If one installment of Final Fantasy isn’t enough for you, how about a second one on the iPhone!

FINAL FANTASY II ($8.99)

Released along with Final Fantasy I, Square Enix delivered with Final Fantasy II. This sequel adds some updated graphics, and gameplay, just to name a few. But is the game worth purchasing?

Presentation

Part two of Final Fantasy has stepped up its game. If you remember playing it way back when, you should know that the story is more in depth, capturing the true essence behind this series. Not only that, but there’s more map to explore and gameplay requires more thinking and strategy.

Controls

The controls are the same as Final Fantasy I, as they are touch based and everything is where you would think is. At the lower left is the virtual D pad, and lower right contains the dash button as your moving.

When your stationary, the menu pops up so you can access other options and change character attributes. One awesome feature is the auto-save. If you get interrupted or quit the game, you can just load it back up and choose resume from the menu.

Gameplay

As I mentioned before, the plot has been reworked from part 1. It is more interesting and incorporates the characters better. Once again, you are to fight off evil forces who have hurt family and friends. However, Square Enix has made gameplay interesting by tuning how attributes are developed and how decisions are made. Unlike previous RPG, including FF I, the new leveling up system determines which stats are upgraded depending in how you fight in battles.

Depending in how and what actions you choose to make, will determine which skills get increased. So more magic usage will result in increased magic abilities and so on and so forth. Weapon related skills are also specific to each weapon. Speaking of weapons, the main characters now have left and right handed options, meaning you can choose to wield a sword and or shield.

The purchase of magic has also changed, as now you purchase them as tomes. The game also incorporates “key terms” that you might learn and use on other NPCs to gather important information. These words will appear highlighted during a conversation. Besides these added features, the game plays similar to FF I, which I suggest you play through first.

Suggestions

Final Fantasy II is an awesome game to have, especially now that it’s on the iPhone. I know that it’s mainly a port, so there aren’t many changes from the original versions, yet I wish they could have changed or reworked some features. For one, although the new leveling system requires more strategy, it can get confusing, especially for new gamers.

The use of “key terms” could have also been omitted, as it just adds to the tediousness. Then there’s the issue of facing off with enemies of unfair difficulty early on. Although it’s not as bad as the first one, the unevenness of difficulty can add to the frustration of trying to enjoy the game. So please Square Enix, ADD more features or UPDATE the game. It would really improve gameplay.

Conclusion

My final thoughts are similar to that of FF I. If you enjoy RPGs, or are a FF Fan, go get this game now!!! It’s worth playing, even if the price tag is a little too much. Now that we’ve seen these two titles appear on the iPhone, I hope Square Enix will consider porting their other Final Fantasy titles over.