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This is Paladin's Unofficial Final Fantasy IV Fan Web Site
FinalFantasyIV.net is now officially dormant.
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NEWS: Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection for PSP Launched
Is this the definitive FF4 release?
Posted On: 5/13/2011 11:00:50 AM
Ok, so I can't ignore this latest release of Final Fantasy IV and it's Sequel Final Fantasy IV: The After for the PSP. It commemorates Final Fantasy IV's 20th anniversary which is coming up in August for the original Japanese SFC release.
I do have a copy, of course, I have a copy of nearly every version of the game. I have not played it yet, however, as I do not own a PSP. Based on what I'm seeing online the game play is supposedly pretty good and rivals the GBA version. In that, Square-Enix reverted back to the 2D style format, although this is a completely new graphics package than what was used for the WonderSwan/GBA versions. Also the PSP uses a 16:9 display which is a wider aspect ratio than previous releases, so that seems to have been something they were going to have to deal with anyway. Apparently the music has been remixed but the user can apparently swap between it and an emulation of the old SFC style mix. Furthermore we have yet another English translation and script on our hands, bringing the grand total official ones to five (six if you count the unofficial J2e version), I think that has to be a record for any game.
Well, anyway if you want to follow the details here are some links:
I'll post some more info once I get a chance to play it... But probably not a bad buy if you have a PSP.
Update...
Alright, so I bought a blasted PSP so I could play this version of the game. I justified it by also picking up FF1, FF2, and the remake of Lunar Silver Star Story for the thing as well. So, yes, I've been playing it.
First of all the pixel depth appears to be much higher on the game's graphics. What's that mean? Instead of 8x8 pixel tiles such as were in the SFC and WSC/GBA versions there are 16x16 pixel tiles in the PSP version. This means all the tile graphics are much more detailed than in previous 2D versions of the game. Almost everything looks more detailed yet is faithful to the SFC/WSC/GBA look and feel. However some of the location uniqueness found in the DS game has been merged into the styles this time around. The sprites for characters and monsters have been liberally updated which might put some off, however they remain faithful to mostly the DS conceptual designs. Generally it's easy on the eyes with plenty of new graphics for the old fans to enjoy.
As I mentioned earlier there are two musical scores to choose from. One is the original SFC music and the other is touted as an "arrangement" which I typically reserve for actual orchestrated versions played by real musicians with instruments. In actuality the "Arranged" score is simply a re-arranged version of the soundtrack using more modern and realistic sounding MIDI voices. In any case it sounds good and some of it seems to emulate the arrangements on the Celtic Moon CD. The best part is the audio playback hardware on the PSP is high quality (as opposed to the atrocious GBA and DS sound hardware). This is the first release since the old PSx version in '97/'01 that I've been able to actually enjoy listening to.
The game play is dead on classic FF4; none of the drastic changes from the DS game are here. The Augment system and Rydia's little friend Whyte are non-existant in this game. Furthermore it has the bonus dungeons and "final" party character swap from the GBA game. Also the characters follow their classic level-up system, as opposed to the heavily rebalanced one used in the DS game. However I am finding the difficulty has been reduced quite a bit. Thus essentially this is an aurally and graphically updated version of the GBA game with a step down in difficulty.
The script translation is different, yet it is essentially just the GBA script with a few embellishments from the DS game. For example it's safe to say that canonically the "Phantom Beasts" are now "Ediolons" and the "Realm of Phantom Beasts" is now the "Feymarch". Mostly some proper names have been imported from the DS script. However all the flowery Shakespearean-style language has be expunged. I'll miss that but many may not. Furthermore much of the bonus content which ties into The After Years from the DS version has been expunged although some things are grandfathered in, such as Yang's wife appears to be Sheila now even in FF4 proper.
I still have not played The After Years but it has been graphically updated from it's DoCoMo (and Wii version so I'm told) graphics package to be on par with the updated FF4 proper. There is also a short playable scenario between FF4 proper and TAY called "Final Fantasy IV ~Interlude~" which apparently ties the two games together.
The game pak also includes non-game bonus features. There is a bestiary unlocked by playing the game and defeating each type of enemy. A music player is included which is pre-loaded with the entire SFC original soundtrack available to play back, the "Arranged" soundtrack is unlock-able by beating the game. There is also an image gallery with 118 illustrations which are unlock-able by beating the game. You can also playback the CGI movies for both TAY and FF4; the TAY one is new to this game pack however the FF4 one is from the DS game.
All in all this seems to be the current definitive 2D version of FF4 conveniently bundled with the entire TAY canon, which lives up to it's billing as "complete". If you have a PSP and have not played the GBA game then this is really the one you want to get. There's really no reason to go back to the GBA or older 2D versions of FF4 from here other than for the fact that the older versions are a bit more difficult. Whether or not you have a PSP and/or are willing to buy a PSP is really the only deterrent to making this purchase. On the flip side I would say that if the DS game was THE definitive version of FF4 for you, then this version may come as an unwelcome step backwards. In that case you may want to avoid this version unless you're interested in the TAY canon. However if you've never experienced FF4 in 2D as it was originally, I think you should experience this version (or one of the 2D versions) at least once.
Overall, I'd say for most casual FF fans owning a copy of this and a copy of the DS game is probably the most definitive "complete" collection you can ask for. If you're a hardcore fan like me, I'm sure you bought it already, the only question is to PSP or not to PSP.
FinalFantasyIV.net now offically dormant
Posted On: 6/26/2010 12:11:37 PM
Well let's be honest here. I, Paladin, never work on this web site, so it is officially dormant. I just haven't got the motivation to work on it any more.
Why, well I'm a professional web developer and I work on web sites ALL DAY LONG — FIVE DAYS A WEEK. Working on web sites in my free time is no longer a past time or hobby as I get my fill getting PAID to do it now. There are so many things that I need to build for this site that I just don't want to mess with it anymore.
Also, Final Fantasy IV has gone through so many iterations now and has a (dubious) sequel. I mean let's get real here; I enjoy Final Fantasy IV Classic (that is the original one on the Super Nintendo) which was released in 1991 when I was ELEVEN YEARS OLD. That was (almost) TWENTY (20) YEARS AGO. The game was been revamped on the GameBoy Advance (now archaic itself), and then further reissued as a Nintendo DS game with (dubious) new plot points and game play. Furthermore games no longer "linger" or get ruthlessly censored (or dumbed down as the case may be) when coming from Japan to the USA and other points west.
When I started this online endeavor nearly 12 years ago the water was far more murky as to knowledge of games from Japan and FF4's history. Now-a-days very few people younger than my generation have even seen a Super NES console (and why? you can play all sorts of vintage games on the Wii) let alone know the debacle that was Final Fantasy II SNES vs. Final Fantasy IV SFC ("Hard Type"). Final Fantasy IV Advance and DS have pretty much cleared the record and most people that newly play FF4 "get it". Comparatively "old fogey" gamers like me, who really like FF4 already dug up all the sultry details we thirsted for long ago. Which renders this site to a mostly useless rehash of strategy guides you probably already own and some images you've probably already seen. So I say what's the point?
Maybe someday I'll revisit this site or do something else with it, but for now it sits as is. There are some interesting things here, not many, but a few.
Definitely check out the links section, and follow anything that's still live, there are some other great websites out there with FF4 information from old school guys 'n gals like myself.
Otherwise, if you're just a huge FF4 fan from any "epoch" of the game's various releases and want to know who settled Damcyan, when Baron was founded, how much horsepower the Enterprise's engines produce, or what the Japanese names of Edge's Ninjitsu Techniques mean...just contact me via eMail or AIM (see "Contact" section) and we'll have a chat.
Also, the last predecessor to this website, my "Final Fantasy IV Chronicle", has never been taken down; it has some content I never moved over to this site. You can check it out if you like here: Old FF4 Chronicle v6. Note that it was somewhat updated when FF4-GBA was released, but hasn't been touched in at least 6 years. Probably of most interest is my old image gallery, which is still there FWIW.
Otherwise, what you see here is what you get!