A not-quite-a-remake-but-still-revamped version of Final Fantasy XII is headed to PlayStation 4 next year, sporting a new subtitle: The Zodiac Age.
Announcing the re-release on Sony’s PlayStation blog, Square Enix producer Hiroaki Kato says that fans of the 2006 original can expect to see several “modern advancements” when they step foot in Ivalice once again, including a new ‘Zodiac Job’ system and a Trial Mode.
Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age is officially making its way to North American and European shores in 2017! Players can expect several modern advancements when they return to Ivalice, including a reconstructed battle design and a revamped job system. I am excited for North America and Europe to experience several all-new gameplay features, including The Zodiac Job System and Trial Mode for the first time!
But that’s far from being everything that Square Enix is planning to improve over the PlayStation 2 version. Along with new systems, the game’s visuals are being overhauled to be more in line with today’s standards. Environments, characters and even cinematic cutscenes are being the HD treatment. See below to get an idea of what that will look like.
On top of all that, the entirety of Final Fantasy XII‘s background music is being re-recorded in 7.1 surround sound. If, for whatever reason, you end up preferring the original rendition of your favourite tracks, Kato says players will have the option of toggling between the original and new versions of the soundtrack. Quality of life improvements such as an auto-save system, shorter loading times and a map overlay will also be included.
For all the fine details, you can head straight over to the blog post here or, alternatively, see above for the announcement trailer. Final Fantasy XV, the latest entry in the series, is due to release on September 30.