Square Enix has released World of Final Fantasy for PS4.
As someone who grew up on the Final Fantasy games, I have always had a small place in my heart for the series. The first title that really drew me in was Final Fantasy VII which released in 1997. I spent countless hours of the day riding chocobos and completing the tons of quests and side adventures within Gaia. However, over the years, the games started to slowly keep my attention as my life grew more hectic with less time to spend within the digital world.
Square Enix has released a slew of Final Fantasy games over the last few years, and I have rarely taken the time to try any of them out. It wasn't until the announcement of World of Final Fantasy that my interest was once again peeked by the franchise. As someone who loves ridiculously cute things, the new title was right up my alley.
World of Final Fantasy is a massive experience with over 50 hours of action-packed combat and adventures. The aspect that I loved the most about the game was the fact that it returned to some of the classic gameplay elements of earlier Final Fantasy titles with turn-based combat utilizing the Active Time Battle mechanic.
The new title is set within the beautifully drawn world of Grymoire which contains some of the cutest monsters and characters that you have ever seen. The well-written story and soundtrack manage to fully immerse the player into the story while you battle your way through Grymoire. The storyline isn't connected to any of the other titles in the series and doesn't require you to know all of the Final Fantasy lore to enjoy.
Gamers step into the life of two siblings, Lann and Reynn, who have the ability to capture and control the monsters of Grymoire but suffer from memory loss due to amnesia. They make their way to Grymoire to master their abilities and try to recover some fragment of who they are. The duo face continuous threats from other factions and the powerful Bahamut Army.
The monsters in the game are called Mirages and even though they are the enemy--it is hard not to fall in love with them due to their chibi-style look. As you switch out between the siblings, you are able to shift between your character's true form and that of their chibi one. You have the ability to befriend Mirages as you make your way across Grymoire allowing you to solve puzzles within your environment to continue the story.
While the story in World of Final Fantasy doesn't interweave with past ones in the franchise, there are still fan favorite locations and characters present in the new release. For example, you can travel to Cordelia and are guided by the character Cid, two staples of earlier titles in the series. The characters that inhabit the new world may be familiar from earlier titles, but instead of pulling from their past storylines, these versions have always been present in the world of Grymoire and feature their own side stories.
World of Final Fantasy is a celebration title that pulls from 30 years of fan favorite content and places it within a child-like world packed full of cuteness and possibilities. The game goes completely old school (which I loved) and makes you scour dungeons for loot and battle monsters in turn-based battles. Your characters abilities come from the Mirages they collect and how they are stacked within the system almost like that of Pokemon. And if at any time you get bored playing the main narrative, then you can head into the multiplayer arena and test out your team against the competition.
All-in-all, World of Final Fantasy does a good job of trying to please diehard fans and newcomers alike. While the game's attempt at jokes and being silly could fall flat at times, I frankly enjoyed playing through the world of Grymoire in this ridiculously cute title. If you are a diehard fan of Final Fantasy then World of Final Fantasy is a must-play! The fact the title goes back to its old-school roots while keeping it completely modern is something any fan of the series can appreciate. To learn more, visit the official World of Final Fantasy website.
Reviewed for PS4