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Final Fantasy II (NES, PSX, GBA, and PSP); Not the one that's actually FFIV, mind you.
Topic Started: Jul 15 2010, 11:50 PM (468 Views)
FinalInsanity
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Boring story: you're sleepy!
Before I start I should address that I have a very high tolerance for level grinding, so my review may be a tad biased when it comes to the amount of time spent doing repetitive activity. Also, it is my opinion that this game is far and wide the most underrated game in the series. Anyways... on with the review!

Gameplay: First things first; it plays very much like RPG's did back in the day. Your characters had Agility that determined their speed in battle, etc, and all that. But the way you advance is quite a bit different than most RPG's I've seen. It's one of those "build as you go" games where your actions in battle have a direct influence on your stat gains. Here's an example;

Let's say I had one of the characters, Firion, cast a spell in battle. After the battle, the spell will gain experience, and once that experience reaches 100, it goes up one level, adding to it's power, accuracy, and MP cost. Also, he would have a random chance of getting some extra Intelligence or Spirit, depending on the spell cast (Int if Black magic, Spirit if White magic). AND, if that spell (or multiple spells) brought his MP down to very low numbers, there'd be a large chance of his MP and Magic stat to increase (Magic representing the amount that MP goes up when it DOES go up). It's the same principle for physical attacks and BEING attacked. If your HP gets low, it and your Vitality will have a chance of increasing, Vitality acting as how much your HP increases by when it does go up. Also, your weapon and shield levels will go up depending on what you have equipped when you attack.

You also have to take into account the equipment you have. Most armor in the game has a hefty Int/Spirit penalty IN BATTLE ONLY, though there are some pieces of light armor that have a relatively low penalty. You can't see it on the menu. Also, armor has an Evasion penalty, which you CAN see on your status menu. So you have to keep those things in mind when deciding what to equip your characters with. The game mechanics are all in all quite complicated, but it is very possible to beat the game with minimal knowledge. The only time I'd say grinding is REALLY required is for MP to fuel your spells. All in all, I'd say the mechanics are pretty nice... but not easy to get into. 8/10

Graphics: This depends slightly. No matter which version you're playing, it's pretty much the same old story, though obviously updated in the remakes. They fit the time they were made, and they don't do much else. Some animated scenes in the remakes were a nice touch. 8/10

Music: Many people I know think the soundtrack was overall depressing, and... I kinda agree with them. The overworld theme has a very sad tone to it, but in terms of atmosphere, I'd say the music fits the game's mood very nicely. In the NES version, there's a distinct lack of boss music, but in all the remakes, there are two other boss soundtracks that can be heard, and they fit the epic mood pretty well. 9/10

Plot: For it's time, it wasn't too bad, albeit relatively simple. The prologue tells you that the evil Emperor Paramekia (or Palamecia depending on the translation) has summoned monsters from Hades in hopes of ruling the world. You control 4 characters, and throughout the game the 4th character switches around, providing some variety. After a "successful" infiltration of the overthrown kingdom Fynn (or Phin) and retrieving an item for the Princess of Fynn, you go out on an adventure with a priest named Minh (or Mindu/Minwu) which starts your journey to defeat the Emperor and save the world. Cliche? Maybe. But you have to remember that this game was made very early, when RPG's and video games in general were starting out. Still... it's not very exciting of a plot nowadays. Compared to today's video game plots, I have to give it a 7/10. If it were up to the old days, I'd probably say an 8/10.

Lifetime: The game can be finished in around two or three days, if you really put yourself to it. My last playthrough clocked in at around 23 hours, which surprises me since I didn't do THAT much grinding. For some, it would probably last in the 15~20 hour range, perhaps a tad less.

As for replay value, I see quite a bit it in this game, since you can build your characters differently every time, effectively bringing about a whole new experience each time. Still, some sections are the same old story every time. (Curse you, Dyst Cave...) 8/10

Overall: I'd have to give FFII an 8/10. Certainly a unique RPG for it's day, and to this day I find myself strangely addicted to it. It's far from the best, but I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as some people make it out to be.

Whew, that was long winded. Can I have a glass of water?
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