Final Fantasy Adventure

• Release Date: 1991 11
• Genre: Role-Playing
• Style: Third-Person 2D Action RPG
• Similar Games: Rolan's Curse (Game Boy), Knight Quest (Game Boy), Ninja Taro (Game Boy)

Game Description

This title for the Game Boy was released soon after the first Final Fantasy game came to NES consoles in the United States, but is actually part of the Seiken Denestsu series. In the role of a captive gladiator who is forced to battle for his livelihood, the player soon learns of a special item which could bring him amazing powers. With nothing to lose, he sets out on a quest to break free from his captors and recover this powerful talisman.

Unfortunately, the special item is a pendant held by a mysterious girl who has been kidnapped by the same evil knight who had kept the hero as a warrior slave. The hero must find another special item, a sword of legendary power. Only then might he summon the strength he needs to face his nemesis, rescue the maiden, and recover the pendant.

The player controls the hero from an isometric perspective as he explores the Empire of Glaive, defeating foul beasts and collecting items of interest in a real-time interface. Success may often depend on choosing the correct spell or attack for a given situation. When it's time to rest, several villages around the land offer healing and gossip.

Review: Overall

Role-playing fans take note: Final Fantasy Adventure isn't really part of the Final Fantasy series, and players expecting a similar style of game are going to be sorely disappointed. It's also not like the Game Boy Final Fantasy Legend series, which also happens to be a diversion from the Final Fantasy series as we know it.

Square knew a good name when they saw it, so they slapped the Final Fantasy name on just about everything they released for a while. In the case of this game, it's actually part of the Seiken Densetsu or Secret of Mana series. In fact, Final Fantasy Adventure is the first Seiken Densetsu, and the Super NES classic Secret of Mana is Seiken Densetsu 2.

Final Fantasy Adventure's gameplay is dynamic in nature. Instead of battling enemies for rounds at a time, you run around hitting them in real time. The controls are responsive enough that you won't die unnecessarily, but they are sometimes a bit loose. The dungeons are created as puzzles to be solved, making them more challenging than simple linear romps.

The game's system is quite impressive, with a vast array of weapons and items for you to use, as well as the ability to advance your character the way you see fit. Inventory management is horrible, though. You'll have to go through a long chain of button presses and choices, making using items a little difficult during the heat of battle.

For a game released so close after the Game Boy's launch, Final Fantasy Adventure packs in a surprising amount of detail into its sprites and backgrounds. Everything is visually appealing, but the game doesn't bog itself down in too much detail, as sprites are still easily recognizable for what they are.

The music is typical of Square's creations, and the game offers a good selection of tunes. Although they're all well-written and orchestrated, most of them range from average to just above average in terms of quality and catchiness. All the songs, even the average ones, complement the gameplay and help to make Final Fantasy Adventure a complete package.

Review: Enjoyment

Once you get over the fact that it's more adventure than RPG, you'll love the intricate dungeons and the game system.

Review: Graphics

The game manages to pack a surprising amount of detail into everything while staying clean-looking.

Review: Sound

Many fairly good filler songs, and a few truly good songs.

Review: Replay Value

The game does give you some reason to play it again, in that you can develop your characters differently each time.

Review: Documentation

Fair documentation.

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