Final Fantasy II was released in 1991 for the 16-bit SNES and was leaps and bounds more advanced than its predecessor. The characters and story were much more developed and there were several new special commands for specific party members. A large part of the vast advancement is based on the fact that what was marketed to western gamers as Final Fantasy II was really Final Fantasy IV. Final Fantasy II was originally released in 1988, but the western world didn’t get to play it until the 2003 remake on PlayStation. Because of that the nostalgia factor isn’t as powerful of a force with some of the other Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, but that doesn’t mean that Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster can’t be enjoyed on its own merits.
The four elements and their respective fiends is a recurring theme in a few games that was introduced in the original Final Fantasy, but Final Fantasy II introduces another theme that has been used in a few subsequent games, which is a group of rebels fighting against an evil empire. The story begins with four facing off against imperial soldiers in an impossible battle. They lose, only to awaken under the care of the Princess Hilda, leader of the rebellion with one of their companions missing. Having lost their parents during an attack from the Empire of Palamecia, the survivors Firion, Maria and Guy are eager to join the rebellion, but their quest is denied due to being too young and inexperienced. No motivator works as well as rejection, so the three embark to prove their worth in the battle against the empire.
Final Fantasy II took an interesting approach to powering up characters. The leveling up and experience point system has been thrown out the window, and instead characters will receive intermittent stat boosts based on what actions they perform, similar to what we see in Skyrim. This gives the player freedom to build each character how they see fit. If they want to be a powerhouse with dual-wielded swords they simply need to equip the character as such and attack frequently watching their strength and sword proficiency grow. Casting spells will increase a character’s magic points, spell power and level up the spell. Receiving damage is a good way to increase hit points. This system can also be exploited to speed up the grinding process by attacking your own party members.
Final Fantasy II brought innovative gameplay to the table along with elements that would become standard in future Final Fantasy games. There’s a long-standing tradition of guys named Cid that were somehow connected to airships, and this is the game that began the tradition. Storytelling has taken a more dramatic approach compared its predecessor, with lengthier dialogues between characters with a greater emphasis on details about what’s happening in the world. The roster changes throughout the game with characters joining and departing from the party. While this approach to advancing the plot was still in the early stages it’s clear to see how many common elements of Final Fantasy game originated here. This is also where the the big yellow Chocobos originated, which have become one of the major identifying elements of Final Fantasy. Like the original, Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster includes a bestiary, sound test mode and an art gallery with Yoshitaka Amano’s original concept art. For lazy grinding, there’s also an auto battle feature that can be toggled.
Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster is a new re-imagining of the 1988 game. From old screenshots of the original we can tell Final Fantasy II looked a lot like its predecessor, but all of the versions of Final Fantasy II released in America have been remade and updated. The goal of the Pixel Remaster series is to keep the graphics pixelated as they were in their original 8-bit incarnation, but also bring out more details and colors. In a nutshell, keep the 8-bit aesthetic without being confined to the strict limitations of the hardware. The environments, characters and monsters have all been redrawn based on their original designs. To ensure authenticity, original pixel artist Kazuko Shibuya was brought in to recreate her original designs. Keeping in mind that they were going for a modern take while keeping the retro feel intact, personal opinion is the Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster is a fine-looking game. Everything retains a pixelated retro charm, but the greater color palette and fully drawn-out battle backgrounds make this more pleasant to look at than its 1988 counterpart. As was stated with the original, this reimagining is how I imagine the developers wanted Final Fantasy to look before they had to concede to the limitations of that 8-bit hardware.
In addition to the complete recreation of the graphics, all the music for the Pixel Remaster series has also been completely revamped and overseen by original composer Nobuo Uematsu. Most Americans have never heard the original soundtrack in its original chiptune glory because of when Final Fantasy II was first localized. Our current assumption is that this is closer to how the music was intended to sound when it was composed. There’s a wealth of great musical compositions in the NES library, but something tells me many of these compositions were written with actual instruments in mind. The remixed score now sounds closer to actual brass and string instruments. The somber overworld theme conveys a certain element of dread, and after Final Fantasy VI this may have the best Final Fantasy overworld music. The battle theme sounds dramatic, and while it isn’t the electric guitar driven takeThe Black Magesgave it, the string dominant arrangement found in the game sounds befitting of an epic film score. Final Fantasy as a series has always consistently been filled with great music and Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster is no exception.
Like many Final Fantasy fans I have previously played all six of the games in the Pixel Remaster series. All of them are enjoyable and worth playing, but like how everyone has a favorite there must also be a least favorite, and that would be Final Fantasy II. This was an innovative game for its time and many of the changes that were implemented in this title are responsible for steering Final Fantasy’s evolution to becoming one of the greatest RPG series. The level up system, or lack thereof, was an innovative approach, but it’s just not as effective as the tried and true level system or some of the skill grid systems that were seen in later games. Traveling to and from the rebel headquarters to different towns only to learn key words and repeat them back was an innovative role-playing approach and tries to convey a more immersive sense of gathering intel against the enemy, but backtracking between towns and dealing with random encounters that have quickly diminishing returns or throwing down serious gil for public airship transportation quickly starts to feel like a chore. The freedom to equip anyone with any equipment and teach every spell is nice without class restrictions, but the grind to make someone a truly-powerful wizard takes a ridiculous amount of grinding. The storytelling is vastly expanded on from the first game, which is a trend that we see continuing with each game in the series. Playing Final Fantasy II is where one can see all the potential this franchise has to offer, and while it’s still a fun game, the potential won’t fully be realized until subsequent games.
Closing Comments:
Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster is a great way to experience one of the less talked about Final Fantasy games, even if it is one of the weaker titles in the franchise. Final Fantasy II seems to suffer from a bit of middle child syndrome. In some ways it does improve on its predecessor, but while it’s clearly the more advanced game, part of the original’s charm was in its simplicity. Final Fantasy II’s advancements seem to hint at how great the series will become instead of simply being great itself. Playing Final Fantasy II Pixel Remaster for the review was a great time and it’s recommended as a must-play for any Final Fantasy fan, but part of that is based on getting a historical perspective on how Final Fantasy has evolved. The innovative approaches to the game mechanics have resulted in a experience that’s oftentimes a tedious grind despite everything else positive that can be said.
