Final Fantasy VI Review

Arguably the finest Final Fantasy title out there (and believe me, there are plenty of arguments over which rules the roost) [Editor's Note: argument nothing, VI will always be the best!], Final Fantasy VI makes its way to iOS to remind players just how brilliant turn based RPGing really can be. Its conversion isn't perfect but it'll still satisfy the majority of players.

Final Fantasy VI tells the story of Terra, a magic caster used by the evil Empire (is there any other kind?), who escapes with a group of rebels in order to overthrow the evil Kefka. It's more complicated than that of course, easily proving to be one of the more gripping stories from the franchise. It's also significantly large enough that the slightly imposing $16 asking price feels like a bargain by the end.

Split between a mixture of wandering towns and world maps, as well as taking part in turn based battles, the touch screen controls mostly work quite well. During battles they're distinctly intuitive, with everything making quite clear sense as to what touch initiates what command. Final Fantasy VI offers Sabin's Blitz technique, in which Sabin unleashes a flurry of blows connected to the player's d-pad based input. This works in the form of a virtual d-pad here, and it hits the spot nicely. New to the game is an auto-fight button which is handy for those wanting to grind through some battles quickly and with minimal input, although not to be recommended when dealing with stiffer competition. The touch screen interface doesn't work quite so well when exploring towns and the world map. A floating d-pad comes into effect here and it gets a little clumsy after a time, not quite fulfilling the role of a physical d-pad.

It's forgivable though, given the high quality of Final Fantasy VI, but something that stops this iOS version from being the definitive edition. Slightly inferior character graphics also detract from the full experience, feeling a tad flat. At least there's the presence of that stunning and sometimes haunting soundtrack, beloved by so many.

Final Fantasy VI is a sublime experience. Fans of the game will enjoy returning to a classic on their iPhone or iPad, and will certainly appreciate the iCloud saving facility. Newcomers will finally see what all the fuss is about and will no doubt enjoy the option to auto-fight as well as the hints button that is always available up the top of the screen. It's a win/win situation all around for RPG fans.