GENRE
	RPG
	DEVELOPER
	Square Enix
	PUBLISHER
	Square Enix
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1-4
	WI-FI ENHANCED
	No
	DS COMPATIBLE
	No
	BUY NOW AT

You don't have to have experience with the original Final Fantasy IV to appreciate its WiiWare sequel, only a fan of RPGs in general. In fact, gamers who have played past RPGs, particularly ones from the SNES era, may rank this first episode near their all-time favorites.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years opens up with the main character, Ceodore, following in his father’s footsteps. He is embarking on a journey to join the Knights of the Red Wings, the elite fighting force of the Kingdom of Baron. His father is King Cecil, a paladin, and his mother is Rosa, a white mage; both were heroes in Final Fantasy IV, whose events took place 17 years before After Years. Yet Ceodore is not in for smooth sailing: after joining the knights, a second moon that has been gone for 17 years suddenly reappears, and the kingdom is invaded by hordes of monsters. Ceodore must defend himself and return to his home to aid in its defense. Along the way, he is met by a mysterious “hooded man” who offers to join Ceodore on his trip. Other adventures that take place during this initial chapter of the game involve Cecil, Rosa and the engineer Cid, as well as the mysterious dragoon Kain who wants to have a meeting with Cecil. All of the adventures tie together in a web of intrigue concerning why the second moon has returned, who is the mysterious woman behind it and why does Kain need to see Cecil as quickly as possible.

Many elements of the original Final Fantasy IV would become staples of the role playing genre, and they return in this game with some new updates. The Active Time Battle System is the one you will encounter most often. When on the battlefield, each party member has a bar that fills up, and once full, the character may perform an action, be that attack, cast magic, use items, or, in another enhancement, “band” together with another character. Battles themselves are slightly customizable: the game can be set to wait for the player to input each battle decision, or have nothing pause while the action continues in real time. There is also an option to speed up or slow down the action bar meters' refilling, allowing more time to choose what each character does.

The new banding attacks are powerful combo attacks between 2 or more characters that can deal massive damage to a single enemy or even a group of enemies. The attacks are extremely powerful but require a small amount of MP, or magic points, to activate. A few banding attacks will be given throughout the story, but players can also try different combinations of characters to discover other ones on their own, adding an exploratory bit of fun.

Yet one element of After Years that will become increasingly frustrating is the random encounters, which can happen very frequently. In order to survive for extended periods of time, gamers must make strategic use of all the special attacks available, while learning each monster's weakness and exploiting it to speed combat along.

Another new element in the game is the moon phase system, which causes different aspects of each character to become stronger or weaker based on the phase of the game's moon. The phase changes at various intervals, but it can be changed at will by pitching a tent at specific locations throughout the world. For instance, during a waxing or waning moon, attack power is increased, while during a full moon, magic abilities are increased. Learning this and how it affects each character is very beneficial in boss fights.

Last, there's also the ability for up to three friends to join in the action and take control of characters during battles. This is an interesting addition, but unless you and all your friends can keep up with the frantic pace of battles, it may cause fights outside the in-game battles.

One aspect of After Years that is wonderful, and expected in Square Enix games, is the visuals. This title uses the same art style as the original SNES release. The environments are gorgeous; character sprites are vibrant and very animated. Spell effects sparkle and shine; there are a wide variety of these as well. The only downside to the visuals is that environments are reused throughout the game. If you’ve been in one cave, you’ve been in every cave in the game. The layouts may be different, but the look and feel is always the same. This is a small gripe and does not affect the overall feel of the game. Square Enix also knows how to compose music. The upbeat battle theme is a nice contrast to many of the slower, more moody melodies you’ll encounter.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years is broken up into nine discrete downloadable episodes. The first chapter, currently available for 800 points, and the last chapter, which will be available on September 9, 2009, are the only required episodes to experience the main story. Also available now is the first of the seven intermediary character stories, Rydia’s Tale. Latter character episodes will be available in the first weeks of July and August, in groups of three. Each of these supplementary episodes will cost 300 Nintendo Points, but are optional side stories that detail events that happen to characters encountered in the main story. Time-wise, the main story will run between four and five hours to complete, while each of the side stories should take around two hours each. If all the chapters are purchased over time, the final price will be 3700 Nintendo Points. Is it worth the price?

For fans of Final Fantasy IV, this is a welcome continuation of many peoples' favorite game in the series. It's retro in every way that made RPGs of that era fun, and the new additions give it a bit of a modern feel. If you’re new to the series, it may feel awkward trying to get into the story-- it'd be helpful to know the characters' histories, but unnecessary to follow this new story. Therefore, it’s well worth the price for a quality title in a storied franchise. The only real problem with the staggered release is that once you’ve really gotten into the story and are starting to wonder where things are going, the credits roll and you have to wait to find out the rest. Regardless, it’s an experience that many people could and should enjoy.

8.5/10