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Summer of Final Fantasy: FFTA2 (6/26), FFIVDS (7/22) - NSF56k
Zeromus
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
SUMMER OF FINAL FANTASY!
Two bitchin' new DS games!
No, I don't work for Square-Enix!
FIRST:
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: GRIMOIRE OF THE RIFT
Wikipedia Info:
I personally imported A2 as soon as it was available in Japan. Though I wasn't absolutely in love with FFTA1, I definitely got more into this one; it improves upon the original formula in just about every way. Some changes are slight (the skill learning system, for instance, hasn't really evolved that much), but overall, it was a much more enjoyable experience and I prefer it to other strategy games on the platform, like Advance Wars and what not. Pick it up!
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNmnqjyYzJg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktna2IRx4fU&feature=related
SECOND:
FINAL FANTASY IV DS
Wikipedia Info:
Cutscenes? Voice acting? More story content? Prettier graphics for one of the best FF games ever made? Hell yes!
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=119Ay49BsGg
Two bitchin' new DS games!
No, I don't work for Square-Enix!
FIRST:
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: GRIMOIRE OF THE RIFT
Wikipedia Info:
Wikipedia wrote:Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (ファイナルファンタジータクティクス A2 封穴のグリモア, Fainaru Fantajī Takutikusu Eitsū Fūketsu no Gurimoa?, lit. "Final Fantasy Tactics A2: The Grimoire of the Sealed Hole") is a strategy roleplaying game from Square Enix for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It is a sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.[4]
Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is part of the "Ivalice Alliance", which also includes Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, a direct sequel to Final Fantasy XII for the Nintendo DS, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, an enhanced port of Final Fantasy Tactics for the PlayStation Portable, and Final Fantasy XII International: Zodiac Job System, an international version of Final Fantasy XII for the PlayStation 2.
Square Enix further developed the game's grid-based system, and increased the number of character jobs. Some enemies also appear in larger scales, taking up multiple squares on the grid. The world map is also developed to be more in-depth with the introduction of "area maps". The area maps will feature multiple battle locations and a town, which will work similar to its predecessor. It also revealed the existence of enemy clans that will also travel the world map.[5]
Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is compatible with its predecessor, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. If the latter game is inserted into Slot 2 of the Nintendo DS/Lite upon starting a new game of the former, certain gameplay advantages can be gained, such as the automatic acquisition of certain abilities.
Setting
Like Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, the game takes place in both Ivalice and St. Ivalice. Chronologically, the Ivalice portion of the game is set some time after Final Fantasy XII[6], while the St. Ivalice portion is set around ten years after Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.
There are seven playable races in the game: Humes, Moogles, Vieras, Bangaas and Nu Mou return from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, while Seeq, from Final Fantasy XII, are playable for the first time. The Gria are a new race appearing for the first time in Final Fantasy Tactics A2.[5]
The main character, Luso Clemens, is a mischievous boy who lives in the real world until, after being punished for teasing and being late countless times and sent to library clean-up duty right before summer vacation, he finds an old book in the library. The book is full of pictures of swords and wizards, but abruptly becomes blank in the middle. After this, the book commands that the reader should tell/write the person who should fill in this blank (presumably the 'hero' of the story) He then writes his own name on the blank page, "Luso Clemens," after which he is transported into the world of Ivalice. Dropping into the middle of a forest right in front of a large bird called a "Dekatrice" (a play on the Japanese adjective "dekai," huge, and "cockatrice", a recurring monster in the Final Fantasy series), he is told by a warrior named Cid nearby that if he wishes to live, he should join his clan, Clan Gully. Luso excitedly does so, and, in front of a judge, swears into the clan, after which he magically transforms into a soldier, complete with sword and fantasy garb.
Luso tells Cid that he probably should be looking for a way home, because his aunt will be worried about him. Cid agrees to help him find a way home, and Luso agrees to help the clan and see the world of Ivalice until he goes home. This is slightly different from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, in that he is not overly concerned with getting home, but rather focuses his attention on the opportunity he has been given.[5] Unlike in the previous installment, the main character travels to the real Ivalice, instead of a creation of his friend's imagination;[7] this fact is reinforced by the reappearances of familiar characters such as Vaan and Penelo.
References are made to other games in the Ivalice Alliance: the Khamja criminal organization first appeared in Final Fantasy Tactics in relation to the characters Marach and Rapha Galthena. Montblanc will cry out to Marche Radiuju, the protagonist of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, if he is KO'd in battle, while Mewt Randell, another of the main characters, makes a cameo appearance in the game's prologue as the school librarian. Also, Luso makes an appearance in Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions as an optional playable character.
Characters
The story of Final Fantasy Tactics A2 revolves around the protagonist Luso Clemens, and his exploits in the land of Ivalice. Upon his arrival in Ivalice, Luso is joined by Cid, the leader of a group of hunters known as Clan Gully. His adventures also introduced him to Adelle, the story's silver-haired female protagonist, and Hurdy, a Moogle minstrel.[8]
The plot of the game also involves supporting characters that have been featured in games within the Ivalice universe. Ezel Berbier plays a supporting role, featured in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Vaan, Penelo and Al-Cid Margrace, a noble from Rozarria, are playable characters that are featured in Final Fantasy XII. Even Montblanc, who appeared in both games, makes an appearance due to being Hurdy's brother. Other characters include antagonists such as Illua and Ewen of a criminal syndicate known as the Khamja, and new characters such as Lezaford and Frimelda.
I personally imported A2 as soon as it was available in Japan. Though I wasn't absolutely in love with FFTA1, I definitely got more into this one; it improves upon the original formula in just about every way. Some changes are slight (the skill learning system, for instance, hasn't really evolved that much), but overall, it was a much more enjoyable experience and I prefer it to other strategy games on the platform, like Advance Wars and what not. Pick it up!
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNmnqjyYzJg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktna2IRx4fU&feature=related
SECOND:
FINAL FANTASY IV DS
Wikipedia Info:
Wikipedia wrote:Final Fantasy IV (ファイナルファンタジーIV, Fainaru Fantajī Fō?) is an enhanced remake of the original Final Fantasy IV, which was released in 1991. It was released for the Nintendo DS as part of the campaign for Final Fantasy series 20th anniversary on December 20, 2007 in Japan. Square Enix has officially announced a North American release for July 22, 2008[2], and the game is set to be released in Europe sometime during the summer.[3]
The game is developed by Matrix Software, the same team responsible for the Final Fantasy III remake, and is supervised by members of the original development team: Takashi Tokita serves as executive producer and director, Tomoya Asano as producer and Hiroyuki Itō as battle designer. Animator Yoshinori Kanada storyboarded the new cut scenes. [4]
Final Fantasy IV retains the original Active Time Battle System from the initial Super Nintendo release. Similar to the previous remake of Final Fantasy III on the Nintendo DS, the control of stylus is limited and optional in order to retain the same control input while allowing other players to use the Nintendo DS's unique touch control scheme.
However, the remake features a new ability system known as the Augment System, known as the Decant Ability System (デカントアビリティシステム, Dekanto Abiriti Shistemu?) in the Japanese version. The system allows for certain character-only abilities to be transferred to other characters who did not have them in the original and previous releases of Final Fantasy IV. Up to three abilities can come from temporary party members. When leaving the party, temporary characters will yield abilities of their own, the number of which is dependent on how many abilities they were given. There are also other abilities; some scattered around the world, and some that become available after certain story events.
This new system entails another new feature: command menu customization. All commands in a character's battle menu except the Items command can be replaced with augments. This includes individual abilities that are ordinarily contained in a group (e.g. Curaga can be added directly to Rosa's command list, rather than only being accessible through the White Magic sub-list).
The Augment System was devised to replace the system in Final Fantasy IV Advance where the characters that were temporary in the original version became playable again at a certain point. The developers felt that this system changed the game too much.[5]
Other exclusive enhancements to the DS version of the game include:
- Minigames: Unlike the main game, the minigames are stylus-control only. Their function, aside from being fun diversions, is to increase the power of a Eidolon named Whytkin (Pouchika (ポーチカ, Pouchika?) in the Japanese version), who can be summoned into battle by Rydia, who he replaces in the battle line-up, and acts under computer control according to abilities set to him by the player. The minigames can be played in either single-player or wireless (not Wi-Fi) multiplayer.
- New Game Plus[6]: Allows players to start a new game with certain enhancements carried over from a previous completed game. Certain other new features are only available in a New Game Plus.
- Namingway: Because of the voice-acted scenes, he can no longer change character names. Instead he goes around the world changing his own name to fit different occupations. Examples of his name changes include "Mappingway" (charting the maps on the lower screen), "Campingway", and "Weddingway". Following Namingway around the world and engaging in his sidequest yields numerous rewards.
According to executive producer Takashi Tokita, the scenario writer and lead game designer of the original release, three quarters of the original script had been left out of the original Super Famicom version.[8][6]
- Chubby Chocobo, Bestiary, Video/Music Player: Like Namingway, because of new enhancements (in this case, the item limit being removed), Chubby Chocobo can no longer serve his original purpose. Instead, he can be called in order to access the new bestiary and video/music player. Any full motion video that has been viewed in the game's story may be replayed. The music player includes a super deformed Edward strumming his harp and giving information on the selected track.[7]
Some of this missing script has been worked into the DS version in the form of flashbacks, including the childhoods of Cecil, Kain and Rosa. There are also brand new scenes.
Cutscenes? Voice acting? More story content? Prettier graphics for one of the best FF games ever made? Hell yes!
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=119Ay49BsGg
There you have it! I definitely can't wait for these. What do you guys think?
Zeromus on
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Posts
Why? Because seriously, it is.
I can't speak to FFIV, as I didn't play much of it, wanting to save that for the English version.
I have no problem with admitting that I have a serious problem. I'll likely buy FF4 on any major platform it comes to, because I love it that much.
I hated FFTA, but FFTA2 fixes pretty much every issue I had with the first game. Plus, the music sounds great, the sound effects and attack effects are fantastic, it's more detailed looking than any other DS game I can think of, and it's a fuck of a lot of fun.
I think I liked it because it had an overall simple system. No crazy class trees or hidden classes or whatever. And no frail characters with permadeath (like Fire Emblem) which always made my inner perfectionist crazy.
FF4 is definitely one of the best (if not the best) Final Fantasy games, and this overhaul makes my pants Moogle all giddy.
The trick in the first FE was to offer dorcas as a sacrifice so your other people could live
And I already have FFTA2 fully paid-off, but I'll be on vacation until the 3rd of July :x
Hilariously enough FFTA actually has class trees, hidden classes, and permadeath.
Yeah but they're: simple, not hard to unlock/find, and it's not permadeath unless you leave them there without reviving.
FFIV, on the other hand, is one of my least favorite FFs and I'll probably wait to find it used or discounted before I buy it, if at all.
SE++ Forum Battle Archive
Still it's pretty damn amusing.
DS will be good.
And class trees are bonus.
As for IV, well, now I'm glad I didn't get Advance.
Still better then FFT though.
Hey, I have a blog! (Actually being updated again!)
3DS: 0860-3240-2604
FFTA1 story wasn't too bad
Is it better than FFTA1?
I'm not sure I could stomach a repeat of that bad of a story.
I bought the Game Boy player for the Gamecube just so I could play that game on my TV.
how the hell am I going to try to play The World Ends with You and FFTA2 at the same time though? that may actually kill me.
Advance Wars and FFTA2, while both "strategy" game, are pretty far apart in terms of the actual gameplay.
Advance Wars is a lot of rock->paper->scissors mechanics, with some light resource management. FFTA2 is pretty much an RPG (gaining levels and abilities, buying new equipment, etc) that happens to be played out in a turn-based strategy game. I wouldn't correlate liking one with liking the other. I'm not crazy about AW, but I love most SRPGs.
Am I the only one broken hearted to notice that Vagrant Story isn't even mentioned? One of the only Square Enix games to get a perfect score in their beloved Famitsu?
No sequel ever.
But the original Vagrant Story isn't part of the Ivalice Alliance series.
Still, I got all giddy at the rumour certain development people off FF XII would like to do a PSP remake of VS.
Oh God please let it come to something.
Oh, and War of the Lions is one of the few videogames ever created with genuinely decent writing. That is all.
Read my book. (It has a robot in it.)
I know, but it was still part of the same world.
VS is one of my favorite games ever (and I have the tattoo to prove it), but I can't imagine a sequel would be as good with Matsuno gone.
I'm more interested in seeing what he does next.
Then you have helped Squeenix make another sale. Thank you sir.
The game is looking fantastic. I'm especially excited about the autorevealing map that you get treasure for completing; I'll finally feel justified in my obsessive exploration. Amazon also has the final boxart, which looks great.
You son of a bitch. That second line in the spoiler better have supposed to be FFTA, because I will MDK eye rape you if you suggest FFT had a bad story.
PS2
FF X replay
PS3
God of War 1&2 HD
Rachet and Clank Future
MGS 4
Prince of Persia
360
Bayonetta
Fable 3
DS
FF: 4 heroes of light
I... I don't know what any of those are... I thought FFT was one of the greatest stories in a video game, or greatest story telling anyhow.
PS2
FF X replay
PS3
God of War 1&2 HD
Rachet and Clank Future
MGS 4
Prince of Persia
360
Bayonetta
Fable 3
DS
FF: 4 heroes of light
The games are, Tactics Ogre, Ogre Battle and Ogre Battle 64. Games which are so rare they may as well not exist.
I have FF4 carts for SNES, GBA, and I will be buying this new one, and any other one they release, ever. It's my favorite RPG.
I'd get FF4 but...saying I dislike the character models is an understatement. I didn't like them in FF3 either. That said, it won't be a release day get, but I'm sure I'll pick it up at some point. Besides, I've played at least 3 different versions of the thing. Of course, THAT said, if they remake FF6 with the same character styles, that will be a day one buy.
Something must be wrong with me