I just completed Final Fantasy 4 DS!

As many gamers know by now, FF4 was originally released in the United States in 1991 as “Final Fantasy 2″ in order to keep the numbering consistent (The real FF2 and FF3 for the NES were not released here). Many people also know that in the process of localization, the difficulty of the game was reduced. (Contrary to what most people believe, the FF2US release is not exactly the same difficulty as the FF4 “Easy Type” that was released in Japan. FF2US was still more difficult than the FF4 Easy Type.) When Square re-released the game for the Playstation in the US, both the original title (Final Fantasy 4) and difficulty were restored. Regardless of this, all incarnations of FF4 are more difficult than Final Fantasy 6 and later.

This DS version is not just a simple port, as past re-releases have been. This time, we’ve gotten a complete remake with voice acting, expanded plot elements, and 3D graphics. While I was obviously excited when the DS version was announced, my largest fear was that Square-Enix would reduce the difficulty to cater to newer gamers (many of whom did not play any RPGs before Final Fantasy 7). Fortunately, they did just the opposite. FF4 DS is actually harder than the original release of the game. I’d even go as far to say that in a couple spots, it is almost too hard for most current RPG fans. I was quite surprised at this, since I figured that Square-Enix had long forgotten how to make games that were beyond “press circle to win” in difficulty level. (There are new skills called “augments” that can potentially make the game easier, but the most “broken” one is hard to get without following a FAQ/Strategy Guide.)

This remake is great, and not just because of the difficulty. The new script, translation, and voiced events add a new layer of depth to the timeless plot and many of the characters. Towards the end, we receive further insight into the events that lead Golbez down the path of evil. Apparently, these were part of the original script for the game, but had to be cut due to space limitations. Plot-wise, the DS remake is the definitive version of the game. This is a must-play for anyone who has played through a previous release of the game.

For the old-schoolers, they did decide to keep the most well-known localization quirk intact, despite all the other script changes. It appears that bards are still spoony, even 17 years later.

Unfortunately for US fans, we will likely never get to play the new “sequel” to FF4, which is only being made available in increments for Japanese Cellphones. Oh well, at least we can look at the cool art.