Though there's the typical tinkering to gaining powers and advancing characters, this FF game is sure to please.
As Zidane, a young boy with a tail who's part of a gang of thieves who roam the skies in an airship, you immediately find yourself in a plot to kidnap a princess, who almost seems too willing to let it happen. Through the usual twists and turns, a plot against the world unfolds as attacks by cloned black mages set the populace on edge. Across four discs of action, you and eventually seven others (including the princess) will track down the evil across vibrant landscapes, musty caverns, and a shadowy realm that may or may not be your true home. The biggest change in the series comes in that skills and spells are now acquired via items you equip, as you slowly gain enough experience to use the power even without holding the item you got it from. You also have the party split more often, either getting to switch between sub-parties or seeing the actions of others who roam towns on their own via Active Time Element cut-scenes. Still, no matter what new slants they put to the game, whether it's the obligatory fun with chocobos, or something new like participating in a town's auction house or delivering mail for Moogles, it's still all very recognizable as Final Fantasy.
The number of side quests available at any time is mammoth, and you can easily have a whole sheet of paper devoted to scribblings of things to look for, tasks asked of you, and areas to revisit to try and grab something just out of reach. The towns are livelier than ever, with tons of people walking around, often ready for a game of Tetra Master, a twist on VIII's Triple Triad. The learning of abilities is slickly handled, with items anyone can use carrying more generic powers, while weapons geared towards one or two people have powers applicable just to them. The cutscenes are amazing in scope and visual effect, and likely were the need for the game to go to a fourth disc. The placement of save spots is blessedly more generous than before, with a lesser number of lengthy stretches without a chance to save your progress.
There are faults, notably the fact that while your party can be mixed and matched (with only Zidane always being required), you're pretty much trapped into using three out of four from your complement of eight, as only one has attacking black magic and two have healing white magic. This basically leaves the other four neglected, fighting for scraps of playing time. The story is murky and less obvious than other FFs. Other installments have you almost screaming at the dim protagonist who doesn't quite get what's going on; this one leaves you still wondering just what some things have to do with the plot up to, and even after, the ending has played. The ending itself is way too long, as you sit through it wondering if there might be some coda, only to realize you've wasted your time. The worst gripe is the Tetra Master card game, which could have been very fun had they only included all the rules. Vague hints are given, and you're urged to figure them out yourself, but the game flies so fast that it's impossible to determine much of anything. What could have been a superior sequel to the immensely fun Triple Triad instead is a jumbled, frustrating mess.
The gameplay is pretty much standard FF, with exploring the field, getting into random battles, and battles governed by the same menus we're all used to. The graphics are lovely, with the FMV sequences hitting a superb level of quality. The sounds are getting very recycled, as you'll be left humming the same victory fanfare that's been used for a decade. As you'd expect from four discs, the game will last a long, long time, so you'll feel you really got you money's worth. Compared to other Final Fantasy titles, the game ends up being like pizza from the second best joint in town; it's not quite as good as from your favorite place, but being pizza, it's still better than just about anything else.