Square Enix Pulls Game From Steam, Then Announces A PS4 Remaster

Last week, Square Enix discontinued physical and digital sales of its last-gen JRPG, The Last Remnant, on PC. The publisher didn't offer any explanation for the game's seemingly abrupt removal from Steam, but the reason has now become clear: Square Enix has announced The Last Remnant is being remastered for PS4.

Originally released in 2008 for Xbox 360, The Last Remnant is a turn-based RPG set in a world filled with magical, power-granting artifacts known as Remnants. The game casts players in the role of Rush Sykes, a young man who embarks on a quest to rescue his kidnapped sister and becomes embroiled in a political struggle revolving around the aforementioned Remnants.

The original Xbox 360 version was praised for its intricate battle system and beautiful art, but it was held back by glaring technical issues. A PC port arrived in 2009 and addressed many of the problems that plagued the Xbox 360 version. GameSpot awarded the PC release an 8/10, writing in our Last Remnant review, "By fixing the frame rate and other technical issues that encumbered the Xbox 360 version, Square Enix has improved the entire experience, allowing the great story and fun gameplay to sparkle on their own terms."

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A PS3 version of The Last Remnant was also originally announced but never released, making this the first time the RPG will be available on a Sony console. Square Enix says the upcoming remaster uses Unreal Engine 4. You can take a look at some screenshots and a teaser trailer for the game above.

The Last Remnant Remastered releases digitally for PS4 on December 6. It can be purchased for $20. Despite originally launching on Xbox 360, neither an Xbox One nor a PC version have not been announced. Given its recent delisting from Steam, however, it seems likely the game will at least come to the latter platform sometime down the line.

This isn't the only surprise remaster Square Enix has announced recently. Earlier this week, the publisher revealed that a remastered version of the GameCube Final Fantasy spin-off, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, is coming to PS4 and Nintendo Switch in 2019. Unlike the original GameCube version, which allowed up to four players to adventure together locally, but only if each one had a Game Boy Advance system, the upcoming remaster features online multiplayer.