Square Enix announced during its E3 2021 livestream that it was remastering the first six Final Fantasy games for a series christened Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters. Although the old-school games have been re-released before, this batch would feature updated sprites and a reworked soundtrack, among other modern tweaks. Fans have waited with curiosity to see how Square handles these classics (again), and they can find out when the first three games arrive later this month. 

Final Fantasy I,II, and III Pixel Remasters launch July 29 for Steam and mobile devices. Final Fantasy I and II run for $11.99 while the remaining four games cost $17.99 each. Final Fantasy IV, V, and VI will launch later this year, but you can pre-order a bundle on Steam with all the games for a temporarily discounted price of $74.82. That’s 22% off of the standard price of $95.94. 

You're likely saying to yourself “well that seems pricey". I can only assume that has to do with the work put into these remasters. Each title boasts redrawn pixel art by original artist Kazuko Shibuya and a rearranged soundtrack overseen by legendary Final Fantasy composer, Nobuo Uematsu. Modern controller support along with touch controls for mobile, plus contemporary UIs and an auto-battle system, are among the features designed to make these classics easier to wrap your hands around. 

It’s still a bummer that this collection hasn't been announced for consoles (especially Switch), but given how much of a hassle it can be to play most of these games today, we’ll take what we can get for now. It might be a good time to brush up on Final Fantasy I in particular given that its absurd triple-A spin-off, Strangers of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins, is slated to launch next year. If you haven’t played the demo, you can read GI editor Dan Tack’s colorful impressions here.

Will you be picking up any of these  pixel remasters? Sound off in the comments below!

Our latest look at Dying Light 2, now called Dying Light 2 Stay Human, includes a closer inspection of the upcoming sequel and how it will enrich what so many loved about the first game. Techland answered commonly asked fan questions while also delving into topics like choice impact on multiplayer and how big of jerks the Renegades really are. 

Dying Light 2 is enriching the experience with heavier choice options where player decisions can have the biggest - and smallest - of impact on the in-game world. Dawid Lubryka, animation director for Dying Light 2, talked a little bit about a reoccurring question that players have about said choice and what that means for multiplayer. As we've talked about before, Dying Light 2's choice system has the power to level the entire world: literally. So how does that impact the multiplayer experience? Burkda tells fans, "The host makes all the decisions, and our players experience them. So you can witness how the world of the host changes as a result of their choices, and you can compare this outcome to your own world. So all choices and their consequences stay with the host—they don’t affect your solo campaign, but you get to keep all the player progress you’ve made and all the loot you’ve found."

The concern on personal game impact is something we've seen quite a bit on our coverage as well, so the confirmation that other players and their choice don't impact the game outside of multiplayer is a good one to have.

Another interesting aspect the team touched on is the Renegades, another faction that hasn't been talked about quite as much. Techland says that the Renegades "are an ex-military faction. They are very, very ruthless. They actually never wanted to cooperate with any other factions in the process of rebuilding The City. They are very violent and greedy, and they wear masks so their actions and presence are dehumanized. No one really likes them for the fact that they conducted the initial bombing of The City with chemicals that people were led to believe would protect them."

They sound like total jerks.

Also revealed is a first look at some new enemies players will be taking on. Lubryka warns players that though the daytime is safer for humans, don't mistake that for being safe. "The day is still very scary. You have to remember, humans fight with humans in this world. After all, it's people are the most ruthless. So you will encounter bandits, renegades, and other very dangerous factions, so you always need to keep on your toes. Use parkour to stay agile and run from the danger, or stand your ground and fight. But to fight effectively, you must be prepared. Infected can appear during the day, but they are slightly slower when affected by sunlight. If you venture into interiors, the most dangerous ones await, and scary is an understatement."

Dying Light 2 Stay Human officially arrives on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC this December 7, 2021. 

Are you excited to see more of Dying Light 2 and how the sequel will differ from the first game? What are your hopes for the upcoming horror adventure? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below! You can also check out our dedicated game hub here to learn more. 

BioWare has revealed its newest expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic with Legacy of the Sith. The new expansion kicks off the game's 10-year anniversary and will give players a brand new story to enjoy, more endgame missions, character upgrades, and more! Here's our first look at what's going down later this year. 

Revealed during today's live stream event, Legacy of the Sith is the latest major expansion for the MMORPG and the studio says that it marks the first of many new things on the horizon in the Star Wars universe. Or the galaxy. Something about a galaxy far, far away.

Kidding.

The new storyline will send players headfirst into a new military campaign with the mission of securing a very important planet for their faction. The narrative will center around Darth Malgus, a renegade Sith, and his secret plans but it's not just a new story that fans can enjoy, there are quite a few Quality of Life enhancements to look forward to, as well, with more to be revealed at a later date. 

Legacy of the Sith will take players to the planet of Manaan where they reach the new level cap set for 80. There will be new missions to take on, including a Flashpoint set on the remote planet of Elom, in addition to a new Operation that players will need to complete, as well. 

Players will be able to look forward to a refactored character creation system, streamlined class designs to make everything flow a little more naturally, loadout enhancements, updates to itemization, and more. The live stream also showed off the new feature called Combat Styles that gives players even more option when taking on this new storyline. 

Star Wars: The Old Republic's Legacy of the Sith expansion is arriving on PC this holiday. To learn more, check out the official Star Wars: The Old Republic website right here.