Square Enix reveals launch dates for 'Final Fantasy XII' remaster, 'FFXV' DLC

By Danny Cowan Published January 31, 2017

final fantasy xii remake dated for july ffxiizodiac — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Square Enix revealed that a remastered PlayStation 4 version of its acclaimed PS2-era RPG Final Fantasy XII will launch worldwide in July, while Final Fantasy XV players can look forward to all-new storyline DLC and Season Pass content starting in February.

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age will also feature an array of gameplay upgrades when it launches later this year, including a character progression system that was once exclusive to Japan.

Released for the PlayStation 2 in 2006, Final Fantasy XII remains a favorite among series fans for its memorable cast members and politically charged storyline. Final Fantasy XII also marked a departure for the series in terms of gameplay, challenging players to define their party’s combat behavior using a “gambit” system instead of allowing direct control over individual party members.

The Japan-exclusive rerelease Final Fantasy XII: International Zodiac Job System in 2007 expanded on the original game’s mechanics with 12 additional License Boards, granting party members stat boosts and abilities based on their chosen class. These mechanical improvements were previously reserved for players in Japan, but fans worldwide can experience International Zodiac Job System‘s features in the upcoming PS4 remaster.

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age launches exclusively for the PlayStation 4 on July 11.

Square Enix additionally revealed that Final Fantasy XV players can expect to see a “Booster Pack” of downloadable content on February 21. Available in both free and paid Season Pass versions, the Final Fantasy XV Booster Packs will outfit players with new items and equipment, including a “Magitek Exosuit” that grants new abilities in battle.

Final Fantasy XV‘s first batch of add-on storyline content will launch on March 28 with Episode Gladiolus, a playable episode featuring Prince Noctis’ companion Gladio. The episode will be released as stand-alone DLC on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live and is available as a free download for Premium Edition and Season Pass buyers.

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PSA: Don’t burn yourself out on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s open-world activities

Cloud from FFVII

I'm normally a completionist when it comes to games, but I wish I had told myself to push that mindset to the side before I started Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

I get the desire to do it all, I really do. In the critically acclaimed sequel, we're finally let loose outside of Midgar. Square Enix has laid a huge, lush set of biomes to stretch our legs in after being stuck in the cramped hallways and tunnels of the drab city. Despite most of the world activities in Rebirth being standard open-world fare (activating towers, scanning points of interest, and hunting down specific monsters), there's an undeniable novelty to doing it with Cloud and the rest of Avalanche. What I wish I had known before starting was just how easy it was to burn out on that feeling.

Gaming

The best armor in Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth

Cloud from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

Just like in Remake, you only have one valuable armor slot per character in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Deciding on what you want to put there is more complicated than you think, since each piece of armor has multiple factors that determine how effective it will be, and you may want to prioritize different things for different characters. New armor will become available as you go deeper into the world of Gaia, and you can even make some yourself with the new Transmutation system, so comparing and contrasting them all can be a major chore. We get it, you're just a merc looking to get the job done, so let us worry about figuring out the best armors so you can just put them on and get back to the action.
The best armor in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Armor in Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth have three major factors to consider when you're equipping some: the physical defense rating, magic defense rating, and Materia slots. The best armor will either focus heavily on one of these or have a strong balance of them all. Here are our picks.
Garm Bangle

The Garm Bangle is an amazing piece of physical-focused armor that becomes available once you hit the Nibel region. It has a fantastic 59 rating for regular defense, aplus a decent 28 for magic defense to keep you from being totally vulnerable to spells. Offensively, it has two pairs of linked Materia slots plus a spare, so you can still make plenty of killer magic combos for your mages.
Hades Armlet

Gaming

Whatever you do, don’t skip Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s card minigame

Queen's Blood

If you're getting ready to start your Final Fantasy VII Rebirth adventure, let me offer you fair warning: it is a long game. If you're planning to do every sidequest, minigame, and Chadley combat battle, you'll be wandering around Gaia for 100 hours. That's not an exaggeration; I hit credits in 73 hours and I still had a massive checklist of side content to complete.

Considering that length, you'll want to prioritize the best content if you want to get through the story in a timely matter. Some minigames are safe to skip, but there's one you absolutely should not sleep on: Queen's Blood. Not only is it a surprisingly deep deck-builder, but it contains a secret story all its own that makes it Rebirth's absolute best minigame.
All hail the queen
Introduced early in Rebirth's story, Queen's Blood is an optional card game that appears all over the world. It's essentially Rebirth's Gwent equivalent, giving players an in-world deck-building game to obsess over. That's become a bit of a cliché in modern open-world games, but Queen's Blood is the best take on the idea I've ever seen.