Final Fantasy 2 review for Sony PSP

As the original Final Fantasy is adapted and released for the PSP (and also reviewed in this issue), so too is its sequel Final Fantasy II. A departure from the original in many ways, Final Fantasy II makes a good companion game for those picking up this Playstation classic on the PSP. Does it stand up as a game in its own right though, or is it only worth the time as a follow on to Final Fantasy itself? Find out what we think in our review of Final Fantasy II for the Sony PSP.

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Final Fantasy 2 review for Sony PSP
A case of ‘second verse, same as the first'? Not really. Final Fantasy II represents a departure from the original in several areas, but overall it's not as enjoyable an experience. It's arguably the least significant entry in the series in many ways, and while it works reasonably well as a companion piece to the PSP remake of the original, if you only pick up one of the two, this is the one we'd advise you to avoid.

The main problem with the game is the new levelling-up system, which gets rid of the simple character types and replaces it with a more flexible approach to managing your party – allowing you to customise their skillset in a greater level of detail. While this sounds like a worthwhile addition (and similar mechanics have worked well in RPGs since), it just becomes confusing, particularly as the best way to gain HP is by getting hit. The random nature of enemy attacks means that your party members can often be completely unbalanced. You'll often need to wander off the beaten track to locate foes in an attempt to re-align your stats.