Lali-ho!! Don't forget to check out my Patreon, it really helps ^_^;; You get to join the discord, vote on games I play or next TOP 5 topics, early access and prints!! (Currently running a special people at the $5 tier (excluding international) can get prints! - as long as you're comfortable giving your address of course. ^^; ) And stay tuned I still got a lot more videos coming December...assuming I can get 'em all done eh heh... www.patreon.com/PelvicGaming Edit: (Oh did I mention at the $750 dollar mark I'm doing a discord exclusive "stream" of...dare I say... Until Dawn. /gulp)
@@chimeratcg07 Funny enough I think the thing that really made me like him, other then his redemption arc in FF4, was that in Dissidia Duodecim he actually ships Firion from FF2 with Lightning from FF13.
I really love him, he's such a soft spoken gentle hearted guy who knew he'd done some tremendous things wrong 8c I don't think I've been as attached to the mcs in most other ff games.
My 1st RPG, It was so dope as a kid. The story arc of each character (simplistic but it’s an early FF). The different airships, going into the underworld, going to the moon. The scale of the game at the time blew my mind. The music. I’m glad you touched on degree of difficulty, they really made you earn it in FFIV.
FF4 was one of my first JRPGs. The original Dragon Quest/Warrior on the NES was my first. I lost track how many times I rented 4 (or 2?) from the local Family Video. Even into my teenage years I played the hell out of it. The After Years was an interesting experience. It’s not for everyone. Another awesome and honest review. Très bien.
You are probably the hardest working game reviewer on youtube! You are awesome! I am glad you are keeping this channel going! Your enthusiasm is infectious!
@@PelvicGaming I am happy to hear that you read my comment and it made you feel good. :) You deserve all the praise! I will keep on watching your reviews and shows. Also I am envious that you have the guts to put yourself out there and share what you love to the world. I couldn't do what you do. So thank you for doing this for us. :D
FF6 was where they started being more story driven with FFs imo. FF4 may have the best intro to any FF game ever but its story falls flat during the second half.
@@badmeetsevil6163 Meh I still like it more then FF6. Besides it doesn't change the fact that FF4 is where the series started being more story driven in comparison to the previous games.
This was always one of my favorite entries of the series. The music and story is fantastic. Always been a big standout game. Glad you finally got to play through it. (World theme is the best theme 🎶)
IV was the first one I ever played as a kid. I didn't understand it a bit but I loved it. It's still in my top five. Fantastic game, it doesn't get enough love.
Good call on the after years. I will probably never revisit it either. Final Fantasy 4, on the other hand, was my first FF, and made me fall in love with the series. I have replayed it about 3 times now, and the music is definitely a highlight of it.
Same! Every time I replay the game, it takes me back. The music is too great, Rosa and Cecil theme Theme of love is so nostalgic for me and my favorite.
I have fond memories of the ds version of FF4, so it was interesting to see you dive into the PSP version! Honestly I'm fond of that sorta polygonal look (maybe it's because I loved bravely default so much?) So if I'm gonna pick it up again I might grab it for the 3ds, who knows?
Final Fantasy IV Advance was the last Christmas Gift I got from my Grandpa before he passed away. I remember playing a lot of it on the way to and from the hospital, so it's always going to have a special place in my heart. Relieved to hear you enjoyed it Lady Pelvic! PS I keep going back and forth on whether or not I should play After Years. While everyone I've ever talked to has panned it, there's something appealing to me about spending more time with the cast outside of Cecil. PPS: once you get past the visuals, the 3D remake is REALLY good. I'd almost consider it a completely different game.
I really enjoyed the DS remake as well. Didn't mind the visuals honestly. I just wish you could swap around characters post-game like you could in some of the other ports. Instead we got the augments, I guess.
Y'know what? I don't even use Cecil; too strong. I just focus on developing & experimenting with the weaker characters in my party. I use Cecil or any of the stronger characters as last resort. I'm also impressed that Final Fantasy IV Advance has sentimental value to you b/c it was a gift from your Grandpa. I know the feelin' :)
Final Fantasy 2 (us) for the snes was how I learned to read. It will always have a special place in my heart. I replay it every few years and even though I can nit pick so much of the game I still love it every time.
I have the bell notifs for your videos and yet RUclips didn't notify me of this video, strange. Anyway, I loved your video glad you got to play my favorite Final Fantasy. I played it first on the SNES in the 90s when I saw that CGI full motion video for the DS version I had a tear in my eye because it was amazing to see the old pixel characters I grew up with in full 3D graphics.
Hopefully now when you here people (me) say FF4 is definitely up there in regards for Final Fantasy games (and especially the music) you can know that we (i) wasn't full of it! Unfortunate After Years wasn't all that and was just a rehash grind, i didn't even bother with the episodes after the first so i applaud you for attempting to try and see it thru. Releasing ages after FF4 you'd assume improvements in the story department would at least be expected but alas even that is asking for too much apparently~ Anyway wonderful review once again (btw Kain is best boi and deserved more than being mind controlled multiple times!)
I usually hear "Nobuo Uematsu's best work is Final Fantasy VI" and some say IX. I agree that IV's ost deserves more love. Edward's song broke my heart.
Agreed on this being the best FF soundtrack of all time. I, too, played this same version on the PSP recently, and really like the optimization and added content of the original. I'm a completionist, so I grinded through TAY, which was monotonous, but it gets better in the final chapter where everything comes together, and has some cool items like a monster cameo from FF I.
@@rustyfishhook9618 8 was fucking terrible. The plot was awful, the world was completely bland and forgettable (easily the world overworld in the entire series) and the junction system was awful. FFIV has an incomparable soundtrack
@@usaskjock that’s why it says “in my opinion” I think squalls weapon is cooler than any ff character as well the fighting was actually good story was a little Meh but it takes a minute to grasp it. I think 9 was worse than 8.
@@rustyfishhook9618 9 got really lame in the 2nd half of the game (can we agree that both Ultimecia and Kuja were absolute crap villains after the like of Kefka and Sephiroth? ) but the first half of 9 was great
@@usaskjock agreed I thought the first half of 9 was good honestly the whole vivi scenario was a good story but yeah I think what made them bad villains were the lack of seriousness that Ultimecia and Kuja presented to the game. Didn’t really feel like a big threat other than sephiroth, kefka, and other memorable villains to the ff series.
Hearing FF4 (II) orchestral music on the original SNES for the first time is my #1 best memory as a gamer. Gameplay and story are very good, but the music makes for an unforgetable experience, specially that rocking' bass in the ATB battles.
I'm probably the only person that actually enjoyed the After Years. I know it has A LOT of problems, but it's more time with my favorite characters from my favorite game in the series. Thanks for the great review, lady pelvic!
@@PelvicGaming I totally understand. By the end I was so tired of the underground waterway that I didn't care if I never saw it again, but my patience rewarded me lol. I'm glad you enjoyed the base game though. It's the game that drew me in to RPGs. Merry Christmas LP!
1st time I have heard of Cecil it was on Dissidia FF on psp. I found Cecil very interesting at that time and then I brought FF IV on 3DS and I remember the game was so challenging than I stopped playing it before I could finish it... And yeah the soundtrack is amazing ! By the way Lady, great review as always !
The After Years doesn't exist in my universe.😏 This game... This damn game was so mind-blowing when it came out. It was the first time I'd ever seen such a complex story in a video game. Like you said, it's trite now--but it's trite in the way Halloween (1978) is a trite slasher. It has all the tropes you expect in a slasher, but that's because--like FFIV--it ESTABLISHED those tropes. It was the grandaddy of modern RPG's. It was to fantasy RPG's what 2001: A Space Odyssey is to science fiction. Then when you throw in Nobuo Uematsu's music... It was fantasy RPG SHANGRI-LA, Pelvic.
Except most of the tropes in FF4 originated in an earlier FF game. Brooding anti-hero who temporarily goes against the party? An evil empire? Party members who sacrifice themselves? Moments where it seems the story is wrapped up, only for an even stronger evil to pop up? An antagonist with a personal connection to the heroes? It was all done before. Calling it the grandaddy of modern RPGs would be ignoring a bunch of what came before, both within FF and in other series like DQ.
This was my wll time game. After recovering from major kidney surgery we got this game and it was my all time favorite and well it became the game that would bring back some sad memories of 2 tragedies that accured in summer 2019. I would cry a lot
This is the best version of Final Fantasy 4 in my opinion. The DS one is cool but the random encounters later on are brutal and cheap. You might want to try that one someday anyway. The after years was a real slog until you complete everyones' story. I don't remember why it was good after that but I remember being glad I endured all of the awful stories. You gotta play Chrono Cross!
FF4 was my very first FF game.. and i still think its my favorite.. i recently completed FF4 and After years on Andoid.. i must be honest that i like the base game more but i still did enjoy beating After years.. i really like the Mystery girl's song. My favorite song of all Final fantasy games is Rydia's theme.. also my favorite character. In overal i think the whole cast (except edward the spoony bard!) of the main game are amazing!
Story-wise, it's hard to look back on FF4 now that FF2 is much more widely available and playable. Because after playing both, it's clear that 4 is basically just 2, but without any of the bite. Whereas 2 drove home the horrible cost of war, with most of your optional party members (and most of the known world) dead by the end of the game, barring Tellah 4 makes absolutely certain that there are no major consequences despite its world-shaping events. Palom and Porom? They'll be fine, don't worry. Yang? He can survive being in an exploding building no problem. And why not, Cid can be at ground zero of a bomb explosion (as he rides the bomb down onto a mountain). I honestly think 4 would be considered much less groundbreaking if prior entries in the series actually came out in the states.
Yes!! FF4 is my absolute favorite, Rydia always being my favorite from the game. I know, you are right, the story is super predictable, but there was always such charm to the game. Thanks for another great review! 💚💚
FFIV is what I tell people to start out with for the final fantasy series, it's simple and straightforward but it doesn't hold your hands and the story is pretty good (though straight out of a Yoshiyuki Tomino manic depressive season of Gundam) for a game that's over twenty five years old. Plus they can finally understand the concept of spoony bard!
I was probably playing through the PS1 port while you were playing this! It’s not my favorite but I have alot of appreciation and respect for how it advanced my favorite genre :) also FF5 is best soundtrack
Currently playing Final Fantasy IV on Gameboy Advance since March 2020. This is first game in the series to actually stump me in the very beginning of the game; if the player doesn't pay attention to detail(s) in this game, you'll run into a lot of difficulty. I mean, A LOT! :D
I have this game for the DS and I’m in the middle of it. I need to get back to it and make more progress. I just got back to Barron with my party and Cecil as a White Knight.
Ah, you didn't do the Lunar Ruins. there are actually segments that expand on each character's story or traits. Kain's is the best one, as it is about his love towards Rosa and envy to Cecil. And the extents he would go to. Great video though, I did not play the After Years mostly for the reasons you mention.
Pelvic Gaming Not yet! I mean, I played it a little bit back when I was a teenager but I remember nothing and don’t count it. I’m hoping to get the physical Switch version for Christmas!!!
WHO is saying that Final Fantasy 8 is Uematsu's best work!? I WANT NAMES! Okay, not really; I do like 8's soundtrack, but that just comes as a big shock to me. In my circles, at least, it is agreed that Final Fantasy 4 has one of the greatest soundtracks of all time, not because each track is perfect, but because of how consistently good it is. Of course, The Prologue on the original SNES sound chip is probably my favorite video game song of all time, so there's that. I'm really glad that you enjoyed this one; it's so cheesy and melodramatic at times, but it really makes you believe it! I'd been into RPGs since the first Dragon Warrior came stateside, but this one was the first one that left me completely starry-eyed; this is my favorite Final Fantasy and second-favorite RPG of all time (Live-A-Live is still number one). I even wanted to learn how to play the harp because of this! It didn't happen, because my sister got all of the musical talent in the family (I'm good at sound editing, but I can't play an instrument), but the sentiment was there. Better yet, it never had a guide that I'm aware of, and as much as I hate it when the best equipment is randomly dropped by enemies, it did lend this sense of mystery and wonder to it all. You beat the game, you killed the big-bad, but you could never be sure that you'd discovered it all... until GameFAQs and hex editing guides became a thing, anyway.
I agree with most of your review although I love The After Years despite some of the reused areas. The Mysterious Girl is pretty badass with her own unique boss music.
Haha glad someone else is a fan of 8. It's my second favorite after 6, third would be 4 or 12 I guess. Personal taste is so varied and interesting, especially with FF : ) edit: and your avatar tells me you know all about what makes a great JRPG
While I do think Final Fantasy IV is a great game and a definitely a worthy RPG classic, it didn't really do anything that Dragon Quest IV hadn't already done a year and a half before on the very limited NES hardware. I'm not even saying DQIV is better. I might prefer FFIV. But Final Fantasy was never the pioneer, just the polisher. They took what other companies did and often made it better. Except the ATB system, which I don't recall RPGs doing anything like that before FFIV (though honestly, I'm not sure). Oh and.. boy do I agree about never getting to have a party you want. In FFIV and a lot of other games too. I felt that way in Dragon Quest V a lot.
Man I missed out on so many great RPG’s growing-up. I got a NES in the late 80’s, but my parents got me a Genesis for the next generation. Phantasy Star was great, but the SNES was stacked.
Another jrpg that really elevated storytelling for its time was Dragon Quest IV. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more fleshed out story in the 8-bit era.
Wondering what it would take to get the original version or this one on the switch e shop. I paid enough to buy the game 3 times over renting it back in the day. To the point the person who owned the rental shop said I should just buy it for 5 bucks from them. That was a very long time ago, and I've lost that copy. And I'd like to have a copy for one of the systems I currently own.
I honestly really enjoyed the ds remake. Having everything in 3D, having cinematic cutscenes with voice acting (I did the thing, which was easy on the ds if you had a flashcard, of just dumping all the Japanese voice acting files into the NA release of the game, so that it played like a subtitled movie... that probably helped a lot with the experience).... it felt more like a true remake, a true new experience; and this is coming from someone who played the original as a kid when it came out (yes I'm old). I can definitely understand just liking the purity of the nice 2D psp version (and I completely agree about The Afterthought lol), but I wouldn't dismiss the ds version so quickly. It can be a very fun way to experience a classic in a new way. Just make sure to use the JP voices lol, it makes a huge difference.
For the longest time FF4 was my all time fav jrpg. It was the first I ever beat and holds a special place in my heart. It is no longer my fav but it is still great!
This is a funny coincidence for me, as I just started playing Interlude for the first time like two days ago. I do plan to go on to play the After Years, but it's good to know to meter my expectations.
I played the PSP version of FF4 on my Vita after beating FF6, also on my Vita. I really liked 4 but HATED the After Years. I dropped it super hard in the last chapter when it was revealed the last dungeon is like 99 floors or something like that. I hadn't met anyone who's heard of it, much less played it. I'm glad I'm not the only one who dislikes it so much! Sometimes it felt like a dream. The After Years being released episodically makes a whole lot of sense because good golly gosh, was it a slog to get through.
Great review. I get it, by the way. I loved every Final Fantasy game except for 3 on the Nintendo DS, 13 which I haven't played and 8 which I could not get myself to stay interested in and gave up after 3 hours. I may revisit someday.
when you said Nobuou Uematsu's best work was Final Fantasy....I just assumed you were going to say VI so I was nodding along with you. When you said VIII I almost spit out my food. It's a good soundtrack but....not what I expected
When I revisited this recently, I found myself wishing Cecil had more of a real arc. His class change is really mostly cosmetic, since we never get to see him as a true bad guy. He has grave doubts about his king from his first scene on and turns against him outright shortly after. He always seems like an honorable guy who just wants to do the right thing and protect his companions.
My favourite song from this game is Battle with the Four Fiends easily Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the DS version quite different in gameplay terms as well? I know I’ve seen an awful lot of people complaining about its difficulty
Which version did you play Ms Pelvic? Sorry if I missed it, I'm making dinner and watching my young boys haha, hard to pay attention. I'm currently playing ff6 on my miyoo mini and I'm looking for the next game to start. Ff4 seems awesome but I'm not sure which version to play! Thank you for the video! :)
FF IV -> was my first SNES game i played on an emulator... with an english dictonary next to me so i could understand everything (i was... 15/16 i guess when i played it. My english was good but yeah some words where totally new for me) so i have a HUGE Fan bias for it but i really liked (some) of the characters. The music was great... and then i played "The After years" last year for the first time (after these characters popped up in the Final Fantasy TCG) and was like ... yeah... okay
The only way I got through After Years was playing the iOS version on my iPad and abusing the auto save feature. Every time you start a random fight you just close the app and re-open it and you'll be in the same place on the world map, with the battle being skipped. Most bosses didn't really require grinding until the end. I don't know how many hours I saved doing that :D
Guys and gals, I have the DS version, and the PSP version Lady Pelvic is reviewing. Which one should I play? (I have played the original snes game in the past)
😆 I never had any interest in the After Years. I thought it'd be merely unnecessary but a retread of the original sounds even worse. I absolutely love FF4 and will probably be replaying it on my death bed. It crawled so your favorite RPG could walk.
@@PelvicGaming lol idk if you did or not, I'm currently playing Grandia II on the Switch for the second time and me watching your great review of FFIV made me realize: "did Pelvic ever review a Grandia game?" *checks* "no, she hasn't yet!". 🤷🏻♂️
i'd play ff6 again. despite how painfully battle heavy it was...and mystic quest. other than those 2...the older FF games are too outdated and not worth my time.
Yeah, playing through the After Years now on Steam and it is pretty forgettable. IV is possibly my favourite from the series so even with the reputation After Years has, I thought I might get more enjoyment out of it than I am. Really loved IV though.
6, without question. It's the most accessible of the 3 (even if 9 isn't difficult in the oldschool way 4 is, it is slow to play due to ps1 battle load times, and more tedious for it. It is slower than 7 or 8, also, this isn't just a snes bias), and arguably the apex of the series from an emotional standpoint, with characters and music that it would be unfortunate to not experience. The same can be said about 4, just to a slightly lesser extent in my opinion. 9 is to play after having played 1, 4, 5, and 6, if you want something more with that flavor than the scifi/nomura aesthetic of 7 onwards.
@@jedgrahek1426 thanks. I read that in order to play 9 is preferred to play before others, but I don’t know at which level. About 9 being slow, I think there’s a way in PC version to make it a little faster, so not that worried about. Thanks again for your input
Finally, been waiting for this review. So you didn't quite make it to that final dungeon huh Pelvic? lol. Well i guess its for good reason, time to move on to something better.
Amazing review! Love to see FF4 get some love & FF4 the After Years called out as the nothing game it is. *proceeds to type out paragraph about how dwarves are a ruggid & amazing species*
Lali-ho!! Don't forget to check out my Patreon, it really helps ^_^;; You get to join the discord, vote on games I play or next TOP 5 topics, early access and prints!! (Currently running a special people at the $5 tier (excluding international) can get prints! - as long as you're comfortable giving your address of course. ^^; ) And stay tuned I still got a lot more videos coming December...assuming I can get 'em all done eh heh... www.patreon.com/PelvicGaming
Edit: (Oh did I mention at the $750 dollar mark I'm doing a discord exclusive "stream" of...dare I say... Until Dawn. /gulp)
temporary party members are the reason I have separation anxiety
...with the equipment they take with them that you never see again
Cecil is such an underrated FF protagonist, the guy needs more love.
He has been my favorite FF protagonist for years.
@@chimeratcg07 Funny enough I think the thing that really made me like him, other then his redemption arc in FF4, was that in Dissidia Duodecim he actually ships Firion from FF2 with Lightning from FF13.
But he has no room in his heart for the light of love.
@@erikrick Actually he is probably the only FF protagonist that actually starts off the story already being in a romantic relationship.
I really love him, he's such a soft spoken gentle hearted guy who knew he'd done some tremendous things wrong 8c I don't think I've been as attached to the mcs in most other ff games.
My 1st RPG, It was so dope as a kid. The story arc of each character (simplistic but it’s an early FF). The different airships, going into the underworld, going to the moon. The scale of the game at the time blew my mind. The music. I’m glad you touched on degree of difficulty, they really made you earn it in FFIV.
FF4 was one of my first JRPGs. The original Dragon Quest/Warrior on the NES was my first. I lost track how many times I rented 4 (or 2?) from the local Family Video. Even into my teenage years I played the hell out of it. The After Years was an interesting experience. It’s not for everyone. Another awesome and honest review. Très bien.
You are probably the hardest working game reviewer on youtube! You are awesome! I am glad you are keeping this channel going! Your enthusiasm is infectious!
You have no idea how much I needed to hear this comment. Thank you so much for making my night. :)
@@PelvicGaming I am happy to hear that you read my comment and it made you feel good. :) You deserve all the praise! I will keep on watching your reviews and shows.
Also I am envious that you have the guts to put yourself out there and share what you love to the world. I couldn't do what you do. So thank you for doing this for us. :D
I agree FF4 had some of the best music. The themes, the battle music still bangs, I love the dark elf cave music!
This and DQ4 are when JRPGs really started being more story driven. It's when the golden era for the genre truly began.
DQ4's structure of playing all party PCs before the hero's story is genius.
@@hemangchauhan2864 Definitely, its amazing just how much story they could tell with the limitations that they had.
Yup!
FF6 was where they started being more story driven with FFs imo. FF4 may have the best intro to any FF game ever but its story falls flat during the second half.
@@badmeetsevil6163 Meh I still like it more then FF6. Besides it doesn't change the fact that FF4 is where the series started being more story driven in comparison to the previous games.
This was always one of my favorite entries of the series. The music and story is fantastic. Always been a big standout game. Glad you finally got to play through it. (World theme is the best theme 🎶)
I LOVE the world theme so much. Honestly I can't think of a track I dislike. Haha. The music is my favorite in this game hands down.
@@PelvicGaming For real. I ended up getting toe soundtrack because its so good.
Her reaction to having to acknowledge the After Years.
I felt that in my soul
IV was the first one I ever played as a kid. I didn't understand it a bit but I loved it. It's still in my top five. Fantastic game, it doesn't get enough love.
Good call on the after years. I will probably never revisit it either.
Final Fantasy 4, on the other hand, was my first FF, and made me fall in love with the series. I have replayed it about 3 times now, and the music is definitely a highlight of it.
This was my first Final Fantasy game! The music is amazing indeed!
Same here, man. Though I think 6 is the absolute best, this one will forever hold a place in my heart.
Same! Every time I replay the game, it takes me back. The music is too great, Rosa and Cecil theme Theme of love is so nostalgic for me and my favorite.
"yeah so I found out me and my brother are aliens so I got on my space whale and we went to the moon"
FFIV is such a trip sometimes.
I have fond memories of the ds version of FF4, so it was interesting to see you dive into the PSP version! Honestly I'm fond of that sorta polygonal look (maybe it's because I loved bravely default so much?) So if I'm gonna pick it up again I might grab it for the 3ds, who knows?
I love how “going to the moon” was casually included among other more advanced concepts for gaming at the time, ahaha
It was super random but... for whatever reason... I kinda liked it? xD
Going to the Moon was already there in FF1
Final Fantasy IV Advance was the last Christmas Gift I got from my Grandpa before he passed away. I remember playing a lot of it on the way to and from the hospital, so it's always going to have a special place in my heart. Relieved to hear you enjoyed it Lady Pelvic!
PS I keep going back and forth on whether or not I should play After Years. While everyone I've ever talked to has panned it, there's something appealing to me about spending more time with the cast outside of Cecil.
PPS: once you get past the visuals, the 3D remake is REALLY good. I'd almost consider it a completely different game.
I really enjoyed the DS remake as well. Didn't mind the visuals honestly. I just wish you could swap around characters post-game like you could in some of the other ports. Instead we got the augments, I guess.
@@Ryo_Hakuron Yeah, the Augments aren't the most elegant solution, but I still enjoy tinkering with them
Y'know what? I don't even use Cecil; too strong. I just focus on developing & experimenting with the weaker characters in my party. I use Cecil or any of the stronger characters as last resort. I'm also impressed that Final Fantasy IV Advance has sentimental value to you b/c it was a gift from your Grandpa. I know the feelin' :)
Final Fantasy 2 (us) for the snes was how I learned to read. It will always have a special place in my heart. I replay it every few years and even though I can nit pick so much of the game I still love it every time.
I have the bell notifs for your videos and yet RUclips didn't notify me of this video, strange.
Anyway, I loved your video glad you got to play my favorite Final Fantasy. I played it first on the SNES in the 90s when I saw that CGI full motion video for the DS version I had a tear in my eye because it was amazing to see the old pixel characters I grew up with in full 3D graphics.
Hopefully now when you here people (me) say FF4 is definitely up there in regards for Final Fantasy games (and especially the music) you can know that we (i) wasn't full of it! Unfortunate After Years wasn't all that and was just a rehash grind, i didn't even bother with the episodes after the first so i applaud you for attempting to try and see it thru. Releasing ages after FF4 you'd assume improvements in the story department would at least be expected but alas even that is asking for too much apparently~
Anyway wonderful review once again (btw Kain is best boi and deserved more than being mind controlled multiple times!)
I usually hear "Nobuo Uematsu's best work is Final Fantasy VI" and some say IX. I agree that IV's ost deserves more love. Edward's song broke my heart.
Agreed on this being the best FF soundtrack of all time. I, too, played this same version on the PSP recently, and really like the optimization and added content of the original. I'm a completionist, so I grinded through TAY, which was monotonous, but it gets better in the final chapter where everything comes together, and has some cool items like a monster cameo from FF I.
4 definitely had some of the best songs in the series...but, man...8 is just legendary. I can’t explain it.
Yeah I dunno why she said that. 8 was amazing in my opinion. That game had massive growth and character development.
@@rustyfishhook9618 8 was fucking terrible. The plot was awful, the world was completely bland and forgettable (easily the world overworld in the entire series) and the junction system was awful. FFIV has an incomparable soundtrack
@@usaskjock that’s why it says “in my opinion” I think squalls weapon is cooler than any ff character as well the fighting was actually good story was a little Meh but it takes a minute to grasp it. I think 9 was worse than 8.
@@rustyfishhook9618 9 got really lame in the 2nd half of the game (can we agree that both Ultimecia and Kuja were absolute crap villains after the like of Kefka and Sephiroth? ) but the first half of 9 was great
@@usaskjock agreed I thought the first half of 9 was good honestly the whole vivi scenario was a good story but yeah I think what made them bad villains were the lack of seriousness that Ultimecia and Kuja presented to the game. Didn’t really feel like a big threat other than sephiroth, kefka, and other memorable villains to the ff series.
I love these videos with reviews of older games. You have great taste in games 😎
Hearing FF4 (II) orchestral music on the original SNES for the first time is my #1 best memory as a gamer.
Gameplay and story are very good, but the music makes for an unforgetable experience, specially that rocking' bass in the ATB battles.
Agreed. I'll never forget the first time I heard the music in the mist cave. I sat there in the menu for a few minutes just taking it in.
there is NO high fantasy soundtrack as epic as FFIV
I'm probably the only person that actually enjoyed the After Years. I know it has A LOT of problems, but it's more time with my favorite characters from my favorite game in the series. Thanks for the great review, lady pelvic!
Trust me, I WANTED to love it! I had the same mind set as you! However I wanted the same characters but on a DIFFERENT journey! Not a rehashing. ):
@@PelvicGaming I totally understand. By the end I was so tired of the underground waterway that I didn't care if I never saw it again, but my patience rewarded me lol. I'm glad you enjoyed the base game though. It's the game that drew me in to RPGs. Merry Christmas LP!
2nd fave classic FF after 5. It's such a classic FF. Also, your make up is on point this vid!
1st time I have heard of Cecil it was on Dissidia FF on psp. I found Cecil very interesting at that time and then I brought FF IV on 3DS and I remember the game was so challenging than I stopped playing it before I could finish it... And yeah the soundtrack is amazing ! By the way Lady, great review as always !
Lali-Ho! I Have played this game in Snes, PS one, DS, and PSP, and I love the way it looks in PSP, it's just great.
FFIV is one of my favorite RPGs. The PSP version looks and sounds amazing!
The After Years doesn't exist in my universe.😏
This game... This damn game was so mind-blowing when it came out. It was the first time I'd ever seen such a complex story in a video game. Like you said, it's trite now--but it's trite in the way Halloween (1978) is a trite slasher. It has all the tropes you expect in a slasher, but that's because--like FFIV--it ESTABLISHED those tropes. It was the grandaddy of modern RPG's. It was to fantasy RPG's what 2001: A Space Odyssey is to science fiction. Then when you throw in Nobuo Uematsu's music... It was fantasy RPG SHANGRI-LA, Pelvic.
Except most of the tropes in FF4 originated in an earlier FF game. Brooding anti-hero who temporarily goes against the party? An evil empire? Party members who sacrifice themselves? Moments where it seems the story is wrapped up, only for an even stronger evil to pop up? An antagonist with a personal connection to the heroes? It was all done before. Calling it the grandaddy of modern RPGs would be ignoring a bunch of what came before, both within FF and in other series like DQ.
This was my wll time game. After recovering from major kidney surgery we got this game and it was my all time favorite and well it became the game that would bring back some sad memories of 2 tragedies that accured in summer 2019. I would cry a lot
Your reviews are so damn good lol good job as always
One of the best overworld map themes. Warms my heart like some deep fried Chicago deep dish pizza.
That is oddly specific but I'm here for it
@@PelvicGaming Yo you need to get on that Shadow Hearts Trilogy. One of the most underrated JRPGs Ive had the pleasure of playing.
The main theme is just incomparable. It strikes the perfect balance of optimism, adventure, sadness/feeling that something is wrong, wonder
“I’ve worn this darkened armor for so long now, there’s no mote of light left in me.”
Oh Cecil, give it a few hours.... ;P
This is the best version of Final Fantasy 4 in my opinion. The DS one is cool but the random encounters later on are brutal and cheap. You might want to try that one someday anyway.
The after years was a real slog until you complete everyones' story. I don't remember why it was good after that but I remember being glad I endured all of the awful stories.
You gotta play Chrono Cross!
FF4 was my very first FF game.. and i still think its my favorite.. i recently completed FF4 and After years on Andoid.. i must be honest that i like the base game more but i still did enjoy beating After years.. i really like the Mystery girl's song.
My favorite song of all Final fantasy games is Rydia's theme.. also my favorite character.
In overal i think the whole cast (except edward the spoony bard!) of the main game are amazing!
Story-wise, it's hard to look back on FF4 now that FF2 is much more widely available and playable. Because after playing both, it's clear that 4 is basically just 2, but without any of the bite. Whereas 2 drove home the horrible cost of war, with most of your optional party members (and most of the known world) dead by the end of the game, barring Tellah 4 makes absolutely certain that there are no major consequences despite its world-shaping events. Palom and Porom? They'll be fine, don't worry. Yang? He can survive being in an exploding building no problem. And why not, Cid can be at ground zero of a bomb explosion (as he rides the bomb down onto a mountain).
I honestly think 4 would be considered much less groundbreaking if prior entries in the series actually came out in the states.
Yes!! FF4 is my absolute favorite, Rydia always being my favorite from the game. I know, you are right, the story is super predictable, but there was always such charm to the game. Thanks for another great review! 💚💚
FFIV is what I tell people to start out with for the final fantasy series, it's simple and straightforward but it doesn't hold your hands and the story is pretty good (though straight out of a Yoshiyuki Tomino manic depressive season of Gundam) for a game that's over twenty five years old.
Plus they can finally understand the concept of spoony bard!
I was probably playing through the PS1 port while you were playing this! It’s not my favorite but I have alot of appreciation and respect for how it advanced my favorite genre :)
also FF5 is best soundtrack
Nice! I've never played FFIV - the gorgeous PSP version and your enthusiasm for it has piqued my interest.
Currently playing Final Fantasy IV on Gameboy Advance since March 2020. This is first game in the series to actually stump me in the very beginning of the game; if the player doesn't pay attention to detail(s) in this game, you'll run into a lot of difficulty. I mean, A LOT! :D
I have this game for the DS and I’m in the middle of it. I need to get back to it and make more progress. I just got back to Barron with my party and Cecil as a White Knight.
Although FF4's OST is underrated and deserve much more respect, FF6's is still Uematsu's best work for me.
Fun fact: "Theme of Love" is taught at japanese music schools.
Ah, you didn't do the Lunar Ruins. there are actually segments that expand on each character's story or traits. Kain's is the best one, as it is about his love towards Rosa and envy to Cecil. And the extents he would go to. Great video though, I did not play the After Years mostly for the reasons you mention.
My first experience with Final Fantasy IV was the PS1 version. I had trouble getting into it, but I'd like to try again someday
If you can get the complete edition on psp,is the best edition to me
One if my all time fav final fantasy games
For how much people tend to hate the after years, I have to appreciate it just for making the sealed cave actually tolerable
This review was spot on. The PSP version was damn perfection. Such a good game and an underrated FF! Probably my fav FF now actually!
Whoa whoa whoa! Have you played 9?!
Pelvic Gaming Not yet! I mean, I played it a little bit back when I was a teenager but I remember nothing and don’t count it. I’m hoping to get the physical Switch version for Christmas!!!
WHO is saying that Final Fantasy 8 is Uematsu's best work!? I WANT NAMES! Okay, not really; I do like 8's soundtrack, but that just comes as a big shock to me. In my circles, at least, it is agreed that Final Fantasy 4 has one of the greatest soundtracks of all time, not because each track is perfect, but because of how consistently good it is. Of course, The Prologue on the original SNES sound chip is probably my favorite video game song of all time, so there's that. I'm really glad that you enjoyed this one; it's so cheesy and melodramatic at times, but it really makes you believe it! I'd been into RPGs since the first Dragon Warrior came stateside, but this one was the first one that left me completely starry-eyed; this is my favorite Final Fantasy and second-favorite RPG of all time (Live-A-Live is still number one). I even wanted to learn how to play the harp because of this! It didn't happen, because my sister got all of the musical talent in the family (I'm good at sound editing, but I can't play an instrument), but the sentiment was there. Better yet, it never had a guide that I'm aware of, and as much as I hate it when the best equipment is randomly dropped by enemies, it did lend this sense of mystery and wonder to it all. You beat the game, you killed the big-bad, but you could never be sure that you'd discovered it all... until GameFAQs and hex editing guides became a thing, anyway.
FFIV has the best prologue and my god the quality of the soundtrack is insane.
I agree with most of your review although I love The After Years despite some of the reused areas. The Mysterious Girl is pretty badass with her own unique boss music.
Oh my, here we go! The... years after the endless grind!
4... 4 days ago? You magician
But it's fun! :)
Final Fantasy IV is awesome...but Final Fantasy VIII is one of the greatest RPGS of all time. With 9 being number 2 and 7 being number 1!😁
Haha glad someone else is a fan of 8. It's my second favorite after 6, third would be 4 or 12 I guess. Personal taste is so varied and interesting, especially with FF : )
edit: and your avatar tells me you know all about what makes a great JRPG
Great review.
The game has it's share of inconsistencies, but it's a great experience.
While I do think Final Fantasy IV is a great game and a definitely a worthy RPG classic, it didn't really do anything that Dragon Quest IV hadn't already done a year and a half before on the very limited NES hardware.
I'm not even saying DQIV is better. I might prefer FFIV. But Final Fantasy was never the pioneer, just the polisher. They took what other companies did and often made it better. Except the ATB system, which I don't recall RPGs doing anything like that before FFIV (though honestly, I'm not sure).
Oh and.. boy do I agree about never getting to have a party you want. In FFIV and a lot of other games too. I felt that way in Dragon Quest V a lot.
Man I missed out on so many great RPG’s growing-up. I got a NES in the late 80’s, but my parents got me a Genesis for the next generation. Phantasy Star was great, but the SNES was stacked.
Oh the SNES was OUT HERE but alas the snes had a few gems too. Phantasy Star being one of them!!
Another jrpg that really elevated storytelling for its time was Dragon Quest IV. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more fleshed out story in the 8-bit era.
FF IV is my favorite FF. I remember being completely shocked when the twins saved everyone by turning themselves to stone.
FFVIII had the best aesthetic of any FF imo but not much else
Wondering what it would take to get the original version or this one on the switch e shop. I paid enough to buy the game 3 times over renting it back in the day. To the point the person who owned the rental shop said I should just buy it for 5 bucks from them. That was a very long time ago, and I've lost that copy. And I'd like to have a copy for one of the systems I currently own.
I honestly really enjoyed the ds remake. Having everything in 3D, having cinematic cutscenes with voice acting (I did the thing, which was easy on the ds if you had a flashcard, of just dumping all the Japanese voice acting files into the NA release of the game, so that it played like a subtitled movie... that probably helped a lot with the experience).... it felt more like a true remake, a true new experience; and this is coming from someone who played the original as a kid when it came out (yes I'm old). I can definitely understand just liking the purity of the nice 2D psp version (and I completely agree about The Afterthought lol), but I wouldn't dismiss the ds version so quickly. It can be a very fun way to experience a classic in a new way. Just make sure to use the JP voices lol, it makes a huge difference.
For the longest time FF4 was my all time fav jrpg. It was the first I ever beat and holds a special place in my heart. It is no longer my fav but it is still great!
She is gorgeous!
Great review of a favorite!
But you called the best fantasy race of all time "Dirty, dig dug dwarves". That's going in the Great Book of Grudges
Damnit!
Did you ever play FF7 or the new remake of FF7? Love your vids and personality. Keep up the great work!
This is a funny coincidence for me, as I just started playing Interlude for the first time like two days ago. I do plan to go on to play the After Years, but it's good to know to meter my expectations.
FF4 was my first RPG. I loved it then, love it now. After Years should’ve been better. Such great source material.
Same with me. I play through the game every couple years. Still love it
@@jmarx3943 so do I. About every 4-5 years. Going back through Chrono Trigger now though. I have only done the SNES version though
I played the PSP version of FF4 on my Vita after beating FF6, also on my Vita. I really liked 4 but HATED the After Years. I dropped it super hard in the last chapter when it was revealed the last dungeon is like 99 floors or something like that. I hadn't met anyone who's heard of it, much less played it. I'm glad I'm not the only one who dislikes it so much! Sometimes it felt like a dream.
The After Years being released episodically makes a whole lot of sense because good golly gosh, was it a slog to get through.
Great review.
I get it, by the way. I loved every Final Fantasy game except for 3 on the Nintendo DS, 13 which I haven't played and 8 which I could not get myself to stay interested in and gave up after 3 hours. I may revisit someday.
Wow I’m playing this right now on my vita now lol
when you said Nobuou Uematsu's best work was Final Fantasy....I just assumed you were going to say VI so I was nodding along with you. When you said VIII I almost spit out my food. It's a good soundtrack but....not what I expected
Hahahaha
Can you review the cold steel games?
When I revisited this recently, I found myself wishing Cecil had more of a real arc. His class change is really mostly cosmetic, since we never get to see him as a true bad guy. He has grave doubts about his king from his first scene on and turns against him outright shortly after. He always seems like an honorable guy who just wants to do the right thing and protect his companions.
My favourite song from this game is Battle with the Four Fiends easily
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the DS version quite different in gameplay terms as well? I know I’ve seen an awful lot of people complaining about its difficulty
Just played the pixel remastered I loved it it was so much to relive this game I haven’t played in like since highschool oh man I am old
The iOS/Android/PC version looks pretty good. And that soundtrack is just awesome, right?
Which version did you play Ms Pelvic? Sorry if I missed it, I'm making dinner and watching my young boys haha, hard to pay attention. I'm currently playing ff6 on my miyoo mini and I'm looking for the next game to start. Ff4 seems awesome but I'm not sure which version to play! Thank you for the video! :)
FF IV -> was my first SNES game i played on an emulator... with an english dictonary next to me so i could understand everything (i was... 15/16 i guess when i played it. My english was good but yeah some words where totally new for me) so i have a HUGE Fan bias for it but i really liked (some) of the characters. The music was great... and then i played "The After years" last year for the first time (after these characters popped up in the Final Fantasy TCG) and was like ... yeah... okay
The only way I got through After Years was playing the iOS version on my iPad and abusing the auto save feature. Every time you start a random fight you just close the app and re-open it and you'll be in the same place on the world map, with the battle being skipped. Most bosses didn't really require grinding until the end. I don't know how many hours I saved doing that :D
Guys and gals, I have the DS version, and the PSP version Lady Pelvic is reviewing. Which one should I play? (I have played the original snes game in the past)
😆 I never had any interest in the After Years. I thought it'd be merely unnecessary but a retread of the original sounds even worse.
I absolutely love FF4 and will probably be replaying it on my death bed. It crawled so your favorite RPG could walk.
this is probably the best version of 4 currently.
SNES FF4 is the most perfect RPG ever made. I have my original copy and have beaten it at least 12 times.
LALIHO!
If Kefka is Final Fantasy's Joker, is Cecil Final Fantasy's Batman?
My favorite final fantasy game ♥️
My second favorite! FF9 for life baby! But this was such a lovely adventure!
Pelvic, you should try the Grandia series (or at least the first two games) and review them, some of the best JRPGs I've played personally.
You say this like I didn't order The physical limited run addition
@@PelvicGaming lol idk if you did or not, I'm currently playing Grandia II on the Switch for the second time and me watching your great review of FFIV made me realize: "did Pelvic ever review a Grandia game?" *checks* "no, she hasn't yet!". 🤷🏻♂️
Loved playing this on my PSP back in the good old days, have you played through FFV yet?
i'd play ff6 again. despite how painfully battle heavy it was...and mystic quest. other than those 2...the older FF games are too outdated and not worth my time.
Tactics might be my favorite Final Fantasy, but Cecil remains my favorite character.
Yeah, playing through the After Years now on Steam and it is pretty forgettable. IV is possibly my favourite from the series so even with the reputation After Years has, I thought I might get more enjoyment out of it than I am. Really loved IV though.
Having played 4, 6 and 9, which one do you think is better to play first?
6, without question. It's the most accessible of the 3 (even if 9 isn't difficult in the oldschool way 4 is, it is slow to play due to ps1 battle load times, and more tedious for it. It is slower than 7 or 8, also, this isn't just a snes bias), and arguably the apex of the series from an emotional standpoint, with characters and music that it would be unfortunate to not experience. The same can be said about 4, just to a slightly lesser extent in my opinion. 9 is to play after having played 1, 4, 5, and 6, if you want something more with that flavor than the scifi/nomura aesthetic of 7 onwards.
@@jedgrahek1426 thanks. I read that in order to play 9 is preferred to play before others, but I don’t know at which level. About 9 being slow, I think there’s a way in PC version to make it a little faster, so not that worried about. Thanks again for your input
Finally, been waiting for this review. So you didn't quite make it to that final dungeon huh Pelvic? lol. Well i guess its for good reason, time to move on to something better.
Amazing review! Love to see FF4 get some love & FF4 the After Years called out as the nothing game it is.
*proceeds to type out paragraph about how dwarves are a ruggid & amazing species*
finally someone who pronounces cecils name properly and not ce seal
Both the PSP and the DS/Steam/iOS version are great. PSP version is the best sprite-based FF, the DS version has different script and voice acting.
I definitely gotta try this game out...... once I finish all those other games in the backlog XD
Try the NDS version. It looks more cooler than the PSP remake. I'm pretty sure you gonna love it.
lali-ho! thanks for the review