My life modified after I first performed Closing Fantasy VII within the late ‘90s. The narrative-focused RPG chronicling the battle of misfit adventurers on a quest to avoid wasting the world held my consideration like little else. Its slow-burn story advised by textual content packing containers on pre-rendered backgrounds, all backed by a hovering melodic rating, was in contrast to any piece of media I encountered earlier than. Earlier than the last decade was up, Closing Fantasy VIII arrived and delivered extra of the identical for me. Within the early 2000s, nonetheless, Closing Fantasy modified, and I assumed I’d by no means expertise that form of sport for the primary time once more. That’s, till I fired up Fantasian Neo Dimension and was immediately transported again to the late ‘90s.
Learn Extra: Closing Fantasy VII: The Kotaku Retro Overview
And in case you’re like me and have been craving these unique PlayStation Closing Fantasy vibes, then you definitely completely want to provide Fantasian a spin.
When you’re solely now listening to about Fantasian, there’s in all probability an excellent motive for that. Developed by Mistwalker and produced by the daddy of Closing Fantasy, Hironobu Sakaguchi, Fantasian was initially locked behind Apple Arcade’s iOS and Mac ecosystem when it launched in April of 2021. Like Closing Fantasy titles of the late ‘90s on the unique PlayStation, it contains a fastened digicam perspective and 3D character fashions animated over pre-made backgrounds. It additionally contains a soundtrack written by legendary Closing Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu. Three years after its preliminary launch, Fantasian arrives on trendy consoles and PC through Neo Dimension, an up to date model with spruced-up graphics, issue changes, some tweaks to the gameplay to adapt its cellular origins, and voice performing.
Learn Extra: How Lengthy Is Fantasian Neo Dimension?
Whereas Fantasian is a online game produced within the twenty first century for cellular platforms, it’s eerily able to transporting you again to the less complicated instances of Closing Fantasy 7, 8, and 9. That is particularly the case in case you mute the brand new voice performing and simply let the textual content packing containers do the dialogue and exposition for you (which, with all due respect to the voice expertise that went into bringing the characters to life, I believe is the higher method to play Fantasian).
Not like FF titles of the late ‘90s, nonetheless, the backgrounds in Fantasian weren’t created with laptop graphics, however as a substitute had been produced with precise bodily dioramas that had been photographed from a number of angles. Although it provides a definite, and lovely, look to Fantasian, the expertise in movement is similar to old-school FF titles. FF7 specifically all the time had a handmade look to its backgrounds that contributed to its attraction. The world feels intentional, with a watch towards making it really feel like a memorable place, inspirationally crafted to move you to a fantasy realm. Toss in some turn-based fight, random encounters, and a hybrid fantasy/science-fiction narrative about an amnesiac protagonist and, nicely, in case you had been a Closing Fantasy fan within the late ‘90s, this could all sound very acquainted. And talking of sound, oh boy, will Fantasian sound acquainted. Simply hearken to this battle theme:
And evaluate it to the melodies on this traditional FF jam:
The soundtrack is stuffed with moments like this, stirring up our reminiscences of the epic adventures of yesteryear by melodies and motifs that sound acquainted to ‘90s-era Closing Fantasy tunes or simply by Uematsu’s signature melodic and compositional types. It’s a few of his best work.
As somebody who all the time felt {that a} sure attraction was misplaced when Closing Fantasy began altering its general construction within the early 2000s with Closing Fantasy X, Fantasian has efficiently stuffed a number of late evenings for me with a form of wild neo-nostalgia that I’ve all the time wished to expertise, however have by no means anticipated from trendy video games. In its presentation and narrative, Fantasian actually looks like a hidden PSX FF title.
There are just a few tough edges right here and there, and you’ll sense the cellular origins of the sport every now and then through the UI and the truth that the fight needs you to line up targets in a row in a method that will in all probability really feel extra pure on a contact display screen. And whereas the story is completely entertaining, it’s not hitting the best way FF7’s or FF8’s does. (Then once more, it additionally has to compete with the 20 years of nostalgia I’ve constructed up for Cloud and Squall’s tales.)
However actually, these tough spots matter little or no as the sport nails the general pacing and tone of storytelling and dialogue that introduced late-‘90s Closing Fantasy titles to life. I’ve but to hit the sport’s notorious “Half Two,” which I’ve heard comes with a wild issue spike (and I’m enjoying on “Exhausting” issue), however I’ve been spending evenings grinding out my characters in preparation for that…which, truthfully, is what I used to do in Closing Fantasy 7 anyway.
Fantasian is shaping as much as be certainly one of my favourite video games of 2024, although it’s a psuedo-remaster of a 2021 title. It’s the form of sport I’ve been aching to play for practically 25 years. When you’ve been glancing at screenshots for the reason that sport’s unique launch just a few years in the past, admiring the dioramas and questioning if it may solid the identical spell as these late ‘90s PSX Closing Fantasy titles, then surprise no extra and provides Neo Dimension a attempt.
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