Gaming

Final Fantasy VIII Remastered has a release date!

So soon yet, not soon enough!

Published

August 20, 2019

Leez

After our heartstrings were played with by the Final Fantasy VIII Remastered teaser, fans have swarmed with tons of memes predicting and wondering how specific scenes would appear with stunning new visuals. Well, our memes and dreams are about to either come true or get shut down because Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is getting released on September 3, 2019!

Final Fantasy VIII and why fans love it

Final Fantasy VIII was a game that plotted itself in a fantasy world while digging into an emotional story-line of war and love. The game focuses on a group of young mercenaries led by Squall Leonhart. They’re adventure begins with a striking conflict: Ultimecia. Ultimecia is a sorceress from the future who possesses Edea and wants to compress time. In this quest, Squall encounters friends who inevitably join his quest to keep the world in its balance.

Final Fantasy VIII was the first of its series to reinvent the active time battle wheel without ignoring its roots. The game allowed more customization which ultimately allowed players to work around weaponry, armor, and summons that drastically affected characters’ combat style. These seemingly small tweaks in gameplay gave players breathing room to pick how they wanted to play the game making it all the more immersive.

While its predecessor, Final Fantasy VII, had 3-dimensional models, it didn’t significantly refine designs as much as Final Fantasy VIII. Every element in the game expressed more detail with as much accessible technology as Square could get their hands on. From the planet that showed a level of meticulous detail we hadn’t seen in the series before, to the hilarious “you’re the best looking guy here” memes, Final Fantasy VIII was weirdly ahead with visuals at the time.

**What’s new with Final Fantasy VIII Remastered?**

First, and obviously, enhanced visuals. The announcement trailer that was revealed in E3 this year made it loud and clear that each element of the game — characters, enemies, objects, and summons — were all refined and enhanced.

Second, battle assists. Final Fantasy VIII Remastered allows you to activate a booster to max out health points (HP) and active time battle (ATB) bars that trigger limit breaks at any point players need. Regardless, you will lose HP when you get hit with a critical attack that renders more damage than your HP, or by lethal damage.

Third, turning off encounters. Final Fantasy VIII Remastered has setting you can use to allow you to turn off random encounters. This is incredibly useful when you’re out of potions, phoenix downs, and need to run to the nearest shop. This doesn’t apply for event battles that need to be done to further the game’s plot.

Fourth, battle speed boosts. The game lets you accelerate time by a factor of three. If you want to breeze through easy battles or rush through level grinding, this feature is useful. This feature isn’t applicable for certain scenes and movies.

Gaming

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced comes to life at Skypark Macau

Themed event lets fans experience the game in real life from July 17 to 26

Published

July 13, 2026

GadgetMatch

Assassin’s Creed fans are invited to celebrate the launch of Black Flag Resynced through a limited-time themed experience at the Skypark Macau Tower.

The experience will run from July 17 to 26, and will feature elements from the title brought into a real-world setting. There’s themed installations, photo opportunities, and exclusive event rewards.

Aside from that, there is a concept art gallery and replica props inspired by the action-adventure.

The experience opens to the public from 11:00 A.M. on Friday, and will remain available until the last Sunday of the month.

It will be more fulfilling to come on the first day, as there will be exclusive merchandise sold only on July 17.

Guests who purchase the game on-site, or present proof of purchase of the game at the event will be eligible to redeem an exclusive item, available only until supplies last.

Moreover, those who complete an eligible activity during the Assassin’s Creed event period at Skypark Macau will receive a paper scroll replica of the “Letter for Duncan Walpole”, while supplies last.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is a faithful remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag. Rebuilt from the ground up and powered by the latest Anvil engine, the game features updated visuals, enriched gameplay, and new narrative content.

Set during the Golden Age of Piracy, the game invites players to sail the Caribbean as Edward Kenway. The rebellious pirate captain is drawn into the centuries-old conflict between Assassins and Templars.

As the protagonist pursues glory and fortune, he crosses paths with legendary figures such as Blackbeard, Anne Bonny, and Calico Jack. All this while the fate of everything the pirates have built hangs in the balance.

The game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Gaming

Echoes of Aincrad out now for consoles, PC

Deluxe, Ultimate Editions available

Published

July 11, 2026

GadgetMatch

Bandai Namco’s new action RPG Echoes of Aincrad is now available on consoles and PC. The title is set in the breathtaking floating castle of Aincrad from the Sword Art Online universe.

Along with the Standard Edition, the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions are now available on PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

The Deluxe Edition includes the base game, plus an expansion pack and Death Game Mode early unlock.

Meanwhile, the Ultimate Edition comes with all inclusions from the Deluxe Edition. Plus, players will get the game’s “Unanswered//butterfly” Bonus Contents App that features a Special Anime, Digital Artbook, and Digital Soundtrack. They’ll also secure an Armor Pack.

Echoes of Aincrad starts with players being trapped inside a deadly medieval MMORPG. Here, dying in the game means dying in the real world.

Players will enter a vast living world to shape their fate, customizing avatars with unique skills, gear, and abilities to transform how they fight and survive.

In the process, they will be able to master a fluid combat system to adapt to choices, explore epic quests, and join forces with those who share the same peril.

A launch trailer has also been released to celebrate the availability of the game.

Gaming

Microsoft dictates that a new Fallout game is coming

Microsoft cancelled an Avowed sequel to focus on Fallout.

Published

July 10, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Bethesda used to be a bastion for RPG experiences. Today, however, the company prefers living off its older properties such as Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76. For a while now, the question has been: When will Bethesda release a new game in either of their two biggest franchises? Well, according to a report, a new Fallout game might be coming soon.

As of late, Microsoft has been restructuring its studios. In fact, the company might shut down the studio behind the Dishonored series and the upcoming game based on Marvel’s Blade. Now, as part of that reshuffling (via Bloomberg), Obsidian Entertainment has been told to cancel a sequel to Avowed and focus on a new Fallout game.

It’s a huge change. Microsoft has notably stayed away from its more popular franchises for a while now. The latest Fallout game is still Fallout 76. The latest Elder Scrolls game has been in development for a long, long time now. Only DOOM, via last year’s The Dark Ages, got a new title recently.

To be clear, it’s unknown whether we’re getting the true Fallout 5 or another iteration of the online 76. If it’s really the fifth mainline entry in the franchise, it’s coming at a very opportune time. The franchise is currently on a high, riding the popularity of the TV series of the same name. Fans will surely enjoy a follow-up.

To fuel things further, Josh Sawyer, the director behind the universally lauded New Vegas, is reportedly spearheading the production of the new game.