‘Final Fantasy XII’ HD Remaster Announced: Trailer Revealed, Hands-On Demo Will Be At E3
Final Fantasy XII is officially getting an HD remaster on the PlayStation 4 in 2017. Square Enix has announced Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age today, which will introduce (or perhaps, re-introduce) current-gen players to the characters and world of Ivalice.
On the PSBlog the producer of #FFXII The Zodiac Age speaks about some of the new features
?? https://t.co/gnXQZcWisC pic.twitter.com/C23meMf0ne— FINAL FANTASY (@FinalFantasy) June 6, 2016
Final Fantasy XII originally debuted on the PlayStation 2, and it has not been previously made available to play on new generation consoles like the PlayStation 4. Speculation about a Final Fantasy XII remake began in August 2015, when Conductor Arnie Roth seemingly spilled the beans on the game’s development at a Final Fantasy Distant Worlds concert in Pittsburgh, Penn. Final Fantasy XII composer Hitoshi Sakimoto was also in attendance, which seemed to all but confirm the project’s plausibility. However, at the time, no official announcement was made.
Now that the news is official, fans can look forward to experiencing Final Fantasy XII on a fully-remastered experience on the PlayStation 4. In a post on the European PlayStation Blog, the game’s producer, Hiroaki Kato confirms the game will feature full HD graphics and a completely re-recorded soundtrack.
“Final Fantasy XII’s soundtrack features some of the most beloved songs in the series’ history, and this was a perfect opportunity to revisit its epic score. We’ve re-recorded FFXII’s background music using the current generation of sound production, now in true 7.1 surround. For the purists out there, you have the option to switch between the new and original versions of the score at any time.”
In addition to having the option to switch between the original and new soundtrack, the remaster will also present players with a new Trial mode. In the Trial mode, players will engage in 100 battles in succession, going up against a relentless number of monsters and enemies.
“Hardcore Final Fantasy fans in the US may remember that an International Version of the game was released that included a new character growth system, as well as various other improvements to the game’s interface. We are happy to report that The Zodiac Age integrates all of these features and updates, so fans can finally experience them for themselves.”
Previously released in 2007 as Final Fantasy XII: International Zodiac Job System, the Zodiac job system featured in the game was a bit different from the job system that was used in the original. According to Wikia, in the International release, “the License Board has been revamped. When a character joins the party, the player can assign him/her one of twelve jobs. Unlike the original game where all characters had identical License Boards, each of the twelve jobs in the Zodiac System has a different board. Once a character chooses a job, they cannot change it.”
To experience the job system in action, Square Enix has also announced that the first hands-on demo for Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age will be on the show floor at E3. Fans can expect the first hands-on impressions to pour in during the show.
Although no announcement has been made regarding a specific release date, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is expected to launch in 2017 on PlayStation 4. To get a first glimpse of the remastered game, see the full announcement trailer is below.
[Image via Square Enix]
