Final Fantasy series executive producer Shinji Hashimoto posted an update to the Official US PlayStation Blog today to announce that select Final Fantasy titles on the PlayStation Network will be 50% off when the store updates tomorrow.
Similar sales have taken place in Europe to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series. So for those of you who have yet to round out your PSone classics collection or need to get Dissidia, now’s your chance to save some green in the process! The following titles on discount are:
PlayStation Portable:
Dissidia 012[duodecim]: Final Fantasy
Dissidia 012 Prologus: FINAL FANTASY
Dissidia: Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
PSone Classics:
Final Fantasy I
Final Fantasy II
Final Fantasy V
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy IX
So, we did our first Weekend Backlog segment back in January — and I was thinking it’s long overdue for a return. If you aren’t familiar, it’s pretty simple: share with us the games you’ve reserved for the weekend — games you wouldn’t otherwise be able to manage during the busy week. So, in the comments below — share the games you’ll be playing this week, and feel free to elaborate on them as much as you like!
Click below to read the full segment!
Here are some of mine:
Journey is a two to three hour affair the first trip through if you’re considering the $15 asking price — an experience I found to be worth the extra cash. For others, be sure to pick it up whenever there’s a sale!
Dissidia 012 is a pick-up-and-play treasure trove for Final Fantasy fans. This Final Fantasy is fun for a few quick matches to get you out to sea, but with all the meticulous game mechanics beckoning you to keep sailing, it’s hard to make it back ashore.
Note to self: see if audience appreciates pirate imagery without encouraging them to pirate.
2011 was a big year for the Final Fantasy franchise, and while the last remaining hours until 2012 are slipping away (at least in this part of the globe), I feel it appropriate to take a look back throughout the year to recap the major news that the series.
01.18.2011: Square Enix 1st Production Department Premiere.
We first knew this event as the “Fabula Nova Crystallis Conference” but around Jump Festa time in 2010, we got the news that the event would undergo a name change to suit the several additions to the roster. The re-dubbed event featured the reveal of Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance and the newest Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy trailer.
However, the biggest news of the event came after a video detailing the lore of the Fabula Nova Crystallis games. Final Fantasy XIII-2 was unveiled, the second mainline Final Fantasy to receive a videogame sequel. The new title was billed as a “darker and more mysterious” affair than it’s predecessor and would release within the year.
Later on, we were treated to a new trailer for Final Fantasy Agito XIII — but afterwards, director Hajime Tabata announced that the game itself would be getting a name change to Final Fantasy Type-0. Following that, a lengthy trailer of Final Fantasy Versus XIII showed us a healthy dose of cinematics and in-game footage.
We happened to record the event, and you can re-watch it below! (Just skip in a few minutes.)
03.XX.2011: Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy releases.
Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy saw release in all major territories in March, the follow-up the wildly successful PSP title Dissidia: Final Fantasy. The game featured an expanded roster with a new storyline plus the original’s. A new Assist system allowed players to call allies into the fray, as well as an expanded Labyrinth mode. Also of note is that it is the first Final Fantasy to feature downloadable content.
07.06.2011: Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy revealed in Jump.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Final Fantasy series, Square Enix teamed up with designer Monster Octopus and developer indieszero to create Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy. The rhythm-based RPG features music, characters, enemies, and locales from throughout the first thirteen Final Fantasy games. The first Final Fantasy title for Nintendo’s 3DS, it’s set to release in Japan on February 16th, 2012.
09.15.2011: Final Fantasy X HD announced for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita.
While Final Fantasy XIII-2 took the spotlight at Tokyo Game Show, Square Enix executive producer Shinji Hashimoto took the stage at the Sony conference to announce that Final Fantasy X will be coming to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in full HD. Final Fantasy series producer Yoshinori Kitase recently commented about the game’s development as being in the early stages, so we might have to get into the meat of 2012 before we hear any more definitive information.
10.14.2011: Final Fantasy XIV Version 2.0 announced for PC and PlayStation 3.
It’s been a tough year for Final Fantasy XIV, as anyone might have guessed. But hey, there’s been a lot of content updates since the October 2010 release that have made the game a lot more enjoyable to play. The team isn’t stopping there though, with director/producer Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida and Square Enix president Yoichi Wada announcing Final Fantasy XIV Version 2.0 in an address directly to players and fans.
Plans include revamps of just about everything in Final Fantasy XIV, causing some to consider this a “re-do”. With the major content updates that have been pushed out in 2011 and the ones that are planned in the coming year, they definitely have the justification to think so. While the 2.0 official client update isn’t scheduled until early 2013, many content updates to the MMORPG have landed or are in the works.
10.27.2011: Final Fantasy Type-0 releases in Japan.
After five long years, Final Fantasy Type-0 (formerly Final Fantasy Agito XIII) released on the PlayStation Portable in Japan. With an overseas version in the works and the PlayStation Vita to consider, it seems that 2012 will also be a year full of Final Fantasy Type-0 news. The game features the exploits of Class Zero & Co. defending their nation from a ruthless dictator’s invasion.
12.15.2011: Final Fantasy XIII-2 releases in Japan.
Final Fantasy XIII-2 released in Japan just this month to a rather sluggish start, managing to post one-third of the original’s first week sales. The game is designed particularly around player choice and involvement, and features a story that expands the Fabula Nova Crystallis lore. Players assume the role of Serah Farron, in search of her older sister Lightning. Newcomer Noel Kreiss guides Serah to the Historia Crux, a time-travelling apparatus that is foundation of the game’s structure.
So all in all, it’s been a rather exciting year! What did you think was the biggest Final Fantasy story of 2011? What do you think will be the biggest story of 2012? Leave us a comment below, and have a Happy New Year!
Over a total of three updates in the last several months, the PlayStation Network has been updated with avatars from Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy. This week finishes off the collection so that all of the game’s characters are represented. Each avatar will run you $0.49 and can be installed through the Account Management setting after purchase.
Over the last several weeks, Square-Enix has uploaded a number of avatars featuring the portraits of Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy characters and the last batch just went up on the PlayStation Network. Now all the characters are present (minus Cloud?)* The avatars are available for $0.49 each and are activated through your account management settings after you purchase them.
Update: Looks like there are more still to update! False alarm!
With the announcement of Theatrhythym: Final Fantasy for the Nintendo 3DS, fans of Dissidia have been wondering if this is the new evoltuion of the sub-franchise. Tetsuya Nomura addresses this head on (but briefly) in this week’s Famitsu. According to him, “Theatrhythym is not the future of Dissidia”. So perhaps those of you holding out for another Dissidia title may have a new glimmer of hope!
Wondering where the Bartz and Terra DLC went to? Well, don’t worry, as it’s making a comeback on the PlayStation Network next month. Today, the PlayStation Network updated with more avatars to purchase for your account including Laguna, Cecil, Kuja, and Vaan. Bartz, Terra, and Shantotto DLC forms will be available for download (along with music packs from their respective games) on July 19th.
Gamespot sat down with Square-Enix composer Takeharu Ishimoto to ask him about the Dissidia games’ soundtracks and the process by which they were created. Also in attendance was Free Dominguez, part of the band Kidneythieves who worked with Ishimoto to create Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy’s song “God in Fire” in which she sings the vocals.
Ishimoto commented on the arrangement process of many songs that were already created and beloved by fans, citing that they did little to change the original melody of the songs, but instead changed many of the instruments at play as well as modifying the rythym of the track to better suit Dissidia’s frenetic battle pacing. One of the major challenges of the games was travelling abroad to work with artists such as Kidneythieves and Your Favorite Enemies as well as recording in Prague.
The North American PlayStation Store has updated this Tuesday evening with new avatars featuring the characters of Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy. Each avatar costs approximately $0.49 and are downloaded seperately. The current characters available are: Bartz, Lightning, Ultimecia, Garland, Cloud of Darkness, Cosmos, Warrior of Light, Chaos, Tifa, and Kain. These avatars were previously available on the Japanese PlayStation Network, but it looks like they made the jump across the pond!
Final Fantasy super-producer Yoshinori Kitase commented briefly this week in this week’s Dengeki PlayStation that he is in fact interested in PSP remasterings of their products. We can only speculate that Final Fantasy Type-0 may be remastered for it’s upcoming summer release, but there is a library of Final Fantasy games on the PSP that may also be considered such as Dissidia and Duodecim as well as Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. Remastered PSP games are buffed up to look nice on a HD screen, and popular Japanese franchises such as Metal Gear Solid and Monster Hunter are leading the way into the new series.
Two titles specifically mentioned in the article by Motomu Toriyama include Dissidia and Crisis Core, however in regards to the official status, the director only stated they were still a “blank slate”, which likely means final decisions have not been made yet.
It is very important that you chime in! What Final Fantasy PSP titles would you like to see remastered for PS3? Let us know your opinions!
