PlayStation 5

Recently Square Enix has released a new game in the SaGa series, SaGa Emerald Beyond, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC and Apple iOS and Android devices.

SaGa Emerald Beyond brings together the core combat and free-form scenario elements of the RPG franchise to deliver the ultimate SaGa experience to fans and newcomers alike. Players can look forward to deeply strategic combat, diverse characters with thrilling backstories, an evolving choice-driven narrative and much more. The latest title in the SaGa franchise sees the return of legendary series icons including SaGa creator Akitoshi Kawazu, composer Kenji Ito and illustrator Satoshi Kuramochi, who have taken what fans of the series love and built it into a game that returning and new fans alike can enjoy.

“2024 marks the 35^th anniversary of the SaGa series. It also marks the first time we’ve been able to release a new SaGa title simultaneously worldwide. Without our fans, this would not have been possible. SaGa Emerald Beyond is the product of 35 years’ worth of innovation, experimentation, and a personal desire to examine what makes an RPG an RPG.  For our longtime fans, I hope you enjoy the ongoing innovations and callbacks to previous SaGa titles. I also invite newcomers to accept the offer of the emerald vision and embark on a new adventure. I hope everyone who picks up this title has an unforgettable experience with it.”

– Akitoshi Kawazu, SaGa Series General Director

“As a longtime SaGa fan who now has the honor of working on this franchise, I couldn’t be prouder to present SaGa Emerald Beyond to the players. The things that made me fall for the SaGa franchise are all present in this title, from the free-form scenario system to the challenging strategic combat to the diverse and intriguing characters. Of course, one can’t forget about composer Kenji Ito’s incredible contributions as well. I’m also proud to say that we’ve taken steps to welcome in newcomers with the game’s emerald waves, which are key to the overall story and will guide players on their journey. I hope that through SaGa Emerald Beyond, players will be able to feel the team’s passion and love for the franchise that has kept the series going strong for 35 years.”

– Masanori Ichikawa, SaGa Series Producer

If you interested in the game, you can still download the platform-exclusive demo's for PlayStation 4 / 5, Nintendo Switch and PC. You can transfer the progress of the demo to the full game.

During PAX East 2024, Square Enix has announced that the upcoming DLC for Final Fantasy XVI, The Rising Tide, will be released on 18 April 2024 on PlayStation 5.

The Rising Tide unlocks an all-new story, battles, sidequests, weapons, accessories, level cap and more, adding a new depth to Clive’s journey before the exciting conclusion of Final Fantasy XVI. In The Rising Tide, an unmarked letter arrives to Clive at the hideaway containing a request to rescue the Dominant of Leviathan the Lost. This new DLC takes Clive and his companions to the hidden land of Mysidia to uncover the tragic history of a forgotten people.

On the same date a free update (Version 1.30) will be available. This update will add quality of life improvements for the game, including:

• Return to a quest giver immediately with the new “Quick Complete” function
• Icon updates for important character quests
• A new Skill Set feature which allows players to save up to 5 unique Feat and Ability sets
• Abilities and Accessories adjusted for easier use
• New “Custom” controller type allows for freely customizable button layouts
• Tone correction, screen effects, and more added to Photo Mode
• Numerous new orchestrion rolls added

At the end of the special State of Play, dedicated to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Square Enix has announced that the demo is now available to play.

The demo is split in two parts. Part one, "Fall of a Hero in Nibelheim", which is now available to play, features an extended flashback section of the Nibelheim incident that takes place five years ago prior to the setting of the game.

After players complete "Fall of a Hero in Nibelheim", part two, “Dawn of a New Era in Junon.”, will be released on 21 February. This part let you explore a small area around Junon.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will be released on 29 February 2024 on PlayStation 5 as a timed exclusive.

During The Game Awards 2023 Square Enix has announced Final Fantasy XVI downloadable content Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide. Echoes of the Fallen is now available for purchase on the PlayStation Store. The Rising Tide will be released in Spring 2024.

Echoes of the Fallen unlocks new story, battles, weapons, accessories, level cap and more. The adventure begins before the base game’s final battle, as strange, dark crystals begin to circulate on the black market. Players will follow Clive and company during their investigations as they encounter a group of suspicious traders, leading them to a long-abandoned Fallen tower known as the Sagespire and the terrible secrets that await within.

The Rising Tide will bring new challenges and more, including the confrontation between Clive and the legendary Eikon, Leviathan.

You can watch the announcement trailer on YouTube. Due to the age restriction the video can't be included in this article.

With the announcement of the downloadable content a update, version 1.21, was released which makes a number of changes and improvements to the game.

Version 1.21 patch notes

Additional Features

• Adds a new Inner Voice option to the Grand Cast menu, which can be viewed upon inquiring with Vivian about the State of the Realm.
  Hover the cursor over a character and press the touchpad to view their inner feelings toward their allies and enemies. See how each character's feelings change as the story progresses.

• Adds several new orchestrion rolls.
  These can be obtained from in-game vendors after progressing a certain way through the story.

Changes to Arcade Mode

• Adds a technical bonus feature that increases battle performance scores.
  Attacking enemies and performing a variety of battle techniques fills the technical bonus gauge, which increases your score multiplier each time it crosses a certain threshold. The gauge depletes over time or upon taking damage.

• Adds new accolades.
  These can be earned by clearing stages within a certain time limit or with a final battle performance score above a certain threshold.

• Adjusts ranking thresholds over individual legs and stages.
  The changes described above allow players to earn higher battle performance scores than they could previously. The ranking thresholds are adjusted to account for this.

• Introduces a new leaderboard.
  All scores earned after the update is installed will be recorded to this new leaderboard.

• Allows you to view leaderboards and rankings from previous versions.

• Adjusts the difficulty level of Ultimaniac stages.

• Adds and adjusts explanations of various features.

Changes to Training Mode

• Adds an Immediate Takedown option.
  With this option turned on, attacks will reduce an enemy's will gauge by 50%, allowing you to partially stagger enemies with a single attack, then fully stagger them with a second attack.

• Adds a Megaflare Level option.
  This option allows you to fix your Megaflare level to any value.

• Adds a Zantetsuken Level option.
  This option allows you to fix your Zantetsuken level to any value.

System-related Changes

• Adds a Photo Mode shortcut option.
  This option, accessible from the Game Settings tab of the System menu, allows you to launch Photo Mode by pressing the touchpad with two fingers.

• Adds the ability to enter Photo Mode from the pause screen.
  This allows photos to be taken during cutscenes, with certain exceptions.

• Adds the option to retry from the Game Over screen when Clive is defeated by a notorious mark.
  Retrying will return Clive to the point immediately before the battle with the notorious mark began.

• Allows you to examine the details of the rewards available from the Patron's Whisper in the hideaway.

• Adds the option to filter save data in the Load Game tab of the System menu.
  Press □ to cycle between the following filtering options: Show All Saves, Show Auto-saves, and Show Manual Saves.

• Adds a Credits option to the title menu.
  This option, which allows you to view the credits sequence, becomes available after completing the game.

• Adds and adjusts various UI elements.

Bug Fixes

Corrects the following issues:

• Several issues wherein graphical elements did not display correctly during cutscenes.
• Several issues wherein certain NPC animations were incorrect during certain quests.
• Several issues wherein certain NPCs became positioned incorrectly under specific conditions during certain quests.
• Several issues wherein progress became impossible in certain quests under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein quest objectives and destination markers did not display correctly in certain quests.
• Several issues wherein NPC dialogue was incorrect in certain quests.
• Several issues wherein the reward of ability points was incorrect in certain quests.
• An issue wherein the demontamer's armguards were impossible to obtain.
• Several issues wherein enemies did not behave correctly under specific conditions during battle.
• Several issues wherein collision detection did not behave correctly under specific conditions during battle.
• Several issues wherein the camera did not behave correctly under specific conditions during battle.
• Several issues wherein the frame rate dropped significantly during battle.
• Several issues wherein abilities or limit breaks did not trigger correctly under specific conditions during battle.
• Several issues wherein accessory effects did not trigger correctly under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein the menu did not display or update correctly in Chronolith trials.
• An issue wherein the conditions to achieve the Mark of the Jongleur accolades were incorrect in Chronolith trials.
• Several issues wherein the menu did not display or update correctly in Arcade Mode.
• An issue wherein Clive's clothing did not display correctly under specific conditions in Training Mode.
• Several issues wherein menu navigation did not behave correctly under specific conditions in Training Mode.
• Several issues wherein the AI of companion NPCs did not behave correctly.
• Several issues wherein parkour animations did not trigger correctly under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein graphical elements and collision surfaces were set incorrectly in explorable areas and replayable stages.
• Several issues wherein location names displayed at incorrect points in explorable areas and replayable stages.
• An issue wherein certain menu screens flickered when the Graphics Settings option was set to Frame Rate.
• Several issues wherein character animations did not trigger correctly under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein Active Time Lore elements did not update at the correct timing.
• Several issues wherein menu elements did not display or update correctly in Vivian's State of the Realm.
• Several issues wherein menu elements did not display or update correctly in Harpocrates's Thousand Tomes.
• Several issues wherein entries in the Thousand Tomes did not update at the correct timing.
• Several issues wherein Torgal's Animal Instinct did not function correctly under specific conditions.
• An issue wherein graphical elements did not display correctly in Photo Mode under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein areas failed to unlock on the world map under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein text and icons did not display correctly on the world map under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein the camera did not behave correctly under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein the wireless controller vibration and adaptive triggers did not function correctly under specific conditions.
• An issue wherein progress towards the trophy Here Be Rosfields did not display correctly under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein incorrect images and videos appeared in tutorial slides.
• Several issues wherein important notifications did not display correctly under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein audio elements did not trigger under specific conditions.
• Several issues wherein the game would freeze under specific conditions.
• Several minor text issues.

Final Fantasy XVI is available for PlayStation 5. A demo is available where you can play the beginning of the game and a later dungeon. The PC version is currently in development.