FINAL FANTASY IV: THE AFTER YEARS

This game is OK but it isn't as good as FFIV. This was originally an episodic game on phones, then got remade on the DS, and this is a port of that DS version. The episodic nature of the different scenarios doesn't stitch together very well into a cohesive whole, but they're fun enough individually that I still had a good time.
If you're a fan of Final Fantasy I think this is worth playing, even if just for the story. But it's not amazing. So if you're just looking for a good RPG then this should be on your radar but there are definitely better games you could spend your time on.

Pretty ingenious use of the day/time system to influence battles and gameplay.
And it's also set in the FFIV universe, so that's a win all round.

Now add HD Textures and post-processing on top and it's golden.

If you liked Final Fantasy IV, this is a neat continuation of the story. Not overly difficult, this is your typical linear, story-driven JRPG. This is the Android version so it doesn't have all the bonus dungeons but it is still a nice play.

IMPRESSIONS: I wish there were a neutral review option: not trying to slander a game, just tryna be honest.

Recommend to: Someone obsessed with the characters and world of FFIV or people who are down to play any turn based role-playing game.
Don't recommend to: Anyone who felt meh about FFIV or doesn't want to slog through the bleh combat of this game. Heard that it gets grindier and already feels kinda meh at the start. Also, if you want a game with polish, this game has mobile-game menu's and minimal sound design and comes off as uncanny and just bleh.

Though the Band idea is cool, I really don't want to play this game anymore; I hope this review feels fair to those who like it. Just not for me and there is enough that put me off that I'd like to share my thoughts.

You’re better off just playing the first game a second time.

Final Fantasy II (US)/IV (Japan) is my favorite game of all time. I loved Final Fantasy for Nintendo, and when I heard that it had a sequel, I had to get it. It was part of the first games I got with my Super Nintendo for Christmas, and (without realizing that it was a whole 3 games after the first and not 1) I was completely floored by the leaps-and-bounds improvements to the graphics, the depth of story, and the expansive world (4 crystals, then 4 more, then another secret!). I finished that game a changed person as to what I could experience from a video game, as it had taken everything wonderful about RPGs and made one that was as good as possible.

When I heard that they actually made a sequel to Final Fantasy IV, I was psyched. To live through more adventures with that great cast in that amazing world…I thought it would be a combination of new and nostalgia. Instead, it was a near-complete rehash of everything with little new or interesting…I remember even being frustrated and even groaning at one point at the story. It was not a good experience. I played this before Star Wars was ruined by Disney, so I don’t think I knew how a beloved piece of media could be so thoroughly ruined by a subsequent installment. It is with that feeling that I warn people from playing this game if they loved the original—you won’t find the magic here.

The Positives
-It has the cast from the original and the locations and everything. These were some of the most well-developed characters and well-developed stories in video game history at the time, so it can’t be all bad seeing them back.

-There were some new and interesting plot points, and seeing what happened to the characters had a few good moments.

-The nostalgia does come initially and stays for a little while.

The Negatives
-Ugh…this is almost exactly like when they try to reboot a franchise with kid new characters or introduce sidekicks that will presumably “take over” after the hero is done (see: Indiana Jones 4, Die Hard 6). They either have the old characters acting differently or have new ones that I didn’t get as attached to as the originals.

-The plot waffles between being a complete recycle (you literally go through many of the same locations again in a similar way) or going completely off the rails (groan-worthy plot twists or uninteresting story beats). I know that it’s hard to please fans by either being too close to or straying too far from the original…so I guess this does both???

-Unlike the first game, I can barely remember most of this except the one point in the game near the end where a big reveal takes place and I just remember wishing I had not played this game because it was kind of ruining its predecessor for me. Fortunately, I went on to other things and barely remember it, but I do remember things like the characters not being themselves, the plot and dialogue being weak, and the game being not that great. It’s like they just wanted to create something to cash in on nostalgia for IV.

-I’m just not a fan of the 3D remakes at all. I think it’s ugly—it’s like the equivalent of taking a beautiful sprite-based Super Nintendo game that aged gracefully and replacing it with an ugly polygon-based PlayStation game that is now an eyesore. Why would anyone think that’s a good idea? I went back and played some PS1 games, and I probably never will touch most of them ever again because they are just ugly compared to NES and SNES games because the technology wasn’t there yet to get the graphics to meet developers’ dreams.


Overall, I’m just very glad that I wiped this from my memory because no one wants to take their favorite game of all time and then say, “Let’s go through all the places you know and revisit events from the first game but have it all feel completely rehashed and worse.” As I mentioned at the beginning, I can most accurately summarize my thoughts of rather playing the first again than ever even considering pulling this up again. FFIV is an amazing game; I don’t know what this is. It feels like fan fiction and also feels like it was written for children or something. It’s just really weird. There were a few fun and interesting moments, but the damage I risked to my love for the original means that I wish to warn anyone else considering playing this after loving the first game that you play at the risk of it affecting your thoughts and memories of it. Fortunately, that didn’t happen for me, as I’ve forgotten it, but I remember enough to know not to pick it up ever again.

Don't play this slop.

FIX THE FUCKING BATTLE UI - I AM NOT PLAYING ON A MOBILE!! I AM PLAYING ON A 4K TV.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD FIX THIS SHIT

Game was over twice as long as the FFIV 3D Remake, but really tied several characters stories together nicely as well as added a sizable array of new characters to boot. Runs great on steam deck.

The only downside I found was that if the game is force closed (not exited normally) it may not save the progress you made, and by progress you made I mean saves/autosaves/completed tales. Make sure to close the game normally.

legendary game

Would be just eh, where if you like FF enough it would be ok, but nothing special. But I can't forgive the absolutely criminally broken RNG if you actually dared to insult the game in trying to complete everything. Its like they just threw crap in and scattered it around to almost pixel hunting levels. The percentages for certain drops are less than a percent. Also, I think I understand that this was originally a mobile or handheld port, but God is it ugly looking. It almost would look better downscaled further for at least some n64/ps1 nostalgia, not this weird mashup res crap handhelds always attempted to fit the weaker spec system. Also fps is janky and randomly drops for battles, though there is a great fix guide for it on steam. As is custom for SE and many other companies, the unofficial base of fans have to fix/finish the game for them.

I have been playing through the PRs and I totally understand now why they said f that to this and the interlude. If you were curious over the story continuation just save yourself time and watch one of the many well done youtube videos on it. I dont think its as bad as people say but it isn't anything special either and def not worth the lazy half ass rest of the game.

While I am an avid fan of the Final Fantasy series, this game just isn't the one for me honestly. The level grinding needed is ridiculous and time-consuming. If you wanna buy the game, that's your decision.

TLDR: Broken up narratives, repetitive progression, and just generally dull gameplay and story means you should skip this unless FF4 was your favorite.

PROS:

CONS:

Content (Game world/Narrative/Length) – [4/10]

Gameplay (Mechanics/Difficulty) – [3/10]

Graphics (Quality/Performance) – [3/10]

Audio (Sound Effects/Music) – [6/10]

Replay Factor (Longevity) – [2/10]

Final Verdict – [3/10]

Recommend? [Y/N]

No

additional content for a classic game

I do not like this weird version. If you don't have a PSP and the Final Fantasy 4 Collector Edition, don't bother. a lot of things are changed and for the Band moves, and the achievements genuinely suck. Don't be like me, don't spend 500 hours into this... play 4, not After Years. If you reaaaally want more FF4, try your hand on the DS Remake.

Best way I can describe this game is a mess, but it legitimately does have it's moments. Are these moments enough to save this game? Not on your life with a phoenix down and a re-raise. The game is just far too flawed, filled with backtracking, and mystery dangled right in front of you for nearly 40 hours to make even blue balls feel relieved. The game just promises too much, and quickly reuses a ton of assets in boring ways that really only someone that liked Final Fantasy 4 could appreciate to any meaningful degree. There are some really neat ideas with the use of different perspectives, a wide cast of old and new characters, and even a whole new mechanic. The Band ability is easily one of the best things about this game, and is absolutely broken in a way that feels empowering to the player. Still this doesn't stop the rest of the game from feeling repetitive, and boring.

Honestly, I really wish that more Final Fantasy games had the band ability as team abilities simply because it helps bond the player and characters they use while also giving their team some synergy. It's frankly always a win win when it comes to game design, and character development. Sadly, that's pretty much all the good stuff when it comes to this story as a large portion of the game is so heavily focused on the mysterious girl narrative that the game never really answers why that makes it interesting. The After Years is legitimately at it's best when it starts exploring characters in meaningful ways that the original game couldn't. Porom feels like more of the character as she is separated from her brother and feels more like a responsible one in the village, Palom gets a neat character arc of exploring his failings at trying to become a sage, Edward gets to act like a proper king, and Kain is explored in a way that feels justified in this given setting. As much as I love Rydia, I don't think she makes a particularly interesting plot point as she feels more akin to a secret mechanic and any connection you would think she had in this story is never actually answered. Cecil and Rosa are not explored at all, and honestly should not have been in this game to began with. Yang feels more like what should have been what this story was about, the past and future generation clashing with each other, but it just focuses too heavily on Yang that it gives little time for his daughter to actually shine. And that's kinda what says it all about the story. It really wants to explore new and interesting themes, but it can't just leave it's older characters behind and ends up focusing too much on them. While there are newer characters to both explore and develop, the game kinda stops at their given chapters they are focused on, and puts them on the bench when things start to get serious.

I wish the game was serious about new interesting dungeons and plot ideas, but it really just teases the idea of it. I can't remember an area in this game that was new aside from the last dungeon, and even if there is more than that it all just blends too well together to really make a point. The game also uses a moon cycle system that ends up being far more annoying than interesting as it never really factors in a meaningful way to change play styles while also affecting combat just enough to last longer than it should. It honestly starts off interesting till you literally are taking 3 extra turns to kill off the same enemy you had no problem killing turn one before. Just everything about this game just lasts so much longer than it should have while exploring the same areas that you're used to while using vastly underpowered characters for nearly 70% of the games run time. One of the key points of an RPG is that you get to grow a character and make them stronger, but when you are going through 7 different tales and all of them basically start you at ground zero it really makes for a lot of unneeded grinding in the end, and a far slower paced story that is constantly stopping and going.

That's what Final Fantasy IV: The After Years is, a contradiction of a game trying to have it all, and feeling like nothing in return. The mysterious girl plot line is interesting till it's taken too long to pay off well, the idea of Cecil's son having to live up to his legacy is interesting till they just stop caring about him after his story and only give you an optional pay off of a cutscene. Rydia's connection to the mysterious girl, and eidolons is neat till they just don't answer what is going on with it. There is just too much here that they tried to make work, and ended up failing each and everyone in such a way that it's just not satisfying to watch. Will you get something out of it as a fan of Final Fantasy IV? Ya, absolutely, there is enough fanfare and neat things here to give you something, but in terms of a story, a sequel, and a game? It just doesn't work well, and the amount of joy had is so little that it doesn't feel right for others to go thru it for it.

Fun with multiple stories.

Why did I play this entire game? Why was it three times as long as the original?

An interesting sequel of Final Fantasy IV. It feels more like an expansion than a sequel. The story seemed quite basic to me but it was worth buying to revisit the Final Fantasy IV world. I found the concept of arcs for each character refreshing. The final dungeon was quite painful, but so was the original in the ds version.

It played perfectly in Linux with proton, no tweaks needed.

The game is a clever add on to the best Final Fantasy (IMO), and it gives a great ending and conclusion to the game. It can be lengthy at times, but I love how the game focuses more on some other characters that didn't get as much screen time in the last game. Rydia and Edge especially do well in this game, as well as Kain. This is their game, whereas the first one was about Cecil and Rosa's romance.

could not get myself to care enough to go further.

I really love this as a great follow up the original with great new and old characters, new and old locations and decent storytelling

Basically a snooze fest.
I liked FF4 a lot. But the episodic nature really makes the story feel fragmented and disorganized.
You're frequently going through the same areas with a couple different characters, and just auto-battling most of the time. There's no real sense of exploration like in most games in the series. You can generally only proceed to 1 location at a time, and as mentioned before, it's often a location you've already been to.
There's very little strategy. You don't really get to control party composition for most (maybe all) of the game, and your roster usually has NPC scrubs in it with no abilities of interest.
Black mages boil down to use elementally appropriate magic. White mages heal between battle. Everybody else just spams attack.
Visually, this uses the same assetts as FF4 on the DS. It looked better on the small screen, but really out of place as a PC game. More out of place than SNES style visuals would even. Things seem excessively zoomed in, and like you can barely see your surroundings, so you'll need to rely on the map. The DS had the full map on the bottom screen. This has a mini-map, and if you want the full map, it will need to overlay the main game.