DS Review: Final Fantasy IV
It’s been a long time since Square Enix started milking their audience for everything they’re worth. Since Final Fantasy IV’s original release and prior to its appearance on the Nintendo DS, it had already been ported three times over. With its arrival on the DS marking its fourth port, it also marks its first real remake that would recapture the magic of the original, as opposed to just regurgitating it.
For the sake of full disclosure, prior to playing Final Fantasy IV DS, I have yet to play the original. As such this review is written from that perspective.
Final Fantasy VII was the first game that caused me to widen my eyes and say, “So, this is what games are capable of?” Of course, at the time I was a pre-pre-teen and I understood fuck-all of the plot. But the overall story still managed to have an impact on me, from adventure and discovery to death and loss. Final Fantasy IV recaptures its own plot and story with the aforementioned elements and modernizes it for a new audience with updated visuals, a re-imagined world, and a revised script.
Needless to say, this is a game for people who already enjoy the established JRPG formula, old fans of the original, or those who didn’t have a chance to play the original and want to see the evolution of one of their favorite series. This is no more than an excellent modernization of a 17 year-old classic.
Although prettier, the previously mentioned updated visuals are hampered by the Nintendo DS’s hardware capabilities, which can best be compared to Nintendo 64’s ability to render 3D. Ultimately the most concerning thing is that with the super-deformed, super-stylized 3D models being at an almost laughable level of detail, it may very well be the ceiling of what the DS is capable of graphically.
One of the newly introduced mechanics is also one of the more obscure and off-putting mechanics throughout. Dubbed “Augments”, they allow you to impart abilities of those who you’ve lost throughout the course of the game into those who are currently in your party.
And that’s precisely where the problem rears its ugly head. FFIV’s plot is completely topsy-turvy when it comes to character reliability, so as such, you won’t be able to strategically distribute them until the very end. Unless, of course you bought the Square Enix licensed strategy guide.
Among other things you may need a strategy guide for, difficulty will most certainly be one of the top reasons you contemplate purchasing one. Final Fantasy III DS was nearly impenetrable to me, due to its unbearable difficulty level. I ended up giving up soon after I picked it up. Final Fantasy IV DS remains very difficult, but thankfully, it’s not of the impenetrable, unbearable variety. Although, if you’re not paying attention, your party can and will be wiped out by a random encounter. On that note, unless you’re smarter than I am, tenfold, prepare to face death at nearly every boss you encounter.
Regardless of how much I’d initially wished Square Enix had chosen the PSP as the platform of choice to reimagine and introduce the earlier Final Fantasies to a new generation, as time went on Final Fantasy IV DS managed to engage me enough to stop thinking about its superficial shortcomings and focus on the task at hand– enjoying the game. Sales numbers aside, any game that can manage to do that will be regarded as a success to me.
What does this score mean? Check out our review scoring breakdown.
