21st October 2007, 1:16 PM
I recently picked up this PSP port of the old Playstation game, and they've changed a few things. First of all, the entire game has been retranslated, as they have often done with new games. It's a good thing when you consider that up until recently translations weren't exactly top notch. FF8 is the first game I can recall that did a truly excellent job of translation.
Anyway, the first thing they seem to have changed is remaking all the FMVs in the game, on top of outright replacing certain in-game cutscenes with FMV versions (this is as opposed to Chrono Trigger's remake where they play back both the new FMV of certain scenes and the in-game cutscene version). Whereas the FMVs in the original Tactics weren't exactly very high quality, save perhaps art direction, these ones look great. They are done in an interesting style of cel shading that reflects the art style of the character illustrations. Everything has a "sketchy" look to it as well. Further, the FMVs have voice acting, and the voice acting is pretty decent. Apparently the Japanese version had no voice acting at all so there's no way someone can criticize it by saying the US voice acting is "worse" than the Japanese version.
They've added a lot of new side missions, many of them seeming to focus on Delita, so you sort of switch perspectives in the story now. Also, a host of new unlockable characters, namely that cool guy from FFXII Balthier, further since XII is actually set in the same world as Tactics (and Vagrant Story) he actually fits. Cloud's still there, and he makes as little sense as he ever has being in this game (alternate reality machine my foot).
The gameplay has been changed up a bit. More characters can be in your party at once now, which could make things easier but it's a matter of choice anyway if you use that new capacity. However, just as in the original you make your movement choice and then your action choice, and even if you haven't locked your character's action yet your movement choice can't be undone, so pick your moves well as this isn't FFTA. Dark Knights are now available, for everyone, and so are "Onion Knights".
One thing I noticed pretty quick is there seem to be sound issues. That big ol' dark knight in the first mission? His health sucker doesn't seem to have it's full impact of sound effectism when he uses it... For the most part the sound is still good though. Also, if you are wondering, it seems to have the same delays and load time issues as the original, so they didn't really get rid of that problem. All in all, on a technical level I think they should have delayed the game for a while in order to work out these issues. There's really no excuse for them, especially the sound thing.
Back to the retranslation, the script for the original was fairly stylized as it was, but this time they REALLY went with it, fitting with the stylization of FFXII and Vagrant Story's scripts. Unlike the standard Final Fantasy game in which the dialog is more of a "realistic conversation" style, this is a lot more of a classicly trained drama style of dialog.
As an example of it, here's one line for ya.
Original:
Delita: If you must blame someone, blame yourself or god.
Remake:
Delita: Tis your birth and faith that curse you, not I.
That line in particular isn't just highly stylized though, it gives a bit of a different meaning and attitude to what he's saying. There's more of the same and it is hard for me to decide which one "works" better. I'd have an easier time deciding if I knew more of the original Japanese script. I get the feeling that the Japanese script for this game is highly stylized itself.
Oh yes, the Zodiac part of Zodiac Brave Story has more of an impact in battle. I haven't really played long enough to figure out what new effects it has though.
Among the rest there's a new multiplayer mode where you can take your team and fight another team. Unlike Fire Emblem's pitiful multiplayer, this is the real thing. Take your party and put it against another on a map and there are even new "traps" that can be set. When in this mode, everyone's units are colored either red or blue to make them easy to distinguish. Further, and a mode I found one of the best things they added to FFTA, there's a cooperative mission mode, where you and a friend go on special missions that require teamwork.
If I do end up having some issue with the new script or gameplay, it isn't something I can't do anything about. I still have the original version, and I can always rip it to play it on my PSP as well.
This does bring up one thing though. I really wish they had brought FFXII international to the states... That remake apparently really adds a lot of new things to the combat system.
Quoting Wikipedia:
Those "international" versions sure are adding more and more stuff... It really makes me want those editions to actually BE international.
The weirdest thing about these international versions is how they keep using the English voice acting in their versions, because apparently they like the english voices. One would think they'd at least put two DVDs in there, one with the Japanese voice acting and one with the English. If it's a special edition sold at full price that is the sort of extra I'd think they could splurge on. Oh well, it's not really my problem I guess.
Anyway, the first thing they seem to have changed is remaking all the FMVs in the game, on top of outright replacing certain in-game cutscenes with FMV versions (this is as opposed to Chrono Trigger's remake where they play back both the new FMV of certain scenes and the in-game cutscene version). Whereas the FMVs in the original Tactics weren't exactly very high quality, save perhaps art direction, these ones look great. They are done in an interesting style of cel shading that reflects the art style of the character illustrations. Everything has a "sketchy" look to it as well. Further, the FMVs have voice acting, and the voice acting is pretty decent. Apparently the Japanese version had no voice acting at all so there's no way someone can criticize it by saying the US voice acting is "worse" than the Japanese version.
They've added a lot of new side missions, many of them seeming to focus on Delita, so you sort of switch perspectives in the story now. Also, a host of new unlockable characters, namely that cool guy from FFXII Balthier, further since XII is actually set in the same world as Tactics (and Vagrant Story) he actually fits. Cloud's still there, and he makes as little sense as he ever has being in this game (alternate reality machine my foot).
The gameplay has been changed up a bit. More characters can be in your party at once now, which could make things easier but it's a matter of choice anyway if you use that new capacity. However, just as in the original you make your movement choice and then your action choice, and even if you haven't locked your character's action yet your movement choice can't be undone, so pick your moves well as this isn't FFTA. Dark Knights are now available, for everyone, and so are "Onion Knights".
One thing I noticed pretty quick is there seem to be sound issues. That big ol' dark knight in the first mission? His health sucker doesn't seem to have it's full impact of sound effectism when he uses it... For the most part the sound is still good though. Also, if you are wondering, it seems to have the same delays and load time issues as the original, so they didn't really get rid of that problem. All in all, on a technical level I think they should have delayed the game for a while in order to work out these issues. There's really no excuse for them, especially the sound thing.
Back to the retranslation, the script for the original was fairly stylized as it was, but this time they REALLY went with it, fitting with the stylization of FFXII and Vagrant Story's scripts. Unlike the standard Final Fantasy game in which the dialog is more of a "realistic conversation" style, this is a lot more of a classicly trained drama style of dialog.
As an example of it, here's one line for ya.
Original:
Delita: If you must blame someone, blame yourself or god.
Remake:
Delita: Tis your birth and faith that curse you, not I.
That line in particular isn't just highly stylized though, it gives a bit of a different meaning and attitude to what he's saying. There's more of the same and it is hard for me to decide which one "works" better. I'd have an easier time deciding if I knew more of the original Japanese script. I get the feeling that the Japanese script for this game is highly stylized itself.
Oh yes, the Zodiac part of Zodiac Brave Story has more of an impact in battle. I haven't really played long enough to figure out what new effects it has though.
Among the rest there's a new multiplayer mode where you can take your team and fight another team. Unlike Fire Emblem's pitiful multiplayer, this is the real thing. Take your party and put it against another on a map and there are even new "traps" that can be set. When in this mode, everyone's units are colored either red or blue to make them easy to distinguish. Further, and a mode I found one of the best things they added to FFTA, there's a cooperative mission mode, where you and a friend go on special missions that require teamwork.
If I do end up having some issue with the new script or gameplay, it isn't something I can't do anything about. I still have the original version, and I can always rip it to play it on my PSP as well.
This does bring up one thing though. I really wish they had brought FFXII international to the states... That remake apparently really adds a lot of new things to the combat system.
Quoting Wikipedia:
Quote:An international version of the game called Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System (ファイナルファンタジーXII インターナショナル ゾディアックジョブシステム, Fainaru Fantajī Tuerubu Intānashonaru Zodiakku Jobu Shisutemu?) was released in Japan on August 9, 2007 as part of both Final Fantasy 20th anniversary and Ivalice Alliance.[124] The game includes twelve License Boards available (instead of the original one), each corresponding to a different Zodiac sign and job. The battle system as a whole has been tweaked; guest characters and summons are controllable by the player, and pressing the L1 button accelerates the game's speed. Additionally, the game features the English voices and the widescreen 16:9 ratio support of the North American version, as well as a bonus disc based on the one initially released with the North American version. Other new features such as new licenses, new spells and new gambits have been shown as well. There is also a "New Game+" option, as well as a new "Trial Mode" which allows the player to hunt monsters in 100 different maps to gain items and money.[3][125][126][127]
Those "international" versions sure are adding more and more stuff... It really makes me want those editions to actually BE international.
The weirdest thing about these international versions is how they keep using the English voice acting in their versions, because apparently they like the english voices. One would think they'd at least put two DVDs in there, one with the Japanese voice acting and one with the English. If it's a special edition sold at full price that is the sort of extra I'd think they could splurge on. Oh well, it's not really my problem I guess.