Back in 2004, I had the perfect setup to play Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: three friends, four Gameboy Advances, four link cables, one Gamecube, and one sprawling weekend afternoon after a long week of high school. Looking back 17 years later, it seems like a wonder that any such confluence of events could transpire. They're fun memories. In previous years, I sequestered myself while playing through the single-player mainline entries on PlayStation, so the prospect of playing a Final Fantasy title with others was well worth checking out. Crystal Chronicles would dole out different roles to each player during each dungeon -- one might be navigating the map for the party, another on the lookout for treasure chests, and so on. You would constantly be communicating and cooperating, whether you were plumbing dungeons, wandering around your village trading items to craft, or sharing what kind of build you were thinking up. So much of the game was built around couch co-op, that it's disappointing to report that the online co-op that's replaced it feels ill-thought out and barely resembles the spirit of the original game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdt2og-xXlc In recent weeks, we learned that the Remastered Edition wouldn't have offline co-op, opting to move the

Following the game's release date announcement and boxart reveal, Square Enix has gone live with the final trailer for Kingdom Hearts Memory of Melody. As a rhythm game, this title acts as a recap of the key events that have transpired in the Kingdom Hearts series thus far, as well as acting as a sequel to Kingdom Hearts III, offering an all-new chapter centering around Kairi. Check it out: English Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwIXYvIvhY4&feature=youtu.be Japanese Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6wgmwT1Pxc Memory of Melody is set to release on November 13 this year for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

Square Enix has announced Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend today as the series moves to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Due out for Nintendo Switch on December 15, 2020, fans will be treated to the first three titles in the SaGa series. That includes The Final Fantasy Legend, Final Fantasy Legend II and Final Fantasy Legend III. Each game will feature a number of modern features including: Character speed boostAdjustable screen magnificationRetro display modeNew commemorative music and illustrations Additional features will include a special anniversary song, 8 in-game wallpapers and the option to play with either Japanese or English text. Those interested can pre-order now at Nintendo's eShop, the game is priced at $19.99. Catch the announcement trailer below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-ZiJKMdHg4

Announced via the Nintendo Direct Mini and on the official Twitter accounts, Kingdom Hearts Memory of Melody has received new keyart drawn by director Tetsuya Nomura, a release date and a tease from Nomura himself that a final trailer for the game will be coming in the next few days. Kingdom Hearts Memory of Melody is set to release November 13, 2020 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with pre-orders going up for availability later today for the Switch, with other consoles possibly following soon after. As previously announced, it will be a rhythm game that features various songs from throughout the series. Kairi appears to also play a major role in the game, as Memory of Melody takes place after Kingdom Hearts III. Additionally, the official Japanese Website has been updated, and features a jazzed up version of Dearly Beloved alongside screenshots and more. The English website was also launched as well. Key Art Sources: Twitter(ENG), Twitter(JP), KHInsider

Today during the third Outriders Broadcast, the fourth and final playable class for the upcoming RPG-shooter was unveiled: The Technomancer, an impressive class capable of providing assistance or utilizing high damage abilities to support their teammates. The Technomancer was announced through a new trailer titled "Become Terror," which features several scenes depicting some of the skills and abilities the Technomancer can use. A class that can forge constructs of war, the Technomancer can fill both the supportive or destructive roles, and has a variety of Anomaly-Powered weaponry at their disposal. "Right in front of our eyes, old tech and hardware we’d tossed away decades ago started shooting out sparks and coming back to life. We watched as the Altered bent and twisted the metal with his mind, shaping it into a machine of death that blew the enemy’s trench sky high." “The Techomancer is an exciting and flexible class that can be built as anything from crowd control focused support, to a high-powered artillery heavy damage dealer. They’re a great addition to any team of Outriders,” said Bartek Kmita, Creative Director at People Can Fly. “Co-op in Outriders is an intense and challenging experience that allows for a great variety of team synergies

The date for the next War Table, a digital stream that showcases and discusses the contents for the upcoming Marvel’s Avengers, has been revealed. On September 1, 2020 at 10:00am PDT, days before it's worldwide release, fans and interested parties can tune in for new information and in-depth looks at various gameplay elements and some world-exclusive announcements. According to Square Enix, this War Table will offer all information players will need to get started on release day. There will be information regarding the high level content, and hints and tips for facing the various enemies of Marvel’s Avengers. Special attention will also be given to the game’s progression system. The stream will also dive deeper into the Avengers Initiative, a game mode where players can strengthen their heroes after completing the game’s Reassmble story campaign. The game’s first post-launch story content will also be revealed, and there will be an unveiling of an additional post-launch playable hero. Additionally, it was revealed that fans can expect new videos and insight for the design and creation of Marvel’s Avengers. Square Enix also notes that attentive fans may also be able to spot hidden details regarding future content and announcements. You can watch the stream over on

With Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition gearing up for release this week, Square Enix has opened up and shared a new look behind the scenes. In a video titled "Inside Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition," fans can learn about the creation of the original 2003 classic, including the challenges and inspirations the development team shouldered back then. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFszE0sydNc&feature=youtu.be With the full game due out on August 27, players will be able to experience their own adventure either solo or through online multiplayer with cross-play functionality across all platforms. The remaster includes several upgraded features including improved visuals, a newly composed soundtrack, new high difficulty dungeons and more. The game will be available for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android.

The Rising limited-time seasonal event quest returns to Final Fantasy XIV on August 27th to coincide with A Realm Reborn's seventh anniversary of service. During the event you'll be able to nab an exclusive Wind-up Ardbert minion and The Sultana's Seven wall-mounted furnishing. You'll have until September 14th to complete the event. In order to participate, you'll need to be at least Level 15 and unlocked travel to Ul'dah. To begin, start the quest "Art of Glass" which can be found with J'bhen Tia in Ul'dah's Steps of Nald. (X:10.3, Y:8.3) "The Rising festival is known for bringing a splash of color to Ul'dah, and this year's celebration is especially vibrant. J'bhen Tia's exhibition of stained glass evokes memories of a pivotal moment in history, but he will need the assistance of a willing volunteer to ensure the event proceeds without a hitch." -- The Lodestone You can check out events from previous years on our YouTube channel -- including 2019. 2018. 2017, and 2016's. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsGo7hLf0cs

It’s been one year since Final Fantasy XIV celebrated the successful launch of its third expansion, Shadowbringers. With the finale in the form of Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal only a day away from emotionally crushing the community while simultaneously providing us adorable stickers for our screenshots in Group Pose, I had taken this time to fondly look back and reflect on what made Shadowbringers such a fantastic expansion compared to those that came before. I found myself asking: Why was it so good? What was done differently this time around? What made Shadowbringers rival previous Final Fantasy games, matching them in greatness and nostalgia? As I thought about these questions, I realized it was because the development team hit five major story-crafting elements that ultimately led to the game’s success. In this piece, I will be going over those five subjects in hopes that it not only puts my thoughts about the expansion into words, but also help others see what I believe made the story so incredible, and why Shadowbringers was, and is, an incredible work of art that will be remembered for years to come. A warning for those still new to the game: There are going to be some

Final Fantasy VII Remake shipments and digital sales have surpassed 5 million units worldwide, Square Enix announced in a press release today. This milestone is joined by the game marking its spot as the highest-selling digital PlayStation release in Square Enix's history. To celebrate, the game has now been discounted for the first time, on sale for 34% off until August 19 at select retailers and on the PlayStation Store. Final Fantasy VII Remake is currently available for PlayStation 4. For our own thoughts on the game, you can check out our review in full here.