Sometimes our memories of things are better than the actual experience was. Example: As a kid I grew up loving the Transformers (1986) animated movie. Looking back now I’ve come to realize that it has enough holes to sink the Titanic. The JRPGs of the NES/SNES era don’t always maintain that level of the initial love, either.
Instead of yet another remake of a classic Final Fantasy game, SquareEnix has decided to take a decidedly different route with the franchise, one that might please fans on an entirely new level. With Theatrhythm, it’s all about the part of the series that has remained exceptional through the years: the music.
If you’re expecting a traditional JRPG, outside of a few touches you’d be hard pressed to find it here. Theatrhythm is a bit like a cross between Elite Beat Agents and Final Fantasy IV, asking players to hit notes and defeat enemies in the process. Think: Guitar Hero RPG. The more accurate the notes are hit, the better the attack. In some instances Summons can take place, resulting in even more powerful attacks. Party members can get damaged during battles too, and items that are gained can be used to heal them. It’s a simple idea, but gains an extensive amount of content when infused with RPG elements.
Our demo with the game here at PAX focused on two of the modes, “Series” and “Challenge”. Series mode is a story-based quest that links Final Fantasy games from I to Versus XIII — which isn’t even out yet — together in one story-based experience. This includes field battles, bosses, towns, and more. The players can gain experience points, unlock weapons and items, and carry out quests. Challenge mode essentially opens up the individual pieces of the story for separate play outside of the quest.
The mechanic works well, and can be a good challenge as the story progresses later in the game.
But it wasn’t the gameplay that wowed me. It was the ability of the game to capitalize on my memories of what I loved about the series. The music manages to capture the nostalgia that remakes haven’t been able to do. “I remember this battle theme!” was what kept crossing my mind. “Oh! The field music from the FFIV whale flight!” It’s enough to make me smile without forcing me to replay the same game that I had played across several remakes over the years. I immediately started with Final Fantasy IV, then proceeded through some of the Challenge levels of Final Fantasy VI. My experience remained as idealized as my memory had implanted it into me.
Theatrhythm lands on US shores on July 3rd, bringing with it the best part of our memories along with it.
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