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(Last updated on 11/14/2007)
 

FFXI Gil Guide
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By: wsim

Introduction

     Released over a decade ago as a sequel to the original Final Fantasy Legend for the Game Boy handheld system, Final Fantasy Legend II was an improvement over the previous game and not only matches the achievements made by it’s predecessor but it does improve on it in several ways. The game, like the one before it, had nothing much to do with the main Final Fantasy games. Like the previous game, the classes return once again with one change: Robots now replace the mutant class. With improved graphics and some new twists in the gameplay, FFLII is indeed a marked improvement over the first FFL.

Full Story (Spoilers)

     Instead of the centre tower found in the first game, FFL2 is about a group of adventurers who seek to bring peace to the world. Little do they know that other forces prevent them from achieving stability and peace in the world in which some events will embark them on a journey with many twists and turns along the way. The gods seek to change the way things are run and you learn of the existence of something known as Magi. You must travel through many worlds and obtain all of the Magi to stop the gods from obtaining the power to destroy the world. With many twists and turns along the way, you will meet with some interesting and unique characters who seek to help your cause throughout various parts of the game. Thus, it is up to your party to defeat the evil gods and restore order to an otherwise, sad and oppressed world.

Analysis/Ratings
 -Graphics
 -Gameplay
 -Storyline
 -Sound
 -Fun Factor
 -Overall
 -Ratings

Graphics

     Thankfully, FFLII has a marked improvement over the game before it. The monsters are more detailed and look much nicer than they did in the previous game, a game in which the graphics were pretty bad for a GB title. The towns no longer look as generic as they once did and are better animated but there is still one big problem with the graphics in this game: The fact that the ground is extremely dull and generic, leaving you to believe that the characters are walking on transparent floors. Considering that this is a GB title, the graphics indeed are looking self-respectable for once.

Gameplay

     The gameplay of FFLII remains largely the same as what was found in it’s predecessor, FFL but with a few nice new features and twists to go along with it.  Along with your four-character party, it is now possible for side-characters to join your party as special guests throughout the game, just like in most RPG games.  They help greatly as the battles are not nearly as difficult as before but without those side-characters, the battles become long and deadly as before.  This time, the leveling up system has changed completely and involves more strategy when fighting battles.  For example, using magic to kill an enemy would raise your character’s magic power while say, using a sword to defeat an enemy would raise a character’s strength stat.  Pretty nice but then again, I still prefer the original way of levelling up, instead.

Storyline

     This time, the game offers a deeper and detailed story in comparison to what was found in the first game.  The game has more emotion and the characters are more believable than the original game and are no longer as generic as before.  Side quests and other short tasks are now part of a very interesting and unfolding storyline and the development all around seems fairly decent.

Sound

     An impressive effort by Nobuo Uematsu again.  This time though, the qualities of the game’s nineteen tracks are indeed impressive, even on the Game Boy, despite the fact that it has limitations in terms of quality in relation to the music itself.  The tracks are all pretty beautiful and manage to convey the mood of the game just fine.  Square has managed to develop a soundtrack that perfectly fits the emotion of the moment in a rather cryptic manner and there isn’t too much to complain about in terms of music as far as the game is concerned.

Fun Factor

     Much better than its predecessor, FFLII is indeed a solid RPG game that is worth checking out.  While some of the same problems that plagued the first game remain in the sequel, most of the main problems were fixed and improved on in FFLII to make a more solid effort overall.  Better character development and a deeper storyline is probably enough to keep gamers interested but if you can get by the frustrating battles during some parts of the game then it should be fine.  Even still, the game is not that replayable as the fighting animations are a bit dull and you would be bound to get sick of this game after you have beaten it.

Overall

     While it is evident that very few sequels manage to top the game preceding it, the fact is that FFLII is a much better game than what FFL was.  With a much deeper storyline and some character development added in the game, the overall look and feel seems much more polished than FFL.  The musical score is indeed some of the best ever heard on the Game Boy before and the gameplay is not as frustrating as it was in the previous game.  This is probably the best game out of the Final Fantasy Legends series and if you played the previous game, you would realize that this game is a marked improvement over the original.  The graphics are much improved and are nicer-looking than before, which is nice on the eyes.  Besides a few minor flaws, the game is solid.

Ratings (Compare w/ other games)

GRAPHICS: 8/10 8

You can’t ask for too much more in terms of graphics, considering that this is a fairly old game and it’s on the Game Boy.  The sprites are all much more detailed and the towns are better-looking than the first game.  However, a few places still look dull and generic, on the other hand.
GAMEPLAY: 15/20 7.5

With a few new twists in gameplay, this game is not nearly as frustrating as the first game.  Now with side-characters to join your party and aid you, the game takes shape as more like the usual console RPG games.  The leveling up system has changed greatly and while it is a nice change, I think the original way is less tedious, overall.
STORYLINE: 16/20 8

The storyline is not as dull as the one found in the first game, yet while it still isn’t the deepest story it is better than you might expect.  Now the game has side quests and other extra stuff that are now more integral to the storyline.  Development is decent overall.
SOUND: 9/10 9

Considering the sound limitations of the Game Boy itself, you can’t really expect all that much from the actual sound quality of this game.  Even still, the music is again very good and the tracks fit pretty well with their appropriate situation.  Very good effort.
FUN FACTOR: 7/10 7

Pretty fun game for the first playthrough or so, although the fighting is again tedious and the odds are that you are bound to get a little sick of this game after you originally beat the game.  While it is nowhere near as frustrating as FFL ever was, there are still a few flaws in terms of the enjoyment value.  Nevertheless, for a GB title, this is probably one of the best RPGs to grace the handheld.
 
OVERALL: 55/70 7.9

This game is much better than FFL in almost every way.  Comparing the two would be utterly laughable.  Even still, FFLII is a very solid RPG game on the GB system and it happens to do a good job in providing an enjoyable, yet simple RPG game on a portable console.  I think this is the best title in the FFL series and almost everything is better from the graphics to the difficulty level.  While it has its share of flaws, the game is impressive to say the least.


 
 

 

 
   
   
Contents  
   
Introduction  
Full Story (Spoilers)  
Analysis/Ratings  
   
Release Information  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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Release Information


(Japan)
(SaGa 2: Hihou Densetsu)
December 14/1990


(North America)
November 14/1991