Support NeoGAF

[PanopticBlue]

So with the upcoming DS remake, I'm curious how FF3j stacks up to the rest of the series. I'm playing FF 1 & 2 GBA right now, and actually I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying it, so naturally I'm looking forward to this remake. How good is FF3j?

 

[GDJustin]

FF3j is fantastic. It's the first FF that feels "modern" if that makes any sense. It drops the horrible character development system found in FF2j, and goes back to a more traditional EXP system. Features an in-depth storyline with real characters, and features the crystals quite prominently.

 

[demi]

FFIIIj was a giant step in the right direction.

 

[Monk]

I agree, the game rocks hardcore. Buying the DS just for this.

 

[Hournda]

You know you can always download a translated ROM and play it right now. It's pretty good. It has FF4-esque graphics (they didn't upgrade much in the graphics department for FF4) with the FF5 job system. It doesn't have a heavy plot with pre-defined characters (like virtually all other FFs except for 1) but the gameplay is your typical FF stuff.

 

[firex]

ff3j is my favorite in the series, bar none. the class system doesn't let you mix and match abilities like ff5 does but it's good and relatively well-balanced. you actually have to build characters using the classes, although as you progress there are upgraded classes you pick that are better than the earlier jobs.
edit: oh, and the world is really interesting with probably more variety than the rest of the series.

 

[Kon Tiki]

It drops the horrible character development system found in FF2j,

:lol It is not horrible. It aims to mimic reality, and succeeds. The system also gives a positive moral lesson. I wish it would be used in a lot more games, the potential far exceeds the purpose in FF2.

 

[Diomedeskun]

FF3 is probably the most challenging game in the series. It very similar to both 1 and 5 overall, with a very simple storyline but very strong gameplay. Much of what made modern Final Fantasies first appeared here.

It also had the first appearance of moogles.

 

[Tellaerin]

:lol It is not horrible. It aims to mimic reality, and succeeds. The system also gives a positive moral lesson.

MORAL: 'Beating up your friends is the only way to truly increase your strength.'

 

[Kon Tiki]

MORAL: 'Beating up your friends is the only way to truly increase your strength.'

If you do not keep trying, you will never learn powerful attacks. If you work out (train) your body, you will never get stronger.

 

[speedpop]

It has FF4-esque graphics (they didn't upgrade much in the graphics department for FF4)

Funny though, there's a pretty confusing story as to why FF4 looks the way it does. Essentially FF4 was to be called FF5 and there was an original FF4 being developed for NES - I'm guessing Square were wanting to go the Enix Dragon Quest way and release 4 on the system before it was completely over-run by the 16-bit machines.

AFAIK it was delayed a little then totally scrapped, graphics were shoved into what is FF4 today and the scenario for the first true SNES FF, FF5, was pushed onto FF4. I am not too sure but there might be a screenie or two, whether fake or not, detailing the "rumours" of FF4 hitting NES in a few Japan gaming mags.

 

[Scott]

:lol It is not horrible. It aims to mimic reality, and succeeds. The system also gives a positive moral lesson. I wish it would be used in a lot more games, the potential far exceeds the purpose in FF2.

Firstly, it depends on which version we're talking about here.

FFIIj NES was a mess of a game, and barely playable, even by standards back then. FFIIj Origins is a bit better balanced, but still hellishly broken and laborous. Playing it a second time will likely never cross my mind. As for FFIIj GBA, it seems to be the best version so far from what I've heard, but I have yet to play it myself.

But regardless, if you like that style of character development, you'll be happy to know that there are many other games that have used this method, only they do it much, much better. Final Fantasy Legends, Romancing SaGa, SaGa Frontier, Chrono Cross, Morrowind, etc etc. They all have the same method of growth, skills increasing with use, health/vitality (or armor in Morrowind) increasing with damage taken, and so on.

And the reason I say they do it much better? Because they have a little thing called "balancing." FFIIj has never heard of the word, which is likely why you have HP in the thousands, and get handed a 4th character with a couple hundred HP; or why the best way to increase your HP is to hit yourself; or why you're late in the game, killing things in 1 hit, then next battle 10 steps later you get wiped out in a single turn; or why magic is hellishly underpowered compared to melee attacks in the end (mainly due to growth rate); or why the last boss is actually *easier* than most bosses thanks to a debuff & weak attack loop pattern he falls into halfway into the battle... I could go on, but you get the idea.

It really is the worst implementation of that growth style that I've ever seen.

 

[Kon Tiki]

It is much more balanced in DOS. If you kill the 4th character, or not train him, it eill hurt you in the end. The bonus game used the same method, only it does not have to follow another game, like the remake of FF2 does, it lets you level up without having to resort to self mutation. I, again, do not see the point of comparing FF2j to newer RPGS. Seeing as FF2j did it earlier, and I do not expect perfection on its first try.

 

[Scott]

It is much more balanced in DOS.

If this version actually fixes a lot of what's wrong with it, that's great! Despite how much I rag on the game for being broken, I do like pretty much everything else about it, and find it very impressive for it's time. So anything that, at the very least, glosses over the bad spots is more than welcome.

I, again, do not see the point of comparing FF2j to newer RPGS. Seeing as FF2j did it earlier, and I do not expect perfection on its first try.

For the most part, I was just pointing out that there are other games that use that style of character growth, because you said you wished more RPGs did. There are plenty of alternatives, and a lot of them (old and new) handle the style a lot better.

As for why I think they handle it better? It has nothing to do with age, technical advancements, or anything of the sort. The design in FFIIj is just inherently flawed. So much so that it often seems like they just laid out the basic framework, and did little else. It just feels so rough, or to be blunt, half-assed.

These other games I listed are simply designed better. They do more than throw in a growth system and leave everything else as is; they instead throw in a growth system, and then mold the game around it. As result, the style seems much more natural, and the gameplay is better balanced & less frustrating for the player.

Personally, I think this is a very fair comparison. More-so if you take a look at Dawn of Souls, and realize it took them over 15 years to (apparently) make the game playable... There's just something very wrong there.

 

[djtiesto]

Yeah, I'll echo what people say on these boards about FF3j... it's definitely my favorite in the series. Well, probably tied with 5 as my favorite. Job system not as flexible as in 5, but it's in there. And it's definitely the most challenging FF... I have nightmares about that dungeon with all the duplicating monsters, and the HUGE end level with no save points.

 

[Amir0x]

IT STINKS!

 

[Pellham]

it's the best FF game to date.

seriously.

 

[Late Stage Marxist]

Not worth buying a DS over.

 

[Kuro Madoushi]

Freakin' incredible game!

I played all the way up to the end...but the last dungeon was too hard, I couldn't escape, and I didn't have enough heal items

That being said, the 2nd last dungeon was fantastic! I was being owned throughout the whole dungeon, but then I got the last two jobs (ninja and sage I believe?) and then suddenly I could dual wield all weapons and cast all spells...made those bastard random encounter monsters PAY while I was fighting my way out to save >

 

[Seth C]

It has FF4-esque graphics

You're kidding, right? It's on Nintendo. The graphics may be styled in a similar manner, but they don't look nearly as good.

 

[firex]

he's not kidding. the color palette isn't as deep but the sprites are otherwise almost as well drawn.

 

[belgurdo]

he's not kidding. the color palette isn't as deep but the sprites are otherwise almost as well drawn.

The tiling for the towns/dungeons/etc. is the same too, although FF4 (obviously) has better color

 

[djtiesto]

Yeah, FF3j looks like a cross between 1 and 4... Definitely amazing for the Famicom. Here's some screens

 

[Kon Tiki]

Makes me wonder what FFIV would of looked like on NES. The FFIV that was scraped, not the SFC FFIV.

 

[isamu]

I want this game...now.