17th August 2005, 8:13 PM
I can't answer that :D.
I can say this. EM has not played FFIV for PS1 :D.
Don't get me wrong. If he's played ANY of the other ports of SNES RPGs Squeenix has done he would have every reason to expect little from FFIV. It would be the logical conclusion, except that Square USA actually went out of their way when it came time to finally bring that game to the US.
The load times are gone. I don't even mean they are very low. They don't exist because the ENTIRE game of FFIV is loaded into memory (sans music) from the very start. So, everything is just as seamless, as far as load times, as the SNES version. Okay, not everything. As I said, the music is not all dumped into memory. So, it just loads the music track as the game requires. Most of the time, the music tracks load just when they are needed. The only issue is the end of battle music, which don't have any transition scenes to cover up it's loading. But, that's noticable but not annoying.
Oh yes, saving takes way too long. That's the only issue. The save system is odd in that it saves 4 save slots into 2 memory card blocks. It always updates that single save file each time completely, so in other words saving takes a while. Use memo save which is instant, but remember to save "fer reals" when you are done.
Anyway, the emulation is actually pretty good. The speed of special effects in battle is about what I remember them as on the SNES. The only issue is the washed out sound effects (not music).
Now then, you may have noticed that there ARE in fact issues. I'll also add that the FMVs suck compaired to the ones made for other games. So why get this version? Because it's BETTER! :D No really, it's not just the translation (way better than EM would infer, and it includes the "you spoony bard!" line, the thing is a lot of stuff was out and out not even talked about or censored in the original). If you read a differences list, then it's all good, who cares right? Okay, another thing is that the SNES version is easier. Not that much easier actually. So what else? There are about a BILLION things removed from the SNES game! Okay, that should get your attention. That is THE reason to get the PS1 version over the SNES version every single time. From the very start the characters have all sorts of "new" abilities (old really, but new to us in America), like Dark Wave, a move that drains HP from Cecil to attack the enemies en masse. It's very useful. Tellah has an ability to randomly cast magic spells (before his memory comes back). There are a number of extra items and equipment as well. The enemies also have some extra abilities. All in all, the game feels a lot "fuller" in the PS1 version. The SNES version is still a good game, but it really feels incomplete after you've played the PS1 version. It's just not as fun and the main reason is because you don't have as many crazygonuts options in battle, nor do the enemies.
I can say this. EM has not played FFIV for PS1 :D.
Don't get me wrong. If he's played ANY of the other ports of SNES RPGs Squeenix has done he would have every reason to expect little from FFIV. It would be the logical conclusion, except that Square USA actually went out of their way when it came time to finally bring that game to the US.
The load times are gone. I don't even mean they are very low. They don't exist because the ENTIRE game of FFIV is loaded into memory (sans music) from the very start. So, everything is just as seamless, as far as load times, as the SNES version. Okay, not everything. As I said, the music is not all dumped into memory. So, it just loads the music track as the game requires. Most of the time, the music tracks load just when they are needed. The only issue is the end of battle music, which don't have any transition scenes to cover up it's loading. But, that's noticable but not annoying.
Oh yes, saving takes way too long. That's the only issue. The save system is odd in that it saves 4 save slots into 2 memory card blocks. It always updates that single save file each time completely, so in other words saving takes a while. Use memo save which is instant, but remember to save "fer reals" when you are done.
Anyway, the emulation is actually pretty good. The speed of special effects in battle is about what I remember them as on the SNES. The only issue is the washed out sound effects (not music).
Now then, you may have noticed that there ARE in fact issues. I'll also add that the FMVs suck compaired to the ones made for other games. So why get this version? Because it's BETTER! :D No really, it's not just the translation (way better than EM would infer, and it includes the "you spoony bard!" line, the thing is a lot of stuff was out and out not even talked about or censored in the original). If you read a differences list, then it's all good, who cares right? Okay, another thing is that the SNES version is easier. Not that much easier actually. So what else? There are about a BILLION things removed from the SNES game! Okay, that should get your attention. That is THE reason to get the PS1 version over the SNES version every single time. From the very start the characters have all sorts of "new" abilities (old really, but new to us in America), like Dark Wave, a move that drains HP from Cecil to attack the enemies en masse. It's very useful. Tellah has an ability to randomly cast magic spells (before his memory comes back). There are a number of extra items and equipment as well. The enemies also have some extra abilities. All in all, the game feels a lot "fuller" in the PS1 version. The SNES version is still a good game, but it really feels incomplete after you've played the PS1 version. It's just not as fun and the main reason is because you don't have as many crazygonuts options in battle, nor do the enemies.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)