Game Review - Final Fantasy Dissidia : PSP : SquareEnix

It's finally here! Final Fantasy Dissidia for PSP. I feel like such a fanboy, Monday night I stood in line at GameStop waiting till midnight on a work night, for my copy just so could get the special GameStop exclusive collectors edition slip cases. Got to love some pretty cardboard that makes you do stupid things.

Here is a picture of the packaging with the slip cases:

As you can see, the game case comes with a reversible case sleeve. One side depicting the Heros of the Final Fantasy franchise, the other depicting the villains. I really think this game is a real great fan service on the part of SquareEnix. They have really done an impressive job on the packaging. The thing I noticed most was the lack of focus on Cloud or Sephiroth in both the game and the packaging. I think that SquareEnix is really committed to all of their great characters in this title and that is apparent by not giving any of them more cover space than then rest. 

The game is beautiful. It actually surprised me there was no flashy intro video. I was actually scared at first when all I got was an in-game clip of the Warrior of the Light at the beginning. Not the best graphics, on par really for the PSP in-game graphics and pretty much what I expected for dialog sequences in a SquareEnix game. But for a first video, the first sample of the sweet sweet amazing experience I have come to expect and love about the Final Fantasy franchise? Well, I was not let down. After the first little prologue tutorial, you are brought to the ACTUAL main interface for the game, with options like "Story Mode" "Arcade Mode" and "Dual Colosseum". Selecting story mode, I was blown away. A fully rendered clip that I was hoping for appeared. Some of you may have seen this video before release as I think this was one of the videos (or at least clips from it) that was released at an earlier showing by SquareEnix to promote the title. Regardless, it brought some tears to my eyes believe it or not. To see all of my favorite characters brought together in a single title, I was excited, but to see them in full rendering together for the first time ever in the 20 years that the franchise has been in production. That I believe is a true fan service to a dedicated community.  It was about 2-3 minutes long and was spectacularly action packed. The best part was not a single time in the clip did Cloud and Sephiroth cross swords. In fact, I am not sure, but I don't think any of the matching heros/villains attack each other in the video (intentional? hmmmm...). 

For actual game play, I am happy to say I really am enjoying it so far. I have not had TOO much time to play the game, as I am still in Grand Rapids at my home office, on a tight schedule on the current project I am working on. This is my last week here and I am having to put in the over time to get our release done in time. This saddens me of course as I would love to just sit here all day and get through a few of the individual characters story lines. Yes, story lines, plural. There are 10 hero story lines to complete (I am assuming that there will be 10 villain story lines to complete as well once all 10 hero story lines are completed. Ok maybe I'm just hoping) and I am on the first one as of right now. 

I was originally concerned about SquareEnix making a "Fighting" game about Final Fantasy. I am not disappointed though, on the contrary, I am very pleased. It really feels like an action game mixed with the RPG elements that make Final Fantasy what it is. Nothing is really lost in the translation, and in fact it feels very much like Final Fantasy XII in a one on one sort of setting. The board concept is interesting, and I am still trying to get used to the DP system that is used for determining bonuses for the level. 

The game definitely does not lack for all the small little systems that are built into each state of the game. Every screen it seems is loaded with all of these little components or mechanics that use the common set of stats from your characters base stats to the number of battles you have partaken in. An achievements list in the game is loaded with stuff to beat, numbers to push for. It's almost like each time you play the game you can strive for different goals, minimizing turns used, completing as many battles in a calendar day as you can, or trying to get every item in every map. Speaking of calendars, this is my favorite mechanic so far. The game actually uses the day of the week to determine special bonuses and effects that change the way the game is played. This is a great concept, modify difficulty and rewards based on the day of the week. Even more interesting is that the player gets to choose one day during the week that is their "Special Day" where bonuses are increased. This is asked when you make your profile as to what day you play the most. This day is marked in the calendar in game as a special day when you are in the mognet area of the main menu. Another of the great mechanics is the chocobo walk. In the customize menu, a screen is displayed with a chocobo either sleeping, walking, or flying. As you progress through battles, the chocobo will move along the scene. The more battles you fight, the farther he gets. Depending on your difficulty path, that distance changes. If he reaches the end, you get a special item. For the hardest difficulty, it takes 60 battles to reach the target, the kicker is that these battles must be performed in a single 24 hour period, or the chocobo will go back to sleep at the beginning of the path (Fun Fun). Other bonuses are awarded based on other things the chocobo can find along the path. This really adds a little more variability to the game and is really ingenious.

Finally, as a design point, I think it is great that they have drawn on all of the old art work from the last 20 years of gaming. Each help menu uses different images, character portraits, character images, and item portraits straight out of the original games. All of the characters from the series are there. I saw a picture of Steiner already, and he told me how to equip weapons. This really helps fill out the games feel in my opinion, as well as I think alleviate some of the complaints that I know have been going around about not including one character or another as a playable character. 

Of course, all artwork in the pictures above belong to SquareEnix (God bless). I take no credit except for the "Wonderful" pictures to show off the sweet artwork on the cases. Sorry for the quality, I took them with my IPhone in my Hotel room which is not all that well lit. 

If you have the game and are looking for people to play online with, drop me an email at crsteinb@gmail.com. I don't really know anyone else with a PSP that has the game, so I would definitely be willing to try out the multiplayer with someone. If you don't have the game... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? Go go buy it now!