/vr/ - Retro Games

PSP version looks really good running natively, as does the sequel.

>>8193071
thanks yes i think ill do the psp version

There is no one definitive "best version". Each version has its pros and cons.

>>8193062
Correct me if I'm wrong, but FFIV has got to be one of the most tweaked, ported, relocalized, remastered, and remade games ever. They have NEVER been able to leave well enough alone. Seriously, just look at this insanity:

FFIV - Original on SFC
FFIV EasyType - Same shit but easier and more cut down
FFII SNES - Version that made it overseas. More or less based on EasyType but censored further and with a shitty translation
FFIV PS1 - First time we got the SFC original in English, though the retranslation is subpar
FFIV Advance - Adds extra content, but has bugs, slowdown, and worse sound and graphics. Retranslated AGAIN
FFIV DS - Full 3D remake. Hard as balls
FFIV PSP - GBA version but with remade 2D graphics and optionally the DS soundtrack, which not everyone liked. Also made easier, I think? Translation touched up yet again
FFIV Pixel Remaster - ANOTHER 2D remaster, this time back down to 16-bit style more or less. Haven't played it yet, so not sure how it holds up

>>8193381
Oh, and that's not even including all the mobile ports, which are more obscure.

Seriously, leave the damn game alone already. I understand every re-release and port is more money potentially, but there have been so many versions it just causes confusion, especially with the 2D remasters AND the 3D remake around. And stick to one translation, for fuck's sake. It's like they're never satisfied.

>>8193381
totally agree, usually i just google whats considered the best but there is no consensus which is why i asked here. PSP version does look good on the vita. I'm not sure I really like the translation though, I thought the SNES version was a tad better.

>>8193407
The SNES version is memorable because of things like "You spoony bard," Yang yelling out ACHOO when he fights, etc. But it's not well done by today's standards, though do not take that to mean that I think the newer translations are perfect, especially since they're all ultimately based to one degree or another on the PS1 version, which had issues of its own. Not that I'm an authority on these matters, mind you.

Have the Pixel Remasters been the best versions, with the font mod? I know FFIII is a weird one, since both III-R and DS are great takes, but I and I have so much extra content on the PSP that I just don't know how it fits. Heard some say that the extra content wasn't that good, though, but heard the opposite, too.

>>8193062
psp is pretty good for the 2d version, but I haven't tried ultima. the 3d version is simply better than the 2d version as long as you don't mind low-poly 3d.

>>8193062
I liked DS remake the best for it's difficulty, augments, and translation. Also had party thought bubbles that added a lot to characterization. PSP version was braindead to play and the script is dry, I was immediately bored

>>8193062
The Ultima rom hack totally alters the game. Not recommended for a first playthrough. It's also a ROM hack of Final Fantasy II which itself butchered the original Japanese version.

Just play the original Final Fantasy IV SNES rom with the J2E English translation patch.

romhacking.net/reviews/2504

The PSP version at least has the option for the original music, but the graphics look entirely different. Also, it has The After Years but this isn't worth bothering with. The After Years just recycles Final Fantasy IV and is very unoriginal. It was originally an episodic mobile game, and it shows.

>>8193516
>J2E
don't do this. j2e had like five different translators working on it, none of whom knew japanese, and inserts a bunch of old-ass pop culture references and immature swearing all over the place.

>>8193516
I second the feeling about TAY, though I will say I actually kind of liked Palom's and Edge's stories. Everything else is fanfiction-tier, and the rehashing is atrocious, ESPECIALLY in Edward's story. Whose idea was it to have you go through the same damn caverns from the first game back and forth twice?

>>8193420
the "spoony bard" is in the PSP version as well

>>8193646
Well, of course. You can't very well go and take out the most memetic line of dialogue associated with FFIV, can you? SE would be crucified.

>>8193062
Instead of all this pixel remaster shit, Square Enix should just retranslate the original SNES game with a proper Final Fantasy IV title screen

>>8193648
Translation quality aside, that's sort of what they did with the PS1 version. It's literally the original SFC version with added FMVs and bestiary. Too bad saving takes forever.

>>8193652
yeah but my autism demands a SNES ROM

Been a long time since I played this. Is there anything about this game's mechanics that is exploitable? Like how certain equipment combinations in FFVI shit on everything, or how you can exploit FFVIII's junction system to utterly break the game, etc.

>>8194948
Everything. The more you master, the stronger you are. Mime can combo abilities to make you do 8 strong slashes and destroy encounters.

>>8195009
What game are you talking about here?

>>8195045
Thought I was in the V thread, my bad. 4 is pretty basic.

>>8193062
I started FF4 PSP a few weeks ago and I'm loving it even if its on the easy side. (Im too shit to beat dark bahamut and the last boss and am grinding right now though lol.)

>>8193381
>More or less based on EasyType
Why do faggots constantly repeat this bullshit forced meme?

>>8193435
>DS is a "great take" of FFIII
lolno. The DS version is killed by the monster limit being significantly reduced to three per battle. This messes with the game like you wouldn't believe, pic related should give you an idea of how they overhauled battles for the worse because of it. The worst part is that Square Enix had multiple opportunities to fix the 3D version when they kept porting it, but the suits would rather save 1000yen by porting the bastardized version basically as-is. For context, the DS version of FFIV didn't have this problem since the devs got around the hardware limitations by that point, and further FFIV 3D ports included a difficulty toggle to closer resemble the SNES version.

>>8193381
The PSP script is pretty much the GBA version with terminology from the DS version and a few minor things from TAY like the name of Yang's wife. It's not the most accurate script, but it's probably the most cohesive with its sequel, which is based on the GBA version too. Pixel Remaster, pretty laughably, reverts to the GBA script with virtually no changes, so the Archfiends are back to being the "Elemental Lords" and stuff like that. (For that matter, the GBA script seems to be a heavy edit of the PS1 script, which in turn looks like a rewrite of the SNES translation as a handful of SNES-isms are still in those versions. I don't remember which off the top of my head but Legends of Localization did an excellent analysis.)
>>8193071
The only issue with the PSP version is that the graphics are noticeably a step down from the PSP's previous 2D remakes (tho still not FFV/VI mobile levels). Like, Dark Knight Cecil[ should be showing his face in the overworld and spoiler]Paladin Cecil has two different designs depending if you're in battle or not, not to mention pic, etc. TAY flashbacks also lose the neat retro graphic effect. I'm kind of shocked there hasn't been a mod attempt to restore the OG graphics.
Also the load times are worse than the PS1 version in my experience, which is the odd one out.

>>8193528
Seconding this. Base J2e is awful and dated. If you're going to play a version based on it, please play J2Evisceration, which fixes most (not all) of its problems: https://www.romhacking.net/translations/2623/
There's also the popular Namingway Edition, but I don't recommend it for two reasons: 1) it's a hack of FFIIUS instead of FFIVJP, so I don't trust the supposed restoration/uncensorship is complete, and 2) the guy inserts stuff in the script that wasn't in 2D versions like the 3D-exclusive "Theodor" sideplot that contradicts/retcons the Super Famicom guide, which isn't everyone's cup of tea. Currently, there is no ideal FFIV English script for SNES; the best localization would probably be the DS version if it had the flowery language dialed back a peg or two, which the PSP resembles but isn't quite it either.

>>8195464
Because there's a lot of development overlap and Easy Type and the latter actually released first despite some evidence pointing to the former technically being an earlier build.

>>8196064
>The DS version is killed by the monster limit being significantly reduced to three per battle
No it isn't.
>This messes with the game like you wouldn't believe
No it doesn't.

Fuck all that you wrote and unloaded, it's the best version of the game. Seethers will seethe about monster count. But real rpg players don't care about that.

>>8196191
>no u
OK sure anon you showed me.

>>8193435
>Have the Pixel Remasters been the best versions, with the font mod?
The Pixel Remasters have amazing potential with future mods (they're made in Unity too), but the vanilla versions are squandered by typical Square Enix idiocy. On the surface, the marketing for them seems sound, but digging a little deeper, they have a fair amount of unsavory stuff carried over from the later remakes like the FFI healing items making White Magic less valuable. I'd at least wait until the mod scene starts to flourish.
>>8196064
The new Final Fantasy III actually has several things borrowed from the DS version like tweaked class abilities/stats and restoring the unused enemy encounters, but it's still arguably the best Pixel Remaster so far (if only on a technicality due to the cancelation of the WonderSwan Color remake); even if it for the most part skews a little on the easy side, it at least resembles the original game feel.

>>8196261
ff3 class stats are from the nes games. they took white magic away from every class except for white mage/devout. so archer and mystic knight have different abilities. barrage is OP until the last couple of dungeons.

honestly bro, when in doubt, just play the originals. there's too many versions out there poisoning the well and anons will tell you a thousand different ways, "no play this remake," "no play that version with these autismods," etc. just play the NES/SNES versions and don't worry too hard about patches too much.* these games don't really get too story-intensive until VI anyway, and anyone with a brain and a sense of humor can get what the script was going for and have a laugh, above all just enjoy yourself.

you need a translation patch for III&V of which there are several but just don't think too hard about it, just know the oldest have historical value and are most compatible with walkthroughs, for II the English proto is playable from start to finish and had me grinning like a retard, it's also the closest I ever had to enjoying II imagine that.

>>8196064
Honestly didn't mind the differences when I went through. Still had a looot of charm, and I liked the little bits to make the characters feel like characters. It might not be as hard in some ways, but the Crystal Tower is still as annoying as ever. Felt fulfilling to get through it. But hey, your view is valid too.
That said, I do like that the Pixel Remaster does a lot more for balancing job classes. I used a Bard in III DS even though it was definitely not the smartest choice, but the remaster made it and a bunch of classes actually really viable. Pretty happy since it makes a lot more team compositions able to handle the game.

>>8196541
I respectfully disagree (though the graphics were probably the best part for what it was), but y'know, you're chill about it unlike that other anon, so I approve of your post.
...But there is ONE more thing I must take umbridge with.
>I liked the little bits to make the characters feel like characters.
Is it really an improvement to trade the non-characters for cardboard characters? I mean, this is probably up to your own gaming philosophy, but I think for most people, the answer is no. inb4 Refiafuckers.

>>8197578
It adds about as much as I'd imagine for a remake of a game that was that old, desu. Luneth being plain shonen protag and Ingus being basic knight were pretty expected, but I liked how Arc sorta gets portrayed as this wimpy kid that still steps up to help, and Refia being a former blacksmith and bossy usually helps with some hijinx.
The side characters appearing in battle was a nice touch, too, plus the letters really help tie the characters together for that ending a bit more(even if the DS wifi stuff was awful for that).
There's a saying about how your first Final Fantasy is usually your favorite, yet I started with FF4 Advance and FF1. The DS remake was so fun and replayable for me that I still consider it one of my top faves, The Pixel Remaster I think might be my new preferred way though, if only because there finally isn't a single bad job. I just wish the sprites were given more charm than they have now, but that's sure to come with mods, etc.

>>8196064
The thing that gets me about the 3D version of Final Fantasy III is that it was almost made for consoles instead of handhelds and thus would've been so much better.
>>8196261
Did Square ever have an explanation for the Wonderswan cancellation? The Final Fantasy IV port seems to have been made as consolation. There was a rumor that Square lost the source code, but I'm not sure I believe that, considering they went ahead and started work on it.

>>8198558
More work than porting IV, they probably still had an FF game in their contract for the Wonderswan, and they didn't want to spend too much on what they thought was a sinking ship by that point. Who knows, but I would have loved to have seen it.
Console remake would have been neat, but I can appreciate the almost early PS1 feel to the 3D Models. 2D remake was always the dream, though.

>>8196064
>I ground until I was at level 61
>EIGHT HOURS of grinding at the end of the game alone
opinion discarded
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdjbhjq7afI

>>8198605
>Console remake would have been neat, but I can appreciate the almost early PS1 feel to the 3D Models.
It wouldn't have been that far off if it was a budget title like the PS2 remake of Dragon Quest V that Matrix previously developed.

>>8198635
Oh wow, that looks adorable! Reminds me so much of DQIX. Somehow never got the chance to try that out.

>>8198605
>but I can appreciate the almost early PS1 feel to the 3D Models.
Hell yeah, I've always fucking LOVED the look of 3D DS games, something about those simple polygons and textures that aren't trying hard to be realistic about graphics (unlike a lot of PS1 3D) is super appealing to me, easily one of my favorite styles ever and I'm super glad FF3 3D was ported to PC so I could enjoy them at a higher resolution

based "best version of final fantasy"-spammer