Why Final Fantasy IV PSX Should Not Come to the US

by Andrew Vestal 

I'll make this brief and to the point:

It's a Substandard Port

Final Fantasy IV was designed as a cartridge game. It was ported to a CD system ... with the code intended for a cartridge medium intact. This means horrendous loading times. The graphics and music are EXACTLY like the original -- not a bad thing, but it doesn't inspire a repurchase. And the new CG intro isn't great either.

It's Five Years Old

And five years ago, it was the greatest game out there. Don't get me wrong; I love Final Fantasy II as much as the next Square fan. The story is still one of the best in the series, and the music is vintage Uematsu. But the graphics don't hold up under scrutiny, the interface seems old fashioned, and the game lacks the polished shine needed to compete in today's crowded marketplace.

It Has No Market

Even the most die-hard Square fan would think twice before paying $40 for a barely enhanced version of a game he already owns -- now with load time, no less. And the casual gamer won't look twice at a relic from 1992.

Square Has Limited Resources

Perhaps the most important reason: Square isn't a translating machine. Every game they translate means another they had to pass up. With Xenogears, Parasite Eve, Front Mission 2, Front Mission Alternative, and Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon all on the horizon, Square will be hard-pressed to bring even their new games to the U.S. For them to translate a game we've already gotten -- at the expense of their new material -- would be a tragedy.

Waxing nostalgic for FFIV? Then plug in your SNES, take out the cart, and relive those fine gaming moments. And while you're playing ... look forward to the future of Square.