Metareview: Final Fantasy IV
by David Hinkle 
{ Jul 22nd 2008 at 11:00PM }
- GamePro (95/100) says the game is still an epic experience: "Ultimately, Final Fantasy IV remains the same epic experience it was seventeen years ago, and the DS's improvements are a welcome treat for fans of the series and newcomers to the franchise alike. With an engrossing story, ambitious characters, and challenging yet rewarding gameplay, I can't help but recommend Final Fantasy IV as a worthwhile purchase, especially if you missed it the first time around. Even if you aren't a huge Final Fantasy fan, this is still one fantastic role-playing title worth checking out."
- Gamespot (90/100) thinks the game is great, despite some minor issues with the voice work: "Although it has been rereleased several times throughout the years, this full remake of one of the most celebrated stories in video game history is in many ways more poignant and impressive than it was all those years ago, despite minor irks with the voice acting. With a cast of memorable characters and villains, a more accurate and authentic translation, a new skill-customization system, and a few important new story elements that help to better explain key plot points, this is the definitive version of Final Fantasy IV that everyone should experience."
- IGN (87/100) is of the mind that FFIV is quite impressive: "It's a rush in the most traditional way, and it's an RPG that makes you feel for your characters, fight for every level, and strategize before battles in ways new role-playing games don't bother to do anymore. For fans, FFIV is an impressive resurrection to an awesome, pioneering RPG. For newcomers, you're about to get a lesson in "hardcore gaming 101," but if you put in the time, and put up with the difficulty, you'll have a chance to really "get" what Final Fantasy is all about."
- 1UP (75/100) scored the game the lowest of this bunch: "It's not a bad little game -- it is, after all, an upgraded version of a 16-bit masterpiece -- but it's needlessly redundant for anyone who picked up FFIV Advance. Of course, die-hard Final Fantasy fans will want to test their mettle against the crazy-hard new difficulty level while checking out the new voices for old favorites: Cecil is appropriately wussy, Kain sounds as tough as you'd expect, and Golbez now sounds like Darth Vader instead of just looking like him. But everyone else might want to wait it out a few years for that inevitable, definitive next-gen remake. When it comes to Square Enix, what goes around comes around. And around. And around."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jak Logan @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:02AM
Best. Cover art. Ever.
JBGUY2K @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:26AM
YOU SPOONY BARD!! Nothing beats the megaman 9 box art! NUTHEEENG!!!!!
Also, glad to know they kept the wondrous line in the game... almost brought a tear to my eye.
Ashley @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:38PM
Surprisingly, GameSpot has the most accurate one. That's unusual.
Matdredalia @ Jul 24th 2008 12:53AM
Amen to that. Gamespot's reviews usually make me want to vomit. Glad they got it right for once.
Matdredalia @ Jul 23rd 2008 3:04AM
The Spoony Bard line DID bring a tear to my eye. Actually, a lot of the game has been bringing a tear to my eye.
And I'm sorry but the FFIV Advance remake did not hold a candle to this game. The last review is a bag of wank and is obviously coming from someone who isn't a diehard FFIV fan.
Which, ya' know, is what this remake really caters to.
I've been squeeling, laughing, crying, and cheering all night playing. And the party has just begun, woop!
Nightwish @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:26PM
Jeremy Parish is not a fan of FF IV? Surely you jest.
Da real guy @ Jul 23rd 2008 6:55AM
1up review are crap lately, it's like all their nintendo reviews get a -10 prcnt compare to other sides. And their new rating systems (letter, WTF?!) sucks. Anyway, FF IV rocks big time.
ether @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:32AM
Hate to break it to you, but there isn't much sense behind ANY rating system. How do numeric points somehow fare better than a lettered rating system? Do you need a finer granularity to the rankings? Would an A-Z instead of an A-F system make you happier?
It's all subjective attempts to make it seem more objective, and it doesn't work. Ignore the score and just read the actual material of the review. What did they look at, what did they like, didn't like, etc.
aj @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:38AM
And most rating systems, no matter how good they may be, often fall victim to the dreaded reviewer what hates the genre of the game he/she is reviewing.
I forget what it was, but I just read a review of a game the other day that was just brutal, and only because the author just didn't seem to understand or enjoy role playing games. That's kind of a killjoy when reading reviews, you know?
morikaweb @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:42PM
Too bad we canadians have not even gotten our copys yet.
aj @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:23PM
Yeah, but that's the price we pay for living in a civilized country.
(Yes, I was making fun of you Americans.)
Tsubasa @ Jul 24th 2008 7:02AM
If it were me, I would have scored it low. Why? A Big part of Final Fantasy games is the sound track, and for some reason they've replaced the original with music that are very similar to those in IX (best one FF in my list). I would have loved to hear the original IV battle theme but instead I get a stripped down version of IX's battle theme.
Tsubasa @ Jul 24th 2008 9:19AM
Please ignore my previous post, it seems that I mixed up the music from V with IV
gukid @ Jul 25th 2008 12:18PM
If you're a canuck (like me) watch what you buy. Apparently the bilingual version of the game lacks the foil on the cover, and instead has a "brown" Golbez on the cover. Gamefaqs users were pretty disappointed and returning their copies to wait to find a silver foil copy.
Though for me, I'll be avoiding this remake in hopes that any lost sales will discourage crappy remakes from being made and we'll get more games like The World Ends With You... Not that my one non-purchase will help anything I suppose...