If you're looking for an epic story between good and evil with superb gameplay then you'll want to check out this game.
THE GOOD
-Superb story
-Great leveling system
-Awesome battle system
-Excellent musical soundtrack
-Epic boss battles
THE BAD
-Dated graphics
OVERVIEW
Final Fantasy IV is another amazing RPG from Square Soft with a likable cast of characters and an incredible story that draws you into the game. At the beginning you play as the main character who is the captain of the Red Wings (no not Steve Yzerman), Cecil. Cecil is a dark knight who doesn't feel so good after his latest mission to take the Water Crystal from the people of Mysidia. When Cecil returns to his home town of Baron he begins to question his King's actions. When the King of Baron hears of Cecil's treacherous thoughts, he relieves Cecil of his command of the Red Wings. Cecil's friend, Cain, tries to defend Cecil but he is to late.
Now Cecil is put on grunt duty to patrol and eliminate monsters on his way to the Village of Mist. Upon reaching the Village of Mist, Cecil learns that the item he brings is a weapon that destroys the whole town except for a young summoner named Rydia. Feeling absolutely betrayed now, Cecil vows right there that he will stop his former king's evil ways. Unfortunately for Cecil, the king is just a puppet in an even larger evil plot. In order for our main character to triumph over this greater evil he must forget his ways of the dark knight and pursue a more noble profession. Cecil must learn the ways of the holy paladin to even have a chance against the pure evil that plagues the land.
Luckily, for our noble hero, there are other good people that want to help Cecil in his quest. People like Rosa (white mage) who is in love with Cecil and always see the good in him. Cain (dragoon), Cecil's most trusted friend who doesn't always see eye to eye with him but deep down wants to help the cause. Rydia (summoner), the young girl that is unsure of her powers but since she lost her entire family to evil she wants to bring peace back to the world. Cecil also meets up with other characters which includes the brilliant sage Tella, the lonely bard Edward and the vivacious monk Yang. You'll get to meet and use all these characters and find out more about there side stories.
GAMEPLAY
Final Fantasy IV is a role playing game that utilizes the class system. This means that every character, in the game, has unique abilities based on their class type. For example, Rosa is a white mage and as she levels up she learns more white magic to help defend and heal the party. The leveling system works the same for every character. As your party defeats enemies the experience is shared between all the characters that survived the battle. Once the experience gained exceeds certain character cut-off points, that character will level up. Upon leveling up he or she will obtain new spells and see and increase in physical attributes like strength, HP, and MP. So, the higher the level the more damage they can inflict and absorb. The leveling system in FFIV is a good system and since your character's attributes are updated automatically, it makes things simple.
Battling works on a random system with a few location specific battles. As you move your party on the screen you have a certain chance to engage in a random battle after every step you take. They have greatly decreased the amount of random battles that happen since Final Fantasy 1 so you won't get into a fight every two seconds. This is a definite plus. Before you fight you can go into your main menu and setup your formation on the battle field. This lets you decide who will be in the front and back rows. Each row has its advantages and disadvantages. Front row characters will take more damage but will have a chance to deal a lot more physical damage. Back row characters will deal less physical damage, unless they have a ranged weapon like a bow, but also take less damage. Typically you'll want to put your warriors in front and spell casters in back. Another thing to keep in mind is that the battle system works on a timed-turn basis. This means that you have to be quick with you actions because the enemy can attack at anytime. So, there are plenty of strategic elements to fighting in Final Fantasy IV which makes the battles fun and exciting. And trust me, some of the boss battles get very intense so your skills will be put to the test.
Besides going through the main story, Final Fantasy IV gives the player a chance to complete some optional quests. These side quests not only extend the story but can also prove to be rewarding. You could earn valuable experience, obtain super weapons or unlock ultimate summons for Rydia. The world in this game is huge so you'll have plenty of exploring to do. Plus, there are many ways to explore this world besides walking on foot. Airships, hovercrafts and the ever popular chocobo will aid you in your travels. Another added plus is that you and a friend can play together and share in this great gaming experience. The second player only takes control of specific characters in battle but this can prove to increase your party's quickness and effectiveness in dire situations.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
The graphics in Final Fantasy IV is the weak point to this game. The disappointment in the visual design gives the game a dated look that may turn away a few gamers.
With the famous Nobuo Uematsu composing the music, you're almost guaranteed a masterpiece. FF4 really excels in the audio department with its compelling musical score and crisp sound effects.
CONCLUSION
This RPG really stands out as a superb game with its excellent story, characters and gameplay. For role playing fanatics this is a must for your library. For other non-RPG players I would recommend trying it out. This game may look dated but this gem has the ability to turn non-RPGers into avid players. So, get ready to enjoy an epic battle between good and evil, meet new friends and experience extraordinary gaming.