Today, Square-Enix released a new video preview of the gameplay in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn’s alpha phase. This one focuses on showing off the new gathering and crafting interfaces.


The video starts with gathering. The character is presented with a list of the items that can be gathered, as well as the chances of success for each. You simply select one at a time until the resource is used up.

Then the video cuts to a crafter. The crafter’s log lists all of the available recipes. You simply click on the recipe you want, and then are then given the option of using certain skills to complete the item. Each skill impacts the item’s development differently, and the item must be completed before its durability runs out.

Gathering looks a bit tedious, but what else is new? It would be nice to have a feature where you could select one item for the gathering process to repeat automatically (without having to click again and again on the same thing you want to ...

A new Tomb Raider trailer has been released by Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix as an early Christmas present to all the fans who are eagerly awaiting this addition to the series.

It’s all looking very dark and eerily tense for Lara in this cinematic trailer which shows different scenes from throughout the game combined with gameplay clips.

The opening of the trailer shows Lara struggling to find her footing on a sky-scraping communications tower. We watch as it starts crumbling beneath her, and it only gives us the sense that this game is going to have these scary and unknowing undertones from beginning to end.

It would be no surprise to see this game become a bestseller next year, and to top the charts and ratings as from what has already been released; it is looking like a terrifying adventure awaits Lara.

With just over three months until the game is released, fans are starting to get ...

Our bets were spot on: Final Fantasy Theatrhythm's teaser site was hinting at an iOS port. The teaser site is now a portal to information on both the 3DS and the iOS versions, but once again it seems Android is being left out of the mix.

The good news is that the Theatrhythm app is completely free to download. The bad news is that it's going to cost around $0.99 for each new song, which is going to quickly add up if you want the full experience. We haven't had a chance to test the iOS versions of the game out yet, but don't forget you can check our a first look at the 3DS version here.

[Source: Kotaku] ...

Yet another game on sale for the holiday period! The rhythm game for iOS (and Android this time) and its DLCs are going on sale until January 31st, so you've got plenty of time to get into it. Though the original release strategy for Demons' Score seemed a little unfavourable to Westerners, these sales mean you can grab it all at an affordable price.


The game itself has dropped from $6.99 to a staggering $0.99 and the following DLCs - which expand the content through added titular Demons - have been slashed too:

• Berial, Erigos, Berith and Lilith DLCs $2.99 -> $0.99
• Beezlebub and Astaroth DLCs $3.99 -> $1.99
• Azazel and Dantalion DLCs $4.99 -> $2.99
• Satan DLC $9.99 -> $3.99

Some big savings up for grabs there, particularly when you look at the drop in price for the main game and the Satan DLC. All up it'll cost you can get Demons' Score for under $20, making it much more affordable.

If you need more incentive, check out the video below and enjoy the fast paced action and really cheesy dialogue! ...

Recently, Final Fantasy XIV Producer Naoki Yoshida admitted that another failure like FFXIV’s original launch could doom the company. This was not just hyperbole. A recent financial report from Square-Enix only confirms Yoshi-P's prediction, and this one is straight from SE’s Chief Financial Officer, Yosuke Matsuda. Despite being released over two years ago, the financial impact of FFXIV’s horrific failure are still being felt throughout the entire company.

Final Fantasy XIV was meant to build off of the huge success of Final Fantasy XI (the most financially successful Final Fantasy ever), and be a constant and safe source of income. In short: it wasn’t. Instead, FFXIV’s original failure meant that MMO as a category of games for SE is still yielding no money and operating at a loss -- which has resulted in a “negative chain of events” that impacted the entire company. Matsuda pointed to the delay in development of new HD games as just one example of this impact, and elsewhere in the report it’s noted that Square-Enix’s ...

News about the newest edition of Final Fantasy XIII continues to trickle out. This time, an expected date for a trailer debut. The official Facebook page of Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Returns released the following image.


The translated announcement that went along with it was "There are only 10 days until 2013 Jump Festa! A Lightning trailer will be exposed. The latest footage will appear that Square Enix Jump Festa Booth." Being the first trailer released for the game, it's unlikely we'll see any gameplay along with it, however we might get some tantalizing clues of what events have unfolded that will set the stage for the second sequel to Final Fantasy XIII. As always, stick with Eyes On Final Fantasy to find out - as we will scour the internet to find this trailer for you upon its release.

[Source: nowgamer] ...

With one Star Ocean countdown site currently active, Square Enix are at it again, launching another teaser site - this time for Theatrhythm. The site features four rows with command prompts sweeping through them, mirroring the control scheme from the game. The words "Coming Soon" lurk down the bottom.

While there's no saying just what could be on the horizon, the simple fact remains that Theatrhythm and its DLC negate any real need for a sequel. That kind of news would be a bigger cash grab than a Final Fantasy VII remake. So if it isn't a sequel, what else could they possibly be waiting to tell us?

Odds are it's news of a port to mobile devices. The touch screens on smart phones and tablets are perfect for the rhythm game, and it would really open up a wider market. With some very favourable first experiences from Eyes on Final Fantasy member Formalhaut, this news might just give non-DS owners ...

Square-Enix just released some new concept art for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, featuring Bahamut. Check out this badass:


There’s also concept art for Bahamut-related gear: a wicked looking helmet, a weapon, and some head pieces.


Now I want them all. ...

It might not seem like big news, but with the soundtrack of Final Fantasy XIII-2 being touted as one of its best features, having the same team return for Lightning Returns should keep our ears pleased at least.


The return of Masashi Hamauzu, Naoshi Mizuta, and Mitsuto Suzuku was confirmed at the Distant Worlds concert in Chicago on December 7. It was confirmed through a - of all things - poster giveaway. Square Enix is loving these posters!

More information on Lightning Returns will inevitably surface soon, with the game listed in Square Enix's lineup for Jump Fiesta 2013 which will be held December 22-23 this year. Watch this space for updates!

[Source: Nova Crystallis] ...

Square Enix loves their countdowns. Recently a new one popped up. Full of space and tweets.

Two planets floating in space with a sun looking down on us, we are presented with a countdown. Earlier in the day the only word on the screen was "STAR". Now to join it is "DIVIDE." In the small text below the countdown it reads "Universal Accel Cosmic Drive". Tweets are then appearing when people mention anything about the site. So what is this all about?

Most fans are jumping straight to the conclusion of a new Star Ocean game. Star Ocean was a popular series that many final fantasy fans branched out to, to fill their minds with space and adventure. It was definitely one of the influential game series that caused many fans to truly sink into the RPG fandom.

Most fans did jump to this conclusion that the countdown would be from their beloved series but over at Siliconera, they discovered actual evidence of the sort. They found something called "Star Galaxy" has been trademarked by Square Enix. Could ...

Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy IV will be released on both iOS and Android software, so playing the revolutionary RPG is about to become even easier. The announced date for the iOS release is December 20th, just in time for last minute Christmas purchases! The Android version won't be up until "Early 2013" however. Ports appears to be the DS remake of Final Fantasy IV, so they will be in full 3D!


Along with this news, the apps store announced "Take advantage of a limited-time sale celebrating the coming release of Final Fantasy IV!" This iOS sale is outlined below.

Game
Final Fantasy - was £5.99 / $8.99, now £2.49 / $3.99
Final Fantasy II - was £5.99 / $8.99, now £2.49 / $3.99
Final Fantasy III - was £10.99 / $15.99, now £5.99 / $8.99
Final Fantasy III for iPad - was £11.99 / $16.99, now £6.99 / $10.99
Final Fantasy Dimensions - Full Unlock was £19.99 / $28.99, now £11.99 / $16.99

[source: PocketGamer] ...

Square Enix has been in development of a new social game with the company GREE. GREE was the developer of the game, with SE acting as a supervisor to the project. Although SE is not developing the game, GREE is a champion on the social gaming field and already has developed a game with SE before: The World Ends With You Live Remix. On November 30th this second game went live in Japan, and is named Final Fantasy Artniks.


The gameplay of Artniks revolves around finding character cards of various characters through the Final Fantasy universe and using them to battle monsters and enemies from the series.


It is a social game, because you can party with other players to fight! Occasionally there will be "wanted" enemies that will reward winners with rare cards. The first such enemy is Kefka, whom defeating will yield a rare Vivi card! Being the "MVP" of your party will also get you an Umaro card!


Sign up and play today! And remember to check back to Eyes On Final Fantasy, as we will keep up ...

It's a question that has plagued us for years: what exactly makes a Final Fantasy game? We've had countless discussions over whether the latest instalment is a "true" FF and tried to think about what we'd like to put in upcoming ones. But Square Enix has got the hint, and has given us the five must-haves for all Final Fantasy games.

The first, and most obvious of all, is Magic. It plays a vital role in the gameplay mechanics, as well as helping to shape each world into something unique. It's even an integral part of the traditional job system; you wouldn't get anywhere if your mages couldn't case magic! Even games taking a futuristic or science fiction approach (looking at you, VII, VIII and XIII) contain magic, so it really is a staple.

Second, and building on the first, is Summoning. This is an odd thing to include considering the original Final Fantasy lacked summoning. Indeed, it wasn't until Final Fantasy III (the Japanese version) that summoning and the summoner class even became A Thing^TM. But it has become a constant inclusion, even becoming one the core plot ...

The Final Fantasy XIII trilogy is set up like this: the first installment is story-driven, the second is player-driven, and the third - Lightning Returns - will be world-driven. It seems a little strange at first, but Motomu Toriyama, the director for Lightning Returns spoke with 4gamer and has given us a little more clarity and some fresh info to boot.

The concept behind the game is that Lightning, our heroine once more, has just 13 days to save the world. From what evil force, we're not sure yet, but with each "day" working out to be something like 1-2 hours real time, it seems like a hasty adventure. Except not so much. Or potentially. Lightning's actions can slow down the impending doom, or actually speed it up. It's going to be the core component; managing your time effectively is the only way to succeed. And what happens if you run out of time? Game over, man, game over.


The world will run to its schedule though, with NPCs going ...