Is Final Fantasy IV Good?
Final Fantasy IV was the first entry in the series on the SNES, and many would tell you it blew the first three away. For me, this is one of my favorite entries in the series (despite never beating the final boss until very recently). The NES games have some merits of course, but also many flaws. FF4 was able to surpass them in many ways, and while it is far from perfect, it still presents one of the most memorable worlds the series has to offer.
10. Graphics
FF4, from left to right, on the SNES, GBA, PSP, DS, and the recent Pixel Remaster
As an old-school RPG, FF4 has pretty much always been sprite-based, with one exception in the 3D remake. These sprites have changed a bit over the years, and while some look better than others, it's pretty much just a matter of taste in that regard.
As an aside here about the versions, the GBA and PSP versions have the most content with their bonus dungeons…. But if I’m honest I barely touched these. They’re pretty much just challenge dungeons and aren’t too enjoyable. Aside from that, the version you pick matters little apart from one bit I’ll address when I discuss difficulty.
9. Sound Effects
If you’ve played any Final Fantasy, you can instantly hear this image
FF4 is a Final Fantasy game and therefore you can expect the excellent sound design the series is known for. From the victory fanfare to the Chocobo sounds and even the literal warnings the game gives you to catch your attention, there is no shortage of excellent musical elements here.
8. Music
Golbez joins Ganondorf in the Villains With Ominous Piano Music category
And that’s not even counting the actual music. While it may not be as iconic as FF7’s soundtrack, FF4 still has a lot to offer here. Some of it is just alright but there is a number of exquisite songs here.
Featured below is a sampling of the soundtrack. There is the main enemy theme, a theme used for a quartet of bosses, and a theme used for a major plot point throughout the game. As they are numerous versions of the game, there are also many remixes of the soundtracks, and the version you play may not have these exact ones. Just something to be aware of, and from what I’ve heard many people say the Pixel Remaster does the music the best.
Final Fantasy 4 - Battle Theme
Final Fantasy IV OST Battle With the Four Fiends
Final Fantasy 4 - Theme of Love
7. Combat
Nothing to see here, just a lady chilling in a tornado
Combat in FF4 is very standard RPG fare. There is an active time system you can turn on or off, controlling whether or not you can have time to make your decisions. Aside from that, you can’t really tweak anything else unless speed counts (to be fair that can make a difference in some battles).
But if you’ve ever played an old-school RPG before, you know exactly what to expect here. A back and forth of attacks and spells with other curveballs thrown in if a character has them. And as FF4 is mostly fairly easy as far as RPGs go, most of these fights won’t require too much thought. As long as you don’t use elements the enemies absorb you’ll be fine early on, and then later you should have more than enough firepower for nearly everything.
6. The Main World
There’s a reason the main world isn’t enormous
The main world of FF4 (called Earth, don’t ask me how this is Earth), is where the bulk of the game takes place. As far as RPG worlds go it's not massive, but having a smaller and not too confusing world can be a nice change of pace. Chances are you’ll quickly learn where everything is, which is very helpful once you get the airship.
As it is an older RPG, this overworld is of course filled with random encounters. How fun. At least they don’t bother you when you’re riding anything, including a Chocobo. It's fun laughing at the monsters as you fly over their heads.
5. The Underworld and Moon
There’s two more maps to explore (this is the Moon in the PSP fighting game Dissidia Final Fantasy)
Yeah of course that isn’t everything. Although they are much smaller, there are two additional maps in FF4. You gain access to the fiery Underworld earlier, and its dwarf-led kingdom is a quirky and memorable moment in your quest. To say nothing of the tower you have to invade while it's being bombarded by tanks.
The moon is reached much later in the game, and aside from optional content, your only destination there is the unmissable Crystal Palace. As an endgame location in an RPG, it's not surprising this place is difficult, and it may take some time before you’re not getting regularly killed up here. But persistence will get you through, I can attest to that.
4. Fun Factor
Behold, one of the best lines in the entire series
FF4 is not a lighthearted game. It does have one the most memorable silly lines in the series as seen above though, good job Tellah.
But a somber tone does not equal no fun, and this game is very much proof of that. For much of its runtime FF4 is just the right levels of RPG tropes, and its characters being immensely likable and rootable certainly helps. If you’re anything like me, you will become invested in these characters and want to see them prevail, even if the villains are sometimes kind of cool themselves.
3. Difficulty
FF4 is mostly fun and games until Zeromus
Alright, time for the giant alien in the room. FF4 is like I’ve said before, not too difficult for much of its runtime. There are rare exceptions in some bosses if you’re not prepared, mostly the optional ones. Until you get to Zeromus.
It is the final boss, so a difficulty spike is not expected. Zeromus is more of a difficulty skyscraper. This guy has a mountain of HP and has an attack that devastates your whole party he likes to use way too often. It is definitely doable, but it takes a fair bit of grinding (something I hadn’t had to do too much before this), and even then it's a long battle.
And then there’s the 3D version. This remake did more than just change the visuals and add voice acting: it's also by far the hardest version. Whereas you can beat the 2D versions of the game around level 60 with proper skill, the 3D one is more like level 90, and even then you’ll need luck. Experience is adjusted to account for this, but I would still recommend staying away from this version for the most part. I find the sprites nicer looking than those models anyway.
2. Story
Main villain Golbez, who totally didn’t rip off Darth Vader
Hmm, main villain who’s secretly related to main hero is, a moon-like object that threatens to destroy the planet…. this is Star Wars, isn’t it?
Intentional or unintentional homage aside, Final Fantasy 4 has a story that’s just complicated enough to be gripping but not so much as to be confusing. And it has enough fake-out deaths to make Shounen anime proud to boot.
This is a story that deals heavily with honor and the consequences of one’s actions, where many people are not as they first seem. And where there is a spoony bard and the obligatory Final Fantasy Cid. Darth Vader I mean Golbez would be proud.
1. Characters
Most of the playable characters enjoying a moment of peace
This may be one of my favorite casts in the series (although I haven’t played them all yet), and for a series like Final Fantasy, that’s saying something.
Most prominent are Cecil, Rosa, and Kain. Our protagonist Cecil was a dark knight who served the kingdom of Baron, only to begin feeling guilt for what he has done and abandon his home, eventually becoming a paladin. Kain also hailed from Baron and was an easily influenceable dragoon, betraying the party nearly as much as he helped them. And Rosa was a friend to both and eventually lover to Cecil, being a solid character in her own right and forming one of the best-established couples in the series.
Rounding out the cast we have mages in training and twins Palom and Porom, who are memorable despite not being around for long. The same is true of the old wizards Tellah and Fusoya, good and very spoilery characters to discuss. Living weapon monk Yang and flirty ninja prince Edge are also here, and of course, there’s the spoony bard himself in Edward and obligatory Cid. Rounding out the cast is the young summoner Rydia, a solid contender for the series’s best characters with her snarky wit and tragic story.
The Sith himself in Golbez is also here, but I’ll refrain from touching on him or the other characters to avoid further spoilers. Just know that while it may be somewhat predictable, it is still done very well and many people will enjoy it regardless.
And so Final Fantasy IV is a standout entry in the series despite not being remembered as fondly as the likes of VI and VII. It got overshadowed, but for a series as expansive as this that’s not too surprising. But know that the Red Wings of Baron have much more to offer than you’d expect. Just watch out for the moon.
Score: 9.5
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