Final Fantasy II

Guide Note:Final Fantasy II is a role-playing video game and is the second installment of the popular Final Fantasy series. The game was only released in Japan on the NES, although it has been introduced on the GameBoy system as well as the PSP with the first Final Fantasy.

Story

Four youths - Firion, Maria, Guy and Leon - join together with other members of a resistance group to end Emperor Palamecia's military campaign on the world. Although the emperor's motives at first seemed as though he wanted to regain his empire, the dark truth comes out much later. His goal is not world domination, but world destruction and he has paid a high cost for his powers. Together with the help of your rebel friends, you must fight against the demonic emperor and restore peace to the world at all costs.

Gameplay

Like its predecessor, FF II is a turn-based game. You can have four characters in your party, although the fourth character rotates out and does not directly do any damage. The first three in the frontline are the main attack and defense against enemies. The fourth is there for support abilities and cannot be harmed with most attacks, although bow and magic attacks can decrease their HP. A menu-based system allows characters to be outfitted with equipment and two disposable items. Magic skills are also assigned to characters via the menus. Equipment, weapons, and spells can be bought at a shop. Characters cannot upgrade their character jobs as these are predetermined at the start of the game. However, during each battle characters can increase their attributes (HP, speed, attack, etc) and increase their ability to wield a certain weapon. The more you use the weapon the more adept you become at handling it. Rather than using experience levels, this game allows you to develop based on your actions during battles. This game also introduces the chocobo, a bird that characters can ride on as well as attack enemies.

Fast Facts:

1. Developer: Square
2. Publisher: Square
3. Platforms: SNES, NES, PS, GBA, & PSP
4. Genre: Role-Playing
5. Mode: Single-player
6. ESRB Rating: Teen (T)
7. Release Dates:
   1. SNES: November 23, 1991
   2. PSP: July 24, 2007