Ben-DutkaI've been wondering about this ever since it was announced.
As we all know, talk of a Final Fantasy VII remake has been floating around the Internet for many years. However, that's not the only series installment long-time fans want to see remade with beautiful next-gen graphics; for example, Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy VIII are often discussed.
Of course, it'd be exceedingly difficult to produce a 16-bit adventure like FFVI, just because it's not a high-def overhaul at that point; the graphics would have to be built from scratch. Same goes for the PS1 games, really. It's part of the reason why Square Enix has never given us that FFVII remake and for the most part, it's understandable. But obviously, it could be done. If they really wanted to do it, it could be done. My question is this- are they using the recently released Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster as a fan litmus test of sorts?
In other words, if it proves extremely popular and sells very well, would that generate more internal discussions within the company concerning other remakes? Or, was this project simply a response to the many years of begging for a remake? The interesting part is that FFX and X-2 weren't usually near the top of the "most wished for FF remake" list, which is why I'm wondering about Square Enix's ulterior motives… If this new Remaster set is successful, however, I suppose it's more likely they'll deliver Final Fantasy XII HD because again, it'd just be a high-def upgrade, not an entire graphics teardown.
What do you think?
Related Game(s): Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster
Whether they intended it to be or not, it is about as clear and reliable a "poll" as they could hope to conduct regarding consumer enthusiasm for the older Final Fantasy titles. If not more HD remakes, I hope it will at least inspire a return to form for the series. The demand for it, as evidenced by the FFX HD sales, could not be more clear.
No, Square have been releasing Final Fantasy Remakes/Re-releases for years on just look at the PS1 & PSP library I have at least 3 versions of FF4 (PS1, PSP & DS). I don't see any agenda with this. It's something they have been doing for year and with many other PS2 games being revamped in HD I feel these two games fit right in – We also got Kingdom Hearts 1.5 REmix before this too.
On a side note, I'm a rather sour puss today as neither this or Ground Zeroes have arrived today. The game was released in Europe on the 20th and for some stupid reason the UK get it a day later and now it is the 21st I haven't got it. Furious isn't the word! I'm contacting Zavvi about this but their customer service is appalling. I really hope I get it tomorrow at least…. rant over.
Zavvi aren't the best – had to wait a few days for things in the past, tend to get my preorders from amazon, got ffx/x-2 yesterday morning before they had emailed me it had been dispatched!
Hope you games turn up in time for a weekend session!
Damn these remakes. Its all the rage these days. Hey! Lets make HD remakes and resell old games!
This is killing the gaming industry imo.
Because…. they represent far less than 0.5% of the games out there?
That's a rather small sampling of games to be worried about something like that.
The only ones it might possibly be hurting is Nintendo, because they're the only ones stubborn enough to insist on doing everything themselves. SquareEnix didn't handle the FFX Remaster, and almost none of the other remaster games have been handled by their original developers, except for the Nintendo ones… Those developers are all hard at work on new games.
Another day another FF article on PSX.
The one man crusade isn't going to revive this dying franchise.
Surrender to the inevitable and buy an FPS.
Heh heh heh (evil laugh)
At last count, I've done more articles about Call of Duty and the shooter genre in general. Lots more, in fact. Where were you? Sleeping?
And last I checked, a Final Fantasy title hits store shelves this week. Let me see…hmm…yup, just about every last source on earth has a few headlines up about it.
See, that's sort of how gaming journalism works.
Easy Ben…I'm pretty sure he was just busting your balls in a fun way…
And a game that is pulling 8s and 9s no less!
Ouch – did I touch a nerve? Teehee
Wasn't a criticism – just my warped sense of humour.
These two games offered the least amount of work for the most amount of money. It's as simple as that. SE saw everyone else doing it so why not them? But of course I'm sure they will be looking at how well these sell (already outselling FFXIII-3) and giving us more remakes/hd ports if the demand is there.
Agreed
Oh, the demand is there. That much is certain.
Either way I'm really excited to play this remake and really hoping for a XII remake. XII would be relatively easy for them to do and I think an HD remake of it could look better than XIII. XII was so huge and so beautiful, would be great if remastered.
An HD port of XII would be my must buy game of whatever year it releases. Against any new game released I want it the most.
Yiazmat in glorious 1080p… Oh man what a fight to remember that would be, again.
It's about getting the money from the fans who they've been displeasing and who haven't been paying them.
But I also hope it makes them think about the gameplay issue.
When it's pulling as many 8s and 9s as it is, I'd like to extend my metaphorical middle finger to all those that continue to pretend any version of turn based must be archaic. Especially when it's outselling the most recent fast paced near action-like title.
ditto that
Mine's coming tonight, grrr a few more hours…
Aww!
I particularly noticed the higher resolution in distant horizons. The first real whammy of the upgrade I noticed is when you first get on the Mi'hen Highroad. The music is redone nicely, the view in the distance is great, and the character animations are smooth as butter. I'd noticed those pieces in other areas prior, but that was the first region where you can take all the upgrades in at once.
Did they change the laughing scene at all? I didn't find it awkward this time around…. For some reason it made more sense. Maybe it's cause I'm older?
My only real complaint now is in how clear it is that they spent more time on the main character detail than typical NPC's. I get why, but when they stand next to each other, it's kinda funny. Especially in non-CG cutscenes.
They didn't change it, it's still awkward for me. I also noticed (rather quickly) the difference in quality between the main cast and NPC. The main characters look amazing, better than I could have hoped for. I don't really have a complaint about the difference in quality. I didn't expect the same amount of detail put into Yuna to be put into a random guy walking a dog.
SE always has that problem, the NPCs in FFXIII games are PS2 models or something.
I had always equated Tidus's chest (in the original) to resemble cardboard – now little things like that have actual detail, so the changes are noticeable.
The biggest thing for me is the re-vamped soundtrack. Sounds flipping amazing!
Am I the only one in this world hoping for FFVII-2 or FFX-3?
Nope. I too hope for a FFX-3.
personally i never got the appeal i know people who did but i was always more of a charcater/action/platformer type person when iwas that age so yeah have fun with it though some one wud enjoy it
happy gaming =)
'character type person'?
THE LE IS BEAUTIFUL
if they Remake Final Fantasy 6 HD. ill be in heaven drooolz
That would have to be far more than a remaster. It'd have to be like a brand new game.
They'd also need to rewrite all the dialogue. I just replayed it before the new year. It has not aged well.