Final Fantasy II re-release for Wii Virtual Console

[ManaMan]

Yep, it's out now. I'm considering purchasing it.

http://vc.nintendolife.com/reviews/2010 ... al_console

It was arguably my favorite FF game for the SNES and the high water mark for the old guard of sword and sorcery type RPGs. I recently bought the sequel for the Virtual Console but I couldn't remember the nuances of the original story line well enough to really get into it (though I still enjoyed it). I think that I may play through FF II and then the WiiWare sequels. This way I might even be interested enough to play through the other sequel modules that you have to purchase separately for $3 a pop.

[Zeus]

FFIV is an excellent title for sure. Did you look at the DS remake? My cuz loves it, says it's an excellent remake. It's relatively cheap now and you can take it with you....

[Blotus]

Already own four versions of the game including 2 physical SNES copies!

Also, this review is kind of poorly-written. Lot of cliche. I feel like it's written for a young teen/child audience (maybe that's the case). Never felt it noteworthy to devote a paragraph to FF2's "smooth and intuitive control scheme". Maybe I'm just mean... maybe this is a reader review or something. Or a fansite.

Grrrrrrrrrrr nicotine!

[Kupek]

I've been playing through the FFIV DS remake since the summer. It's a good way to experience FF4 if you've already played the original multiple times. I was actually surprised how the jump to 3D and the addition of voice acting added some gravity to some of the pivotal scenes.

The biggest downside is that it's grind-heavy. The boss battles are usually different than you remember, which is neat; you can't use the exact same strategy as before. But I've found myself being extremely conservative when going through dungeons: I will always do a few scouting trips into a dungeon to map out its first few levels, get some of the items, and build a few levels before exiting, refreshing HP/MP and saving.

I've run into two boss battles which relied on lots of chance if I made it through; one was against Golbez, when Rydia comes back, and I was stuck on it. I did that battle maybe ten times, and I was stuck there.

There is a quicksave feature, but it's not a true save: when you start up again, you have to use that save or your lose it. It's only use is if you're in the middle of a dungeon, and you have to put down the DS and do something else. You can pickup where you left off, but it's not a permanent save.

Right now, I just got to the moon, and I doubt I'll finish the game just because of the conservative dungeon crawling and grinding I know I have ahead of me.

[ManaMan]

I might get the DS version instead as a couple suggested. I played through the remake of FF III (Japanese, never released in US) on the DS about a year ago, pretty well done.

Although, there's something to be said for the original game unaltered.

[Zeus]

I might get the DS version instead as a couple suggested. I played through the remake of FF III (Japanese, never released in US) on the DS about a year ago, pretty well done.

Although, there's something to be said for the original game unaltered.

Then you need to get the Final Fantasy Chronicles version. Our original SNES release was a Seek-ified version and was infinitely easier than the "original, unaltered" one.

[Kupek]

If the version of FF4 on that disc suffers the same loading times as CT did, then dear god, you do not need to play it. (Oddly, I played enough of that version of CT to know the loading times are horrid, but not enough of FF4.)

[Zeus]

If the version of FF4 on that disc suffers the same loading times as CT did, then dear god, you do not need to play it. (Oddly, I played enough of that version of CT to know the loading times are horrid, but not enough of FF4.)

Yeah, the FF6 and CT load times on the PSX re-releases are legendary. But if I recall correctly (been a long time), the load times aren't nearly as bad. They're there and will never be as fast as a cartridge, but it's not "put the controller down and take a nap" long.

[Julius Seeker]

The GBA version is also worth checking out; it has an additional dungeon which is like a whole new world. Complete with some new story elements and even towns! That dungeon is probably worth the price of the game alone.

Although the 3D one has an excellent script re-write and is a lot easier to find (I bought one just before Christmas this year as a gift for someone).

I was happy playing both.


Also, when you're finished there is a sequel on Wiiware which is divided into chapters, made 18 years later, it takes place 18 years later. Palom and Porom are adult characters now, and some of the other characters have children. It was very well done.

[Blotus]

The GBA release is my preferred version even though it suffers from some ATB wonkiness; occasionally characters will get two turns in a row or miss a turn. Still, there's a bunch of of worthwhile extras to do on the moon. You can also take Palom, Porom, Edward, Yang, or Cid into the final dungeon.

Sadly the DS version doesn't have any of the extras from the GBA version, but it's still great. Like Kupek, I got to the moon and stopped. Actually, I got to the last save point and stopped. I always approached the last bit of that game with some hesitancy. Although I can easily do it now, I have bad childhood memories of fighting all of those dragons, evil masks, and behemoths.

[SineSwiper]

Yeah, the FF6 and CT load times on the PSX re-releases are legendary. But if I recall correctly (been a long time), the load times aren't nearly as bad. They're there and will never be as fast as a cartridge, but it's not "put the controller down and take a nap" long.

Yeah, I played CT on the PSX, and it was just a few seconds of loading during fights.

[Kupek]

Yeah, the FF6 and CT load times on the PSX re-releases are legendary. But if I recall correctly (been a long time), the load times aren't nearly as bad. They're there and will never be as fast as a cartridge, but it's not "put the controller down and take a nap" long.

Yeah, I played CT on the PSX, and it was just a few seconds of loading during fights.

I played CT on the PS, and it a few seconds of loading before fights.

It doesn't sound like much, but once you experience, it's terrible. It also pops up worse every time you access the menu. It noticeably slows the pace of the game, and easily justified my $40 cartridge purchase thanks to Zeus. If I did it again now, I'd probably skip the SNES cartridge and get the DS version. But never again will I play the PS port.

For FF4, I'm probably leaning towards the DS remake since it's partially a new experience. But I can see where Blotus is coming from.

As an aside, I'm willing to sell both FF4 GBA and FF4/CT for the PS for half of whatever the standard price on ebay is - which looks to be I'd sell them for $10-15 each. I'd just rather the games go to someone who'd play them.

[Julius Seeker]

FF2 with a few seconds of loading would be fairly terrible. The loading in PSX made RPGs was probably the main reason for downgrading the frequency of battles, and increasing their length.

[SineSwiper]

I played CT on the PS, and it a few seconds of loading before fights.

It doesn't sound like much, but once you experience, it's terrible. It also pops up worse every time you access the menu. It noticeably slows the pace of the game, and easily justified my $40 cartridge purchase thanks to Zeus. If I did it again now, I'd probably skip the SNES cartridge and get the DS version. But never again will I play the PS port.

Geesh, the fight scenes lasted 2-3 minutes each, and you're complaining about a few extra seconds?

[Zeus]

I played CT on the PS, and it a few seconds of loading before fights.

It doesn't sound like much, but once you experience, it's terrible. It also pops up worse every time you access the menu. It noticeably slows the pace of the game, and easily justified my $40 cartridge purchase thanks to Zeus. If I did it again now, I'd probably skip the SNES cartridge and get the DS version. But never again will I play the PS port.

Geesh, the fight scenes lasted 2-3 minutes each, and you're complaining about a few extra seconds?

I'll have to go with Kup on this one. That 2-3 seconds would pop up, without exaggeration, every 2 or 3 minutes at the very least, often more 'cause you're also accessing your item or equipment screen very regularly between the regular fights. That was irritating as shit, particularly when you're used to the SNES cart speeds

[Kupek]

Indeed. I would then anticipate the delay every time, making it worse. It's like listening to music that periodically skips, or watching a movie that cuts out for a second every minute. It takes you out of the experience.

[Blotus]

FF4 and CT were both shitty on the PS because of those few seconds of loading. It may be nothing to somebody who'd never played the SNES carts, but to me it was a big deal. I tried playing through 4 since it was the first official translation of the full game, but couldn't get past the loading for battles, menus, and the long save times. I think I ended up playing some fan-translated rom around that time instead. This was after playing 2 on the SNES about a dozen times and the Japanese rom of 4 via emu... then the GBA one then the DS one. I sure have given a lot of time to that game. Square will probably find a way to get me to buy it again, too.

[Zeus]

Indeed. I would then anticipate the delay every time, making it worse. It's like listening to music that periodically skips, or watching a movie that cuts out for a second every minute. It takes you out of the experience.

Yeah, forgot about the anticipation part. You know it's coming, you know it's irritating, and you start dreading doing things that'll make it pop up. So you start not going to your item screen unless absolutely necessary or getting even more annoyed when a battle starts all 'cause of the load time. That makes it just that much worse

You guys notice how much we're bitches of Square's older catalogue, pre-PSX? How many times have we all bought CT or FFIV or FFVI and been happy as pigs in shit about it? I own at least 3 copies of each one myself (SNES, PSX, and GBA; 4th DS one for FFIV). We get the FFIV: The After Years what, 12 or so years later and we're happy as hell. And you know that once the FFV and FFVI remakes for the DS are announced we're all gonna be as giddy as schoolgirls and first in line to get them.

[SineSwiper]

Between this thread and the FF13 thread, you guys are a bunch of fucking pussies.

[Kupek]

Yes, Sine, we're all pussies because we have preferences different than yours. (Well, some preferences. I've watched Shrin play some of FF13 and I might like it.) Personally, I prefer playing games the way they were intended to be played.

[Zeus]

Between this thread and the FF13 thread, you guys are a bunch of fucking pussies.

Blotus pretty much said exactly what I was thinking.

Beat Call of Duty 2, 4, and 6 on Veteran (I wanna see that Star 69 achievement, too) then come back and say that again. While you're at it, beat the SNES version of Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts too.

[Don]

I didn't buy any of the Square remakes.

Having no willpower isn't something to be proud of.

[Julius Seeker]

I didn't buy them because of weak will power. I bought them because I knew I would enjoy them, and I did. There are two exceptions where I felt that the remakes I bought were not as enjoyable as the original: Final Fantasy (1) and Final Fantasy Adventure where new graphics, music, and gameplay functionality sort of dulled the charm the originals had - even if they were more user friendly. Otherwise, other remakes dating back to the start of the trend with Lunar, I have very much enjoyed.