Gamers who are used to contemporary titles may find this one a little too simplistic and old for their tastes but if you can look beyond that, you'll be treated to an amazing rendition of a classic console RPG. [July 2007, p.86]
I played the original way back on the NES, and yes there are a lot of changes but the mechanics and storyline that made the game are still solid. Many may say this game is too this, or too that. But this is a piece of history that I recommend playing.
A nice and polished remake of a beloved classic, Final Fantasy I is a good game for an RPG fan with only a PSP who hasn’t played any previous remakes of the title. However, if you already have, chances are you’ll want to skip this one, since it doesn’t bring anything new to the table.
I'm not really sure if I understand the negativity that this game is receiving. While this game is indeed intensely retro, the gameplay has been greatly tweaked (now we have MP - a MUCH needed addition), the graphics have been lovingly enhanced from the PSX version, and the music, like the PSX version, has been wonderfully reimainged, unlike other Final Fnatasy ports, where the music is 'new' but largely identical. The story in its elements is still good in a fairy-tale type of way, although as a cohesive whole, the story is quite weak, admittedly. While Final Fantasy, at least starting with part IV (II US), played out more like a novel or a movie, this original entry plays out more like a TV series or collection of fables, but these episodes or short stories are sometimes interesting. Lastly, in addition to the new MP system for magic, by adding Dash abilities, quicker leveling and removing some lackluster battle system elements allows this game to play out a lot faster than originally; I think you could probably beat the game in about half the time despite accomplishing just as much.
Being a Final Fantasy fan since the early days of my childhood, coming back to the first Final Fantasy in an anniversary form was a great joy. I've played the Origins version on the first Playstation and I loved it.
Now coming to a remake that is actually a whole re-imagining of the original. Not only was I swept off my feet from the new enhanced graphics, but the cut scenes, the music, and the new magic system have greatly made a difference to how I felt about this remake. It's not only just a remake though, there are new dungeons, new items and equipment, and some really interesting bosses and enemies that have made their way from other Final Fantasy titles. Most notably are the new dungeons, and enemies that accompany them. The magic system has been revamped for the newer generation, it resembles the newer Final Fantasies using Magic Points instead of a fixed amount of spells. New items such as Ethers, Phoenix Downs and Elixirs are introduced, making the game seem familiar to new players not used to the original game, but also makes the game a lot more easier to play compared to the original. The characters and towns are beautiful and well detailed, with added special effects on field screens and over world screen. The battles are well done, enemies now look awesome compared to older versions, also with great looking spells and backgrounds, making the game seamlessly go from battle to field screen. Most Final Fantasy fans will remember the long hours of grinding to level up for a certain dungeon, it is essentially the same as the original but now with more levels to earn. This along with the new items, dungeons and bosses, creates an experience that resembles the famous Final Fantasy that everybody knows and loves. Aside from the main quest are the dungeons that really brings challenge and a few new but familiar places. (FF3 fans will be surprised to see the 8-bit dungeon remade.) The bosses that come with them are absolutely amazing to battle, some being enemies from other FF titles, and new versions of classic enemies are scattered throughout all the new dungeons. Although there are some new places to explore, none of them really create any new stories or plot lines, but they do give you some really awesome treasure. Just like the versions before it, Final Fantasy is a game where exploring and talking to townsfolk are the only ways to find out what to do next, so unless you have beaten this before, actually talk to the people in the game, or you have a guide, you'll be stuck trying to figure out what to do next. The story in the game is simple and lacks the compelling edge of your your seat feeling, but overall it reminds you that a great game doesn't need full motion cut scenes or long dialogue to make you want to save the world. If you haven't played FF1 before, this would be a great way to start your journey down the Final Fantasy road. But fans of the first game would want to check this out as well, an amazing journey that has been revamped and puts you back in the shoes of the glory days, when Final Fantasy was brand new and exciting to play.
Gameplay: 9/10 Graphics: 10/10 Audio: 10/10 Story: 9/10 One of the best Final Fantasies!
Graphically, they've spruced things up for the PSP, giving the original pixelated sprites a facelift. It's like putting an Instagram filter on a vintage photo – a bit of modern polish without losing that retro charm.
Gameplay:
Gameplay-wise, it's a trip down memory lane. Turn-based combat, a party of four, and the classic job system – it's the foundation that countless RPGs have built upon. But let's be real, the grind in this game is like a workout routine from hell. It's a testament to the era, but can we all collectively agree that the encounter rate is a tad excessive?
Soundtrack:
Now, let's talk tunes. The PSP version inherits the iconic soundtrack from the original, and it's like Nobuo Uematsu's compositions were tailor-made for this handheld experience. The music remains timeless, like a symphony that transcends the boundaries of gaming generations
Story:
And the narrative – it's as straightforward as a classic fantasy novel. Save the princess, defeat the evil, restore peace to the kingdom – it's the hero's journey 101. But back in the day, this was groundbreaking stuff, laying the groundwork for the epic tales we see in RPGs today.
However, the PSP version isn't without its quirks. The translation is a bit wonky, with lines that can be more confusing than a David Lynch film. It's like they used Google Translate for the dialogue, and it shows.
Final Fantasy on the PSP is a nostalgic trip for longtime fans and a history lesson for the new generation of gamers. It's not without its flaws, but the simplicity and purity of the original experience shine through.
As someone who has played this game about five times through, this is just filler text until I can process my overall thoughts, but my rating is my final rating.
Final Fantasy for the PSP is a remake of the classic RPG that first appeared on the Nintendo Entertainment System.
It features updated graphics that look wonderful, a slightly lower difficulty, a bestiary and more. It all sounds wonderful, doesn't it?
Well, that's before you start to notice the downgrades in the game that for whatever reason the developer decided to put in.
To begin with, the game normally feels easier than the tough as nails NES game, but there's theres weird spikes in difficulty that doesn't really seem to make sense. You'll still spend a lot of time grinding in the game and dying.
Another issue I have is they still haven't fixed the encounter rates, they are still really frustrating and I'm unsure why they didn't do anything about that.
Yet another issue is, there's been item changes, name changes, dialog changes, some stores don't sell what they used to, some spells no longer work with some classes, that sort of thing. You won't be able to use any other guide besides the PSP one, because none of the other guides are going to be accurate.
I honestly don't know why they did it to be honest. Maybe they thought they were balacing out the game, but in reality they may have actually made it more difficult in some sections than it should have been by screwing with these things.
Another small complaint I have is that, for whatever reason they made it so you had to press O + Select to bring up the world map. With the NES this was understandable, they only have a couple of buttons. With the PSP they had more than enough control realestate to just assign a standard button, or even have the option in the game's menu, but now, they kept with the hidden world map thing. Stupid.
Honestly, at the end of the day, there ARE better versions of this game out there. This isn't a bad game by any means, but there was some uneeded changes forced on the game and it's annoying.
SummaryIn FINAL FANTASY, the tale begins when four young warriors, each possessing a Crystal, are summoned to bring the world back to a harmonious elemental balance. During their voyage, they discover a nefarious entity has created turmoil in the structure of time in order to take control of the world, causing the heroes to travel to places the...