'Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age' remasters a PS2-era classic

By Danny Cowan Published June 6, 2016

A remastered and upgraded version of the PlayStation 2-era RPG Final Fantasy XII will launch for the PlayStation 4 worldwide in 2017, publisher Square Enix

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announced today.

The upcoming re-release, titled Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, will feature visual enhancements in addition to a gameplay-expanding “Zodiac Job System” that was previously seen only in Japan.

Originally released in 2006, Final Fantasy XII was the last PlayStation 2 entry in Square Enix’s flagship RPG series, following up on Final Fantasy X, X-2, and a port of the MMORPG Final Fantasy XI. Final Fantasy XII shifted the series’ traditional turn-based gameplay in a new direction, allowing players to set up automated actions for their teammates in battle, among other innovations.

2007’s Japan-exclusive reissue Final Fantasy XII: International Zodiac Job System expanded on these unique combat mechanics, giving players access to twelve different License Boards and new tactical options. Other improvements featured in International Zodiac Job System include controllable guest party members, an option to double the game’s speed, and a “Trial Mode” that challenges expert players with a series of 100 consecutive battles.

Square Enix notes that all of the additions featured in International Zodiac Job System will make the jump to the PlayStation 4 for The Zodiac Age.

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age follows up on a number of reissued Final Fantasy games from Square Enix in recent months, including Steam PC ports for the PSone series entries Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX. Remastered versions of Final Fantasy X and X-2 are also available for the PlayStation 4, PS3, PS Vita, and PCs.

Along with improvements ported over from International Zodiac Job System, the upcoming The Zodiac Age will also feature remastered audio, an autosave function, and trophy support. A release date for Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is not yet known.

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The best ways to farm Gil in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Cait Sith dances in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

Some say it's the Lifestream that makes the world go round in Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, but we all know the real answer is Gil. Cloud may be on a quest to save the world from Sephiroth, but he's still a merc who wants to get paid for his efforts. Plus, there are a ton of expensive items to gather up on your journey, such as Materia, Accessories, Armor, and Queen's Blood cards. You'll need some very deep pockets if you want to buy everything that catches your eye, but Gil isn't the easiest thing to come by. We've done all the odd jobs and activities around Gaia to give you the best ways to grind for Gil in Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth.
Best ways to farm Gil
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth introduces a ton of new activities, minigames, and quests that didn't exist in Remake. That means there are a lot more ways to earn Gil than ever before, but also a lot that are a waste of time compared to others.
Get your steps in

Even when you get yourself a Chocobo to ride around on, there's no getting around how much running you will be doing. Whether it's in one of the dungeons or towns where you can't take your mount, part of a quest that keeps you on foot, or if you just like exploring the old-fashioned way, Cloud will be getting more than his fair share of steps in. So why not get paid for your efforts? The Pedometer Pin is an accessory that automatically pays you 1 Gil for every 100 steps taken. Now, that doesn't sound like a lot, but that number will build up fast when running around. Plus, it's free money you'd otherwise be leaving on the table. The best part is you don't need to sacrifice a valuable accessory slot on Cloud, or even anyone in your active party, to get the benefits. So long as the person who has it equipped is available to be in your party, not necessarily currently in it, you reap the rewards.
Sword for hire
Sidequests pay well in Rebirth for the most part. There aren't a ton of them compared to most open world games, so they all tend to be worth your while in one way or another. Visit every new town's notice board and snag all the requests whenever possible. You won't know exactly what reward you're going to get until it's said and done, but you should expect at least a couple thousand Gil for your efforts in most cases.
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Queen's Blood

After Fort Condor arrived in Final Fantasy 7: Remake Intergrade, you may not have expected an entirely new minigame to be introduced in Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth. However, after the opening hours, when you're let loose in Kalm, you will automatically be given your very first deck of Queen's Blood cards. While this minigame is entirely optional after you play your first game to learn the basics, you would be missing out on a ton of content and secrets, let alone fun, by ignoring it. Still, we understand if you feel you didn't sign up for a strange new card game in your Final Fantasy adventure. Plus, there is a lot more depth to the game than is properly explained. If you want to rise up the ranks and be a Queen's Blood champion, but are unsure how to start, we'll show you the ropes.
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The tutorial for Queen's Blood does a decent job explaining the basic rules of Queen's Blood, but it goes by rather quickly and may leave some things a little unclear until you play a few rounds.

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I get the desire to do it all, I really do. In the critically acclaimed sequel, we're finally let loose outside of Midgar. Square Enix has laid a huge, lush set of biomes to stretch our legs in after being stuck in the cramped hallways and tunnels of the drab city. Despite most of the world activities in Rebirth being standard open-world fare (activating towers, scanning points of interest, and hunting down specific monsters), there's an undeniable novelty to doing it with Cloud and the rest of Avalanche. What I wish I had known before starting was just how easy it was to burn out on that feeling.