Fabulous Final Fantasy Franchise Discussion Catch-all

Hmm my birthday is in September...

I feel like I'm in Schroedinger's Hell with this particular collection but I'm dropping it here anyway.

Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend is getting a mobile release in September and Steam release in October. Square Enix is really pushing that PC support these days.

It's technically not a Final Fantasy but whatever. Maybe I'll cross-post.

Do we know if this game will feature the original, Japanese difficulty or the American "easy mode"? (I don't know what other regions got.)

I'd assume we'll get the original. I don't know if they've ever re-released what they later renamed as "EZ TYPE".

ccesarano wrote:

I'd assume we'll get the original. I don't know if they've ever re-released what they later renamed as "EZ TYPE".

I thought that’s the SNES version we got, and it wasn’t until the DS version that we got the harder version?

The specific order of operations is that Square took their original Japanese version of the game and made the US version, dubbed Final Fantasy II, easier. They then took those changes and released an alternative version of IV in Japan called "EZ Type" with all the changes. However, the retranslated PlayStation port was the original Japanese version, as was the GBA version of the game, and any other potential ports before the DS remake. Same goes with after. So we've been able to play the original difficulty game since the 90's, and if you ever played a port of it on anything but the SNES or Virtual Console where it was referred to as IV, you've played the original, unchanged Japanese version.

I don't think they've ever rereleased the easy version, save for Virtual Console on Nintendo platforms.

SE released their lineup of games at Tokyo Game Show. For Final Fantasy, they'll be showing off

  • Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
  • Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier
  • Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker

Which, barring any surprises, means we won't be hearing more about FF XVI. Naoki Yoshida pretty much confirmed this a few weeks ago already, so not a huge surprise.

I say keep it under wraps until you're in the home stretch.

That seems to be their plan, and I'm quite alright with it.

I've been playing the Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster since last week and must say, my initial response to the trailer was very unfounded. Admittedly, you didn't get a good look at anything and from a distance it looked like everything was just getting the same shoddy treatment as the iOS and Steam versions of FFV and FFVI. Instead, you effectively have what I consider to be an excellent preservation of a classic game with a face-lift. The sprites are all in the spirit (and in some ways more color-consistent between each other) of the original game, capturing the look and feel while being a bit more pretty. The special effects have received quite the improvement, and the music is just... absolutely phenomenal.

Meaningless to most but important to me, it's possible this is the best translation of the game as well. Clyde Mandelin of Legends of Localization noted it seems to be based on the PS1/PSP/GBA translation but with further fixes. You can see the history of the game's translation here, and some of the things that I get gripey about (unnecessary addition of foul language, pop culture references, just weird overall translation choices intended to be "entertaining") seem to be missing. I'll be waiting for Clyde to give a more thorough update, though he's currently in the middle of writing a book.

All told, I feel like this has become the definitive way to play the original Final Fantasy IV, though that comes with the unfortunate fact that it is still Final Fantasy IV. When discussing the Star Wars prequels with a friend, I told him that George Lucas has a good idea of what sorts of things he wants for character arcs, but he doesn't have the writing chops to actually make it work logically or believably. FFIV is kind of the same, though I'd add it is also the more concise nature of dialogue and speedy pacing of the story that leads it to feeling far more silly than anything else. It worked well enough when I was seven years old, but I can't honestly tell anyone that I think FFIV's story is good. I don't even know what it is, honestly, other than present.

I've been avoiding grinding, as I often do, and it hasn't been a problem. In fact, I just defeated Rubicante and am less than 10 hours in. I'm trying to remember the full breadth of the game (I've played it so many times and yet there are still gaps in my memory), and I feel like I've gotta be more than halfway through. Planning on the optional content, of course, so we'll see how much longer. It's definitely the original Japanese version, but it's kind of strange because, without grinding, my characters still managed to be more than 10 levels above Edge. No wonder the poor guy always seemed so weak compared to the rest of the party. Dude is under-leveled.

This has me excited to see how the FFV and FFVI Pixel Remasters will turn out. FFVI I'm still uncertain of since the original pixel art still looks absolutely gorgeous and feels the least in-need of an upgrade, but it should at least be better than the iOS graphics. The music remixes, though? And it will probably use the GBA translation as a base, which Clyde did a long series analyzing and discovering it's actually a really, really good translation of the game. So that ought to be fun.

Honestly, this is the treatment I wanted Final Fantasy VII to get rather than a full, over-the-top remake that is basically not even the same thing. But, I suppose I can always go searching for a fan-translation patch for Steam if Square Enix refuses to update it themselves.

and the music is just... absolutely phenomenal.

Strong agree, after watching a streamer play it for a couple of hours.

Spoiler:

Kweh!

ccesarano wrote:

I've been avoiding grinding, as I often do, and it hasn't been a problem. In fact, I just defeated Rubicante and am less than 10 hours in. I'm trying to remember the full breadth of the game (I've played it so many times and yet there are still gaps in my memory), and I feel like I've gotta be more than halfway through. Planning on the optional content, of course, so we'll see how much longer. It's definitely the original Japanese version, but it's kind of strange because, without grinding, my characters still managed to be more than 10 levels above Edge. No wonder the poor guy always seemed so weak compared to the rest of the party. Dude is under-leveled.

Quite a few years ago (but still as an adult), I went back and replayed FF IV on the SNES to relive some of my childhood nostalgia. I think I beat the game in something like 12-15 hours, which would have been shocking to me-as-a-child. I think that included getting Ashura, Leviathan, Bahamut, and all the endgame gear. And a good hour of that time was grinding in the bottom of the final dungeon. While I didn't need to grind at any other part of the game, I was just not strong enough to beat Zeromus. And I think I remember hearing on some FF podcast that because of his attacks, beating Zeromus is primarily about being at a level that allows you to survive them.

Anyway, all that's to say that I definitely remember the game as being much longer than it is. But I probably play games differently as an adult, and of course have much more gaming and RPG experience now than I did at the time. It's kind of interesting to compare the game as I remember it to a more current experience. Sounds like the pixel remaster has been great for that!

I actually did end up beating it last week at a little less than 15 hours total. Got Bahamut, the Sylph, Leviathan, Asura, and Odin, as well as all the best weapons in the final dungeon. I got Excalibur as well, but according to the achievements there's another tail I didn't get that grants Adamantium Armor. Was completely unaware of that.

Without grinding, I got all characters to approximately level 65 by time I reached Zeromus. Big Bang had a 50/50 of being strong enough to kill Rydia at full health, which is always the biggest risk. On the whole, though, even he wasn't as tough as I remembered. I think a lot of it comes down to just being better at the game (also, by time I'm ready to face the Giant of Babel or Bahamut, I set the game to slowest battle speed and Wait mode. It still feels like it's moving at a brisk pace, especially when enemies like Behemoth counter-attack everything, but certainly makes it more manageable since you'll be in menus more frequently).

I looked up some of the new sprite art they'll be using for FFVI, and it was the one game that I wasn't sure looked like an improvement. I realized that the reason why is the characters all have a brighter color palette, and their models are all looking to be the same general pixel resolution. They don't fit the aesthetic of the game world or monsters as well as a result, nor do they look like improvements as much as alternate interpretations. This is in contrast to FFIV, where the character sprites have better colors to match their profiles and designs as well as greater details.

Still, I'm eager for FFV and FFVI now.

ccesarano wrote:

I actually did end up beating it last week at a little less than 15 hours total. Got Bahamut, the Sylph, Leviathan, Asura, and Odin, as well as all the best weapons in the final dungeon. I got Excalibur as well, but according to the achievements there's another tail I didn't get that grants Adamantium Armor. Was completely unaware of that.
.

The pink tail! That was also present in the original US SNES release, though it was a pain in the butt to get. Probably still is.

I think they also drop a summon, but don't quote me on that.

ccesarano wrote:

I actually did end up beating it last week at a little less than 15 hours total. Got Bahamut, the Sylph, Leviathan, Asura, and Odin, as well as all the best weapons in the final dungeon. I got Excalibur as well, but according to the achievements there's another tail I didn't get that grants Adamantium Armor. Was completely unaware of that.

Without grinding, I got all characters to approximately level 65 by time I reached Zeromus.

Nice! 15 hours feels so manageable, especially compared to lengths of today's games. It moves along nice and briskly.

I've probably played the game through to completion 4 or 5 times total (+ once on the DS remake) and I've never once gotten the pink tail. I think one time I tried to grind it out then got bored and quit. I've very low patience for ultra-rare monster drops.

Never got any of the cool gear in Earthbound, either.

Tyrian wrote:
ccesarano wrote:

I actually did end up beating it last week at a little less than 15 hours total. Got Bahamut, the Sylph, Leviathan, Asura, and Odin, as well as all the best weapons in the final dungeon. I got Excalibur as well, but according to the achievements there's another tail I didn't get that grants Adamantium Armor. Was completely unaware of that.
.

The pink tail! That was also present in the original US SNES release, though it was a pain in the butt to get. Probably still is.

I think they also drop a summon, but don't quote me on that.

You have to farm for that thing. Can't believe they put an achievement behind it.

They also put an achievement for all the "secret" summons in FFIV, which were also in all versions of the game. Even back when I grinded I only got the Imp/Goblin summon drop the first time a few years after I'd played the game several times over, and I think maybe I got Cockatrice once. It might be possible to steal those items but it's basically a grind-heavy achievement. I had to look up a guide to even know how many creatures there are with such secret summons, as it's more than possible to play through the game without getting a single one (case in point: I didn't get a single one this playthrough).

So Stranger of Paradise is out in March. There's a new limited-time demo out for PS5 and Xbox Series S/X today.

Very much looks like a trailer made in response to the initial announcement's reaction, and there's a lot I like in it. Brighter colors and more characters being chief among them. I'm looking forward to it!

Edit: A bunch of previews also came out, and I think I'm officially #hyped. It sounds ridiculous in the best way, and I think they're leaning into it.

That is a MUCH better trailer than the first one. I love how much brighter it is. Considering how much I enjoyed the initial demo despite its many issues, count me in the excited camp too.

Bullsh*t

garion333 wrote:

Bullsh*t

Care to elaborate?

ccesarano wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Bullsh*t

Care to elaborate?

Perhaps this clip?

Aristophan wrote:
ccesarano wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Bullsh*t

Care to elaborate?

Perhaps this clip?

It's even better in context.

I can't believe SE is doing this. And I mean non-Yoko Taro SE. It's awesome!

I'm now beginning to wonder it Tetsuya Nomura and Kazushige Nojima are just seeing what they can get away with. At the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if they unironically believe that is a cool thing and not a "so stupid it's funny" thing.

garion333 wrote:

I can't believe SE is doing this. And I mean non-Yoko Taro SE. It's awesome!

It feels more Hideo Kojima, only there'd be an actual wink and a nudge from him.

Final Fantasy V Pixel Remaster will be out on November 10th.

And then VI... The best.

beanman101283 wrote:

Final Fantasy V Pixel Remaster will be out on November 10th.

Sweet, looking forward to it.

Still waiting and hoping these come to Switch someday soon.