Final Fantasy Adventure - IGN (original) (raw)

If there was a spectrum graph with Zelda representing the action/RPG genre on one end and Final Fantasy representing the traditional RPG, Square's 1991 title Final Fantasy Adventure would fall somewhere in the middle. A sequel/prequel to the famed Secret of Mana for the Super Nintendo, Final Fantasy Adventure is a game that was released before Secret of Mana, but was chronologically set after the game. Gamers wondering why Secret of Mana was called Seiken Densetsu 2 in Japan will now know that there is a Seiken Densetsu, and that game was released in North America as Final Fantasy Adventure on the Game Boy.

Sunsoft re-released this game to stores approximately a year ago with a mocked-up "Enhanced for Game Boy Color" slapped over the vertical "Game Boy" spine. However, the game is still manufactured on a gray cartridge and features no Game Boy Color hooks.

Features

In this case, a young gladiator escapes from his captors and roams to land before finally learning of his real destiny. The character development, like Zelda, is put purely on the shoulders of the gamers themselves. The game in its entirety can be classified as one big adventure, an adventure set on developing a gamer's understanding of the game world, learning from past mistakes and applying the knowledge on future challenges.

Puzzles and dungeons in the games are designed to challenge the gamer's intellect and I mention puzzles because, unlike most RPGs where dungeons are more like navigating a long obstacle course fraught with monsters, the puzzle element in Final Fantasy Adventure is much stronger. Dungeons become mazes and hidden entrances and false walls abound. Over world exploration is also key in the game. Monsters don't attack randomly, but rather appear as moving sprites on screen. An interesting element missing in Secret of Mana, but present in this title is the ability for gamers to choose which part of their character's make-up (Wisdom, Power, Stamina, Will) they wish to add bonus points to once their character levels up. Essentially, two players playing the game may end up with two characters with different strengths. There is also an innovative hex map system that shows gamers their general location. Another plus is the ability to save anywhere in the game and the game will know exactly where a gamer last left off.

Final Fantasy Adventure is not an RPG in the traditional sense, but yet it also keeps many of its elements. The equipment class in the game is far more intricate than anything found in the Zelda titles. Players upgrade their helmets, body armor, and shields from Bronze to Iron and to Silver and so on. There is a large cache of usable items such as Cure items, Candy and Nectars. The number of weapons in the game is literally mind boggling, including things like Axes, Whips, Sickle, in addition to the standard Broad Sword. Furthermore, some of these distinct items have their individual uses. Axes for example can cut down trees, opening previously blocked paths and whips can carry the hero across ravines.

That said, Final Fantasy Adventure's experimental status is readily apparent in the fact that the game fails to mix its RPG roots with its action-oriented gameplay. There is a disconnect between these two elements. Whereas gameplay in Secret of Mana and the Zelda titles flowed smoothly between item selection and their usage, pulling up the item menu to switch to a different weapon/item interrupts the gameplay excessively. Here's a quick run down of what I have to do to equip an item. First I push start to get into a standard RPG menu listing the different commands (ITEM, MAGIC, EQUIP, ASK). Then I select the desired command and press A to enter a sub-menu. To choose the item/equipment I want to equip, I must press A to select the item, then press A again to equip it. Then I exit the menu selection. In the case of consumables like Candy and Nectar, I must press B on the game screen to use the item. In short, there is simply too many repetitive button pressing going on and it is not uncommon to think that I've equipped a healing item such as Candy, only to find that its not there because in the heat of battle, I forgot to press A twice to select then equip the item.

Graphically, the game is above any Game Boy title of its time. The tile set is surprisingly devoid of quick fix "one color" palettes. Square has clearly gotten to grips with the Game Boy by this time. The grass and flower palettes are nicely set to the background as they are drawn using the 2 lighter shades out of the Game Boy's 4 shade palette. In contrast to the light shades used by the background elements, foreground elements such as the moving sprites are outlined with the darkest shade of black. On the audio front, Kenji Ito and Nobuo Uematsu have done an incredible job in creating an atmospheric soundtrack, even for the small Game Boy speaker. Once again, setting this game apart from its RPG cousins, the music is atmospheric, and less intrusive. It is there to convey a feeling, whether it's grandeur, dread, or relaxation, the emotions are conveyed with great success. The music is also distinctly Mana-esque with many notes in the soundtracks recurring in Secret of Mana, definitely a nice treat for Mana fans.

Verdict

There is always a sense that a great adventure ahead and the adventure is indeed great. Great puzzles, solid graphics and an atmospheric score -- there is little argument that this title deserves to be on any Game Boy reviewer's list as a must buy. RPG gamers may lament at the fact that it has a shallow story line, or that it isn't RPG enough...but there's little argument that Action/RPGs translate very well on handheld consoles. And in that respect, Final Fantasy Adventure sits nicely in a respectable position behind The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening as a top Action/RPG title for the Game Boy. If you can't get enough of Link's Awakening, this title is definitely a game that you should pick up.