat, side quests, and so on, and Expedition 33 doesn’t really have this. Only a map and the audio logs of old expeditions. This would give players a sense of direction, and although it does hearken back to older games like The Legend of Zelda on the NES, which simply released you into the world, I’d like to see one included.

The Pictos and Lumina system, while a refreshing take on abilities, can be tricky to keep track of, especially if you want different builds. It would be great if you could save particular builds with certain abilities and weapons for certain situations, allowing you to easily switch in the Inventory menu.

Honestly, there isn’t much else I’d ask for differently. There are a few ways the story could go (a prequel of an older expedition, maybe?), and although it’s a challenging game, it’s equally rewarding for your efforts and persistence. Really, for me, it’s the 2025 game of the year.

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For some time, Marvel Snap was the only digital card game I could stomach. It was, and in many ways still is, a prime example of what the genre should be.

This game could not be physical. Each match relies too heavily on randomly selected locations and card effects, which (at times) would be impossible to track with cardboard and dice.

But it's also simply an exhilarating experience at its core.

The bombastic gameplay is constructed with precise deck building, in-the-moment strategizing, and a healthy dose of luck (a key tenant of any good card game) that I frankly couldn't get enough of.

As is so often true of gaming in the modern era, I've felt my desire to play Snap wane in recent weeks (just like many others) because of monetization. For the first time in well over a year, I have yet to purchase this month's season pass (and currently have no plans to), nor grinded my way to the top player tier (Infinite).

I don’t mind some monetization, and generally, Marvel Snap has handled things well. There have been plenty of free-to-play ways to earn its premium currency (Gold) so you can purchase cosmetics (such as alternate artwork for your cards), and the only card locked behind a paywall each month was the Season Pass card – and it would become free to earn the following month.

However, subtle frustrations have been growing. There have become steadily fewer ways to earn Gold simply by playing the game and its events, there have been leaked datamined plans for the upgraded Super Premium Season Pass to include its own exclusive game piece (meaning two cards will be stuck behind a paywall each month), and during the recent High Voltage Overdrive event, the top prize was practically impossible to win without using Gold.

Some Reddit users did manage to play enough to earn this card (Kid Omega) simply by playing a lot, but to get a sense of how difficult this feat is, this player apparently played 42 hours and 38 minutes of Marvel Snap during the event and still had to dish out 100 Gold to afford the card.

For further context: previous events had, at worst, allowed you to unlock a greater range of rewards with paid currency. You could always unlock the top prize (or even a few of the top prizes) simply by playing a reasonable amount and spending your winnings wisely – and some events would reward players with every prize if they played enough, no purchase necessary.

Before you go to the comments below, I’m well aware that spending money on game pieces isn’t an unheard-of concept in card games. For many TCGs, it's a core principle.

With Marvel Snap, however, my and others’ frustration comes from how the situation has changed so drastically from where the game began. At launch, there were literally ads about how this game was special because you couldn’t just buy all the cards right away, but now that’s basically untrue.

So, unlike the frog unaware it’s being boiled alive, I’m hopping out of Marvel Snap for now and into the digital card game which has recaptured my focus: Magic: The Gathering: Arena.

Enter the arena

I know, I know, I can hear the collective sound of necks straining under the whiplash – I moan about overzealous monetization then say I’m jumping ship to Hasbro’s TCG.

As a regular paper Magic: The Gathering player, I've been exposed to the anti-consumer burn of manufactured scarcity (*cough* limited run Secret Lairs *cough*) and steadily raising prices as licensed Universes Beyond products become more essential to my favorite formats.

At the same time, the most recent Universes Beyond Final Fantasy set has been a phenomenal addition to Magic: The Gathering. The art, mechanics, and general player excitement have created a contagious hype I'm delightedly riding the wave of; that’s why I’m back on Arena.

In paper Magic, I've built Commander decks for FF VI's Terra, Magical Adept, and the icon that is FF VII's Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER, while also adding cards for Lightning, Cloud, and the Hero of Light.

Digitally, I've been convinced to return to Standard, after abandoning it a few years ago, thanks to the frustration caused by my first experience of rotation (where older cards become illegal in the format).

Even if it's not the most meta-reliable, my Orzhov (Black and White) aristocrats deck – facilitated by Sephiroth, a reprinted Dark Confidant, and several cards from Foundations (a set designed to outlive usual rotation limits) – is filling me with so much joy. I literally cackle whenever my Raise the Past resolves, giving me a board of undead critters, causing my opponent to promptly concede – an experience only amplified if a turn earlier I was on death's door.

Cori Steel Cutter, Monstrous Rage, and Vivi Ornitier aside, the metagame feels healthy too. I've seen so many different and inventive decks on my climb up the best-of-one ranked ladder, and I've thoroughly enjoyed developing strategies and tweaking my composition to overcome each challenge.

Just like how I used to feel about Marvel Snap, I can’t put Arena down.

So, do I think every Marvel Snap player should follow me to Arena? No, Magic is a very different card game and isn't for everyone.

But I’m writing this as both some catharsis as I navigate a long-term gaming divorce, and to serve as a reminder to myself and others that the beauty of gaming – especially free-to-play gaming – is that if your fun is being ruined, you can just jump ship and try one of the dozens of alternatives until you find something which sparks joy.

I won’t pretend it’s easy. Losing all your progress and leaving your collection behind sucks.

But know that I’m having so much more fun playing a game I actually feel invigorated by, rather than slogging away in a loveless marriage, which for me was well past its prime.

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Final Fantasy is coming to Magic: The Gathering – combining one of my favorite video game series with my absolute favorite trading card game.

We’ve already seen a few spoilers for the upcoming set, but at a PAX East panel, we just got a mega dump of new cards to sink our teeth into, and folks, this set couldn’t be more exciting.

We haven’t talked much about Magic: The Gathering here on TechRadar before – outside of my yearly board games recommendation list which came out in January – but I’m taking this opportunity to showcase some of those new cards, and to tell you why fans of long-time Final Fantasy will want to get in on the MTG action.

Armed and dangerous

The Final Fantasy set is an unapologetic homage to the iconic gaming series, and that’s no clearer than in one of the collection’s most prominent mechanics: equipment.

Just like the core FF games, these are powerful artifacts and weapons that buff your heroes with better stats and abilities, and there are plenty of cards that will help you build a party around your items and go digging through your deck for the best ones.

Final Fantasy II’s Firion, Wild Rose Warrior, gives equipped creatures haste (meaning they can attack immediately) and creates short-lived copies of your equipment when you play it. He pairs perfectly with the new job select artifacts like White Mage’s Staff and Black Mage’s Rod, which create a Hero token creature equipped with them when they enter – simultaneously building and buffing your party with just a single card.

Then there’s Cloud, Midgar Mercenary, from Final Fantasy VII. He can search your library for an equipment card when he enters play, and pairs well with the Commander deck version of himself – Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER.

Commander decks are pre-built 100-card decks that you can pick up and play with right away. There’s one for each of Final Fantasy VI, VII, X, and XIV, with Final Fantasy VII being all about making Cloud stronger with powerful items.

This will include the iconic Buster Sword, though Wizards of the Coast has yet to tell us what it’s capable of. For now, we can just marvel at the blank card and its artwork.

Summoning sickness

Besides equipment and min-maxing builds, you can’t think of Final Fantasy and not think of the series’ splashy spells.

There are plenty of heroes which care about you casting non-creature cards like Final Fantasy IX’s Vivi Ornitier. His MTG card gets stronger whenever you cast such spells, with a second effect that allows Vivi to generate mana equal to his power so you can cast even more magic and buff him further. He looks like an excellent spell-slinger commander.

You’ll also find the new ‘Tiered’ modal mechanic on cards like Fire Magic. Based on the amount of mana you spend you can choose one tier of spell – in this case Fire, Fira, or Firaga – to generate a more powerful effect just like you would in the video game.

Though for me there’s nothing more iconic than Final Fantasy’s splashy Summons – powerful spells which bring forth a monstrous ally to fight alongside you until they perform some big finisher.

In Magic: The Gathering these are represented by something we’ve never seen before: saga creatures (we’ve seen sagas and creatures combined before but with one transforming into the other, we’ve never seen a card be printed as both a saga and creature at the same time before).

We had already seen Shiva, but the panel gave us a peek at two more: Esper Valigarmanda, and Bahamut. The latter is, just like in the games, an intimidating dragon with a suite of powerful effects including its Mega Flare finishing move which could wipe out your opponents in one go.

Host of the panel Ben Starr was excited to showcase his Final Fantasy 16 character’s card – Clive, Ifrit’s Dominant – which can transform into an Ifrit summon, but if you’re after a true summons-matter commander you’ll want to check out my favorite card of the reveal: Terra, Magical Adept.

This Final Fantasy VI hero can become Esper Terra, a saga creature which lets you copy your other enchantments – such as your other summons – and she puts counters on them instantly so you skip ahead to their most powerful effects right away.

While she costs only three mana – one red, one green, and one of any color – because her saga side’s final effect generates 10 mana spread evenly across all five of Magic’s colors, her color identity is also all five. So you can cram her Commander deck with all of your favorite summons, and other sagas.

A Final Fantasy fan’s dream

This set is just jam-packed with references to the games.

Lightning, Army of One, calls back to Final Fantasy XIII’s stagger mechanic – which in combination with her first-strike and trample effects will allow you to deal double damage to your opponents and their creatures. Kain, Traitorous Dragoon, has an effect that sees him change to your opponent’s side to mimic his Final Fantasy IV betrayal.

Aerith Gainsborough gets stronger when you gain life to match her role as Final Fantasy VII’s ‘white mage’ – before spreading that power among her allies when the card dies, an homage to not only one of FF VII’s most iconic moments, but one of gaming’s most well-known scenes.

There’s also a fantastic reference to one of the series’ recurring characters in Cid, Timeless Artificer. Different iterations of Cid have appeared in every title from Final Fantasy II onwards, so his card has 15 alternate arts – one for each appearance. Though functionally, every Cid card is identical.

Though you’ll notice only the core games – Final Fantasy I through XVI – have had cards spoiled. That’s because, as the design team explained during a briefing before the panel, there just isn’t space for every spinoff.

Even with just the core titles this is already going to be Magic’s biggest set ever.

You may have also spotted that outside of the Commander decks, alternate art treatments, and the Through the Ages showcase reprints (which give classic Magic: The Gathering cards reprints with Final Fantasy artwork and names), every character only gets one card.

Again this was due to space. Every character that gets two cards means some other hugely popular figure gets none.

As a massive Kingdom Hearts fan I’m disappointed because this all but confirms those characters won’t make an appearance – which was already unlikely given Kingdom Hearts’ connection to Disney which has its very active Lorcana card game – but I’m nevertheless stoked for this set.

The new equipment support cards will slot perfectly into my Captain America and Lara Croft decks, all the new non-creature synergies might convince me to rebuild my Veyran, Voice of Duality deck, and outside of constructed formats the breadth of mechanics and fantastic designs has me chomping at the bit for Draft and Sealed events.

Speaking of, if you’re looking to experience Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy the release date is June 13, but many local game stores will run prerelease events the week before.

Here you’ll be able to enter beginner-friendly competitions where you can open packs and play with the new cards right away.

Best of all because Draft and Sealed (the most common prerelease formats) only use cards people open in packs at the event you don’t have to come with a deck, or worry about some decades-long MTG veteran walking in with a super powerful deck. For these events you’re all in the same boat on as level a playing field as is possible.

I already have my tickets to go, and if you want to join in you can use Wizard of the Coast’s official events finder to locate your closest game store.

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Even if you haven’t played Final Fantasy 14 Online, it’s hard to avoid the influence its composer, Masayoshi Soken, has had on the gaming landscape.

Be it his diverse back catalog the encompassies everything from bossa nova to speed metal, or his infectiously optimistic personality, Soken has become a beloved figure among 14’s player base - and it is fair to say his work keeps plenty of fans coming back to the game each and every patch.

Outside of the popular MMORPG, Soken was also the lead composer of Final Fantasy 16, as well as some Nintendo DS favorites including Mario Hoops 3-on-3 and the Japan-exclusive horror title Nanashi no Game. I recently sat down with Soken for an interview about his work, inspirations, and some chat on why he’d love to return to the horror genre in the future.

In the studio

Soken begins by explaining that when it comes to composing new music, he prefers a hands-on approach to the game he’s writing soundtracks for.

“When creating I try, if possible, to be able to play the game beforehand,” he says. “I’m a very lived-in gamer, and I think that there are a lot of hints that I can pick up from actually playing the game and understanding the experience.”

That hands-on experience isn’t something that Soken always has the privilege of getting, however. And in such cases, he finds he has to get creative.

“There are quite a lot of occasions where I’m unable to play the game. So I use the power of my imagination to try and understand how the gameplay will be, then create the songs. But thankfully, there haven’t been any occasions where I’m completely lost on what I should do and what kind of song it should be.”

A new record

Final Fantasy 14 Online has been active for almost 12 years now since its A Realm Reborn relaunch back in 2013, and Soken has been composing for the game for just as long. During that time, he's had plenty to work with in terms of environmental design and the themes of certain dungeon and raid encounters.

Soken’s work on both Final Fantasy 14 and Final Fantasy 16 encompasses a broad range of music genres. We’ve heard everything from classical and jazz to metal and electronic dance music. To that end, I wondered how Soken is planning to broaden his musical horizons even further. Though given the breadth of his work so far, such a thing may be quite a challenge.

“For [Final Fantasy] 14, I would say that it’s actually harder to find a genre that we haven’t touched on,” he explains. “Even the current Arcadion raid series, we’ve made a sort-of hip-hop style with rap songs, and we’re always challenging ourselves with new genres. We’ve done big band sounds as well, but at this point, I’m wondering what it is that we haven’t done yet.”

An eikonic effort

One strength of Soken’s work is that you often don’t know what to expect from his compositions. One example that stands out to me is the track that accompanies the Titan Lost boss fight in Final Fantasy 16. The game features a largely classical composition, but this particular fight throws a curveball by leaning into an industrial rock sound.

“The order for that fight was actually classical,” says Soken about the Titan Lost fight. “But when I actually got to play the game, I thought if we were to go with the classical songs we had done up until then - if we were to keep doing the same genre - I thought that something was off.

“I thought this song will have to be rock and roll,” he continued. “So I thought, why don’t I go ahead and just make it, put it into the game, and then we’ll talk. And the person who ordered that was actually [Final Fantasy 16 producer] Naoki Yoshida.

“The people that reacted first were the development team, so I thought this should be fine to implement and I didn’t say anything to Yoshida. Eventually, I went to him and said I think this is perfect in terms of game experience. I assumed he was wondering what kind of classical piece I had come up with, then he must’ve been blown away by the rock song that came up… but he just said it was well made, and it made itself into [the game].”

Getting spooky

It’s true that Soken has plenty of creative freedom especially when composing for Final Fantasy 14 Online. But I was curious whether he - if given the chance - would like to compose music for another game genre entirely, and the answer I got was quite surprising.

“I have actually composed for horror games in the past, but if I can, I probably would do that again,” he explains.

“Horror games have a lot of elements which go into the fear of what you can’t see. Horror has a lot to do with the sense of hearing, and it’s much more about hearing the sound instead of what you see on the screen. So it’s a genre where the skills of the creators are being put to the test, and so I do have the desire to face that challenge.”

There may just be one slight issue here, as Soken explains candidly: “There is a disadvantage to that as well, and that’s that I’m very bad with horror. So even though I want to make it, I might not be able to!”

A lasting legacy

It doesn’t appear that Soken is going to hang up his hat on Final Fantasy anytime soon, though. His compositions still garner millions of listens on platforms like Spotify and YouTube Music, where his work is officially available to stream.

On top of that, he still tours with The Primals - a rock band made up of members of the Final Fantasy 14 Online development team - and makes appearances at the official Final Fantasy Distant Worlds concerts worldwide.

In talking about regular inspirations for his work, Soken cited American rock band Rage Against the Machine as well as legendary Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu.

“Sometimes when I get stuck on what I should do, I’m frequently thinking about what would Uematsu-san do?” says Soken, humorously adding: “When you’re led astray, I think the best thing is to ask God what to do!”

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• Square Enix has launched a new Final Fantasy 9 website
• The website has been made to commemorate the game's 25th anniversary
• Fans are now wondering if we'll see a remake announcement soon

Final Fantasy 9 fans are now hoping for a Nintendo Switch 2 remake as the PS1 classic gets a 25th-anniversary website.

The Squaresoft-developed RPG (role-playing game) was initially released on the original PlayStation on July 7, 2000, meaning its 25th anniversary is just a few short months away. As a result, an official website has been prepared to commemorate the occasion.

The website, translated from Japanese by IGN, states that "various projects, including merchandise and collaborations to commemorate the 25th anniversary" are on the way.

A news section on the website shows that several plushies, books, soundtracks, and memorabilia are being prepared for Final Fantasy 9's 25th anniversary. There is no hard confirmation of a commemorative game or remake as of yet, but that hasn't stopped fans of the RPG from speculating on sites like Reddit.

Plus, the big Nintendo Switch 2 Direct presentation is happening tomorrow (April 2), leading folks to believe a confirmation of a Final Fantasy 9 remake for the upcoming console could be a real possibility.

Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail, the popular MMORPG's (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) latest expansion, also has a main story that's heavily inspired by Final Fantasy 9.

In a vacuum, that admittedly doesn't mean much, as FF14 has routinely paid homage to the series' legacy through various pieces of content. But it does at least show that Square Enix and developer Creative Studio 3 both have Final Fantasy 9 on the brain.

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• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles has suddenly shut down on iOS
• Square Enix says the problem lies with an unsolvable in-app purchase bug
• The specific problem has been speculated on by users

There’s been some surprising news in the world of Final Fantasy, as the game’s developer Square Enix recently shut down Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles on iOS without a warning. The move only struck the game on iOS, with other platforms being unaffected, leaving iOS users wondering what on earth had happened.

According to Square Enix, the issue centered on in-app purchases within the game. In particular, a blog post by the company revealed that “we have been receiving reports of customers unable to access the additional content they purchased for the iOS version of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles.” This problem affects the full, paid version of the game too.

Unfortunately, Square Enix has taken the drastic step of shutting down the game on iOS entirely. The developer said that “Further investigation revealed that we are unable to completely fix the bug and implement the new changes, making it unlikely to resume service for the game.”

Square Enix believes the problem lies with “changes made to the in-app purchases model.” While this seems a little vague, some have speculated that the decision could be due to a recent change to Apple's in-app purchase verification. If true, this could be what has caused the disruption to Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles – although it’s not clear why Square Enix couldn’t update the game to be compliant.

How to get a refund

If you’ve bought in-app purchases in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles on iOS and have been affected by this bug, Square Enix has laid out the steps you can take to get a refund.

To be eligible, you need to have made an in-app purchase in the game in January 2024 or later. The list of affected items includes the full version unlock, the Magic Wallet, the Memory Crystal Pack, and more. The full list can be found in Square Enix’s blog post.

To get your money back, Square Enix advises you to contact Apple Support and request a refund from them. Square Enix’s support team will be available to help until August 31, 2025.

It’s unfortunate to see the game be completely pulled from the App Store. While we would hope that Square Enix is able to find a fix, judging by the company’s own words, it doesn’t sound like that’s going to happen.

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• Tekken 8 Version 1.11 is here; the final update before Season 2 begins
• It nerfs guest character Clive Rosfield
• Quality-of-life updates for quick play and customization have been added

The latest Tekken 8 update has arrived, bringing one last batch of changes and improvements before the game's Season 2 content kicks off in Spring 2025.

The patch notes for Version 1.11 can be viewed in full over at the official Tekken 8 website, but the big talking point has to be the changes applied to the game's newest DLC character: Final Fantasy 16's Clive Rosfield.

The patch notes state that these "changes were made to Clive focusing on suppressing the performance of certain overpowered moves." This includes one of his powerful Heat Engagers and a handful of moves that the patch notes state were "difficult to punish" due to their very quick recovery after use. Changes have been made to make these moves slightly more unsafe when they miss or whiff.

Honestly, this could be a blessing in disguise for Clive mains. Like most other Tekken 8 characters, Clive has a veritable laundry list of great moves that up to this point have been overshadowed by a handful of priority attacks. Now, Clive players should feel encouraged to explore his tool kit in full, which should lead to more varied and creative playstyles for the character.

Thankfully, the patch isn't solely dedicated to nerfing Clive. Version 1.11 has also added a litany of quality-of-life improvements to the game. For non-ranked Quick Match and Tekken Ball, players can now infinitely rematch one another instead of being booted back to standby after the usual best-of-three.

Bandai Namco has also provided a solution for those of you who've run out of customization slots for your favorite characters. Well, sort of. A new 'Shared' customization tab has been introduced, allowing up to 20 more customizations that are shared across the entire roster. It's a shame this hasn't been applied to the entire cast, but if you primarily play as a small handful of characters, this is still a positive change overall.

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A new report suggests that many third-party games are coming to Nintendo Switch 2.

According to leaker 'NatetheHate' (via VGC) Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will be among the first AAA titles to arrive on the Switch 2, alongside Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the latter of which is said to arrive in 2026.

In a recent podcast, it was also claimed that there has been support from Ubisoft to bring two of its Assassin's Creed games to the next-gen console, including 2023's Assassin's Creed Mirage and Assassin's Creed Shadows.

"One title that will be there within the launch window comes from Ubisoft, and it’s going to be Assassin’s Creed Mirage," said the leaker.

Assassin's Creed Shadows isn't expected to be released until March 20 following its recent delay from February 14, for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S, but it's claimed that the game will be making its way to the Switch 2 at a later date.

"To my understanding, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is one of those in development ports, it just won’t be ready for launch, and it probably won’t be ready for the launch window," they said.

It was also claimed that Ubisoft is "doing more than half a dozen games for the Switch 2" and "a lot of them are going to be late ports", including some popular multiplayer titles like The Division and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege.

"There was also some discussion and consideration of doing a Mario Rabbids collection, so it would have one and two in a single package," they added. "It’s just a question of when will these games come out, and I think for Ubisoft, if they can port the game, they will port the game."

The Nintendo Switch 2 doesn't have a release date just yet, but recent reports suggest that the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement could finally happen this week after months of leaks and rumors.

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• Final Fantasy 16's Clive Rosfield is coming soon to Tekken 8 as a playable character
• Season 1 Pass holders can access the character from December 16, 2024
• The Phoenix Gate stage is also being added to the game

Tekken 8's fourth and final DLC character for its year one season pass is none other than Clive Rosfield - protagonist of Final Fantasy 16.

Clive will be added to the Tekken 8 roster on December 16 for owners of the Playable Character Year 1 Pass, which also includes fighters Eddy Gordo, Lidia Sobieska and Heihachi Mishima. Clive will be released for individual purchase after a 72-hour early access period on December 19.

Clive's fighting style in Tekken 8 looks to be a very faithful rendition of his abilities in Final Fantasy 16. He fights with a sword and can call upon the power of Eikons like Titan, Leviathan and Phoenix to launch opponents, extend combos and perform Heat actions. His powerful Rage Art also sees him transform into the Eikon Ifrit.

A brand new stage is also being bundled with Clive: Phoenix Gate. This is an iconic and important location from Final Fantasy 16, and it's hard to think of a more fitting backdrop for his Tekken 8 appearance.

I'm sure that a lot of folks - myself included - would have preferred Tifa Lockhart to take that guest character spot. Her move set in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth makes her seem tailor made for a fighting game appearance.

That said, I'm still plenty happy with Clive, and it's awesome to see Ben Starr returning to voice the beloved protagonist. And hey, Tekken 8 isn't going anywhere fast - there's still every chance Tifa gets added down the line, perhaps around the time that Part 3 of the Remake series gets announced.

We already knew that the fourth Tekken 8 DLC character was to be revealed during The Game Awards 2024, as game director Katsuhiro Harada confirmed as much during last week's Tekken World Tour finals.

Tekken 8's winter update, which includes improvements to photo mode, player search function and 30th anniversary cosmetics via a new Fight Pass, should follow shortly after Clive's release.

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• Final Fantasy 14's character portrait system is getting a welcome update
• It resolves an issue that reverts portraits to default upon making changes
• A pop-up will now let players instantly update their portraits for duties

Final Fantasy 14's much-loved - but clearly somewhat unfinished - character portrait system is getting a much-needed update in the MMORPG's next patch.

Patch 7.1, Crossroads, is the first major patch for the Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail expansion. It's launching on November 12 and bringing with it a bunch of new content to get stuck into, including new main scenario quests, a new 24-man raid based on Final Fantasy 11 and no shortage of quality-of-life additions.

One such quality-of-life change, located deep within the 7.1 patch notes, finally addresses a long-standing issue with the character portrait system first introduced in early 2023. The patch notes read:

"If the gear shown in a saved instant portrait differs from what you have equipped after updating or swapping gear sets, you can update your instant portrait via the displayed window. Adjust this setting by checking or unchecking the 'Use as Instant Portrait' option in the Edit Portrait window."

For context, Final Fantasy 14 allows players to craft bespoke portraits for their characters which show up for all players to see at the beginning of a light party, full party or alliance duty. Everything from pose and expression to background, flair and camera angle can be adjusted.

It's a lovely feature, but until now, if the player changes their character's armor in any way, the portrait reverts to a default state while in these duties. It's often begrudgingly referred to as the 'DMV portrait' by Final Fantasy 14 players, as it reverts the portrait to a default blue background with their character directly facing the camera with an expressionless face.

As of patch 7.1, a pop-up will let players instantly update their portraits after making armor or gear set changes, which saves you from having to delve into the feature's quite convoluted menu system. Sure it's more of a band aid fix than the overhaul it arguably needs, but it's an extremely welcome change that should have less players despairing over default portraits.

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Voting for the 42nd Golden Joystick Awards is now open.

The longest-running annual award show will return on November 21, 2024, and can be watched live here, but ahead of the event fans have the opportunity to vote for their favorite games of 2024 in a total of 19 categories.

Included in those categories are Console Game of the Year, PC Game of the Year, and Best Storytelling, but it's worth noting that the nominees for the Ultimate Game of the Year shortlist will not be announced until November 4, with voting in that category opening the same day.

Among the games nominated in the Console Game of the Year are the critically acclaimed Astro Bot for PS5 which was released last month, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Dragon's Dogma 2, Helldivers 2, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and the latest game in The Legend of Zelda franchise, Echoes of Wisdom.

This year's event will also introduce a few brand-new categories, including Best Soundtrack and Best Audio Design, which will replace the Best Audio award, and the Still Playing Award has also been split into two, with separate ‘Mobile’ and ‘Console & PC’ categories.

A new Best Indie Game - Self Published award has also been created to sit alongside the long-standing Best Indie Game category.

You can vote in the currently available categories here. Voting closes on November 1 at 4pm PDT / 7pm EDT / 11pm BST.

"2023 was one of video gaming’s best years ever, with Baldur’s Gate 3 and Larian Studios claiming a record seven trophies at last year’s Golden Joystick Awards," said Daniel Dawkins, content director for games, video, and digital events.

"2024 has been a challenging year for the games industry in so many ways, but the variety and diversity of releases over the last 12 months has made this one of the most difficult - and exciting - Golden Joystick Awards nominees list we’ve ever compiled."

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Another Final Fantasy 14 expansion means another belting collection of tracks to listen to on repeat both in and out of the popular MMORPG. For Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail, the game’s fifth major expansion, a few songs have stood out from the crowd and comfortably made their way into players’ daily lives. These include ‘Smile’, the gospel-inspired end credits theme, and the infectious ‘Bee My Honey’ from The Arcadion raid series’ second boss fight.

But for me, it’s ‘Give It All’ that stands head and shoulders above the rest. This thumping ballad closes out the first tier of The Arcadion raid series, in no small part thanks to Chrissy Costanza - vocalist of the New York-hailing Against the Current - who lent her voice to the track.

Recently, I was able to chat with Costanza about her role in the song, her history with gaming, what it was like getting to work with Final Fantasy 14’s revered composer Masayoshi Soken, and more.

Preparing to fight

“It was so cool, they were awesome!” says Costanza of getting to work with Soken and the sound team at Square Enix’s Creative Studio 3. “Getting to work with a company, specifically a person you’ve heard about as if they’re some legend, and then all of a sudden they’re in front of you and you’re collaborating together. It was a very surreal experience, I feel really lucky and honored to have been chosen for it.”

The track ‘Give It All’ isn’t Costanza’s first video game project. She - alongside rock band Against the Current - has partnered with Riot Games multiple times to provide songs for the League of Legends World Championships over the years, including ‘Legends Never Die’, ‘Phoenix’, and ‘Wildfire’. Elsewhere, Costanza has performed songs for shonen anime My Hero Academia, so collaborating with people and companies outside of the music industry is fairly old hat for the singer.

“I’ve been a gamer my whole life,” Costanza explains. “In the last five or six years or so I’ve made my way into being a voice in the gaming space, especially when it comes to these more epic tracks. When [Square Enix] mentioned they had this new raid series coming up and there was a song I’d be a good fit for, I was so pumped!”

Lightning will strike, thunder will fall

‘Give It All’ is the theme of Wicked Thunder, the final boss of The Arcadion’s first (and at the time of writing, the most recent) raid tier. Wicked Thunder is the alias of a character known as ‘Eutrope’, who was presumed missing during the story’s events. Later, it’s revealed that Eutrope fled The Arcadion after discovering a diabolical secret about the entertainment enterprise. Her song, in turn, portrays themes of desperation, addiction, and putting everything on the line in order to survive. And like the boss's namesake, the track is simply electrifying.

“The thing that I really loved about this is that there’s a lot of context about her story, what her motivations might be, what she would be feeling. It’s really a song that’s through her lens. To the player, she’s the villain. But in her mind, she’s not, right? This is her comeback moment.” says Costanza of Eutrope.

“It was fun getting to ‘act’ in this track, really putting yourself in the shoes of this person and what her perspective may be during the battle. Usually, you can sing through a track front to back and have it sound good, but it was nice going through this and thinking: ‘Through each of these moments, what would her thoughts be, what would her emotions be like?’

“She’s gonna be riled up sometimes, other times it’ll be more nuanced and subtle, maybe then soft and introspective. It was an exciting project because with Against the Current, I’m just me. I don’t have to think about what someone else might be feeling necessarily. But in this case, it was ‘what is this character feeling?’”

Bringing out the big guns

I’m always a huge fan of seeing established vocalists lend their voices to video game soundtracks. Costanza is far from the first, even for Final Fantasy 14. Sam Carter, the vocalist of Brighton-based metalcore group Architects, sang the lead vocals alongside Amanda Achen for the Endwalker expansion’s main theme, ‘Footfalls.’

Elsewhere, the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has been doing this for years, collaborating with singers including Zebrahead’s Ali Tabatabaee, Bowling for Soup’s Jaret Reddick, and - most recently - Sleeping with Sirens’ Kellin Quinn on Sonic Frontiers. I asked Costanza about video games collaborating with notable singers, and if it’s something she expects to see more of in the future.

“Oh, totally! I’m really passionate about both music and gaming, so seeing the two come together is a dream,” she says. “It’s always a really cool moment for fans of the game and fans of the artist when they see those two things come together. I think it’s cool, as well, when you don’t know one or the other and you’re introduced to them through that.

“I love that music and gaming aren’t being isolated into a corner now. People are now being like: ‘This isn’t just game music, it’s music music.’”

Costanza’s desire to work in the gaming space doesn’t seem to be going anywhere after working on ‘Give It All.’ As well as working on a project for a Dungeons & Dragons setting book, she says that she’d love to be part of “a full soundtrack of a game,” adding that another dream of hers is to provide a full voiceover of a character and their theme song. 

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Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy 16 will finally be released on PC next month.

Over one year since its exclusive PS5 launch, the critically acclaimed action role-playing game (RPG) will be making its debut on Steam and the Epic Games Store on September 17. 

A free demo is also now available to play on both platforms, allowing users to experience the first hours of the game, as well as the 'Eikonic Challenge' mode made specially for this demo, after completing the opening section of the story. 

Save story data will carry over to the full version, which will also require 170GB of free space. 

The announcement also arrived alongside a brand-new trailer, which you can watch below:

Final Fantasy 16's Standard Edition is available to pre-purchase right now, as well as the Complete Edition, which comes with the base game and the two downloadable content (DLC) chapters, Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide, both of which released on PS5 post-launch.

Players can choose to purchase the DLC chapters individually or with the Final Fantasy 16 Expansion Pass, which includes both.

Those who pre-order on either Steam and Epic Games Store will receive additional in-game DLC items, including the Brave Blade Weapon, a Cait Sith Charm (Gil Boost Accessory), and the “Sixteen Bells” Orchestrion Roll.

Earlier this year, Final Fantasy 16's producer Naoki Yoshida said that the RPG will have better performance on high-end PCs than PS5, and that the development team was seeing "over 100FPS" on some hardware.

In TechRadar Gaming's five-star review, we called the game "a shining example of narrative-focused games at their best, boasting immersive storytelling and cinematic action that invites you into its richly detailed world."

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It looks like the existence of Final Fantasy 14 Mobile has been confirmed by the Chinese government.

The news was reported by Daniel Ahmad, director of research and insights at Niko Partners via X / Twitter. Ahmad writes that China has "approved a new batch of import games" with Final Fantasy 14 Mobile among them. The upcoming title is joined by an as of yet untitled Rainbow Six game, a Dynasty Warriors title, and Marvel Rivals.

A breakdown published on the Niko Partners website goes into further detail, stating that Final Fantasy 14 mobile is in development at Tencent's Lightspeed Studios and Square Enix with the Japanese publisher's approval. Ahmad adds further context in a follow-up post, writing that the game is "expected to be a standalone MMORPG" that will be a separate experience to the main game.

And that's all we know about Final Fantasy 14 Mobile so far. While the mobile version will likely share assets with the popular MMORPG, it's probably not going to be the full experience you'd get on console or PC. It's easy to imagine the game's cooldown-based combat system being somewhat streamlined for mobile devices, though.

Still, having a mobile version of the MMO makes a lot of sense. Player counts continue to rise following the launch of Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail. The latest expansion is a transformative one, kickstarting an all-new story arc and introducing a graphical update that massively improves lighting, shadows and texture work. 

The game has also recently been released on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, allowing more players than ever before to take up the mantle of Warrior of Light.

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Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail is the fifth major expansion for the increasingly popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), and for many of us who are caught up in terms of story and content, it’s one that has some impossibly large shoes to fill.

In terms of story at least, Dawntrail is coming off the back of two unequivocally legendary expansions in Shadowbringers (2019) and Endwalker (2021). The former launched the game’s popularity into the stratosphere, while the latter wrapped up the decade-long Hydaelyn/Zodiark saga with terrifyingly high stakes and arguably one of the most satisfying conclusions in gaming history.

Dawntrail isn’t that, opting instead to kick off a brand new story arc in an entirely new region far to the west. And honestly, that’s perfectly okay. If you go in with the right expectations, Dawntrail still provides an incredibly fulfilling main scenario experience, rich with incredible worldbuilding, infectiously likable characters and a focus on a diverse range of cultures and their histories. While not quite as expertly paced as those two expansions that came before it, I once again felt beyond satisfied once the credits had rolled.

Where Dawntrail has other expansions beat, however, is in the quality of its encounter design and the noticeably higher challenge provided by even the non-high level content. While never back-breakingly hard (outside of Extreme trials and Savage raids, that is), you nonetheless have to dial in much more frequently. As a result, I’m extremely confident in the direction Creative Studio 3 has opted to take here, and I can’t wait for Dawntrail to be expanded in future patches. 

Go west

Dawntrail takes you, the Warrior of Light, to an entire continent you’ve yet to explore: Tural. Quite unlike large swathes of Eorzea - where everyone sounds like they’re from Wigan - Tural is a veritable cultural hotpot strongly inspired by various South American regions. The sprawling capital city of Tuliyollal is where your journey begins after a particularly perilous trip across the seas.

In Dawntrail, your goal is to aid Wuk Lamat, one of four claimants to Tuliyollal’s throne in its rite of succession. Objectives are twofold here; in order for Wuk Lamat to become Dawnservant, you must help her locate the legendary city of gold which her father - the current sitting ruler - discovered the gateway to decades ago.

Of course, this is far easier said than done. Opening the entrance to the golden city first requires you to find seven keystones entrusted to several cultural figureheads across Tural. By completing their tasks, you'll earn those keystones.

But as mentioned, this is a four-way race, and those other three are equally as keen on becoming Dawnservant as Wuk Lamat is. First there’s Koana, Wuk’s adopted brother who spent much of his life studying to the east in Sharlayan. As a result, he’s incredibly sharp-minded, and wishes to utilize Sharlayan’s technologies to help Tural prosper. 

Then there’s Zoraal Ja, the current ruler’s son and a man of very few words. Driven by pure ambition, Zoraal Ja makes for a terrifying presence during the rite of succession’s various trials. Lastly, there’s Bakool Ja Ja, something of a scoundrel who typically resorts to underhanded tactics to eke out every advantage he can.

There’s a rich tapestry of characters here, but Dawntrail makes it clear that Wuk Lamat is the expansion’s protagonist - and it’s one of the smartest things Creative Studio 3 has done here with Dawntrail’s plot. Initially, Wuk Lamat comes across as very naive and inexperienced despite her heart of gold. 

While some may find this to be irksome, she’s also a distinctly human character; she’s afraid of heights, gets seasick and has a serious case of imposter syndrome. However, she grows exponentially over the course of the story. Wuk’s passion for her country and love of her people is what gives her an edge over the competition. And crucially, she learns to recognize when people cannot be reasoned with, and becomes unafraid to perform drastic actions should the need arise. I think she’s a wonderful addition to Final Fantasy 14’s cast and I hope she sticks around for the long run.

To go any further would spoil Dawntrail’s story, but despite the seemingly lower stakes, the narrative is filled with its own twists and turns that form an unpredictable and entertaining plot, despite the occasional stint where the story’s pacing tends to drop off a little. 

This pace is the weakest aspect of Dawntrail’s main scenario. It’s by no means awful, mind, but it’s a little more uneven than Shadowbringers and Endwalker. 

Let me paint a picture

As with prior expansions, Dawntrail adds two new playable jobs (or classes for the uninitiated). This time we have two new damage-dealing jobs that add plenty of flair to the game. First is the melee DPS, Viper, which makes use of twin swords that can be combined into a single double-edged blade.

Viper can feel incredibly busy at first, with multiple combos, buffs and debuffs to maintain uptime on. It’s also a relatively fast-paced job, even by melee DPS standards, leading to a playstyle that’s both rapid and demanding. Thankfully, it is still fairly navigable; a yellow border around skills on your hotbar indicates which button you should be pressing next. This makes it very easy to keep track of fights while keeping your hotbars in your peripheral vision.

The second new job - and my favorite of the two - is Pictomancer. This is a casting DPS that utilizes aether-infused paint and motifs to deal damage and provide buffs to allies. Like Viper, Pictomancer initially seems more complex than it actually is, especially as its rotation is a bit more free-flowing than most other DPS roles. But after a little practice, you’ll be quite literally painting up a storm in no time.

As usual, a number of existing jobs have also received updates and - in some cases - major reworks. Monk, for example, feels excellent now thanks to a smart streamlining of its rotation. Instead of needing to upkeep a damage buff and a damage-over-time effect, one of your combos now generates orb stacks that effectively power up your more hard-hitting skills. On top of that, additional utility has been granted in the form of two extremely powerful ranged attacks.

Healer job Astrologian has also had a much-needed rework. Its card drawing system now has some additional depth, and there’s much more utility. Additionally, Astros now have two stacks of Lightspeed on a shorter cooldown, allowing them to instantly cast both damage and healing abilities more frequently.

The broader picture is that now, at Level 100, most of Final Fantasy 14’s jobs are beginning to feel somewhat complete. For example, jobs like Warrior and Reaper have seen very little changes outside of one or two new abilities or burst phase enders. The only real dud I’ve noticed is Summoner, which feels largely unchanged from its controversial Endwalker rework outside of the new form for Bahamut. Summoner, I feel, definitely could use more juice and I hope Creative Studio 3 considers looking over the job in future patches. 

Locked in

Dawntrail’s launch features all the party-based content we’ve come to expect from a new expansion: eight four-player dungeons (three of which are max level ‘Expert’ dungeons), three eight-player trials (essentially large-scale boss encounters, two of which have ‘Extreme’ difficulty variants) and the first of three eight-player raid tiers (which contains four boss fights with ‘Normal’ and ‘Savage’ variants).

Progression, then, isn’t anything we haven’t seen before. That may be frustrating to some players hoping for something a little different as we kick off a brand new story arc for Final Fantasy 14. However, I feel this setup does play to this expansion’s benefit, especially as the overall challenge has seen a noticeable uptick at the casual level. Around the time you reach the Level 95 dungeon, you’ll definitely feel like you have to lock in more as bosses begin throwing out more creative mechanics. It leads to a latter half that’s genuinely thrilling, without ever treading into unfair territory.

The Level 100 Expert dungeons, especially, surprised me with their difficulty compared to Endwalker’s. You have to learn and pay attention, and it wasn’t uncommon for parties to get caught up on a boss or two during progression. Should you fail, you can now respawn directly outside the boss room which is a huge timesaver and a smart way to eliminate the previous ‘walk of shame’ - which had players trudge through an entire empty section of dungeon just to get back to a boss.

This steeper difficulty also applies to Dawntrail’s eight-player raid series; The Arcadion. Set up to be a quintessential tournament arc for our Warrior of Light, this first tier features four fights with some wonderfully inventive mechanics. As an example, the first encounter’s boss begins to break the brittle platforms beneath them partway into the fight. Next, they target a player whom they’ll launch into the air after a few seconds. Said player will need to adjust their position so that, after being launched, they land on a tile that hasn’t been broken. Otherwise, they’ll plummet to their death. It’s a brilliantly thematic mechanic that really helps set the tone of the raid going forward. 

The sights and sounds

Lastly, I’d be remiss to not talk about the graphical overhaul that’s arrived as of Dawntrail’s release. The fundamental look of the game hasn’t changed much, but a much-needed upgrade to lighting, shadows and texture quality allow for a jaw-dropping facelift.

It’s partly why I’m glad that Dawntrail’s initial zones are relatively realistic in their design. The jungles of Kozama’uka, the rocky mounts of Urqopacha, and the swampy forests of Yak’tel all look breathtaking thanks to the overhaul. Certain weather conditions, like rain, are especially slick here, with light realistically bouncing off of wet surfaces.

It’s not just the new Dawntrail zones that have seen this upgrade, either. Checking out some older content, I was amazed by how much the overhaul has transformed some areas. While many locations have only received a light touch, dungeons like Syrcus Tower have received such an impressive upgrade that I almost didn’t recognize them at first.

Character models have seen a significant upgrade, too. Light interacts with skin more naturally than before. The au ra race’s horns are far more detailed, and touches like the way light shines through the softer parts of ears is wonderful attention to detail.

And of course, composer Masayoshi Soken has provided a near-immaculate soundtrack for the expansion; Dawntrail features some of his best work yet. New town and zone themes are some of my favorites to date, and later dungeon and trial themes are particularly hard-hitting, spanning orchestral, metal and drum-and-bass genres. 

Accessibility

Final Fantasy 14 in general offers numerous accessibility settings through its options menus. Your heads-up-display (HUD) can be fully customized for size, opacity and even complexity. UI elements such as player, NPC and enemy names can also be color-coded to your liking as well.

Elsewhere, in the dedicated accessibility settings tab, there are options for clear visual alerts and three distinct colorblind filters (protanopia, deuteranopia and tritanopia).

Finally, Final Fantasy 14 has full controller support across consoles and PC, with a dedicated 'cross hotbar' system designed around the face buttons, d-pad and triggers. PlayStation controllers including the DualSense and DualShock 4 also have touchpad support, allowing you to control a mouse cursor with the controller. Finally, holding LB/L1 and pressing in the right stick brings up a virtual mouse which can be moved with the analog stick and left/right click is assigned to the triggers.

Should I play Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail?

Play it if...

Don't play it if...

How we reviewed Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail

As was the case with prior expansions, it took me roughly 30 hours to clear Dawntrail’s main scenario quest line. This took my Monk job from Level 90 to the new maximum of Level 100. Upon clearing, I went back and leveled more of my favorite jobs including Reaper, Warrior, Pictomancer, and Astrologian to get a feel for their changes and what the new vocations bring to the game.

Before going ahead with this review, I also made sure to wait for The Arcadion raid tier to be released, which came two weeks after the expansion’s launch. Since then, I’ve cleared the ‘Normal’ mode version of the raid tier each week for the weekly rewards, played almost every day to earn tomestone currency for better gear, and have successfully completed the first of two Extreme trials. 

The latest Final Fantasy 14 collaboration campaign is underway right now and it looks like it’s going to be a favorite for those who enjoy sweet treats.

A crossover with bubble tea retailer Gong Cha, the collaboration offers the chance to get an exclusive Porxie King mount for your character in the game. You can do so by purchasing at least three teas in a single transaction at a participating store which will give you a scratch card with a unique code that can be redeemed via the Final Fantasy 14 website.

As you might expect, you can only redeem one code per account and the promotion will only be available while stocks last. The code will only be redeemable until September 4, presumably to try and prevent greedy resellers from hoarding codes to sell at a later date.

The event runs until August 28 and during that time you will also be able to pick up three unique collaboration drinks to try. This includes the Fat Cat Brown Sugar Milk Tea, the Fat Chocobo Mango Frozen Tea, and the Cactuar Matcha Milk Tea. These all come in colorful special edition cups featuring characters from Final Fantasy 14.

Qualifying purchases will also receive a commemorative keychain modeled after one of these drinks. The requirements for getting one of these seem to vary per store and region, however, so developer Square Enix has advised customers to “ask in-store for more details.”

The promotion is available in both the US and UK, though information about which individual stores are participating seems a little scarce. If you have one nearby and are interested in getting the mount, it is definitely worth heading over yourself to check.

Final Fantasy 14 is available now for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S. It received its latest expansion, Dawntrail, earlier this month.

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The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S versions of Final Fantasy 14 unfortunately continue to have issues after the official launch of the Dawntrail expansion.

An update on the game's official Lodestone news website confirms the development team is looking into an "issue wherein the game becomes unresponsive when transitioning between areas," specifically on Xbox versions of the MMORPG. The post goes on to detail the ongoing issue.

"Our current progress involves rigorous testing of each potential cause of the issue and verifying the impact of each measure. However, it is highly likely that it will take time to fully uncover and address the issue, so we have applied a version of the process that we believe may be effective to the public servers. Therefore, while we have not yet received the final confirmation that the issue has been fully addressed, we will continue to monitor the situation in the public environment after the patch has been applied."

Should the issue persist, the team will also "consider extending the free game time we previously announced." That would grant players, who normally have to pay a monthly subscription fee to play Final Fantasy 14, some time to play the game at no extra cost.

Dawntrail is the first major expansion to release after the long-awaited arrival of the Xbox versions of Final Fantasy 14, so it seems likely that growing pains will persist here for some time given the sheer size of the now decade-old MMORPG. Hopefully these issues can be resolved soon so that Xbox players can enjoy the excellent new expansion the same as everyone else.

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Whether you’re a longtime controller user for Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail, or you’re considering making the switch from keyboard and mouse, we’re here to recommend the best controllers for Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

Final Fantasy 14 is an incredibly controller-friendly MMORPG, with controller layouts having their own intuitive user interface in-game. This interface has been carefully designed and improved upon over the years to ensure that players using a controller can clear all the same content that players on keyboard and mouse can - up to and including the nightmarishly hard Ultimate encounters.

No matter whether you’re playing on console or PC, we recommend the following three controllers for how well they gel with Final Fantasy 14’s controller interface and its various settings. We’ll also have a number of alternative options listed at the end for those looking for something a bit different, too. 

Best controller for Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail - PlayStation

DualSense Edge

The DualSense Edge is my go-to controller for playing Final Fantasy 14 on PlayStation 5 as its feature set is perfectly suited to Final Fantasy 14 and its cross hotbar system specifically. Said system is activated by holding down one (or both) of the triggers to access abilities on your hotbar. With the DualSense Edge’s three-setting trigger stops, you can reduce travel time thus allowing you to get to your abilities that much faster.

Secondly, there are a couple of slots on the rear of the controller for attaching optional paddles. Additional button inputs or macros can be assigned to these from the comfort of your console, and you’re able to save up to four profiles you can switch between in a flash thanks to the Edge’s new Function buttons.

What largely elevates the DualSense Edge over the best PS5 controllers, for Final Fantasy 14 specifically, is its excellent touchpad. The touchpad is compatible with the game’s virtual mouse, meaning you can navigate menus and swap around abilities on your hotbar much more fluidly than with the D-pad.

The DualSense Edge is a pricey controller at $199.99 / £209.99 but is worth the price of admission if your budget can stretch to it, in our eyes. If the Edge is beyond your price range, though, consider sticking with the regular DualSense for that lovely touchpad. 

Best controller for Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail - Xbox

Turtle Beach Recon

Now that Final Fantasy 14 is finally available on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, thousands more players have the opportunity to become the Warrior of Light. There are plenty more controller options here compared to PlayStation, but our pick from among the best Xbox controllers for Final Fantasy 14 is the Turtle Beach Recon.

That’s because of the controller’s innovative on-board voice chat controls that’ll be especially handy if you’re taking on high-end Extreme trials, Savage raids, and beyond with your free company or a group of friends. Given that most groups voice chat on Final Fantasy 14 via Discord, and with Xbox having integrated Discord functionality, the Turtle Beach Recon is an excellent pick for the game. 

Those on-board controls allow you to adjust headset volume, chat balance or mic muting all at the touch of a button, with no need to go into your console’s settings. There’s also an equalizer toggle for quickly adjusting audio balance (you’re gonna want to experience Dawntrail’s soundtrack with peak audio settings, right?). And lastly, the ‘Superhuman’ audio toggle boosts voice chat clarity which will be exceptionally useful when listening to callouts from your raid leader. 

Best controller for Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail - PC

GameSir T4 Kaleid

Making another recommendation for a PC controller is another opportunity for me to talk about the GameSir T4 Kaleid. I do bang on about this PC-facing controller a lot, but the truth is that it’s a gamepad that’s seriously difficult to beat at its relatively low price point. While I think it’s an excellent controller for fighting games (and recently appeared in my best controllers for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree guide), it’s also a fantastic fit for Final Fantasy 14.

Seriously wonderful features like its drift-resistant Hall effect sticks and tactile micro switch face buttons make for a long-lasting controller that has the pin-sharp responsiveness you’ll need in high-end content. Hell, it’ll likely last you the next decade of Final Fantasy 14 expansion releases. 

And while it lacks the handy trigger stops of the DualSense Edge (which is also compatible with PC, by the way), the excellent free-to-download GameSir Nexus PC app lets you adjust trigger sensitivity. That’s especially handy if you’ve got double-tap enabled to access additional hotbars. Overall, the GameSir T4 Kaleid remains one of the best PC controllers on the market and very hard to beat at its budget price of $41.99 / £41.99. 

Best controller for Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail - Alternatives

If none of the above options are quite to your liking, check out the list below for the best rates right now on a range of excellent controllers for Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail. 

Final Fantasy 14 Online director and producer Naoki Yoshida has said he'd like anybody to be able to play the popular massively-multiplayer-online-role-playing-game (MMORPG) "regardless of device," including the tentatively named Switch successor, Nintendo Switch 2.

As reported by GamesRadar, Yoshida said as much to YouTube outlet Easy Allies in their interview with him at the Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail media tour preview event. As is common for the director, when posed the question of a potential Switch successor release for the MMORPG, he gave a more well-rounded answer.

Yoshida stated that his "dream or goal for more than 10 years at this point is for players to be able to play Final Fantasy 14 regardless of device." He points to the game's recent Xbox Series X|S launch as an example of that, though he stresses that was a very long process.

"Of course, we would love to have our title available on the Nintendo platform and we do want to continue our efforts on it," he adds, "but it did take a lot of time with Xbox."

Still, Yoshida remains optimistic about Final Fantasy 14 eventually reaching the next Nintendo console. "We will try our best," he says, "and continue to work hard at it and continue our efforts."

There's much appeal to being able to play Final Fantasy 14 on a portable device away from the TV or a gaming monitor. And while we've seen this with the MMO's compatibility with Steam Deck, it's worth stressing that Final Fantasy 14 is an incredibly demanding game thanks to the abundance of players on-screen at any given time, as well as the need for a stable online connection.

The Nintendo Switch 2, then, will need to be significantly more powerful in the specs department when compared to its predecessor. And while we are expecting the succeeding console to be a notable upgrade, whether that'll be enough for the gargantuan MMO remains to be seen.

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• Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail's Naoki Yoshida recommends playing this piece of content before starting the new expansion

When Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail launches on July 2 (or June 28 if you’ve pre-ordered for early access), one of the things I’m most excited about is the new dungeons we’ll get to experience as we progress through the new main scenario content. During the recent Dawntrail Media Tour, I was able to get a taste of this with a few playthroughs of the expansion’s first dungeon, Ihuykatumu.

Accessible at Level 91 - positioning it as the first dungeon of the expansion - Ihuykatumu is a wonderfully tropical adventure that, as we’ve come to expect from Final Fantasy 14’s best dungeons, packs in tons of location and set piece variety into a compact 15-20 minute experience. 

A rocky start?

I’m going to praise Ihuykatumu a lot here, but I have to get a major complaint out of the way before diving into what makes this dungeon so special. It’s that the opening segment of the dungeon starts off on a bit of a weak note, locking the party onto a single platform while groups of enemies rush in, one after the other.

It’s not an uncommon way for Final Fantasy 14 dungeons to begin. We’ve seen it with Endwalker’s Lapis Manalis and Shadowbringers’ Anamnesis Anyder. It’s by no means terrible, but the whole set piece makes for a slow start to an otherwise excellent dungeon.

Thankfully, the set piece overall is nonetheless stunning. The party is aboard a large, sturdy raft, barreling down a river in monsoon conditions. While the initial pace of the dungeon may be slow, the background elements and weather conditions do a fantastic job of simulating a rapid pace. After dispatching a few waves of enemies, we run into another boat that forcibly knocks us off course. We make an emergency docking and are greeted by the first of three bosses.

This boss, the Prime Punutiy, takes the form of a large seal-like creature that’s somehow able to float off the ground. The boss itself doesn’t really feature any mechanics we haven’t seen before, but it sets a strong first impression thanks to its presentation. The creature has a massive set of lungs on it, allowing it to call forth severe winds that send obstacles like trees and boulders crashing onto the arena, which you’ll need to avoid. It’s an area-of-effect (AOE) dodging-heavy encounter, meaning you’ll need very careful positioning in order to avoid all the dangers.

Clearer skies

After dispatching the Prime Punutiy, the weather clears up and we get welcome sunlight peeking through the overcast skies. But we can’t enjoy the nice weather for too long, as we’re thrust into a network of caves that do a wonderful job of showing off Final Fantasy 14’s new graphical update - particularly with its enhanced lighting.

Patches of flora and vegetation add a touch of greenery to these cave networks, and natural holes in the ceiling allow sunlight to shine through. Clear care has been taken to really spruce up what could’ve been an otherwise dull, straightforward cave environment.

As we progress further, we surprisingly run into a new character, Koana, alongside our erstwhile companions Thancred and Urianger. Rather shockingly, though, Thancred uses his blade to cause a cave-in, forcing our party to take a rather unsafe detour. It’s likely, then, that the divide in the Scions’ ranks teased by director and producer Naoki Yoshida, could be set in motion very early into Dawntrail’s main scenario.

As a result of Thancred’s betrayal, we run into what’s easily the most creative enemy Ihuykatumu has to throw at us. A group of multicolored slimes morph to take on the shape of the Warrior of Light and their party members and engage us in battle. The enemies themselves aren’t really mechanically unique, but seeing amorphous versions of ourselves shuffle toward us like zombies definitely caught me off guard.

This is something we see come back during the second boss fight, against a large sleepy creature named Drowsie, who’ll summon these slime homunculi as additional enemies to engage with during the fight. 

Besides that, this boss’ main mechanic involves large vines sprouting from the earth, which will pick a direction (marked by an arrow) before slamming into the ground after a few seconds. This first attack is fairly easy to avoid, but the vines then grow in size, creating much larger AOEs on their second slam. This is a little tougher to dodge, and you’ll need to quickly identify a safe spot in the arena to avoid being clobbered. Again, it’s a fun and interesting boss encounter, but we’ve yet to reach the dungeon’s best part.

Beetle Mania

We exit the network of caves to be greeted by sunshine and soon notice that those once overcast skies have now largely cleared up. We have one last trek through dense forestry, fighting off the dungeon’s largest mobs yet, before reaching its final boss, which we first catch a glimpse of as it descends onto the field to snack on some animal carcasses.

When we get to the boss arena, the boss properly introduces itself as Apollyon, a towering emerald-hued beetle that packs a lot of nasty mechanics. While not massively difficult, the boss nonetheless surprised me with its level of challenge in relation to dungeon bosses from previous expansions.

The first notably challenging mechanic is a set of two overlapping AOEs that cover most of the arena. You’ll need to wait for the first set to go off, before quickly running over to one of the few safe spots that have been revealed. This is swiftly followed up with a large circular AOE that appears above each player’s head. Each party member will need to then spread out so as to not hit each other with these.

However, the nastiest mechanic the boss has is a tornado it summons partway through the fight. The tornado travels across the arena without stopping, eventually firing line AOEs in eight directions. Players will have to constantly adjust their positioning while the tornado is moving, and it was quite tough to focus on my job’s rotation while keeping the tornado’s movement in view. And if you do get hit, you’ll be applied with a nasty damage-over-time debuff which will need to be healed through pronto. Overall, Apollyon is an excellent dungeon boss who does something slightly different and presents a challenge slightly greater than what I was expecting.

Overall, I think Ihuykatumu is a very strong opening dungeon, despite its slow start. Moving between exterior and interior environments while the weather changes almost in real time was a real visual treat. On top of that, its enemies and bosses offered plenty of surprises. If I had to rank it, I’d place it above Endwalker’s first dungeon; The Tower of Zot. However, I don’t think anything is quite going to be able to beat Shadowbringers’ Holminster Switch and its horrendously bleak setting. But that’s always going to be a tough act to follow.

While my experience with the Ihuykatumu dungeon came from a pre-release build of Dawntrail and so is subject to change, if this taster is anything to go by, then I’m seriously excited to see what kind of wild rides the rest of Dawntrail’s dungeons take us on. 

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Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail is just a few weeks away and Warriors of Light across the globe are eager to explore an entirely new frontier of a fantastical world that many like to call their second home. For those who are up to date with Final Fantasy 14’s story, the Dawntrail expansion represents a new beginning for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG); bright horizons of a fresh saga after the often heart wrenching gloom of Shadowbringers and Endwalker.

I recently attended the European leg of Dawntrail’s media tour, and had the chance to explore a handful of the expansion’s new zones as well as the Viper and Pictomancer jobs being added to the game. While these areas were certainly much more grounded than many of the high fantasy locales of expansions’ past, I’m happy to report that the sense of scale, awe, and wonder remains as strong as ever.

Before we begin, however, I must stress that the version I played was based on a pre-release build of the Dawntrail expansion. That means everything from world design to job action potency is subject to change in the run-up to its full release on July 2 (or June 28 if you’ve pre-ordered for early access). 

Our new home

My journey began in Tural’s capital of Tuliyollal, one of the new hub cities featured in Dawntrail. The South American-inspired locale is teeming with details both big and small. Makeshift shop stalls line winding streets and alleyways, separating a wide open harbor from the residential areas and gardens above.

Tuliyollal has a distinctly different vibe from the cold, scholarly stones of Old Sharlayan and the (quite literally) otherworldly nature of The Crystarium. Instead, the new hub city feels delightfully down to earth. The map design here is pleasantly robust, which I imagine Creative Studio 3 took into account when building Tuliyollal in line with the utterly gorgeous graphics update. But more on that later. 

I’d be remiss to not mention Tuliyollal’s music, which is delightfully funky during the day and carries a smooth, steady rhythm at night. I love it, and it’s already seeming like composer Masayoshi Soken and the sound team are onto another sterling score with this latest expansion.

Beyond Tuliyollal, I got to explore two of Dawntrail’s open zones. The first was Kozama’uka, an absolutely breathtaking area populated by dense forests and towering jagged cliff sides from which countless waterfalls flow. At first glance, it’s not dissimilar to Endwalker’s Thavnair, but what really sold me on Kozama’uka was its sharply vibrant color palette. You’ll run into flora ranging across the whole color spectrum, and if you’re using a bright HDR-capable display, this could likely be one of your new favorite locations for taking screenshots in.

The second of the two zones I visited was Urqopacha, a mountainous location with a more seemingly temperate climate. This area feels much more inhabited, in no small part thanks to the many specks of civilization dotted throughout the region. While I found Urqopacha to be not quite as visually striking as Kozama’uka, this is more than made up for in the sheer amount of detail throughout the zone. There are loads of charming rustic buildings and plenty of foliage and environmental objects that all lend a distinctly lived-in vibe. It reminded me a touch of Stormblood’s Azim Steppe, albeit far less flat and vastly more visually interesting.

Beyond these overworld areas, I was also able to check out Dawntrail’s first dungeon, though I’ll have a full overview of this in a separate preview as there’s a ton to go over. For now, just know that it’s a very strong opening dungeon that packs plenty of twists and some genuinely surprising boss mechanics. 

Snake? Snake!

Another highlight of my time with Dawntrail was a chance to try out the expansion's new jobs (read: classes) - Viper and Pictomancer. Starting with Viper - the sixth melee DPS job in Final Fantasy 14 - if you found Endwalker’s Reaper to be a bit on the simple side, then I’ve got good news. Viper certainly has a higher learning curve, but not so much that it feels unwieldy.

Viper has the usual three-step standard combo we’ve come to expect from most DPS jobs, but the new vocation makes things more interesting. Its combo system is more robust, leading to one of four (yes, four) combo finishers based on what your previous two inputs were. This is plenty stylish, but there’s a method to it, too. 

You’ll want to cycle through each combo finisher in order to keep your personal buffs and enemy debuffs active. There are three you’ll want to keep up at all times. Noxious Gnash increases the damage dealt to a target. Hunter’s Instinct boosts your own personal damage dealt. Finally, Swiftscaled increases your attack speed. It might sound a bit much, but thankfully, your hotbar will highlight abilities that you’ve yet to use as part of your overall rotation, making that side of the flowchart very easy to manage.

Beyond this, you’ll also work on building up your Serpent’s Ire gauge. This will naturally build up as you perform abilities, enabling you to access an incredibly powerful and fast-hitting combo string for massive damage, not unlike Reaper’s Lemure Shroud state. You’ll want to use this combo as soon as it’s ready and, preferably, when all your buffs are primed.

I’m more of a caster in Final Fantasy 14, but I ended up really enjoying Viper and the flow of its rotation. At max level, you’ll be doing a lot of double and even triple-weaving off-global-cooldown skills between your main combos, making the job feel fast and energetic. Given the very quick nature of its button presses, however, you’ll likely want decently low ping in order to avoid clipping skills, especially during high-end content. 

A picture paints a thousand spells

Onto Pictomancer, then, and I found in it a caster DPS that was vastly unlike Black Mage, Red Mage, and Summoner. Like Viper, Pictomancer will take some getting used to thanks to its relatively unorthodox flowchart.

Pictomancer’s basic abilities take the form of Aetherhue actions. Think of these as your simple fire, water, thunder spells, and so on. Casting these in sequence will build up the job’s Palette gauge, which can then be spent on more powerful spells.

On top of this, Pictomancer is able to create Motifs, divided into Creature, Weapon, and Landscape categories. These are assigned to the job’s bespoke canvas heads-up display, making them easy to keep track of. 

You’ll need these motifs assigned to your canvases in order to access the job’s most potent abilities. For example, the Weapon Motif, when cast, is then replaced with the Hammer Motif that provides a hard-hitting spell combo. Meanwhile, casting the Landscape Motif changes it to the Starry Sky Motif. This in turn will create a colorful area of effect around the player, reducing their recast time for those aforementioned Aetherhue spells.

While extremely fun to mess around with, and packing some delightfully vibrant spell effects, Pictomancer was definitely the trickier of the two jobs to get to grips with. However, director and producer Naoki Yoshida also seems to be a huge fan of the job. In my brief interview with him at the media tour, he said: “I’ve liked playing Pictomancer so much that I’m considering playing it together with Black Mage as my main jobs. It would be interesting to use Pictomancer in various types of content, and you’ll be able to realize how well-balanced it is. I would encourage players to try it out.”

Take it all in

Finally, it’s worth mentioning the first graphical update coming to Final Fantasy 14 with the Dawntrail expansion. The update was present in the media tour build, and, admittedly, it felt a tad surreal playing the decade-old MMORPG with such a dramatic upgrade to its visual presentation.

Now, you shouldn’t expect the game to look drastically different; you’ll still recognize it as the MMORPG you know and love. However, I can’t stress enough just how beautiful the game looks in motion now - far more than any screenshot or even the recently updated benchmark can demonstrate.

The lighting is exceptionally noteworthy here, adding so much depth to the scene. High-quality shadows are accurately cast off buildings, objects, and characters. The improvement is especially apparent in busier or more complex locales, like Tuliyollal, where the varied sizes of streets and alleyways allow the lighting to react to the environment in myriad ways.

It’s really quite fitting that the visual update was saved for Dawntrail, specifically. It’s our first foray into the New World and with it an entirely new saga. Seeing Final Fantasy 14 have such a striking visual glow-up here makes the entire game feel like it’s meaningfully evolving in more than just story and content, and it’ll certainly go a long way to future-proof the game for years to come.

Of course, it’s not just lighting that’s received a touch-up. Texture detail has also seen a significant boost. Clothing and armor now bear more realistic-looking material. For example, the artifact gear for Red Mage (which you can see in the above image) looks to have a soft-felt texture, especially noticeable when viewed up close. Meanwhile, metallic armor and weapons have a polished sheen to them. This upgrade, in tandem with the new two-channel dye system, is going to help your Warrior of Light’s Glamour game be all the more, well, glamorous.

Overall, my early impressions of the Dawntrail expansion are glowing, and we were only able to scratch the surface of what’ll be on offer in the full release. While the demonstration was limited to exploring a handful of zones and fighting creatures in the world, the new jobs and the visual overhaul strongly hint at Dawntrail being a very special expansion and a potentially monumental evolution for the game as a whole. 

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Final Fantasy 14's next big expansion, Dawntrail, is just around the corner. Finally launching on July 2 (or June 28 if you've pre-ordered for early access), Warriors of Light will be whisked away for the beginning of a brand new story arc for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG).

Last week, I attended Dawntrail's European media tour, where I had the chance to speak with Final Fantasy 14 director and producer Naoki Yoshida about the upcoming expansion. I asked Yoshida if there's any piece of content that exists in the game now, that he'd recommend players to experience before starting Dawntrail's main scenario questline.

"There is one piece of content that I would recommend that would provide insights into the lore of the world, and would connect to what would happen in Dawntrail," says Yoshida. "That would be Aloalo Island from the Variant Dungeon series. But apart from that, if I say too much, you'll get spoilers!"

In Final Fantasy 14, Variant Dungeons are optional multi-route dungeons that can be tackled solo, or with a party of up to four players. Exploring the different routes within will not only challenge players with different boss encounters but will allow them to slowly uncover the lore and mysteries surrounding the area.

The Aloalo Island Variant Dungeon sees players teaming up with Matsya, a timid fisher who played a significant role in the Endwalker expansion (and who was the centerpiece of one of its most heartwrenching cutscenes). The location does seem to fit the bill in terms of aesthetics, too. Though if Yoshida is highlighting it as something to check out before Dawntrail, it's likely we'll find some ties to the New World there, even if they're not immediately apparent.

Yoshida also stressed that players should brush up on Final Fantasy 14 lore in general. "You could take a look through the lore books like Encyclopedia Eorzea and brush up on the make-up of the world, and that might be helpful. But I think if I say anything more, there will be spoilers.

"However, what I can say is that the Warrior of Light will be going forth on their vacation. But for how long it will last a vacation... who can say, because the Warrior of Light always gets dragged into trouble!"

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Gaming furniture manufacturer Secretlab has unveiled the Secretlab Titan Evo Final Fantasy 14 Edition, a new special edition chair created in collaboration with Final Fantasy developer Square Enix.

Released to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Final Fantasy 14, the chair comes ahead of the release of the critically acclaimed MMORPG’s huge Dawntrail expansion in July. The chair comes in a deep blue Secretlab Neo Hyrbid Leatherette complete with eye-catching gold details inspired by the look of the Crystal Tower's Ocular - a location in the game.

It also features unique magnetic patches, which add a small element of personalization. They are each designed to reflect one of the three combat roles in Final Fantasy 14 (tank, healer, and DPS) and can be swapped out at any time in order to best reflect your current playstyle.

Regarding the magnetic patches, Secretlab co-founder Alaric Choo said: “we designed special Magnetic Role Patches so that adventurers can customize their Secretlab Titan Evo chair just like customizing their in-game characters.” The Final Fantasy 14 development team also described the chair as “everything players need to take on the game’s biggest challenges.”

We first reviewed the Secretlab Titan Evo back in 2022, where we awarded it four and a half out of five stars and described it as “one of the best gaming chairs on the market” thanks to its high-quality build and excellent level of comfort.

If you’re a Final Fantasy 14 fan who wants a special edition Secretlab product without having to splash out for a pricey new chair, then you’re in luck: the release of the chair comes alongside two new memory foam lumbar pillows inspired by companions from the game. 

As the name would suggest, the Secretlab Memory Foam Lumbar Pillow Fat Cat Edition is covered in an adorable graphic featuring the game's iconic chubby cat minion. The Alpha Edition, on the other hand, is decorated with the lovable chocobo Alpha who debuted in the Stormblood expansion's Omega raid series. 

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Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth players should now have no trouble trying to obtain the game's Platinum Trophy, as Square Enix has finally resolved the bug affecting completion.

Last week, Square Enix reassured fans that it would implement a fix in its role-playing game via a scheduled update after fans reported that they couldn't complete the 'Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop' sidequest located in the Gold Saucer. 

Some who were aiming to 100% the game by obtaining all PlayStation 5 trophies were unable to do so due to the bug, but thankfully a patch has been rolled out, resolving the issue while also adding new improvements to functionality and stability (via GamesRadar).

Patch 1.030 is available now to download and it looks like the issue surrounding the 'Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop' quest stems from a sub-quest called 'Challenge from a Player' that occurs in Chapter 12, where the quest would prevent the player's progress even if the clear conditions for the Gold Saucer's G-Bike minigame were met.

Although the bug is now fixed, Square Enix notes that you'll need to "meet the G Bike clear conditions again after the update" once more, but that previous progress in the quest hasn't been reset.

Elsewhere, new courses should now be released correctly in the Battle Simulator, and the issue where the trophy 'Sabotender Senbon Knocker' could not be obtained even if the conditions were met, has also been fixed. You can read the full patch notes below.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth version 1.030 patch notes

• Fixed a bug in the side quest Can't Stop Won't Stop" that occurs in Chapter 12 that may prevent the quest from progressing even if the G-bike clearing conditions are met.
  • In order to progress through the quest, you will need to meet the conditions for clearing the G bike again after the update. Thank you for your understanding.
  • If you have already completed the quest, your progress will not be reset.

• Fixed a bug that occurred when proceeding with certain procedures in some research reports.
• Fixed a bug in "Battle Simulator" that in rare cases, new courses were not released.
• Fixed a bug that if certain conditions were met, the favorability would not increase even if you selected an option that would increase your favorability.
• If there was a bug that prevented you from obtaining the trophy "Cactuar Crusher" even if the conditions were met, it was fixed so that you could get it.
• Fixed some problems when loading save data that occurred under certain conditions, as well as the phenomenon of forced termination and inability to progress during play.
• When the previous save data is read repeatedly, the status of the last saved data of the previous game that was read is reflected.
• Fixed some display bugs.

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Square Enix has officially begun development on the third and final part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth director Tetsuya Nomura, scenario writer Kazushige Nojima, and composer Nobuo Uematsu all sat down for a Special Talk Session on Square Enix's Music YouTube channel yesterday (April 1) to discuss the development of the ongoing trilogy and the recent release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

The trio of developers reflect on plenty in the video, including Uematsu's work on the Final Fantasy series, writing Aerith's theme song, as well as how the character Vincent Valentine "wasn't included in the game until halfway through development" before he was finally added. 

At one point, Uematsu tells Nomura, "It has to be mentally taxing, trying to recreate something you put to bed decades ago, but with the latest technology, and for a whole new generation." Nomura responds by saying, "Years ago, during the planning phase, I knew the kind of commitment a project like this would require."

"Part of me didn't want to do it," he continues. "I could already see how much work this was going to be, and once we got started, there was no throwing in the towel halfway through. You can't leave things on a cliffhanger. You're stuck now. It's a massive undertaking. From the moment production started, I wanted it to end. At least now we're finally past the midway point." 

Later in the discussion, Nomura says that he'd liked to be done with the trilogy due to the sheer scale of it, saying, "Personally, I want to be done with this absolute marathon of projects."

Following some earlier talk about the trilogy's music, the creative director turns to Uematsu and says that since he worked on the first and second games, "it stands to reason that you have to come back for the third," to which the composer said, "It'd be my honor," despite previously stating (via VGC) he doesn't think he'll ever compose another full game again. 

It wasn't until later on in the video did we finally get confirmation that the final installment in the Remake trilogy is officially in development, with Nomura confirming that he and Nojima are already "hard at work" on the third game, adding: "We're off to the races already."

Nomura jokes how Uematsu is going to "surpass the songs you've already composed for us" and if he's up for the challenge. The composer simply says, "For starters, I'm gonna take a vacation."

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Final Fantasy 16's producer Naoki Yoshida has offered some insight into the game's PC performance benchmark.

Earlier this month, Yoshida confirmed that after almost one year of PlayStation 5 exclusivity, the PC port of Final Fantasy 16 is now in the "final stages of optimization", and that although it doesn't yet have a release date, Square Enix will be releasing a demo ahead of launch. 

The producer also revealed that the PC specifications will be "somewhat high" but at the time of writing, the detailed requirements haven't been shared. However, in a recent interview with MMORPG, Yoshida was able to provide some more information about the game's optimizations.

When asked if there are any enhancements for the PC port over the PS5 version, Yoshida said there's nothing for localization but that it will have "better performance on a PC than PS5".

"If you have a very high end PC, you probably will get better graphical fidelity and better performance," Yoshida said. "But if you have a lower end PC, you're not going to be able to compete with the PS5."

He continues, saying that the team's engineers are working on optimization and testing the limits.

"We've seen some hardware getting that framerate up over 100 (fps) in places, but again, it's going to depend on the hardware that you have," Yoshida explains. "We're doing a lot of testing on that now. But the better the hardware you have, the better you're gonna see."

We've also recently learned that the upcoming port would require users to have an SSD due to the game's technical demand, with Yoshida explaining that the loading screens would be much faster and better optimized for players if the RPG is installed on an SSD as opposed to an HDD.

Yoshida went on to encourage users to try out the PC demo before they purchase the game so they can test how it performs on their build.

In terms of a release date, Yoshida couldn't confirm one but did say, "It's not like it's a year away. We're getting close to that release date, so players shouldn't have to wait too much longer."

Final Fantasy 16 received its first downloadable content (DLC) expansion, Echoes of the Fallen, in December and it was recently announced that its second DLC, The Rising Tide, will now arrive on April 18.

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A recent trailer for Final Fantasy 16 - The Rising Tide offers our first peek at the second major downloadable content (DLC) expansion for the action role-playing game (RPG) and confirms that it will be released later this year.

Available either as a separate purchase or as part of the Final Fantasy 16 Expansion Pass, The Rising Tide sees protagonist Clive Rosfield travel to the new region of Mysidia at the behest of a mysterious letter. Here, he must undertake a series of all-new story quests to rescue the Dominant of Leviathan the Lost - the powerful beast, or Eikon, of water.

The DLC also includes plenty of new side quests, battles, accessories, and weapons, alongside an increased overall level cap. In addition to confirming that the expansion will be released on April 18, 2024, the trailer offers about two minutes of footage with some glimpses of the upcoming environment and a few enemy encounters. You can watch the full trailer for yourself below:

Players who purchase The Rising Tide expansion in a standalone capacity or buy the Expansion Pass will also receive some bonus items to use in the main game. This includes a reimagined ‘Curtana’ weapon inspired by Final Fantasy 14 and two special orchestrion rolls to customize the background music in your hideaway. 

Up to date

A free update is arriving the same day as The Rising Tide, bringing the game to version 1.30. This update will focus on adding some small quality-of-life improvements, such as the ability to use a new ‘Quick Complete’ function to quickly turn in a completed quest when you return to its quest giver. 

Certain quests will also feature updated icons and there will be a new Skill Set feature that allows you to save up to five skill sets. On top of this, some abilities and accessories will be ‘adjusted for easier use’ and additional collectible orchestrion rolls will be added. The game’s photo mode will benefit from some new features, while a new custom controller setting will finally allow players to freely customize the button layout - which is likely to be a huge improvement from an accessibility standpoint.

We awarded Final Fantasy 16 a glowing five stars in our Final Fantasy 16 review when it launched for PlayStation 5 in July last year, praising its exceptional story and thrilling battles. If you’ve been holding off for the perfect time to dive into one of the best PS5 exclusives, then it looks like these small improvements could be worth the wait.

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Final Fantasy 14 Online's Dawntrail expansion finally has a release date, and it'll be welcome news for those looking forward to a certain highly-anticipated From Software DLC.

Announced during the Dawntrail panel at PAX East, Final Fantasy 14 producer and director Naoki Yoshida revealed that the expansion will launch on July 2. However, as with previous expansions, those who pre-order Dawntrail will be given 4 days early access beginning on June 28.

"We actually wanted to start it a week earlier," says Yoshida in regards to the early access release date, before simply saying: "Elden Ring DLC..."

"We figured everyone would be interested in playing the Elden Ring DLC," he continues, referring to the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion set to arrive on June 21. "I'll give you one week!"

Trails unto dawn

During the PX East panel, Yoshida also revealed the physical collector's edition for Dawntrail, which features new key art by Yoshitaka Amano, a figure of the Warrior of Light wearing the gear of the new Viper job, a notebook, a pen case, and an updated map of Hydaelyn - the planet Final Fantasy 14 takes place on.

Lastly, Yoshida confirmed that the long-awaited Final Fantasy 16 crossover event will be coming to Final Fantasy 14 on April 2, running until May 8. So players will have just over a month to experience this limited-time questline and earn all of its unique rewards which include protagonist Clive Rosfield's outfit as well as a Torgal mount.

Final Fantasy 14 players have much to look forward to in the run-up to Dawntrail's release, then. Sometime between now and the expansion's launch, we can also expect the second part of the Moogle Treasure Trove event, though the date for this has yet to be revealed.

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• Why Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's Cid deserved better

The Xbox Series X|S version of Final Fantasy 14 will require players to have an Xbox Game Pass subscription.

Today (March 19) Square Enix shared an updated Lodestone blog post which provided more details about the massively multiplayer online game's (MMO) upcoming release on March 21.

The developer confirmed that users on Xbox will need an Xbox Game Pass (Core or Ultimate) membership to play, adding that the free trial "does not" require a Game Pass and that Final Fantasy 14 is not a Game Pass library title.

Those wishing to purchase the full game will need to buy either the Starter Edition, Complete Edition, or Complete Collector's Edition, and then link their Microsoft and Square Enix accounts. The same applies to free trial users.

In addition, Square Enix has also announced a new microtransaction currency exclusive to the Xbox version. They're called "FFXIV Coins" and will be required to buy any optional items from the game's Mog Station or Final Fantasy 14 Online Store - whether that be cosmetic items, mounts, minions, dye, accessories, and more. 

"Payment for service fees and optional item purchases will require FFXIV Coins, which can be purchased from the Microsoft Store," the blog post reads, which provides further instructions.

"After purchasing FFXIV Coins from the Microsoft Store, log into the Xbox Series X|S version of Final Fantasy XIV to have the purchased FFXIV Coins credited to your Square Enix Account. You will not be able to use the purchased FFXIV Coins until you log in, so please be sure to log in after purchasing FFXIV Coins."

FFXIV Coins will only apply to the Xbox Series X|S version of the MMO. 

Starting March 21 through to April 19, the Final Fantasy 14 Starter Edition - which comes with A Realm Reborn, Heavensward, and Stormblood - will be available for free as an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate perk. As an early purchase bonus for the Starter Edition, Complete Edition, or Complete Collector's Edition, players will also receive two in-game items including the Wind-up Palom Minion and the Menphina earring, which grants a 30% EXP bonus up to level 80.

Final Fantasy 14 also received patch 6.58 today, the final content update in preparation for the release of the Dawntrail expansion this summer.

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Square Enix has released the last Final Fantasy 14 Online patch ahead of the launch of the Dawntrail expansion this summer.

Although not a major content update, patch 6.58 does make significant changes to plenty of the massively multiplayer online game's (MMO) core game features. For instance, the patch will now allow players to earn rewards much faster and more often from the Thaleia 24-person alliance raid as the weekly limit on loot and coins has been removed. 

The weekly restriction on receiving Unsung Blades of Anabaseios from Anabaseios: The Twelfth Circle has also been removed, while the drop rate for the Lynx of Abyssal Grief Flute in the Abyssal Fracture (Extreme) has been further increased to make grinding for mounts even easier.

Additionally, players will now discover that The Abyssal Fracture (Extreme) has been moved from the Raid Finder to the Duty Finder and that the strength of the Echo granted in Pandaemonium: Anabaseios (Savage) has been increased, offering a boost in health, damage dealt, and healing potency by 15%.

Elsewhere, two Final Fantasy 14 Jobs have received changes for PvP season 10 of which will end soon, including Paladin and Dancer. More specifically, Paladin's barrier effect from the Holy Sheltron action has been reduced slightly from five seconds to four, while the potency has been dramatically decreased from 12,000 to 8,000. 

It's not all nerfs though, as the damage dealt to nearby enemies has been increased from 100% of the remaining barrier potency to 150%. Paladin's Confiteor, Blade of Faith, Blade of Truth, and Blade of Valor skills have also received a small 1,000 damage boost respectively.

As for Dancer, the Honing Ovation ability has received a slight nerf, with attack and barrier potency granted by each stack of Acclaim being decreased by 1,000. You can check out the specifics in the patch notes here as well as further system and bug fixes.

Patch 6.58 will be the last update before the upcoming launch of Dawntrail this summer. The expansion doesn't have a release date just yet unfortunately, but players can expect it to launch alongside official Xbox Series X|S support, which also happens to have an open beta available right now.

You might also like

• The best MMORPGs available right now.
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Microsoft is currently running a sweepstake competition for an absolutely stunning Final Fantasy 14-inspired console bundle that features an attractive Xbox Series X and custom Xbox Wireless Controller - but there’s a massive catch.

Buried in the competition’s lengthy terms and conditions, eagle-eyed entrants have spotted that the console bundle in question isn’t actually functional at all. In the section outlining prize details, the “custom-designed Final Fantasy 14 Xbox Series X console bundle” is described as entirely “non-functional” and “to be used as an art piece” rather than playing games. 

Bizarrely, the winner will also receive a separate Xbox Series X console bundle - presumably one that works. This comes alongside a copy of the Final Fantasy 14 Online Collector’s Edition and one 12-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership so they'll have no shortage of games to play. In total, Microsoft estimates that the combined retail value of the prize is $1,319.93 USD.

This inevitably raises the question of what exactly the winner is supposed to do with their non-functional Final Fantasy 14 Xbox Series X. Perhaps it's meant to sit and collect dust on a shelf in their gaming cave, or maybe take pride of place on a nice plinth in their living room.

Either way, while this revelation is undeniably a little disappointing, it does make some sense. Judging by the more abstract design of the console, which features a custom golden base and a bed of glowing blue crystals, it would have probably been tricky to pull off the same effect while maintaining the system's full functionality. 

Still, I'm left wondering whether the custom Xbox Wireless Controller, which looks fairly standard aside from a unique graphic print on its face plate, is also just a prop.

If you want to take a shot at winning this strange prize, the competition is currently running over at Twitter / X. Users can enter by following both the official Xbox and Final Fantasy 14 accounts and reposting the original announcement post with the hashtag ‘XboxFFXIVSweepstakes’.

For more on console gaming hardware, see our guides to the best Xbox controllers or the best Xbox Series X and Series S accessories.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a fantastic example of ensemble storytelling in a role-playing game (RPG) done right. The second part of Square Enix’s ambitious Final Fantasy 7 Remake project does a stellar job of providing a roster of deep, vibrant characters whose interactions uplift and sustain the ambitious open-world project from start to finish. 

However, not every one of Rebirth’s central characters gets the same level of love and attention. While gruff, ornery pilot Cid Highwind does feature in Rebirth, the game cuts corners when it comes to his story. While it’s not enough to stop Rebirth from being a gripping ride, I did finish the game feeling that Cid had received a bit of a raw deal.   

In the original Final Fantasy 7, we’re treated to a famous set piece known as ‘Rocket Town’ where we’re introduced to Cid as a flawed, relatable figure whose dreams of being the first person in space were curtailed by budget cuts from the ruthless Shinra corporation. Conversely, in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, we run into Cid at an airstrip in the middle of a jungle. He agrees to ferry protagonist Cloud and pals around for a small price but otherwise keeps his cards close to his chest. Rather than organically joining the party as he does in the original, Rebirth’s Cid feels more like an interloper, despite his easy, rugged charm. 

Grounded 

Cid played a vital narrative role in the original. Throughout the game, we’ve seen the evils of the Shinra Corporation first-hand. Final Fantasy 7 even famously begins with an act of eco-terrorism, where Cloud and Barret work together to destroy a Mako reactor which, while helping to power the city of Midgar, is also draining the life energy from the planet itself. Until we meet Cid, a lot of our run-ins with Shinra have been very dramatic and over-the-top. 

Cid shows us another side of the coin. Here’s an ex-Shinra employee who had his dreams and ambitions shattered, not by a giant mech or a corporate army, but by something as mundane as budget cuts. Cid is, in some respects, an ‘average Joe’, doing his best to live life as well as he can under the boot of a massive, militarized megacorporation. He puts a comprehensible, relatable face on Shinra’s excesses, helping players to understand that corporate greed is damaging on both the societal and individual levels.

Conversely, in Rebirth, Cid is more of a glorified taxi service. To be clear: he’s an immensely cool taxi service. His suave witticisms and rugged confidence are a delight, and do a great deal to sell him as a down-to-earth character. 

Unfortunately, even the most charming taxi service imaginable is still just a taxi service. After arriving at your destination, he simply dumps you there, waiting around for you to take off. Though he does accompany the party during the game’s final chapters, he takes a back seat, waiting outside the game’s final dungeon rather than joining the fight.

This all serves to make Rebirth Cid feel like an awkward tag-along rather than a full member of the party. In the original, Cid joins the protagonists after they thwart Shinra’s attempt to steal his plane, the Tiny Bronco. This eventually results in a crash landing, forcing Cid to travel with the party. As the plot thickens, allies of convenience eventually become friends in what proves to be a rewarding arc for Cid. On the other hand, Rebirth Cid doesn’t have nearly as much to tether him to the party as original Cid. It’s a shame and a missed opportunity for the character, especially given his connections to Aerith’s family, which I won’t spoil here.  

Bigger is better 

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is an immense, weighty, and ambitious project. Full of side quests, mini-games, and explorable areas, it boggles the mind to think of the sheer amount of effort that must have gone into crafting the RPG’s impressive environments and setpieces. As such, I find it easy to forgive the omission of story beats from the original for the sake of time and sanity. In fact, given the bold new direction undertaken by Rebirth’s story, deviations from the original narrative seem in keeping with the trilogy’s desire to buck established canon and blaze its own trail.

For instance, despite recruiting Yuffie early on in Rebirth, we never visit her homeland of Wutai - a moment from the original that serves as a key part of her arc. To make up for this, we’re treated to all sorts of extra character development for the lovable young ninja. Her efforts to connect with the party are charming, as is her sense of idealistic bravado. This means that Rebirth doesn’t quite need the visit to Wutai from the original to get Yuffie's character ‘over the line’. In fact, Shinra’s war with Wutai hangs heavily enough over Rebirth that fans of the original sequence can feast on the foreshadowing alone. 

By contrast, Cid doesn’t get any extra attention to fill in the gaps left by Rocket Town’s omission. Instead, Rebirth’s treatment of the character feels lopsided and like a missed opportunity. Even a few short references to his ambitions or his history with Shinra could have done wonders to flesh out the character on his own terms. Though we do get some cagey comments from him during travel sections, they’re not enough on their own.     

While a visit to Rocket Town seems extremely likely in the upcoming third installment of the remake trilogy, it remains a disappointment that Cid wasn’t given a chance to shine in Rebirth. This oversight becomes even more pressing when you compare Cid’s limited screen time to the exceptional dialogue and character development on display for other members of the ensemble. Hopefully, our gruff dreamer will get his due in the final part of the trilogy.

Want more experiences like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth? Check out our lists of the best RPGs and the best story games. 

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's director Naoki Hamaguchi has said the positive response to the Queen's Blood mini-game could mean "future expansions".

Speaking in a recent interview with Redbull, Hamaguchi discussed the game's Gold Saucer amusement park and the many mini-games players can encounter on their adventure, like 3D Brawler, Desert Rush, and Chocobo Racing. 

The director also commented on Queen's Blood an in-setting card game that offers up plenty of opponents to play against in the world. 

Hamaguchi said that the development team has received a lot of positive feedback from players about Queen's Blood, and revealed that there could be an opportunity to explore ways of expanding the virtual card game in the future.

"We haven't decided anything in terms of future development for Queen's Blood, but so far, the media who played it have provided very positive feedback on it, so we want to consider further expansions as a possibility," Hamaguchi said.

Hamaguchi didn't offer up any more details, but if we were to consider what sort of expansions Queen's Blood could receive, there's the possibility of additional NPC opponents to play against, some sort of online component to challenge real players, as well as more cards to be added to the game's current total of 145. 

Queen's Blood is a great deal of fun if you're a fan of virtual card games and many players, including myself, are hoping Square Enix will produce a separate spin-off game similar to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's Gwent, which launched in 2018 for consoles and mobile.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is one of the best single-player games we've played so far this year. In TechRadar Gaming's review, staff writer Cat Bussell called the game a "loving recreation of the original’s second act" and highlighted Queen's Blood as a "deep and rewarding" mini-game.

For more, here's our list of the best JRPGs to play right now, alongside our list of the best single-player games. 

Final Fantasy 14's director and producer Naoki Yoshida thinks the development team may have made the game too "stress-free" for players.

In a recent interview with Famitsu (translated by GamesRadar), Yoshida (AKA Yoshi-P) discussed how he and the development team have been able to offer the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) the right balance of fun while also keeping the game challenging, admitting that he has some regrets about making the game too "stress-free" for players over the last decade.

"I have once again realized that we must continue to provide players with surprises that go beyond their imaginations," Yoshida said. "In that sense, I actually have some regrets... As we continue to operate FF14, we have tried to make it more comfortable and stress-free for players to enjoy, but when I think back on the past 10 years, I think we may have gone a bit too far in that regard."

Yoshida didn't elaborate on which parts of the game he finds too stress-free for players, whether that's high-end raid content or PvP, but did add that he thinks video games should have "an element of stress" but says handling that aspect properly is "extremely difficult."

As an example, the director offered a side-scrolling platformer with no risk if the player were to miss a jump, saying "Of course the game would lose its stress, but it would also lose its fun," before adding that he hopes to make changes in Final Fantasy 14 that allow the players to feel a suitable balance. 

"If we do that, we can give everyone a better challenge, in a good way, than ever before," he said.

In other news, Yoshida has confirmed that if the opportunity were offered to him, he would like to direct the next Final Fantasy game following his work as a producer on Final Fantasy 16.

For more, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best MMORPGs, as well as the best RPGs. 

Zanarkand is, arguably, one of the most haunting pieces of music ever composed for a Final Fantasy game. However, in a recent interview with Japanese outlet Weekly Ochiai, accomplished Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu revealed that the legendary theme from Final Fantasy 10 had an unlikely origin. 

According to Uematsu, "Zanarkand was actually not meant to be the theme for Final Fantasy 10. There was a flute player from France who originally asked me to write a song for them to play during a recital. When I wrote the piece, I thought perhaps this sounded a bit too sad for a recital. So I set it aside for the time being."

Uematsu went on to describe the theme's strange route into Final Fantasy canon. "Sometime after [writing the piece], when I was making the score for Final Fantasy 10, I was falling behind all while the producers were hounding me. So since that flute piece was unused, I just kinda meekly handed it to them. They listened to it and said 'Yes! This is brilliant!"

This information comes courtesy of a translation from @aitaikimochi on Twitter / X.

Zanarkand's haunting melody is synonymous with Final Fantasy 10, fully embodying the role-playing game (RPG)'s somber, bittersweet tone. 

Uematsu is famous for his towering accomplishments as a video game music composer. In addition to the iconic Final Fantasy Prelude and main Final Fantasy Theme, Uematsu served as composer on Final Fantasy 1 through 10 and has musically contributed to almost every Final Fantasy game ever made. 

Perhaps most famously of all, Uematsu is known for One Winged Angel, the foreboding and dramatic theme of Sephiroth, the main antagonist from Final Fantasy 7. As you might expect, Uematsu's music features prominently in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, re-imagined by composers Mitsuto Suzuki and Masashi Hamauzu. 

Want more Final Fantasy-type goodness? Check out our lists of the best RPGs and the best JRPGs.

Final Fantasy 16's producer Naoki Yoshida has said that he would like to direct another major title for the series if the opportunity were offered to him.

Following almost 10 years of work on the critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) Final Fantasy 14, where he still currently acts as director and producer, Naoki Yoshida (AKA Yoshi-P) took the role of producer for 2023's Final Fantasy 16. However, despite now having two Final Fantasy games under his belt, Yoshi-P confirms that he would still like to work on another major title for the series.

"It's completely undecided as of now, but if the opportunity arises to work on the next major title, I would like to direct it myself!" Yoshida said in an interview with  Famitsu, translated by Aitai Kimochi on X (formerly Twitter).

When asked if there would be one more title for Yoshida, the developer said "'I probably can at least add one more title to my name.' However, by doing so, I would be setting my own ceiling and limiting myself. This in turn will also cause those around you to work according to what you set."

This echoes a similar statement Yoshi-P made back in January when he suggested that the future of the Final Fantasy series should be led by a newer team of developers instead of "the same old guys" after being asked if he would be directing the inevitable Final Fantasy 17.

"...If I were to fall into the trap of thinking 'I can only do one more title', then it might be marked as something odd, like 'Yoshida's masterpiece', which isn't a good look," he continues. "For example, I'm in my 50s right now and still snowboarding, and the more I snowboard, the better I become. I honestly think I'm at my peak at the moment, no joke! I feel like I can still push even further, so in lieu of that, I haven't set a cap for myself."

Yoshi-P adds that he feels like "setting a cap" would make things "awfully boring". 

"We don't know what the future holds, so why not challenge ourselves each time? I think that's definitely a better way to look at it. I hope that I can take even greater leaps to the likes I have not ever imagined."

In other news, Yoshida has confirmed that the PC port of Final Fantasy 16 is now in the "final stages of optimization" and that fans should expect its release in no more than a year.

For more, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best RPGs you can play right now, along with our picks for the best PS5 games.

Final Fantasy 16's PC port is now in the "final stages of optimization", but doesn't have a release date just yet.

Speaking in a recent interview with Game Informer, Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida provided an update for those waiting on the PC version of the 2023 PS5 role-playing game, confirming that it's nearing completion.

"In terms of where we are in development currently, we're trying to figure out the final stages of optimization right now," Yoshida said. "When we can release the PC version might be dependent on that - the system requirements and specifications for PC that players will need, so we're trying to figure that out. Naturally, [the PC specifications] are looking to be somewhat high."

This was to be expected, as Yoshida recently confirmed that the upcoming port would require users to have an SSD due to the game's technical demand. He explained at the time that having the game installed on an SSD, instead of an HDD, would allow loading screens to be faster and offer the best optimization for players. 

When asked when fans can anticipate the PC version to be released, Yoshida explained that Square Enix requires "more time" to finish the port, adding that "it won't be a year, it won't be two years, it will probably be shorter than that" and that the team will be releasing a playable PC demo ahead of its launch.

Final Fantasy 16 received its first DLC, Echoes of the Fallen, in December which unlocked a brand new story, battles, weapons, level cap, and more. The game's second DLC, The Rising Tide, will arrive sometime this Spring and will offer players new challenges, allow them to experience new locals, and feature a brand-new boss battle in the form of a powerful supernatural sea monster called Leviathan.

For more, be sure to check out our list of the best RPGs, as well as our recommendations for the best story games.

Story-driven role-playing game (RPG) Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has been enjoying plenty of positive critical reception thanks to its impressive depth and scale. However, it looks like the development process behind the hit title was a particularly daunting process, at least according to a new interview with key developers. 

Speaking on the Square Enix website, battle director Teruki Endo spoke candidly about the intimidating prospect of developing for Rebirth. "I honestly wasn't sure that we could put it all together in time," began Endo. 

"From the huge amount of character abilities to the summons and the systems that allow you to fight alongside them, to the rich variety of enemy types that keep the game feeling fresh [...] to the boss battles that we crafted to have their own distinctive feel [...] each and every one of these elements [featured] its own rich variety of gameplay and visual elements."

Echoing these sentiments, environment director Takako Miyake also weighed in. "The development of this title was really tough, but even during development, the staff were unanimous that the experience is worth the effort we put in."

Miyake continued: "We worked hard to make sure that every field environment would offer something fresh and surprising to both players of the original Final Fantasy 7 and [Final Fantasy 7] Remake and to new players alike, and that they would give players that same sense of adventure that the gameplay and character encounters do."

Animation director Yoshiyuki Soma was keen to stress the hard work that went into Rebirth, too. "Every member [of the team] has put their heart and soul into the animations so that the unique charms of each character are fully expressed."

However, like his colleagues, Soma also found the busy development process to be full of hard work and tribulation: "From the development side, time flew by so quickly that I barely have any memory outside of working on the game, especially for the year and a half during the second half of development."

In our review, we gave Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth four and a half stars, praising its slick combat and exceptional storytelling.

Looking for more titles like Rebirth? Check out our lists of the best RPGs and the best story games.

Renowned MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) Final Fantasy 14 will be officially arriving on Xbox this month.

Though the beloved fantasy MMO has been in open beta for a while now for users on Xbox Series X|S, Square Enix has given us a date for the title's official launch on Microsoft's console platforms. 

Final Fantasy 14 will be available on Xbox Series X|S from March 21. What's more, a starter edition of the MMO will be available through Game Pass Ultimate. This perk can be claimed between March 21 and April 19. 

However, as we reported back in February, Final Fantasy 14 will require an Xbox Game Pass Core or Ultimate subscription in addition to a subscription to the game proper. While Final Fantasy 14 is one of the best MMORPGs out there at the moment, we can't help but feel that this is a little steep for those who aren't already Xbox Game Pass subscribers. 

Xbox made the announcement as part of yesterday's Xbox Partner Preview, using the opportunity to drop a trailer for the MMORPG. You can see it for yourself below.

With Final Fantasy 14's upcoming Dawntrail expansion coming later this year, there couldn't be a better time to pick up the critically acclaimed MMO for yourself. 

Last year, I covered the  Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival in London where I spoke with members of the community and got to see reveals for the new expansion first-hand. The atmosphere was electric - a testament to the wholesome, welcoming community for which the game is known.  

While Final Fantasy 14 isn't for everyone, we at TechRadar Gaming are consistently impressed by its storytelling and vibrant social elements. As such, the game features on our lists of the best story games, giving many of the best single-player games a run for their money. Final Fantasy 14 is a marathon, not a sprint, but, if you're an Xbox owner and curious about the title, you'll be able to try it out for yourself come March 21.

Want more titles like Final Fantasy 14? Check out our lists of the best RPGs and the best JRPGs.

Final Fantasy 14's massive graphical overhaul isn't simply to bring in new players, says game director and producer Naoki Yoshida.

The critically acclaimed MMO is set to launch its next expansion this summer, Dawntrail, and alongside a brand new region to explore, two new Jobs, and the beginning of a new adventure to experience, Final Fantasy 14 will be receiving its first major graphics update in 10 years.

It's an exciting prospect, and Square Enix has already showcased some of the changes players can expect to arrive with the overhaul, but according to Naoki Yoshida, the update has multiple purposes than simply making the game look up-to-date with the modern generation.

"When players would see the graphics updates, they would realize that Final Fantasy 14 will still push on and it will still continue driving forward to the future and take on new challenges," Yoshida said in the latest Play magazine (via GamesRadar). "And in that regard, I think it would give players a sense of ease so they would not need to worry about that."

Yoshida also confirmed that the main decision behind the overhaul was to entice new players, though most importantly, younger players who are just getting into the game who would otherwise be put off by the original, older graphics.

"...the important thing with MMOs is that we need to constantly get new players in, otherwise the overall scale of our game would shrink," he explained. "I also thought the graphics update is really important to get the younger generation into Final Fantasy 14. So by implementing the graphics updates, we can actually improve the appeal for 14 to those types of players."

In addition, Yoshida finds that the update will not only appeal to new players but also be a welcoming challenge for the development team who have been using older technology since A Realm Reborn launched in 2013. The director hopes that the newer features on hand for his fellow developers will allow them to also "advance their career".

"By being able to work on more advanced graphics technology, they can advance their career and they can also be able to work with the newer features," Yoshida said. "So, there’s a benefit for both in the sense that players can benefit from better quality and graphics, but our artists and engineers in the team can benefit by using more advanced technology and can advance their careers. 

"From that side of things as well, there are also efficiencies which we will gain by using better graphical technology."

Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail doesn't have a release date just yet, but is expected to launch this summer, alongside official Xbox Series X|S support, with an open beta available now. 

For more, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best MMORPGs, as well as the best MMOs. 

Even a quick glance at Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's front cover shows that the fantasy role-playing game (RPG) makes plenty of departures from the 1997 classic on which it's based. Standing on the right-hand side, one arm confidently resting at his hips, we see a dead man walking: Zack Fair. Famously killed in the run-up to the original Final Fantasy 7, Zack is alive and kicking in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth thanks to shenanigans involving alternate timelines and the meddling of supernatural forces.  

Spoilers follow for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Now that we’ve arrived at the second part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, developer Square Enix’s cat is out of the bag; there are no guarantees in this retelling of Final Fantasy 7; a fact that Rebirth is keen to hammer home even in its opening chapters. One early set piece has you control Zack on a mission to rescue Aerith, who appears to be in a coma. Both are still stuck in Midgar, the sprawling corporate-run metropolis of the first Remake game - a situation completely at odds with what we understand the plot to be. Rebirth is all about the main characters’ departure from the big city as they set out into the wider world. Square Enix takes our expectations and shatters them.

Meanwhile, we see Cloud, Zack’s protégé, Aerith, and friends make their way out of Midgar to pursue Sephiroth and prevent his plans to ascend to godhood. Though this is the central story of Rebirth, we’re consistently offered glimpses of Zack, who, we eventually discover, appears to be in a different reality - a reality where he survives but Cloud and Aerith are horribly injured. 

Towards the end of Rebirth, these stories start to converge as this part of the trilogy begins to deviate more and more strongly from the ‘canon’ events of Final Fantasy 7.

All roads lead to Midgar 

This all comes to a head during Rebirth’s closing chapter, where it’s revealed that the story of the remake trilogy takes place across a range of alternate universes. Rather than simply trying to gain control of a single reality, this iteration of Sephiroth wants to control the entire multiverse. He seems to be able to move between these different timelines with ease, visiting Zack in his version of Midgar moments after terrorizing Cloud and pals in the ‘central’ timeline in which the majority of the game takes place. 

However, Sephiroth isn’t the only one who has these reality-bending powers. Aerith, a key member of the core ensemble cast, also seems to have these abilities. Back in Remake, she showed plenty of signs that she was aware of the existence of multiple timelines, as well as the possibility of her future death at the hands of Sephiroth. 

At the end of Rebirth, Aerith uses these powers to team up with Cloud in a confrontation with Sephiroth, forcing the silver-haired wannabe deity to retreat.  

This ambitious, if convoluted, move for the Remake trilogy is likely to annoy purists. However, by taking this more ‘meta’ approach, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is opening doors and stepping into fresh territory. By acknowledging and accommodating the existence of different timelines and ‘canons’, Rebirth is expanding Final Fantasy 7, helping it grow beyond a self-contained story into something more organic and malleable. 

With their reality hopping, Aerith, Zack, Cloud, and Sephiroth have begun to act less like mere characters in a single story and more like mythological figures who exist beyond the boundaries of any one given narrative. Rebirth allows these characters to spread their wings, becoming a series of feelings and themes more than they are products of linear stories. Thanks to Rebirth’s multiverse, every fanfiction and possible playthrough or permutation of anything Final Fantasy 7 is simultaneously true. It’s a huge gift to the fandom and helps affirm how Rebirth’s characters and stories mean different things to different people.  

Keys to the kingdom 

If you’re a little lost, don’t worry; we’ve seen this before from Square Enix. The Kingdom Hearts series is full of this sort of fan fiction-adjacent storytelling. A sprawling series that features characters from beloved Disney properties and Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts also possesses this mythological element. The storytelling is far less concerned with linear ideas of cause and effect and much more devoted to the themes and feelings that underpin its characters. 

When James Woods’ iconic Hades from Disney’s Aladdin turns up in Kingdom Hearts 2, questions about how he got there and why he’s talking to Auron from Final Fantasy 10 go out the window. Instead, you’re enjoying some top-tier, hammy villainy. You’re there for how it feels, not for a tight-knit feeling of internal consistency.  

This is a quality that’s fundamental to what literary types call the “transformative work”, a quality possessed by both myths and fan fiction according to Associate Professor Tony Keen from the University of Notre Dame. As the name implies, a ‘transformative work’ is a piece of fiction that alters the body on which it is based. In this way, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a transformative work of its own, building on the original Final Fantasy 7 and making it more than the sum of its parts. 

Cloud, Sephiroth, Aerith, and Zack are as much collections of tropes, themes, and feelings as they are individual characters. In Rebirth, Sephiroth is somehow both a military veteran whose sanity shatters after an existential crisis as well as a forty-foot-tall supernatural abomination with two heads, giant wings, and a weird egg-stomach-thing. These may seem like wildly different incarnations, but, in both states, he’s an embodiment of fear, uncertainty, and the unknown. 

When you start to see Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth as a collection of mythological themes, tropes, and ideas, you’ll start to see it for what it really is: a brave, transformative story that pokes and challenges its source material. For those skeptical of this sort of talk, I urge you to give it a go. Rebirth will help you see your favorite characters in new lights and new situations. It’s not a carbon copy of Final Fantasy 7, but it’s the differences that make the RPG worth playing.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is one of the best RPGs and best single-player games of the year so far.  

Having played Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth from start to finish, I’m happy to confirm that LGBTQ+ folks will eat well in the second part of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. 

Though Rebirth traffics in subtext for most of its queer representation, in true Final Fantasy tradition, the role-playing game (RPG) often breaks the boundaries of heteronormative convention when telling its stories. In my review, I wanted to emphasize that Rebirth is more confident than its predecessor. What I didn’t have time to mention is how this applies to the RPG’s iconoclastic approach to gender norms.  

For instance, Rebirth makes it very easy to form a homoromantic reading of Cloud and Sephiroth’s relationship. Cloud’s thoughts, intrusive or otherwise, are consistently occupied by Sephiroth. Tracking him down to prevent his plan to destroy the world makes for the main crux of Rebirth’s story, after all. However, the intimate body language and conversations between the two are consistently loaded with subtext. 

In a scene toward the end of the game which is teased in a trailer, Cloud charges at Sephiroth, only for the silver-haired villain to pull our protagonist close and embrace him, cradling him in his arms in a manner that’s somehow both tender and deeply sinister. While Sephiroth’s actions are undoubtedly controlling and creepy, they starkly challenge traditional gender norms about how two male characters interact. Cloud and Sephiroth’s relationship is consistently colored in this way, infused with this transgressive closeness.

When it comes to lesbian relationships, things are a bit more subtle. Throughout my Rebirth playthrough I noted that Aerith and Tifa hold hands on no less than half a dozen occasions (I counted). There’s even a section in the sunny resort town of Costa del Sol where you can play as both characters - an outing that Aerith refers to as a “date.” Intense and lingering looks between the two characters aren’t uncommon, either. As I played through Rebirth, I found myself thinking of Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa as part of a charming if awkward queer polyamorous relationship rather than as embroiled in a more traditional, heterosexual love triangle. Suffice it to say, nothing occurred in my 60 hours with the game to disabuse me of this notion.  

Rebirth even includes explicitly queer non-player characters (NPCs), in an exciting move for Final Fantasy. One memorable quest early on in the game has you help a musician elope, only to find him and his boyfriend staying at a hotel later on. In addition, the line for the romantic Ferris wheel ride at The Gold Saucer casino has a few same-gendered couples in the queue - a lovely touch.

A queer tradition 

For many, these trends won’t come as a surprise. Final Fantasy 7 is no stranger to queer subtext. Even before Final Fantasy 7 Remake was released, queer readings of its central characters were common.

Back in 2018, cultural critic Diana Tourjée wrote a heartfelt article for Vice Magazine which offered a compelling transgender reading of Sephiroth, Final Fantasy 7’s principal antagonist. While Sephiroth isn’t explicitly transgender in the original, Remake or Rebirth, it’s easy to see how a character whose tribulations are based around questions of identity and self-acceptance might cause many to see queer subtext.   

Struggles with identity are a key theme in Rebirth, too. Cloud must wrestle with Sephiroth’s influence and come to terms with his past. The main story charts his harrowing battle to maintain a sense of self despite external influences and pressures. Comparably, Tifa must attempt to discover who she is without her bar and her home while Aerith must come to terms with the legacy of the Cetra - an ancient civilization of which she is the last surviving member. There’s a huge amount of introspection and self-discovery in Rebirth, themes that’ll likely resonate with queer players.

That said, LGBTQ+ representation has been something of a rocky road for the series. In Final Fantasy 7 Remake: In Search of Queer Celebration, Dr. Mirjam Vosmeer and lecturer Nicky Heijmen rightly claim that the 1997 original “frequently attempted to delegitimize homosexuality through humorous degeneration.” Those who’ve played the original Final Fantasy 7’s will likely remember the problematic section where Cloud’s crossdressing and interactions with a queer subculture in the red-light district of Wall Market are played for laughs, rather than treated seriously. 

In Final Fantasy 7 Remake, this section was completely reinvented, involving a fabulous dance scene that culminates in Cloud getting a makeover and donning a dress to infiltrate the mansion of infamous crime lord Don Corneo. “No longer is Cloud’s transformation the target of cheap jokes,” say Vosmeer and Heijmen. “Instead, Square Enix elevated it to a grandiose moment, a celebration of beauty ‘to which gender norms do not apply’ [to quote Andrea, proprietor of the Honey Bee Inn].” As Cloud says once Tifa realizes that he’s in drag: “Nailed it, I know. Thank you. Moving on.” 

Breaking barriers 

While Rebirth doesn’t involve the same sort of explicitly queer setpiece, queer subtext bubbles gently underneath the surface as does a tendency to challenge gender norms. Rebirth’s courageous and heartfelt treatment of its own characters doesn’t just benefit queer audiences but also makes for a broader, more enriched story in a general sense. When characters are untethered from the bounds of conservative social convention, they are free to act in ways that are more interesting and more emotionally charged - leading to a story that’s both more dramatic and more honest.

John Eric Bentley, the voice of the strong yet sensitive Barret Wallace, was keen to explore a fully fleshed-out emotional range when tackling the character. “I wanted to make sure that when I portrayed Barret, he wasn’t a caricature,” said Bentley in a recent interview.  

True to this goal, the Barret of Rebirth isn’t constrained by toxic masculinity like he was in the English translation of the 1997 original. He cries openly and provides consistent emotional support to the rest of the party. Barret’s love and regard for his adopted daughter is especially moving. In one side quest, the barrel-chested warrior helps a children’s author write her next book, all to give his daughter something new to read. It’s a gentle, charming side story and shows that Rebirth is comfortable allowing its male characters to be emotional and sincere.

Rebirth isn’t afraid to transgress when necessary. Rather than be beholden to rigid rules about how characters should or shouldn’t act in a heteronormative framework, the characters are simply allowed to be themselves. Themes of courage and empowerment are at Rebirth’s heart, a quality that makes for honest and emotionally resonant storytelling, improving the game for everyone. 

Want more emotional games? Check out our lists of the best RPGs and the best JRPGs.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is dense, rewarding, and confident in the tale it’s telling. Dramatic, playful, and dynamic, action role-playing game (RPG) Rebirth takes a cavalier attitude to its storytelling and mechanics - a move that almost always pays off. The well-paced and intriguing storyline is punctuated by satisfying character moments and thrilling battles, only let down by the rare half-baked idea that doesn’t quite hit the mark. 

On his quest to stop the villainous Sephiroth from destroying the world, protagonist Cloud has an entourage of varied and well-realized companions, each with their own distinctive personalities, goals, and ambitions. The dialogue between these characters is memorable, moving, and often humorous, too. 

Banter between party members is defined by an organic sense of chemistry that’s rare beyond the likes of Baldur’s Gate 3. High-quality facial animations complete with tentative lip twitches and lingering glances help enrich the game’s sense of drama and emotional stakes, creating a memorable and poignant experience. 

Those who fight further 

Rebirth’s predecessor Final Fantasy 7 Remake famously dispensed with the original Final Fantasy 7’s turn-based battle system in favor of a hybrid setup that features pausable real-time combat. Rebirth doubles down on this change, offering battles that feel not only strategic but also fluid and responsive. Every aspect of the combat has been iterated upon. Characters move more deliberately, their dodges and parries feeling lifted from an action game proper rather than an RPG dressed up as one. A perfect parry will even render you immune to damage for a short time - a brave new mechanic that keeps players on their toes.  

This dynamism makes customization more meaningful, a feat that Rebirth delivers by offering oodles of Materia, which can be equipped to give your characters access to different passive and active abilities. This fleshes out the strategic layer in combat. As you battle, you’ll build up ATB - action points that you can cash in for specific spells or abilities. With the touch of a button, combat is paused, allowing you to execute these moves. This is a source of endless meaningful decisions and helps create joyful friction, keeping things fresh and engaging even during more routine battles. 

As you battle, you’re able to rapidly switch between different party members, taking control of Cloud’s companions with ease. Each playable character handles very differently in battle, helping not only to add a sense of variety but also to reinforce the characters’ own personalities. 

The stalwart, reliable Barret is slow-moving. His dodge has a shorter range than his allies, but he makes up for this by being tough as nails, slowly but surely advancing as his gun arm spits hot lead. Red XIII moves rapidly, like a wild animal; his unique ‘Vengeance’ mechanic rewarding him for taking risks and successfully blocking attacks. Aerith is a deliberate and methodical spellcaster, placing glyphs on the ground to control the battlefield, and supporting her allies with consistent stability - much like she does outside of combat, too. In dialogue scenes, Aerith acts as the backbone of the party, guiding her friends with a sense of purposeful compassion. Seeing this mirrored in Rebirth’s combat is a real treat. 

It’s the little things 

Unlike Final Fantasy 7 Remake which took place in the packed megapolis of Midgar, Rebirth has you travel beyond its walls, exploring an expansive semi-open world. However, rather than using this as a way to shoehorn in dozens of tedious sidequests and extraneous tasks, developer Square Enix designed Rebirth’s explorable zones with a sense of restraint. While there are plenty of side-quests, they tend to exist in short, sharp bursts, amounting to bite-sized mini-games or battles with optional objectives. Never do these diversions distract from the weight of the main storyline. 

Some side-quests do seem dull on paper; you’ll sometimes be tracking down a missing item or escorting something across the map. What gives these missions texture, however, is how each of them focuses on a specific one of Cloud’s companions, using the side-quest as a pretext for meaningful character interactions. 

What could be an uninspired escort quest in Junon quickly becomes something more when it causes Barret to raise concerns about his attitude toward parenthood and his anxieties around his daughter growing up. Parts of the conversation are played for laughs, with Barret comedically lamenting his daughter “flying the nest,” but there’s a real overtone of emotional sensitivity and nuance, too. 

Not every side activity benefits from Square Enix’s more restrained approach, though. The occasional task remains a chore. Though almost all of the mini-games make for amusing distractions, some fall flat. Highlights include the Chocobo racing game, a loving send-up of Mario Kart 8, and Queen’s Blood, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s deep and rewarding collectible card game. 

Unfortunately, there are moments where the RPG overreaches. In one dire section, the player must use the DualSense controller touchpad to throw blocks around a dungeon to activate switches and solve puzzles. The section is derivative and torturous - a half-baked idea that is given center stage for a tedious half-hour due to the RPG’s unabashed (and occasionally misplaced) confidence.

Never-ending story 

Rebirth shows similar confidence when it comes to storytelling, almost always with strong results. Like an industrial drill slowly breaking through layers of concrete, the RPG retells Final Fantasy 7’s second act with consistent momentum. Open-world sections are broken up by hub towns and dungeons, all of which give Rebirth a pleasing ebb and flow where tension can build and fall across an accommodating backdrop of varying environments and contexts. 

Rebirth’s core characters grow and change throughout, their personalities reshaped under the deliberate weight of the RPG’s tightly constructed central story. For instance, as he did in the original, Cloud is forced to confront questions surrounding his identity and sense of self. What’s masterful about Rebirth is how seamlessly the stakes rise. As Sephiroth increasingly uses his supernatural influence to control Cloud, it feels like a frog slowly boiling in a pot, unaware that it’s overheating until it’s too late.

The tale Rebirth has to tell does differ from what’s offered in the original. While these differences seem minute for the vast majority of the story, the RPG’s final section is a high-concept set piece worthy of Kingdom Hearts 3 or Death Stranding in its simultaneous display of artistic bravery and obtuseness. The final act of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will ignite the internet with fan theories. While some will find it distasteful, it’s clear that the remake trilogy is sticking to its guns - a move that’s worthy of respect.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth proves that the remake trilogy isn’t a remake in the strictest sense. However, if you’re looking to go on another thrilling adventure with Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret, Yuffie, and Red XIII, then you’ve come to the right place - just don’t expect it to be the adventure you’re used to.

Looking for other immersive titles? Check out our lists of the best RPGs and the best story games.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is shaping up to be the most ambitious project to ever emerge from Square Enix. Releasing February 29, 2024, for PS5, this role-playing game (RPG) stands as the second part of the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy. Thanks to a hands-on preview, we already know that it’s more confident than its predecessor and is willing to revel joyfully in its modern, action-heavy combat systems and gorgeous cinematics. 

However, while Rebirth aims high in its attempt to marry old Final Fantasy feelings with modern gaming technology, it’s worth remembering that it’s not the first of its kind. While its predecessor, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, was a compelling if tentative retelling of Final Fantasy 7’s opening act, Rebirth has just as much in common with Final Fantasy 16 (FF16), too. 

Last June, the dark fantasy epic Final Fantasy 16 arrived to much hype and critical acclaim. An action RPG that completely dispensed with turn-based battles, the latest numbered Final Fantasy deftly walked the line between old and new - an exercise that will also be key to Rebirth’s success. Therefore, if you want to know what Rebirth might have in store, FF16 is the perfect way to find out.

Final Fantasy 16 successfully preserved the theatrical, larger-than-life melodrama at the heart of the series. The RPG sees exiled nobleman Clive Rosfield attempt to avenge the loss of his homeland and overthrow a vast conspiracy. While Clive and friends were fantastically realized by the PS5’s modern graphical capabilities, the words and actions of the characters felt like they could have been plucked from any of its pixelated predecessors.

Old and new, together 

Even a cursory look at the free demo shows us that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a similar sort of project to Final Fantasy 16. The demo opens with a flashback where Cloud, our spikey-haired protagonist, relives an iconic setpiece from the original, where he and aloof not-quite-a-villain-yet Sephiroth work to clear the town of Nibelhiem of monsters. Just as in the original, it’s a tense, jarring sequence, fraught with tension and foreshadowing as Sephiroth begins his descent into evil. However, the setpiece is given more life and zest by a modern re-writing of the script, a jaw-dropping soundtrack, and cutting-edge cinematography.

Final Fantasy 16 is also chocked full of this satisfying meeting of old and new. Charming pixel art versions of Clive and his companions mark loading and menu screens. At the same time, the Prelude - an iconic track that famously plays at the start of every Final Fantasy game in some form - is smartly woven across the entire soundtrack. At times, Final Fantasy 16 feels like a remake of every Final Fantasy game that’s gone before it, speaking almost entirely in the language of its predecessors. The RPG’s massive magical crystals, terrifying magical beasts, gritty political standoffs, and compelling dialogue would be at home in almost any Final Fantasy, especially the earlier offerings, which, like FF16, often used an explicitly medieval setting.  

However, much like the previews we’ve seen of Rebirth, Final Fantasy 16 takes all of these timeless themes and places them in a contemporary context with the help of modern technology. The giant magical crystals that define the world of FF16 tower over stunning, detailed landscapes. The enormous magical beasts do battle with eye-catching spectacle worthy of any Hollywood blockbuster. Modern facial animations add nuance and depth to character interactions and politics that would be simply impossible to convey with the technology of previous console generations.

In this way, Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are made of similar stuff, making the former an ideal choice for die-hard fans and more casual Final Fantasy 7 enjoyers alike. FF16 shows off everything that modern Square Enix can do, standing on its own two feet, while also offering a prologue as to what we can expect from Rebirth. 

Peas in a pod 

The similarities are more than surface level, though. Both deal with poignant themes of identity and self-realization. Clive from FF16 and Cloud from Rebirth are forced to come to terms with their challenging pasts, confronting complex and thought-provoking issues. Without spoiling too much, both Cloud and Clive played unwilling yet undeniable roles in traumatic events in which they, and the people around them, were hurt. Both face up to these truths as the stories unfold, giving each protagonist rewarding and cathartic character arcs. 

All of this comes hand in hand with another shared theme: emotional vulnerability. Both characters start their journey as terse, standoffish warriors for hire, eventually opening up to the people around them as they come to realize that standing alone makes you weaker, not stronger. This running theme helps give meaning to the relationships that both characters form with their friends.

Clive’s eventual willingness to accept the gruff but lovable Cid as a mentor figure parallels Cloud’s own relationship with Barret, the boisterous but kind eco-terrorist. In a way, the games almost rhyme, a quality which makes Final Fantasy 16 an ideal way to get back into the swing of things before Rebirth’s release at the end of the month.

While Final Fantasy 16 might not have the cultural stopping power of Final Fantasy 7, don’t sleep on it just because of the unfamiliar characters or gritty, low-fantasy premise. Scratch the surface, and you’ll find a rewarding, captivating title with more in common with Final Fantasy 7 than meets the eye.

Looking for other recommendations? Try something from our lists of the best JRPGs and the best single-player games.