Square Enix presented a lot of new information about the upcoming release of Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age during a panel at PAX East, where it explained the new gameplay features with gameplay videos, and it finally gave more details about the different editions in which the game will be available in July, including standard, digital, limited, and collector’s editions.
As part of the panel game director Takashi Katano and producer Hiroaki Kato were able to show the audience all the graphic improvements and gameplay additions to this remastered version of Final Fantasy XII for PlayStation 4. Aside of the new Zodiac Job System, in which each character chooses a different skill set at the start of the game, they also showed how the new speed mode works, as players can choose between 2x or 4x velocities in the settings menu.
Another addition is a new Trial Mode in which players will use the characters they have been leveling up in the main game to fight enemies in order to go through the 100 levels of a tower. Each battle will have different monsters that will make us change our gambit strategy, and some special bonus characters might appear from time to time.
But after those gameplay sections, it was time to finally announce all the details on the different editions that which fans will be able to purchase when the game hits stores in July. The game available to preorder in four versions: standard, digital, limited, and collector’s edition. From those four, only two are exclusive to an specific retailer: the digital to the PlayStation Store and the collector’s edition to the Square Enix Store.
The first three share the same price: $49.99. The standard edition comes in a regular PS4 plastic case, and the first print includes reversible coversheet featuring artwork by Akihiko Yoshida. The digital edition will instantly unlock a static theme for PS4 and four songs from the soundtrack. Finally, the limited edition comes with a steelbook case featuring special artwork and a code to unlock the original soundtrack from the PS2 version to hear in the game.
The Square Enix Store exclusive collector’s edition is worth $199, and its main addition is a set of busts of the judge magisters, prominent figures through the game. It also comes with a steelbook, an extra disc containing the soundtrack, and a set of six cards featuring character artwork.
The panel also announced Balthier’s special appearance on World of Final Fantasy as a Champion, available from March 23rd.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age releases on PlayStation 4 on July 11th in North America and July 13th in Europe and Asia.
