I would like to begin this review by calling this game an experiment. While relatively new in the RPG market, Square decided to make a sequel to its lone RPG, ironically titled Final Fantasy. While it would have been easy to continue the story set in the first game with the same characters and gameplay, Square decided to go in a completely different direction and make this a sequel in name only. Final Fantasy II has warts and difficulties, but lays the path for what would become the trend for future installs of the Final Fantasy series. Like previously stated, this Final Fantasy is a sequel in name only. The story starts with main characters fleeing their town of Phin when the empire attacks. They eventually settle with a rebel force, with main objective of the game being the destruction of the empire and the subsequent freedom of the world. Instead of having six character classes to choose from in any combination with any name desired, the game starts with four defined characters. While you can still name your characters whatever name you’d like, we’ll use Firion, Maria, Gus and Leon for this review. Gone are the specifications of how a character is defined. While Gus looks like a barbarian, he can easily become a magic user that excels with a bow. It is all about how you decide to use each character and that is the basis for the leveling up system for this game. The staple for any RPG is its leveling up system. The traditional experience/levels are removed in favor of stat based classifications. Each character gains stats based on what they do. For example, the more you use physical attacks, the more your strength will gain. Consequently, your intelligence will decrease because your character is not using magic. While this may seem like the game will define how each character is used, the taking away of stat points rarely happens. The same system is used regarding HP and MP. Basically, the more HP your character loses, the more likely your max HP will rise. This makes you face enemies that are closer stat-wise so that your characters are able to improve. This all but eliminates the need to constantly engage in random battles for the sake of leveling up your characters because easy enemies will have little effect on your stats rising. While this may seem like a novel idea, it can have an adverse effect as well. There are times throughout the game when the competition becomes almost too difficult to continue. In other RPGs, this would be the time when you would beat up weaker enemies to raise your stats and then be ready for the challenge ahead. But since this has been done away with, you have no choice but to charge ahead, even if it means certain death. This makes for oddly challenging portions of the game. Much of the middle was very difficult, while portions near the end were almost too easy. This may have been a by-product of the way I changed my approach once the game became difficult, but nonetheless, it made the game quite aggravating during the difficult times. Other changes include the magic system, the battle menu and new characters. Magic can be learned by anyone and everyone has access to every kind of magic once it is acquired. Every spell, though, starts at level one and increases its level on a point system based on how much the magic is used. The more the spell is used, the more points it gets and the higher level is becomes, making it a stronger spell. This goes along with the stat system the game and fits in well. Also, the amount of MP needed for each spell is equal to the amount of level the spell is at. MP (magic points) is another change. Gone is the set number of times a spell can be used and it is replaced with the MP system, which works a lot like HP system but for magic, which would be used in many of the future Final Fantasies. The battle menu is slightly different. The main difference regards the use of items. The only items a character can use are the ones equipped to the character, which is set at a maximum of two. This really limits a battle to physical and magical attacks and it would have made more sense to have the entire inventory at hand during battle. Also, the flee command hardly works. In fact, I can’t remember if it ever worked, so I stopped trying to use it. The ability to have new characters join the party throughout the game is a new concept for this series. A character will join for a while and then leave, allowing for a new character to eventually join once the situation arises. This enhances the plot tremendously and really adds a great facet to this game. The graphics are standard for the game’s release and are similar to its predecessor, Final Fantasy. Firion looks similar to the fighter from Final Fantasy, while the other characters look very non descript. The sound is quite good with credit due to Nobuo Uematsu. His score really uplifts several sections of the game and has really become a highlight for the series. Final Fantasy II definitely has its rough edges. The leveling up system makes the game hard when it should easy and vice versa. But I prefer to remember the game for the path that it decided to tread. It would have been very easy for developer Square to rehash the elements of Final Fantasy (graphics aside) for this sequel, but it chose to strike new ground and bring forth fresh ideas and concepts that would become the defining characteristics of this series.
Esse jogo pra época que foi lançado, foi com toda certeza o melhor jogo RPG. Os personagens são muito carismáticos e a estória ainda mais interessante. Tenho boas lembranças desse jogo, no qual me fez virar ídolo da séri... Read Full Review
Every gamer knows of Squaresoft’s (now Square Enix) famous series, Final Fantasy. It was made as a going out gift, but ironically, it was so much of a success that it allowed Square to avoid falling from the gaming wor... Read Full Review
