New RPG
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New RPG
Final Fantasy Origins
Do me a favor and ignore the score at the bottom of this review. Simply said, Final Fantasy Origins is a must-have title for any RPG lover--no matter how casual or passionate your devotion to role-playing games.
If, say, you fancy yourself a hardcore Fantasy fanatic, you know you've dreamt of a package like this since you first drooled over the Japan-only FFI and FFII WonderSwan remakes (and if you know what I'm talking about, then you officially qualify as hardcore). If you're a new-school devotee, this is a wonderful opportunity to dig into the roots of this franchise. And if you're a casual Fantasy fan, this is the perfect chance to cram it down the blowholes of all those hardcore Fantasy hardheads by proving, once and for all, that the old Final Fantasies aren't nearly as good as the contemporary ones.
But Origins isn't just a rehash of the first two Fantasy games. Both games have been cleaned up and polished to a fine gloss thanks to all the extras included here. For starters, the graphics have been upgraded from 8-bit crustiness to 16-bit splendor. Yeah, that's still far short of PS1 quality, but it's just enough to wipe away the old-school ugliness while retaining that old-school charm. The gameplay has been tweaked in a few small ways that improve the experience without altering the basic setup. The music has been brought up to PS1 standards. And there's a ton of unlockables, from Amano art galleries to full bestiaries.
Of course, the question remains: Does the gameplay still hold up? No--and yes. Each of Origins' two titles has something to offer, but only one is still fun to play. Here's a closer look at both.
FINAL FANTASY
Confession time: I never played the original Final Fantasy. My love for RPGs began with FFII on the SNES (known as FFIV in Japan). So, how did the first title in my favorite franchise strike me? Truth be told, it's a downright bore. From the bare-bones story to the limited quest, there's not a lot going on. Don't expect much from the battle system, either--it's a stripped-down, impenetrable, labor-intensive chore. Yech. That said, playing Final Fantasy for the first time was a hoot. It's a blast to see how far the series has evolved while experiencing that intangible old-school Final Fantasy magic. That alone makes this worth a whirl--at least for the dozen or so hours until you get bored out of your skull.
FINAL FANTASY II
Now, this is where things start to get good! Right away, FFII grabs you with its briskly paced, well-realized story. Unlike its predecessor, FFII starts you off with a bang, rather than plopping you down in some random town on an uninspired quest. The game also features actual character development, along with a few touching scenes. Pay attention and you'll see the seeds of those dramatic story lines that became a hallmark of later Final Fantasies.
But the story isn't the main reason for playing this game (which is actually still kinda basic). FFII features an innovative battle system that's never been repeated in a Final Fantasy game--and one that still holds up today. The setup eschews experience points, opting instead to develop your abilities based on your actions. If, say, you cast a bevy of bolts on a bounty of Bloodsuckers, you'll become more proficient in that specific spell. Or, if you thwack a pack of Wererats with a blunt stick, your Mace abilities will increase. Meanwhile, certain stats counterbalance others, so you can't cheat the system by creating an unstoppable fighter/mage. It's one of the best examples I've seen of intelligent leveling-up--and it gives you enough motivation to seek out those endless random battles en route to customizing your party's skills and abilities.
Before you get too excited about diving into FFII, keep in mind that it still doesn't compare with the current crop of Fantasy fare--but it's enjoyable enough to make it more than just a history lesson. Play Final Fantasy for a glimpse at how things used to be, but play FFII just for fun.
Do me a favor and ignore the score at the bottom of this review. Simply said, Final Fantasy Origins is a must-have title for any RPG lover--no matter how casual or passionate your devotion to role-playing games.
If, say, you fancy yourself a hardcore Fantasy fanatic, you know you've dreamt of a package like this since you first drooled over the Japan-only FFI and FFII WonderSwan remakes (and if you know what I'm talking about, then you officially qualify as hardcore). If you're a new-school devotee, this is a wonderful opportunity to dig into the roots of this franchise. And if you're a casual Fantasy fan, this is the perfect chance to cram it down the blowholes of all those hardcore Fantasy hardheads by proving, once and for all, that the old Final Fantasies aren't nearly as good as the contemporary ones.
But Origins isn't just a rehash of the first two Fantasy games. Both games have been cleaned up and polished to a fine gloss thanks to all the extras included here. For starters, the graphics have been upgraded from 8-bit crustiness to 16-bit splendor. Yeah, that's still far short of PS1 quality, but it's just enough to wipe away the old-school ugliness while retaining that old-school charm. The gameplay has been tweaked in a few small ways that improve the experience without altering the basic setup. The music has been brought up to PS1 standards. And there's a ton of unlockables, from Amano art galleries to full bestiaries.
Of course, the question remains: Does the gameplay still hold up? No--and yes. Each of Origins' two titles has something to offer, but only one is still fun to play. Here's a closer look at both.
FINAL FANTASY
Confession time: I never played the original Final Fantasy. My love for RPGs began with FFII on the SNES (known as FFIV in Japan). So, how did the first title in my favorite franchise strike me? Truth be told, it's a downright bore. From the bare-bones story to the limited quest, there's not a lot going on. Don't expect much from the battle system, either--it's a stripped-down, impenetrable, labor-intensive chore. Yech. That said, playing Final Fantasy for the first time was a hoot. It's a blast to see how far the series has evolved while experiencing that intangible old-school Final Fantasy magic. That alone makes this worth a whirl--at least for the dozen or so hours until you get bored out of your skull.
FINAL FANTASY II
Now, this is where things start to get good! Right away, FFII grabs you with its briskly paced, well-realized story. Unlike its predecessor, FFII starts you off with a bang, rather than plopping you down in some random town on an uninspired quest. The game also features actual character development, along with a few touching scenes. Pay attention and you'll see the seeds of those dramatic story lines that became a hallmark of later Final Fantasies.
But the story isn't the main reason for playing this game (which is actually still kinda basic). FFII features an innovative battle system that's never been repeated in a Final Fantasy game--and one that still holds up today. The setup eschews experience points, opting instead to develop your abilities based on your actions. If, say, you cast a bevy of bolts on a bounty of Bloodsuckers, you'll become more proficient in that specific spell. Or, if you thwack a pack of Wererats with a blunt stick, your Mace abilities will increase. Meanwhile, certain stats counterbalance others, so you can't cheat the system by creating an unstoppable fighter/mage. It's one of the best examples I've seen of intelligent leveling-up--and it gives you enough motivation to seek out those endless random battles en route to customizing your party's skills and abilities.
Before you get too excited about diving into FFII, keep in mind that it still doesn't compare with the current crop of Fantasy fare--but it's enjoyable enough to make it more than just a history lesson. Play Final Fantasy for a glimpse at how things used to be, but play FFII just for fun.
