As part of the madness that has been the 2016 Tokyo Games Show, Square Enix has dropped a new trailer for Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age. The remastered port was originally announced just prior to start of E3 2016.
At less than two minutes in length, the TGS trailer for Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age isn’t interested in telling a story. Instead, the new trailer is all about showcasing the remastered visuals. The world of Ivalice has been given a fresh coat of paint, while Vaan and company have never looked better. It may not be as visually splendid as Final Fantasy XV, but for a PlayStation 2 game, this looks pretty damn good.
For the uninformed, Final Fantasy XII is the child of Square legends Hiroshi Minagawa and Hiroyuki Ito, who took over the project after the original director, Yasumi Matsuno, dropped out. Players take the reigns of a six-person party, which includes the disgraced knight Basch and Dalmasca princess Ashe, as they do battle against the tyrannic Archadian Empire. The title introduced several new innovations to the franchise, including the Active Dimension Battle system.
When the remaster arrives next year, fans can look forward to a variety of improvements. Besides the fresh visuals, The Zodiac Age will also feature 7.1 surround sound, complete with HD voice acting and newly recorded music. The port will additionally bring the previously Japan-only Zodiac Job System and Trial Mode to European and American gamers. Full trophy support, auto-save and improved technical performance round out the package.
Despite the popularity of the franchise, Final Fantasy XII always seems to get lost in the shuffle. Its 2006 release came a little too late in the life cycle of the PS2, and the political heavy story just didn’t carry the same appeal that the story of Final Fantasy X did. I was a fan of the game back when it first came out, but I’ll admit, I haven’t touched it in years. Here’s hoping the remaster can hold my interest once again, though.
Will Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age bring you back to Ivalice in 2017? Sound off below!
