Catch my last live show Completionist Legacy, Seattle during PAX Wes (Sept 1st): www.ticketweb.com/event/jirard-the-completionist-caddicarus-the-crocodile-tickets/13359818
I'm still waiting for your masochistic side to come out so you do a completionist playing of Shadow of War. I remember how tortured you sounded for Shadow of Mordor lol.
@@Tp_hedgelinghogthe old ios and psp have an entire dungeon based off passwords. Its how you get ultimate weapons and bosses. And many other things too but i won't spoil it
The fact that the Emperor comes back after you kill him because he TOOK OVER HELL AND INVADED EARTH is just the right kind of crazy for a JRPG. And then he comes back AGAIN as GOD because the GOOD part of him took over HEAVEN. It's just... *chef's kiss*. This guy has a serious conquering fetish, and he's really good at it too.
I will always love the simple, revenge-driven story of this game. You don't even learn the guy's name, all you need to know is he ruined your life and you're gonna travel as far as you gotta to get vengeance. And it works so well! The characters are as deep as they need to be, and everything just feels right. The awesome music and more simplified battle system all complement the story perfectly.
The only reason they called it as such was due to the level system which was non-existent. This mutes the story which was great and did character death well long before FF7. I just wish the post game from the PSP was remade because while not necessary, it was a nice closer.
2 just needed like one or two tweaks to the leveling system, a clearly outlined goalpost for each stat (following versions kinda tried to do that, but still no real visual goalpost like there was for weapon/magic skills) and maybe some tinkering with the requirements like to increase defense just take your current stamina value times 2 and that's how many hits you need to take to reduce damage. Like, just a clear, obvious system outside of fighting enemies for strength checks would have solved like 90% of the inherent problems.
In my playthrough, there was an interesting bit of emergent storytelling by the end. Throughout the game, Guy had been my primary damage dealer and Firion was sort of middle ground useful. My plan in the endgame was to buff Guy and have Maria concentrate on healing. (winning strategy for bosses) Then, the Emperor hit Guy with a paralysis that I couldn't heal for some reason. I started buffing Firion and he ultimately dealt the final blow. My playthrough framed Firion as the middle sibling with no real standout strengths compared to the others, but when the chips were down, he stepped up to save the day. All-in-all, the pixel remaster made my experience with Final Fantasy II more memorable and endearing than I ever thought possible. Totally recommended.
Yeah, I played it last year and enjoyed it as well. From what I read, this remaster is for sure the best way to play it (save it maybe for the PSP version), with many changes that make it more smooth to play. I'd say nowadays this game is very fun!
People complained about XVI saying that its not a classif FF. They also pile on this FF for not being right. Lmao that's the second in the franchise. "Not a true FF". What's the True FF then ? VII ? Dumbos
I don't even understand the complaints. It was only the second FF, they hadn't established what was "normal" for a FF game yet. And I don't see an issue with II's simplicity. It makes your party more flexible, able to adjust to whatever you want them to be.
The strong monster acting as barrier thingie honestly didn't work only because there was no auto-save or quick save feature back then. But there is quick save on the PS1 anthology, so once that barrier was hit, you'll learn to quick save often. If anything, those used to Dark Soul/Elden Ring type of game will probably not see this as a hindrance, except maybe for the fact that you also lose the stats you've gained since your last save. The mastery system didn't line well because back then people were more used to the simpler level up system. Nowadays, modern elder scroll players will find FF2 system familiar already, and regular ones will find the system pretty engaging since you'll have to plan out the grind instead of letting one character spam 1 AoE spell all the time (unless you're using the bug to skip the grind). They'll also appreciate the modularity of the build available. Raising HP does require taking damage, but finishing the fight with that character you want to raise KOed won't do anything, so you still have to ensure that the character survive the fight. Tldr, people's taste and preference changes with time and what they're familiar with.
@@JB-mm5ff both FF1 and FF2 port on the PS1 were decent, but that's just my personal opinion. Other than the visual, more hi-def bgm, and quick/temporary save feature, I feel like it's pretty close to the original. Control didn't feel sluggish too if I remember correctly. It's been a very long time since then, so the memories of playing them has become somewhat hazy, but considering FF2's battle bgm was what still stuck in my head after so long, it's obviously clear which one of the two I enjoyed more Didn't get to play both the port of chrono trigger and FF6 on PS1 (couldn't find a copy back then), so I have nothing about them. I played FF6 on emulator, and decades later as the pixel remaster version. Speaking of mainline FF that I hasn't played up until now, it'd be 3, 5, 11(couldn't buy it when it's out, didn't have the good internet either), and 13(wasn't really interested). Edit-- apparently, the GBA version of FF2 made it so that the characters gain max hp after surviving certain number of battles. So that's probably why the original poster find the game just fine, as they didn't have to punch themselves in the face like those who played the NES/PS/wonderswan version.
I'm with ya. I first played it as a kid and thought it was great, challenging, and felt good finishing it. It wasn't until years later I noticed all the hate. Maybe I just like what it did, or maybe I wasn't influenced by years of Game journalism blasting it. Either way, I gladly play this over others in the series that I would get tons of hate for naming...and I am fine with that
@@JB-mm5ffthey were mainly due to loading times. To be fair, they were not bad for anyone that didn't have or play the original snes versions. Some of us didn't grow up with a snes. Then we discovered roms and realized it wasn't optimal lol.
I thought I was the only one who loved this game! It’s crazy what FF2 did so early in the series’ life. I played FF1 and 2 back to back on the GBA a long time ago and just adored this game. [spoilers below for FF2 and FF7] Everyone brings up Aerith’s death as like the first character death they experienced in a game, but for me, that was almost the entire cast of FF2. Basically everyone not named Firion, Guy, Maria, or Leon dies, and I was baffled and shocked each time it happened! And this was on a game from back in 1988! I loved this game’s story. Blew young me away.
And they don't "but they got better" them all at the end like a certain other game in the series that took heavily after this one and shared its numbering on SNES.
As much as I love the epic music and the quality of life improvements in PR, I still think PSP version is the best simply because of the graphics and the extra GBA content.
I really enjoyed this game when I played it on the GBA back in the day. I get why people had some issues with the mechanics being more involved than the typical EXP system, but the game as a whole has so many incredible elements to it.
I first played the Dawn of Souls version when I was in high school and the story, music, and gameplay just left a huge impression on me. I was completely blind to the general consensus of the game beforehand so imagine my dismay once I saw all the criticism online. I love this game a whole lot despite everything and it's my third favorite installment in the series (after IV and V). Thank you, Jirard, for highlighting this game and giving it your fair review! It's also refreshing to see more people in the comments praising this game for what it is and giving it love.
Considering this game didn't exist in the west until a couple years before DOS, I feel most of the published hate came in the years that followed on the net. No, I am not saying ppl only hate it because of online opinions, but I definitley think that's where it's insanely negative legacy came from.
Leveling skills certainly is more complicated than- use to lvl up. One thing people often gloss over is Enemy Tier. You can only gain so much xp from a Tier 1 enemy (and xp earned goes down with each repeated use per battle) so to get stronger, you eventually need to find stronger enemies. This is a great way to preserve game difficulty. You can take it slow and go through with well-leveled stats, or you can throw yourself into the deep end and do your best to swim.
Final Fantasy II was actually one of the first games in the series that I played all the way through to the end, and I have fond memories of it! I grew up with the Dawn of Souls version, and FFI, II, and IV were my gateway into the rest of the series. I remember one specific night where I was just so intrigued with the game, whether it be the music, the mechanics, or where the story was going, that I unintentionally pulled an all-nighter playing it, working on leveling up spells and weapon skills before going through a dungeon. It was a good time, and one I'm looking forward to visiting in the Pixel Remaster! This video definitely brought those fond memories back, and I'm glad to know you found enjoyment in the completion process of it!
Final Fantasy II will always hold a place in my heart. It was one of the first titles in the series that introduced me to the Final Fantasy series and I will always be willing to replay it simply because of the story and the unique leveling system (though admittedly that means you can abuse it until you are unkillable at the beginning). Heck if you played Final Fantasy I + II Dawn of Souls the bonus content that takes places during the main story is really fun as well because it allows you to play as the characters that were only there for 1 or 2 dungeons in main story which imo is pretty cool
Glad to see other people like this game! I played through the pixel remasters last year and was sad to see a lot of people skip this one, they're missing out!
I think that FF2 would be a great candidate for a remake. There are so many good ideas that could bring the game to the next level if they gave them a bit more polish, and I think the story has potential to be really special if they added a bit more backstory to the characters and the world.
YES!!!! I love FF2 and am so happy to hear you had a good time with it. If it were made in a more modern era of hardware, game design, and storytelling while keeping the same concepts, it would be really incredible. I still love it for what it is and this video brought a big smile to my face. Thanks for sharing this hidden gem with your community :)
I loved hearing all of the positive things about FF2! While it’s far from my favorite in the series or anything, I still enjoy it quite a bit for the new approaches it took
Same here. Only reason I say top 5 is because I haven't yet taken the other 4 and analyzed a score for my own personal ranking. But it is way up there for me
Honestly with my time completing FF2, I hated the high encounter rate because I'm a very impatient person lol But after getting over that, I ended up doing 2 or 3 extra playthroughs of it. As much hate as the game gets, I love it. I think a lot of the complaints (not all of them, of course) come from the exploits, as if you can't just avoid them.
Happy to see more people come to respect FFII. It's my personal favourite as the levelling system is so flexible and so much fun to play around with. Being able to do dumb stuff like 1 front line character with double shield or everyone fists only and spam berserk is something that even today is hard to find in games. And seeing it finally dispel the label of "the one where you hit yourself" as people realize it is completely unnecessary has been nice. Worst case, if you really feel you need more HP/MP swap exists and is much easier than trying to hit yourself down.
Just completed this game last month and the best part was grinding stats in the 2nd town to bulldoze the rest of the game. Good luck on your Pixelrun 👍
Only just recently got into the final fantasy series (played 14 with friends from around the real reborn stuff up to first DLC then after 7 remake I was hooked) and have since finished a handful of them. 1, 2 and 4 on PSP (fantastic) 7 on an emulated copy I bought years ago also on the PSP masterpiece 13 15 and 16 and now am currently playing through pixel remaster of 6 and it's also too tier. Love that you loved it cause after I played 2 I couldn't figure why people thought it was bad. I actually liked the level system because I got to express myself through the characters and being able to exploit it made grinding not a chore. Glad you loved it too
In spite of it's many shortcomings, I love FFII and enjoyed my time with in on the PS1. I hope I will feel the same way when I revisit this again in the next few years.
It's great to see some FF2 love. It's the best NES FF by a nautical mile and it's funny when people try to argue otherwise when half of FF1's features don't even work.
You've absolutely hit the nail on the head with your review. It's amazing how much risk Square took right after ff1 and it's that approach that I like about these games so much. Somehow, the leveling system made the random encounters a bit more fun to me. Usually you'd beat some weaker monsters by just mashing the x button, but here you always want to make sure characters use skills they actually need to level up. Great review!
In the GBA version, there's an optional dungeon where all the "guest characters" eventually team up and have their own side adventure, leading to an alternate version of the final boss. Not the core content of the original game, but I appreciated it.
I think this story is what sold me on FF2 being a good game: having all the cool side characters show up to take charge of the narrative really resonated for me. I also think the final boss was cooler
Been playing ff5 and have been loving it. It is so varied in abilities and classes. Fun to just take my time, grind, experiment, and enjoy the simple story. I can see why Final Fantasy is considered one of the best rpg franchises as they set a pretty good standard back in the day for future games in the genre.
Fun fact: Josef's story was actually referenced in Final Fantasy IX. The story that Ramih has the part piece together is actually the events from FFII.
Wow a Golden Sun shoutout at the end. PLEASE complete the lost age soon. In regards to this game, I REALLY struggled getting through it. The dungeon design is what got me, I hated all the useless dead ends that were just time wasters. I do have the pixel remaster as part of the bundle so maybe I’ll give it another try. I hope this means you’ll be doing all the Final Fantasy games. Really looking forward to your review of VI.
Final Fantasy II is one of my favorite games in the series. I've owned every version released in the US including two smart phone versions (My first few smart phones were I-phones but I eventually switched to Android.) and beaten every main series Final Fantasy except for the MMOs and XVI plus many of the spinoffs. I have a soft spot for the stat growth system because two of the races in Saga/Final Fantasy Legend II, which was the first Square RPG I played, and easily my favorite of the first four JRPGs I played (Dragon Quest I, II, and Final Fantasy I which I got with Saga/Final Fantasy Legend II but didn't start until a couple of weeks later.) use a similar growth system.
I remember playing through the gba version while marathoning a bunch of these games in a row, and I enjoyed it a lot more than most of the reviews from the time. Sure, there were the trap rooms, but since I have a decent enough memory I never really had issues with them for too long. Just like Jirard mentioned, I quickly realized I didn't really have to force myself to level hp or defense because of the pretty frequent encounters, and that really helped me relax a bit on the grinding, which was probably the most boring part for people.
The boosters really look like they could alleviate problems if I come across them. Glad you can tinker the encounter rate! That mix is probably why I sunk 3 times as many hours into the 3DS Bravely Defaults as I would normally do in an RPG! So I think I'm in for a treat here! 🥰
I've been going through the Final Fantasy games in order since January 2022, and I completed 6 a few months ago. Currently, 2 is my favorite with 5 being a very close second. 2 is just so damn cool.
As someone thats basically played almost every version of this game, I think the biggest thing the PSP version has over this is the extra content. but as you said it was hell for completion so i get that. Still think 2 on psp is one of my favourite FF games though~
I've been playing through the entire series this summer, starting at the first one and working my way up. I just beat 9 recently, and one thing I thought was cool while playing that game was a reference to FF2 of all things. When you're collecting story bits to obtain Ramuh as an Eidolon, I quickly realized the story was about Josef's sacrifice from FF2, and I thought that was a cool little reward for FF fans who know their history. It also gave me a new appreciation for that scene with how 9 interpreted it. In my experience playing FF2, Josef's sacrifice didn't really do anything for me since he's a character barely around that long. However in FF2 you can trigger an optional cutscene if you visit his daughter where she realizes her father isn't coming home. In FF9, the story goes that the heroes never tell Josef's daughter what happened to her father, with the interpretation being that they were so ashamed of themselves that they couldn't bare to face his daughter. That's really tragic, especially for an RPG on the Famicom. Not everything is executed super well in FF2, but you gotta give them credit for how much they tried to tell a moving story on such limited hardware.
I also felt the same way experiencing final fantasy two for the first time with the pixel remasters. I think, even if the progression bugs you, which is what it seems most people have an issue with, the boosts that the pixel remasters give can easily make final fantasy two one of your favorites.
So I never touched FF2 because of it's reputation. When Pixel Remaster came out, I decided to give it a fair shot and actually was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. especially the story.
I have genuinely fond memories of playing FF2 a few years ago. I DID emulate the NES version with a translation patch but nothing else was fixed. Which led to some funny bugs being exploited - you could equip tomes as weapons during combat and since they were not actual weapons, they had some weird effects like the Sap tome being a weak damage hit that always stopped literally every enemy, or the Fire tome which you could buy in the first city was like a Blood Sword except fire elemental which caused thousands of damage in early game. I do wish the Pixel Remasters had the bonus stuff tho but oh well!
hey! great video! I just finished up FFII on the GBA fairly recently; I'm playing my way up from the very first FF and this video was a treat! Great video, as always man :)
I really hope sometime you can tackle Golden Sun: the lost age, it's completion requirements are pretty chill especially with what you had done with the first game so it shouldn't be too much of an issue.
This is one of the final fantasy’s I need to play really, I hope you’ll end up doing a video on final fantasy VI since it’s your favourite final fantasy game.
Just happy to see a video that doesn't hate on the game. It tried something new. Some stuff worked, other things didn't, but I've personally always enjoyed this one.
been waiting for this one for years and I am glad Jirard delivered! this game is still enjoyable despite the flaws and I always enjoy replaying and I am glad people can now enjoy it in the new remaster!
Admittedly, I was skeptical about the new formula on how to present the rating: When you say the result and then explain the reasoning instead of the other way around like you used to do, but I actually really like how it's presented.
i always loved the first game but never really gave the second a chance. now ive completed the pixel remaster version and it has become one of my favorite games in the series
I know I'm in the minority here, but I also really enjoyed FF2. I first played it on PS1, and fell in love with just how innovative it was. I could tell how ambitious the game was. And yeah, it didn't exactly work the way it was intended, but it helped lay a lot of groundwork that future games would build from. I loved how high stakes the game felt from start to finish, like the party was three steps behind the entire time. One can feel just how desperate the situation is. Though, I admit, I'm still wondering how Guy learned to speak beaver. Hahaha.
Thank you for giving Final Fantasy II such a positive review. It really is a great entry in the franchise. I feel like a lot of the people who dislike it haven't even played it and just run with what they have heard about it over the years. The leveling mechanics are not as bad as they are made out to be.
I played it last week and don’t like it, cry about it. The Pixel Remaster at least fixed the bad songs it has, like the Imperial Army, but in the end it can only do so much. And yes, the leveling mechanics are indeed as bad. If anything, you seem to be the one who hasn’t played it :)
I agree completely... everyone seems to default to the hate bandwagon with FF2. You need only the smallest bit of flexibility to enjoy your time with this game because it has a lot to offer. The non-traditional leveling system isn't nearly as bad as people claim -- especially for a series that gets celebrated for being so diverse (these days). The music, storyline, world, characters, etc. were all amazing for a game of its time, and aside from aesthetics, I honestly prefer this game to FF4 (and everything after FF10).
@@brettshivers The worst kind of fans of something are the ones that blame the haters for not liking their thing instead of accepting the fact that it’s not perfect, don’t you agree?
The thing I love about the pixel remaster versions is the exp/gold multipliers. I don't get to revisit too many games like this because they take too long with grinding and whatnot. But being able to basically level up after single fights makes the game a breeze. Arguably too easy during the boss fights though. So it's a bit of a double edged sword. But I'm the type to want to overpower my guys to the max and level them up to the cap every time. So this takes away that excessive grind. Also now that I have the pixel remaster collection digitally. I now have every final fantasy title from 1 to 10-2 ready to play on my ps4 at any given time I want. And using my vita I can even walk around the house and do chores while I just meander around getting in fights and autobattling to level up my guys. It also makes the story easier to follow because I'm not having to stop and get stronger between plot points. Idk. It does alter the point of playing turn based jrpgs a bit to do it this way. But it's a huge time saver and allows for quick pickup and play for not just busy folks but newcomers to this type of genre. And since the multipliers can be toggled or set to your liking it makes an easy mode to get into it then hard mode by turning them off and revisiting it later. Idk. Maybe it's just me. But putting in variant modes like this is always a good thing in my mind. Plus the multipliers don't hinder achievements. So it makes completing them a much easier and less daunting task. Just saying
When I beat this on the NES I spent the whole beginning exploiting the HP gain system and it had a glitch where if you selected and cancelled a spell or attack, it registered as a use so if you just hit attack and cancel over and over you can max out your stats before you leave the first town.
I think the reputation of FFII was mostly earned from the original release: your stats went up as you used them, but there were some paired stats. Strength and Intelligence for example. As you levelled one, there was a chance the other went down. Which was very frustrating and made having a warrior who could backup heal in an emergency almost impossible as the healing would be almost useless.
As much as I'll likely never get over my bias for this game (the sudden jump in power the enemies get once you kill the emperor and Leon joins back made kid me have to rush to beat the game because random encounters became actually hard again) I've always loved the story and the cast. I mean, the Emperor gets so made that you kill him that he takes over Hell and comes back for revenge. And with the GBA post game story, he also takes over heaven and you get to use all your deceased party members (and Scott) to take down his Heavenly counterpart. Really adds even more to the already bittersweet ending the game has, seeing the dead heroes watching over those that remain before passing on. I'll never let it go that Square didn’t add these extras to the pixel remasters, so the GBA version might just remain my favorite if i ever play the new one.
Not a fan of these newer videos spoiling his rating at the beginning, but I do still live the increased effort to be concise and detailed. I gotta get around to playing this one
Didn't finish the PSOne version, but I did finish the GBA version about 9-10 years ago. I found out that if you abuse the Berserk spell and cast it on Guy, you can finish battles and even the final boss pretty easily.
I just wish the Pixel remasters had all the content, Its a shame when the diffinitive version of a game isnt even availible on the store anymore because the Pixel remaster effectively overwrote it
The Job System from Final Fantasy V makes it a big candidate for favorite classic Final Fantasy game. But man. The storyline and emotions that VI gives off to me is also incredible. So it's hard to pick but I probably would have to say VI.
My go to classic Final Fantasy is 5. It's a good laid back game with a crazy addictive job system. Also probably the reason why I love job changing in other RPGs
I've gotta say 2 is an interesting beast but I'll have to put 5 as my favorite, introduced more tropes that have survived through the franchise and more or less perfected the job/class system, on top of having an interesting story and cast.
That shot of Legend Of Legia while explaining RPG leveling. How many people recognise that? PLEASE tell me this points to a future completonist episode
Fantastic job as always, love your videos, I never miss one 😅 I'd love to eventually see a - The Legend of Dragoon completionist run. I can always hope 😋
As the years roll on, I love this game more and more. It is extremely unique and introduced a ton of what makes the series work so well. The original famicom version is definitely harder (compensatory hp makes a huge difference) but I thoroughly enjoyed this remaster.
I have never played this game ever, but it looks cool, and I need to check this game out sometime. Also, I have been a fan of this channel for 5 Years, in 2018, and hello from Auckland New Zealand.
Hehe, the most over bashed egg in the series! One my favorites. The sheer melancholy of the original version of the overworld theme is *chef's kiss* Fun fact: Final Fantasy II has ZERO sidequests.
The only classic(specifically 1-6) FF I've played is 3 on the DS and PSP, but I love that game so much. I'm looking into buying the pixel collection on PS so I can finally play the rest. I want to start with 1 and work my way through the ones I haven't played
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
Catch my last live show Completionist Legacy, Seattle during PAX Wes (Sept 1st): www.ticketweb.com/event/jirard-the-completionist-caddicarus-the-crocodile-tickets/13359818
A lot
I'm still waiting for your masochistic side to come out so you do a completionist playing of Shadow of War. I remember how tortured you sounded for Shadow of Mordor lol.
megaman zero when
I hate that it's an anthology.
This is the nicest thing anyone has said of Final Fantasy 2 since GameFAQS in the 2000s
So true 😅
What are you talking about? I’ve been saying it’s the best NES FF since I played it on PSP.
@@IfOUGHTpIRANHAzInsanity! It's not terrible but it is by far worse than 1 and 3
Where's the lie?
@@IfOUGHTpIRANHAzHaven’t played 3 so I can’t compare it, but 1 def beats it
FF2 enjoyers rise up. I love the quirks so much. I love the keyword system, I love the music, I love the rotating guests.
The keywords just didn't end up playing a big enough role. It's such a wasted mechanic...
@@Tp_hedgelinghog agreed. but then again... only so much space on the NES cart. I think the GBA version has more NPCs react
just a great game overall especially since pixel remaster give you the possibility to cut down on a lot of the grind
@@Tp_hedgelinghogthe old ios and psp have an entire dungeon based off passwords. Its how you get ultimate weapons and bosses. And many other things too but i won't spoil it
I love how Josef's story is retold in FF IX
The fact that the Emperor comes back after you kill him because he TOOK OVER HELL AND INVADED EARTH is just the right kind of crazy for a JRPG. And then he comes back AGAIN as GOD because the GOOD part of him took over HEAVEN. It's just... *chef's kiss*. This guy has a serious conquering fetish, and he's really good at it too.
I will always love the simple, revenge-driven story of this game. You don't even learn the guy's name, all you need to know is he ruined your life and you're gonna travel as far as you gotta to get vengeance. And it works so well! The characters are as deep as they need to be, and everything just feels right. The awesome music and more simplified battle system all complement the story perfectly.
After hearing everyone and their mother call this game dogshit, I ended up falling in love with it at the end of my playthrough
The only reason they called it as such was due to the level system which was non-existent. This mutes the story which was great and did character death well long before FF7. I just wish the post game from the PSP was remade because while not necessary, it was a nice closer.
2 just needed like one or two tweaks to the leveling system, a clearly outlined goalpost for each stat (following versions kinda tried to do that, but still no real visual goalpost like there was for weapon/magic skills) and maybe some tinkering with the requirements like to increase defense just take your current stamina value times 2 and that's how many hits you need to take to reduce damage. Like, just a clear, obvious system outside of fighting enemies for strength checks would have solved like 90% of the inherent problems.
@@rolandofeliciano6006That bonus dungeon playing as the ones we lost was one of the coolest bonuses in any game I've ever played
In my playthrough, there was an interesting bit of emergent storytelling by the end. Throughout the game, Guy had been my primary damage dealer and Firion was sort of middle ground useful. My plan in the endgame was to buff Guy and have Maria concentrate on healing. (winning strategy for bosses)
Then, the Emperor hit Guy with a paralysis that I couldn't heal for some reason. I started buffing Firion and he ultimately dealt the final blow.
My playthrough framed Firion as the middle sibling with no real standout strengths compared to the others, but when the chips were down, he stepped up to save the day.
All-in-all, the pixel remaster made my experience with Final Fantasy II more memorable and endearing than I ever thought possible. Totally recommended.
I literally finished this game a week ago, and actually really enjoyed it despite what people say
Yeah, I played it last year and enjoyed it as well. From what I read, this remaster is for sure the best way to play it (save it maybe for the PSP version), with many changes that make it more smooth to play. I'd say nowadays this game is very fun!
People complained about XVI saying that its not a classif FF. They also pile on this FF for not being right. Lmao that's the second in the franchise. "Not a true FF".
What's the True FF then ? VII ? Dumbos
I don't even understand the complaints. It was only the second FF, they hadn't established what was "normal" for a FF game yet. And I don't see an issue with II's simplicity. It makes your party more flexible, able to adjust to whatever you want them to be.
This was the first FF game I ever finished. I had it on GBA and loved it. Didn’t know that there was hate for it until years later
The strong monster acting as barrier thingie honestly didn't work only because there was no auto-save or quick save feature back then. But there is quick save on the PS1 anthology, so once that barrier was hit, you'll learn to quick save often. If anything, those used to Dark Soul/Elden Ring type of game will probably not see this as a hindrance, except maybe for the fact that you also lose the stats you've gained since your last save.
The mastery system didn't line well because back then people were more used to the simpler level up system. Nowadays, modern elder scroll players will find FF2 system familiar already, and regular ones will find the system pretty engaging since you'll have to plan out the grind instead of letting one character spam 1 AoE spell all the time (unless you're using the bug to skip the grind). They'll also appreciate the modularity of the build available.
Raising HP does require taking damage, but finishing the fight with that character you want to raise KOed won't do anything, so you still have to ensure that the character survive the fight.
Tldr, people's taste and preference changes with time and what they're familiar with.
@@JB-mm5ff both FF1 and FF2 port on the PS1 were decent, but that's just my personal opinion. Other than the visual, more hi-def bgm, and quick/temporary save feature, I feel like it's pretty close to the original. Control didn't feel sluggish too if I remember correctly. It's been a very long time since then, so the memories of playing them has become somewhat hazy, but considering FF2's battle bgm was what still stuck in my head after so long, it's obviously clear which one of the two I enjoyed more
Didn't get to play both the port of chrono trigger and FF6 on PS1 (couldn't find a copy back then), so I have nothing about them. I played FF6 on emulator, and decades later as the pixel remaster version.
Speaking of mainline FF that I hasn't played up until now, it'd be 3, 5, 11(couldn't buy it when it's out, didn't have the good internet either), and 13(wasn't really interested).
Edit-- apparently, the GBA version of FF2 made it so that the characters gain max hp after surviving certain number of battles. So that's probably why the original poster find the game just fine, as they didn't have to punch themselves in the face like those who played the NES/PS/wonderswan version.
I'm with ya. I first played it as a kid and thought it was great, challenging, and felt good finishing it. It wasn't until years later I noticed all the hate. Maybe I just like what it did, or maybe I wasn't influenced by years of Game journalism blasting it. Either way, I gladly play this over others in the series that I would get tons of hate for naming...and I am fine with that
@@JB-mm5ffthey were mainly due to loading times. To be fair, they were not bad for anyone that didn't have or play the original snes versions. Some of us didn't grow up with a snes.
Then we discovered roms and realized it wasn't optimal lol.
I thought I was the only one who loved this game! It’s crazy what FF2 did so early in the series’ life. I played FF1 and 2 back to back on the GBA a long time ago and just adored this game.
[spoilers below for FF2 and FF7]
Everyone brings up Aerith’s death as like the first character death they experienced in a game, but for me, that was almost the entire cast of FF2. Basically everyone not named Firion, Guy, Maria, or Leon dies, and I was baffled and shocked each time it happened! And this was on a game from back in 1988! I loved this game’s story. Blew young me away.
And they don't "but they got better" them all at the end like a certain other game in the series that took heavily after this one and shared its numbering on SNES.
I've only ever played the PSP version of this game but I remember enjoying my time with it
I've played the GBA version several times for different reasons.
Definitely the best version of the game, the sprites are awesome, the UI is up to date at that moment of time and the post game is awesome.
As much as I love the epic music and the quality of life improvements in PR, I still think PSP version is the best simply because of the graphics and the extra GBA content.
Love seeing you complete older games. Very fun video!
I really enjoyed this game when I played it on the GBA back in the day. I get why people had some issues with the mechanics being more involved than the typical EXP system, but the game as a whole has so many incredible elements to it.
I first played the Dawn of Souls version when I was in high school and the story, music, and gameplay just left a huge impression on me. I was completely blind to the general consensus of the game beforehand so imagine my dismay once I saw all the criticism online. I love this game a whole lot despite everything and it's my third favorite installment in the series (after IV and V). Thank you, Jirard, for highlighting this game and giving it your fair review! It's also refreshing to see more people in the comments praising this game for what it is and giving it love.
Considering this game didn't exist in the west until a couple years before DOS, I feel most of the published hate came in the years that followed on the net. No, I am not saying ppl only hate it because of online opinions, but I definitley think that's where it's insanely negative legacy came from.
Pandemonium and the Ending theme of FFII are still some of my favorite Nobuo Uematsu tracks.
With you on both of those. The ending theme especially has got to be one of the most "underrated" tracks Uematsu has ever composed imo
Leveling skills certainly is more complicated than- use to lvl up. One thing people often gloss over is Enemy Tier. You can only gain so much xp from a Tier 1 enemy (and xp earned goes down with each repeated use per battle) so to get stronger, you eventually need to find stronger enemies.
This is a great way to preserve game difficulty. You can take it slow and go through with well-leveled stats, or you can throw yourself into the deep end and do your best to swim.
Final Fantasy II was actually one of the first games in the series that I played all the way through to the end, and I have fond memories of it! I grew up with the Dawn of Souls version, and FFI, II, and IV were my gateway into the rest of the series. I remember one specific night where I was just so intrigued with the game, whether it be the music, the mechanics, or where the story was going, that I unintentionally pulled an all-nighter playing it, working on leveling up spells and weapon skills before going through a dungeon. It was a good time, and one I'm looking forward to visiting in the Pixel Remaster! This video definitely brought those fond memories back, and I'm glad to know you found enjoyment in the completion process of it!
One of my ex girlfriends got me interested in the series. After playing 1 and 2, I was hooked.
Kawazu approves of this video. Part of the birth of the SaGa series, its a unique title and the Pixel remaster seems to be the way to go now.
I just beat the Pixel remasters of Final Fantasy I, II and III myself last week. Loved them. Great to see this review so soon after.
Whenever Jirard uploads a Final Fantasy review, I know it's gonna be a good day
I'm glad to see this much maligned entry get its overdue praise. It's genuinely one of my favourites in the series
First Final Fantasy I ever played was XVI. Then I just got the plat for FFXV, working my way backwards
Final Fantasy II will always hold a place in my heart. It was one of the first titles in the series that introduced me to the Final Fantasy series and I will always be willing to replay it simply because of the story and the unique leveling system (though admittedly that means you can abuse it until you are unkillable at the beginning). Heck if you played Final Fantasy I + II Dawn of Souls the bonus content that takes places during the main story is really fun as well because it allows you to play as the characters that were only there for 1 or 2 dungeons in main story which imo is pretty cool
Glad to see other people like this game! I played through the pixel remasters last year and was sad to see a lot of people skip this one, they're missing out!
I was literally watching final fantasy retrospectives when I got the notification. Great timing!
I think that FF2 would be a great candidate for a remake. There are so many good ideas that could bring the game to the next level if they gave them a bit more polish, and I think the story has potential to be really special if they added a bit more backstory to the characters and the world.
Stranger of paradise style game where Jack is mc but does interact with guy and the bros
Ff5 then maybe 2
@@ArmadisRockBruh they gotta do that now, having II in that style would be so epic
YES!!!! I love FF2 and am so happy to hear you had a good time with it. If it were made in a more modern era of hardware, game design, and storytelling while keeping the same concepts, it would be really incredible. I still love it for what it is and this video brought a big smile to my face. Thanks for sharing this hidden gem with your community :)
I loved hearing all of the positive things about FF2! While it’s far from my favorite in the series or anything, I still enjoy it quite a bit for the new approaches it took
No lie FF2 is in my top 5, maybe even top 3. Refreshing to see someone not dumping on this gem lol
Same here. Only reason I say top 5 is because I haven't yet taken the other 4 and analyzed a score for my own personal ranking. But it is way up there for me
Honestly with my time completing FF2, I hated the high encounter rate because I'm a very impatient person lol But after getting over that, I ended up doing 2 or 3 extra playthroughs of it. As much hate as the game gets, I love it. I think a lot of the complaints (not all of them, of course) come from the exploits, as if you can't just avoid them.
Great job! Don't know if it'll get tons of views, but love seeing these old-school RPGs on the channel.
Shoutout to the great Legend of Legaia shown at 3:50!
A surprise, but a welcomed one. Always good to see Jirard tackling a RPG.
Final Fantasy Origins is the anthology that included ff2, not to be confused with Final Fantasy Anthology which was FFV and FFVI.
Just beat ff1,2, and 3 pixel remasters 100%. Absolutely love these games. Now on to 4!
Happy to see more people come to respect FFII. It's my personal favourite as the levelling system is so flexible and so much fun to play around with. Being able to do dumb stuff like 1 front line character with double shield or everyone fists only and spam berserk is something that even today is hard to find in games.
And seeing it finally dispel the label of "the one where you hit yourself" as people realize it is completely unnecessary has been nice. Worst case, if you really feel you need more HP/MP swap exists and is much easier than trying to hit yourself down.
3:50 Whoa, is that Legend of Legaia? I never hear anyone talk about that game
Just completed this game last month and the best part was grinding stats in the 2nd town to bulldoze the rest of the game. Good luck on your Pixelrun 👍
Only just recently got into the final fantasy series (played 14 with friends from around the real reborn stuff up to first DLC then after 7 remake I was hooked) and have since finished a handful of them. 1, 2 and 4 on PSP (fantastic) 7 on an emulated copy I bought years ago also on the PSP masterpiece 13 15 and 16 and now am currently playing through pixel remaster of 6 and it's also too tier.
Love that you loved it cause after I played 2 I couldn't figure why people thought it was bad. I actually liked the level system because I got to express myself through the characters and being able to exploit it made grinding not a chore. Glad you loved it too
In spite of it's many shortcomings, I love FFII and enjoyed my time with in on the PS1.
I hope I will feel the same way when I revisit this again in the next few years.
Despite most people don't like it.
Final Fantasy II is one of my most favourite Final Fantasy game of all time.
It's great to see some FF2 love. It's the best NES FF by a nautical mile and it's funny when people try to argue otherwise when half of FF1's features don't even work.
You've absolutely hit the nail on the head with your review. It's amazing how much risk Square took right after ff1 and it's that approach that I like about these games so much. Somehow, the leveling system made the random encounters a bit more fun to me. Usually you'd beat some weaker monsters by just mashing the x button, but here you always want to make sure characters use skills they actually need to level up. Great review!
Its always cool to see you do a retro rpg and I understand why you cant do them a lot.
That sounds like how Quest 64's stat increase system worked...
In the GBA version, there's an optional dungeon where all the "guest characters" eventually team up and have their own side adventure, leading to an alternate version of the final boss. Not the core content of the original game, but I appreciated it.
I think this story is what sold me on FF2 being a good game: having all the cool side characters show up to take charge of the narrative really resonated for me. I also think the final boss was cooler
FELLOW FINAL FANTASY 2 ENJOYERS EATING WELL TODAY. Complete it? That's really high praise!
Been playing ff5 and have been loving it. It is so varied in abilities and classes. Fun to just take my time, grind, experiment, and enjoy the simple story. I can see why Final Fantasy is considered one of the best rpg franchises as they set a pretty good standard back in the day for future games in the genre.
Fun fact: Josef's story was actually referenced in Final Fantasy IX. The story that Ramih has the part piece together is actually the events from FFII.
Wow a Golden Sun shoutout at the end. PLEASE complete the lost age soon.
In regards to this game, I REALLY struggled getting through it. The dungeon design is what got me, I hated all the useless dead ends that were just time wasters. I do have the pixel remaster as part of the bundle so maybe I’ll give it another try.
I hope this means you’ll be doing all the Final Fantasy games. Really looking forward to your review of VI.
I’ve Seen All Of Final Fantasy From The 1980s To Now What A Life
Final Fantasy II is one of my favorite games in the series. I've owned every version released in the US including two smart phone versions (My first few smart phones were I-phones but I eventually switched to Android.) and beaten every main series Final Fantasy except for the MMOs and XVI plus many of the spinoffs.
I have a soft spot for the stat growth system because two of the races in Saga/Final Fantasy Legend II, which was the first Square RPG I played, and easily my favorite of the first four JRPGs I played (Dragon Quest I, II, and Final Fantasy I which I got with Saga/Final Fantasy Legend II but didn't start until a couple of weeks later.) use a similar growth system.
I remember playing through the gba version while marathoning a bunch of these games in a row, and I enjoyed it a lot more than most of the reviews from the time. Sure, there were the trap rooms, but since I have a decent enough memory I never really had issues with them for too long. Just like Jirard mentioned, I quickly realized I didn't really have to force myself to level hp or defense because of the pretty frequent encounters, and that really helped me relax a bit on the grinding, which was probably the most boring part for people.
The boosters really look like they could alleviate problems if I come across them. Glad you can tinker the encounter rate!
That mix is probably why I sunk 3 times as many hours into the 3DS Bravely Defaults as I would normally do in an RPG!
So I think I'm in for a treat here! 🥰
I've been going through the Final Fantasy games in order since January 2022, and I completed 6 a few months ago. Currently, 2 is my favorite with 5 being a very close second. 2 is just so damn cool.
As someone thats basically played almost every version of this game, I think the biggest thing the PSP version has over this is the extra content. but as you said it was hell for completion so i get that. Still think 2 on psp is one of my favourite FF games though~
I've been playing through the entire series this summer, starting at the first one and working my way up. I just beat 9 recently, and one thing I thought was cool while playing that game was a reference to FF2 of all things. When you're collecting story bits to obtain Ramuh as an Eidolon, I quickly realized the story was about Josef's sacrifice from FF2, and I thought that was a cool little reward for FF fans who know their history.
It also gave me a new appreciation for that scene with how 9 interpreted it. In my experience playing FF2, Josef's sacrifice didn't really do anything for me since he's a character barely around that long. However in FF2 you can trigger an optional cutscene if you visit his daughter where she realizes her father isn't coming home. In FF9, the story goes that the heroes never tell Josef's daughter what happened to her father, with the interpretation being that they were so ashamed of themselves that they couldn't bare to face his daughter. That's really tragic, especially for an RPG on the Famicom. Not everything is executed super well in FF2, but you gotta give them credit for how much they tried to tell a moving story on such limited hardware.
I'd love to see an old point and click adventure game on the channel. Maybe darkseed? It'd be a good Halloween episode.
Love the review of a classic RPG, hope you cover some more entries from the pixel remaster soon!
I also felt the same way experiencing final fantasy two for the first time with the pixel remasters. I think, even if the progression bugs you, which is what it seems most people have an issue with, the boosts that the pixel remasters give can easily make final fantasy two one of your favorites.
So I never touched FF2 because of it's reputation. When Pixel Remaster came out, I decided to give it a fair shot and actually was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. especially the story.
Let's go. Love seeing old school rpgs covered. Here's hoping one day Dragon Quest 2 or 3 will get some love one day
I have genuinely fond memories of playing FF2 a few years ago. I DID emulate the NES version with a translation patch but nothing else was fixed. Which led to some funny bugs being exploited - you could equip tomes as weapons during combat and since they were not actual weapons, they had some weird effects like the Sap tome being a weak damage hit that always stopped literally every enemy, or the Fire tome which you could buy in the first city was like a Blood Sword except fire elemental which caused thousands of damage in early game. I do wish the Pixel Remasters had the bonus stuff tho but oh well!
hey! great video! I just finished up FFII on the GBA fairly recently; I'm playing my way up from the very first FF and this video was a treat! Great video, as always man :)
FF2 and 5 are some of my favorites and never get the love they deserve
I really hope sometime you can tackle Golden Sun: the lost age, it's completion requirements are pretty chill especially with what you had done with the first game so it shouldn't be too much of an issue.
This is one of the final fantasy’s I need to play really, I hope you’ll end up doing a video on final fantasy VI since it’s your favourite final fantasy game.
Just happy to see a video that doesn't hate on the game.
It tried something new. Some stuff worked, other things didn't, but I've personally always enjoyed this one.
been waiting for this one for years and I am glad Jirard delivered! this game is still enjoyable despite the flaws and I always enjoy replaying and I am glad people can now enjoy it in the new remaster!
The artwork at the end is amazing
Admittedly, I was skeptical about the new formula on how to present the rating: When you say the result and then explain the reasoning instead of the other way around like you used to do, but I actually really like how it's presented.
i always loved the first game but never really gave the second a chance. now ive completed the pixel remaster version and it has become one of my favorite games in the series
I know I'm in the minority here, but I also really enjoyed FF2. I first played it on PS1, and fell in love with just how innovative it was. I could tell how ambitious the game was. And yeah, it didn't exactly work the way it was intended, but it helped lay a lot of groundwork that future games would build from. I loved how high stakes the game felt from start to finish, like the party was three steps behind the entire time. One can feel just how desperate the situation is. Though, I admit, I'm still wondering how Guy learned to speak beaver. Hahaha.
Thank you for giving Final Fantasy II such a positive review. It really is a great entry in the franchise. I feel like a lot of the people who dislike it haven't even played it and just run with what they have heard about it over the years. The leveling mechanics are not as bad as they are made out to be.
I played it last week and don’t like it, cry about it. The Pixel Remaster at least fixed the bad songs it has, like the Imperial Army, but in the end it can only do so much. And yes, the leveling mechanics are indeed as bad. If anything, you seem to be the one who hasn’t played it :)
Indeed.
@topfranluis1 bruh
I agree completely... everyone seems to default to the hate bandwagon with FF2. You need only the smallest bit of flexibility to enjoy your time with this game because it has a lot to offer. The non-traditional leveling system isn't nearly as bad as people claim -- especially for a series that gets celebrated for being so diverse (these days). The music, storyline, world, characters, etc. were all amazing for a game of its time, and aside from aesthetics, I honestly prefer this game to FF4 (and everything after FF10).
@@brettshivers The worst kind of fans of something are the ones that blame the haters for not liking their thing instead of accepting the fact that it’s not perfect, don’t you agree?
The thing I love about the pixel remaster versions is the exp/gold multipliers. I don't get to revisit too many games like this because they take too long with grinding and whatnot. But being able to basically level up after single fights makes the game a breeze. Arguably too easy during the boss fights though. So it's a bit of a double edged sword. But I'm the type to want to overpower my guys to the max and level them up to the cap every time. So this takes away that excessive grind. Also now that I have the pixel remaster collection digitally. I now have every final fantasy title from 1 to 10-2 ready to play on my ps4 at any given time I want. And using my vita I can even walk around the house and do chores while I just meander around getting in fights and autobattling to level up my guys. It also makes the story easier to follow because I'm not having to stop and get stronger between plot points. Idk. It does alter the point of playing turn based jrpgs a bit to do it this way. But it's a huge time saver and allows for quick pickup and play for not just busy folks but newcomers to this type of genre. And since the multipliers can be toggled or set to your liking it makes an easy mode to get into it then hard mode by turning them off and revisiting it later. Idk. Maybe it's just me. But putting in variant modes like this is always a good thing in my mind. Plus the multipliers don't hinder achievements. So it makes completing them a much easier and less daunting task. Just saying
When I beat this on the NES I spent the whole beginning exploiting the HP gain system and it had a glitch where if you selected and cancelled a spell or attack, it registered as a use so if you just hit attack and cancel over and over you can max out your stats before you leave the first town.
I think the reputation of FFII was mostly earned from the original release: your stats went up as you used them, but there were some paired stats. Strength and Intelligence for example. As you levelled one, there was a chance the other went down. Which was very frustrating and made having a warrior who could backup heal in an emergency almost impossible as the healing would be almost useless.
I hope they release the pixel remaster versions of the soundtrack
That track in the final dungeon really elevates your descent to the final boss.
The Emperor is one of the best antagonists, he gets away with so much trash it's delightful.
Bro no fuckin way I literally JUST completed this maybe 2 days before your upload.
As much as I'll likely never get over my bias for this game (the sudden jump in power the enemies get once you kill the emperor and Leon joins back made kid me have to rush to beat the game because random encounters became actually hard again) I've always loved the story and the cast. I mean, the Emperor gets so made that you kill him that he takes over Hell and comes back for revenge. And with the GBA post game story, he also takes over heaven and you get to use all your deceased party members (and Scott) to take down his Heavenly counterpart. Really adds even more to the already bittersweet ending the game has, seeing the dead heroes watching over those that remain before passing on. I'll never let it go that Square didn’t add these extras to the pixel remasters, so the GBA version might just remain my favorite if i ever play the new one.
Not a fan of these newer videos spoiling his rating at the beginning, but I do still live the increased effort to be concise and detailed.
I gotta get around to playing this one
Didn't finish the PSOne version, but I did finish the GBA version about 9-10 years ago. I found out that if you abuse the Berserk spell and cast it on Guy, you can finish battles and even the final boss pretty easily.
I'm so glad that somebody is giving ff2 the respect it deserves
Bruh! Hell yes! I’m grabbing all these platinums that I was waiting for since these games were announced on steam only.
I just wish the Pixel remasters had all the content, Its a shame when the diffinitive version of a game isnt even availible on the store anymore because the Pixel remaster effectively overwrote it
The Job System from Final Fantasy V makes it a big candidate for favorite classic Final Fantasy game. But man. The storyline and emotions that VI gives off to me is also incredible. So it's hard to pick but I probably would have to say VI.
Good memories. I really need to pick up the pixel remaster set, have not played the pre-FF7 games in a long time.
My go to classic Final Fantasy is 5. It's a good laid back game with a crazy addictive job system. Also probably the reason why I love job changing in other RPGs
I still love that intro.
I've gotta say 2 is an interesting beast but I'll have to put 5 as my favorite, introduced more tropes that have survived through the franchise and more or less perfected the job/class system, on top of having an interesting story and cast.
That shot of Legend Of Legia while explaining RPG leveling. How many people recognise that? PLEASE tell me this points to a future completonist episode
Fantastic job as always, love your videos, I never miss one 😅
I'd love to eventually see a - The Legend of Dragoon completionist run. I can always hope 😋
As the years roll on, I love this game more and more. It is extremely unique and introduced a ton of what makes the series work so well. The original famicom version is definitely harder (compensatory hp makes a huge difference) but I thoroughly enjoyed this remaster.
The first positive review of FF2 that i've seen in my live
Tyvm for going back and for being amazing and for telling people how amazing these games can be ❤
FF2 is my favorite of the NES Trilogy, and I am glad people are getting tired of the slander.
Haven't played the remasters, but FF6 was my favorite replay game.
I have never played this game ever, but it looks cool, and I need to check this game out sometime. Also, I have been a fan of this channel for 5 Years, in 2018, and hello from Auckland New Zealand.
Hehe, the most over bashed egg in the series! One my favorites. The sheer melancholy of the original version of the overworld theme is *chef's kiss*
Fun fact: Final Fantasy II has ZERO sidequests.
The only classic(specifically 1-6) FF I've played is 3 on the DS and PSP, but I love that game so much. I'm looking into buying the pixel collection on PS so I can finally play the rest. I want to start with 1 and work my way through the ones I haven't played