Latest news with #FinalFantasy
Metro
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
MCM Comic Con is still worth it for gamers even without EGX - Reader's Feature
A reader reports back from his time at MCM Comic Con in London and gets to play a lot of video and tabletop games, despite a lack of big name attendees. Last week I attended yet another MCM Comic Con at the ExCeL Centre in London, along with my son, who this year decided to dress up as Super Mario. As you all know by now, MCM Comic Con is a three-day celebration of all things popular culture. However, this year's show was not linked with EGX, as was the case at last October's exhibition, so there was less emphasis on video games – but there was still a lot on offer. Our first stop was the Mattel stand, where they were promoting Barbie, Masters of the Universe, and Hot Wheels. There was a sit-down setup of Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged on the PlayStation 5. This was one of the highlights of the day, as we ended up returning a few times in an attempt to win the race. I'll probably pick it up this up, as we enjoyed it so much. Up next was the chance to play Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy. This was one of the first opportunities to play the game before its release on 13th June. While I'd never properly played Magic before, I had dabbled in Final Fantasy's own trading card game but stopped some time ago. We played using the starter deck kits featuring Cloud and Sephiroth and battled it out, with me emerging victorious. The cards looked amazing and feature characters, weapons, spells, and locations from all 16 mainline Final Fantasy titles. The only downer was that there were no promo cards being handed out. The next port of call was Artist Alley, where hundreds of independent artists showcased their wares. I was after one in particular: Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau. I first came across his work while playing Marvel Snap. I had a quick chat with him and got him to sign some artwork prints of Tifa and Rogue. Sticking with Final Fantasy, I noticed actor Ben Starr on the show floor – the voice of Clive Rosfield, the protagonist of Final Fantasy 16. I didn't get a chance to speak with him, as he looked in a rush, probably due to the fact that he was part of the show with his Natural Six Dungeons & Dragons Actual Play panel. After lunch, we headed off to the Family Gaming Zone, where around 20 consoles were set up with a variety of family-friendly titles. Games that we sampled included Conduct TOGETHER! on the Nintendo Switch, a puzzle-type game where you manoeuvre trains and switch tracks to avoid collisions. Then, on to JellyCar Worlds, a driving and platforming game where you hav to work your way through various obstacles. It reminded me of both the Trials series and World Of Goo, with its physics-based gameplay. We proceeded to play Tower Of Babel – No Mercy, which was a shape-dropping game where the aim is to stack as high as possible. We played the co-op mode, where we each took turns placing rectangular-shaped blocks. On paper, that doesn't sound like the greatest game, but the dormant competitive side of me came out and I was desperate to beat a nine-year-old child. The last game of the day was Astro Duel 2. The two of us joined four other convention players in a mix of retro pixel platforming and spaceship battles. It's a combination of Smash Bros. and Asteroids, with players fighting fast on the ground or in the sky. Very hectic but a lot of fun – and great to play a six-person game with all players sitting alongside each other (although one kid did rage quit a few times!). Last call before heading home was the Bandai Namco zone. They had a strong showing, with multiple games available to try. It was great to see a major game publisher represented at the event. They were showcasing several Dragon Ball Z titles and Shadow Labyrinth, while Elden Ring: Nightreign was also on display – though sadly, not in a playable format. Finally, a quick spin on their gacha machines rounded off a wonderful day. More Trending Overall, another successful show and the next show's dates have already been released. MCM returns to ExCeL London this October, along with EGX, for another three-day celebration from 24–26 October. By reader Tom Pozzetti (eyetunes – PSN ID) The reader's features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro. You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@ or use our Submit Stuff page and you won't need to send an email. MORE: Why I'm taking a week off work for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch - Reader's Feature MORE: This week was low-key the worst in modern video game history – Reader's Feature MORE: Star Wars Battlefront 3 needs to have these new features - Reader's Feature
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Everything You Need to Know To Get into Magic the Gathering's Final Fantasy Set
Few game franchises can match the pedigree of Final Fantasy, but one that arguably comes close is the long-running trading card game Magic: the Gathering. Much like FF, Wizards of the Coast's TCG has been around for decades, bringing in new players regularly and exciting existing ones continualy. This June, the card game istrying its most ambitious plan yet: collaborating with Square Enix to release a set of cards starring characters, locations and creatures from Final Fantasy history. However, those new to MTG, or trading card games in general, may be overwhelmed by all the different products available. This guide will help you break down all of the offerings to choose what's right for you. These are probably the poster child for the collaboration as these are decks created specifically for Magic's popular commander format. 'Commander' is a spin on the rules of MTG where more than two players at a time have a 100-card deck with no duplicates that includes a leader card to offer special abilities when playing. Read More: How To Pick The Right Commander Deck For Magic: The Gathering's Final Fantasy Set For the Final Fantasy set, there will be four Commander decks available, each for a different game. There is the FFVI deck starring Terra, FFVII starring Cloud, FFX starring Tidus, and FFXIV starring Y'shtola. These decks are pretty expensive going for around $70, but you are getting a wide variety of cards and these builds are fairly competitive. This is a great pickup for those who want to be able to play one of Magic's most popular game-types, or if you love one of the titles being offered here. There are also Collector's Editions of these decks that have foils for every card inside at a much higher are your normal booster packs. They should be around $7 USD each, or you can pick up a box for a little over $200. Each pack will contain 14 cards but all will be Final Fantasy themed. This is a great option for those who love FF and just want to collect some Boosters are like your standard Play Boosters but have a chance of higher rarity cards. Collector's Boosters are for those who want to try to get the coolest looking cards. These are for those who want to try to get the most valuable cards from the set; however, Collector's Boosters will most likely not be reprinted and will be very tough to find, so if you don't already have some on order, you may be out of the name implies, this is basically a bundle of booster packs with some extras. You get nine play boosters, 32 lands, 16 which are full-art and 16 which are foil, a spindown (which is used to track health in a MTG match) and a deck box. This retails for $69.99 and is a good option if you are planning on picking up a handful of boosters and want some is basically an improved version of the standard bundle. It includes nine booster packs, a collector booster, 32 full-art lands (16 foil, 16 non-foil), a spindown, and a storage box. This should retail for around $ The Gathering holds special events called 'Pre-Releases,' which allow fans the opportunity to get their hands on new cards a week early. Unlike the other products on this list, the Pre-Release Pack is available for purchase at these events. Each box contains six booster packs, a special rare or mythic rare card, a deck box and spindown die (Editor's note: No, you can't use spindowns for D&D even though they have 20 sides). Once your packs are opened, you will build a limited, 40-card deck and play in a tournament with other players, with most game shops offering prizes for winners. This is a great way to get involved in the game and see what it's like to actually play Magic: The Gathering in a competitive there is a starter deck pack that contains two pre-built decks (Cloud vs Sephiroth). Retailing for $19.99, this is a good option for those who want to try out MTG in a more casual Fantasy and Magic: The Gathering fans have a lot to look forward to summer 2025 when this collaboration releases on June 12th. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Geek Culture
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy ‘The Masamune' Card Preview
Are you looking for a magical fantasy during the summer holidays? You will find that (and a ton of fun) with Magic: the Gathering's newest and biggest set release since Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth. Set for release on June 14th, the Final Fantasy mega crossover is part of Magic's Universes Beyond line, and promises legendary heroes and villains, powerful equipment and an unrivalled sense of nostalgia for anyone who grew up playing the games. Geek Culture and Tap & Sac are thrilled to reveal a very special preview card that even casual Final Fantasy fans will recognise: The Masamune! What's the Big Deal with The Masamune and Who Uses It? The Masamune is one of the most iconic weapons across franchise history, wielded none other by Sephiroth, the big bad of Final Fantasy VII. More than just a normal odachi blade, it symbolises his might as the game's penultimate and final boss – while its handle is long enough to accommodate both hands, Sephiroth carries it single-handedly due to his incredible strength. Advertisement ▼ Much of the detail is carried over to the card design, including its gold-coloured tsuba, or guard, and curving angle, which varies across depictions but is never entirely straight (as seen on the left). The top-down perspective, with its tip pointing at the player, also references his infamous method of impalement instead of slashing, the traditional way of using the weapon. Meanwhile, the side stance Sephiroth adopts in the later games is reflected in the other card, showcasing a slightly lowered blade that falls under its own weight. How is The Masamune as an Equipment in Magic? The Masamune is no slouch and certainly lives up to its name as Sephiroth's legendary weapon. When equipped, the creature wielding it gains First Strike and must be blocked if able. While it doesn't have any triggers when dealing combat damage to a player (unlike other swords such as Sword of Fire and Ice), The Masamune supplies an additional benefit: 'If a creature dying causes a triggered ability of this creature or an emblem you own to trigger, that ability triggers an additional time.' Advertisement ▼ That was rather wordy, so it's worth noting a few things: The Masamune must be equipped onto a creature for it to be in effect. The extra triggered ability only applies to the creature that The Masamune is equipped to. If the creature doesn't have any triggered abilities, then The Masamune is merely a glorified long sword. Likewise with emblems, you need to have a death-triggering emblem for an extra triggered ability to happen. For example, The Masamune will not work with most emblems (like Chandra, Torch of Defiance's emblem), but will work with the also-new Sephiroth, One-Winged Angel's emblem How Does The Masamune Compare with Other Strong Magic Swords? Swords are the most-loved Equipment in Magic history, and as you would expect, is very well represented. There have been some very strong swords that have become just as mythical in Magic's lore as a sword as The Masamune in the Final Fantasy realms. Let's look at two other famous Magic swords and see how it compare with The Masamune. Sword of Feast and Famine Arguably one of the most powerful swords among the 10 of its cycle, Sword of Feast and Famine gives equipped creature protection from black and green, and +2/+2 stats. After connecting with a player, you get to untap all your Lands and force the opponent to discard a card. In short, every granted effect is going to get you ahead, especially when you can untap all your Lands and cast another few spells. Protection from two colours is also tough to get around, giving your creature added resilience. The Masamune, on the other hand, doesn't offer any protection or evasion, but instead goads the opponent to block. With First Strike, there's a pretty good chance your creature will come out victorious. A Final Fantasy deck filled with death triggers will find The Masamune more useful, but in nearly every other scenario, Sword of Feast and Famine is going to be top pick. Sword of the Animist Another fan-favourite of Magic players, Sword of the Animist fits into the utility category, able to expand your mana base by searching for a Land and placing it directly onto the battlefield. The +1/+1 buff is not going to be that much of a game changer, but it's offset by the sword's low 2-mana cost and equip. The Masamune is clearly a better offensive tool than Sword of the Animist, and depending on what creature you have equipped, The Masamune can also outshine Sword of the Animist in pure value. For example, a Zulaport Cutthroat with The Masamune is going to be draining each opponent for 2 life instead of 1 when it triggers. That could happen any number of times you can muster, rather than just once per attack as is the case with Sword of the Animist. End Step The Masamune is certainly going into every deck with Sephiroth, just for the sheer pleasure of having him swing his iconic sword, not to mention its ability synergises perfectly with Sephiroth, One-Winged Angel's emblem. For most other decks, The Masamune is going to be quite situational and falls lower in the pecking order of powerful Final Fantasy Equipment. But with the Buster Sword also an actual Magic card, clashing both blades in a game would be a wonderful treat.
Japan Forward
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Forward
Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 a JRPG?
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been lighting up the gaming world recently, winning big-time approval from critics and fans alike, despite being the very first game from independent developer Sandfall Interactive. People are calling it the best new JRPG (Japanese Role Playing Game) in years, a refinement of the template set out by games like Final Fantasy . The twist, of course, being that Clair Obscur is not a Japanese game. Made in France by a team of around 30 developers at Sandfall Interactive, Clair Obscur is helmed by Director Guillaume Broche and several of his fellow ex-Ubisoft colleagues. The game draws heavy inspiration from classic JRPGs like Final Fantasy and Persona , hidden gems such as Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon , and Japanese action titles like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice . Gustave and Lune begin their quest to slay the Paintress in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The result is a game that blends turn-based combat with action in a gorgeous fantasy world. Yet, while it is every bit as high-concept and fantastical as the games that inspired it, Clair Obscur manages to avoid much of the bloat that has crept into those series over the decades. It delivers an immersive world and a relatable story about a band of young adventurers on a quest for freedom over tyranny, told over a relatively compact 30 to 40 hours. Clair Obscur is set in a dark fantasy world where, for the past 67 years, the inhabitants of the island of Lumière have perished one age group at a time. Each year, they fall victim to a mystical sorceress known as the Paintress, who has been counting down from age 100, reaching 33 this year. Now aged 32 and facing their own demise next year, stoic expeditioner Gustave and his peers undertake a voyage dangereux to destroy the Paintress so that future generations may live. The game was released on April 24, receiving a critic score of 92% on Metacritic and a user score of 9.7, making it one of the most highly acclaimed games of all time. IGN gave it a 9/10 score, writing, "Wearing its inspirations on its sleeve, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 paints itself into the pantheon of great RPGs with a brilliant combat system and a gripping, harrowing story." Clair Obscur's deep and complex battle system is a hybrid of classic turn-based commands and skill-based action. Our writer at IGN Japan gave it a slightly lower score of 7/10, saying, "While I was hooked by its combat system, the story's sudden plot twist felt forced. Although this was hard to ignore, it is undeniable that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an appealing game that delivers a strong message." IGN France, meanwhile, gave it a perfect 10/10, labelling it "a sumptuous and captivating work of art that never forgets its status as a game, offering rich and exhilarating gameplay." Within 12 days, it had sold two million copies, plus an undisclosed number of additional players on Xbox Games Pass. Michael Douse, the publishing director at Larian Studios, whose own RPG Baldur's Gate 3 was a smash hit in 2023, estimated on his X (Twitter) account that the game will end up selling at least six million copies, and maybe up to ten million – huge numbers for a lower-budget independent game. I hope now word of mouth is in control it can reach its potential. and I say that in support of the developers and their incredible achievement. It has the potential to reach a conservative 6, at least. Could top 8-10. — Very AFK (@Cromwelp) May 6, 2025 For comparison, the most recent Final Fantasy game, 2024's Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth , also scored 92% with critics but 8.9 with users, while the latest mainline game in the series, 2023's Final Fantasy XVI , scored 87% and 8.4. Despite these being excellent and well-made games, sales in the series appear to be in decline. Publisher Square Enix reported that FFXVI sold three million units in its first week, but has been noticeably reticent to announce official numbers for Rebirth , suggesting they are low. This is less than previous games, with 2016's FFXV selling five million copies on its first day, the fastest-selling game in the series to date, eventually reaching at least ten million. Rebirth 's 2020 predecessor, a FFVII remake, sold 3.5 million in three days and finally hit around seven million. The budgets to make each of these games were likely much, much higher than for Clair Obscur . Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, the second in a trilogy of remakes of Square Enix's classic RPG, was met with critical praise but apparently disappointing sales. That's not to pick on Final Fantasy or Square Enix: JRPGs are a niche genre in gaming. An important, storied, and beloved niche – but a niche nonetheless. Which makes Clair Obscur 's crossover success all the more impressive. Sandfall Interactive's game has sparked fresh debate about what the term JRPG really means. After all, if the "J" stands for "Japanese", should it only apply to games made in Japan? Or any game with the characteristics of a JRPG? What even are the characteristics of a JRPG? In fact, the term JRPG has had its controversies over the years. In February 2023, Final Fantasy XVI producer and veteran developer Naoki Yoshida told YouTube channel Skill Up that he found the term offensive. Clair Obscur has won high praise for its painterly art style and moving story. Yoshida commented, "For us as developers, the first time we heard it, it was like a discriminatory term, as though we were being made fun of for creating these games. And so for some developers, the term JRPG can be something that will maybe trigger bad feelings because of what it was in the past. It wasn't a compliment to a lot of developers in Japan. We understand that recently, JRPG has better connotations and it's being used as a positive, but we still remember the time when it was used as a negative." The term was coined at some point in the late 1980s or early 90s, with the first confirmed online usage made on a web forum in 1992, and was used to differentiate between RPG games from Japan and the West. As Yoshida pointed out, it was mostly used by gamers and media outside of Japan. I've personally never considered it a derogatory term, but I can understand how someone in Yoshida's position may find it othering. These days, we tend to expect a JRPG to cast the player as a specific protagonist to experience a set story, whereas Western RPGs will usually have players create their own character and co-author the story as they play. We also tend to expect a turn-based combat system and anime-influenced visual design and characters. 2023's Sea of Stars was a homage to classic Japanese RPGs, despite being made in Canada But of course, early Japanese RPG developers were themselves heavily influenced by Western games such as the early-80s Wizardry series from America, just as some of today's Western developers grew up with JRPGs. The lines have blurred accordingly, with games like 2023's Sea of Stars being considered a JRPG despite being made in Canada. While Clair Obscur does pay homage to the best of the JRPG genre, it also does a great job of honoring its French roots. The game's dialogue is available in French or English, with a stellar voice cast in both, and even in English, it is unafraid to slip in plenty of French terms. When the game's characters face erasure at the hands of the Paintress, their bodies disintegrate into petals that flutter on the wind, a process named the Gommage – a French word meaning to exfoliate and erase. And as you play, Gustave's friends mutter expletives in French, with a well-timed "Merde!" reminding you of their origins. Gustave dressed in an outfit simply titled Baguette. The setting itself is a fantasy take on France's pre-WWI Belle Époque period, a distinctly French visual style that is striking. And you can even dress Gustave, Lune, Maelle, and their amis in a stereotypically French costume comprising a striped T-shirt, beret, and freshly baked baguette slung across their backs, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the development team's culture. French President Emmanuel Macron even praised Clair Obscur in an Instagram post, calling it "a shining example of French audacity and creativity." IGN recently published a video titled The 25 Best JRPGs of All Time, in which it gave the editorial team's favorites, including titles like Chrono Trigger , Persona 5 Royal , and Final Fantasy X . In some ways, I was actually a little surprised that all the games in IGN's best JRPGs list were indeed from Japan. Our team at IGN Japan gave our own thoughts on the list during an episode of our video podcast Shaberisugi Gamer a few days later, drawing a lively debate in the comments from our viewers. As for me, I'm steadily working my way through Clair Obscur and loving every minute of it. I often struggle to play modern RPGs as the time commitment is so extreme, as many games require around 60-80 hours to beat, so the fact that Clair Obscur offers a fascinating story and hugely engaging combat system within a relatively tight package appeals to me. Gustave and friends on their perilous journey. As a British pop-culture journalist based in Japan for 19 years, I've always enjoyed cross-pollination of culture, and for me, the erosion (or gommage ) of boundaries is always welcome. So the idea of a JRPG made outside of Japan didn't seem strange to me until the conversation blew up around Clair Obscur . I hope you'll try the game and see what you think! Author: Daniel Robson
CNET
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
Exclusive Reveal: 5 New Cards From Magic: The Gathering's Final Fantasy Set
When Magic: The Gathering announced it was teaming up with Square Enix to release a Final Fantasy set, everyone wanted to know one thing: What will the common tapped lands be?! I'm thrilled to be able to end the agony of everyone's wondering as we approach the June 13 release date for Magic's Final Fantasy set with this first look at five cards, all of which feature the new land subtype, Town. The Final Fantasy set is a big deal, blending one of the biggest video game series together with a longtime trading card game juggernaut. It also shows Magic's greater willingness to bring other franchises into the core of its game, even more so than the Lord of the Rings set from a couple of years ago. Here's our first look at five new town cards. As a big fan of FFXIV, I'm most excited about seeing Sharlayan (which also reminds me a lot of Meletis from Magic's Theros sets). It's joined by Vector from VI, Treno from IX, Windurst from XI and Insomnia from XV. Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast Magic: The Gathering -- Final Fantasy comes out on June 13. Products from the standard set and commander sets are available for preorder but are selling out quickly.
