New Final Fantasy Beams Four Heroes of Light Onto DS

[Tom Goldman]

New Final Fantasy Beams Four Heroes of Light Onto DS

Square Enix's next Final Fantasy for the DS looks like a return to the traditions the series is known for.

Square Enix has announced that Japan's Hikari no Yon Senshi: Final Fantasy Gaiden will be coming to European and North American Nintendo DS systems as Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light [http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=77973]. Don't write this one off as a disappointing Final Fantasy spin-off just yet, as it seems to have more in common with the series' roots than other recently released titles.

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light was developed by Matrix Software, developers of the good Final Fantasy III and the somewhat excellent Final Fantasy IV remakes for the Nintendo DS. Matrix knows DS games and came back with 4 Heroes of Light for their own original take on a Final Fantasy title. The company might as well do something if it sadly can't remake Final Fantasy V and VI due to reported [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100313-Final-Fantasy-V-VI-Have-Technical-Problems-On-DS] "technical problems."

The newly announced game looks somewhat similar to Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker [http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=20497] with a cel-shaded, "picture-book" art style. Battles work how Final Fantasy battles "should" work, in a turn-based environment where players save up action points to use more powerful attacks. The job system made famous by Final Fantasy even returns as the "Crown Job System," which includes 20 jobs and gives each character a different ability set and appearance as their "crown" is changed. Up to four Final Fantasy maniacs can also join together in a multiplayer mode.

All in all, Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light sounds like a re-imagining of the first Final Fantasy for the NES, which saw the four warriors of light vanquish the world's elemental fiends, but without being tied to that original game's storyline or gameplay conventions. For classic Final Fantasy fans, or perhaps those disappointed with Final Fantasy XIII [http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=76617], 4 Heroes of Light looks like a game to at least allow a portion of the brain to anticipate for now.

It'll be released on October 5 in North America, though the game's European release date is a vague autumn 2010. The best part: There is no Square Enix tax. 4 Heroes of Light wil be $34.99. Five more dollars to spend on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures!

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[CoverYourHead]

*Reads about inclusion of job system*

YES! YES! YES! I love the job system! The only mechanic to be anywhere near as awesome as it is the materia system of Final Fantasy VII, but even that doesn't measure up in my eyes.

Okay, now I have to get this game.

 

[deth2munkies]

A resounding "Meh." from me. Final Fantasy is no doubt a powerful force in the JRPG, but recently they seem to have been phoning it in. Nearly everything after 7 has been a remake in the same vein. The games before it, which this is based off of, were excellent for their time, but quite a bit shallow upon reflection, especially when compared to RPGs like Baldur's Gate or Chrono Trigger. We'll see but I don't have my hopes up.

 

[Korten12]

I thought this was already slated for DS awhile ago..?

 

[capnpupster]

Sounds a hell of a lot better than the garbage they've been making lately. I don't want to set my hopes too high, mostly because handheld RPGs have a tendency to be so easy as to make any planning and strategy obsolete, but I'll be keeping an eye out for this.

 

[Fusoiya]

I love how it'll be 35$ in the US and most likely 45?(bout 55$) in Europe, still this looks pretty cool and I think imma check it out when it gets released here "sometime near autumn" -.-

 

[Blanks]

This seems pretty awesome, square can consider my money theirs XD

 

[Ben Legend]

Sounds good. And the Job System in Final Fantasy V was amazing. But I will wait for more screens and videos before I make any decisions about this game.


EDIT: found a video
http://www.eurogamer.net/videos/hikari-no-4-senshi-final-fantasy-gaiden-trailer
Looks pretty interesting, if slightly childish in design.

 

[JediMB]

So, will we be getting equipment that modifies the characters' appearances? I sure hope so.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Is it just me or are developer's becoming really uncreative when it comes to titles? I mean, I hate to complain, but between this and Sonic Colours I'm just seeing a trend of weak game titles.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

Ah, so will this be better than Final Fantasy XIII if it's back to the series' roots?

Calumon: I wanna take a job as a WHITE MAGE! *Heals from comments over the past few months*

 

[Jared]

It mentions the job system. I'm happy! Will certainly be looking out for this!

 

[Tom Goldman]

Ah, so will this be better than Final Fantasy XIII if it's back to the series' roots?

YES! it better be anyway. or I'll stop playing RPGs forever.

 

[Snownine]

The only thing I don't like is the cell shaded graphics, I have never had much love for them.

 

[Chase Yojimbo]

Sounds good, i will have to pick it up when i can. that is if its worth playing >.>

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Is it just me or are developer's becoming really uncreative when it comes to titles? I mean, I hate to complain, but between this and Sonic Colours I'm just seeing a trend of weak game titles.

Oh yes, we've seen so much of Sonic Colors. One teaser trailer tells you so much about gameplay.

I don't even LIKE Sonic and that's some serious bullshit.

Why are you bringing up gameplay? I was talking specifically about the title. I said I thought the title was weak and unimaginative. We haven't seen any gameplay footage or anything so I can't make any judgments there and I'm not about to.

 

[ultimasupersaiyan]

All in all, Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light sounds like a re-imagining of the first Final Fantasy for the NES, which saw the four warriors of light vanquish the world's elemental fiends, but without being tied to that original game's storyline or gameplay conventions.

I have the same feeling too. I mean with the fact that the princess of the first town is kidnapped and 4 Light Warriors have to save her screams original Final Fantasy reboot. If it really is I don't know how to feel about it because of how much I love the original. I wish more info was available for it because I'm a huge Final Fantasy fan and a lot of the spin off titles are sub par.

 

[Brain_Cleanser]

I was always under the impression that it was an FF1 reboot... thing. I wasn't sure, but I was always excited, just because I'm a hard core sucker for the Job Classes in the FF Games. It's really the only thing that saved X-2 for me.