While the game’s story is barebones and the combat isn’t very challenging the game still manages to hold your attention for a long time. Look up a grinding guide for the endgame.
feels a little undercooked compared to the games right after it, but still pretty great for when it was made
This review contains spoilers
Wasn't a huge fan of this one, unfortunately. I'll start off with what I liked. The presentation is fantastic, as to be expected from Final Fantasy, the music and sprite art were very pretty. I think that this version of the game is the best-looking 2D version. The sprites are all very detailed while keeping the aesthetic of the original game. In regards to the music, I did prefer the original SFC compositions to the arranged ones, but luckily you can switch to the original game's music.
Now what disappointed me, I felt like the characters were kind of shallow and the writing was a little basic. Like the game will introduce characters that have compelling set-ups like Kaine and Rydia and do nothing with them. Rydia espcially dissapointed me. The fact that a big character development moment for Rydia happens off-screen drives me crazy. It just feels like the game was kind of speeding through story beats, there weren't a lot of moments where characters chilled and talked about their lives. I don't feel like I really got to know the party, I guess. And maybe that was expecting too much from this game, but that's the kind of thing I was expecting from a game that's so highly regarded.
I wasn't having a ton of fun with actual gameplay either by the end. The game has the first iteration of the ATB style of gameplay. And there's nothing wrong with it but there wasn't a lot of player choice when it came to party members or gameplay styles. I don't want to hold that against the game too much because it's old and I'm usually able to forgive JRPGS being a little basic with build options. But in a game like this, my enjoyment of the gameplay does have a lot to do with the characters and if I don't enjoy any of them the entire thing just kind of feels bland to me. I did like the ending at least, it was cute. And I think Golbez and Cecil's relationship was kind of compelling but like most things there wasn't a lot to it. It's possible I went into this game with the wrong mindset, it is an older game. And I don't want to act like this game's existence isn't really important to a ton of games I like. But what I played disappointed me, sadly. Bleh
Now what disappointed me, I felt like the characters were kind of shallow and the writing was a little basic. Like the game will introduce characters that have compelling set-ups like Kaine and Rydia and do nothing with them. Rydia espcially dissapointed me. The fact that a big character development moment for Rydia happens off-screen drives me crazy. It just feels like the game was kind of speeding through story beats, there weren't a lot of moments where characters chilled and talked about their lives. I don't feel like I really got to know the party, I guess. And maybe that was expecting too much from this game, but that's the kind of thing I was expecting from a game that's so highly regarded.
I wasn't having a ton of fun with actual gameplay either by the end. The game has the first iteration of the ATB style of gameplay. And there's nothing wrong with it but there wasn't a lot of player choice when it came to party members or gameplay styles. I don't want to hold that against the game too much because it's old and I'm usually able to forgive JRPGS being a little basic with build options. But in a game like this, my enjoyment of the gameplay does have a lot to do with the characters and if I don't enjoy any of them the entire thing just kind of feels bland to me. I did like the ending at least, it was cute. And I think Golbez and Cecil's relationship was kind of compelling but like most things there wasn't a lot to it. It's possible I went into this game with the wrong mindset, it is an older game. And I don't want to act like this game's existence isn't really important to a ton of games I like. But what I played disappointed me, sadly. Bleh
The 4 star rating is for base FFIV on PSP.
FFIV sees the series returning to a more involved story, as FFII does, and it excels in building that story in a much better way than any from the series before it. The antagonist has many moments with the cast and it makes the journey all the more satisfying to go through. After Years, however, feels like a massive waste of time outside of those few moments the game sprinkles in of character interactions only to be muddled over with a retreading of the original story. The final dungeon is massive, and the game ends up taking longer than the base story, on top of advancing some established characters in an uninteresting way while introducing new ones that provide little substance to the plot. The game felt finished, so i would recommend finishing the base game and reading a synopsis on after years if you are interested in what happened to some of the characters after the base game.
FFIV sees the series returning to a more involved story, as FFII does, and it excels in building that story in a much better way than any from the series before it. The antagonist has many moments with the cast and it makes the journey all the more satisfying to go through. After Years, however, feels like a massive waste of time outside of those few moments the game sprinkles in of character interactions only to be muddled over with a retreading of the original story. The final dungeon is massive, and the game ends up taking longer than the base story, on top of advancing some established characters in an uninteresting way while introducing new ones that provide little substance to the plot. The game felt finished, so i would recommend finishing the base game and reading a synopsis on after years if you are interested in what happened to some of the characters after the base game.
The main story is really good, still playing the interlude and TAY. But so far a really good game
Honestly the story is based
Pretty good! I respect it as what made everything after it what it is and the story was pretty fun even with Kain'd shenanigans, I'm glad I played it!
This review contains spoilers
FINAL FANTASY MARATHON RANKED:
https://www.backloggd.com/u/fragilant/list/final-fantasy-marathon-ranked/
This is gonna be my most controversial take if I had to guess.
I remember not liking IV that much when I first played it, back in 2012, but I figured I'd go with a version a lot of people find superior to the DS version, but it still left a pretty underwhelming taste in my mouth.
I think IV starts and ends very well, but any sense of plot progression after Cecil becomes a Paladin halters until you reach the moon at the end, and pair this with pretty uninspired yet pretty annoying dungeons, IV just kind of left me with a feeling of just wanting to get through it so I can get to V, which shouldn't be happening when playing one of the most beloved games in a franchise.
The characters are expectedly bare-bones, but the issue is that there are some solid character arcs that just get resolved within an instant of a character slapping them in the face or just asking them pretty please to forget their trauma.
There's a lot of props to be had for laying the groundwork for great storytelling and characterization to come later in the series, and for gaming as a whole, but going back to it now, it's very hard to get attached as it feels like I'm playing an RPG Maker game made by 13 year old me.
The gameplay in this game is pretty good, though.
Bosses have much more strategy to them, making them feel very distinct and fun to fight, and each character having a set role is the way I prefer my Final Fantasies, despite also loving the job system, but the way the characters are handled in the story makes the characters in gameplay pretty insufferable to use.
The one thing I completely forgot about IV is that you never get to choose your party, as the story chooses them for you, and they do this by "killing" characters off in insane ways over and over again.
I don't mind this as much as I probably should from a story perspective as they do it so much that I just laugh my ass off everytime a character just decides to kill himself for no reason, but from a gameplay perspective, it just means my grinding of my party is absolutely meaningless as Cecil is the only party member that is there from start to finish and half your party isn't even there for the final boss.
This has to be the worst part of this whole game, and it feels awful going back to a system like this when no other Final Fantasy game suffers from this gameplay aspect, except for 2 to a much lesser degree.
On the topic of stupid character decisions, these characters are fucking moronic, which actually made me appreciate them more because of how stupid it made the plot.
So many moments made me unintentionally laugh, due to how incompetent they are at doing their job. Golbez's hand slowly creeping up to the crystal while Cecil just stands there straight up jorking it will live in my head rent-free.
Overall, I think IV is fine, it has a much more dynamic and fun battle system, but the way the story is handled in and out of gameplay is draining, and it also just doesn't have the same charm as 1-3 had when I look back at them, so I am still a Final Fantasy 2 head. It will never be beat. (It will be beat).
https://www.backloggd.com/u/fragilant/list/final-fantasy-marathon-ranked/
This is gonna be my most controversial take if I had to guess.
I remember not liking IV that much when I first played it, back in 2012, but I figured I'd go with a version a lot of people find superior to the DS version, but it still left a pretty underwhelming taste in my mouth.
I think IV starts and ends very well, but any sense of plot progression after Cecil becomes a Paladin halters until you reach the moon at the end, and pair this with pretty uninspired yet pretty annoying dungeons, IV just kind of left me with a feeling of just wanting to get through it so I can get to V, which shouldn't be happening when playing one of the most beloved games in a franchise.
The characters are expectedly bare-bones, but the issue is that there are some solid character arcs that just get resolved within an instant of a character slapping them in the face or just asking them pretty please to forget their trauma.
There's a lot of props to be had for laying the groundwork for great storytelling and characterization to come later in the series, and for gaming as a whole, but going back to it now, it's very hard to get attached as it feels like I'm playing an RPG Maker game made by 13 year old me.
The gameplay in this game is pretty good, though.
Bosses have much more strategy to them, making them feel very distinct and fun to fight, and each character having a set role is the way I prefer my Final Fantasies, despite also loving the job system, but the way the characters are handled in the story makes the characters in gameplay pretty insufferable to use.
The one thing I completely forgot about IV is that you never get to choose your party, as the story chooses them for you, and they do this by "killing" characters off in insane ways over and over again.
I don't mind this as much as I probably should from a story perspective as they do it so much that I just laugh my ass off everytime a character just decides to kill himself for no reason, but from a gameplay perspective, it just means my grinding of my party is absolutely meaningless as Cecil is the only party member that is there from start to finish and half your party isn't even there for the final boss.
This has to be the worst part of this whole game, and it feels awful going back to a system like this when no other Final Fantasy game suffers from this gameplay aspect, except for 2 to a much lesser degree.
On the topic of stupid character decisions, these characters are fucking moronic, which actually made me appreciate them more because of how stupid it made the plot.
So many moments made me unintentionally laugh, due to how incompetent they are at doing their job. Golbez's hand slowly creeping up to the crystal while Cecil just stands there straight up jorking it will live in my head rent-free.
Overall, I think IV is fine, it has a much more dynamic and fun battle system, but the way the story is handled in and out of gameplay is draining, and it also just doesn't have the same charm as 1-3 had when I look back at them, so I am still a Final Fantasy 2 head. It will never be beat. (It will be beat).
Final Fantasy IV: Nota 9
Final Fantasy IV After Years: Nota 3
Final Fantasy IV After Years: Nota 3
Joguei por 12 horas, simplesmente não estive tão hypado para jogar mais, tirando isso foi um pouco divertido.
my first FF game and i'm glad it was its super beginner friendly, but the story is ridiculous and predictable, for the time i can see this game being super cool, but nowadays there are better FF games you can play.
also these are the most incompetent heros of all time
also these are the most incompetent heros of all time
Terminei o jogo principal mas faltam os outros dois
I think this is the best version of this game.
My favorite game in the series, Active Time Battle was a game changer. Story is fantastic. This game got me hooked on Final Fantasy. A must play.
This was the first Final Fantasy that i have finished, but i think to continue the backlog of the saga with the pixel remaster edition because i can finish early these type of game
Game starts off more fun but starts to become a slog eventually. The writing leaves a lot to be desired.
This one started out really strong but really started to drag for me and I dunno what it is but its missing the juice
Story was pretty interesting and much better than FF1 and 2. Cecil is a great character and Golbez was a decent villain. There are some really sad moments in the story which previous games were lacking (haven't played FF3 yet so only basing it off of 1 and 2). The areas are generally very interesting to explore and the endgame area is incredibly cool. The overall plot isn't anywhere as strong as titles that came after it though.
Gameplay was good but not that much deeper than before.
Incredible OST as expected of a Final Fantasy title. Theme of Love, Troian Beauty, Into the Darkness, Overworld theme to name a few.
Gameplay was good but not that much deeper than before.
Incredible OST as expected of a Final Fantasy title. Theme of Love, Troian Beauty, Into the Darkness, Overworld theme to name a few.
i really like this game (base ff4) but i don't think it likes me lmao
had some really awful luck throughout my entire playthrough but i still had a good time! probably my second fav ff game so far.
had some really awful luck throughout my entire playthrough but i still had a good time! probably my second fav ff game so far.
I don't like the active battle system. Instead of letting me strategize and plan my moves carefully, it pressures me to make a hasty decision in the moment and possibly mess up as a result. The story is a step up from the other 3, but still not very interesting. Once I got to the moon, the difficulty spiked to a degree I wan't ok with so I dropped it.
OTIMO FINAL FANTASY CARA EU PENSEI QUE ELE FOSSE SER ENROLADO MAS PELO CONTRARIO ELE É MUITO RAPIDINHO so é um pouco foda q ele pede grinding as vezes
Final Fantasy II walked so IV could run apparently and I am not falling for it.
This game is SO FUCKING BORING dude oh my GOD
really lovely tho abt half way thru the gameplay starts to feel pretty repetetive.. ended up reading the story online & dont feel like i missed anything.
Assim voces realmente jogaram ele né? PQ ESSA NOTA ALTA NÃO FAZ SENTIDO
The best version of Final Fantasy IV. The gameplay, music, and visuals are all good. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the story. Final Fantasy VI outclasses this in every way.
The After Years is an abomination. Just ignore it.
The After Years is an abomination. Just ignore it.
This version is absolutely beautiful. It's a real shame we didn't get FFV in this same style. Final Fantasy IV is an exceptional game that marks the point where the series truly establishes its unique identity. I appreciate nearly everything that distinguishes Sakaguchi-era Final Fantasy games (and some other titles he worked on, like Lost Odyssey).
These distinct qualities include simple yet enjoyable gameplay, an excellent sense of atmosphere and grandeur with higher and higher stakes during the campaign, and a pacing that has rarely been matched in gaming. All of it is already here on FF4. The pacing pretty much is unmatched on JRPGs, for example. And of course, we can't forget the outstanding OST, featuring some of the best songs in the world of video games, such as "Red Wings Over Baron". Even the numerous fake deaths in the game don't seem that egregious after all. FFIV is a remarkable leap forward compared to its predecessor, and it undoubtedly stands as a milestone in the world of JRPGs.
These distinct qualities include simple yet enjoyable gameplay, an excellent sense of atmosphere and grandeur with higher and higher stakes during the campaign, and a pacing that has rarely been matched in gaming. All of it is already here on FF4. The pacing pretty much is unmatched on JRPGs, for example. And of course, we can't forget the outstanding OST, featuring some of the best songs in the world of video games, such as "Red Wings Over Baron". Even the numerous fake deaths in the game don't seem that egregious after all. FFIV is a remarkable leap forward compared to its predecessor, and it undoubtedly stands as a milestone in the world of JRPGs.
Just another great version of FF4.
kind of surprised me. for the most part it's really fun, just a bit grindy.
A stellar version of one of the RPG's that got me invested in the genre at an early age. There are definite criticisms to be had for this game, such as the plot being a little silly and thin, and the gameplay being very easy for most of the game, but the overall experience is still one I cherish and enjoy.