Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light is certainly an interesting experience when it comes to many of its unique gameplay mechanics, but the game's overflowing sense of charm and hardcore level of challenge make it an irresistible experience for seasoned RPG fans.
Admittedly, Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light is not the same as the classics from two decades ago, but nothing ever will be. This is as close as we're getting for now, so take advantage of this opportunity.
Final Fantasy 4 Heroes of Light is one of my favorite games for the DS, and it bothers me that I discovered it so late. The soundtrack is fantastic and very memorable. People call it hard, but honestly I didn't find it hard, and I'm not the most die-hard FF fan. I would say that if you've played the 3rd and the 4th FF on the DS, then this will not be more difficult or have any more cryptic stuff than them, without spoiling anything. What makes this game special to me is the way it stands out in terms of story, gameplay and feel. Story-wise, it seemed like they were referencing the traditional FF characters by parodying them, and I think you will notice this if you keep this in mind while playing it, and it makes for a much more comical playthrough. Still, this game manages to make the story into something with sense, that naturally brings you further and keeps variation. My tip to anyone picking this up is to early adapt to the unorthodox game mechanics and upgrading system. Also, my biggest advice is to save all the gems you can, and to do a little bit of harvesting! I would love if this got a sequel of some sorts...
Four Heroes of Light is very much its own thing; quaint and deceptively difficult - a combination that fans of the genre should grab hold of with both hands.
Naïve in looks but brutal in nature. Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light certainly isn't for the wide audience. Fan of the recent games in the series are likely to throw away their DS in frustration over defeat upon defeat. But it is sure to satisfy old-school Final Fantasy-fans, and the minimalistic approach is refreshing.
Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light delivers an RPG that has far more in common with early iterations of the Final Fantasy series than anything after V, and slips in a fair number of direct references to them.
So indebted is dev studio Matrix to the old ways that it seems to have granted a free pass to the old problems. Quest signposting is buried in unclear dialogue snippets, bosses are beaten through trial and error, and grinding is rife. [Dec 2010, p.99]
The 4 Heroes of Light is everything you love about old school RPGs, requiring a lot of exploring with a just-big-enough world to explore and a hint of guidance. It comes wrapped in a deceptively cute aesthetic, with lush, painterly graphics which I hope to see more of from Square.
While a beautiful game, it took the very old school approach to story and mechanics. Unfortunately, the main problem with battles was that you could not designate a certain attack or skill to an enemy, making it extremely difficult with multiple enemies who have a weakness or strength to any elements. The crown system was very interesting, though, as was the way skill trees were implemented by the jewel upgrades. That may be something I'd like to see redone in the future.
Art: 8
Music: 9
Story: 7
Gameplay: 6
I thought it might be my favorite Final Fantasy game at first, but it heavily lacks enemy variety, reusing the same areas over with different characters, or making you retrace your steps. It Also makes you talk to everyone in town to figure out what you have to do. In the final one that pissed me off I talked to the King and answered honestly. His advise was to talk to all of the animals in town, they said nothing. I already had a feline companion with me whom I couldn't talk to, but you were supposed to lie or end up wasting a bunch of time in town accomplishing nothing. I love the art style and the music so much, and the humor, that it hurts to part with.
Oh, and your MagicAttack stat is hidden for god knows what reason, seriously why?
The game has a lot of potential, but it fails to impress. The art is nice, but the characters lack personality like they do on the official artwork. Character development is poor, with little exposition from them at specific points. The story Is interesting until it just becomes a lot of new information with no apparent reason, and the worst part is that the jobs are not as important as they are in other games like Final Fantasy V or Tactics. You cannot use the techniques of one job to another, which is a missed opportunity. It requires a lot of grinding and the correct equipment, as the best equipment will not protect you when you fight the bosses, but knowing exactly which shield and armor will make the bosses a breeze. I wanted to like this game, but the frustration is so great, I just wanted to be done with it, and I will never play it again. If it didn't have Final Fantasy in the title, disguising it as a return to the origin of the series, we would probably be more lenient, but if you want a back-to-the-basics experience, go to Final Fantasy IX instead.
The beginning of the game was great, but then it loses its place pretty quickly. I played about 10 hours telling myself the good part was coming up, and I knew the game was bad when it never came. Redeeming features: the music, crown system, and beginning tutorial segment.
SummaryWith FINAL FANTASY: THE 4 HEROES OF LIGHT, the FINAL FANTASY series is rendered anew as an epic storybook adventure by the creators of the FINAL FANTASY III and FINAL FANTASY IV Nintendo DS remakes. Players will enter a beautiful fairy-tale world featuring illustrations and character designs by acclaimed character designer Akihiko Yoshid...