Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age Announced

With so many Final Fantasy games getting remakes and re-released on both consoles and PC, there is one underrated game that fans have been awaiting for a while: a remake of Final Fantasy XII. Specifically the Japan-only release Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System (IZJS), which improved on a number of the mechanics that were weak in the original and bringing in a complete job system akin to many previous Final Fantasy games. Yesterday, Square Enix answered the prayers of these fans, announcing an HD remake of the game, titled Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, which will be released on the PS4 in the near future.

As with the previous HD re-releases of games from the series, FFXII: The Zodiac Age will feature a number of new features, but most visibly, greatly enhanced graphics. Considering that the PS2 Final Fantasy XII was a very pretty game for its time, YouTube user Cycu1 put together a video comparing the known footage from The Zodiac Age trailer with the equivalent from the PS2 original. Alongside the visual overhaul, The Zodiac Age will also feature dual language options, an auto-save feature, a choice of soundtracks, tweaks to IZJS’ high-speed mode as well as lessened load times.

Overall, this is shaping up to be the best way to experience one of the most unique entries in the Final Fantasy franchise, which for many western fans could only be enjoyed to its fullest extent by the use of emulation and translation patches from the Japanese version. Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age is set to release sometime in 2017, first as a PS4 exclusive, but following the release of FFX/X-2’s HD remaster on Steam, it is hard to doubt that a PC version will also follow.