Final Fantasy II - 20th Anniversary
Ages: Teen

It is interesting to play this game, coming so close on the heels of the Anniversary release of the first Final Fantasy. Substantial changes were made in the ensuing year. A more intricate story line was developed to accompany the more complex characters. This is a big change from, warrior, red mage and black mage and thief. Now you have Firon, Maria and Leon, adopted and related siblings, Gordon the cowardly and the Emperor who has sold his soul to the devil. In preparation for your adventure, all the characters in the manual and ads are fantastically rendered by Yoshitaka Amano so that when you play the sprites, it is the rendered images that stay in your mind. Amano set the style for the first six games and beyond..

The game has become,in the year since the original, more complex, with a different method of assigning class. Any character can take on any role, and spells and weapons seem to take on a life of their own, and they strengthen with use. "Use it or lose it" is the imperative here. An attempt is made at some kind of journal entry, so you don't have to keep notes – the Key Term List. Chocobo makes his first appearance here and while the main accoutrements are basically the same, there are twice as many spells available. One significant change – you can equip both hands with weapons allowing two turns. All this in the space of a year. For those fans of the game and who are now playing Final Fantasy XII it is an interesting trip home.

Fun Factor: A trip down memory lane.
Female Factor: Magnificent women.
Player Friendly: Easy saves, hard battles.

Reviewed by: Editor - 08/07