Square Enix has announced today that Final Fantasy IV DS will be released on July 22. Created by the same team that worked on Final Fantasy III DS, Final Fantasy IV DS will feature 3D graphics, fully-voiced cutscenes, and added content and depth to the storyline.

In Final Fantasy IV DS, players will take on the role of the dark knight Cecil, who is Lord Captain of the kingdom of Baron's elite force, the Red Wings. Upon returning on a mission to retrieve one of four elemental Crystals said to possess tremendous power, Cecil begins to question the King of Baron's motives for collecting these Crystals. Torn between the consequences of his own actions and the loyalty to his country and his own sense of honor, Cecil turns away from the path of darkness only to be stripped of his command and sent off to slay a beast that lurks in the nearby Valley of Mist. What awaits him there will force Cecil into a life-changing situation that sends him on a much longer quest.

Among the 3D rendered graphics and added voice acting, Final Fantasy IV DS also includes CG cutscenes and remixed music from composer Nobuo Uematsu. The game will feature an option for stylus-driven controls to navigate through areas and a return to the Active Time Battle system, enhanced for the DS, which Final Fantasy IV popularized when it was released on the Super Nintendo. There will also feature a higher difficulty than prior versions. New to the DS version is an Augment System that allows players to assign special skills to characters. Also new is the summon, Whytkin, who players can train and customize by playing through a variety of mini-games and then challenge their friends via local wireless connection.

Final Fantasy IV DS is rated E10+ for Everyone ages 10 and older. The game will be available July 22 for $39.99 (USD).