What did everyone think about Final Fantasy IV GBA

[Lacan]

Sorry I couldn't say Final Fantasy IV Advance, the topic tile room is too small.

 

Anyway, I heard alot of people complaining about Final Fantasy IV Advanced for the GBA, like how the music is ruined, or the extra stuff like new dungeons aren't necessary, or the game has too much slow down.

 

Well I have to say, in some ways the music is even better then the SNES version, in fact I think its remixed, I like the idea of new dungeons and added stuff to expand upon a already great game, and so far I rarely see any slow down in the game. Alright the only thing I'll complain about is the censorship of the dancers, which is strange since the game has curse words in it and darker themes, but none of the dancers are allowed to wear their bathing suits from the Japanese version *even the Japanese GBA version had them in their bathing suits*, and Final Fantasy Chronicles version in the US too. It isn't like they are nude.

[sega saturn x]

What do I think? Just another rpg I won't be playing. It isn't as if I hate rpgs but I have had enough final fantasy to last me ten life times.

[jetset]

I lost interest in the FF series big time right around 7,8 or 9...One of them REALLY set the bar for useless half-hour cut-scenes. Sitting and pressing a button repeatedly to skip over mindless conversation between 2 characters isn't my thing.

I'd like to think they've fixed that, but my guess is not.

 

If they have I'd pick it up. FF was always a fave rpg series of mine...

[JB]

Well I have to say, in some ways the music is even better then the SNES version, in fact I think its remixed,

It HAD to be remixed. GBA sound hardware isn't capable of anything the SNES did as an everyday occurence.

 

 

 

SNES was one of the first systems to use sample-based hardware. It plays back short recordings of actual sounds. Or not-so-actual sounds, depending on the situation.

 

 

GBA uses the same sound hardware as every other GB.

It's the last major system to use a programmable sound generator, where the software manually tells the sound hardware what waveform to create. Exempting the Gameboys, the last was the Sega Genesis. Just to give a sense of perspective.

 

 

PSGs have some neat effects, but they're fairly limited, as well as processor-intensive devices(because on a PSG system the number of instructions required goes up with the complexity of a sounds, but on sample-based hardware all sounds have an identical "play" command).

 

On top of that, the GBA uses a BAD PSG, for maximum crappiness.

 

...

 

The GBA's shitty sound's been a personal peeve of mine for some time.

The system was a rush job, and it really shows in the sound department.

[classicgamingguy]

Well, I almost bought it yesterday, then passed. I'm waiting for a Final Fantasy game for the DS, although I do love the series and really enjoyed FF I and II. That was a great game. I might pick that one up again.

 

Steve

[ninjarabbit]

I got it for Christmas and have no real complaints with it so far. The dialogue is much better than the SNES (but they wisely left the spoony bard part) and it seems that the game moves at a faster pace than the SNES version.

[Flojomojo]

FF4 looks sweet, but having just bought FF1+2 for GBA ($10 at TRU!) and not having time to touch it let alone finish it, I'd say it's going to be at least a year before I even see this game. Must play through the GBA games I already have first, including Riviera (11 hours in, no end in sight), and Phantasy Star Trilogy (not yet begun, but all indications say that this will take about 3 lifetimes to complete).

 

I don't understand how people can rip through these enormous RPGs. No life? (says he with 1500+ posts on an Atari web board)

 

Regarding sound quality on the GBA --- I'd say it's "good enough" for a handheld game system. It's like complaining about the quality of your car speakers, or your headphones for your MP3 player while you're at the gym. It's stereo, it doesn't wobble, it's good enough for me. If I want the home theater experience in a game I'll use a non-portable console.

[classicgamingguy]

Hmmm, okay, maybe I'll have to give this title a second glance the next time I visit my local Gamestop. Unfortunately, it'll have to wait, as my gift card I got from Ma will be going toward AC: WW when Gamestop gets them back in.

 

I also have trouble comprehending how people can beat these massive RPG's..my friend beats everything he gets for his computer (RPG wise) in about two weeks. I don't have that much of an attention span, I guess. I get bored and have to put it away until the next day after a couple of hours.

 

I wonder how the sound would be if you plugged in some headphones and listened to it? Anyone try that and see?

 

Steve

[ninjarabbit]

It's not that hard. Let's suppose it takes 30 hours to beat a RPG (very conservative estimate). If you play the game on average 2 hours a day you can beat it in 15 days or if you play it on average 3 hours a day you can beat it in 10 days.

[classicgamingguy]

Yes, good point.

 

However, I'm not that good at these things. I know that the action catagory takes good reflexes and whatnot, however, sometimes you just do something soooo stupid (points at myself) during these turn-based games that you kick yourself, HARD, for doing it.

 

You're right, though. If I really sat down with it and didn't let myself get distracted by playing something else, then I probably could beat it in that amount of time. I did beat FF III and Chrono Trigger back in it's day..

 

Steve

[JB]

Regarding sound quality on the GBA --- I'd say it's "good enough" for a handheld game system. It's like complaining about the quality of your car speakers, or your headphones for your MP3 player while you're at the gym. It's stereo, it doesn't wobble, it's good enough for me. If I want the home theater experience in a game I'll use a non-portable console.

I usually play my GBA at home. And given I own it for the GBA-exclusive games as opposed to being able to play on the go, I'd have liked some effort at improving the sound(thank Granas the DS got an upgrade in on that side).

 

Had to give up using headphones because they just made the audio problems worse(I was getting an annoying degree of background static out of the 32-bit software that isn't audible on the built-in "speaker") . So mine's not even in stereo.

 

 

I see it like this...

EVERYTHING about the GameBoy Color was upgraded for the GBA except the sound. And that was the most dated part.

 

Nintendo, and many other companies, see it like this...

Why waste the time and cash on decent sound? You can't SEE sound, so you can't point to problems. As long as it can be heard, people don't care.

 

 

 

Sadly, it's an accurate assessment. Sound is an afterthought on just about everything.

[Flojomojo]

If you play the game on average 2 hours a day you can beat it in 15 days or if you play it on average 3 hours a day you can beat it in 10 days.

990322[/snapback]

I wish I could spend 2 or 3 hours per day on a game. I never finish books I start as it is ...

[shep]

I enjoyed Final Fantasy II and III (US numbering) when they were on the SNES a lot...I thought FF8 was okay..but it is rather drug out and I didn't know you would end up using all the characters at the end which sucks because there were two characters I really didn't like at all and I didn't ever choose them to be in my party...so needless to say I can't really beat the game even though I'm very close to doing so after about four years of off and on playing. There are more unique, and interesting RPGs out there.

[Lacan]

Playing Final Fantasy IV Advance on the Gameboy Player for Gamecube or Nintendo DS is amazing and has amazing stereo sound.

[Tempest]

I played it and beat it over Christmas. I don't know if this version was made easier or I just have more experience with RPG's now than when I first played it, but the game seemed way too short. It was fun, but it had some annoying problems like slow down. There were also some strange things like when I tried to auto equip my characters it would occasionally say "Please Equip Manually". All I can guess is that the system didn't have enough memory to do it for me (this usually happened in dungeons). Overall it was a nice trip down memory lane, but I wish they had added some more things. The extra dungeon at the end isn't at all appealing to me (a hundred levels of cut scenes and pointless puzzles? Sign me up! ) and other than some new character portraits it didn't look like they touched the graphics at all.

 

Tempest