Review: Final Fantasy II

I love role-playing games, but god, do they ever take a long time to finish.

After playing Final Fantasy on the PSP, I decided to pick up the second installment in this wonderful series, Final Fantasy II which was also just released on the PSP. This is another Final Fantasy game which I ever got to play.

In this installment, we find 3 character, Firion, Maria and Guy who are saved by the Princess Hilda of Flynn after their town is attacked. Princess Hilda is a leader for the rebel movement against the evil kingdom of Palemecia. The three ask to fight in the resistance but Hilda tells me they are too young and inexperienced, so instead the three return home to fight the Emperor's men but instead find Hilda's finance, Prince Scott.

They battle the Emperor to protect him but instead he dies and the team is forced to return to the Princess with his ring and news that Borghen has betrayed them and joined the Emperor's army as his new general. The Princess impressed by the group's effort gives them a new task and the game goes on from there with the team joining with Minwu, the white mage as they help the resistance win against the Emperor.

Characters in the game are given a key word system which allow them to question people about specific topics to gain important information. Characters in this version are also able to customize their skills like weapon use and magic spells from the beginning of the game.

This game was much harder to play then any other FF game I've ever played before. The increased amount of enemies, status effects and trap doors made it hard to escape dungeons when you were low on mana and health.

The fight system is turn based like most FF games and the items, weapons and magic spells are pretty much the same. No upgrades or materia in this game.



The graphics, much like the graphics in Final Fantasy, have been updated for the times. The characters still small and basic looking but much more colourful. The enemies are given a new 3D look and multiple colours.

The cut scenes have been changed from dull, 2d screens to brand, new CGIs with all the flair of FFXII. These were probably the biggest changes in the game compared to the original version or ports of FFII.

The music in the game is still the original pieces we've come to know from the series from the end battle song to the title song. Each has been given a real orchestra sound to them.

For any FF fans out there that haven't play this great game before, then I suggest you pick up a copy of Final Fantasy II and see what all the fuss is about. Besides you can't be a true Final Fantasy fan if you haven't play all the games.

Rating: 7 out of 10.