Final Fantasy VII Remake gets a free upgrade on PS4 amid PC launch turmoil

By Emily Morrow December 20, 2021

Starting this Wednesday, PlayStation Plus subscribers who redeemed Final Fantasy VII Remake through PlayStation Plus can upgrade to the PlayStation 5 Intergrade version of the game for free. The announcement comes hot of the heels of a shaky launch for the PC edition of the game.

Starting this Wednesday…

• PS Plus subscribers who previously redeemed @FinalFantasy VII Remake via @PlayStation Plus will be able to upgrade to the PS5 version of the game.

• Episode Intermission, the DLC featuring Yuffie Kisaragi, will be 25% off for a limited time! pic.twitter.com/mnkCIRR586

— FINAL FANTASY VII (@finalfantasyvii) December 19, 2021

Final Fantasy VII Remake, which was originally a PlayStation exclusive, was available on PS Plus in March 2021. At that time, only the PlayStation 4 edition was available to players, upsetting many of those who wanted the PS5 version, which promised better visuals, faster load times, support for Sony’s DualSense controller, and other perks.

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The Episode Intermission DLC was also not available for the PS4 version of the game, meaning that those who wanted to play it needed to purchase the game and DLC at full price on PS5, even if they were a PS Plus subscriber. Putting the DLC on sale and allowing PS Plus subscribers to upgrade for free seems to be Square Enix’s form of an olive branch for players, though it comes a full nine months after the original PS Plus fiasco.

In addition to being able to upgrade the game for free, the game’s Yuffie Kisaragi DLC, officially named Episode INTERmission, will be 25% off “for a limited time,” also starting this Wednesday.

Final Fantasy VII Remake recently became available on PC, though the launch was not nearly as smooth as Square Enix had hoped for. The game has few graphics options, which means that players can’t adjust settings like resolution scaling, anti-aliasing, VSync, and motion blur, among others.

Players have also experienced serious lag and slowdown when doing things as simple as moving the game’s camera around Cloud. These issues are occurring on even the most high-end PCs, indicating an issue with the game rather than players’ systems. Amid all this, VII Remake‘s hefty $70 price tag has caused even more outrage, though the same price is becoming the norm for AAA PS5 and Xbox Series X/S titles.

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Emily Morrow is a games journalist and narrative designer who has written for a variety of online publications. If she’s…

Gaming

Final Fantasy XVI’s most impressive innovations are the ones you can hear

Clive walks through a field in Final Fantasy XVI.

Final Fantasy XVI is a leap forward for the long-running RPG series in some very obvious ways, The most immediately apparent way it accomplishes that is through its fantastic real-time combat, which makes the adventure into Final Fantasy’s best pure action game to date. Then there are its cinematic Eikon fights, which offer spectacle on a level we’ve long dreamed of seeing in a video game. However, some of its most impressive innovations are ones you can’t actually see. Rather, you’ll need to listen closely.

Ahead of Final Fantasy XVI’s launch, I spoke to series composer Masayoshi Soken about his work on the project. While we talked a bit about his excellent score, Soken was most eager to share details on the new sound tech that was built for the action RPG. You may not notice it while playing, but Final Fantasy XVI raises the bar for video game audio in ways that might soon carry over into other Square Enix titles.
Audio innovation
In a music panel prior to Final Fantasy XVI’s release, Soken shared a bit about the new sound tech powering the game. The first major innovation he highlighted was the action RPG’s new approach to interactive music, a system meant to make the soundtrack more reactive and dynamic in battles. Rather than looping music during fights, Soken uses audio magic to seamlessly transition between different sections of the score no matter how long it takes a player to move through the fight. Everything down to Clive’s end pose will naturally sync up with the music in every fight.

Gaming

All Wall of Memories curiosities in Final Fantasy 16

Final Fantasy 16's cover showcasing its protagonist infront of two demon summons.

Clive is a more sentimental guy than you might expect from looking at him. Even though he puts on a tough face, it's clear he still cares deeply for those around him in Final Fantasy 16. This is most obvious once you unlock the Wall of Memories where he will store all the trinkets and items he finds to display. These curiosities are the main collectibles you will be picking up throughout Final Fantasy 16, but only the first is handed to you. The remaining ones will be off the main path and take a little more work. If you want to fully stock Clive's Wall of Memories with every collectible, here's where you can find them in Final Fantasy 16.
All curiosities

There are a total of 22 curiosities to find to fill up your Wall of Memories in Final Fantasy 16, but you could really say 21 since the first is given to you as part of the story. Here's where to get them all so you can unlock the For the Hoard trophy.
The Oath
Automatically obtained once you reach the "Cid the Outlaw" main quest.
Ambrosia's Tack
Rewarded to you after completing "The White-Winged Wonder" sidequest.
Martelle Apples
Rewarded to you after completing "The Fruits of Her Labors" sidequest.
Cid's Goblet
Rewarded to you after completing the "Payback" sidequest.
Guardians Scarf
Rewarded to you after completing "The Flames of War" sidequest.
Continental Censer
Rewarded to you after completing the "An Eye for an Eye" sidequest.
Hanged Man Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "For Great Justice II" sidequest.
Martha's Rest Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Rekindling the Flame II" sidequest.
Crimson Caravans Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Trading Places II" sidequest.
Charred Sparring Sword
Rewarded to you after completing the "More than Words" sidequest.
Scholar's Bonnet
Rewarded to you after completing the"An Inconvenient Truth" sidequest.
Stolas Quill
Rewarded to you after completing the "A Tail to Tell" sidequest.
Model Airship
Rewarded to you after completing the "Aiming High" sidequest.
Winter Mead
Rewarded to you after completing the "Silver Linings" sidequest.
Rusted Battlehelm
Rewarded to you after completing the "Where There's a Will" sidequest.
Snow Daisy Garland
Rewarded to you after completing the "Priceless" sidequest.
The Triunity Accord
Rewarded to you after completing the "Three's Company" sidequest.
Briar's Kiss Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Lines in the Sand II" sidequest.
Clayhearth Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Duty Undying II" sidequest.
Veil Signboard
Rewarded to you after completing the "Under New Management II" sidequest.
Medicine Chest
Rewarded to you after completing the "Back to Their Origin" sidequest.
The Circle of Malius
Rewarded to you after completing all of the trails in every chronolith.

Gaming

All Chronolith locations and rewards in Final Fantasy 16

A chronolith trial pillar glowing in the sunlight.

Every Final Fantasy game changes up the battle system in one way or another. Final Fantasy 16 isn't the first to have real-time, action-focused combat, but is by far the most polished and refined one. The story is by no means secondary, but for the first time players are able to really express themselves through the various combos and abilities you can pull off. Square Enix recognized this and included special combat trails called Chronolith Trials. These are somewhat similar to the special missions you can find in games like Devil May Cry 5 where you are faced with a unique challenge for a reward. As tough as these challenges are to beat, finding them is also a bit of a chore. Hop on your Chocobo and follow our lead to find all the Chronolith locations in Final Fantasy 16.
What are Chronolith Trials?

Chronolith Trials are unique combat trails that put you into an arena that spawns waves of enemies. There will always be three rooms that each spawn three waves of enemies, plus a boss at the end. You're on a timer, and can only use a designated Eikon with predetermined abilities. By pulling off Battle Techniques, including Precision Dodge and Ability Finishes, you can extend your time. If you're quick enough to beat all the enemies without running out of time, you'll earn a special accessory as a reward. There are seven in total, and completing them all will also unlock the final Wall of Memory item you need to complete that collection.
All Chronolith Trial locations
Phoenix
In Greensheaves in Rosaria, fast travel to Martha's Rest and exit to the north. Follow the path east and you will find it just before the path leading to Rhiannon's Ride.