Let’s Mosey
The gaming industry is all about battle royales these days – ever since Fortnite grew to massive global success, it seems that almost every major games studio has wanted a piece of the action. We’ve come a long way from the days of Minecraft Hunger Games though, and now Square Enix have announced that battle royale is even coming to the world of Final Fantasy VII.
Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier is an upcoming mobile-exclusive battle royale game from the legendary game director and character designer Tetsuya Nomaura (The mastermind behind Kingdom Hearts!). Players will fill the boots of SOLDIER candidates, fighting to secure a spot in the Shinra Electric Power Company’s elite fighting force. Up until now, four ‘combat styles’ have been revealed – the melee-focused Warrior, the mid-ranged spellcasting Sorceror, the fast-paced, self-healing Monk and the long-ranged Ranger. However, a new trailer revealed at Square Enix’s Tokyo Game Show has shown off a new combat style: the Ninja.
In a press release announcing the new combat style, Square Enix outlined what we can expect from the Ninja on The First Soldier’s launch: “The newly announced Ninja style places heavy emphasis on mobility, and is equipped with a double jump — good for stealth and ambush. Players can enjoy melee combat by throwing shuriken stars, allowing for a unique fighting style. Abilities with the Ninja style include: “Hide” – where players can turn themselves invisible for a certain amount of time, and “Flurry” – where players can throw their Kunai dagger and teleport to wherever it hits.”
Along with the ninja, Square Enix also announced a new Collection feature, allowing players to pick up components from Secret Boxes, killing monsters or special missions. These components can be exchanged for in-game cosmetics, with new collections being launched seasonally.
Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier is set to launch for free on iOS and Android devices in November 2021 – keep an eye out, because pre-registration will be opening soon!