Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series (Mobile/Steam)

ForceStealer

ForceStealer

Double Growth
ff6_pixel_remaster.jpeg


Unquestionably better than the refuse currently on steam/mobile, and the enhanced view of Narshe down below in the opening is nice...but it's just frustrating that it still doesn't look as good as it should.

And then with FF1 here...I think it only looks better than the NES Original?
FF1-comparison.png

The way it goes from that PSP perfection to so many steps backwards...baffling.

FFIV's the same way, you can see more comparisons here: https://www.rpgsite.net/news/11417-...-at-the-final-fantasy-1-6-pixel-art-remasters

As it is I think the only one I'll consider picking up is FFIII, because I still like that better than the DS remake :monster:
 
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Lulcielid

Lulcielid

Eyes of the Lord
AKA
Lulcy
Trailer announcement:


Press:

LOS ANGELES (June 13, 2021) – During the SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS summer showcase, SQUARE ENIX® today announced that the six original FINAL FANTASY® titles that inspired a generation of RPG Fans are coming to life once more in the FINAL FANTASY pixel remaster series. Fans and newcomers are invited to dive into six masterpieces that bridge the ages with unique tales of epic adventure. The company will release the beloved titles individually, from FINAL FANTASY I through FINAL FANTASY VI, for Steam® and mobile platforms.
Click to expand...

----------------------------------------

Thanks to some dedicated fans we know that this remasters will have redrawn pixels for varying assets like characters as show below:

final_fantasy_pixel_remaster_series_comparison-with-pc1.png

From a now deleted 30 minutes deep dive trailer that was released seemly by mistake we now know that not only the main sprites will receive changes but also there will be general artistic tweaks across the board, like this one:

ff6_pixel_remaster_comparison.png
 
U

ultima espio

Pro Adventurer
3 and 4 have just been rebranded to (3D Remake) now on Steam as well. According to that now private video, the releases will start from July.
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1409712872800751619
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1409715409918390278

The old FF5 and 6 were glorified emulators really, they were just a JP GBA rom that replaced bits. Think like Sonic 3 AIR. I wouldn't be surprised if these are the same.

They don't look bad actually, though I'd rather have the PSP ones. I wonder if they'll do The After Years?
 
DrakeClawfang

DrakeClawfang

The Wanderer of Time
My analysis of screenshots from last night. There's a lot of neat details here.

However, having not seen the video trailers at the time before I made this, I misunderstood the significance of the Krile scene, so just ignore that part. Though amusingly it does highlight that these games are still in development, that such an obvious glitch is present in the trailer, and they also have Rydia as a child in the Demon Wall fight.

 
Sprites

Sprites

Waiting for something
AKA
Gems
@ForceStealer

I agree with you about those screens

I get that these are remasters of the original pixel work that's exactly what they're meant to be but when I compare the remaster to the PSP version (probably the same with FFII and FFIV) i'm sorta like..why would you release a worse looking version of those when you have those stunning psp versions, it is like taking a step back after experiencing those.

FFVI, well I have mixed feelings about those screens, it just doesn't look as smooth or something as I thought it would be but its better than the mobile version.

FFV I think might be better placed to judge in terms of remastering but hard to say really until we see more.

I will say I'll look forward to FFIII considering we've never had any form of release for it globally bar remake and i'd really like to appreciate the original version without Luneth and co involved.
 
JBedford

JBedford

Pro Adventurer
AKA
JBed
RE: Removing FFV and VI

I never bought the version because I was hoping someone would create mods with faithful upscaled character sprites... But (especially for FFV) the enemy sprites were glorious. The battle backgrounds were fine too. Some other stuff was a bit jank, but they were so close. Ultimately them removing it doesn't prevent them from reusing it again later, but it feels like a waste.

This is just making me more pissed that they didn't finish the upscale ports properly. What possessed them to start doing that to the character sprites?

The Pixel Remasters look good though. And it will be easy for people to mod in the SNES/GBA sprites so no problems there. But the battle menus look weird. Like they want it to resemble the classic battle menu but don't want to cover the entire bottom section of the screen... yet it makes the screen feel more empty.
 
ForceStealer

ForceStealer

Double Growth
^Yeah, and my issue with that was...if I'm just waiting for someone to mod in the sprites from other, better-looking versions, why wouldn't I just go play those? Instead of rewarding Square for work that I absolutely hated in those V/VI versions.

As for Obsidian's comment, I know it's impossible to please everyone. Especially with something as nostalgic as these. But man, I just love those I, II, and IV PSP remasters so much. I can't imagine why they didn't keep going with that style. VI's dingier, rougher palette is the only one I think it MIGHT not work for, and clearly they didn't give a shit about maintaining that feel with the mobile/Steam ports anyway :awesomonster:
 
ForceStealer

ForceStealer

Double Growth
That's fair enough...but I still think the new VI sprites are too washed out. They don't have any of the shading and hard lines.
E31TmC5XMAoVxG_


Again, I can't stress enough that this is still much better than what's on Steam now but just...there's no reason for it to still be worse than the original, haha.
I feel the same about the others here, but like I said, VI's gritty aesthetic makes it more obvious.
 
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Tetsujin

Tetsujin

he/they
AKA
Tets
Some people suggested it might be to adjust the shading for being displayed on modern devices.
The old sprites were made with CRTs in mind and on those, a lot of the hard shading and lines naturally blur to form smooth gradients and such.

F3HX0n8.png


Might again be a thing of trying to strike a balance between a smoother look as was intended but keeping some of that hard pixel look that most people are accustomed to now.
 
cold_spirit

cold_spirit

he/him
AKA
Alex T
From the Gematsu article: "All six titles’ pixel art characters have been fully remastered from their original versions by pixel artist Kazuko Shibuya of Square Enix". This is huge. Kazuko Shibuya's influence on FF runs deep. Beyond doing most of the sprites for FFI-VI, she created FF1's iconic opening bridge scene and is the designer behind the series' blue menus. Despite this, she's a bit of a hidden figure in the industry. We always talk about the influence of Nobuo Uematsu and Yoshitaka Amano, but Kazuko Shibuya gets left out of the discussion completely. I think that's reflective of a deeper problem with sexism in the industry, but that's another topic. She had a hand in literally every frame of these classics. Her work is why we care so much about SE getting this right in the first place. The fact that's she's directly involved with these remasters is reassuring.

I saw someone point out that the FF1 UI lacks MP numbers, so it would appear they're going back to the "charge" system. I like this! This raises a few other questions for me though. What soundtracks will they use for FF1 and FF2? The NES or PS1 version? What translation will they use for FFIV? Will all of them be retranslated as FFIII will need to be?
 
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Tetsujin

Tetsujin

he/they
AKA
Tets
Yeah I've been reading her name quite a bit on Resetera in discussions about the pixel remasters etc but before that I was never aware of how much a hand she had in all those classic sprites and stuff.

This raises a few other questions for me though. What soundtracks will they use for FF1 and FF2? The NES or PS1 version? What translation will they use for FFIV? Will all of them be retranslated as FFIII will need to be?
Click to expand...

I've been wondering this too. With the updated look being closer to SNES than NES I can't imagine the music sticking with the NES tunes. But then the soundtrack for later versions are better quality than SNES so would they update FF4-6's music as well to match? Or might we get soundtrack options? Hm.
 
Strangelove

Strangelove

AI Researcher
AKA
hitoshura
ForceStealer said:
FF1-comparison.png
Click to expand...
i'm going to have a hot take and say arbitrarily say i like the wsc version the best, with the caveat that the psp version *chef's kiss* but looking at it from the angle of recreating and sticking to the original nes version i like the wsc one most where the psp version pretty substantially reworks a lot of the design.

i think one thing i'm not liking about the new one is the layout of that shot. there is just way too much negative space for my liking, characters and enemies have all this distance between them that just makes the screen look empty, and i'm not sure why the text/command box is placed like that. the gap in the bottom left corner is where the command menu goes, i think? but while it's not there it's just more blank space filling the screen as opposed to the classic style of having the menu appear over the character stats

idk this makes me want to get the psp versions more than anything

and why isn't this on the switch, it seems like a great fit
 
Nandemoyasan

Nandemoyasan

Standing guard
AKA
Johnny
CompFarison.png

One thing I'd like to bring up, and that I noticed while trying to play FFV on PC recently, is this.

Consider; a first-time player will not know that

Faris is a woman.

However, looking at the sprite of the character (In the current PC version), next to Lenna, in the early scenes (specifically I'm thinking of in Torna Canal after fighting Karlabos), I just feel like

No one would ever mistake that sprite for a man. It looks too much like Lenna. I feel like the new version preserves this spoiler, in that it bears all the marks of "hair over the eyes, sash around the chest" that the og sprite did.

Perhaps a bit of a subtle thing, but I'm overjoyed at all of this, just because we don't have to put up with these gosh-awful, slow, clunky ports of FFV-FFVI anymore. I need an excuse to replay these games, and this is just what Sarda the Sage ordered.

Also, this is totally arbitrary I know but I love Chonk Fighter, and I refuse to stop calling him Chonk Fighter.

HECKINGCHONK.png

"HE'S A BIG CHUNGUS, HE'S A BIG CHUNKY BOI" ?? ^_^
 
ForceStealer

ForceStealer

Double Growth
cold_spirit said:
From the Gematsu article: "All six titles’ pixel art characters have been fully remastered from their original versions by pixel artist Kazuko Shibuya of Square Enix". This is huge. Kazuko Shibuya's influence on FF runs deep. Beyond doing most of the sprites for FFI-VI, she created FF1's iconic opening bridge scene and is the designer behind the series' blue menus. Despite this, she's a bit of a hidden figure in the industry. We always talk about the influence of Nobuo Uematsu and Yoshitaka Amano, but Kazuko Shibuya gets left out of the discussion completely. I think that's reflective of a deeper problem with sexism in the industry, but that's another topic. She had a hand in literally every frame of these classics. Her work is why we care so much about SE getting this right in the first place.
Click to expand...

This is true and her history with the series is cool, I have this book which highlights her work and includes an interview with her. BUT...she also did the sprites for those V/VI mobile ports, so her involvement is not automatically reassuring, lol.
 
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U

ultima espio

Pro Adventurer
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1410268560660721665
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1410269185960120320
Pre Purchasing them comes with the OST and a wallpaper.
KEY FEATURES:
  • Universally updated 2D pixel graphics, including the iconic FINAL FANTASY character designs created by Kazuko Shibuya, the original artist and current collaborator.
  • Beautifully rearranged soundtrack in a faithful FINAL FANTASY style, overseen by original composer Nobuo Uematsu.
  • Improved gameplay, including modernized UI, auto-battle options, and more!
  • Dive into the world of the game with supplemental extras like the bestiary, illustration gallery, and music player.

*This remaster is based on the original "FINAL FANTASY" game released in 1987. Features and/or content may differ from previously rereleased versions of the game.
Click to expand...
 
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Chocobo Eater

Chocobo Eater

Pro Adventurer
VI looks pretty good, but it's no Octopath so I'm still disappointed. Guess we're waiting at least a few more years for a proper remaster / HD-2D remake, after DQIII.
 
JBedford

JBedford

Pro Adventurer
AKA
JBed
What's the deal with that terrible thin font? Who saw that and thought "this is fine"?

I don't know what to expect from the new OSTs. You wouldn't expect them to change them up too much otherwise it goes against the whole faithful remaster thing.

And I don't really get dropping the things added in later ports. It might not be authentic, but it's all end-game stuff anyway. Maybe they'll sell them as DLC.


Nandemoyasan said:
Consider; a first-time player will not know that

Faris is a woman.
Click to expand...
Did people not automatically think that based on the original sprite anyway? The Amano artwork is ambiguous, but I don't think the sprite does well at it. The Steam/mobile sprite is certainly worse at it, but I still don't think they tried in the original.
 
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