Gunblades and GFs at the ready – the release date for Square-Enix’s Final Fantasy VIII remaster has been revealed.
The official Final Fantasy Twitter revealed that the game would release on September 3rd. The game is set to grace the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Steam. It is now available for pre-order and will be sold for $19.99 USD.
#FinalFantasy VIII returns as FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered featuring new graphical enhancements and a whole host of options to customize your gameplay experience! Coming to #PS4, #NintendoSwitch, #Xbox One, and #Steam on September 3.
Pre-order today! https://t.co/6MID8Dft6Z pic.twitter.com/aUwu6QgKdB
— FINAL FANTASY (@FinalFantasy) August 20, 2019
The Final Fantasy VIII post also contains the one-and-a-half minute release date trailer while also promising “new graphical enhancements and a whole host of options to customize your gameplay experience!”. As to what the ‘host of options’ include is anybody’s guess and has not yet been officially confirmed.
All that is truly known is that the game will feature high-definition graphics and updated character models. This is evident in the trailers as the characters look a lot sleeker than their pixelated PS One counterparts.
Final Fantasy VIII is set in a larger-than-life military high school where teenagers are trained to be mercenaries. The story focuses on the brooding hero, Squall Leonhart, as he and his comrades attempt to stop an evil sorceress from taking over the world. Along the way, the seventeen-year-old Gunblade-wielder meets with the beautiful resistance fighter Rinoa Heartilly, with whom he grows ever closer during the course of the game’s story.
The gameplay revolves around ‘junctioning’ GFs (Guardian Forces – or Summons) to your characters, allowing them to utilize their abilities in battle as well as use magic. Meanwhile, there’s a whole map to explore, an engaging character-driven plot as well as secrets and side-quests galore.
Final Fantasy VIII was praised for its incredible full-motion video sequences, its soundtrack, and characters, although reactions to the battle system were mixed. Both IGN and Electronic Gaming Monthlysaw the GF sequences as cinematic but tedious. Yet, they regarded the battle system as innovative despite its complexity.
