Weekly roundups

SE to Release Remastered Soundtracks for FFIV-FFVI

by AvecAloes April 29, 2013 0 comments

In this week’s roundup: Square announces remastering of soundtracks for three classic FF games; the Coliseum from FFXIII-2 will make an appearance in Lightning Returns: FFXIII; a new Final Fantasy Tactics title is coming for smartphones; reports from FFXIV’s first two beta phases; fans take to Twitter in an attempt to convince Square Enix to release Final Fantasy Type-0 in the West; Square Enix releases a patch for FFXI’s Seekers of Andoulin; plus lots from our forum.

Square Enix to Release Remastered Soundtracks of FFIV-FFVI  (via Silicon Era)

Square Enix has a trio of nostalgic Final Fantasy CDs in the works. Final Fantasy IV Original Soundtrack Remaster Version is slated for release on July 3.

While we’ve seen a bunch of Final Fantasy IV soundtracks over the years, this CD has remastered Super Famicom tunes including “The Red Wings,” “The Theme of Love,” and “Battle with Golbez’s Four Fiends.” First print copies will have a Yoshitaka Amano illustration on the cover.

Later this year, Square Enix will release remastered soundtracks for Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI.

Love the original versions of these soundtracks? We’re constantly having discussions and polls about our favorite FF tunes, so join the discussion and let us know what you think about this! (hat-tip: Prince Lex)

Players Given Another Chance to Experience The Coliseum from FF XIII-2 in Lightning Returns: FFXIII (VIA Gaming Union)

Square Enix has confirmed that The Coliseum from Final Fantasy XIII-2 will be making a return in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.

The news came from the game’s producer, Yoshinori Kitase, as he was speaking to a French website called Final Fantasy Dream. Kitase said that the Coliseum would return, but that it might not be in the same form.

This announcement came well after the reveal that there would be no story related DLC for LR:FFXIII, which led some to believe there would be a total absence of DLC. Did you buy any of the XIII-2 Coliseum battles? Are you looking forward to seeing more of the Coliseum? Who do you hope to be able to fight this time? Tell us your thoughts! (hat-tip: Prince Lex)

Final Fantasy Tactics S Coming Soon for iOS and Android(VIA Pocket Gamer, Final Fantasy Network)

Square Enix has opened a new Japanese website and pre-registration for a new smartphone title called “Final Fantasy Tactics S”. This “social” game, something of a spinoff of the Ivalice Alliance, will feature designs originally created by Ryoma Ito. The game will also include races, jobs, and monsters featured in 2008′s Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift for the Nintendo DS.

This release coming so soon after Square Enix’s announcement that they would stop focusing on the mobile game market and put more effort into their console offerings might confuse some, but then again, this is Square Enix. So far, FF Tactics S has only been announced for Japanese customers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t be seeing it here in the West. Enjoy Tactics or Square Enix’s mobile games? Let us know! (hat-tip: Prince Lex)

Writer for Joystiq.com Fills Us In on His Experience Playing the First Two Beta Phases of Final Fantasy XIV (VIA Joystiq)

This week, it turned out that I could stop being mum about the Final Fantasy XIV beta… I’m going to talk about aspects of the first two beta phases in as much detail as I can realistically fit into a column starting with one of those obvious cornerstones of video games: combat. This isn’t meant to be about impressions so much as dissecting and analyzing what I’ve played to this point, what is working, and what isn’t. If you want to know my more in-depth impressions of killing things in Final Fantasy XIV’s early test version, read on.

Eliot Lefebvre, the author of The Mog Log at joystiq.com, goes on to tell us his initial thoughts on the combat mechanics of what the beta phases have had to offer, as well as giving us a few details about the specific classes that he was able to play as. He leaves us with an overall positive feeling about his time in the world of FFXIV:

And it’s fun. The combat system had to try to retain the baroque sensibilities of its predecessor while being faster and more strategic, and it managed those changes quite well. Not perfectly, but the design document was pulling in a few dozen directions. 

Are any of you interested in Square’s latest venture into MMOs? Chime in! (hat-tip: Prince Lex)

Fans of Final Fantasy Type-0 Once Again Try to Petition Square Enix for a Western Release(VIA Just Push Start)

Fans of Final Fantasy Type-0 are pushing really hard for the game to be localized for Western countries. Their latest effort is for fans to tweet to Square Enix directly.

The Facebook page called “Operation Suzaku” is already dedicated to this cause and has nearly 17,000 fans. Since the Facebook campaign hasn’t worked, the page is hoping its new Twitter petition might do the trick.

The page announced the following:

“Today is our Twitter day. In order to let Square Enix know we are still waiting for Final Fantasy Type-0, you are all invited to copy/paste the following message on your Twitter account:

Dear @1stPD_PR, @SQEX_Members_NA, @SQUARE_ENIX_EU and @PlayStation please localize #FinalFantasy #Type0 for the West, we have money!” 

Do you wish Square Enix would release Type-0 outside Japan? Do you think that this crazy Twitter scheme could work, or are you bitter and think that Square Enix has forgotten how to listen to their fans? Give us your opinion! (hat-tip: Prince Lex)

Final Fantasy XI’s Seekers of Andoulin DLC Gets a New Patch (VIA Gaming Target) 

The Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin patch has a release date of Monday, April 29, announced Square Enix. This new FFXI: Seekers of Adoulin update will include:

Delve – By using a special item, up to eighteen players can plunge into spatial distortions known as “fractures” to vanquish five powerful monsters and their leader. Players are rewarded with powerful equipment after completing a successful fracture.

Otherworldly Skirmishes – Up to six different players can enter an ethereal realm to fight against a swarm of enemies by using a special sculpture in the land of Ulbuka. Surviving against the swarm will yield victors a cache of powerful armor and additional armaments.

Seekers of Andoulin came out for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 in March, 2013. Do any of you play FFXI? Have the DLC? Looking forward to the patch? Sound off! (hat-tip: Prince Lex)

More from the forum

• Limit Breaks: Join Shademp and others in discussing how Limit Breaks should be handled in future FF titles.
  
• Need a break from the mundane? Let Sephiroth cheer you up.
  
• Or just join the debate over whether Sephiroth should be considered a fallen hero or not.

Community news

• We’re down to the end game of our Final Fantasy IX community playthrough. Have you been participating? Be sure to let everyone know how your favorite characters are faring. If you haven’t joined us for this one, be on the lookout for our next community playthrough!
• We’re getting down to the wire with our Final Fantasy couples showdown. Get in the forums to vote and defend your favorite FF couples before they’re bumped out of the competition!
• Join us in wishing forum member Tetsujin a very happy birthday this week!
• Let’s all give a warm welcome to new member Aminee Starlight!