Thirty years ago, the Final Fantasy series officially launched on the Nintendo Entertainment System. From that moment, Square influenced the whole turn-based adventure RPG for good. Final Fantasy was a great game with an interesting lore and a great story to tell. If you haven’t played the original Final Fantasy, the pixel remaster of I, II & III might be the best place to start. Let’s dive into it!
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is one of the many remasters that Square Enix has planned to release. These types of remasters are perfect for newbies like me who have heard about Final Fantasy and played through the more recent versions of Final Fantasy games and became interested in the series as its whole. Playing Final Fantasy XIV made me realize that I still have so much to learn when it comes to the Final Fantasy Lore. With the release of this Remaster, it’s time to put on my pixelated adventure boots and get exploring in the lore of Final Fantasy.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is the first part of the Final Fantasy remastering plan. Final Fantasy I, II & III have now been released for PC and Mobile Gaming in a more refreshed husk that suits modern-day of gaming better. The remastered versions of Final Fantasy I, II & III bring the original gameplay mechanics and story to the table but with a more slick UI than the original versions. You could say that the remastered versions are a modern take on the pixelated games from the old days. Even though these remasters are being welcomed by the community, these types of re-introductions of popular original IPs don’t come without problems or technical difficulties.
The developers did a decent job of converting the older games to games that suit the modern era of gaming better due to the visual overhaul and refurbished sound design. Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster has never looked so fresh and cleaner as before, without actually losing the core pixelated gameplay of the original NES game. The menus and the fonts in Final Fantasy have been polished to a higher standard and you could definitely see that the developers put in the works to get a more enhanced version of the game that suits the modern monitors better. Not only did they do a great job with the visuals, but they’ve also made sure that the sounds and music received a decent make-over as well.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster offers better versions of the included titles of the original Final Fantasy games. Not only did they enhanced most of the music tracks but the developers even re-worked some of the classic music tracks to get a more vivid version of the older music. The remaster gives you the option to listen to these musical tracks individually or even enjoy the full album from a playlist. It’s an option that veteran players will definitely enjoy!
The developers also did tremendous work on the controls. The game comes with controller support to match the “original” experience from the older games. If you don’t like to use a controller on your PC, don’t panic! The keyboard can still be used to control your actions. They’re very responsive and the game also gives you the choice between “to play the game with a keyboard only” or “ to play the game with keyboard & mouse”. On top of all that, buttons can be re-assigned to give you a more personal touch. In other words, the developers made sure that the game has something here for everyone and that’s always a plus!
Technically speaking, the game runs fine and it’s a joy to see a port that performs so well. Now, let’s talk about the” quality of life”-changes that they made. The UI looks visually great but the developers made the UI a bit too helpful. Don’t get me wrong, we often need that “easy step” to continue our experience without any kind of frustration but we don’t need a UI that holds your hand a bit too often.
One of the extra features they’ve added is the option to perform automated battles. Even though, I could understand it from a mobile point of view, what’s the point of making a video game if you even aren’t going to play it. Automated battles can definitely help in some point but I don’t find it very fitting for an actual buy-to-play game. However, this option can be helpful when you’re grinding for that next “level up” that can help you with defeating a certain boss or monster.
There is also a mini-map that can help you navigate through the gaming world. There will be landmarks such as dungeons, shops, … etc. that can help you remember that you need to visit some of these points of interest! However, the game also shows treasure on the map and this is great for a more streamlined experience but it will hold back true explores to get the most out of this game.
There is also an autosave function where the game auto-saves when you’re entering a dungeon or beginning a battle with a boss. This is something so subtle and yet game-changing! You no longer need to click the save button ( if you even remembered it) to get that safe haven before everything goes wrong. This is definitely a plus!
All of the above features can be great additions to the game and it does feel like you’re playing a modern game without the loss of your classic game. You either love or hate them because some of these newly added features can also ruin the experience for veteran players because of the fact that the game is being more simplified. For example, there is no grind or no exploration feeling because everything is being chewed for you… Veteran players want the whole deal, this includes the tremendous grind to become your enemy’s worst enemy. I think it’s all about perspective. Even though I love the grind to become more powerful, the automatic battles help to keep my interest in playing, even though I have a full-time job and a kid to look out for.
Conclusion:
Overall, I do believe that this Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is worth your total price. You get to live the legacy that the Final Fantasy series has left behind and you’re able to enjoy the writing and gameplay mechanics but in a more modern type of setting. It feels new and yet the game can be as classic as it can be! Also, the new renditions of some songs of the soundtrack are definitely a plus and help with the immersion.
If you haven’t been introduced to the Final Fantasy series, now is definitely a great time to start! You get the whole deal but in a new birthday suit and for a decent amount of money. There are plenty of hours to grind through and with the help of these newly simplistic features, it’s going to be a ride in the park! The game isn’t perfect but it doesn’t have to be! Play it on the go on your mobile device or enjoy the experience fully on your PC. Whatever you choose, it’s going to be the right choice!
