Square Enix has released a new trailer for its upcoming console RPG Final Fantasy XV that delves into the game’s backstory and teases major plot points that define starring character Noctis’ globetrotting journey.
This week’s trailer also offers a glimpse at Final Fantasy XV‘s supporting cast, and briefly profiles a major character who could eventually assume a villainous role.
Square Enix’s latest Final Fantasy XV trailer details the game’s central conflict revolving around protagonist Noctis Lucis Caelum, crown prince of the Lucis kingdom. Noctis and his friends are traveling outside the kingdom’s boundaries when they receive news that the Lucian capital Insomnia has been attacked. Hearing that his father died in the invasion, Noctis heads toward the nearby capital city of Altissia in order to solve a deepening mystery.
Today’s trailer also introduces the central character Ardyn Izunia, an imperial chancellor who appears to taunt Noctis and his crew throughout their journey. Ardyn Izunia previously appeared in Square Enix’s animated feature film Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, and will figure prominently in Final Fantasy XV‘s storyline.
Final Fantasy XV features a sprawling world that players explore by car, boat, train, and on the backs of Chocobo steeds. The game is built with traversal in mind, and multiple travel options open up throughout the quest, eventually leading up to the launch of a redesigned airship that enables cross-country travel.
Combat will also be a familiar sight for longtime series fans, though Final Fantasy XV‘s battle mechanics mark a major shift for the series. Battles against enemies take place in real time, and players are given control over a variety of stealth-oriented attacks and combination moves in conjunction with their party members.
Delayed numerous times since it was initially announced, Final Fantasy XV is finally on track for a retail release later this year. Designer Tetsuya Nomura recently revealed that work on the Disney crossover RPG Kingdom Hearts 2.8 had temporarily stalled as Square Enix’s staff rallied to wrap up development of Final Fantasy XV.
Final Fantasy XV launches for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on November 29.
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.