Anime boyband roadtrip confirmed for PC

Prince Noctis and his anime boyband are indeed bringing their Final Fantasy XV [official site] road trip to PC, Square Enix have confirmed. I have been so very keen to scamper about with these rowdy boys who love camping, cooking, friendship, riding chickens, and fighting honking great monsters. Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition will come almost a year after the RPG's initial release, in "early 2018", but it should be the best edition. Improvements and additions that were patched into the console versions should be here from the start, for one. And of course technical improvements and PC prettybits are in too. See them in this new trailer:

It'll pack high-resolution textures, an optional first-person mode for walking simulator fans, support for high-resolution and HDR screens, and loads of that Nvidia-exclusive GameWorks guff for fire, hair, grass, shadows, and all that.

They're not actually a boyband, you know. They just look like they should be. No, Noctis and chums are out on a road trip towards Noctis's wedding, getting into scrapes and adventures, when they find out his kingdom's been invaded and his dad killed. And then there are crystals and all that Final Fantasy stuff. Can they save the day and find true love?

Unusually for the main Final Fantasy series, FFXV combat is real-time with no turns or anything.

Oh, and it's all so pretty and stylish. The attention to detail is astonishing, especially with the delicious food our chums will prepare.

I've avoided the 2016 console version, partly because Squeenix have been expanding some of the game's weaker sections after launch and partly because I wanted it on PC. I'm glad this wait hasn't been in vain. FFXV's director has previously spoken -- hypothetically, I stress -- about a desire for mod support in a PC version and it'd be magic if that comes true. No confirmation on that yet, mind, so don't count on it.

Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition is due out on Steam some time in "early 2018". For now, hey, we can drive their car Forza Horizon 3.