This week, Cloud and Sephiroth return in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for another showdown.
This is a big week! If you’re a Final Fantasy fan, there’s a strong chance you’ve had February 29 marked on your calendar for months, as it heralds the arrival of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth at long last. Dune: Part Two also arrives in theatres this week, featuring Paul Atreides’ impending war against House Harkonnen. There’s a lot to look forward to this week, so let’s get into it.
What we’re playing this week
This week’s big-ticket item also happens to be one of our most anticipated games of the year: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (February 29), the middle part of a planned remake trilogy. Cloud Strife and his party of companions are venturing beyond Midgar for the first time, on a quest to follow Sephiroth’s trail of destruction and put a stop to his surely evil schemes. Along the way, we’ll learn more about Cloud and Sephiroth’s past, and meet all-new companions who join Cloud’s party: Yuffie, Vincent Valentine and Cid.
If you’re in the mood for something less intense, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake also launches on February 28. This is a remake of It Takes Two game director Josef Fares’ first game, following brothers Naia and Naiee as they set out on a quest to save their dying father in a mythical world. While the remake is largely faithful to the original, it also now has a local co-op mode.
What we’re watching this week
The year’s first big blockbuster - if we’re not counting Argylle - arrives this week: Dune: Part Two, a semi-conclusive sequel that sees Paul Atreides unite with Chani and the Fremen to destroy House Harkonnen and avenge his family. I say semi-conclusive because there’s one more book in the series to adapt if director Denis Villeneuve so chooses, but this should be a great big-screen experience regardless. Kung Fu Panda 4 also comes out this week in certain regions, a whole eight years after its predecessor. Honestly, what took them so long? This time, Po is stepping back as the Dragon Warrior to become the Valley of Peace’s Spiritual Leader. As he seeks a successor, a new foe called The Chameleon emerges, bringing all of his old villains back to wreak havoc.
On the TV side of things, FX and Hulu’s Shogun premieres on February 27, adapting James Clavell’s titular novel. The series follows three different characters: an English sailor who winds up shipwrecked in Japan, a shrewd and powerful daimyo with dangerous political rivals and a highly skilled woman with dishonourable family ties whose loyalty is put to the test.
