So... Final Fantasy IV DS... Yeah...

[SB]

Game is the hardest FF I've played since the NES original cart I own, or possibly FFXI, though the latter is more of a time sink by nature, and hard in different ways... Though... This game shares a good bit in common with the original FF now, as far as practice and application seems to go. Oh yeah, 3-10ish gil from fights, which feel and act like struggles of life and death for a change, and most of your winnings go to the Inn, so welcome back to RPG Gameplay of True 92, where grinding is your only form of safety from the enemies, since unless you find it in a chest or win it from a fight, odds are that the shiny gear you see in stores is just there to remind you how poor you are. 

Enemies cast Break/Petrify right as soon as you leave Baron, and also cast Slow on you too. Enemies also seem to have Counter Magic now, where if you cast certain things on them, they'll cast preset spells of their own, like Reraise, and reviving all their pals you just killed... Oh yeah, Goblins/Imps? Lowest enounter rating they've ever had in a FF game now, replaced by the new Ahriman enemies that I really don't remember right outside of Baron at the start of the game, which now appear as regularly as those did. Lots of harder level mobs popping up so far that shouldn't be where they are, unless my memory is failing me, since old game and aging player are kinda getting up there now.

Pretty game is definetely pretty, though. All the major plot scenes so far, save for a few, have actually been voiced. Kain is so hardcore old world talk, that he's rose even higher on the scale of greatness, for people that fap to the Dragoon stick. Cecil and the rest... Not really that old world in dialog. Story rewrite is pretty good too, and definetely more fleshed out than past renditions, which is a great perk.

So two hours in, and "SES SIL" is about level 17-18 now, and enemies still can wipe him out in a single turn. Finally got Sage Tellah, and things are starting to even out a bit, but just a little. Going to sink more time into this, since it feels like a pure gem, especially after that LOLSTARFORCE deal...

[Mikero]

Pretty game is definetely pretty

Why do people write like this?

[SB]

So people like Sano don't go, "tl:dr" to every topic in the world?

[Vinchenz Rock]

Pretty game is definetely pretty

Why do people write like this?

Didn't you know!? Redundancy is funny!

Anyway, I won't be playing this until Thursday.

[SB]

Anyway, I won't be playing this until Thursday.

But...! But...! You are CANADIAN! Your money is worth MORE than America's Monopoly money paper! You could be playing this YESTERDAY with that kind of capitial power!

[Winged Warrior]

Pretty game is definetely pretty

Why do people write like this?

Didn't you know!? Redundancy is funny!

Unaware ninja is unenlightened.

[MOX]

With the DS I'd take high quailty sprites over polygons any day. (doesn't mean I dont enjoy some 3d graphics on the DS) Even though I didnt like FFTA2 too much, for me the backgrounds and sprites were some of the best I've seen on the DS.

There ARE some good looking 3d games on the DS though. The pre-rendered cut scenes will obviously look great as well.

Putting graphics talk aside I hope IV is a lot better than III. I think I'll give this game a try as a friend is going to get it.

[SB]

You'll definetely enjoy it if you liked the original version. Seems pretty faithful so far, save for that spike in difficulty that modern era players will whine and moan about.

[Captain Sanoguchi]

So people like Sano don't go, "tl:dr" to every topic in the world?

Dude, I totally did tl:dr the first post.

Anyboo, my thoughts on the game.

As for the plot, it's really a downward spiral. The story is good, it's just bad things happen in it too much.
I mean, it's like...
"Hai King, I'm starting to doubt your orders and question my own morals. :("
"YOU DARE THINK ABOUT STUFF! YOU LOSE YOUR STUFF! >:("
Then it's like...
"I'm going to give these people a present! ^_^"
*Explosions*
"Oh no! This is all my fault! :("
After that...
"I'LL SACRIFICE MYSELF TO BEAT THIS BAD GUY! >:)"
*Lasers*
"Hahahahahahaha! No."
"Poop. :("
*Dies*

Yeah, the graphics are nice.

The difficulty is difficult.
No matter how much you level up, in the next dungeon you go to there will be a random encounter monster that'll be able to kill your whole party in one attack. The whole game is just a constant fight for survival. You know, I was really hoping like in most RPGs there'd be a point where I'd be strong enough to kill everything with ease, but no, not in this game.

[Mikero]

So people like Sano don't go, "tl:dr" to every topic in the world?

I did read it all. But until I play the game, I have nothing to say.
And I am not a person "like Sano".

Pretty game is definetely pretty

Why do people write like this?

Didn't you know!? Redundancy is funny!

Unaware ninja is unenlightened.

No I knew it was supposed to be a joke, and I've seen people use it all over the internet. I'm wondering why people think it's funny and/or cool. It's very much neither.

[Vinchenz Rock]

Probably because 4Chan thought it up. Everything from 4Chan is funny AND cool, didnts u know!?!/!/1

Anyway, I won't be playing this until Thursday.

But...! But...! You are CANADIAN! Your money is worth MORE than America's Monopoly money paper! You could be playing this YESTERDAY with that kind of capitial power!

I would be playing this game the day it came out if I didn't live 2 hours away from a gaming shop.

[Mikero]

Plus no one absolutely HAS to get a game the day it comes out, sheesh.

[Fatso]

Yes, but how many of us bought Brawl on release day?


*raises hand*

I intend to get Mega Man 9 and StarCraft II on their respective release days as well.

[Mikero]

That's great for you, but no one else has to.

[Vinchenz Rock]

Only games I ever bought on release were Wind Waker and Brawl.

Brawl was obvious, I think half of the members here bought it on release day, and Wind Waker because I just happened to have been in town the day it came out.

I don't really plan on doing it again... maybe MegaMan 9 but only because you don't have to go to the store to get it. Other than that, I can wait.

[NovaMan XP]

I'll be getting MM9 on release day because all I have to do is turn on the Wii and go to the Shop Channel.

Brawl was the first (and probably will be the last) time I ever went to a midnight release for.

Other than that I usually don't get games on the release day, since there's the chance the store won't have it for some dumb reason.

[ASR]

I used to get myself really excited for certain games, and then count down the days until they were released.
Brawl was the last game I did that with.

I remember back in the day when Ocarina of Time was coming out... I was SO excited, and I had just gotten surgery, so my mom went out to buy it for me on the day it was released, and she was trying to get the "limited edition golden cartridge" but they were all out so she had to settle for the gray one and I was all "hey mom it's cool thanks for the game i can't wait to play lol" but in my childish head I was thinking "##### the world! Gold or bust!"

And stuff.

[preventerWIND]

She should have used the "my son is in the hospital on his deathbed!" excuse and she probably coulda gotten one.

[ASR]

She did use the "my son just had surgery and really really really wants it" but apparently they were genuinely sold out.

I remember feeling bad for her because I could tell she really tried. I was like 7, though, so I was really more excited for the game and could care less about her. I was in pain, anyway.

Anyway, I forgot to conclude: I no longer really get excited for games anymore. Brawl was a rare occasion but it was justifiable since everyone was going crazy for it. I'll definitely get MM9 the day it comes out unless I'm somehow prevented or too busy, but that's easily downloadable and I have 1000 Wii Points already set aside for it.

[Mikero]

I can get excited for a game and "can't wait for it to come out" or "can't wait to play it" but I'm not compelled to actually head out for it the second it's out.

[ASR]

Lately I've just been like "oh, cool, that's coming out? maybe i'll play it," even with things I really want like Banjo-Threeie and Wario Land: Shake It.

Ha, I haven't bought a 360 game since Rock Band. And there's been at least 20 games I've seen and thought "ooh, sweet, I'm gonna' get that" since then. I've been meaning to play Skate for a LONG time now.

[Majikn]

This game doesn't seem that difficult so far, and I've reached the point where
[spoiler]Tellah died.[/spoiler]

You guys realize: all those high level random encounters that can wipe out your party? I just... run away from them. Part of survival in this kind of game is knowing when to retreat. And they're pretty rare, anyway.

Anyway I'm really enjoying this game. Compared to FFVII, I can actually say I like all of the characters and they all seem important to the plot (so far, at least), I like the style compared to games like FFXII, and I'm having a blast playing through the story for the first time.

[Captain Sanoguchi]

Yeah, running is definitely something you have to do from time to time.
Also yeah, the story is pretty cool and the characters are actually tolerable and stuff, I mean all the characters before FF7 are nice and cool and stuff, they're not all whiny emo bitches who look like girls.
I mean, I've actually taken a liking to most of the characters, and they all have a little bit more depth because of the whole pause thought bubble things.
Yeah, but some of the characters are awesome.
It's just that ever since FF7 they've been cramming the games full of cardboard cutouts of emo girly boys instead of actual characters.

Cecil > Cloud
Cid 1-6 > Cid 7-?
Golbez > Sepiroth
Et Cetera...

I mean, FF1-FF6 need to get the respect they deserve.
Still, if Cecil shows up in any of those #####ty Kingdom Hearts games I'll die a little inside.

[Vinchenz Rock]

Cecil will probably show up in Dissidia, along with the other Final Fantasy main characters and their respective villains.

Anyway, I'm surprised I haven't beat this game yet.

[spoiler]
I just got the Lunar Whale and about to head for that thar moon.[/spoiler]

[TheRedPriest]

Final Fantasy 4 is my favorite in the series hands down.  This remake does not dissappoint.  I really can't say anything bad about the game outside a few things that boil down to personal prefrence (the way the stats are arranged on the lower screen and the "active" and "wait" settings both pretty much working like "active" as well as only getting 2 new game + files).

The scrip rewrite is one of the best I've ever seen outside of the porno mag being called lustfull lail-ho.  Game is a lot harder, no doubt.  Gill is in short supply compared to the old version, which freaked me out at first, but really, any time you have Rosa you can Pray your way to full health/MP pretty easy.  I've barely bought any supplies in the game. 

As far as DS specific changes go, they offset the normal difficulty, especially the map feature and the Augments.  Cecil with Draw Attack and Counter essentially removes most of the difficulty.  Other Augments are also pretty game breaking (if you can find the damn things).  If you want to get the best Augments, you WILL need to play the game with a FAQ as you go.  I also found myself looking at the map screen more than the game screen because it showed you dead ends a hell of a lot faster than you'd find them just wondering around.  Makes dungeons MUCH easier to navigate.

All in all this game really makes me long for the day when Final Fantasy was a solid RPG series and not a #####ty emo/efeminate "male" lead psudo fantasy/scifi #####fest that it's become.

I can not wait for 6 to get the DS remake treatment!  Shame we'll likely have to wait through 5 to get to it though.

[Majikn]

I've noticed that "Wait" actually stops the active time gauge thing when you're doing certain things, whereas "Active" I'm pretty sure keeps the thing moving at all times.

Another thing I've found is that you can just cure your party to full health and catch a white chocobo. There goes the cost of an Inn, or potions, or phoenix down even. At least outside of battle.

And yeah I definitely want 6 for the DS, too. 6 was the one I really wanted to play but couldn't get into, mainly because I got stuck in a certain spot and had to restart. I wonder what Kefka's voice sounds like.

I really think Square Enix has it in them to start making games like this again, it's just... they don't want to, or some #####. They're too busy changing up the battle system and making the graphics extra perfect. And I don't want to know how much money they spend on voice acting.

[Vinchenz Rock]

So uh, fans of Dragon Quest will be pleased to know that the Dragon Quest IV remake is coming out in September...

>_>

FFIV came out after DQIV in Japan yet FFIV came out first here in the Americas...

[Abominator]

I'm confused by all these DS remakes.

[Winged Warrior]

I'm not.

It's easy. Instead of creating a new game, they can make money by editing and porting a game to a new system.

Hasn't square done that for years now...?

[TheRedPriest]

Port =/= Remake

And at least they're getting into the selection of games they have that are GOOD.

[Vinchenz Rock]

Everything Dragon Quest related has always been handled by Yuji Horii himself so its always quality.

ALWAYS.

[saldite]

I could care less about the remake of DQ4.
The original didn't really appeal to me that much.
I'm more excited about the remakes of DQ5 and 6.