At long last, the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series on PC gets classic font and music options
Finally, console parity has been achieved
When Square Enix announced the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection for Final Fantasies 1 through 6 back in 2021, I was overjoyed. For too long had PC folks had to 'make do' with the quite nasty mobile ports of these games, and the Pixel Remasters looked set to finally rectify that with proper versions replete with their original artwork. But one thing was missing. Well, several things were missing it turns out, but chief among them were, of course, its damn fonts - a point of contention that's plagued many a Square Enix PC port in recent years, and one that fans quickly set about trying to fix with mods. Extra salt was then added to the wound when Square Enix said that last year's Switch and PS4 versions of the Pixel Remaster series would have two different font options straight out of the box - and it's only now that the PC versions have finally caught up.
All six Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games received a v.1.1.0 update last night, adding several new features that finally put them on par with the console versions. Among the three "Major" new features added to each game, there are new font and BGM options available from the configuration menu, as well as new "assistance" features, such as modifying EXP gains, turning off battle encounters altogether, and increasing the amount of cash that spills out of a monster's gullet post-fight.
On the font side, I have to say the chunky "Classic" option does look quite a bit nicer than the skinny "Modern" letters they've had so far, but I can't say they really ever bothered me a huge amount. Much more up my street are the new soundtrack options, which let you swap between the original soundtrack and newer, arranged versions of each chiptune track. Again, I never minded just having the arranged versions on offer, but as someone who came to Final Fantasy later on in life (partly because 1-6 were never released in Europe/the UK when they first came out), I've had precious few opportunities to play them in their original state. Or, as close to their original state as possible, I guess. So this gets another big thumbs up from me.
The v.1.1.0 update also brings a myriad of other quality of life improvements, such as adjustments to graphics, sound effects, and general bug fixes, as well as being able to switch between movement speeds from the configuration menu. You can also choose to fight specific monsters from the new bestiary feature available from the title screen, if that kind of thing floats your boat/airship - though the monsters available will depend on how far you've progressed in the game, so if you just want to relive those final boss fights again, you better have a complete save file to hand first.
Sure, it would have been nice if these updates had come sooner, like last year when they got added to the console versions of these games, but hey, at least they're here now. You can grab all of them on Steam either as a bundle or individually, though if you're looking for recommendations, Final Fantasy IV and VI are the ones to go for first in my book. And don't forget, there's always our list of the very best Final Fantasy games if you're looking for something a bit more recent.