Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster

And thus we begin the SNES era of Final Fantasy. I have never had many people around me that liked Final Fantasy IV but there seems to be a decent following for IV. I can see why people like it. It is the first Final Fantasy that will use the formula that is so well known and loved. The ATB gauge is there and visible. The story is more complexe and has *gasp* plot twists! Several of them! Characters with real backstories, personality and a world they belong to, instead of only existing in it. It took the best of II and III and mashed it together in something better. It is, still, not that memorable for me. But also, I do not have any Final Fantasy Nostalgia (except, maybe, for Mystic Quest). I enjoyed it, I liked that it tried to do more with what the series has done so far. It lays out the groundwork for V and VI for me, which I do have in very good memories. I am puzzled, though, why they never tried a password system from II again.

The femal characters are… questionnable. Rosa is… there. Rydia is a child saved by the hero at the very beginning, only to suddenly age quicker than you can blink in order to come back in some weird green dress. I like Rydia, she, at least, has a personality. Rosa’s pixel boobs have more depth than her personality for the whole game. But you really can feel the male developpers in the 1990s in here. It’s very weird playing this again and beeing like “welp, I didn’t remember this like that”. I was annoyed, but not that much. More of rolling my eyes and powering on.

The Pixel Remaster of IV is also more balanced. Even with the experience set to x4 some fights were not as easy as expected. Which is nice. I didn’t want to spend that much time with Final Fantasy I I’m not that found of, but I like my SNES Final Fantasies. They have more to give, so it is a better overall experience.