Let me start off by saying that this review will not be of the individual games in this compilation, but rather of the compilation itself. Specific reviews of each of the games in this collection are located within the community reviews of the original games. Final Fantasy Chronicles contains both Final Fantasy IV (originally Final Fantasy II in the US) and Chrono Trigger. These two games represent some of the best that Square had to offer during its SNES days. Final Fantasy IV continues the tradition set with the previous installments of a great RPG experience with particular attention paid to the story and characters this time around. Chrono Trigger is the brainchild of a joint production between Square and Enix and is consider one of the best RPG ever made. A big improvement to come from this compilation is the total conversion of Final Fantasy IV. The version of this game originally released in the States was dubbed Final Fantasy II and was mired with translation problems and changes in difficulty to make it easier for American players. Ten years later, the original Japanese version has made it these shores and the difference is noticeable. The dialogue has been translated to its initial form and the story now makes more sense. Also, the difficulty level is now set on normal, which includes features and enemies that were missing from the North American release. Chrono Trigger, on the other hand, saw no changes in gameplay this time around. The game when initially introduced was almost flawless and any changes would have probably hindered the game. The one negative regarding this game would be loading times, which are lengthy and noticeable. They are also seen throughout the game, which can detract somewhat from the game. The graphics also remain relatively unchanged for both games. Unlike the 8-bit graphics of the primitive games seen in the Final Fantasy Origins compilation, the visuals seen here are still acceptable for today’s standards. The graphics certainly won’t turn heads, but they are serviceable and won’t detract from the game experience. The one noticeable change is the addition of anime sequences. Final Fantasy IV receives and intro and ending, but neither are aesthetically pleasing. The sequences from Chrono Trigger, however, are great to watch since they come from famed artist Akira Toriyama, the original character designer of the game. Although there are limitations to the audio because of its emulation, the soundtracks are still amazing. Final Fantasy IV is where Nobuo Uematsu really began to come into his own regarding soundtracks and it still sounds amazing to this day. Chrono Trigger is even more brilliant because it combined two fantastic composers, Uematsu and Yasunori Mitsuda. Compilations wouldn’t be complete without added features. Although the features aren’t as expansive or accessible as those seen in Final Fantasy Origins, the features for Final Fantasy IV are still nice features. Enemy archives and artwork can be unlocked, but it is only accessible from the loading screen, rather than in-game. Chrono Trigger’s features are numerous, but they are also only accessible from the loading screen. Features include soundtrack music box, artwork gallery, movie gallery and many more. The one catch is that the game needs to be beat multiple times to unlock most of the features. Overall, Final Fantasy Chronicles is the compilation to have in order to experience the glory days of Square and Enix. These are the games that really emphasized story elements, which makes them all the more memorable. Everyone who considers themselves fans of the RPG genre should definitely experience Final Fantasy Chronicles.
Other Helpful Reviews for Final Fantasy Chronicles
What make a great RPG? The graphics? The storyline? The ability to tell a story without letting you go? This game is all about Chrono Trigger. Chrono Trigger is a very DEEP game. From day one, just going to the Millenium... Read Full Review
Yep, time to review these two masterful games... Final Fantasy IV: FFIV is fourth FF in series (LOL of course!) It offers amazing story, masterful soundtrack, lots of sidequests and interesting characters. It's FF in... Read Full Review
