Square-Enix now has a package that takes old-school classics Final Fantasy II (now called Final Fantasy IV) and Chrono Trigger, adds some new animation effects, and puts them together as Final Fantasy Chronicles. The graphics are outdated, the sound as well, but the story and simple gameplay, that still demands a lot of strategy at times, makes this a welcome trip to gaming's past. The storylines for both are an RPG stand-by: save the world, in Chrono Trigger by travelling through time and making adjustments here and there, and in FFIV by going on a quest to collect crystals. Both, of course, lead you to an ultimate battle, FFIV's much more difficult than Chrono Trigger's. Each game sees a large number of possible people in your travelling party, though they limit you in different ways. Chrono Trigger sees you gather people and then choose which 3 will best suit where you are travelling next, while FFIV has a more fluid approach, as up to 4 additional characters join and leave (and sometimes join again) the protagonist as the story progresses. While some JRPG clichés abound, such as overly-emotional characters, lots of dialogue is present in both titles and you get a good sense of what the characters are all about. The gameplay, while a tad out-dated and slow, is still highly intuitive even to those who've only played more modern RPGs, partly because these games did everything so right that they're the template much of our current games are based on. Easy-to-understand menus let your commands flow, though in later parts of Chrono Trigger, calling things up from very long lists of items can be a huge drag. Timing plays a big part in both games, as characters react at set times according to their abilities, not just "next." Holding off on a spell until an enemy attacks can be a valuable strategy in FFIV, whereas deciding to wait to engage in a special 2 or 3 person move, or attack solo, can mean life and death in Chrono Trigger. The gameplay really makes these games hold up, though some commands from the manual did not work, making menu navigation a bit more of a hassle than it should have been, but luckily that does not affect battle. The graphics, while old and clunky now, still represent at least "good" graphics from their era. As with many RPGs, they don't need to be splashy, just give you a good sense of what is going on. The sound is right on the same level. At easily over 30 hours per game, you will get your money's worth, and then some, especially since this should not be over $15 most places. In short, if you like current RPGs, do yourself a favor, pick this up out of a classics bin, and see where it all began.
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
