Final Fantasy IV is one of the most important installment in the Final Fantasy series; it was the first Final Fantasy game that featured a fully realized story, fleshed out characters and it introduced the ATB system which was used for the next 5 mainline games in the row. Basically, Final Fantasy IV was a new beginning for the series.
However, being pioneering doesn't mean timeless.
The story in Final Fantasy IV is amazing... for the time it came out; I mean, it's still interesting, but the writing is very weak at times, there are so many fakeouts, tropes or straight up dumb plot twists, and the last few hours feel completely out of place. It's a somewhat captivating but deeply flawed story, unfortunately.
The characters are quite... forgettable? They get in and out of the party so fast that I couldn't get emotionally attached to them at all and their story arcs feel rushed. Surprisingly, I really liked the protagonist, and the story has some decent character moments in general.
The gameplay is quite similar to Final Fantasy VI's but the UI is just worse.
Also, despite the game's flaws, the music is quite good.
Unlike Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger though, the pixelated graphics in Final Fantasy IV look stale.
Lastly, most areas - particularly the dungeons - are dull and the towns look very similar to each other.
Pros:
+ Engaging plot
+ Combat system still holds up to a certain degree
+ Nice music
Cons:
- Underwhelming narrative and characters
- Unresponsive User Interface
- Outdated visuals
- Bland areas and boring dungeons
Narrative: 3/10
Gameplay: 4/10
Content: ?/10
Characters: 4/10
Music: 7/10
Graphics/Audio: ?/10
Final Rating: 4/10
- Weak -
Final Fantasy IV is a great example of a game that was groundbreaking when it came out but has since been surpassed in every way.
I appreciate Final Fantasy IV for everything it has done to the series, however, I can't help but see it as a "relic" from the past.
Do I recommend it?:
I'd recommend it only to people who want to get deeper into the series and experience the origins of what Final Fantasy has become since then.
However, being pioneering doesn't mean timeless.
The story in Final Fantasy IV is amazing... for the time it came out; I mean, it's still interesting, but the writing is very weak at times, there are so many fakeouts, tropes or straight up dumb plot twists, and the last few hours feel completely out of place. It's a somewhat captivating but deeply flawed story, unfortunately.
The characters are quite... forgettable? They get in and out of the party so fast that I couldn't get emotionally attached to them at all and their story arcs feel rushed. Surprisingly, I really liked the protagonist, and the story has some decent character moments in general.
The gameplay is quite similar to Final Fantasy VI's but the UI is just worse.
Also, despite the game's flaws, the music is quite good.
Unlike Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger though, the pixelated graphics in Final Fantasy IV look stale.
Lastly, most areas - particularly the dungeons - are dull and the towns look very similar to each other.
Pros:
+ Engaging plot
+ Combat system still holds up to a certain degree
+ Nice music
Cons:
- Underwhelming narrative and characters
- Unresponsive User Interface
- Outdated visuals
- Bland areas and boring dungeons
Narrative: 3/10
Gameplay: 4/10
Content: ?/10
Characters: 4/10
Music: 7/10
Graphics/Audio: ?/10
Final Rating: 4/10
- Weak -
Final Fantasy IV is a great example of a game that was groundbreaking when it came out but has since been surpassed in every way.
I appreciate Final Fantasy IV for everything it has done to the series, however, I can't help but see it as a "relic" from the past.
Do I recommend it?:
I'd recommend it only to people who want to get deeper into the series and experience the origins of what Final Fantasy has become since then.