Hey guys, I'm back with another Final Fantasy series, this time I'm gonna review about Final Fantasy 4. While Final Fantasy series keep come and come, Final Fantasy 4 comes with more tragic stories among the series, at least so far.
You playing as Cecil, the dark knight from baron kingdom, leader from red wing division. The baron king just give Cecil order to collect all crystal from another kingdom, however, Cecil himself not fancy the idea and began questioning the king. In the end Cecil realize the destruction motives behind the order and began opposing the king, resulting himself to betraying his own kingdom.
Despited being labeled traitor and killer due to his past as dark knight, Cecil try to find a way to atone his sin by stop the baron kingdom before they destroying entire wolrd. He began to searching help from another kingdom, and warn them what baron kingdom aim for. Therefore, seeing his will to atone the others start seeing light inside Cecil and join his side to stop baron.
In the original version, Final Fantasy 4 have very active game play, in this version of Final Fantasy they introduce ATB or Active Time Battle, then what ATB for? Well basically make your game lot actives, instead controlling entire party command and leave it so you can see your party work in the same turn. In ATB system, the Speed playing big part here, you will see gauge bar beside your character health and magic power, when it's full your character can take a command from you, depend on the command the character either will execute it right away like Attack command or waiting for another gauge to full like Magic or Skill. Thus, this system make you controlling the character instead of party, the quicker the character the often and much they can take a command from you. However, as it said actives, you can't take a long times to think what to do since it's actives your enemy can still kick your ass while you thinking what you want to do. Therefore, you should get used to take a quick decision in order to win.
Not bad as it sound, in the option they provided you with Actives and Wait battle. Means, if you chose wait, the times will stop every time your character want to take a command, so you particularly can takes time to decided what to do with the current character, and when you done the game will continue again. You might need to keep this in mind that even though it's waiting mode if your enemy already decided what to do or done with command, they will attack you anyways also the same goes for you.
This is to give you picture how Final Fantasy 4 game play:
As for the other system, in this version they introduce you with special skill and ability each character have, this also effect your decision to select a party member in the future. Since each character have their own speciality the result of battle will affect too, maybe with certain character you will get easy win or perhaps some other just bring difficulty.
Unlike Final Fantasy 3, Final Fantasy 4 doesn't have job system. As I meantion that each character have their own skill and speciality. So, don't think about changed someone skill and ability, because it fixed for each character.
Final Fantasy 4 not only have remake version but the have sequel story in the remake version. Original the remake version made for Nintendo Ds, this remake doesn't comes with sequel, perhaps that Times Square Enix doesn't think that they want to take Final Fantasy 4 that far. However, in Nintendo Ds the Final Fantasy 4 having big or major renovation, not only all character made in 3D version, but you will get side quest from Namingway and there will be ability and skill system that you can add to the certain character, the example: like auto-potion and etc. also here Rydia have personal Summon where the Aeon/eidolon can be modified and add some skill, the more you train it the more stronger it will becomes. Some changes also comes in this version, like you won't find Cecil darkness ability hurt all enemies, instead it's becomes dark flames where each times your attack it will decreased your health point but it will boost your attack.
There also game boy advance and PS 1 version, however, I think I should meantion it before the remake in DS since in this version it's original version. You won't find anything that I write above in this version. My bad :P
There is IOS version which not changed or diferent form Ds version, what diffrent that you just touching instead of push a button in the this version. Also the sequel comes in IOS version just in separated apps, means you need to buy it separately in order to play the sequel.
Also there is PSP version, they have many similarity with Ds and IOS version, only the graphic made from 2D instead of 3D, I don't think Rydia have the summon system here. However, they have "the interlude" and "the after years" story. Make the PSP version the completed version among the IOS and Nintendo Ds version. The interlude consist story just after Final Fantasy 4 and before the sequel, so you can deeply understand whats going on in sequel. The after years is the sequel after what happen in the Final Fantasy 4 event.
In the after years, they introduce you with moon system. Moon system will effect your command system, there is black moon and light moon, if the moon is black then magic will be work very well and deal heavy damaged however, the attack command will less efecient and deal less damaged. If the moon is light then attack will deal heavy damaged but it's opposites with magic command. Also there is scenario mode in the after years, means you can play as diferent character with diferent story line, they will crossing path In the story some might join your party.
This is the sample how Final Fantasy 4 after years game play:
The system just like chaos ring or saga series if you have heard about them, so basically you can learn what each character has been trough. Also some character from Final Fantasy 4 will made apreance along with new one, some are playable in the scenario mode. And for extra there is combination command where some character that have bond can perfom special attack or skill, example Cecil and Rosa can perform Ultima, so try to play it and discover each character relationship to perform even stronger skill and ability, remind me with suikoden.
The after years take the event after Final Fantasy 4 and you played as Cecil son, Ceodor. Ceodor are traine in red wing devision and under a hard and harsh training from his superior when suddenly red wing attacked by unknown forces and shoot down, only Ceodor the sole survivor. With brave heart and company from his and his parent friends along the way, Ceodor made his way back to his kingdom to search the answer of this uneasy feeling. The series of unfortunates event not only befall Ceodor, but entire world feel the strong and unknown force that want to harm the entire the wolrd once again.
The gameplay are great, but nothing changed from how Final Fantasy 4 work, so there is not much to learn instead of the new system, so everything should be fine. Oh, I forgot to tell that in PSP version they have wallpaper themed, means you can changed the wallpaper at your menu screen, very neat.
Mark
Good:
-full customized more advance and wider than the last series
-there is lot character can be chosen later on, I can say that Final Fantasy 4 the second of the series that have many playable character. The first probably the Final Fantasy 6
- that summon system just adorable
-complex of the story very nice, and matured content
-the graphic is good it has chibi taste but still looks very cool
Bad:
-at the begining of stories the character will join and leave constantly, it's hard to keep up with the changes sometimes
-Namingway side quest can be freaking hard
-the ability add up only last once, chose wisely people
Overall : 9
