Final Fantasy IV is easily one of the most beloved Japanese RPGs of all time. A fact that becomes difficult to deny when you consider just how many re-releases and updates that game has received since it first hit the Super Nintendo as Final Fantasy II back in the early nineties. The most recent update was just a few short years ago when the title was completely re-vamped with 3D visuals and an expanded script for Nintendo’s DS system. So why should anyone care about another remake, and is it worth buying if you’ve already played the game in one of it’s numerous iterations? In two words: yes, and yes.
In answer to the first question Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection isn’t just another remake. As the title so plainly states, it’s a collection. Aside from the main FFIV story that is so well known, The Complete Collection contains the formerly Wii-ware only episodic sequel The After Years, as well as an all new interlude that ties the two titles together. Now The After Years and interlude would hardly be anything to shout about by themselves, but when you consider all three bundled together sharing consistent graphics and music through-out for a modest thirty dollar price tag, it’s really hard to pass up.
The After Year was originally released in Japan as a series of episodic mobile phone games. The episodes take place roughly two decades after the original story and follow both new and established characters in the world of Final Fantasy IV. The After Years was released here in the US for Nintendo’s Wii-ware service as several separately downloadable chapters.
As a whole The After Years is something of a cool epilogue to the original game. There’s not really much new content as far as graphics or sounds are concerned, most all the assets are re-used from the main game. There are some minor additions to the combat system, but really nothing of note. What the After Years really has to offer is just more good old FFIV gameplay. Even though the stories in The After Years are not quite as epic as the one in the original the game it offers a satisfying continuation. The same could be said for the short but sweet interlude, which does a fairly nice job of connecting the two games. Interlude is only about 3 to 4 hours total, but those are 3 to 4 worth while hours, not just filler fluff.
There is a decidedly old-school feel to FFIV:CC which works out nicely. The graphics have been given a high resolution upgrade for the PSP screen, but they retain a certain 16-bit charm. Think a fresh coat of paint more-so than a complete remodel. The music is selectable between the original soundtrack and a newly arranged version. Both music choices are terribly catchy, and evoke a nostalgia for a time when RPGs ruled the gaming world. Even the script, though newly translated for this version, retains the simple elegance that pervaded the golden age of Japanese roleplaying games. And just in case you’re wondering, yes, the spoony bard remains.
All in all Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection is a solid buy for the money. If you’re a new comer it’s a piece of gaming history that you shoudn’t miss, and if you’re an old fan whose replayed the game over and over, the complete version is an excellent way to revisit this classic. The interlude and After Years round out what has always been a fantastic game. Also, for early adopters the first run, this title includes two cool extras inside the package, a downloadable code that unlocks costumes for Cecil in Dissidia 012, and a limited set of trading cards featuring art by famed Final Fantasy astist Yoshitaka Amano. A true value, my advice is to get this first run before they’re all gone.
