Platform: PSP, Nintendo Entertainment System, PlayStation, Wonder Swan Color, GameBoy Advance

Genre: RPG

Number of Players: 1

Final Fantasy is the game that saved a struggling SquareSoft, we all know that, and like any successful game, a sequel is sure to follow. The Japanese fans of Final Fantasy received the second game back in 1988 and while there was an English version planned for release in the United States in 1990, it never happened. Instead, the Final Fantasy II that we got was actually Final Fantasy IV, and it wasn’t until Final Fantasy Origins was released on the original PlayStation that American fans finally had the chance to play the game. As a part of the 20th anniversary of the first Final Fantasy, Square Enix has decided to once again release the game, this time for the PlayStation Portable, and with some added enhancements.

Final Fantasy II is a departure for the original game in quite a few ways. Instead, of creating your own characters and selecting classes, players are immediately given a party of three heroes; Firion, Maria and her brother Guy, and they are up against seemingly impossible odds. The game opens with the three involved in a hopeless battle against imperial soldiers who leave them for dead, but they soon awaken, alive and well, in the castle of Princess Hilda. She is a part of the rebellion that is opposing the Empire, and the heroes are offered a chance to join, but only if they prove their worth. After completing a rather simple mission, the three are officially now rebellion members, but defeating the Emperor and his loyal minions will prove to be a tireless task which finds the three with new allies to complete this life-threatening task.

Much of this game plays like the first Final Fantasy, and others that came after this release. You have your standard overhead view of the map, both within cities and outside. Trying to move from location to location will find you locked in mortal combat with a variety of different monster, many of who have specific weaknesses. The active combat option still wasn’t a factor at this point, so the battle still works in the same fashion where you decided your action and move down the list of characters before combat actually begins. It’s a time honored tradition in terms of gameplay, and one that until the past few years, only had minor modifications.

Where FF2 is different and takes some getting used to is in the leveling of the characters. Yo9u don’t necessarily gain a level after gaining experience points but instead, everything is based on your actions during battle. After finishing a battle, you will find that your characters may increase as far as their overall states, strength, etc., or they may gain more hit points. If you’ve used magic, more magic points will be added into your total. Characters can now be equipped with any type of weapon, though they will require mastery to use. A general rule of thumb is to fight weaker creatures around cities before moving on to some of the harder foes, but as you master your individual weapons, your chances of hitting an enemy will increase as will the amount of damage that can be done. However, this form of advancement is a double edged sword. Characters who you use to do physical attacks often may start to lose MP as they aren’t as reliant up spells, so finding the perfect balance becomes part of the challenge.

Spells function in much the same way that weapons do. While you have to buy one for each character, there are no restrictions concerning class like in the first Final Fantasy. As you use a spell more and more, it will gain experience until it reaches another level. This will increase the amount of damage it can do or how effective it is against status changes or healing. The higher a spell level is however, the harder it becomes to advance it to the next phase.

There are new additions to the game, and Final Fantasy II first introduces the Word Memory option as well. While talking with various NPC’s, you may see a highlighted word you can choose to memorize. You will meet other NPC’s that you can ask about these words and if it’s something they know about, you will be provided with further information and quite possibly new terminology to work with. Another addition is the back row method of combat. By placing characters in the back row, they become immune to physical attacks and only bows and magic will harm them, but it works both ways. Back row characters also need to attack with ranged weapons or magic.

Anyone who has followed the Final Fantasy series long enough knows that there are changes and additions with each release, some of which carry over into the next sequel or are modified slightly. The experience system in Final Fantasy II is innovative and unique, but it can be frustrating at time as well. I would assume that ultimately, this is why the same thing isn’t found in other games, and Square has presented some interesting ideas at times, such as the job system originally seen in FFV which in now only seen in the Final Fantasy Tactics series. No matter if they add something new, adjust an old idea, or bring something back that was thought forgotten, can be assured that each and every Final Fantasy title will offer something a little unique.

When Final Fantasy II was released as a part of the Origins collection, Square updated the graphics slightly and added cutscenes that would have been impossible to do on the Nintendo Entertainment System. The PSP version features more graphic enhancements to the game as well as remastered music that definitely sound better than anything you’d ever hear on an 8-bit system. Also included are the bonus quest and dungeons that were found in the Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls release plus the exclusive Arcane Labyrinth and Arcane Sanctuary dungeons, new bosses and enemies, and the ability to save anywhere, not just in towns or dungeons.

A remake, yes, but definitely new and improved. Final Fantasy II might be thought of as the proverbial red-headed step child of the Final Fantasy series, but it’s still worth playing in my opinion, particularly for those who have followed the series since the very first game, or fairly close. I don’t believe that players who are still convinced that Final Fantasy VII is the “best RPG ever” will be terribly impressed, but this is a part of the Final Fantasy history that shouldn’t be overlooked.
 

-mike-