Tag: Square Enix - Page 5
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Octopath Traveler II?
What say you, traveler?
Octopath Traveler II, the long-awaited sequel to one of Team Asano's finest games, launched last week to positive reviews across the board, cementing it as a worthy successor to the 2018 original. In our own review of the game, we called it "a triumphant and confident follow-up to its predecessor, building on the established...
Feature Enjoying The Journey - How Square Enix Learned From The Past For Octopath Traveler II
"We aimed to evolve the formula rather than change it"
It has been five long years since the release of Square Enix's fantastic, multi-pronged RPG Octopath Traveler on Switch. Starting as a console exclusive on Switch before branching out onto other platforms, the game gave us eight different storylines to dive into, a range of protagonists to fall...
News My Nintendo Offering "Exclusive" Reversible Switch Box Art Covers For Octopath Traveler II (US)
Redeem this reward today
Octopath Traveler II is now officially available on the Switch and to celebrate the My Nintendo website in the US is offering some exclusive box art covers. In total there are eight of them - with each one covering one of the main characters. The catch is, you'll have to print them out yourself. Nintendo recommends using...
Poll Octopath Traveler II Is Out Now, Which Character Will You Start With?
Eighth time's a charm
It's time lose yourself in the lush world of HD-2D all over again — Octopath Traveler II is out today on Switch (and PS4, PS5, and PC of course). Announced only last September, this surprise sequel does everything a follow up should do — it improves on every single aspect of the original while also staying faithful to it...
News Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition Update Now Available, Here Are The Patch Notes
Does it play like a dream?
Following on from Monday's statement, Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition's promised update is now available to download on Switch. Square Enix shared the patch notes over on Steam and the official Japanese website, which basically reconfirms the company's message from earlier in the
News Chrono Cross Remaster Update Coming Later This Month, Promises "Framerate Improvements"
It isn't just a dream
Square Enix has shared that it will be releasing a patch for last year's Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition later this month. The game — which includes the PS1 sequel to Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, along with a previously Japan-exclusive Satellaview title Radical Dreamers — came out last April, and this is the...
Round Up The Reviews Are In For Octopath Traveler II
What's the verdict?
Outside of Kirby, perhaps one of the most anticipated Nintendo Switch releases this month is Octopath Traveler II. This HD-2D RPG by Square Enix makes its triumphant return - building on its predecessor's established foundation with some welcome new ideas and tweaks. We gave the game an "excellent" nine out of ten stars here on...
Review Octopath Traveler II - A Confident Follow-Up And One Of Switch's Finest RPGs
Eight roads diverged in a wood, and I... well, I took them all!
A year after the Switch released, Team Asano—who made its name on the Bravely Default games on 3DS—released Octopath Traveler for the Switch. The fascinating HD-2D art style immediately grabbed people’s attention, while the clever implementation of classic JRPG gameplay quickly...
Review Theatrhythm Final Bar Line (Switch) - A Magical Musical Romp Through Final Fantasy History
Feel the Theatrhyhm
If there’s one thing pretty much everyone can agree on, it’s that the Final Fantasy series has some incredible music. With a 35-year legacy and around 100 games bearing the Final Fantasy moniker, it’s not surprising that the music from the series is some of the most recognisable in video game history. Theatrhythm, then, is...
News Wait, Did Square Enix Just Tease A Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster?
A tactical decision?
It has been a few months now since we last caught rumours of a Final Fantasy Tactics remaster, but this isn't to say that we have stopped thinking about it. Today, the thoughts of a Switch port are once again on our minds after a recent interview with Theatrhythm Final Bar Line producer Ichiro Hazama and director Masanobu Suzui...
News Dragon Quest Series Producer Leaves Square Enix After 13 Years
Ryota Aomi moves onto a "new journey"
Dragon Quest series producer Ryota Aomi has announced that he has left Square Enix after working with the company for 13 years. Sharing the news on Twitter (via Gematsu), the long-time producer — who first worked on Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors while he was working at Genius
Hands On Octopath Traveler II Looks Incredible, But Can It Forge Its Own Identity?
Boosting the original without breaking anything
Not every sequel needs to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes simple refinement does the job just fine. For every game that mixes things up, like Breath of the Wild, there’s another like A Link Between Worlds that takes a more subtly iterative approach to the standard formula. After playing through the...
News Octopath Traveler II Demo Available On Switch Today
Three whole hours of HD-2D goodness
Octopath Traveler II is the latest Square Enix title to get a hefty demo ahead of launch, and it's available on Switch now. The demo was announced during today's Nintendo Direct, and will let you play through the first three hours of the game and carry over your data to the full game when it releases on 24th...
News Square Enix Rolls Out Chocobo GP Version 1.4.1, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
Download it now
Square Enix released another update for its Switch-exclusive Chocobo GP. This is the first update of 2023, bumping the title up to Version 1.4.1. This patch contains multiple fixes, here's the full rundown courtesy of the Square Enix support page: Chocobo GP - Version 1.4.1 (1st Feb, 2023) Thank you for playing “Chocobo GP”...
Mini Review PowerWash Simulator - Scrubs Up Well On Switch
Hashtag satisfying
In 1998, The Simpsons made a throwaway gag about Bart refusing to perform yard work at home for his mother, then demanding she let him join the queue for the yard work simulator at a local fairground. It’s funny because who would develop a virtual experience of a chore? Moreover, who would want to actually play it? So anyway,...
News Square Enix Planning "Multiple New Titles" And New IP
Following a slump in sales
Square Enix has had a solid run on the Nintendo Switch over the past year with releases such as Live A Live, NieR:Automata, Tactics Ogre: Reborn and more recently Crisis Core, but it seems it's not been enough. The Japanese publisher and developer has reported a drop in net sales in its latest financial results period (up...
Reminder A Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Demo Is Out Today On Switch eShop
Download it from the Japan's eShop right now
Later this month, Square Enix will be releasing Theatrhythm Final Bar Line on the Nintendo Switch. If you're eager to see what the game is like ahead of release, later today you'll be able to download a free demo from the North American and European eShops. If you can't wait any longer, you can actually...
Review Life Is Strange 2 - A Solid Switch Port For This Thrilling Second Story
Highway to hell?
Given the critical and commercial success enjoyed by Life is Strange back in 2015, creating a compelling direct sequel can’t have been easy for developer Dontnod. Yet just three years later, players were surprised with a brand new story that was every bit as emotionally affecting as the first, if not more so. It boasts a plot that...
Hands On Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Feels Like A Perfectly Tuned Final Fantasy Celebration
Encore! ENCORE!
The curtains are open and the stage is set. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line marks the return of the Final Fantasy rhythm series to Nintendo consoles after a 10-year break. We've had a chance to go hands-on with an upcoming demo for the game, which will be available on 1st February, and if the early goings-on is anything to go on, then...
News Square Enix Will Conduct Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Livestream Today
Tune in!
Ever since its announcement in September's Direct Showcase, we have been getting a steady stream of Theatrhythm Final Bar Line information from Square Enix — but we are always hungry for more! Fortunately, it looks like just that will be happening soon, as a Final Bar Line livestream has been announced for today at 9:00pm GMT / 1:00pm...
News Square Enix Survey Asks About Team Asano's Future Games
Would you like more remakes and remasters?
It seems Square Enix is once again calling on fans to have their say about what games they would like to see next. In a recent Japanese survey, the company known for the Final Fantasy series asked local residents of Japan what games and genres they would like to see from Team Asano in the future. Team...
News Octopath Traveler II's Newest Character Trailer Is Absolutely Gorgeous
Meet Ochette and Castti
Octopath Traveler II's release is fast approaching, and Square Enix has dropped the next character trailer for two more of our eight protagonists — Ochette, the Hunter, and Castti, the Apothecary. There are also some brand new details about the world and characters in a new blog post (via
News It's Official, PowerWash Simulator Scrubs Up On Switch This Month
And you can wash... Croft Manor?
Pack it up Zelda, Final Fantasy, Starfield, etc. — PowerWash Simulator is turning on the hoses on 31st January when it launches on Switch. Finally, a real video game that will wash the scrubs away. Joking aside, PowerWash Simulator became a bit of a surprise hit in 2021 in Early
News Check Out These Sublime Soundtrack Samples From Octopath Traveler II
42 song previews are available
Can you believe we're only just over a month away from Octopath Traveler II's release? Well, ahead of the game's launch on 24th February, Square Enix has shared some previews of the game's soundtrack over on its Japanese site (via NoisyPixel). And my goodness, if there's one thing we can be sure of, the music sounds...
News PowerWash Simulator Seemingly Arrives On Switch Soon
It's time to clean up your neighbourhood
Washing things might not necessarily sound like fun, but PowerWash Simulator has managed to make a name for itself over the past year. It was announced for the Nintendo Switch last September, and now in the latest update, it seems the game could be splashing onto the hybrid platform at the end of this month...
News Yuji Naka Has Now Been Formally Indicted Over Insider Trading Offenses
Developer was previously arrested twice
Update [Wed 28th Dec, 2022 12:15 GMT]: Following on from the arrests of Sonic co-creator Yuji Naka and former Square Enix employee Taisuke Sazaki, the two have now been formally indicted over alleged insider trading offenses. As reported by NHK (thanks, VGC), the two were charged for conducting insider...
Video Digital Foundry's Technical Analysis Of Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion On Switch
"Surprisingly this is an excellent build"
Zack Fair's story made its Switch debut last week in Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion, an impressive remaster of the 2007 PSP favourite and prequel to Final Fantasy VII. The game launched on multiple platforms, and many were concerned that the Switch version would suffer thanks to the incredibly...
News Chocobo GP To Get "No Further Large Scale Updates", Mythril Sales Discontinued
Pulling in at the pit stop
Chocobo GP, Square Enix's adorable (and slightly controversial) kart racer is getting its Season 5 update today, bringing with it two new racers and a stage based on Midgar from Final Fantasy VII. However, the developer seems to have confirmed that today's update is the game's last major one, with changes to the game's...
News Triangle Strategy Has Now Sold Over One Million Copies Worldwide
Sales strats
After releasing back in March of this year, Square Enix has announced that TRIANGLE STRATEGY has now sold over one million copies worldwide (thanks, Nintendo Everything). For a game that managed to shift 800,000 units in its first two weeks of release, this is a slowing number, it is true. However, for a genre which is not as popular...
Reminder Chocobo GP's Season 5 Update Adds New Characters, Course & More
Ready, set, go!
Chocobo GP only just arrived in March this year on the Nintendo Switch, but somehow it's already up to Season 5! This latest update (Version 1.4.0) adds a new "Midgar" course - drawing inspiration from Final Fantasy VII, and also adds Croma and Volg, along with new seasonal outfits. Players will receive an 800 Mythril bonus at the...
Talking Point What's The Deal With The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Switch Release?
Final Font-asy
It’s finally happening – the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series is coming to Switch, and it’s about bloomin’ time! We’re pretty darn excited here. The first six Final Fantasy games on the NES and SNES – Final Fantasy I, II, III, IV, V, and VI – on a Nintendo console for the first time since
News Dragon Quest Treasures Is Giving Away Two Special Monster Codes
Unlock Yuji Horii and VTuber inspired monsters
In case you missed it, the new RPG Dragon Quest Treasures arrived on the Nintendo Switch earlier this month. If you did end up adding this one to your collection, Square Enix has now shared a few codes - allowing players to unlock some special monsters. First up we have Yuji - a King Slime voiced by...
Feature Final Fantasy's 35-Year Legacy Of Innovation - How Square Evolved A Genre On The NES & SNES
A Prelude to all future RPGs
Final Fantasy is now 35 years old, and that feels a little bit weird to say. While not the first RPG series to ever grace a home console or even the first Japanese-developed RPG, Final Fantasy is, arguably, the JRPG. Everyone knows it, and everyone has played at least one. There’s a lot of debate about what Final...
News Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection Launches On Switch Spring 2023
Physical pre-orders now open
Following an ESRB rating earlier this week, Square Enix has now officially announced the release of the Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster for the Nintendo Switch. It will be arriving in Spring 2023. This collection includes Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy II,
News Harvestella Producer Open To Future Entries, But Needs Fan Support
"I'd be delighted if we could keep this game going"
One of the more surprising RPG releases from Square Enix this year was Harvestella - a life simulation RPG where players are required to tend to their crops, befriend townsfolk, overcome threats and discover the truth behind the incoming calamity. The game's producer Daisuke Taka was recently...
News Chocobo GP Update Introduces New Midgar Course, Here Are The Patch Notes
Arriving later this month
Square Enix's kart racing title Chocobo GP will be updated to version 1.4.0 on December 21st, introducing a sizeable amount of additions, adjustments, and fixes to the game. The main star of the show here is the brand new "Midgar" course, taking inspiration from the starting location from Final Fantasy VII. This joins a...
Random Getty Images Apparently Exists In The World Of Final Fantasy VII
Well, that's unfortunate
This week saw the launch of Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - Reunion, a remake of the 2007 PSP title from Square Enix. We thought the game was pretty darn good, all told, awarding it a solid 8/10 in our review and praising the thrilling combat and solid visuals. It seems, however, that Reunion developer Tose left a rather...
Poll Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion Is Out Today On Switch, Are You Getting It?
A prequel to one of the greatest Final Fantasy games
It might be December, but that hasn't stopped video game releases from rushing out the door. The latest one is Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion - otherwise known as the prequel to the legendary 1997 RPG, Final Fantasy VII. Crisis Core originally made its debut on the PlayStation Portable...
ACTIVATING COMBAT MODE
In the mid-2000s, Nintendo may have easily dominated the handheld gaming space with the DS and its incredible lineup, but never let it be said that the PSP didn’t have its fair share of absolute bangers. One of the most memorable PSP titles was Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core, a prequel to one of the greatest games Square’s...
An ambitious title that just misses the mark
The world wasn’t ready for Romancing SaGa when it was first released back in 1992. It wasn’t until the PS2 remake in 2005 that the title would make its way to western shores, where it quickly gained a passionate following among fans of its non-linear storytelling, expressive characters, and...
Round Up The Reviews Are In For Dragon Quest Treasures
What did the critics think?
Apart from all those announcements at the Game Awards yesterday, there were also some new games released on the Nintendo Switch this week. One, in particular, that perhaps deserves just a little more attention is the new Dragon Quest spin-off, Dragon Quest Treasures. We've already shared our own Nintendo Life review -...
Feature Yuji Horii And Tachi Inuzuka - Making A Dragon Quest That Can Be "Enjoyed Casually"
Lifting the lid on Dragon Quest Treasures
The chest has been opened, and Dragon Quest Treasures has finally launched on the Switch today, 9th December. Originally proposed as an entry in the spin-off series Dragon Quest Monsters, Treasures sees fan-favourite character from Dragon Quest XI — Erik — and his little sister Mia embark on an...
Review Dragon Quest Treasures (Switch) - A Trove Of JRPG Goodness, Perfect For Beginners
Taking the JRPG formula back to basics
The Dragon Quest series is a staple in the JRPG community, continually churning out games of varying quality for more than 35 years. The latest entry in this seminal franchise is Dragon Quest Treasures, a spin-off from the mainline series, with many of the standard Dragon Quest tropes packaged into one of the...
News Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake News Coming "Soon" Teases Series Creator
"I can’t say much yet"
News on the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake has been sparse since its announcement in May 2021, but series creator Yuji Horii has hinted in an interview with Famitsu (with excerpts translated by SatsumaFS for Nintendo Everything
Anniversary Super Famicom Favourite 'Final Fantasy V' Is 30 Years Old
A Tycoon of the series
Final Fantasy V is celebrating its 30th anniversary in Japan today! Geez. Released on the Super Famicom on 6th December 1992, Final Fantasy V was a return to the Job System set-up of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy III on the NES. It's also sandwiched between what many consider two of the best Final Fantasy games ever —...
News PowerWash Simulator Dev Provides Update On Nintendo Switch Release
New content announcements coming "early next year"
At the Tokyo Game Show in September, Square Enix announced the washing and cleaning simulation PowerWash Simulator for the Nintendo Switch. There was no date shared at the time, and now indie developer FuturLab has provided an update - revealing a release will be locked in for this platform in...
News Square Enix Unveils Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion 'Launch Trailer' Ahead Of Release
Coming 13th December
The term 'launch trailer' is thrown around a lot these days. If, in this instance, you read it used alongside Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion and were instantly struck by fear of missing the game's release, worry not - the launch trailer may well be here, but the launch itself is still on 13th December. Once we had got...
News NieR: Automata Sales Soar To Seven Million Following Switch Release
Square Enix provides a sales update
One of the many third-party highlights on the Switch this year was Platinum's action role-playing game NieR: Automata. Following this title's release in October, Square Enix has provided an update for the lifetime sales of NieR - revealing the combined amount of sales total of seven million units (this includes...
News Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion Switch Frame Rate & Resolution Detailed
A new trailer has also been released
There have been a lot of RPG releases this year, but we're not done just yet. Before the end of 2022, Square Enix is releasing Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion on multiple platforms including the Switch. Ahead of next month's launch on December 13th, the Japanese video game company has released a new...
News Tactics Ogre On Switch Apparently Supports Mouse And Keyboard Controls
Another way to play
This week saw Square Enix release Tactics Ogre: Reborn on the Nintendo Switch and multiple other platforms. If you haven't already got around to playing this one, here's another reason why you should check it out. As highlighted by user 'solwhitehorn' on the Nintendo Switch subreddit, the game actually supports mouse and...
