January 21, 2011
Retro Game of the Week 064: Final Fantasy II (SNES)
Final Fantasy II for the SNES is the reason why I started playing RPGs altogether. The storyline shocked me at times and gave me joy at others but I can say this is one of the best games for the 16-bit console. The game is your average turn based role playing game which were really huge back then and are still quite popular nowadays. Final Fantasy II is unique in a couple of things such as the ability to have up to five members in your party and the active battle system it withholds. When I say five characters is unique is because it really was unique since very few games would let you have five members in your party at any point. Most role playing games would let you have up to three or four. It was quite something to have five and I think it all helped demonstrate the power of the SNES in its early run.
The active battle system is what it stands for. The monsters won't wait for your turn to attack, they'll just keep attacking whether you attacked or not so be sure to make your decision on an attack as soon as you can. It's very vital for your survival to be able to attack quickly and successfully as fast as you can. So moving on, this game's story line is also something to enjoy. There is betrayal, change, and love all put into one cartridge. What's not to love? It's one of the best RPGs for the SNES period! The game is packed with a lot of peculiar characters and the usual Final Fantasy touch although I have to admit the Final Fantasy touch died years ago especially if you have played the latest Final Fantasy. What a sad reality we are having nowadays, that's one of the reasons I stick with retro gaming and there are more to talk in that matter but I'll leave it for another time.
The game starts you off on a mission with Cecil, the dark knight and Kain, the dragoon. These two friends will soon find out they were tricked by the king on destroying a peaceful town and then separated against their own will. Don't worry though, they'll eventually meet up again but I don't want to give away any more spoilers, that would be just awful. Nevertheless, the game is packed with a long enchanting adventure and a wonderful music score. You know it's a good score especially when you keep playing the tunes on your head hours after putting down the control pad. The difficulty of the game is moderate as there are parts of the game that you'll need to level up in mega-old school style. It's quite fun to this day as you learn new spells and increase your attack against monsters that used to beat you easily. The tables will eventually turn.
To conclude, this game is something to be a part of and it would be a sin not to play it. Give it a try, it's quite good. If you aren't into all the retro look then I suggest you pick up the remake for the Nintendo DS as it's in full 3D but if you ask me, I prefer the original look. eBay is a good place to pick up the game although it'll be quite pricey. You can also go for the cheaper alternative and get the GBA port of Final Fantasy 2 which they renamed it to the original number Final Fantasy 4. You have many different alternatives to this game so I suggest you pick them up and enjoy the awesomeness Square used to offer. Until next week!
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