Final Fantasy IV - The Complete Collection (PSP)

"I've played Final Fantasy IV on SNES, DS, GBA, PS1, and I'll probably play it again on PS5 and the Nintendo Ultimate 5D Motion Sensing Handheld Device!" I hear you say. So, what makes this edition of Final Fantasy IV the best yet?

Well, the original Final Fantasy IV is all here. The 2D graphics have been given a flashy HD makeover to look beautiful on your PSP screen. Who said a game needs to be in 3D to look amazing? There are bits of 3D here and there (mostly the OTT spell graphics, for example Meteor actually looks like something that would inflict pain this time!) but for the most part it's the 2D we know and love. The previously Wii-exclusive (unless you have a Japanese phone) "Final Fantasy IV: The After Years" is also in this package, all of the chapters are here, and the graphics have also been updated to match the rest of the collection.

So far, only content that has previously been released. So how about the new content?

"Final Fantasy IV: Interlude" is the new chapter here. In all honestly, don't expect this to be long and spectacular, because it really isn't. You'll be playing it for 4 hours max, and it simply serves to bridge the gap between the two previously mentioned games. If you've never played the excellent GBA edition of FFIV, the bonus Lunar Ruins dungeon is also in this PSP version, which is very long and provides a nice few hours of gameplay to satisfy those who are hungry for more after finishing the main quest.

There is a new soundtrack arrangement in this package. There is a really nice feature where you can actually revert to the original SNES soundtrack at any point during gameplay through the options screen. I found this feature pretty cool as I do love my game music and I appreciate the original soundtrack as a 16 bit masterpiece.

I'm sure I don't need to go into detail about the story, but for those of you who haven't had the chance to play this game before, it's a top notch tale of Light prevailing over Darkness, on the Moon.

I would recommend this to any Final Fantasy IV fans wanting to literally experience the Complete Collection. I should also point out that if you don't want to have to play through the whole FFIV again to get to the extra stuff, have no fear, you can access any of the 3 games via the main menu screen, much like for example, the Sonic the Hedgehog compilation games floating around. In short, play it in whatever order you like!

I would also recommend this to anyone who hasn't yet experienced Final Fantasy IV or even Final Fantasy in general. IV is a nice one to start with. Even if you've played the likes of Final Fantasy XIII and didn't enjoy that, this is a completely different gaming experience, from the "Golden Era" of Final Fantasy.

Don't be a spoony bard, buy this now! (I had to get that one in somewhere, I'm sorry.)

UPDATE: £9.99? You'd have to be insane not to consider this now. I think in future I'll wait a few weeks before buying PSP titles looking at how fast the price for this has shot down :)

Final Fantasy IV first released on the SNES in 1991, and quickly cemented itself as one of the greatest games of all time. Unlike previous Final Fantasy games, IV had a very strong plot which still holds up today as an epic tale of redemption and sacrifice, as well as quite possibly the best character line-up of any Final Fantasy game.

20 years later, and here we are, with 'Final Fantasy IV - The Complete Collection.' And it is truly complete. The UMD disc contains the original Final Fantasy IV game (with 'high definition 2D,' as some call it) as well as the previously Wii-exclusive 'The After Years,' which chronicles what happens after the rather open end of the main game. Bridging FFIV and The After Years is a completely new episode titled 'Interlude,' which, although short, serves its purpose nicely.

The gameplay is virtually identical to the GBA remake that came out some years ago; a relief to me as I personally found Final Fantasy IV on the DS a little too hard, and so The Complete Collection's difficulty is just right for me -- you'll still be using strategy and may get your sorry arse kicked by a few bosses, but at least now you won't nearly have half your party wiped out after a couple of random encounters. For those who have never played FFIV, the gameplay is very 'old school JRPG,' with you having an ensemble of characters, each tailored to their own roles (Mage, Warrior, Fighter, etc) who you control in turn based battles against enemies. Breaking up these battles is a huge overworld to explore, lovingly rendered in some of the most beautiful sprite art I've ever seen.

And the graphics truly are lovely. They manage to be evocative of the original's 16-bit graphics whilst simultaneously not looking too outdated; I personally hated the cutesy blocky 3D graphics of the DS remake, and so I find this perfect. The only issue is that some scenes in the DS version can sometimes be more cinematic, and so a few more CGI movies at key moments wouldn't have gone amiss here.

The music is absolutely wonderful, with the lovely option to be able to switch between the 'remastered' soundtrack and the original SNES soundtrack on the fly. I personally prefer the former, but I know there will be many nostalgic people who'd prefer to listen to the soundtrack in 16 bit glory. No voice acting, which is to be expected, although I did find it quite nice in the DS version; an option to enable/disable voice acting would not have gone amiss.

All in all, you couldn't hope for a better package for Final Fantasy IV -- if the DS remake was the director's cut, then this is the definitive, extended edition. With well over 40 hours of gameplay here, this game will keep you going for a while.

An excellent addition to the PSP, and well worth the purchase. If you're not a fan of classic JRPGs, though, this probably isn't for you.

It was nice to have The after years made available to me having not ever owned a wii. This edition also includes a new game called interlude taking place between both games. A nice set with extra art cards.