Dissidia Final Fantasy NT – PS4 – January 30, 2018
Dissidia Final Fantasy NT is a team-based brawler developed in conjunction with Koei Tecmo Games. Dissidia takes characters from the various Final Fantasy titles of the past 30 years and throws them into battle arenas. With over 20 Final Fantasy characters such as fan favorites Cloud Strife, Squall Leonhart, and Lighting among them, players will have no shortage of options in 3-versus-3 combat along with legendary summons.
As familiar as I am with the Final Fantasy franchise, the Dissidia is one of the lines that I have yet to dabble in. The first thing I noticed was that the graphics, much like the contemporary Final Fantasy titles, looked great. As I entered a match, selecting iconic Cloud Strife to debut with, I was quickly thrown into combat and realized how easy it was to pick up and play the game. While it was easy to play, trying out more advanced moves proved difficult but fun. Dissidia had the familiar feel of being easy to learn, hard to master, and I was very impressed with the title. Not only is Dissidia a way for players to play as their favorite characters in a new setting, but is a fun fighting game in itself for fans of the genre.
Lost Sphear – Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4 – January 23, 2018
Lost Sphear is the latest game from developer Tokyo RPG Factory, known for their title I Am Setsuna, which was fairly well received for its somber story and well scored soundtrack. Lost Sphear is a classic JRPG that follows the story of Kanata and his friends, who were outside of the village when a strange phenomena happens like never before, and only with the power of memories can Kanata and his allies save their village, and the world. COGconnected’s Alexander Thomas went hands-on with Lost Sphear, and had this to say:
“During my brief time with the game I immediately recognized the distinctive Square Enix feel that all their titles hold. It felt like a well blended mix of Final Fantasy III, Crystal Chronicles, and Chrono Trigger. While I sadly did not have enough time to fully explore all of the new mechanics, I did get to see their new combat system. Similar to that of Chrono Trigger, attacks are semi-turned based but characters can now line up their attacks manually, as well as be instructed where to go. This comes into play with environmental hazards and keeping defensive positioning. While it felt great, it still came across a little too familiar for the brief time I was able to play and I would have liked to see more of what Lost Sphear has to offer.”
Were you able to try any of the Square Enix titles on the PAX West 2017 show floor? Let us know in the comments below!