I’m sure many, many fans of Final Fantasy have been playing through this since it’s release just yesterday. I’m sure everyone will agree with me in saying that it feels magnificent to be finally playing a Final Fantasy in High-Defintion. But for sceptics of the series, or for those who haven’t quite yet got it; has this long four year wait  been worth it? For starters, placing that little disc into the console was such a great moment after such a long wait, but the game plunges you straight into the action from the start. No installation, no trophy syncs, just a main menu. One button press, and you’re in.

The opening movie (which is amazing by the way) pulls you into the action at an alarming pace – you basically start in the middle of a warzone. You’re introduced to the new battle system, but once the game gets you going for the first time, you can’t help but stare in awe at everything: the characters, the enemies, the environment, the special effects, just everything. The graphics are absolutely top notch (which is something we’ve come to expect from the great Square-Enix) – so good in fact that for the first time ever it’s difficult to distinguish between pre-rendered cutscenes and the in-game engine ones – although the pre-rendered do look just a little more lifelike. One honourable mention though, is the hair – the way it moves when the characters move, how it jumps in explosions, and how it just looks so gorgeous – in some scenes, it does look a little tacky but most of the time it is fantastic.

The story itself gets off to a racing start, although the first few hours are a little jumpy in terms of constantly switching characters, but after that it begins to settle down. One amazing feat this game pulls is how quickly you get attached to the characters, sure some take longer to empathise with than others, but I was surprised at how some scenes at the beginning of the game tugged at my heartstrings. I simply cannot wait to see the characters develop and go on an emotional rollercoaster with them.

But anyway, onto the music. I’m sure many will agree with you that Masashi Hamauzu had enormously big shoes to fill after the truly magnificent performance of Nobuo Uematsu in the last 10 or so games in the series, but fill them he does, and maybe, just maybe he exceeds that bar a few times in the venture. The shear variety of tracks that you hear – the upbeat battle, to the imposing boss, from the electric action, to the tearful ballad – fit the game perfectly and really enhance the atmosphere of the game. If there’s one thing I want in this game, it’s a little store near the end where you can buy tracks and listen to your heart’s content.

One final thing I have yet to comment on: the gameplay. This time around, I think Square-Enix have got it just right. They maintain the old style ATB system from VII, VIII and IX and completely remix it with the upbeat action from X-2, XII and Crisis Core. In a way I feel it is a compromise, and should please many fans because it is so addictive. Of course, in the beginning, you have few options available to you but once the game lets you open out, it really becomes a strategic masterpiece. The seamless transition between field and battle screen helps as well – because it keeps the game flowing fluidly whilst placing you in an area which is much more suited to a battle situation.

I hope this little article has given you all something to think about, and those of you who have yet to buy the game are encouraged to – because this really is one in the series that you must not miss. If you’re a newcomer, don’t worry, the story starts afresh with each Final Fantasy, so the story is not a problem. I can only urge you, that if you ever feel the need to try a Final Fantasy game, make this your first port of call, for those of you. Stay tuned for a full review soon…

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