Final Fantasy

The excellent Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is coming to PC on February 1, publisher Square Enix said today. This version of the game will run at 60 FPS and include New Game Plus and New Game Minus modes, among other features.

Final Fantasy VII‘s Explanation For Barret’s Gun Arm Is Different In Japanese

I’ve been playing Final Fantasy VII in Japanese and English at the same time. I’m making videos documenting the little differences I notice between the Japanese and English scripts. This is the latest part of my series! In today’s episode, we’re going to visit the Gold Saucer, where we’ll encounter a line of dialogue which,…

The Heartbreaking Final Fantasy VII Song That Makes Me Smile

One of Final Fantasy’s most iconic songs doesn’t even make my top 10 favorite list. That said, it’s also one of my most cherished. What makes it special is that it’s tied to one of my fondest memories—but not in as sweet a way as you may think. On this the last day of 2017—which…

The Sublime Battles Of The Last Story

I never thought my favorite part of a Hironobu Sakaguchi game would be the battle system, especially since Final Fantasy and Lost Odyssey are renown for their compelling stories and dramatic character arcs. But in The Last Story, the combat was not just the best part of the game. It represented a refreshing evolution of…

The World of Ruin In FFVI Is About Searching For Hope In Desperate Times

In Final Fantasy VI, the villains triumph. It’s one of the most shocking moments in gaming. As devastating at the moment is, the journey the protagonists take to defy the overwhelming odds against them is a message of hope during bleak times and represents what I most love about the series. Warning, spoilers abound!!! Celes’…

Final Fantasy VIII Retrospective: The Greatest Love Story

How do you follow the biggest role-playing game of all time? How do you look at Final Fantasy VII and make something even better? If you’re Square in the 1990s, the answer is simple: You break everything. This is part eight of Kotaku’s Final Fantasy Retrospective, in which we take a look back at every…

Universal Studios Japan Is Getting A Final Fantasy Ride

Starting January 19, Final Fantasy is getting a roller coaster at Universal Studios Japan called Final Fantasy XR Ride. The limited-time ride is part of Universal Studios Japan’s yearly Cool Japan event. The Final Fantasy XR Ride is a VR-enabled roller coaster—in short, it is Space Fantasy The Ride repurposed with VR headsets. Final Fantasy…

One Man Is Trying To Speedrun Three Final Fantasy Games–At The Same Time

Speedrunning a long role-playing game requires both concentration and stamina. There are endless menus to navigate and character builds to optimize, and doing everything fast means knowing the game’s secrets like the back of your hand. Speedrunning an RPG can be grueling for even the most accomplished player. So naturally, one guy wants to speedrun…

There Is Now Some Final Fantasy XV In Assassin’s Creed Origins [UPDATE: We Found More Stuff]

A few weeks ago, the makers of Assassin’s Creed Origins teased a screenshot of yellow feathers, and now players who embark on a new quest in Ubisoft’s sprawling ancient Egyptian adventure will find some Final Fantasy in the game. It features some of the odder use of Chocobos in gaming history. The franchise crossover between…

Final Fantasy Is 30 Years Old

Final Fantasy and I have a lot in common. We’re both charming, aging rapidly, and occasionally haunted by anime ladies. Also, we both turned 30 this year. On December 18, 1987, the company formerly known as Square released Final Fantasy, a desperate game that mixed Dragon Quest with Lord of the Rings and added a…

It’s The Little Things That Make Final Fantasy XIV‘s 4.2 Update Great

New story quests, side missions, dungeons and raids are always nice, but the coolest changes coming in January’s “Rise of a New Sun” update to Final Fantasy XIV involve more inventory space, new ways to store special outfits and new ways for Bards to rock out. As excited as I am for fresh content coming…

Episode Ignis Fills In More Of Final Fantasy XV‘s Blanks

Like Final Fantasy XV’s previous two pieces of downloadable content, Episode Ignis is short, action-packed, and exists to explain an unresolved plot point from the main game. This time, we get to learn how our boy Iggy got… changed. Episode Ignis, which takes place right in the middle of Final Fantasy XV’s Chapter 9, is…

I’m In Love With A Final Fantasy Trading Card Game I’ve Never Played

I can’t stop buying Final Fantasy Trading Card Game booster packs. The iconic artwork printed on high-quality card stock—I particularly love how the textured card backs feel on my fingers. And the gameplay, well… I’ve never actually played it. I’m sure it’s nice. It’s Square Enix’s fault. The company sent me a couple of starter…

Japanese Role-Playing Game Trend: Big Sister Characters

Have you noticed? Some of the biggest recent Japanese role-playing games feature older sister type characters instead of predominately kid sister ones popular in years past. Big sister characters aren’t necessarily related to the protagonists, but they are often surrogate older sisters, even if they are portrayed as fetching or become a romantic interest. A…

Welcome To The Age Of $170 Video Game Art Books

Because I run our video game concept art feature, I sometimes get sent art books to take a look at. Yesterday was the first time I barely got one through the front door. This is The Art And Design Of Final Fantasy XV, a new release from Cook & Becker, a company better known for…

Final Fantasy XIV Bards Are Making Beautiful Music

A couple of weeks back, Square Enix finally gave Final Fantasy XIV Bards the ability to play real music. Now YouTube is filling with great (and only occasionally terrible) Bard performances. Since Square Enix’s has users agree to not use the new Bard tools to recreate third-party music, most of the tunes showing up online…

Final Fantasy XV’s Multiplayer Is Great Fun In Small Doses

To some, Final Fantasy XV’s multiplayer expansion pack is an entertaining (if mildly frustrating) way to experience Square Enix’s epic RPG with friends. For others, it’s a hell of a lot of work to find a decent dress shirt. I’m somewhere in between. Since the events that unfold in the Comrades expansion take place after…

We won’t be playing the Final Fantasy VII remake anytime soon, but Mobius Final Fantasy players can step into the boots of the long-awaited game’s hero starting tomorrow. Remake Cloud joins Lightning as the game’s second Ultimate Hero, with players who equip his card transforming into Mr. Poutyface himself.

Final Fantasy XV Gets Character Swapping

It’s the one-year anniversary of Final Fantasy XV’s launch, which means it’s nearly time for Square Enix to finish the game. Today, the studio announced plans to let you play it all as one of Noctis’s pals. The feature, which will be implemented at some point before the new downloadable content Episode Ignis drops on…

The Final Fantasy VR Fishing Game Is Not At All What I Expected

When I think about fishing, I think about relaxation: chilling out somewhere beautiful in the sun, watching the shimmering water, waiting for fish to bite. Admittedly all of my real-life fishing experiences took place in the rain-drenched Highlands of Scotland and were absolutely horrendous, but video games are about escapism. I hadn’t read much about…