The sixth episode of the the incredible story of Final Fantasy VI! In this book, you'll find everything you need to know about FFVI. You'll dive into its development, its story, its characters, and you will go further with in-depth analysis of its themes, its soundtrack, its game design choices, and its impact on the J-RPG genre. A complete analysis of the famous saga in the world of video game! EXTRACT 1991: Hironobu Sakaguchi was elevated to vice-president at Squaresoft. The position was in addition to his role as the creative director of Final Fantasy. The dual role made him aware that he could not indefinitely keep the same position nor continue to be a full-time game designer. He would have to delegate. Following the release of Final Fantasy V in December 1992, the sixth installment was placed on the drawing board. Sakaguchi chose to retain the positions of producer and overall supervisor, and entrust the reigns of the project to Yoshinori Kitase and Hiroyuki Ito. Kitase had been involved in the writing and field planning of FF V; for this new game, he was put in charge of the story-telling. Meanwhile, Ito would supervise the game and battle systems. With this configuration, Sakaguchi hoped to bring the franchise to new heights. The artist Yoshitaka Amano and the composer Nobuo Uematsu, mainstays since the beginning of the series, were brought back in for this project. Many rising stars were also attached to the development, such as art director Hideo Minaba (who would take charge of the FF IX world), the graphic designers Tetsuya Takahashi (one of the creators of Xenogears, Xenosaga and Xenoblade) and Yusuke Naora (future art director of FF VII). There was also a certain very promising game designer by the name of Tetsuya Nomura, who needs no introduction. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Pierre Maugein, under the pen name Killy, wrote for Jeuxvideo.com from 2003 until 2006. Although he trained to be a graphic designer, he decided to move to video game journalism because of his love for the industry. He worked as a freelance contributor for JeuxActu and then wrote for the Ragemag website on various topics, from art and literature to science, cinema and video games. Since then, he has been a member of the staff at Journal du Gamer. He has written various articles for the Level Up collection which is also published by Third Éditions.

What gamer hasn’t tried Final Fantasy VII? The game, released in 1997, is now the standard-bearer of a whole generation, and it’s also the one which catapulted Sony’s PlayStation onto center stage. To celebrate this mythic video game’s 15th anniversary, Third Editions wanted to throw itself back into this unbelievable universe. This carefully crafted publication takes a look back at all the titles that helped forge Final Fantasy VII’s mythology (including the Compilation of FF VII), and deciphers their content through examination and original analysis. This book was written by Nicolas Courcier and Mehdi El Kanafi, former authors and now publishers. The first print was release in 2011. An essential book to (re) discover the universe of the mythical series Final Fantasy! EXTRACT "To celebrate one of the most important RPGs in the history of video games, Third Editions has decided to publish a tribute book: a heartfelt edition, but also one that truly analyzes the games that revolve around this legendary RPG. Indeed, the subject of this book is not only Final Fantasy VII, but the entire Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, from Advent Children to Before Crisis, including Crisis Core and Dirge of Cerberus, without forgetting Last Order. To get this journey off on the right foot and refresh your memory, we begin by summarizing the Final Fantasy VII saga. For the first time ever, the full story will be told in chronological order: from the Planet’s origins to the awakening of Genesis, as depicted in the secret ending of Dirge of Cerberus. Once the entire saga has been told, we will take you behind the scenes so that you can discover how the video game compilation was created. You will learn about the people whose unexpected decisions changed the game’s design. We will also provide a number of anecdotes pertaining to the game’s overall development. A complete interpretation will then be offered for each title, paving the way for numerous reflections." ABOUT THE AUTHORS Nicolas Courcier and Mehdi El Kanafi - Fascinated by print media since childhood, Nicolas Courcier and Mehdi El Kanafi wasted no time in launching their first magazine, Console Syndrome, in 2004. After five issues with distribution limited to the Toulouse region of France, they decided to found a publishing house under the same name. One year later, their small business was acquired by another leading publisher of works about video games. In their four years in the world of publishing, Nicolas and Mehdi published more than twenty works on major video game series, and wrote several of those works themselves: Metal Gear Solid. Hideo Kojima’s Magnum Opus, Resident Evil Of Zombies and Men, and The Legend of Final Fantasy VII and IX. Since 2015, they have continued their editorial focus on analyzing major video game series at a new publishing house that they founded together: Third. Grégoire Hellot is a French freelance journalist who specializes in video games. He began his career in the field more than twenty years ago when he joined Joypad magazine. As a pioneer dealing in Japanese video games, he has contributed to the French public’s acceptance of these unique titles. Today, he contributes to the Gamekult website and is also the Managing Director of Kurokawa Editions, created in 2005 by the publishing house Univers Poche. Grégoire is also known for his role as the Silver Mousquetaire in the TV series France Five.

One of the most beloved and popular RPGs of all time, Final Fantasy X was beloved not only for the gameplay which introduced new leveling and battle system, but also for its technological achievements: it was the first of the immensely popular series to feature 3D arenas and voice acting. As with the acclaimed Third Editions titles that delve into the depth of The Legend of Final Fantasy, this book goes deep into the game scenarios, themes, game development, music and gameplay mechanics. Nothing is left out and every detail of the game is analyzed and explained with unerring precision, including the controversial sequel game, Final Fantasy X-2.

What gamer hasn’t tried Final Fantasy IX ? "Final Fantasy IX is the closest to my ideal view of what Final Fantasy should be." This quote is from Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of the Final Fantasy saga. For his last great RPG, Sakaguchi wanted to get back to the roots of his series in order to amaze the players one last time. The Legend of Final Fantasy IX deals with the creation of this episode, sharing a lot of fun trivias. The scenario is also decrypted, as well as the mythological inspirations. For its return to heroic fantasy, the game is dressed as a magical theatrical play, including many colorful characters. The book dives into the influence of classical authors and History on the game, and unrevealed its last secrets. An essential book to (re) discover the universe of the mythical series Final Fantasy ! ABOUT THE AUTHORS - Fascinated by print media since childhood, Mehdi El Kanafi, alongside Nicolas Courcier, wasted no time in launching his first magazine, Console Syndrome, in 2004. After five issues with a distribution limited to Toulouse, France, he and Nicolas Courcier decided to create a publishing house under the same name. One year later, their small business was acquired by Pix’n Love, a major publisher of books on video games. Over the next four years in the world of publishing, Mehdi published more than twenty works on major video game series, and co-wrote several of those works: Zelda, Chronicles of a Legendary Series, Metal Gear Solid: Hideo Kojima’s Magnum Opus, and The Legend of Final Fantasy VII and IX. Since 2015, his publishing endeavors have been focused on analyzing major video game sagas through a new publishing house he co-founded with Nicolas: Third. - Video game journalist for fifteen years, Raphaël Lucas worked for most of the mags that existed before the fall of Mer 7 (formerly Future France and Yellow Media), from Joypad to Joystick, including the official magazines, Consoles More, etc. He started with PC Team and with FJM, the publisher of Gameplay RPGs. Today he writes mainly for Video Games Magazine, a bit for his blog, and he has a few projects in the works relating to other gaming topics. RPG Story Author / BioShock Co-Author: From Rapture to Columbia and The Legend of FinalFantasy IX He also runs the Geekomatick blog - Fabien Mellado

The eighth episode of the incredible story of Final Fantasy. A legendary episode of the Japanese RPG, Final Fantasy VIII is fully decoded in this book. Discover a complete analysis of one of the most famous saga of the world of video games, embellished with a reflection on the report of the fans to the series. To read as soon as possible! EXTRACT "The work on Final Fantasy VIII began in 1997, just after Final Fantasy VII was completed, and the game’s development ran concurrently with that of Parasite Eve. Although Final Fantasy VII marked a genuine turning point in the series, the designers were hardly lackadaisical when it came to the eighth episode’s production and staging. In fact, they worked doubly hard to avoid disappointing fans after their adventure with Cloud. First, the decision was made to use the same console: the Sony PlayStation. Since the seventh episode was a smashing success, the major personalities who had presided over its creation were reassembled to create the new game. Thus, the team consisted of the renowned Hironobu Sakaguchi, Yoshinori Kitase (as director), Kazushige Nojima (as scriptwriter), Yûsuke Naora (as artistic director), and Tetsuya Nomura (as character designer). And, of course, the distinguished composer Nobuo Uematsu was once again chosen to create the episode’s magnificent soundtrack in its entirety."

How far would I go for love? This profound question drives the visceral storytelling of The Last of Us. Love is the central theme for people like us. We find it in literature, cinema, TV series, the most extravagant reality shows and, in this case, video games. After disrupting the adventure game formula with the acclaimed Uncharted series, Naughty Dog changed its recipe in 2013 with The Last of Us, embracing the post-apocalyptic genre. Seven years later, The Last of Us Part II offered a more radical and divisive experience, but still focused on people, their motivations and their flaws. With the book "Decoding The Last of Us: The Remnants of Humanity", author Nicolas Deneschau invites us to grasp all the complexity behind the design of these titles, as well as the meticulousness of their authors and development teams. He analyses the many ways The Last of Us can be read and considers the important role the diptych played in the transformation of the blockbuster video game.

Final Fantasy VII altered the course of video game history when it was released in 1997 on Sony's PlayStation system. It converted the Japanese role-playing game into an international gaming standard with enhanced gameplay, spectacular cutscenes and a vast narrative involving an iconic cast. In the decades after its release, the Final Fantasy VII franchise has grown to encompass a number of video game sequels, prequels, a feature-length film, a novel and a multi-volume remake series. This volume, the first edited collection of essays devoted only to the world of Final Fantasy VII, blends scholarly rigor with fan passion in order to identify the elements that keep Final Fantasy VII current and exciting for players. Some essays specifically address the game's perennially relevant themes and scenarios, ranging from environmental consciousness to economic inequity and posthumanism. Others examine the mechanisms used to immerse the player or to improve the narrative. Finally, there are several essays devoted specifically to the game's legacy, from its influence on later games to its characters' many crossovers and cameos.

Terra the magical half-human. Shadow the mysterious assassin. Celes the tough, tender general. Kefka the fool who would be god. Each of the many unforgettable characters in Final Fantasy VI has made a huge impression on a generation of players, but why do we feel such affection for these 16-bit heroes and villains as so many others fade? The credit goes to the game’s score, composed by the legendary Nobuo Uematsu. Armed with newly translated interviews and an expert ear for sound, writer and musician Sebastian Deken conducts a critical analysis of the musical structures of FF6, the game that pushed the Super Nintendo’s sound capabilities to their absolute limits and launched Uematsu’s reputation as the “Beethoven of video game music.” Deken ventures deep into the game’s lush soundscape—from its expertly crafted leitmotifs to its unforgettable opera sequence—exploring the soundtrack’s lasting influence and how it helped clear space for game music on classical stages around the world.

Halo. When you read this name, a soundtrack starts playing in your ears and tons of images flash in front of your eyes. A whole universe appears in your mind. Welcome to the game series imagined and produced by the Bungie studio. Halo is more than an incredible space opera, it is the flagship of a community and the most important franchise for one of the three hardware manufacturers on the market.

In movies, defining a 'classic' means judging the quality of a director, the acting of the actors or the value of a script. But when it comes to video games, which are inextricably linked to technological evolution, it is not so easy to predict which games will age well and stand the test of time. Uncharted has the feel of a classic grand adventure, with thrilling action and great dialogue. One thing is certain: few video game series have earned that label. Mixing a form inherited from the Hollywood pulp classics with great writing made the saga instantly enjoyable, thrilling and exciting. In addition to discovering the secrets of the creation of each title in the saga, you'll also be able to immerse yourself in its universe and discover its historical inspirations. A way to create your own adventure.