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I haven't purchased the DS version of Final Fantasy IV yet, though I intend to once some spare cash makes its way into my bank account. Despite the multifaceted reactions of RPGamers to this new version, a consensus in its favor has reluctantly appeared. I certainly understand the nay-sayers, for FFIV Advance was but 2 1/2 years ago and that game supplied a fine encapsulation of FFIV's essence (though with a few bugs courtesy of Tose). Had I been in charge of Square Enix's remake division, however, there is another Final Fantasy more deserving of a new version than IV. And it is not VI.
The middle child of the 16-bit years, is the oft forgotten Final Fantasy V. This status is much thanks to then-Squaresoft never making the determination that it was worth translating for the Super Nintendo audience. It finally appeared in an official English version on the Final Fantasy Anthology, seven years after its initial release. I lack PS access, but a friend supplied a helpful commentary regarding one aspect of the translation for FF Anthology's rendition. In essence, Faris was granted the amazing ability to be more a pirate in print than the combined cast of all Pirates of the Caribbean films, to the detriment of every line she uttered. This poor translation seems to have not been limited to the words of Faris but instead permeated the entire game (though again, this is not a first-hand impression).
Final Fantasy V Advance does indeed right the wrongs previously visited upon the core of the game, what with extra content, a fine translation, few bugs that I saw, and the core game being addicting. FFV Advance's failure was one of timing. It appeared in the fall of 2006, on the dying Game Boy Advance, when Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy XII were sucking up great quantities of attention. To those who have investigated this version of the game it succeeds in being superb, but it did not receive the attention warranted.
Final Fantasy V deserves a remake on the order of Final Fantasy IV's because it is a worthy game that could stand some additional exposure. Certainly the story isn't great, but it is told whimsically and packs a few quite effective moments. Exdeath may be rather one-note in his fiendishness but beats out some other villains I could name. Butz is saddled with a name that amuses middle schoolers no end, but is an acceptable hero regardless. Galuf comes straight from the book of cliches by being amnesiac, Lenna is caring to the point of self-sacrifice, Faris isn't very complex either. But this is what a remake could attempt to alleviate, by fleshing these characters out a bit and giving them more dimensions.
The other aspects of the game do not need much refurbishment. FFV's soundtrack has a great number of worthy tracks that are less known than much Nobuo Uematsu material thanks to the game's relative underexposure. The Job system that is raved about by many, needs little beyond perhaps some less embarrassing fashion choices. Graphical enhancement to catch the eyes of newer gamers could be accomplished by using the engine FFIII and IV have just come from.
FFV seems to be polarizing, based upon the disparate reactions of those who have played it. RPGamers who can have a great time with a game that is centered around the playing time instead of the story have a liking to it. I cannot guarantee that this purported game would be embraced by English audiences everywhere when it has heretofore been shunted aside, but the effort deserves to be made.
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