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With the next Final Fantasy still more than a year away, there aren’t many RPG’s on the horizon to really look forward to. To satisfy our demands, Square Enix has released an ‘enhanced’ Nintendo DS remake of the original Final Fantasy IV in glorious 3D. It contains various new features that weren’t present in the original. The game is now fully voice-acted; there are new minigames and the gameplay has been given a 21^st century makeover. 20 years have passed since the first Final Fantasy, but has Matrix Software (also behind the Final Fantasy III remake) successfully wet your appetite for XIII?

We’ll try not to bore you with a story that’s been around for 17 years. If you missed it first time around, the name Final Fantasy II might ring a better bell. IV has been rebranded (and remade) before on the GameBoy Advance and PSone, but we’re focussing on the DS version. The story has been streamlined and rewritten in parts and there’s a new cinematic style to plot development. It keeps the experience fresh and will be welcoming to both new and old fans of the series.

How else have Matrix Software kept Final Fantasy IV fresh? The most noticeable new feature is Auto Battle. This is basically a ‘skip-button’ where the computer takes over from you. It can be used at any point in the game, even against bosses. The Auto Battle feature doesn’t guarantee victory and more often than not you’ll end up coming out worse than when you entered. Even so, for a casual device like the DS, it’s a nice feature to include.

The new ‘cinematic’ style is the other major invention. Voices have been added to reinforce the key scenes in the game. It’s not every inch of dialogue, but it’s definitely an improvement on silent reading. Annoyingly, the inclusion of voice acting has prompted the removal of Namingway, the option to name your characters. It’s obvious as to why (dialogue permutations), so you’ll just have to make do.

The final new feature is Whyt. The removal of customization has been rectified by the inclusion of Whyt. The minigames utilise the DS’ features as much as possible, and Whyt’s your avatar. The introduction of multiplayer battles is a nice touch, but it’ll unlikely keep you away from the main story.

If you’re willing to invest your time in Final Fantasy, you’re looking at 30 odd hours. There’s a replayability mode under the guise of ‘Game-Plus,’ but only the addicted need apply. Nostalgia will warrant the purchase, but there are still enough modern day bells and whistles to bring in new players. Even so, it’s a short review as it’s hardly a new game.

Score: 7/10

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