Final Fantasy Explorers heads West in January

Action RPG Final Fantasy spin-off Final Fantasy Explorers is to come West next January, Square Enix has announced today.

The publisher will release the game in North America on January 26th 2016, while Europeans can look forward to getting their hands on the title a few days later on January 29th.

FF Explorers is best described as classic Final Fantasy by way of Capcom's Monster Hunter series with heavy MMO influences, tasking players with teaming up in groups of four to go spelunking in dungeons, collect crystals and of course battle iconic FF enemeis including some of the series' most powerful summon eidolons, who feature as raid-style bosses.

FF Explorers is built around co-operative play with more than one player, and is fully equipped to utilize the Nintendo 3DS wireless systems. Players form a balanced party by taking on job roles that'll be familiar to FF fans - including the likes of Knight, Monk, Black Mage and White Mage. Under certain circumstances players can 'Trance' and in doing so take up the mantle of FF heroes including Lightning, Cloud and Squall.

Its art is being delivered by Yoshiyuki Itahana, best known for giving FF a less serious artistic direction in Final Fantasy IX and Crystal Chronicles. On its Japanese release the game earned uniaminous 8/10s from each of Famitsu's review panel, resulting in a decent overall score of 32/40. It also went on to sell well for a game of its size.

See the debut trailer for yourself below. We'll have more on FF Explorers as it nears its Western release.