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Few collection are as beloved as Ultimate Fantasy, and given what number of re-releases, remakes, and remasters we’ve gotten through the years, Sq. Enix is aware of this. Typically these remakes and re-releases have questionable high quality and design selections that diehard followers lament. Enter the Ultimate Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster, which bundles the primary six video games into one handy, streamlined bundle (or you should buy them individually) with respect for the unique variations from the Nintendo Leisure System and Tremendous Nintendo Leisure System on the forefront.
Initially launched individually on Steam and cellular between July 2021 and February 2022, these variations embrace up to date pixel graphics – therefore the identify – and rearranged orchestral scores, together with gameplay balances aplenty. For essentially the most half, the gathering maintains respect for the previous whereas introducing a couple of additional bells and whistles for the console releases which is able to assist introduce these classics to newcomers.
Let’s get the similarities out of the way in which: developed initially on the NES, the primary three Ultimate Fantasy video games profit most from the pixel graphics which were up to date to look nice on trendy screens. Taking part in undocked on our Change OLED shortly grew to become our favorite strategy to expertise these classics. Monster and character sprites look crisper than ever earlier than, and extra detailed backgrounds fill the whole display with vivid color. The UI has additionally been streamlined throughout all six, and it options two completely different fonts: trendy (which acquired a lot backlash within the Steam/cellular launch), and our desire, the brand new pixel-style font. We are able to’t think about ever digging out our previous consoles to play them ever once more.
Whereas this crisp retro aesthetic is on the forefront of Sq. Enix’s advertising, essentially the most spectacular a part of this bundle is the rearranged soundtrack overseen by the unique composer, Nobuo Uematsu. The orchestrated music provides numerous gravitas; we couldn’t assist however crank up the amount throughout each battle fought and dungeon we entered. And, at nearly any time throughout every of the six video games, you’ll be able to pop open the menu and swap to the unique beeps and boops to match.
As referenced above, Sq. Enix additionally included large quality-of-life enhancements this time round, from an auto-save function, having the ability to flip random encounters off with a click on of the correct thumbstick, and the choice to bump up the speed of expertise and gil, that every one go a good distance towards making these six Japanese role-playing video games essentially the most accessible they’ve ever been.
Full disclosure: being intimately accustomed to the unique video games, we put a number of hours into every of those remasters to check the brand new programs and assess the standard of life updates; given the time constraints and the inclusion of six video games on this bundle which can be 20+ hours every, we’ve not gone by way of all of them to the tip but.
Now, let’s check out every recreation sorted by platform, and whether or not or not it’s best to go for the bundle or simply the most effective of the bunch:
Ultimate Fantasy I – III – The NES Trilogy
We have already touched on this, however the not-so-final Ultimate Fantasy video games on the NES profit rather a lot from the Pixel Remaster upgrades. As they have been launched between 1987 and 1990 in Japan, they don’t function the epic narratives stuffed with intriguing villains and sympathetic protagonists that the collection would later turn into identified for. As an alternative, they fall into the identical rhythm as most different early JRPGs: go from city to city fixing issues similar to defeating evil Djinn or slaying world-threatening fiends whereas slowly uncovering the Large Dangerous behind the scenes making the world a horrible place. The turn-based battles and exploration are as simple because the story, although we appreciated the quaint simplicity. The rearranged soundtrack additionally goes a good distance towards making these adventures really feel rather more grandiose than they appear.
The standard of life options lessens the headache attributable to three-decade-old mechanics in these three video games specifically. Your social gathering members, for instance, would miss if their goal died earlier than they attacked within the first two video games on NES, and now they’ll robotically redirect to a different enemy. Loads of different small tweaks and modifications have been made throughout the board with spells and the provision of things that make adventuring much less of an archaic burden, none extra so than an auto-save function to make sure progress isn’t misplaced if you happen to wipe.
In Ultimate Fantasy I and III, we discovered boosting our expertise and gil earned from battles to 2x (the utmost is 4x) made for a nice expertise that balanced the grind and problem nicely. Ultimate Fantasy II is a little bit of an odd Chocobo because it makes use of an attribute and ability stage system (much like the SaGa collection) as an alternative of normal ranges. The extra you forged spells, for example, the extra your magic attribute will improve; likewise, a spell similar to Fireplace I’ll ultimately turn into Fireplace II. This additionally signifies that experimentation with weapons will result in wonky, sub-optimal builds. Fortunately, the Pixel Remaster additionally features a 2x or 4x enhance to attribute and ability stage acquire, however we discovered even 2x trivialised each encounter as we hunted down mythril for Princess Hilda greater than the opposite two video games.
Observe that these remasters do not function any further content material from different variations similar to the extra dungeons from Ultimate Fantasy I & II: Daybreak of Souls, which does cease the unique two specifically from feeling like really definitive variations.
Of the bunch, we loved Ultimate Fantasy III essentially the most. Up till this level, we had solely performed the improved remake for the Nintendo DS which featured some further story beats, named important characters, and 3D visuals. III ditches the difficult ability and attribute system from II in favour of a well-known experience-based level-ups of the unique with one key change: the job system. Sure, Ultimate Fantasy III introduces the earliest rendition of the roles system that might later turn into a staple of the primary collection and its spin-offs. We had little nostalgia going into III, but it surely quickly fascinated us by how related it performed to its predecessors whereas laying the groundwork for its successors. Additionally, we cherished the crunchy guitar in its up to date battle theme.
All that stated, these three classics do have fascinating areas to go to with a couple of neat twists with regard to world-building, but there’s not a lot right here exterior of some simple turn-based battles and some a number of dozen hours of online game historical past. Given after they have been first launched, we don’t actually blame them for this, however we wouldn’t blame you for skipping over them, both. There are a lot of extra concerned JRPGs on the market, however these three video games are foundational and massively essential for the style as a complete.
Ultimate Fantasy IV – VI – The SNES Trilogy
Dragoon leaping over to the SNES is the place you’ll be able to anticipate the sympathetic protagonists and intriguing villains the collection is famend for. Ultimate Fantasy IV follows Cecil the Darkish Knight as he struggles along with his guilt whereas on an journey to cease the sorcerer Golbez, and in doing so pioneered stronger storytelling in JRPGs. Regardless of being over 30 years previous, IV as soon as once more engrossed us in its narrative – we’re itching to get again to Cecil’s convoluted journey with its forged of twelve characters. The fourth recreation ditches the job system we cherished a lot from III in favour of set courses; nonetheless, it makes up for this considerably by introducing the Energetic Time Battle system, giving every struggle extra of an concerned tempo. Of all of the video games within the assortment, Ultimate Fantasy IV has been ported and remade essentially the most, additionally getting a DS remake like III, however this interpretation of the unique SNES exhibits how nicely the 1991 recreation has stood the take a look at of time.
Ultimate Fantasy V takes a story step again with the journey of Bartz, Lenna, Galuf, and extra as they rush to guard elemental crystals from the evil sorcerer Exdeath. Of the three from the SNES, V ranks because the weakest of the bunch because it nixes a lot of what makes IV among the best JRPGs. It does increase upon the job system from III, and with the addition of mixing skills, there’s extra participant freedom right here than you’ll be able to shake Excalibur at. Nonetheless, the rearranged soundtrack feels much less bombastic than the opposite video games; it didn’t give us that shot of nostalgic adrenaline we anticipated. If we didn’t have the gil to purchase each considered one of these video games, Ultimate Fantasy V could be the one we’d depart on the eShop shelf.
Lastly, it is onto the crown jewel of the gathering; Ultimate Fantasy VI returns to narrative type and marks when the collection really discovered its stride. It’s a must-play expertise for any JRPG fan, and the Pixel Remaster represents one of many best methods to take action. Very like IV, the sixth Ultimate Fantasy incorporates a vast forged full of various personalities; we’ll at all times have a tender spot for Terra being the primary feminine protagonist launched within the collection. Moreover, the sprawling narrative that adopts an superior steampunk aesthetic additionally has among the best villains in gaming historical past: Kefka, the mad clown. VI takes an enormous leap ahead by way of dialogue, narrative exposition, and cinematics to carry all of them to life, a formidable feat almost three many years later.
Of all six video games, VI additionally acquired essentially the most love. Every thing from ability updates, enemy stats, and far more we absolutely wouldn’t have observed with out trying out the Ultimate Fantasy Wiki have been modified, which makes it a disgrace that the extra dungeons from the Recreation Boy Advance model have been minimize. It is also the one remaster that permits you to lower the quantity of expertise, gil, and talent factors gained to 0.5x if you wish to up the problem. This time round, the opera scene options actual opera singers and HD-2D-esque graphics, and it is massively thrilling to see Nobuo Uematsu’s imaginative and prescient for this sequence realised. If you happen to needed to decide one Ultimate Fantasy recreation to spend your gil on, Ultimate Fantasy VI could be the one.
For all these SNES titles, the music and visible upgrades aren’t as dramatic because the NES video games. At first, we thought little had modified. Nonetheless, once we did test, we realised the broader display and reworked sprites, particularly of the backgrounds, make a Blue Planet of distinction. And on the danger of sounding like a damaged midi observe, the orchestrated music alone warrants a purchase order for longtime followers. Nonetheless, just like the NES titles, further dungeons from different variations are regrettably absent.
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