Final Fantasy IV: Complete Takes Airship Out of Japan

[Tom Goldman]

Final Fantasy IV: Complete Takes Airship Out of Japan


Square Enix has confirmed that the Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection will come to North America and Europe.

The gorgeous PSP remake of Final Fantasy IV that was barely announced two months ago has been confirmed for Europe and the U.S. Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection [http://www.amazon.com/Final-Fantasy-Complete-Collection-Sony-PSP/dp/B004LLRYOY/ref=sr_1_14?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1296549420&sr=1-14] is poised to become the best version of the title yet, until Square Enix decides to re-release it again.

Square Enix has given FFIV: Complete Collection a graphical overhaul [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/106300-Final-Fantasy-IV-PSP-Collection-Beautifully-Polishes-Classic-Visuals], but kept it within the style of the original SNES version. The box includes both Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, a cellphone and WiiWare release that tells the story of what happened after IV. In addition, it'll feature a brand new scenario that links the two games together and a gallery mode with illustrations by longtime Final Fantasy concept artist Yoshitaka Amano

Square Enix's North American announcement for the game has lagged behind the European announcement, but an Amazon page [http://www.amazon.com/Final-Fantasy-Complete-Collection-Sony-PSP/dp/B004LLRYOY/ref=sr_1_14?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1296549420&sr=1-14] pretty much seals the deal. It also reveals bonuses that include the "original SNES soundtrack, an all-new intro movie and cinematic CGI sequences from previous release, and a monster encyclopedia that covers details of over 300 enemies are all included within the game." There's no word on any sort of collector's edition like the one released in Japan, but that monster encyclopedia sounds fun.

I have a lot less issues with a company that constantly re-releases its titles when they're done in this format, seemingly like tributes rather than straight-up grabs at cash. Plus, at $30 (according to Amazon), it's set at a pretty decent price.

Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection is expected to be released in Europe and North America in spring 2011.

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[Sticky Squid]

Now all we need are V and VI to be made in beautiful 2d sprites.

 

[Ghengis John]

I don't know why they bother releasing these things to the relatively limited PSP market. Online distribution would make more sense to me. Go multi-platform, larger install base, cut distribution costs. Seems like a nice game and a respectful treatment, but the release details make me wonder. It's not the route I would have taken. And why wouldn't people sit down to play this on a console? Independent releases have been flourishing on several platforms and many of them aren't as polished as this.

 

[Nargleblarg]

4 was awesome but we already got a remake on the DS...and I already own it. Remind me why aren't they remaking 7?

 

[shadowstriker86]

why is it that VI never gets this treatment?

 

[megs1120]

why is it that VI never gets this treatment?

What I'm curious about is V, which would be the perfect pick-up-and-play FF game. It's insane that they'd remake Final Fantasy IV so many times and ignore the one that was practically designed for short spurts of play time.

 

[Sabrestar]

Dear Squenix:

Steam.

That is all.

 

[mireko]

I don't know why they bother releasing these things to the relatively limited PSP market.

Japan.

 

[-Seraph-]

Man I haven't played 4 in a while, not since the GBA version. Can't wait to pick it up, and I hope the North American version also comes with Dissidia 2 DLC like they did in Japan. Be cool to have Cecils After Years costume or something as the DLC.

Even if After Years isn't as good as 4 from what I've heard, it's worth it just to replay 4.

 

[theultimateend]

It's a shame that I have to rip games just so that I don't have to do their phony software updates .

For sure I'm going to pre-order this right now though. I am an insatiable consumer whore for any Final Fantasy from 12 and below (if we act like X and XI never happened).

 

[ThreeKneeNick]

I will never understand the Final Fantasy nomenclature.

 

[RollForInitiative]

I will never understand the Final Fantasy nomenclature.

Might as well put it into perspective for you. Apparently, the original "Final Fantasy" title was actually a last ditch effort by a dying development studio. There was never going to be another, hence the name. It revived the studio, surprisingly enough, and they've stuck with it since.

Consider it a name that accidentally became a lie.

Take the story with a grain of salt, though. I've never really bothered to verify the veracity of the claim, so it could be amusingly concocted BS.

If not, though, it's kind of a neat story.

 

[Roganzar]

why is it that VI never gets this treatment?

Seriously, get to work on VI. Its the best game in the whole Final Fantasy series.

 

[ANImaniac89]

Cool, IV is my favorite Final Fantasy (screw VII and its emo bullshit) and now I will finally get some usage out of my PSP which is now collecting dust in a box somewhere.

 

[ShenCS]

A monster encyclopedia? So what, they're just gonna photoshop pallete swap maybe 13 different monster designs and call that a bonus?

 

[Timbydude]

I just don't get why they keep remaking IV. It was good, but most fans consider VI, VII, and X to be the best in the series. It's just so arbitrary..

 

[loc978]

why is it that VI never gets this treatment?

Seriously, get to work on VI. Its the best game in the whole Final Fantasy series.

Hear, hear.
I mean, it's nice to have a seamless integration of the sequel to IV attached and all, but this is the fourth release this game has seen! (not counting emulation)
Where's the love for their best story structure to date? VI is long overdue for a remake.

 

[Olrod]

The last version of FFIV I purchased was on the GameBoy Advance.

I found it pretty frustrating because of the random battles that just took too long to play through. It would take 15 minutes just to see what's at the end of a corridor.

I eventually played it up until getting that FuSoYa (or whatever his name was) in my party but then I lost patience with the arduous chore of too-long random battles and never played it again.

Although after hearing about this new release, I'm tempted to pick it up and give it one more go.

Damn you, Squeenix, and your temptingly tasty treats...

 

[Defense]

Excellent. I'll probably buy this because I sold my copy of Final Fantasy IV DS. And personally, I always preferred FF titles on the Playstation series, but that's just me.

Cool, IV is my favorite Final Fantasy (screw VII and its emo bullshit) and now I will finally get some usage out of my PSP which is now collecting dust in a box somewhere.

Just wondering, what was so emo about it?