Can FFIV hold up in todays video game standards?
The gameplay mechanics are traditional Final Fantasy style, turn based, with mages, swordsmen, dragoons, etc., etc... In FFIV, training and leveling up are essential. You cannot just pass through the game without spending a couple of hours training, or you will not be able to beat some bosses. Guaranteed. As you journey across the land, you find other party members, and battle with each other, and Cecil finds he is disliked in almost every town. For he has a reputation of desctruction and has hurt many innocent people. Cecil undergoes a trial at Mt. Ordeals, and must conquer the challenge to become a Paladin, releasing anything of his former dark knight status. It is then, that you figure out Galbatorix is the one causing all of the evil and destruction throughout the land. You and your friends travel the world collecting the crystals that the evil Galbatorix is trying to obtain. For once collected, they open up a path to the moon, where Galbatorix wishes to go and destroy everything...
The sound is entertaining, and sometimes catchy, but nothing too fancy. Though, when you're in a dungeon for a couple hours, hearing the same music over, and over, and over, and over can get a little annoying from time to time. But, it has a nice tune overall and by no means makes you want to take your Game Boy and throw it out the nearest window. Anyway, as you make your way through the game, you find that Galbatorix is not the one controlling everyone and causing all of the destruction, but it is Zemus, one from the Moon who is pure evil. As long as people exist, evil exists, so Zemus does too. There's also one more surprise about Galbatorix which shocks the entire party, especially Cecil...
From a graphical standpoint, this game has not much to offer. The dungeons look decent, and the overall view is nice, but its same old same old. It would have been nice if Square would have taken the time to brush up the graphical quality a little bit. But, hey, they still work fine seeing as it is on the GBA. Though, when you do obtain an airship, I do like how the ship rises above everything else, and the land becomes flat, making it easier to see things. I would REALLY have liked a "map" in your key items. You might be cruising along in your ship, and you get lost, and every time you want to look at the map, you have to use "sight" on one of your characters to look at the map. It would have been so much easier just to pull up a map, but hey... It's not too big of a hassle. In conclusion, FInal Fantasy IV is able to capture the Final Fantasy feel, with long dungeons, and a somewhat engaging story. The graphics could have been touched up a bit, but the game did exceedingly well for the GBA. When the game is completed, there is a 50 floor dungeon which you can explore, but beware, it is the toughest dungeon in the game, and EXTREMELY hard. If you're looking for a decent length, traditional RPG, Final Fantasy IV has got your name on it.