FF4DS

From Tikkun Kelim: ( http://s3nt.com/b24 )
Final Fantasy IV was a very early favorite of mine. I’d have to say that 5 is still my favorite out of the whole series, but I’m definitely a minority in that view. Recently Square-Enix has been extremely prone to remaking its classic titles with Lucasian results all around. So it was with great trepidation that I checked out FF4. First of all, the fact that it was on the DS made me nervous. Devs tend to think that just because the thing has a touch screen, means that you should have to use it for all 60-80 hours it takes to finish these old skool grind fests. No, no, no, no, no, no. Bad devs, no cookie. Give us the option, as some people do prefer it, but also program the buttons. Y’know the direction pad and the four buttons right there. Yeah, use them. So point number 1, does it give you both options? Yes, indeedy. It might be nice to tell people that they can navigate by putting their finger on the map, but it’s all good. Second big deal for me was, do the graphics look at least a little better than the GameBoy (FF Tactics Advance 2 failed miserably on this one). I mean, the DS is no powerhouse, but it’s still way better than the GBA was. Sure enough. And lastly, as a port with better graphics, I usually expect tweaks to the interface. They really went above and beyond on this point. One of the things I loved about FF5 was the ability to change your command list around (ahem), adding in different abilities from the various classes to create a semi-unique character class. FF4DS goes a step beyond even that. Anything can be put on the menu, whether it’s an individual spell, an item, or an ability. This sort of customization really improves the flow of the game. The encounter rate gets high in some areas, but it’s forgiveable seeing as battles can be streamlined. I also think they give you quite a bit of magic/MP really early and am not sure how balanced that is, but it does make the story easier to get through. This is just an initial impression, so if my opinion changes through play, I’ll post more.