A Square Enix game, and a very nostalgic one at that, is free to download for some. More specifically, a retro Final Fantasy game is now available for all Xbox Series X and PC users with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or a PC Game Pass subscription. How long it is going to be available at no extra cost with the subscription service remains to be seen, but most commonly games are added in 12-month or 24-month intervals. What we can confidently say is it’s not a permanent addition because it’s not an Xbox game.
Videos by ComicBook.com
As for the Final Fantasy game in question, it is Final Fantasy 6, the game right before the most iconic game in the series. Because of this, it is often forgotten that Final Fantasy 6 was a watershed title for the RPG genre, and one of the great RPGs of its time, hence its commercial success and critical acclaim. In fact, it ranks as the best Final Fantasy game for many Final Fantasy fans. That said, the version of the game that’s been added to Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass is not the original SNES version, but the Pixel Remaster version that debuted in 2022, but didn’t come to Xbox consoles until 2024. It never came to Xbox One, though, which means this addition is not available for Xbox One users.
A Landmark Final Fantasy Game
What modern Final Fantasy fans may not know about the original game was that it was the final installment in the series to feature 2D sprite-based graphics. That said, the Pixel Remaster gives it a different and remodeled 2D look in addition to some other modernizing changes, such as a rearranged soundtrack, new cinematic scenes, newly recorded vocal performances, and a wide range of gameplay improvements and tweaks. And Xbox fans seem to really enjoy this version of the game, as evidenced by its near-perfect user review score on the Microsoft Store.
That said, those who decide to check out the 1990s role-playing game now that it’s included with various tiers of Xbox Game Pass should expect a runtime of about 30 to 40 hours, which is pretty long for a game of this era. Meanwhile, completionists will need more like 50 to 60 hours with the Square Enix RPG.
As always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think, or join the video game conversations happening over on the ComicBook Forum.
Most Viewed
-
Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics -
Image Courtesy of Studio Bones
