It’s funny, you know: many of those that grew up with Final Fantasy VII, or were first introduced to the series on the Playstation with Cloud and his partners from AVALANCHE, never understood why the 16-bit predecessor Final Fantasy VI was a big deal. After all, where were the computer graphic cut scenes, or the detailed 32-bit backgrounds, presented in a somewhat isometric style? The SNES didn’t have the same horsepower, and due to heavy marketing by Squaresoft that showed off the then-impressive cut scenes involving Cloud, Aeris and the villainous Sepiroth, the game was a hit “" the biggest Final Fantasy success at that point as well as the biggest since. It was hard to argue with that, even for the early adopters who knew that FFVI, on the strength of its wonderful narrative, fantastic characterization, its heavy flirting with more open-ended, western styled role-playing games combined with traditional Japanese elements and its steampunk aesthetic, was the superior title, 16-bits or not.

I say that it’s funny, because now that Final Fantasy VII has released on the Playstation Network store, available to play on either your PS3 or your PSP, a new generation of gamers that grew up in the 128-bit era and have already had a taste of HD gaming may wonder why it was such a big deal. Even with the cut scenes, it sports a much more cartoony, sprite-like look to it than the games that followed “" the kind of thing that many jaded gamers would refer to as “kiddie.” If you don’t believe me, check out some of the thoughts around the Internet every time a 3D DS RPG comes out sporting a chibi look. The innovations it brought are not as apparent all these years later for those who are unfamiliar with the game, but have played the titles that were heavily influenced by it.

This is a long-winded way of saying that Final Fantasy VII, for all of its wonderful moments, shows its age when you play it today. That doesn’t make it a bad game though “" it’s still one of the best Final Fantasy titles, even taken out of context, due to a few memorable characters, both good and bad, as well as a well-done, though occasionally convoluted, story. Don’t let its looks fool you, as it’s still one of the best RPG experiences money can buy, more than a decade later. It just may not have that same “wow” factor that it did when you first popped a CD into your PSX last decade, at least for new gamers.

The beautiful soundtrack is still there, as are all of those summons, Limit Breaks, and the Materia system that many fans love. Cloud, Tifa, and all the rest still have intriguing back stories, and unless you religiously play the game each year, going through the quest to experience everything again is worthwhile. There is plenty I have forgotten about in the game that returned to me along with loads of nostalgia, which is a good feeling to have. There’s certainly enough here that those new to the series can also enjoy the story, as long as they are willing to look past the cracks in the game’s once seemingly flawless armor.

But, just like 32-bit generation gamers should have given earlier Final Fantasy titles like IV and VI a chance (then titled II and III), those who never played FFVII should give this a spin, because there’s a fascinating piece of gaming history here for you to experience. No one is asking you to pay upwards of $80-100 on eBay for the game either, since you can now get it for just $10 on PSN.

I’m purposely avoiding a “proper” review for this gem, because I don’t think it needs it. Its history and legacy should sell the game on its own, and that’s coming from one of those crazy people that thinks Final Fantasy VI is the absolute pinnacle of the series. If you have played Final Fantasy VII before and loved it, download it for a nostalgic run through your past. If you have never played it, but enjoy RPGs, then download it, because it is certainly worth your time, especially for just $10. Go see what all the fuss is about, and take on Shinra and Sepiroth.

Without a doubt, Square Enix knows how to make videogames. Even when looking at some of their worst, the mind-bending storylines and intricate characters are better than what is provided in most video games out there. Fortunately, Final Fantasy IV remake for the Nintendo DS is one of their best.

You follow the storyline of Cecil, commander of the Red Wings, a military sect of the kingdom of Baron. The story picks up after Cecil and his Red Wings have ransacked the town of Mysidia in order to bring their powerful crystal to the king of Baron. Cecil regrets having destroyed the town and is confused at the orders of his king. When he returns to Baron, the king is told of his indecision, and Cecil is stripped of his rank as leader of the Red Wings.

Cecil is then ordered to go to the town of Mist and get their crystal as well. Along with the help of his friendly rival Kain, they go to Mist and end up destroying it as well. They discover that their king has turned completely mad and is, for some unknown reason, trying to collect as many crystals as he can. A young summoner named Rydia is the only survivor of the attack on Mist, and she decides to join the party as well. Kain turns on Cecil and steals Mist’s crystal from him for the king, and Cecil discovers that whatever spell the king of Baron is under, his friend Kain is under it as well.

The story continues on in a tumult of twists and turns until, 30 plus hours later, the game is completed. Like any Final Fantasy game, IV is complete with a party member named Cid, plenty of airships, Chocobos, and summons.

IV is hands down one of the best Final Fantasy games of the bunch. The game plays like a very straightforward RPG, but the rich storyline feels more like you’re reading a Terry Goodkind book, which is definitely a positive aspect. Since IV came out before the renowned Final Fantasy VII, it feels like Square Enix had been more focused on creating the most involving game they could versus trying to be innovative and new and recreate the VII success.

The game looks amazing, showing off just how beautiful the DS graphics can get. Just wait until you’re 20 hours into the game and suddenly you stumble upon the Sylph Cave. Its jungle-like interior is mind-blowing with its constant animation and vibrant color scheme. It is unparalleled to anything this reviewer has ever seen.

Square Enix has recreated the cut sequences in the game so that they are similar in style to the Playstation 2 and other remade GameBoy Advance and DS titles. Take a look at the comparison from the original SNES version of IV to the new DS version below:

The game play is simple and easy; it is just your typical RPG. There are some added features to the gaming experience, however. There is a rabbit that follows you throughout the game who allows you to change the name of your characters (Namingway) or, whenever you complete the map of an area, you get some sort of gift (Mappingway).

The game can be played with or without the stylus; you can either guide your characters around the screen with the DS stylus, or just use the D-pad and A, B, X, and Y buttons to move your characters around the screen.

A new summon has been added to IV by the name of Whyt. Whyt is an interesting new addition because, through a series of mini-games, his attributes can be increased from zero to 99. Scattered throughout the game are nests and, when a gyashi green is used, a giant Chocobo will appear. The Chocobo will allow you to access all the neat features bumping into the rabbit has given you as well as being able to edit Whyt’s face and play the mini-games. The mini-games are the only part of the game that requires the stylus to be used, and they are ruthlessly addicting.

There is nothing bad about the Nintendo DS version of Final Fantasy IV. If anything, it’s perfect. Completely, beautifully perfect. Now, after having rereleased almost every original Final Fantasy game for a handheld Nintendo system, we anxiously await seeing if Square Enix can come out with just as perfect a portable adaption of Final Fantasy VII. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.