And we hit the ground RUNNING!! (ff4 impressions)
 

Next up on this summer's Final Fantasy marathon is IV (I, II, VII, & VIII are all successfully behind me), and I have to admit, it wastes absolutely no time getting things started. Did anyone else feel this game is incredibly fast-paced? I just finished the part where a mere 4 hours in, and so much has already happened. I can't help but wonder if this game is going to burn out soon.

It seems as though (so far) there's been a very minimal amount of actual travelling on the world map, and when there is, it's broken up by battles that occur about every two or three seconds. It's insane. Overall I thoroughly enjoy the characters, but I'm hardly given enough time to become attached to them before the next shattering plot point hits. Though I suppose given the amount of time that I have each character in my party and the frequency in which they're introduced, the game's done a fine job of assembling a distinguished cast. I'd like more time to absorb the story. I certainly was not expecting and I'm looking forward to seeing how that plays out.

I don't mean to imply that I'm not enjoying this game. I am. But it feels oddly linear so far for a Final Fantasy (walk here: plotpoint. Walk here: plotpoint). Are my trepidations groundless? Or did other people here have the same reactions at first as I am?

This is the GBA version for those who would give value to that fact.

The GBA did a damn fine job on restructuring the storyline.

It's 20-24hrs essentially. It doesn't burn out. It is my favorite Final Fantasy, with FFVI a little behind it on the ranking. The story gets more and more interesting.

Final Fantasies are very linear by nature =p Remember that the original was an early SNES game. The storyline is still damn impressive to this day. Back then it was unreal. Just a game that was years ahead of itself. You might be looking at it from a modern-RPG perspective. If you played it back when it came out, it's significance and achievements would've *scalded* themselves into your memory. This was just an incredible game, you see.

Still, I like the De-Jap translation for the SNES version.

Aww; I'm sure the Advance version got rid of that. :(
When you say 'restructuring,' what do you mean? There are changes from the original story? Significant changes? (no spoilers please)

I dunno, I played through most of the game, up until the part...


And I found the game pretty boring. The storyline was so basic. It was way beneath FFVI's storyline, which was so epic (and had about a bazillion really memorable scenes, with much better fleshed-out characters).

There are a lot of character deaths, if you could call those "plot twists,"

It was just "meh" overall to me.

Well, the original English version (Final Fantasy 2 as it was called on SNES) had a lot of things changed/removed. A future relationship of sorts is COMPLETELY whited out in SNES. There's a guillotine you'll see at one part. For some stupid reason, it was edited into a giant ball o__O Cecil kissing Rosa was changed into a graphic of him hugging her. The storyline was staled considerably as they tried to, well, keep it happy-and-squishy on dialogue.

I've played a bit of this on the ROM, and I'd hate to admit it, I never beat the game, as of today. Since then, I've been wanting to play it either 4 ways:

EMULATOR-ROM
SNES
PSX
GBA

Now, the ROM is obviously the easiest and most economical route to take, while the SNES, well first I need to buy an SNES, which my old one I gave away, stupid me, and I hear the PSX version is horrible, with shitty load times and such. Then there's the GBA version (which I'll have to borrow my sister's DS lite), which I hear is also plagued with its own glitches and problems.

It's basically been forever and a day since I last touched this, and I really should play this game again. I don't even think I got up to the part where I met Rydia. (sup Rydia lol). So basically I think I'll go with the ROM route, either that or if the GBA version isn't as sucky as I hear it to be.

BTW, Cellius , you said that you have FF VIII included as your completed list, but did you really beat the game, or did you just stop at the Adel boss fight?

Twin magic was the most memorable part of FF IV for me, since I never got to using it in a way that would actually help. There was no need to sync up when Fire 2 was right there to be abused.

Another teaser was the Meteo magic. Gee, thanks for the mp shortage!

It does get crazier from there on in, where you'll fight living doors, shoot music notes at monsters, fight freaky possessed dolls, etc. Quite the wild ride.

I have nostalgic love for FF4...It shouldn't take more than 20 hours or so to beat, but a LOT goes in that time frame. Whereas most RPG's nowadays need 5 hours just to get motivated, a whole bunch of stuff happens in that timeframe in FF4 and I often can't help myself from seeing it through to the end (similar to CT usually works out). Outside of good old FF6, easily my favorite FF cast and some of the boss fights are amazingly fun/tense. I also respect this game because it won't hesitate to kill you (though if you've played as much as I have, you'll learn a couple of leveling tricks that ease things...Just remember that characters come in at a level at or near your current ones, so if you beef Cecil up early enough, it saves a lot of time later).

I have to agree. FFIV was one of the first real RPGs I played on the SNES and it has always left a lasting impression on my mind. I was really young when it came out and I thought it was the hardest game ever to beat. But eventually I learned how to level up a bit then try to do all this stuff. And as for GoldfishX's post, I'd love to see this remade to. I know there are ALOT of fanboys and general fans out there of FFVII...but it's already had a movie made about it. Let's see the older games get remade into something totally awesome. FFVI is and always will be my favorite, but FFIV was a first for me and I will always love it. Even if there were some pansy characters...



It's still a great game and I bet you'll have a great time playing it.

FFIV is at least among my top three Final Fantasies (with FFVI and FFT) and will probably remain so. I'd like to play the GBA version someday, but I'll only be arsed if I actually own it. I've beaten it so many times on SNES/ZSNES that I can't tolerate the sluggishness of the GBA version via emulator.

Yeah, agreed...The extra material in FFIV Advance almost isn't worth that hassle.

Almost. One of these days, I'll suffer through the slowdown and unresponsive enemies for the chance to finish the game with Cecil/Cid/Palom/Porom/Edward (maybe Edge instead, incase I need to steal the Dark Matter...but definitely Cid and the twins).

What I don't get: FFIV was practically an SNES launch title, FFVI was one of the games to push the SNES's limits...How the hell are they going to get FFVI even playable on GBA? :juggler:

I knew someone would bring that up. :( That thread was sort of borne out of spontaneous frustration before I sat down and thought about a strategy. But yes I did beat VIII fair and square, and I'm glad I did too, because it was one of the greatest endings I could have hoped for.

After hearing many many positive things about IV, I'm excited to see the rest of it, and also pleased that it won't consume days and days of my time.

Best part of FFIV...:

I can't believe you skipped ff3(nes). That game is probobly the most fun I've had in years with an RPG. The only issue with it is that it starts off slow.

As far as ff4 is concerned the game is convoluted and full of nice things so I can see why people like it. I gave up at the moon too~

I'm not necessarily going in order. But I don't own a DS and it's too bad there isn't a GBA version for that. If there are any reliable ROMs for it I'll check it out, certainly. I don't mind things starting off slow; it gives you a chance to take things in. However, I would prefer to own a physical copy of the game (I am something of an obsessive completionist).

FFIV was one those games I played during my "let's finish everything EVER real quick" so I never stood to fully appreciate this one. Another title is FF7 which I started playing again recently (properly). I found FF4 to be well challenging though strictly linear. It's one where the difference between the characters are significant and you need to use each to their strength. I hardly have time to play through many games again but I can't see why not play this properly in the future.

That's good news. The ending of VIII is a great way to see how Squall developed and came out of his shell from the beginning in Balamb Garden all the way to Time Compression and finally back to the Garden, full circle. I think he started to change when he fought the ZORG guy (the giant Shumi in the basement of Balamb Garden). Then he just eventually opened himself up more to other people, I think.

I really should get FFIV. LOL.

I actually remember that I had already put down the controller when I assumed that the battle was going to end at that point. I was never good at predicting if something unexpected would occur in a battle.

I remember when I first played it. Geez was that ages ago. But I was all like "Wha. Wha. What? How do I beat him? ;_;" I actually turned it off every time I got wasted. It'd get down to just Cecil and I'd hit the power, all angry-like. Third time, I sat and stared, thinking "wait. Why is Cecil always the only one left?... Oh. Oh! OHH! ;D"

FF4 is probally my favorite Final Fantasy so far. I have never played any playstation Final Fantasies except 7 which is ok but I prefer the SNES games. I will play more of the playstation ones to make sure though

One difference between SNES/ GBA version

FF4 is my favorite video game of all, all, all, all time. Your reactions to it are just normal to most players I see playing it. Have fun seeing the rest of the storyline and come back here as you get farther.

I find it maddening that the only kind of character deaths the story allows for are sacrifices. There's more than one way to die, guys.

That's as far as I'm at. Must everyone have a noble end? If I recall rightly, FFII suffered from this syndrome as well. If there are any more upcoming deaths, please don't spoil them.

Cellius --
They aren't all dead. A few of them have mentions later in the game or you come across them (ie: wounded). Besides, how else will you take them out of commission? At least it's better than:
"WE'D BETTER TAKE FIVE PEOPLE AT MOST :O"
"why?..."
"INCONSPICUOUS. LISTEN TO ME. USE CELL PHONE TO CALL US~"

Don't assume automatic death on all plots. Keep the game going and you'll see what happened. Come again when you have new reactions to my favorite video game storyline ever and favorite game ever. :)

OH I SEE SO
I actually haven't beaten it yet. I'm back at the for the second time for what I presume is the final battle right around the corner. I'm really anxious to see what the final boss looks like to see if he resembles

Well, in the SNES version they were healed in the ending. The GBA version has it open so you can select characters. But I stopped at the underworld on the Advance version. Very nice port in my honest opinion. Fantastic re-translation.

How's the Edge-Rydia relationship look? I wonder if it was lost in translation somehow. I never got to Edge last time... :(

Huh? This is news to me; I've seen zero indication of any such thing.

Ugh. They botched it then...

In the original domestic SNES translation, Edge was branded as a silent, almost prude-like prince/ninja. In the translation done by De-Jap as well as other groups that re-translated it, it displayed Edge as brash, arrogant, and rather flirty with Rydia (a womanizer). She is rather cold toward him and stomps out most advances he makes. When you were about to head to the moon, I believe, they tried to leave Rosa & Rydia behind but they snuck onboard to the craft. Before they set off, Edge muttered a line along the lines of "Ah, Rydia. She was a bitch, but I'll miss her."

Well, Edge definitely had an attitude, and I do recall one instance of him making a remark towards Rydia. All he said when the two women left the craft was something like, "Get out; this isn't a task for kids." To which Rydia replies, "who are you calling a kid?!" Then she storms out, and that's that. Oh well.

My favorite version of all the versions of FF4 ever made is FF2a (aka FF2 america which is FF4).

Best translation. Not an extremely annoying amount of pointless items that I'll never use like the japanese version or GBA one has. Some are okay but I can do without.

Example of why i like the USA SNES script better in parts that count:
[spoiler]---------------------------
USA SNES:
Edge: Hope he doesn't get hypnotized again.

Kain: If that happens again, go ahead and get rid of me...


----------------------------
The GBA one lacks emotion and storyline power on the Kain line.
Here is another example:

----------------------------
USA SNES:
Cecil: Your absence taught me... I...

Rosa: Cecil...

Kain: ...

Cid: Oh, boy! Getting cozy!

GBA REMAKE:
Cecil: I missed you so much... And I realized... I...

Rosa: Cecil...

Kain: ...

Cid: You realized what? Be a man! Spit it out!
------------------------------

The bottom one took out the best line in the entire game.

FF 2/IV
 

Ah man I loved this game I got it when a Blockbuster Emplyee saved it for me when they were selling all of their snes games. (kind of wish he'd saved Secret of Mana instead. :edgartpg: ) It still stands as one of my favorite FF of all time, and in my opinon had one of the best FF soundtracks that Nobuo ever produced.

If I remember correctly the japanese got our version of the SNES game back as FFIV Easy Type, don't quote me on it though.

The remake has made FFIV a lot more serious. It's good and bad, you no longer have some questionable phrases but that was part of the original charm ;) In some cases it feels like the characters have a little more depth to them.

Anyhow, this was the 2nd FF game in the US when it was first released, it's totally linear but I don't always feel like that is such a bad thing. I like knowing how the story unfolds without doing pointless side missions here and there to collect items and basically just waste time.

FFIV is still my favourite FF game. I think it's harder to appreciate it if you didn't play it when it first came out, but it's still a fun game with great characters. I haven't gotten very far, I just finished the Dark Elf bit, I've always hated the Tower of Zot... it feels so long and I remember I used to have a lot of issues with the Magus Sisters on the SNES version.

Borg, I don't know what you're smoking, but I'm convinced it's people like you that keep Square bringing back the fucking gimmick characters like Quina and Cait Sith.

IV is a wonderful game, and the darker the translation the better. This game was meant to be more mature than the FF II: SNES translation ever allowed it to be. I adore this game, hell the first time I heard the Redwings theme, I thought it was godlike. Enjoy it, man. VI is better in my opinion, but IV is a damn strong entry in the series. They don't make 'em like that anymore.

There are upsides to the remakes, too. Seriousness / Darkness.

Ah.....Final Fantasy IV. Unfortunately, I've only played 1 version.....the supposedly weakest re-make of the game, the PSX version in Final Fantasy Chronicles. Ironically, It definitely ranks VERY high on my list, even if it was the PSX version. It's not Final Fantasy VI (My all time favorite), nor is it Final Fantasy Tactics (Silver Medal), But it's more than qualified to take the Bronze. Also....

I though the original SNES one was the dumbed down version, and we got the hard version with the PSX one?

Yes, the American SNES was an "easier" version with some censoring. The PSX release was the Japanese hard version which wasnt really that much harder having played both. I mean, if you want the game to be even harder, go into config, set the battle type to active and put the speed on fastest (on the PSX version.)

I remember being able to adjust the battle type and speed, correct me if I'm wrong

Final Fantasy IV was the eden of the SNES era for me, because I remember renting the game 23948123894712469128346 times before finally giving in and flat out buying it.

I still to this day consider it's soundtrack much more "epic" sounding than that of Final Fantasy VI and prefer the game over VI, but I know a lot of people would disagree with that. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Whether it be US FFII, FFIV Easy, FFIV Hard, FFIV Chronicles, or FFIV GBA.. you got a solid game and a run for your money. Too bad the Chronicles version had to emulate the PS1 loading times with it, but eh.. FFIV goodness is FFIV goodness.