Games Happy

Think about for a second: it’s 2016 and you’re eagerly awaiting the brand new entry in a well-liked RPG sequence. Boasting sharp graphics, energetic musical themes and preparations, and thrilling fight, the sport boldly lays out an thrilling imaginative and prescient for the way forward for Ultimate Fantasy. It’s “Noct” what you suppose it’s. The sport is – or maybe extra precisely, was – Mobius Ultimate Fantasy. Greater than a by-product or gacha cash-in, the made-for-mobile gameplay mixed with an authentic story and smooth presentation is a rarity in Sq. Enix’s cell repertoire. It’s a title that has been banished offline for practically a half-decade, and one which deserves a second probability.

Beforehand counting on ports of traditional video games or a couple of different authentic choices, Mobius Ultimate Fantasy was Sq. Enix’s first try at crafting a console-quality gaming expertise for cell units.  Launched in Japan in June 2015, and worldwide the next 12 months, the event staff was a shortlist of Ultimate Fantasy veterans. Credit for the title embody Motomu Toriyama, producer Yoshinori Kitase, and situation author Kazushige Nojima (Ultimate Fantasy VII). After engaged on the Ultimate Fantasy XIII trilogy, Mobius can also be the place Naoki Hamaguchi reduce his tooth as a venture lead earlier than engaged on the Ultimate Fantasy VII Remake sequence. The event bench for Mobius was actually stacked – Sq. Enix used this heritage as a promoting level when asserting the sport’s Western launch. 

Likewise, the sport’s manufacturing values had been one other excessive level. Utilizing the Unity engine, Mobius was capable of ship high quality, 3D character fashions and environments which was comparatively unusual for the sequence’ cell choices on the time. The character and enemy fashions had been at instances acquainted  – suppose Marlboros and Chocobos, amongst others – and audacious, together with a minor pre-release scandal when the scantily clad playable character’s apparel was redesigned after complaints over how a lot of his pores and skin was exhibiting. These gamers should have had a subject day with Stellar Blade, proper? 

The presentation was rounded out with knockout preparations from Mitsuto Suzuki, a private favourite who’s answerable for some standout tracks from The third Birthday, Lightning Returns, and extra not too long ago, Ultimate Fantasy VII Rebirth. Not solely are we handled to his electrical preparations of sequence classics, but additionally a big quantity of authentic work ready only for the sport, replete with at the very least three official soundtrack releases.  From a technical standpoint, Mobius has robust Ultimate Fantasy DNA baked all through. That’s nice, however was the sport itself price enjoying? 

Mobius has gamers management an amnesiac transported to the world of Palamecia in hopes of turning into the prophesied Warrior of Mild wanted to avoid wasting the world. Alongside the best way, gamers will make buddies with Princess Sarah Cornelia and a touring moogle companion. The story liberally borrows parts and characters from the unique Ultimate Fantasy, however the borrowed parts really feel extra thematic than any form of narrative tie – and looking back, reminds a little bit of Stranger of Paradise: Ultimate Fantasy Origins’ use of Garland and different parts from the primary Ultimate Fantasy.

Gameplay usually concerned gamers exploring by a world map or small zones, with gamers typically shifting from battle to battle. Whereas gamers aren’t essentially working round massive open zones, there’s nonetheless a way of exploration throughout the varied landscapes. The streamlined world map likewise supplies the same thrill of discovering hidden locales and objects, as gamers might go to non-obligatory situations and each day dungeons. Different traditional RPG parts are maintained, offering a way of development when unlocking new jobs, skills, or ability playing cards to make use of in fight. Whereas the sport has the hallmarks of an oft-maligned gacha title – right here we’ve got a dreaded Stamina system, playing cards to drag, and the like – it feels separate and distinct from the rest of the sport, virtually as if tacked on on the finish of improvement and never the only real foundation for the sport’s creation. 

Fight is the bread and butter of Mobius, and is the place the sport shines. Straightforward to study and execute however deceptively complicated in preparation, fight entails deploying fundamental assaults to build up coloured orbs with the intention to use particular skills. Straightforward sufficient, even with gamers additionally monitoring the enemy’s break/stagger bar and being aware of elemental attributes. Fight is normally easy sufficient the place auto-battle works, however provided that the correct deck is supplied, thereby permitting use of specific skills in fight. Characters, jobs, and skill playing cards all have their very own particular person ranges which develop with expertise and may be fused to develop even stronger.

For the restricted occasion sickos, there was lots to whet an urge for food as nicely. Mobius was happy with its many collaborations with different Ultimate Fantasy titles, together with XIII, X, and even a pre-release Ultimate Fantasy VII Remake. It’s a bit humorous, getting your first glimpse of high-def Remake Cloud a couple of years early, in your iPhone, in a totally completely different sport. 

Mobius represented a candy spot of ingenuity and technical competence after a rocky transition into the HD period. What set Mobius aside – maybe much more so now, a decade later – is that it was not a cynical money seize with a paper skinny excuse to throw fan favorites collectively. It very a lot felt like a sport first, and gacha second. Mobius wasn’t solely designed to lull you into shopping for crushies, gems, or different in-game forex. It felt like an precise sport meant to be performed. 

Sadly, it might probably’t be performed in any capability. World service led to June 2020 with no clarification. Because it’s been over 4 years for the reason that sport ended, It’s been gone longer than it was even in service. Are you studying this and desirous to play Mobius Ultimate Fantasy? Sorry, you may’t! All I’ve received for would-be gamers are some outdated screenshots, YouTube movies, and some OSTs. Discussion board posts and YouTube feedback are peppered with the identical lament: Man, I actually miss this sport. 

Sq. Enix needed to make a console-quality expertise for cell video games, they usually largely succeeded. Nevertheless, the sport’s continued absence stings, except for being unfriendly to shoppers.  These are selections the corporate continues to make, leaning into their cell choices simply lengthy sufficient for gamers to turn into snug, earlier than pulling the rug out from beneath them. It’s an unsightly follow that reminds us that for a lot of cell titles, the buyer is the product. 

Though Sq. Enix might shock us with an offline model of the sport – they’ve accomplished it at the very least as soon as earlier than with the Western launch of Ultimate Fantasy Dimensions II. Sadly, there’s been nothing however silence since curtain name on the Warrior of Mild 4 years in the past. It doesn’t appear like we’re returning to Palamecia anytime quickly. It’s a disgrace, since Mobius Ultimate Fantasy might actually profit from a re-examination from players- if solely Sq. Enix would give them an opportunity.