FF Games Help.

[brunoafh]

Get the PSP version of FFIV that's coming out. Avoid the DS one, it should not be your first way to see FFIV by any means.

Is the DS remake worth checking out though? Honestly the graphics kind of turned me off, if I can say that. Pro sprites baby! ...

But the PSP remake coming out does look amazing, I'm mostly interested in it since it includes The After Years. But man, hopefully it's the last time they remake IV.

It depends on how much you like FFIV. Have you played through and beaten the original or the GBA one? I'm pretty opinionated against the DS remake, but unless you've played and completed an original iteration of the game and just want to see it again with a major overhaul, I really can't recommend it.

The only positive noteworthy feature is the addition of the Augment system, but it's far from enough to excuse all of the complaints I have with the DS one. I guess it's an ok remake, a lot of people seemed to like it, but the problem is that it's less enjoyable than the original in just about every way. My biggest gripe, of course, is the art direction. It doesn't fit FFIV at all, and kind of completely ruins the experience for me. It kind of worked for FFIII, but it just doesn't feel or look right in FFIV.

[Dylan]

An important thing to mention: all of the remakes of FF I (not including origins or the wonderswan version) have drastically reduced difficulty. The monsters' attacks are all weaker and your characters level up extremely quickly. The class balance is also even worse than the original, as Red Mages are never useful and Black Mages become obsolete halfway through the game. Thieves and to a lesser extent Monks are better than in the original but still have nothing on Fighters, but White Mages are literally required if you want to beat the hidden bosses.

They're not really bad games, but in my opinion the gameplay was shallower with these versions of FF I. I would stick to Origins as a first priority, but you might get the PSP version just to see all of the extra content and visuals. Origins strikes the best balance between gameplay, visuals, and music in my opinion. It also doesn't suffer from the excessive load times that plagued the other PS1 remakes.

Whew, maybe I'll comment on the others later.

[brunoafh]

An important thing to mention: all of the remakes of FF I (not including origins or the wonderswan version) have drastically reduced difficulty.

I was actually going to suggest the WSC version of FF1, but I figured the OP wouldn't be interested in playing it in Japanese on some obscure handheld. It's the most faithful remake. It really retains the exact feel of the original, while improving every single aspect of the game. The GBA version is great and all (especially since it comes with what I feel is the best version of FFII), but it changes the game's original feel too much.

[Betamax001]

As far as the portable vs. consoles, to me it's more like, do I want to be tethered to my TV and play it there, or do I do alot of traveling and maybe would like to play the games on a portable. If you commute on a train or something or even just around the house like in the bedroom, in the kitchen, in the living room (in the bathroom ) Just something more to consider than whether the ports are that much better or not IMO.

[noiseredux]

An important thing to mention: all of the remakes of FF I (not including origins or the wonderswan version) have drastically reduced difficulty.

I was actually going to suggest the WSC version of FF1, but I figured the OP wouldn't be interested in playing it in Japanese on some obscure handheld. It's the most faithful remake. It really retains the exact feel of the original, while improving every single aspect of the game. The GBA version is great and all (especially since it comes with what I feel is the best version of FFII), but it changes the game's original feel too much.

the PS1 and GBA ports are based on the WSC remake.

[CDink]

Wow, thank you guys.

I have a DS version of IV sitting in my drawer at work, with my discount it would be like 10 bucks. Would that be worth it?

Also, I want my Original playthroughs of each game to be as close to when they were originally played as I can.

[Dylan]

An important thing to mention: all of the remakes of FF I (not including origins or the wonderswan version) have drastically reduced difficulty.

I was actually going to suggest the WSC version of FF1, but I figured the OP wouldn't be interested in playing it in Japanese on some obscure handheld. It's the most faithful remake. It really retains the exact feel of the original, while improving every single aspect of the game. The GBA version is great and all (especially since it comes with what I feel is the best version of FFII), but it changes the game's original feel too much.

It's a shame that the WSC one isn't very accessible, I agree that it's a very solid remake. The change in the "feel" of the game is a good way to phrase it, it's just not the same experience.

the PS1 and GBA ports are based on the WSC remake.

That is the truth. The gameplay was noticeably tweaked in Origins with things like the MP system, and drastically altered in Dawn of Souls with its aforementioned drop in difficulty. What I don't get is why they gave a hard mode option for FF II in Dawn of Souls, but only an easy mode option for FF I.

[brunoafh]

I have a DS version of IV sitting in my drawer at work, with my discount it would be like 10 bucks. Would that be worth it?

If you want to play the worst version of the game, then I guess it's worth it.

the PS1 and GBA ports are based on the WSC remake.

Yeah, but the GBA one is drastically different (magic system is totally changed, class balancing is very different, difficulty overall is a joke), and the PS1 remake is fairly different too. The WSC remake is so close to the NES one that I'd almost just consider it an enhanced port. It doesn't feature any of these gameplay or difficulty alterations present in all the other remakes.

[noiseredux]

Yeah, but the GBA one is drastically different (magic system is totally changed, class balancing is very different, difficulty overall is a joke), and the PS1 remake is fairly different too. The WSC remake is so close to the NES one that I'd almost just consider it an enhanced port.

true true. If I remember correctly, the PS1 version is far less buggy than the GBA version. Though whatever, I'm dying to play the PSP port.

[Dylan]

Wow, thank you guys.

I have a DS version of IV sitting in my drawer at work, with my discount it would be like 10 bucks. Would that be worth it?

Also, I want my Original playthroughs of each game to be as close to when they were originally played as I can.

In that case, you'll want to stick with the original hardware as much as you can. For FF I, Origins still feels pretty close to the original. The NES one can still be purchased at a relatively low price.

FF II is virtually unplayable in its original form unfortunately, the game is truly atrocious. You should go with one of the remakes (preferably the PSP version), because they did a good job fixing the broken mess that the game once was.

FF III hasn't seen a lot of releases, and the DS remake is the only official release it's seen outside of Japan. If emulation isn't an option, then that's about your only choice besides playing it in Japanese.

FF IV is best on the SNES. The PS1 version should be avoided (load times), but the GBA version can hold its own (it's inferior but only by a small margin). The DS remake isn't that great, largely because of the poor visuals. However, with the new collection coming out for the PSP there's a possibility that that one will come out ahead in terms of content.

FF V is better on the GBA because it doesn't suffer the long loading times that the PS1 version has. It's also the only other version that was localized outside of Japan.

FF VI is best on the SNES. The PS1 port should be avoided (load times), but the GBA version can hold its own in terms of quality (the music does suffer a tad, but there's a little extra content).