Final Fantasy IV Review for the Nintendo GameBoy Advance, GBA
Note: The Story section of this review contains story spoilers.
Intro:
The original game was published by square enix for the Super NES with an American Release in 1991 as Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy IV Advance (for the Gameboy Advance).
Playing FFIV again for the first time in a while, it seems I've forgotten a lot about the story. The world we live in has moved on, and indeed, so has the game, with 3D graphics ports released for the Nintendo DS, mobile translation, and PC platforms (and updated 2D graphics for the PSP). Still, though the old 2D sprite's version shows its age in many ways, it's a game that any old-school Final Fantasy fans of the series or of RPG history should play, and it remains surprisingly fun years after its release.
The Story:

Which brings us to FFIV. This story feels like a Final Fantasy story, even by the standards of someone who first started playing the series in the PS1 era with Final Fantasy VII. The sizeable array of player characters and nemeses have relatively developed personalities and relationships, the story features surprising (and occasionally ridiculous) twists, and explores themes of loss, betrayal, cooperation, sacrifice, redemption, and an internal battle between good and evil in each of us. Also, the GBA version of the game improves on the rather sloppy original translation of the game for North America in the Super NES version (called Final Fantasy II). I would definitely recommend Final Fantasy IV Advance over the Super Nintendo FFII for anyone looking for an old-school (as opposed to 3D graphics updated) version of the game.
Sound and Graphics:
FFIV's graphics are what you'd expect from Super Nintendo (or, in the case of Final Fantasy Advance, GBA) sprite technology. Not terrific, not awful. I didn't dislike looking at the game, but the graphics weren't what I'd call rewarding in today's gaming age. Final Fantasy VI, made for the same system, is clearly making more sophisticated use of the same tech limitations, and holds up better graphically as a result, but Final Fantasy IV's graphics are neither a plus nor a minus for me, with the nostalgia factor and the lack of any major eyesores balancing out the fact that it's not exactly pretty by today's standards.
Commands & Gameplay Mechanics
Overall, I'd have to rate Final Fantasy IV's gameplay as just barely worth returning to. It's undeniably rudimentary compared to the later games, but on the other hand, like with storytelling, it lays the groundwork for what makes the later games even greater. FFIV introduced the iconic Active Time Battle (ATB) system, which sped up battle and added an often illusory but exciting sense that you needed to hurry and make decisions on the fly. The core of FF turn-based combat is here, with (uncustomizable) character classes and special abilities, up to five characters in a combat party (and twelve playable characters in total), and the other FF/RPG staples like a world map, towns, dungeons, airships, and summons/eidolons are all present and enjoyable.
On the plus side, I enjoyed the way the game would force player characters in and out of your party, so you had to keep tweaking your strategy based on the characters and skills currently available. That kept the battles relatively fresh through most of the game (my complaint above about my one soul-crushing grinding session notwithstanding). Also, the fact that the game was picking your party combo for you meant no anxiety about having picked a suboptimal team. I also enjoyed the variety of settings (which, to avoid spoilers, I'll just refer to as Over, Under, and Way Over), bosses, and even vehicles (which include airships, hovercraft, airships that can CARRY hovercraft, and, shall we say, a super airship). Playing the game today, I sometimes wished save points were more plentiful, but on the other hand, there was some enjoyable tension in trying to forge through a dungeon without running out of MP (and then health) before I could reach the next save point, so those two balance each other out for me. Also, I was disappointed early on by the lack of side quests, but the latter half of the game opened up more, with optional dungeons featuring nice armor and summons and such. Finally, Final Fantasy IV Advance even offers an early version of New Game Plus to players hungry for more, with a new dungeon unlocking after you beat the game. And there's this weird motif where a bunch of NPCs you talk to just dance a bunch. What's that about?
The Conclusion:
Final Fantasy IV review score: 7.9 out of 10
Would I recommend it? To an RPG aficionado, yes. Choose the form of your destruction: there are lots of versions of this game, so pick the one you think you'd like best. Casual RPG players might find this too outdated to fully enjoy, though the updated versions might be fun even for more casual fans. Looking for an Authentic Copy of the Game? We have a few Final Fantasy games for sale in our shop.
Is Final Fantasy IV Advance good?
Not my favorite, but I might play the sequels: FFIV: Interlude and FFIV: The After Years.
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