Even if the game sare still in Japanese, I took time to have a hans-on on these games… i cannot talk much about the story 'coz I can’t understand Japs, but I can share some insights like gameplay if anyone cares. :moogle:
Sure, go ahead. I wasn’t even aware there was FFCC spin-off!
Yep, it’s been announced for the States. I believe FF4 and FFTA2 haven’t yet, though.
Final Fantasy IV DS. I think it is great that it did not lose its appeal. The maps in towns and dungeons did not change! I’m really glad. Everything was given 3D look, but the maps are exactly the same. This erases one of my worries for the remake of FF6.
The lower screen is used as your map. As you explore a particular area, more of the map will be revealed just like playing Diablo II. Whenever you get 100% in each map, you will get an item (well, i think it is an item :P).
The stylus has very little use for the game, and it’s not even good to use it for purposes of walking/running in towns.p
<p>Cutscenes are full of emotions tha never.</p><p>What made me happy is the fact that places, including intricate dungeons) remained true to the original. They simply made a 3d model, but it is exactly the same areas. So lets say, X road is a perfect vertical and there is a bridge at the end of it, the same is perfectly presented there, but now it is in 3d form.</p><p align=“center”><img src=“http://i27.tinypic.com/2zrdevl.png” border=“0” /><br />Screenshot from FF4 Advance</p><p align=“center”><img src=“http://i27.tinypic.com/152ygy1.jpg” border=“0” /><br />Combined screenshot of the 2 screens of DS<br />from FF4 DS remake </p><p>Something made the map so much more convenient is the fact that the map reveals treaure chests within the immediate area you have already explored. It even shows if you have already opened the chests or not.</p>
The emotion that will be generated by the use of 3d in this game has given it so much more. Like, for example, in a night scene at the early part of the game, in the 2d version, Cecil appears to be looking only at the side of the wall. In the remake, you’ll see him staring at the moon contemplating on something, then here comes Rosa… Also, the scene where Cecil and Kain is leaving the castle going to the Mist Cave is very nice. In the 2d version they just exit the castle gate and this screen with text and the FF song will appear. In the remake, you’ll see them walking toward the gate and all those soldiers will salute them along the way… It’s definitely great.
As to the battl, there were several changes in the battle system, but it is for the better (I think). The biggest change I have encountered so far in the remake is in the Dark sword attack of Cecil. In the 2d version, if you pick the Dark sword attack, Cecil will unleash this attack that hits all enemies. In the remake, when you choose the Dark sword, Cecil will not attack. He will charge up and will have this dark aura around him, then every time he attacks, it will be a dark sword attack to a “single” enemy. Of course it still consumes his HP.
Oh yeah, when the Mist Dragon attacks, there will be a scene showing how the Mist Dragon attacks them, unlike in the 2d version where suddenly, the boss will attack them (of course there is a hint given. ).
I haven’t gone far in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates , but I had the chance to roam around the town and have some battles, talk to some people and explore around. There is also a nice FMV at the start of the game. The characters are cute. There are 3 difficulty levels. You can skip cutscenes anytime you want by using the stylus in the lower screen. It also supports full voice overs during important cut-scenes. I only reached to the part wher eI fought and defeated the first boss (reminds me of FFVII’s Guard Scorpion). The heroes of the game are these two young kids. I think they are twins. The initial setting is quite hilarious. When they wandered inside this cave and there started some tremors and the huge boss appeared, the young boy was even happy and excited. After the battle, this girl, which looks like a ghost/spirit appeared. It cause huge fear to the young girl causing her to panic and started running away dragging his brother. Btw, the graphics is a degraded version of FFIII DS, but less cartoony. The characters are cute, but the coloring is a little bland for me. Battles are basically hack n’ slash, with fashion. You can pick up your enemies and throw them or bump them to walls for damages. You can jump and hang up on flying monsters and attack them at the same time. There is also this special ability (so far I have only one) where you will be put into the second screen of the DS and you will try to aim at the enemy and hit them for huge damage. It will cost you MP, though. I think it is quite cool. The experience I had made me remember Square’s “Threads of Fate”. Well, this is “Ring of Fates”. Who knows? This is going to be an enjoyable game.
As for Final Fantasy Tactics A2, there is no openning FMV or anime, instead, the game will start with in-game cut-scene inside a school. The main charater will go inside the library and will find this mysterios book where he will be sucked inside the Finla Fantasy world of Ivalice… Yeah. The setting is like that of the first FFTA game. The most noticeable differenc ein the first and this second game is the graphics. A2’s graphics is very smooth and good to the eyes. The battle system is very similar to the first game. There is still the same job system. I just fought the huge Cockatrice we have been seeing in the past screenshots that were made available in the internet. She’s quite powerful, but you can best him. Just like in the first one, you will have to name your clan and you will focus on doing a lot of hunts/side-quests. Btw, during battles, there is this new feature where you will be asked to choose what “Clan-Ability” you want to be active during that particular battle. Of course, the “Judge Law” will still be there. New races were added in the game. The first one is this brown panther-like guy (like the one in FF12). Seeqs are also present here now. I’m quite sure we will be seeing more.