Final Fantasy IV (DS)

The classic RPG gets yet another remake on yet another system, but this may be the best version of them all.
8/18/2008 5:43 PM | 0 Comments | Page 2 of 2

The other major addition to this remake of FFIV comes in the form of Rydia's new summon, Whyt. Unlike other summons, Whyt actually replaces Rydia on the battlefield as an active combatant. Whyt doesn't level up like other characters in the game; instead, the player has to complete various quirky mini-games to earn stat increases in Strength, Speed, Stamina, Spirit and Intelligence. Scoring well in the mini-games not only bolsters Whyt's stats, but earns him some extra costumes and items to play around with as well. Players can customize Whyt's look by drawing a unique face with the stylus and a basic editor program, much like the blank-faced Blanca from Animal Crossing: Wild World. Whyt is also the focus of the multiplayer component in the DS version of FFIV, where players can pit their own customized Whyts against each other in a sort of Eidolon Thunderdome (Two Whyts enter, one Whyt leaves). While Whyt certainly brings something new to the FFIV experience, you can't help but feel like the little guy was tacked on as an afterthought to give players a reason to actually use the DS' touch-screen and wireless features.

Aside from the addition of Whyt and Augments, there are a few minor changes in the core gameplay. An auto-battle system lets players avoid the menu-based monotony of the game's nearly endless stream of random encounters. Still, you're going to have to plow through plenty of the fights manually, and there's just no escaping the fact that FFIV's battle system is starting to show its age. Granted, navigating through multiple menus and submenus while guessing at your remaining health is still better than just sitting back and letting the game essentially play itself without me. Still, it would have been great if the developers had spent a little less time worrying about Whyt customization, and a little more time streamlining an interface that hasn't felt new since Sonic the Hedgehog first laced up his sneakers.

Despite a couple of minor blemishes here and there, it's hard not to recommend this latest remake of Final Fantasy IV to just about anyone. Final Fantasy fans will love the care Square Enix has taken to keep true to the original game, while still keeping the experience fresh, and newcomers will be in awe of the scope and scale of the adventure that's crammed into this tiny little DS cart. While Final Fantasy IV may stop just shy of perfection, the game is about as close as you're going to find on the DS and easily earns a spot in the library of any self-respecting RPG fan.

This review was based on a retail copy of the game purchased by Crispy Gamer.