Het Grote FOK! GameBoy topic (24)

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Op woensdag 16 augustus 2006 13:42 schreef Roi het volgende:
Ik wil dat spel van de makers van Wario Ware ! Maar de kans dat die naar Europa komt...

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Op maandag 21 augustus 2006 12:24 schreef Laniboekje het volgende:
Ik moet hem nu dus ook gewoon hebben! Komt goed uit dat ik er heulemaol geen geld voor heb.

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Op maandag 21 augustus 2006 19:23 schreef Laniboekje het volgende:

[..]

SAY WHAT?!

Naaaajaaaa zeg!

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Final Fantasy V
Platform: GBA

Publisher: Square Enix Developer: Square Enix

ESRB Rating: Rating Pending Genre: RPG


Recommended by 13 out of 14 users.



by Jeremy Parish 08/26/2006






Final Fantasy V is one of the more obscure entries in Square's long-running RPG series. Aside from the third chapter (due soon in a dramatically revamped form for DS) it's put in the fewest appearances in America to date, having been totally passed up in the 16-bit days. And the one official release to date -- on Final Fantasy Anthology for PlayStation -- was plagued by horrible loading times and an even worse translation.


But time heals all wounds, or at least all classic RPGs, and FFV is getting a second (well, third) chance at life in America on Game Boy Advance. Much like parts I, II and IV, FFV's GBA incarnation features enhanced graphics, expanded gameplay and a greatly improved new translation. What makes FFVA unique is that unlike its portable predecessors, this is a completely new remake; where the others showed up on the Japan-only WonderSwan first, this release marks FFV's first handheld outing.

Nevertheless, based on our hands-on time with the game at PAX, it seems safe to say that the same amount of care and effort has been invested in this remake as in the others. In fact, this may well end up being a superior port; Final Fantasy IV Advance suffered from some odd technical glitches during combat, most of which seemed to stem from its heritage as a WonderSwan-to-GBA port and the complexities of FFIV's unique five-character combat system. (The gameplay lag appeared only when the combat roster was completely full.) As FFVA is a completely new adaptation and the battle system is limited to four characters, it should hold up much better.

The PAX demo -- which appeared to be a near-final English version of the game -- certainly didn't demonstrate any issues, even with a full four-man party. Combat was smooth (though admittedly simplistic due to FFV's slow start) while transitions and SNES-specific special effects were replicated without a hitch.

Graphically, the game is a huge improvement over the original. FFV has a reputation for being a visual downgrade from its predecessor, which is pretty rough considering that FFIV practically resembled an enhanced 8-bit game. The Advance version sticks to the same outlines for sprites but colors in the details with more variety. Character sprites during dungeon crawling and story sequences are tiny but colorful, while their battle versions look much nicer. Monster sprites look even better, as does the scenery.

FFVA sports some significant under-the-hood improvements as well. The menus have been completely redesigned and are much cleaner-looking and easier to navigate; character portraits appear during dialogue events; then, of course, there's the new translation. Monster names are no longer bizarre misinterpretations of Japanized English but have instead been brought into line with series standards -- Wyverns, for instance, are Wyverns rather than Y-Burns. And the characters actually resemble people who speak English natively rather than brain damage victims. Dialogue that was alternately bizarre or embarrassing is now crisp and sometimes even clever. Galuf, for instance, speaks in boisterous idioms, while seafaring Faris is less a stereotyped "Pirates of the Caribbean" automaton and more like a nuanced, archaic Olde English type.

Of course, the real draw of FFV is its gameplay. The story has always been fairly basic, the characterization perfunctory. But the Job system had much of the depth Final Fantasy Tactics within the context of a standard FF framework. We didn't make it far enough into the game to see the Job system in action, but we know there will be four new classes available: Cannoneer, Gladiator, Prophet and Necromancer. Additionally, FFV will offer a new 30-floor dungeon in which to make the most of the extra skills, likely similar to the Lunar Dungeon in FFIV Advance...

...but probably more challenging. FFV is regarded as one of the most hardcore entries in the series due to its emphasis on combat and skills, and the optional bosses like Shinryuu and Omega are among the toughest fights in the series.

FFV is one of Final Fantasy's more acquired tastes, and to date it hasn't been offered to American gamers in a particularly palatable form. FFVA's November release will offer a sweet new chance... assuming it's not lost amidst this fall's Final Fantasy glut.