FINAL FANTASY IV

You've probably seen a trend by now that the famed JRPG franchise is releasing remastered games in chronological order. Now, here comes the fourth installment in Final Fantasy IV, seeing its modern reincarnation. It goes without saying that if you're a hardcore fan of the series or at least purchased the first 3 remasters - you'll probably already want to play this.

But there still remains the question of whether the fourth remaster is worth playing or is this just another attempt to milk the Final Fantasy franchise cow. There are good arguments in both courts, but the fact of the matter is that Final Fantasy IV still remains an acclaimed game to this day. That should be enough to tempt you into trying the 2021 version.

Blue Planet IV

It won't take long to describe the overall differences seen in Final Fantasy IV. The classic visuals have seen a revamp to offer vibrant and colorful environments and characters on your high-definition screens. That's also met with some mechanical improvements to better the flow of gameplay. The first 3-remasters saw some heralding that it was actually more refreshing to play. But then comes the debate of hindrance on the nostalgia factor.

Whatever your argument - Blue Planet has never looked better. It complements the traditionally deep narrative of the Final Fantasy franchise, especially that in the fourth installment. When you get stuck in the game, you do notice the gameplay improvements. Admittedly, the Active Time Battle system, first integrated into Final Fantasy IV, feels better. Maybe because it's easier to navigate - but ultimately just brings more immersion.

Apart from the visuals and mechanical tweaks - the rest of the improvements are trivial. There's a slightly more cleaned-up UI, a more refined soundtrack, and additional extras designed to be must-haves for hardcore fans. All things considered, there's nothing groundbreaking about the remaster of Final Fantasy IV.

However, it does shed a more beautiful light on your adventures in Blue Planet. Arguably, it plays better than some of Final Fantasy IV's previous incarnations and will definitely be appealing to most JRPG enthusiasts. If anything, players can get stuck into a celebration of a classic franchise without too much complaint.

Become Kings and Queens Once Again

Even today, Final Fantasy IV's narrative comes off quite well. It's an emotional rollercoaster of a journey that leaves you content once finished. As aforementioned, there's nothing new or vastly different from the original version besides the visual and mechanical improvements. However, there are JRPG remasters that have not met such a good fate. Secret of Mana comes to mind.

Pros:

• Visuals are beautifully revamped to provide more immersion against the narrative
• The gameplay flows better than the original
• The mechanical tweaks do the battle system some justice

Cons:

• Not enough offered to justify the price point of the remaster
• It won't entice any new fans to the series