Square Enix's 'Final Fantasy All The Bravest' Melds Traditional RPG Mechanics with Casual Gameplay

[MacRumors]

Though Square Enix has released quite a few ports of its older titles, like Final Fantasy and The World Ends With You on iOS, Final Fantasy All The Bravest marks its first Final Fantasy app that was designed specifically for Apple's devices.

Square Enix calls All The Bravest a "pick-up-and-go RPG," an accurate description for the game, which incorporates the Final Fantasy series' Active Time Battle mechanic. The system has been greatly simplified, and battling consists of tapping party members to attack with little to no strategy involved. The game also does away with typical time consuming RPG activities like exploration, dungeon crawling, and dialogue.

Our sister site TouchArcade went hands-on with the game, and has this to say about the gameplay:

In the game, you can control up to 30 different classical Final Fantasy heroes across series of fights against classical villains. To attack, you tap on a character or, as we've discovered, just swipe up and down on the screen to activate all of them. After each attack, characters are smacked with a cool down timer, which keeps them from being able to attack for a few seconds.

Every enemy kills with one hit, regardless if it's just a basic Final Fantasy goblin or one of the horseman of the apocalypse. In addition to being flimsy, heroes are one note: they attack, that's it. You can't activate special skills, you can't target enemies, and they can't buff each other.

If you haven't caught on, this definitely isn't the Final Fantasy you know, but there's a lot of the series' touches present. The presentation is old-school Final Fantasy. The enemies and heroes are, too. The simple "save the world" narrative hooks are all present and accounted for, as well as the late title card.

Final Fantasy All The Bravest comes with a much lower price tag than Square Enix's other offerings, which have cost as much as $17.99. Unfortunately, the initial purchase price is supplemented by a heavy focus on in-app purchases. 35 "premium" characters are unlocked at $0.99 each, and resurrecting a fallen party requires purchasable currency as well.

Final Fantasy All The Bravest can be downloaded from the App Store for $3.99. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Square Enix's 'Final Fantasy All The Bravest' Melds Traditional RPG Mechanics with Casual Gameplay

[turtlez]

poor old square enix, they just keep going further downhill each release.

[daxomni]

So the full game is around $40 plus a recurring party recovery fee?

[turtlez]

Originally Posted by daxomni

So the full game is around $40 plus a recurring party recovery fee?

game looks like crap and if you play it to it's full potential it actually costs more or less the same as their glory titles. lol

[matteusclement]

This is definately the biggest piece of garbage that Enix/Square has ever released.

[lunarworks]

Square is pretty much dead to me now.

They used to create amazing stories that drew you in, novel play mechanics, and interesting worlds to explore. Now they just go the mass-appeal "AAA" route, and throw-away casual games.

[Eriden]

Originally Posted by lunarworks

Square is pretty much dead to me now.

They were dead to me after the abomination that was FFXIII. Their iOS monetization strategy is mere evidence of where their fall is taking them. Anything for a buck, buck, buck! Something tells me that FFXV will have each Phoenix Down ringing in at $0.99 on PSN, and 200 Live points.

Give the masses what they want! (FF7 Remake, and a REAL Chrono Trigger 2 would make me quite happy).

[TheRainKing]

Final Fantasy X was the last FF game I enjoyed, everything since then has been crap.

[Ashyukun]

Geh, sounds like SqEnix is going down the same road as GameVil and some of their games- though at least GameVil's tend to be free initially. I wish they'd just charge a reasonable price- enough to make it profitable for them- from the get-go instead of requiring so much IAP to get anywhere...

[mazz0]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

The system has been greatly simplified, and battling consists of tapping party members to attack with little to no strategy involved.

Like Final Fantasy XIII?

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Originally Posted by matteusclement

This is definately the biggest piece of garbage that Enix/Square has ever released.

Not played Final Fantasy XIII then?

[bpcookson]

I just started playing Final Fantasy Dimensions. Reminds me a lot of good ol' FFVI. It's pricey at $20 but I scored some iTunes gift cards so it's all gravy.

[Makosuke]

So it's a Final Fantasy game with no strategy, no exploration, and no dialogue?

Gosh, that sounds like everything I always loved about the Final Fantasy series... removed. But, hey, if I ever want to watch a bunch of nostalgic sprites hitting each other, I'll be sure to spend $4 on this.

I honestly don't want to hate Square-Enix, they just work so hard at being the bad guys. The only thing they can do right these days is remakes of their classic titles, it seems.

I will give them credit for the full-on revamped port of FF4 for iOS, although the fact that the iPhone 5 version is just stretched to fill the screen, making the characters look chubby, sort of shows how little pride they apparently take in their products. Honestly, who thought that was a legitimate solution?

On the other hand, if they ever do a full, non-chibi, Amano-character-design style 3D rebuild of FF6, I will forgive everything.

Originally Posted by TheRainKing

Final Fantasy X was the last FF game I enjoyed, everything since then has been crap.

I thought XII was actually surprisingly good, although making the punk kid the "main character" (when he obviously had almost nothing interesting to do in the plot) was just silly. No Uematsu on the music, so the soundtrack was relatively weak, but otherwise I enjoyed it more than I expected to.

[Nermal]

Originally Posted by Makosuke

The only thing they can do right these days is remakes of their classic titles, it seems.

I will give them credit for the full-on revamped port of FF4 for iOS, although the fact that the iPhone 5 version is just stretched to fill the screen, making the characters look chubby, sort of shows how little pride they apparently take in their products. Honestly, who thought that was a legitimate solution?

On the other hand, if they ever do a full, non-chibi, Amano-character-design style 3D rebuild of FF6, I will forgive everything.

I thought XII was actually surprisingly good, although making the punk kid the "main character" (when he obviously had almost nothing interesting to do in the plot) was just silly. No Uematsu on the music, so the soundtrack was relatively weak, but otherwise I enjoyed it more than I expected to.

I'm enjoying IV on iOS; it's the first time that I've played it so it's all new to me (with the exception of "you spoony bard!" ) but it seems to be made well. I'm on a 4S so no stretching here.

The IV announcement video had a "V coming in 2013" banner at the end, and presumably if that sells well then VI will also come at some point.

I enjoyed XII (much better than X in my opinion), including the music (although I have the soundtrack CDs which are orchestrated). XII is the only FF that I've bought twice; I also own the Zodiac Job System version.

I didn't like XIII although XIII-2 wasn't too bad; it got rid of most of the linearity of XIII and it didn't feel like I was just pressing A all the way through, even with the battle system still being oversimplified.

[Renzatic]

Normally I hate flat out bashing fairly subpar apps. Normally when I don't like something, I'll just ignore it. Blatant money grabs and shovelware aren't even worth the breath wasted talking about it, and if it's some random guy trying his best and not quite making it, well I'm not about to rub his face in it.

But this?

It's pretty damn crap. I might've had a few nice things to say about it if it were released in 2005-2006 on those oldschool flip phones. Might even been a little impressed if it were released for the 3G. But nowadays, when your average cell phone is at least as powerful as a PS2? Comeon. I can't call it zero effort, because...you know...they had to get that one guy to port all those old sprites from all the other FF games and all. Pretty sure they had a programmer in there too, probably working on this his spare time. That's effort and all. But...yeah...

I'm not impressed.

At least FFIV is decent.

[ultra7k]

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I thought XIII was pretty great. Probably the most fun I've had on an FF title in a long time.

Sure it was pretty straight forward, and the plot was...well, mediocre...the combat was great fun.

Final Fantasy Dimensions was a solid pick up, got about 14 hours in and still only on the 2nd chapter. Lots to do here.

[QuarterSwede]

Originally Posted by Makosuke

So it's a Final Fantasy game with no strategy, no exploration, and no dialogue?

Gosh, that sounds like everything I always loved about the Final Fantasy series... removed. But, hey, if I ever want to watch a bunch of nostalgic sprites hitting each other, I'll be sure to spend $4 on this.

Exactly. They took everything that made FF great and threw it in the trash.

Deminsions however, now that's a great game, and long too.

[Eriden]

Originally Posted by Makosuke

I thought XII was actually surprisingly good, although making the punk kid the "main character" (when he obviously had almost nothing interesting to do in the plot) was just silly. No Uematsu on the music, so the soundtrack was relatively weak, but otherwise I enjoyed it more than I expected to.

Balthier was originally supposed to be the main character. Then the execs realized that the absence of a whiny emo main character would hurt them with their Gackt-yaoi loving fans. Thus, the producers gave us the superfluous Vaan, and the infinitely superior Balthier was relegated to supporting character status.

----------

Originally Posted by Renzatic

Normally I hate flat out bashing fairly subpar apps. Normally when I don't like something, I'll just ignore it. Blatant money grabs and shovelware aren't even worth the breath wasted talking about it, and if it's some random guy trying his best and not quite making it, well I'm not about to rub his face in it.

But this?

It's pretty damn crap. I might've had a few nice things to say about it if it were released in 2005-2006 on those oldschool flip phones. Might even been a little impressed if it were released for the 3G. But nowadays, when your average cell phone is at least as powerful as a PS2? Comeon. I can't call it zero effort, because...you know...they had to get that one guy to port all those old sprites from all the other FF games and all. Pretty sure they had a programmer in there too, probably working on this his spare time. That's effort and all. But...yeah...

I'm not impressed.

At least FFIV is decent.

You know, I'd happily pay the higher price tag if they would give us a port of Dissidia. Sadly, the really good games will never happen for iOS, since the console manufacturers pay Square for exclusivity.

[mrfoof82]

Be sure to read Ben Kuchera's glowing review, titled "Final Fantasy: All The Bravest" on iOS is a steaming pile of in-app purchasing *********

[Pakaku]

The worst part is some people actually fell for paying the first 4$...

[Renzatic]

Originally Posted by Eriden

You know, I'd happily pay the higher price tag if they would give us a port of Dissidia. Sadly, the really good games will never happen for iOS, since the console manufacturers pay Square for exclusivity.

Eh, I dunno about that exactly. It does look like iOS is getting an actual "native", not a quicky port of FFV soon, so you could say SE is supporting it at least a little bit.

...though I gotta say, I do wish they'd port the DS versions of Dragon Quest over. I'd buy every single one of those up in a heartbeat.

[Eriden]

Originally Posted by Renzatic

Eh, I dunno about that exactly. It does look like iOS is getting an actual "native", not a quicky port of FFV soon, so you could say SE is supporting it at least a little bit.

Butz & gang are okay. I'll be more excited to pick up VI when it comes out. The toolset they are using to build these remakes seems pretty robust. I wonder what it would take for Square to do a Chrono Trigger remake with that toolset.

[Makosuke]

Originally Posted by Nermal

The IV announcement video had a "V coming in 2013" banner at the end, and presumably if that sells well then VI will also come at some point.

I have no doubt they'll get to VI eventually; the question is whether it'll look like IV, or whether they'll do it they way it would have been done if the game had been made in 2012: With 3D characters that aren't chibi sprites, but based on Amano's lithe, beautiful designs and wild mechanical design, like in the PS1 FMV opening sequence.

A chibi-sprite 3D remake would be nice. An Amano-ized 3D remake would be epic on a scale the FF series has not seen in ages, and, frankly, everyone I know is basically just waiting for that to happen. It's the game all that flashy modern tech should have been used to make from the start.

Originally Posted by Nermal

I enjoyed XII (much better than X in my opinion), including the music (although I have the soundtrack CDs which are orchestrated).

The music wasn't bad, but it's so far from the calibre of Uematsu's work that it's hard to even compare. And, of course, VI was arguably the best of his scores--Dancing Mad plus the entire 20-minute end theme incorporating every single character's unique theme into a single cohesive piece. Sharp-eared listeners will even recognize that he stole part of the tune from Eyes on Me from VIII from Relm's theme.

Originally Posted by Eriden

Balthier was originally supposed to be the main character. Then the execs realized that the absence of a whiny emo main character would hurt them with their Gackt-yaoi loving fans.

Yeah, I'd read that before I even started, and playing the game it was, frankly, painfully obvious. You basically didn't care about anything Vaan did as long as Balthier was onscreen, and the entire plot hook revolved around him.

[decafjava]

Originally Posted by mrfoof82

Be sure to read Ben Kuchera's glowing review, titled "Final Fantasy: All The Bravest" on iOS is a steaming pile of in-app purchasing *********

Toucharcade was not impressed either.

http://toucharcade.com/2013/01/18/fi...ravest-review/
'Final Fantasy: All the Bravest' Review - A Cowardly Cash-grab

[Dagless]

Dear Square Enix, crack on with FF XIII-3 so you can move onto XV. Quit with these poor iOS games. Port V and VI to the 3DS. Finish off X for the Vita and PS3. Next gen remake of FFVII and we can all go home.

(such a messy series of Roman numerals)

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Originally Posted by Eriden

You know, I'd happily pay the higher price tag if they would give us a port of Dissidia. Sadly, the really good games will never happen for iOS, since the console manufacturers pay Square for exclusivity.

No they don't at all, or at least not in Square Enix's case. The PSP did great in Japan, Dissidia sold great in Japan and there was no way it could have been shrunk down to the DS.

Have you played Dissidia? It's mighty fast and uses multiple action button presses at the same time. How would that translate to something as simple as an iPhone or iPad?

[crossifixio]

Originally Posted by Eriden

They were dead to me after the abomination that was FFXIII. Their iOS monetization strategy is mere evidence of where their fall is taking them. Anything for a buck, buck, buck! Something tells me that FFXV will have each Phoenix Down ringing in at $0.99 on PSN, and 200 Live points.

Give the masses what they want! (FF7 Remake, and a REAL Chrono Trigger 2 would make me quite happy).

That would be amazing! They cant make them that good any more though!