Final Fantasy: 25th Anniversary Ultimate Box announced

[Ryu Kazama]

It's Japan. That price is pretty decent given this fact. Still mighty expensive, I know.

Think back to FF Type-0. That was $200 just for that. Their Bravely Default edition is also high priced. None of this stuff is cheap in Japan and it's worse for SE's products (who charge above standard RRP for standard edition games, too).

They are old games, yes. But what the heck do you expect? On one hand someone moans they're not remastered and another someone will moan they're not the first format versions (NES, SNES etc). Can't keep 'em all happy.

Japanese products just aren't cheap. Games, music, movies. They're all expensive. That's how Japan is.

You also need to factor in they're using all new Amano art. As far as I am aware, this guy isn't cheap to hire (he's a freelancer now I recall). Not saying this alone justifies the cost but it does add to it. In the end it's a piece made for the fans to commemorate a milestone. By including all core FF games in one box is already a giant step better than the SF25th Anniversary box (love both as much as each other).

[CollectingCanuck]

^: Indeed Japanese knickknacks are expensive, which is why I made the analogy to the Resident Evil Jacket. With that said, however, value judgement with respect to collectors' items often leads to highly differing evaluations.

On one hand there is probably the die hard fan who sees this as the ultimate expression of everything they love about the series, boxed into a lovely set that they will fondly look back on for years to come. On the other there will be those who see a thinly veiled rip off where old assets are strung together and packaged with some useless trinkets, because they know fans and collectors will buy it anyway XD

I do love Square Enix games, though. They did a fabulous job with Sleeping Dogs and I can't wait for Hitman!

[Xmo]

I've never seen a CE for $450 retail before.
Beautiful artwork though.

[geralds]

Originally Posted by Xmo

I've never seen a CE for $450 retail before.
Beautiful artwork though.

Resident evil 6 Japanese retails for like $1,600 so it is alot more then this.

[geralds]

Originally Posted by WolfArvak

That is beyond nutz.. plus I noticed the Final Fantasy VII official remake repack last week released they will not even include.. just original FFVII? ...dissapointing...

IF you played the Non Japanese copies of Final Fantasy VII then you are pretty much playing the original. When FFVII was brought outside Japan they added some extra that were not even included in the original copy of 7. The original game is intact just with added extra so what is the real point of the original is your basicly getting it + more. The same thing happens with Kingdom Hearts if you played KH1 the option bosses the ice titan and sephiroth were not even included in the original Japanese copy. They did an international version to pretty much include them plus 1 extra option boss but the original game is still intact if you do not bother to fight the optional bosses.

[aizen59]

They're not including the original FFVII, it's the international one.

See : ・FINAL FANTASY VII INTERNATIONAL （PlayStation）ディスク枚数：4枚

It's indeed expensive, but yeah, if you're a final fantasy's fan, it's a good masterpiece to have. Trust me, it'll just be like MGS HD Konami Style (the one with headset), once all copies are sold (preorders), it'll just be a pain in the *** to get one, unless you're willing to pay x2 the price. And this time, it's Final Fantasy, so it might end up even worser.

That being said, mine is preordered, i won't do the same mistake twice (missed MGS, i won't miss this one!)

[geralds]

The interantion version is pretty much just like the american and eu copy. So i still do not see how that is a complant. The original Japanese copy has less in it. Like for example i do not beleave the option bosses present in the america/eu copy are even in the original. Most international copies do not do anything but add to the original and maybe give you the english translation. The only internation game iv seen with huge differnce in gameplay even is ff12 international. Complaining in anyway that your not getting the original copy of 7 is silly. When 7 and and 7 international are exactly the same. 7 internation just has a few extra like optional bosses. Several additions to gameplay and story were made for the game's North American release, such as easier exchange of materia, arrows highlighting exits on field screens, and an extra cutscene. The original game is still all intact basicly. Just because the call it international does not meen the origina game isnt intact or still included. Besides ff7 international is 4 disks rather then the original Japanese copy being 3.

[aizen59]

As a rpg fan, i'm looking forward optional bosses when playing one, so yeah, they added bosses in the US/EU version of the game, then japanese complained and got an international version which is the same as ours, you're right.

That being said, having more bosses to beat in FFVII is better than just finishing the main story & call it over.

[geralds]

Exactly the original copy is all there just do not do any of the added content. I see no point in having the original then the original with added extra like probally the english translation of the game.

[Lobo_do_Norte]

What I regret about the 25th annniversary utlimate box is that it contains "original" discs of all the main episodes that were published on Sony PS consoles.

First, it means that you have to still own a PS1, PS2, PSP and PS3 if you want to play the games. What about Xbox and Nintendo players ?!
Then, most of them are available on the PSN and therefore can be played on PS3 and/or PSVita... So why didn't Square-Enix think about all the games to be played on PS3 ? (Even if they don't HD-remasterize them, it would have been great if the games could be played on present generation consoles...)
And for those who will remind me that PS1 games are playable on any PS3, I would answer about the glitches, freezing, loading times and changing discs problems I often encountered while playing FFVII, VIII & IX on my slim 250 Go PS3.
As a comparison, SF 25th anniversary games are all palayable on PS3 or Xbox360.

Secondly, the goodies... A 2 CDs soundtrack compilation and an artwork ?!
Ok, the artwork is really cool. But is that really enough for a 25th anniversary of such a legendary licence ? I wonder... 2 CDs to sum up the OST masterpieces of the whole serie seem a bit light to me. they must be kidding us.
Talking about 25th anniversary editions, let's compare with the Street Fighter one for instance ! (I won't detail... You see what I mean, right ?)

Is Square-Enix putting its FF fans on a diet ???
Don't they make us wait and starve enough between releases ? (5 years between FFXII & FFXIII... 8 years between FFXI and FFXIV, plus 3 years for FFXIV availability on PS3... FF VersusXIII still "in progress"...)
Come on...

I'd have prefered different Collector's editions for each sub-series, like :
- FF Anthology (FFI to FFVI)
- Compilation of FFVII (FFVII + spin-offs + Advent Children movie)
- Ivalice Alliance (FFXII + all FF Tactics + Vagrant Story)
- Fabula Nova Crystallis (FFXIII + XIII-2 + VersusXIII + Type-O)
- Crystal Chronicles
Each would come along with proper soundtracks, artworks/artbooks and figurines, boxed in beautiful caskets.

Well, just my opinion, but Square-Enix keeps on deceiving me and most of its fans.