Final Fantasy 5 releases as part of the pixel remaster series in November

Square Enix announced today that Final Fantasy 5 will be released with upgraded pixel graphics and audio, as a faithful 2D remaster on November 10 for Steam and mobile platforms.

The game stars a young man and his Chocobo, who find themselves drawn toward friends that will change their destiny. In the game, the wind currents begin to slow and stale which worries the king, Tycoon. To find out what’s going on, he heads to the Wind Shrine only to see the Wind Crystal shatter upon his arrival.

During this time, the young man Bartz witnesses a meteorite hit outside the castle and goes to investigate. Here, he discovers Tycoon’s daughter, Lenna, lying unconscious. After he rescues her, the duo comes across an older gentleman, Galuf, with partial amnesia. Lenna tells him that she is on her way to Wind Shrine to look for her father, which causes Galuf to recall he was heading that way too.

Bartz parts ways with the duo but comes across them again as they are being attacked by monsters. While heading to the Wind Shrine, the three come into contact with pirate leader Faris who helps the trio reach the shrine where they find the shattered Crystal - and no sign of the king.

We won’t go into any more detail on the story here. You will just have to play it to find out more.

Along with an interesting story, Final Fantasy 5 also features a deep and customizable job system that allows you to freely select jobs for your characters to master. It features returning classes such as the Black Mage and Thief and adds others to the game as well, including the Mime, and the Blue and Time Mages.

The game supports many different playstyles and expands on the Active Time Battle system, which made its debut in Final Fantasy 4. If you are unfamiliar with the system, the way it works is time is the same for both enemies and the player. With the system, you are able to see which character’s turn it is in battle thanks to a time gauge or ATB which has since become a mainstay of the franchise.

Returning players to the series will notice many improvements and updates such as rearranged soundtracks, improved gameplay, a modernized UI, auto-battle options, and more. Some quality-of-life improvements have been added such as supplemental extras like the bestiary, illustration gallery, music player, and the ability to save at any time.

If you decide to pre-purchase Final Fantasy 5 on Steam, you will receive early purchase bonuses, including three specially rearranged music tracks, two wallpapers, and a 20% discount. These special tracks transition from the original versions to the new arrangements and are available through early purchase or via the bundle on Steam.

The pixelated remasters of 1-6 were announced via the Square Enix Presents showcase during E3 this year, and each is available individually for $11.99 or $17.99, depending on the title.

All six games within the Final Fantasy pixel remaster series are also available for purchase as part of a bundle for a further discount.