Computer game review
Nintendo DS
Release date Out now

A nifty reinvention of the original cult RPG Final Fantasy IV for the DS with new 3-D graphics…

This is a great introduction to the Final Fantasy games for any player who hasn’t tried them before and also a wonderfully indulgent nostalgia trip for anyone who has worked their way through the whole cycle.

In this instalment, Cecil is a dark knight working for a misguided ruler who has set out to steal the four elemental crystals that keep the world in balance. He sees the error of his ways, and joined by an assorted team of adventurers, he walks away from his job, finds redemption by rejecting the dark side and becoming a paladin, and sets out to save the world. As the Final Fantasy series is renowned for, this makes it a deep and engaging narrative as well as providing engrossing gameplay.

In this reworking, the world exploration and turn-based fighting system is still in operation, but the graphics are greatly enhanced and really do look impressive on the DS’s small screen (especially when it comes to the cut scenes). The DS’s two screens are used in a way that more resembles a game played on a TV with a remote controller, and therefore the keypad rather than the stylus is the main mechanism for controlling the action – which occurs on the upper screen. The lower screen simply contains the world and dungeon maps, so it does take a little getting used to compared to most other DS games.

As expected, the game can amuse and enchant for hours on end. Though sometimes it can get a little annoying if you want to be completist about it and do things like fighting all the monsters to fill the bestiary for example, this is merely a matter of choice and the game can be played satisfactorily without getting side-tracked. The only flaw is the poor voice work in the cut scenes, but this can be turned off and the subtitles do the job perfectly well. Brigid Cherry

VERDICT: 9/10
An impressive update that really challenges even the most experienced of Final Fantasy gamers.