At long last, it’s finally here. Nearly 28 years later, Live A Live has finally been localized in all of its glory, wrapped up in a brand new package as one of Square’s many plans for remastering old content that missed the broader global market in years past. It’s a welcome effort considering the love and care put into it and the merit in making former media that was legally inaccessible open to a much broader demographic. Before I get into what this remaster brings to the table for fans both old and new, I’d like to address the importance of reintroducing a title like this to the current gaming era. It’s a move that I hope pays off not only because of the legacy Live A Live represented at the time of its release but also because of what it represents now as a zeitgeist of early 90’s experimental game design in an era of gaming that feels increasingly corporatized in terms of game production. Yet because of its previous exclusivity, it’s a title that often feels neglected in the pantheon of more “influential” titles at the time such as Final Fantasy VI when it rightfully deserves its place in that

The second major patch to follow Final Fantasy XIV's Endwalker expansion goes live Tuesday, August 23rd. Patch 6.2 Buried Memory features new content and features that we've summarized below — including where to unlock them. Note that some items are marked for Patch 6.25, which is planned to release roughly two months after 6.2. Check it out — and while you're here, we've got details on the return of The Rising seasonal event set to go live August 27th. The Moonfire Faire seasonal event is set to end on August 28th, so don't miss out! Main Scenario Quests: Buried Memory Unlock:In Search of Azdaja— Speak to Varshahn @ Radz-at-Han (X: 4.4, Y: 9.8)— Players must first complete the main scenario quest "A Satrap's Duty."— Level 90 Required Five millennia ago, the great wyrm Azdaja vanished into the void, and for long years Vrtra had despaired of being reunited with his dear sister. With the encouragement of his people, however, he has found the resolve to search for her, and sets forth with the Warrior of Light for a world engulfed in Darkness... Raid Dungeon: Pandæmonium: Abyssos Unlock:An Unwelcome Visitor— Speak to Claudien @ Labyrinthos (X: 8.6, Y: 27.5)— Chronicles of A New Era "Who Wards the Warders" Completion

This past week, Square Enix released a demo version of its upcoming simulation RPG The DioField Chronicle on Steam, PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and the Nintendo eShop. Elapsing over the game's first several hours, the demo includes around eight combat missions. Your progress can be saved and carried over into the full retail game. The game is built by a team of “skilled and experienced” developers including character designs by Taiki (Lord of Vermilion III, IV), concept art by Isamu Kamikokuryo (Final Fantasy X, XII, XIII, XV) and composed by Ramin Djawadi and Brandon Campbell of Game of Thrones fame. Diving in, DioField takes place in the embattled DioField Island, rife with factional conflicts between nobles, and a greater invasion looming from an Empire situated on the continent vying to power it's magic technology with the island's abundant Jade. The setting isn't entirely dissimilar from a World War II analogue, but with all the fantastical trappings of Final Fantasy Tactics. Think swords and sorcery, magic summoned beasts, enemies rising from the dead, and so on. You assume the role of Andrias, a young man skilled in subterfuge and weilds daggers in combat. Alongside him is Fredret, a mounted unit that has higher mobility

In the 72nd Letter from the Producer Live broadcast, Final Fantasy XIV director/producer Naoki Yoshida and global community manager Toshio Murouchi revealed new information on Patch 6.2 as well as other content and system changes expected in the new patch. We’ve summarized the major information below — check it out! Patch 6.2 Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5vqrKfADW4 What's New in Patch 6.2 A recap of 6.2 content: the main scenario will continue, and side quests will feature the continuation of Tataru's Grand Endeavor and Somehow Further Hildibrand Adventures (Patch 6.25).The new weapon enhancement quests will be part of "Somehow Further Hildibrand Adventures" and will begin in Patch 6.25.The Omicrons will be added as the latest Tribal quest in Patch 6.25; their quests are intended for Disciples of the Land (gathering) classes.A new instanced dungeon 'The Fell Court of Troia' will be added as part of the main scenario. A new un-named trial as well as it's Extreme-difficulty counterpart will also be added.'Pandæmonium: Abyssos' has been added as a new normal raid (8-players). The Savage difficulty version will be released one week after 6.2 launches (August 30). The team wants to see how the staggered release and tomestone acquisition affects things this time as a test run. The team is looking for feedback

The first expansion for Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin arrives on July 20th, for all platforms. Titled "Trials of the Dragon King," it can be purchased individually or as part of a season pass that will include two future DLC packages. Four new main missions, and nine new side missions will be available after clearing the "Warriors of Calamity" storyline and will feature an original story featuring the Dragon King Bahamut. According to Square Enix: "Taking an interest in Jack and his allies, Bahamut is willing to lend them its counsel and strength, should they pass its trials and prove their bravery. Trials of the Dragon King also sees Jack accosted by the Warriors of Light. Their fight is to restore the light to the crystals and thus save the world from the darkness that threatens to consume it." New jobs Pilgrim, Evoker, and Summoner have been added as well a new weapon type: Staves. There will also be a new accessory slot that can be utilized for special effects and status improvements. A new difficulty mode, Bahamut, can be accessed after completing the main game and further DLC will arrive later, in "Wanderer of the Rift" and "Different Future. Bahamut's Trials

If you had your pick, what kind of movie would you want to see? It has to be something exciting or adventurous or thrilling. Would you pick the Spaghetti Western? A kung-fu classic? Horror in deep space? Dinosaur... comedy? These are the kind of settings you’ll find in Live A Live, a unique RPG developed by Square and released for the Super Famicom in 1994. Their previous offerings in the genre, such as Final Fantasy, hadn’t strayed too far from conventional fantasy settings. Knights, mages, dragons… you get the idea. However, with Final Fantasy II, which leaned into its scenario taking heavy inspiration from the Star Wars trilogy, you caught a whiff of desire. To bring filmic elements to RPGs — to ponder: “wouldn’t it be cool if this film was like a console RPG?” To take that further: “What about A Fistful of Dollars? Enter the Dragon? Alien? Ultraman? What would that even look like!?” Developing games inspired by films, not merely to make films — but to make them games is a Rosetta stone for much of Square’s storied history. Live A Live is very much the next step in that lineage that bridges us to Final Fantasy VII integrating

Something very special happened between last week's portion of this feature and today. Namely, a round of media interviews with Naoki Yoshida dropped, effectively doubling our understanding of Final Fantasy XVI. I'm as grateful as any other fan — in fact, my interest levels have risen even higher, and I literally committed to writing thousands of words on this game beforehand — but it puts this, the final installment in the Casting Libra on Final Fantasy XVI miniseries, in sort of a strange position. Consider what I said about this two weeks back. We here at Nova Crystalis wanted someone to cover June 2022's new trailer, and ideally, that someone would be thorough. That's been the goal. Hopefully, I've been adequate in that regard! It's just that, and this is a happy challenge to be sure, we now have so much more to chew on regarding FFXVI's gameplay that taking a tremendously detailed look at what the trailer showed us could come at the expense of highlighting all the new information from interviews. To that end, I'll once again recommend our sister site's fantastic article on the matter. So, what's the game plan, then? I'll be shining a light on all the

Last week, Square Enix announced Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion, a “high-quality remaster” that liberates the 15-year old prequel from the PlayStation Portable and brings it to modern platforms. The game was originally part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII multimedia project that sought to expand the universe of the original PlayStation game into console games, mobile games, anime, and CG film. Crisis Core features Zack Fair and his rise through the ranks of SOLDIER, a corporate military force that is given supernatural strength by imbuing their bodies with mako stolen from the planet which it uses to sustain all life. With that strength, the Shinra corporation uses it to wage war against its enemies as it seeks to expand and exploit any mako-rich resource it can find to power its central nervous system in Midgar. As they wage these wars, “heroes” emerge — manufactured in more ways than one. Zack befriends its most elite members but finds himself entangled in their struggles. As he seeks to join their ranks, he learns there is a steep price to pay for power. A minor character in the original game, Zack’s story is heavily intertwined with its main character — Cloud Strife,

Welcome back to whatever this is. Last week, we banded together as I rambled for several pages over Final Fantasy XVI's lead development team and then turned an eye toward what we've seen of the game's world — the vast, dual-continent landmass called Valisthea. We all had lots of fun, which is why you've clicked on this week's article, and why I didn't flake on writing it. Our focus now shifts toward a more thorough look at the recent State of Play trailer that inspired all this discourse in the first place. But it isn't enough to just look at the thing in totality; there's a heavy enough mixture of cutscenes and gameplay stuffed into those three-odd minutes to warrant separate glances. We'll talk more about the gameplay side of the equation next week, except as it constitutes the story, characters, and societies of Valisthea — because those are our focal points for today. Benedikta? I Hardly Know Her I'd like to begin by giving some attention to a pair of pivotal characters whose identities have only just been revealed to us. There's Benedikta Harman, a woman who was technically introduced in 2020's announcement trailer but lacked a name at the time, and

Welcome to the first chapter of a three-part weekly series starring Final Fantasy XVI. Co-stars include whatever brand of coffee I’m drinking as I write these articles. Every week, I’ll be taking an extended look at specific aspects of FFXVI as we presently know it. Future parts will spend more time checking out that gorgeous recent State of Play trailer, first from a narrative and thematic perspective and later through a bunch of scribbled thoughts on combat and other potential gameplay features. For now, however, I will tilt my Dominant gaze toward some thoughts on the development team behind Square Enix’s next Final Fantasy’s next big thing. I’ll also spend some time musing over the shape of XVI’s world and how its designers may have gone about transforming such scale into something feasible to program in this modern age of RPGs. We’re decades removed from simple world maps; players today demand far more detailed settings. That’s enough pre-show chatter. Let’s mosey. Hail to the Queen. Awakening Fabula Nova Crystallis is dead. No, not this website. Nova Crystallis is fabulous. But the fal’Cie, the l’Cie, you see, they’re done and dusted, one and all. The Lightning saga lived long enough to directly influence Final Fantasy XV, itself a