In the 80th Letter from the Producer Live broadcast, the Final Fantasy XIV team talked at length about the upcoming graphics update to the game in the Dawntrail expansion. This time around, we got a closer look at how areas old and new will look after the update is implemented, as well as some of the graphics settings you can adjust. We also learned more about new features being added to the blacklist function, including the ability to mute players and prevent them from entering your estate. The team also shared the upcoming schedule until the Dawntrail expansion, which will see a multitude of returning collaborations and events. But, to kick things off, the team shared that the official Dawntrail benchmark will be releasing on Sunday, April 14th. Players can use this benchmark to assess their PC specs to determine how well the game runs before launch. 7.0 Graphics Update In Patch 7.0, when the Dawntrail expansion arrives, new areas will take full advantage of the updated graphics and older areas have been updated as well. The team showed side-by-side footage of the game as it appears now (in Patch 6.58) and how it will look in 7.0. Immediately apparent is the higher resolution foliage

The benchmark for Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail will arrive on Sunday, April 14th at midnight Pacific time. This application will allow PC players to test their current specs performance ahead of the fifth expansion's launch on July 2, 2024. This comes ahead of a massive graphics update that the team highlighted during the latest Letter from the Producer Live broadcast which provided more in-game footage of how the game's areas and models would look following Patch 7.0. The update has also led to the team increasing the minimum requirements for the game, with a recent revision to the CPU to account for models that are being phased out. The benchmark will include the contents of the trailer below, but will also let players create their own female hrothgar character, who will be added once the Dawntrail expansion hits. Final Fantasy XIV is now available on Windows PC, Steam, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and Mac. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EJfr9G95t4

A new minor update is out for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth that addresses a progression bug impacting a quest needed to claim a PlayStation trophy - preventing some completionists from their Platinum trophy. It involves a quest chain players can undertake upon their return to the Gold Saucer in Chapter 12. The quest requires a player to achieve a specific number of points in the G-Bike minigame, and it appears it was not functioning correctly between the last minor update and now. Players who want to progress this quest after the update will need to play G-Bike and obtain the requisite score again, but the quest progress up until that point will not need to be replayed. The "Cactuar Crusher" trophy also has fixed due to an issue that prevented its acquisition despite meeting the score requirement, as well as issues preventing the progression of Chadley's intel, and, in rare circumstances, situations where certain Battle Simulator challenges would not activate after completing the requisite challenges. Other updates address issues where under certain conditions where the game would soft lock after loading a save. It will also display the state of the last game's save data for players who may be repeatedly loading

In the latest update for SaGa Emerald Beyond, we get a look at yet another protagonist you can choose for your adventure: Diva No. 5. She's a mech that's a popular singer and dancer in the royal city of Avalon, where industry has rapidly developed. But, once she sings a forbidden song, Diva No. 5 loses her memory and her ability to sing. She abandons her humanoid body and leaves Avalon. Diva No. 5 joins the National Extradimensional Exploratory Task Force headed by Constantine, her former manager, and encounters other characters that will join her retinue. Mechs are also a special type of unit in combat, where their stats do not increase from fighting battles, but by the strength of the armaments they acquire and equip. This is true for Diva No. 5, and she'll be able to change her body type as the game progresses. Two-handed swords come in three different types: greatswords, katana, and polearms, each with unique properties that all come with the ability to increase enmity, drawing enemy attention to their users and away from others. Ritgrams are a mini-game that will require you to collect and combine various pieces to slot into place, and come in a

Front Mission 2 Remake will release April 30th, 2024 for Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Previously released on Nintendo Switch in October 2023, the game is developed by Storm Trident and published by Forever Entertainment. It's a remake of the original 1997 PlayStation title, which never released outside Japan until this version. It continues the strategy RPGs use of mechanical Wanzers piloted by humans, and takes place twelve years after the events of the first game. Wanzers move and act in turns, and are highly customizable outside of battle. The game centers around a geopolitical conflict set on a near-future Bangladesh, where rapid industrialization creates a war economy bubble that bursts. The ensuing instability causes a faction to secede from Bangladesh and the OCU to form the People's Republic of Alordesh. Following this, the game's three protagonists from the OCU are caught up in a coup d'etat, but eventually infiltrate Alordesh and discover a conspiracy. A demo for the Steam version of Front Mission 2 Remake is available now. Front Mission 2 Remake Release Date Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsCEhIzkuic Front Mission 2 Remake Opening Gameplay (Switch) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umbIgDMy4FQ

In a report posted today by IGN's senior reporter Rebekah Valentine, which we highly recommend that you read in its entirety multiple sources within Life is Strange True Colors developer Deck Nine (published by Square Enix) have described their troubled experiences dealing with toxic co-workers and management. Deck Nine has also provided a response, which is included in Valentine's story. These sources also state there were several situations in which hate symbols were found hidden in the game and, when reported, management was slow to react. Alongside accounts of a low pay, difficulty in getting promotions, and toxic co-workers being slow-walked out the door despite specific accounts of bully, transphobia, and sexual harassment. Furthermore, the team states that despite the narrative team consisting of diverse talent, it's lead who eventually be came CCO, Zak Garriss (narrative director who eventually became CCO) quickly endeared himself to management after he was onboarded. He is accused of developing questionable relationships with younger, less senior female employees working with him, grilled writers on their political ideologies, and fought to remove a transgender character from the game and include a scene depicting a date-rape protested by the team. According to Valentine, Gariss has contested these allegations,

Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis has a new story that's available April 3rd, 2024. Titled "On the Road", this is the sixth chapter of the scenario that adapts the original Final Fantasy VII into the smartphone RPG. As Cloud and company travel the world in pursuit of Sephiroth, they find themselves in the Corel Region's Costa del Sol resort town and eventually make their way to the glittering Gold Saucer and the desolate Corel Prison. It's here they meet the game's newest playable character: Cait Sith. This update includes a new, third Limit Break for each character that must be unlocked by fulfilling certain requirements. New weapon draws and outfits will be available, along with a multitude of promotional campaigns and banners ringing in the game's half-anniversary of operation. Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis is now available on iOS/Android and Steam. Final Fantasy VII — Chapter 6: "On the Road" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgdd-PBkcCM

A demo for SaGa Emerald Beyond will arrive at midnight local time on Thursday, April 4, 2024 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. The Steam version is scheduled for 9:00am Pacific the same day. The demo comes mere weeks away from the game's official launch on April 25th, and will let you carry save progress into the retail version. Based on your platform of choice, the demo will include three different protagonists. PlayStation users will get Tsunanori Mido, Nintendo Switch gets Ameya Aisling, and Steam gets Diva No. 5. The latest tile in the SaGa series, Emerald Beyond is a RPG with branching stories and turn-based combat. Select one of six protagonists as the travel to different worlds guided by the Emerald Waves that connect them. The scenario will change drastically based on the character you choose and the decisions you make. You'll be able to recruit a wide variety of characters, and battles will require you to consider which characters to bring along, their formation, and each individual action as it proceeds through a timeline. Using different attacks to manipulate the timeline is at the core of the battle system, much like its predecessor, 2016's SaGa Scarlet Grace. SaGa Emerald

Visions of Mana has a new trailer out, highlighting some of the features found in the newest entry in the long-running action RPG series. Here were see the party travelling through the "semi-open" world on foot and on pikul-back - creatures resembling a corgi and a pangolin designed by Mana series creator Koichi Ishii. The protagonist Val is seen battling alongside Morley, a cat man wielding a sword, and a young woman named Careena with a dragon wing and a flammie companion. They are joined by Hinna, a young woman who is tasked with a pilgrimage to the Mana Tree. Using the power of the Elementals, Val and company will be able to change their combat classes and use elemental magic in battle. You'll also be able to change between characters quickly. Elementals will also let them use said magic to traverse the field maps, like using wind magic to jump higher in the air or raise platforms. Visions of Mana is planned for a Summer 2024 release on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Windows, and Steam. Visions of Mana — March 2024 Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A0sil8LWK8

Star Ocean The Second Story R received a free update today on PlayStation 4/5, Switch, and Steam. Developer Gemdrops and publisher Square Enix released the game last November and is a HD remake of the 1998 PlayStation game that utilizes the original 2D sprites. This update includes a new "Chaos" difficulty mode, which is harder than than "Universe" difficulty, and boosts enemy stats. The Ten Wise Men, major antagonists in the story, can now be encountered as raid enemies in the field. If you're able to defeat them, you'll get a Jewel which will allow you to summon them in battle as part of the Assault Action system that utilizes your reserve party or Star Ocean series cameos. New weapons and armor will be added to the game, and can be made in Item Creation or collected as drops from Raid Enemies. You'll also have the option of resetting character levels in New Game Plus, and Claude or Rena's star will appear on the title screen depending on your completion status. New portraits created by character designer Yukihiro Kajimoto will appear in the game, including: Clyde, Regis, Eleanor, Leifath, Mariana, and Allen. Square Enix shares the following: Star Ocean The Second Story R — Game