Started during my pregnancy, this Final Fantasy spin-off deserves a look.

Graphics
Yes, the graphics are “childish”, yes, it is sweet, yes, it is not highly detailed graphics for hard RPG and such. It is a choice, and I find it cute, and not at odds with the story.

Grade: 8 / 10

Music
It is a Final Fantasy spin off, so the music keeps known themes, or at least a style (is there a Final Fantasy “style” for the music? You could almost say so).
Grade: 8 / 10

Gameplay
Turn based combat with six “movements” available at most and a small reserve of action points coming back sooner or later, and the other interactions are classical. Only the hat system with the crystals is a bit different from other FF (despite a light similarity with FF VII). The quantity of items is limited but you can stock them in towns and cities.

Grade: 8 / 10

Length / Sidequests
I thought I was far along the story when I had my “hospital break”, but thinking about it, I realised I had only seen 5 towns/cities, and that I did not even have one third of the hats, so I think there is still a lot to play. There are side quests (find all hidden items in the cities, …) and I think the game may even have a replay value.
Grade: 8 / 10

Story / characters
The characters are a bit archetypal, and the fact that names can be changed does not help, but the story, rather classical at first sight, is a bit different: when the hero Brandt comes back after having defeated the monster, it is a disaster that he finds home. And it continues so, each time you think you went forward on the plot, a treacherous hit makes you look for a new way.
Grade: 8 / 10

In the end…
A good surprise for FF fans who do not stop at graphics. Funny little thing: I named the fourth character Emilie one week before the birth of our daughter, while I did not know if it would be a boy or a girl.
Final grade: 8 / 10

Images source:
Official site http://www.ff4heroes.com/

So, I had the opportunity to buy this game as second hand, thanks to Dril

Graphics
As I did expect, it is very nice graphically (and it must be even better in HD), with light effects, textures effects, movements, and so on. Chocobos are cute, heros dashing, and enemies looking like bad guys. So overall, a success.

Grade: 8 / 10

Music
Music in the Final Fantasy tradition. Nice, a bit more repetitive than I thought or expected (due to the fact it is my… more than tenth FF, or because the music is more repetitive itself? I do not know).
Grade: 7 / 10

Gameplay
There is the rub. The gameplay, if you understand it in its broadest sense implies both that the game has to be “playable” (not to hard) and “interesting to play”. The first point is here, but for the second, it is almost only pushing repeatedly A. Which brings me to give what will probably stay as the lowest grade for gameplay for a game I liked.


Grade: 5 / 10

Length / Sidequests
The length of the “directed” part seems all right to me, but as soon as it is free play, it gets a bit light. And the side quests… err.. I do not even know if one dares to talk about side quests, since it is only on the 3rd disc that you can do something outside the direct storyline.
Grade: 7 / 10

Story / characters
Rather classical… oppressed people against the government who supposedly takes care of the “normal” people… errm. Nothing extraordinary, even if the parallel development of the stories is nice. The characters do not have a transcendent charisma, but it is nice. I like the different “styles”.
Grade: 7 / 10

In the end…
One of the weakest grade for a rpg, you get the feeling that they wanted to put many ideas in it and arrived at the end of the 3rd disc saying “darn, no more space / time”. But if you can fin it in second hand…
Final grade: 6.8 / 10

Images source
Official Site http://www.finalfantasy13game.com/

Again, a low cost game for iPhone, still 1.10 CHF.

Graphics
The graphics are partly dependent of the chosen scenario, but in the base one, it seriously reminds me of the firsts Final Fantasy. It is couloured but that is not a problem, what bothers me is more the copying.
Grade: 7 / 10

Music
For a device like the iPhone, I am disappointed by the music. Yes, it is medieval fantastic, but more like “midi”, which I find poor for this game.
Grade: 4 / 10

Gameplay
I am only speaking of the system of the base game. Very simple. A menu for items, one for characteristics, one for options/saves. The fights are turn based, or automatic if you prefer and know what you are doing.
Grade: 9 / 10

Length / Sidequests
Evidently, with so many stories in one game, the length is already more than enough. And the base scenario offers a “game+” to do the story again with the accumulated experience, and also to collect one of each monster, and so on.
Grade: 9.5 / 10

Story / characters
Let us say that the base story and character are nothing to write home about. But it is all right. I hope for better in some other scenarios.
Grade: 7 / 10

In the end…
Let us be honest, for 1.10 CHF, a game “engine” and a good handful of scenarios, it is more than honourable. And they announce additional scenarios with the updates, so…
Final grade: 7.3 / 10

Official website:
http://www.kylepoole.com/

Images source:
My iPhone

This game isued on GBC is offered for only 800 points…

Graphics
We are speaking of a GameBoy Color, so Old School graphics. But it is nice, and the mood for example can be seen / understood.
Grade: 7.5 / 10

Music
Woohoo, the Final Fantasy musics (I don’t think I will ever be bored…), I like them a lot. There are “usual” themes, and I think a few specific ones for this game.
Grade: 8.5 / 10

Gameplay
It is a Final Fantasy, except it does not pause totally during the choices in menus, so you have to be careful. The different characters can be played by different players, or all set on player 1. The originality of this Final Fantasy is in the special two characters attacks and in the moon phases that influence the efficiency of each type of action (white magic, black magic, physical attacks).
Grade: 8.5 / 10

Length / Sidequests
For what I played, it seems reasonably long to me, though I did not spot sidequests. There is a possibility to buy (with wii points) additional story arcs to lengthen the game even more.
Grade: 8 / 10

Story / characters
I like a lot the idea of having a game for what goes on “after” the first game, when a sequel of a game I liked tells about the next generation, I find it great. So here, you have the children AND the parents (Cecil, …), it is even better!
Grade: 9 / 10

In the end…

Final grade: 8.2 / 10

Images source:
http://na.square-enix.com/ff4ay/ (Official site)

In the continuity of Chocobo Tales, here is Chocobo’s Dungeon, a very cute dungeon-RPG.

Graphics
Perhaps not the top for the wii, but with beautiful light / water / … effects, and especially a style unity (monstres from Final Fantasy are easy to recognize, and so are “jobs” costumes), Chocobo’s Dungeon is a graphical success, while still being fare more cute than its “elder brothers”, even Final Fantasy Christal Chronicles.

Grade: 9 / 10

Music
The music uses the themes from Final Fantasy, with one music for each dungeon, special songs for duels or mog’s shops, and so on. Naturally, you have to like Final Fantasy musics first to appreciate this game’s soundtrack. I like it a lot, and Chocobo’s various themes are used and reworked. I was affraid to get bored after a while, because of too much monotony, but it was not so.
Grade: 8.5 / 10

Gameplay
A pure dungeon-RPG, when you move / act / attack, the ennemi can do the same. So simple to use that I can play with one hand only with Matthieu in the arms. Using the items is done by a menu and validation button, and you can see the “grid” in the dungeons to prepare your actions. Child’s play… The hunger and time gestion is interesting, if Chocobo does to many actions in a dungeon or spends to much time in a level, he is penalized. In the first case, he loses HPs, which can be corrected with vegetables (items), in the second, he forgets and must do a part of the dungeon again.

Grade: 9 / 10

Length / Sidequests
I can not say precisely, but apparently, there are 4 oracles, I am still looking for the second, and there are also optional and “special” dungeons (dungeons where every monster and Chocobo have 1 HP, dungeons without items or money, dungeons where Chocobo is at 1% of food, and so on), so the game is not extremely long, but still has a good gaming time. As dungeons change each time you go in them, one can play again. And there are mini-games / quests.
Grade: 8 / 10

Story / characters
Well, I have a weakness for Chocobo, and Cid is rather nice, and since the game adds a baby in the begining, I totally cannot resist Apart from that, the story is rather classical: people have lost their memories and Chocobo must find them in people’s minds, each time a new dungeon.
Grade: 8 / 10

In the end…
This games is for all ages (no blood, …), and I am affraid it will seem a bit light to adults, but personnally, I really like it.
Final grade: 8.5 / 10

(Images source: Amazon.fr / official game site)

Graphics
Well, it uses the luminous and attractive landscapes of FFCC, but improving them. But it is limited to the city you build, which is a bit silly. On the other hand, the characters are very cute.
Grade: 8 / 10

Music
Nice music, but a bit limited too, though it stays in the Final Fantasy line and style.
Grade: 8 / 10

Gameplay
Very easy, you only have to choose where to build and to scroll down the menu to the desired building. If there is more than one possibility, you can choose in which direction the building should face. As for adventurers, to get them to visit dungeons, and so on, it is also a system of menus, and talking with the characters (move with the joystick, go next to the character, press A). The player does not see what happens inside the dungeons, he only gets a summary the “next day”. It is not a RPG, but more a game in the style of Mysims, coupled with a gestion game.
Grade: 9 / 10

Length / Sidequests
The game itself seems reasonably long, but there are no real sidequests basically. On the other hand, it will be possible to get new buildings, characters, costumes, and so on, but it will be by paying wii points. Which is why I am grading it so low, because paying again … does bother me a bit for a game like that.
Grade: 6 / 10

Story / characters
Following FFCC, a king offered to his son a place without the miasma where he will be able to rebuild the kingdom. The new little king is accompagned by the chancelor Chime and the knight Hugh Yurg, and as you build new houses, inhabitants appear. That is all the stoy, but again, this is not a rpg. I find the characters likeable and funny.
Grade: 8.5 / 10

In the end…
This game will not appeal to everyone, but a the price of the wii points card, this game is only around 30 CHF. Which is for me a positiv point to take in account.
Final grade: 7.9 / 10

(Source images: site officiel)

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