Is Final Fantasy IV REALLY That Great?
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- Опубліковано 25 бер 2023
- FFIV has among the best reputations in the series. How does it hold up today?
Developed and published by Square, Final Fantasy IV is a JRPG released in 1991 for the Super Famicom. It was brought to the SNES as Final Fantasy II, since it was only the second FF game released here.
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Disclaimer:
I completed FFIV in early 2021 and made this video based on a review I wrote soon after finishing the game. I've played several FF games since, so it'll be awhile before my videos catch up with my progress.
Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection footage from / @dansg08
ファイナルファンタジーIV
#FinalFantasyIV #FinalFantasyII #FinalFantasyIVRetrospective #FinalFantasyIVReview #FF4 #FFIV #FF4Retrospective #FinalFantasy4Review #FinalFantasyXIII2 #SquareEnix #Squaresoft #SNES #SFC #gaming #RPG #JRPG - Ігри
Ff4 didn't follow rpg trends, it was the basis for many things we now consider stereotypical of an tpg
FInal Fantasy IV was Final Fantasy VII before there was a Final Fantasy VII! The Asura battle was memorable! And I love how they do the bad guy switch with Golbez! I remember thinking Golbez was gonna be the main villain all the way through! Also I’m partial to it because it was the first rpg I ever played that really had characters and stories!
I started with FFXV when it came out and recently started playing through the mainline games from the beginning with the pixel remasters. IV is very strong in its characters, story, boss fights, music, and game mechanics. I feel like it’s aged really well, along with the rest of I-VI
It was basically one of the first to really have much of a story etc i don't think many ppl will be disappointed because this game is awesome. Greeat character lineup and Golbez is a good villian overall! He's not sephiroth or Kefka but still cool
Im playing them chronically and shocked you said nothing stands out. I found this one to be by far the most ambitious of the early ones in terms of presenting a story and making actual characters.
While FFIV's curated experience might not be your favorite, I really like the terrific harmony in its design. Everything comes together to serve its story (one of the first character-driven JRPGs) and the ATB system (perhaps divisive now, but definitely a core part of the FFIV experience).
A lot has already been said elsewhere of the brilliant integration of story and gameplay elements in FFIV, but I'll still sing its praises here. While wandering through Waterfall Cave with Rydia fighting packs of undead (which Cecil struggles to deal with) we immediately notice she doesn't have the Fire spell, even though Cure is almost as good here. Tellah has all the spells you would need, but never enough mana to cast as much as you'd like. Back to his troubles with undead, Cecil is carried by his companions all the way up Mt. Ordeals only to literally gain the Protect ability on his way back down. Edward may be weak enough to just Hide away to save on healing costs, but he's still there should there be any battle where an extra character is really needed. And I can go on.
The ATB system (while copied to death in later JRPGs) added an element of timing to boss fights. No longer are fights only puzzles on what element/status works best on a boss (though there are still some of those), but now you must time your attacks to gain maximum effect. From the Mist Dragon to the Four Fiends to the Final Boss, mastering battle timing is a must. And the fact that the main characters are a Paladin (who can protect against incoming physical attacks if your party's health is just right at the moment of attack), a White Mage (who can heal up the party just before a massive AoE attack), and a Dragoon (who can dodge incoming attacks with a well-timed Jump) makes this game arguably the most fun in the series to play those jobs, especially as the emphasis on timing makes simpler jobs with strong passives or intuitive gameplay more relevant than tactically complex classes from other titles.
I appreciate hearing why people love it so much
Epic game 4 , 5 and 6 are all still sublime
Definitely agree with your opinion on the active time battle system. I like being able to chill out and take my time with battles in rpgs. I usually have a much better time with traditional, turn based combat. I did think ATB was unique and fun, but I’m glad not every rpg switched to it after FF4.
Seems everyone keeps overlooking that there is a Wait option for every version of FF4 (from the original SNES to the present) that stops the ATB timer when you're selecting items/magic from the menu, so it's hard to see where that would be a deal-breaker... pretty sure I set that option whenever I played it.
My biggest problem with FF 4 is that it's just outdated in every way,it lacks party customization so if you love games like disgaea or even ff5 you will be frustrated by the game's limitations,the characters are just ok nothing out of this world same thing with the story,i had to stop playing it when i got to the middle there just isn't any reason for us to beat this game unless we are trying to finish all games in the mainline series
But the uniqueness (strengths & weaknesses) of each character is what makes this game what it was.
This game is highly representative of what a D&D campaign is. A bunch of people thrown into a quest, each with their own role.
Going back to FF1, we also had the class system. Though the player designed the party. And FF5 made it into a much more advanced system.
FF2, 6, and 7 are way more balanced in that any character can learn any ability
The question of to stop or continue any game is always there. If you don't like FF or RPG...oh well.
@@CurlyFromTheSwirly i am going to try it again via GBA emulator ,i finished final fantasy v recently i liked the game with the exception Being the difficulty spikes that the games has towards the end and optional op bosses in the rift(Omega and that Dragon)that can kill the player without any warning.
@@isidorodaviddoro1920,
I liked Final Fantasy 5.
Finally someone that shares my opinion on this game. To my arms, brother!
Glad you two posers found a bromance 😂
The first example is rarely the best. In the context of its time, there was no competition at all in terms of character development in a video game. We have ff 6 and 7 because of how well this sorry resonated in its own time
Yes!
Man you gotta have balls to rank ff4 below 1 2 and 3. I respect that.
I'd take a kick on the shins over playing FF2 again.
This guy really likes systems though, which is lacking in FF4
I don't respect it he's just fucking wrong
It's wild seeing the discourse over this game change over the years. Back when I first played it back in like 2007 I remember it was super well loved but I am seeing more people nowadays critical about it which is a welcome change even though I stan this game lol.
Even though the story is really dumb alot of the time and the mechanics simple it worked for me back then since I wasn't exactly good at RPGs by any stretch of the imagination and I was young enough to be engrossed into the darker plot. It really did establish my appreciation for narratives in games along with the RPG genre in general beyond Pokemon.
I think you might like the 3D version since the combat is much different and much more challenging. The boss fights in that game also have way more mechanics.
I plan to check it out once I'm done with the main series. I really like the 3D version of FFIII, at any rate
@@rpg_haven then you should the the more mechanical depth and over harder gameplay of ff4 3D. Though it still has the most problems of the other versions.
for ATB system their usually is a "Wait" mode in the options menu where when it gets to someone's turn the game will stop and you can take your time honestly, the more you know!
Time is still a factor in Wait mode, which I do use, but it's so minor that it becomes annoying. At that point I'd rather Wait mode be fully turn-based so I don't have to think about it.
Wait mode usually only stops in the item selection menu and spell selection menu, otherwise time continues. Thats how it works in FFV anywau
Which version of this game did you play? It looks freaking weird. Should have played the original SNES version
I felt Final Fantasy 2 (the actual 2nd) was too short. This game was a decent play through time.
That being said, I don't know why Zot wasn't put in the actual world, but seems like a place conjured by Golbez.
And they should have had more battles for the dark crystals.
Good Video
Ff4 was a bit of a dud for me. If you don't view it through the lens of when it came out, it's generic and plodding and railroads you from point to point. Big positives were the lunar whale and the fact that five party slots meant that they could really crank up the boss difficulty, especially in the mid game
Finally someone who agrees with me on FFIV ;)
I just finished the game tonight and I agree with mostly everything you said. Good twists and turns, but the battle system was more chaotic than other games and you couldn't really customize or specialize characters to your liking. I played it in spurts, but I didn't form a bond to play all the after years content. Great video. Subscribed!
Thanks for watching!
You know, I actually agree that FF4 is not one I personally enjoy very much, but I can't help but have a deep respect and admiration for it and it's place in especially Western culture. It was an absolute mammoth of an RPG. It did so many things for the first time. It was incredibly innovative and inspirational in most respects. Granted, we didn't get the original FF2 until way later, so I'm sure that impacted our view of 4 quite a bit, but still, there's something special and charming about 4's characters and story and even the innovation of the introduction of the ATB system (this was the first one, yo! that's kind of a big deal!), plus having 5 characters in your party (holy shit!)? I dunno...I have mad respect for it, even though it's fairly low on my FF tier list, too. Strange, huh?
The fact that every character in this version has the same waiting pose is disappointing.
What the heck is Final Fantasy X doing in the B TIER?! I mean Not everyone puts it in S tier, sure. But I think almost all agree it at least deservers A tier minimum.
B tier for me is probably higher compared to how most people rank. I like to make use of the full scale since I play more good games than bad ones
FF4 has some of the weirdest difficulty choices - either your characters feel stupid overpowered, or like they litterally are useless and can't do anything.
I like the general plot and such, but like you said, it does fly by.
What level were you when you beat the game? I ask because if you did zero grinding and just rushed thru the story then you would have been very underpowered at the last boss.
I think I grinded a little toward the end, but not much. I played the PSP version, if that makes a difference
@@rpg_haven right on. I just remember destroying this game in the early 90s and that last boss didn’t die unless you were at least in the 60s and the story if you don’t grind gets you to about 50 or so.
Actually, this game was highly designed to be balanced that players usually didn't have to grind.
This is especially true of the 1st time players go through a game, because you don't know where everything is you wind up walking around a lot more. (You're basically lost.)
I don't feel I have to grind much when I replay FF4. The only part I recall is preparing to fight dark elf.
I've noticed a lot more when replaying other RPGs that I have be patent and level up my group because I was too fast going through dungeons.
@@rpg_havenIt does… a lot. The JP FF4 was notorious for its difficulty. PS1 and maybe Pixel Remaster are the closest to the original.
FFIV is the best one. And the best first one to play. You are insane to have it so low.
FF4 was for a long time the only main FF game I played, only get to play more FF games a few years back. My only problem for this game is the flip flop roster all over the course of story make it hard to focus and not customizable at all until the very endgame, story is fine for what it is and even agree with you a bit that the pacing move a bit too fast, 3D version expanded for characters a little more and I like them to begin with (Maybe except Edge and Tellah).
I have no gripe with the gameplay as I like both turn-based and action RPG and ATB is like a bridge of them, and although I hate force party switching especially this often it still good enough to let pass for me.
Final Fantasy IV is my favorite entry in the series (well, I still can't decide between it and FFV), but it felt so refreshing to hear your opinion about the game, what things didn't land, and the general ranking of it compared to the other entries in the series. Despite how much I love the game, every critique you had I either understood where you were coming from or I also agreed! I'd say the two things about the game that bugged me though were that Edge came way too late into the story and how every playable character that presumably died came back in the end (minus Tellah). The weight of their sacrifices was lost as a result especially compared to Final Fantasy II where it was straight up permanent and left a bigger impact on me.
Anyway, I've watched a few of your other reviews/retrospectives and they're fantastic! Especially your Final Fantasy II review, which as a fellow fan of it, pretty much sums up how I feel about the game too. The same goes for your review of Final Fantasy V! I hope you enjoy your journey through FFVI! And if you ever plan on revisiting FFIV, I'd like to know if your opinion changes playing the DS/Steam 3D version.
It was a treat reading your thoughts, I can't wait to play VI. Sounds like I'll also have to check out the DS version of IV someday
I came into this video ready to be mad at you, but I can't disagree with most of your points. It's not a perfect game, even if I hold it very close to my heart.
The SNES version looks way better, the colors and details are better. The sprites and everything look amazing on a crt tv.
I don't doubt it
I'm excited to hear your opinion on FF6. I'm only 22 years old but most of my favorite jrpgs are from mid to late 90s.
I'm excited to play it. The 90s were the golden era, no doubt
While ff4 isnt close to my favorite, you gotta be crazy to say its worse than 1, 2, and 3 🤯
I just found your channel. I should have picked a different game to start with. I couldn’t disagree more with you on your take on this game. It seemed like you struggled to find any good things to say about this game. I don’t know I’ve ever seen anyone be so harsh with every aspect of this game. I suppose I’ll watch a few more of your videos to get a better idea of your likes. Maybe I’ll pick a game you did like and give that a watch.
Hate to leave a bad impression, but thanks for watching and letting me know what you thought. I do like FFIV, it just wasn't what I wanted after playing many other FF games first. I'll try the DS version someday
Most of my reviews tend are positive though, it's rare that I don't like an RPG. But I find flaws more interesting to talk about
@@rpg_haven I think if you weren't a huge fan (I'm guessing the PSP version) of the 2d version, the 3d remake won't change things. It was basically the same engine as the American 3 that you covered.
I think it's just a matter of when someone was introduced to the series. I've been playing things since the original NES so the first few games (American 1, 2, and 3) were HUGE at the time. Obviously when compared to the newer ones they are pretty generic.
You didn't leave a bad impression. I did watch a few of your other videos. Am watching one now actually. I'm anxiously awaiting your video for VI. As back in the day that WAS the best RPG by most standards until the PSONE era and VII was released. Cheers!
Algorithm
It is if you play the 3d remake!
FFV was better by far.
uncharted has 4 games!
I always forget the fourth game exists. Didn't care much for it-too dark, too serious, no cheese.
I'm not much a fan of FF4 myself so I really feel what you're saying on this one. I don't really care about ATB since you can just hang on attack selections if you need time to think. It doesn't make the game worse necessarily but I don't see how it adds anything the game either. The story was ambitious for the time but I don't think it's anything especially good outside of that context. Apparently the guys in Japan didn't think the story was good either since FF5 went for a bog standard plot with corny comedy. I do usually like when games shuffle the characters in your party more often, I just think FF4 doesn't take advantage of the idea as well as it could. Like most Final Fantasies the game is pretty easy which makes the mechanical differences of your party stand out less and FF4 doesn't always give party members enough personality to make up for that.
Yeah... I'm not a fan either. The twists and turns were irritating to me. The gameplay-story integration is the strong point for me with the party shuffling and the pivotal class change.. but that's it. I dropped it shoprtly after beating rubicante, I was seriously fed up with it. I also disagree about the music. It's absoluteley a stand out compared to other games from the generation. It's Nobuo Uematsu after all (what a god) but FF6,7,8,9 and 10s scores are better in my opinion. I'm not sure which I prefer tho.
You know, I'm not that big of a FFIV fan myself. But dude, how are you gonna put Final Fantasy X in B tier? D:< Amazing story, amazing soundtrack, great character development, plenty to do aside from the main story, very well articulated combat system. For shame!
I did a video on X if you want to check it out. B tier still means I liked it tho. I've yet to play a bad Final Fantasy game
@rpg_haven
FF Tactics was trash.
Many hate Mystic Quest.
@@CurlyFromTheSwirly Hahah, I'm actually streaming Mystic Quest now and am inclined to agree. Music's good, though.
Pop in for a stream sometime, every Tuesday night
@rpg_haven
HA HA, cool.
I have a fondness for Mystic Quest.
It's not meant to be a great game.
Main title number FFs are meant to be great.