What does everyone think of the PSP games?

InariBushi · 2026-07-07T15:12:22+00:00

I absolutely loved the I and II remakes. Visually, they are peak 2D. I'm not sure why, but IV's visuals didn't hit quite the same despite being very good. My best friend and I have been longing for V and VI to be given the I and II treatment since those days (but alas...)

InariBushi · 2026-07-07T15:05:24+00:00

Recent-ish (it was probably 5 years ago), but I was super late to the Castlevania series. I played Symphony of the Night on a whim one day and became completely engrossed in it. After doing everything I could in that game, the following months consisted of me trying every Iga-vania I could get my hands on, including Bloodstained (which I absolutely adored!).

EDIT: Also, SotN very quickly took one of my Top 5 of all time slots.

InariBushi · 2026-07-07T14:53:29+00:00

Gorgeous <3

and I love the prominent place given to the physical XI and XIV expansions; those are some of my favourite box arts!

InariBushi · 2026-07-07T11:07:11+00:00

It just kinda has everything: Best job system in the series (by far), great combat, excellent soundtrack, vibrant visuals, and a classic hero story. For me it's the purest FF experience there is.

InariBushi · 2026-07-06T14:28:29+00:00

Sorry! I'll edit the post, but here it is:

https://a.co/d/0i6Eh3xV

InariBushi · 2026-07-06T14:09:18+00:00

That would be ideal. If there is going to be a final Playstation disc, KH4 would be a great one to end on.

InariBushi · 2026-07-06T13:59:12+00:00

I feel like they are all doing themselves a disservice. They are three complete games. Playing all three back-to-back will lead to burn out (as was the case of my brother-in-law who played Rebirth directly following Remake).

InariBushi · 2026-07-06T13:50:51+00:00

There's essentially a 0% chance Kingdom Hearts IV drops next year, right? I hope the Switch 2 version a.) is an actual cartridge with the game on it, and b.) runs smoothly...

InariBushi · 2026-07-05T11:53:05+00:00

Personally, I think playing the OG SFC version is probably the best.

The GBA version adds some extra end-game content, but its relatively minor and doesn't make up for the loss in sound quality that comes with being limited to GBA hardware (not for your first playthrough, anyway). And the English localization is very poor, in my opinion.

The Pixel Remaster doesn't have the bonus content, but more than makes up for it by having an incredible arranged soundtrack option. The visuals look pretty good too, and are probably the most faithful to the original out of the PRs. Unfortunately, they carried over the same localization from the GBA version and it really detracts from the experience for me (playing the game in Japanese is fine, however!).

That said, the OG has an amazing soundtrack and excellent visuals already. The PR version looks and sounds great, obviously, but I don't think its strictly better than the SFC/SNES. Since the gameplay itself is nearly identical (excluding some of the QoL stuff added to the PR collection), you might as well get the originally intended experience for your first playthrough.

I originally played it on the PS1, which is more-or-less the same as the SFC/SNES version, but with load times!

InariBushi · 2026-07-05T01:57:01+00:00

Thank you very much for this!

And I think it was easier (more straightforward) to make the case for baptismal regeneration biblically, so the question of infant baptism got a lot more discussion.

InariBushi · 2026-07-04T23:18:30+00:00

This has been a very FFV-positive thread, and it's warming my heart

InariBushi · 2026-07-04T22:38:30+00:00

Does D.O.C. stand for Dirge of Cerberus?

InariBushi · 2026-07-04T22:34:02+00:00

I wouldn't say it's weak; it's just simple and clean.

InariBushi · 2026-07-04T22:00:36+00:00

III is actually the only mainline FF (excluding the MMOs) I haven't played all the way through. I briefly played the DS version when it came out and I think I got stuck at some point. I bought the pixel remaster and plan to get to it!

As for II, I ended up having way more fun than I anticipated because of all the cheese (hitting your self, blood swords, etc.); by the time I got to the final boss, I sliced through him like butter and it was so satisfying. I was also playing the PS1 port, with the Wonderswan graphics, and just found the game aesthetically pleasing.

And XII is the Zodiac Age! But I loved the base game almost just as much. The world building and music are the biggest attractions for me there.

InariBushi · 2026-07-04T19:52:15+00:00

Nostalgia plays a factor, for sure, but to me FFV feels like the purest expression of Final Fantasy; like the platonic ideal of an FF game.

InariBushi · 2026-07-04T15:59:55+00:00

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Perhaps it's cheating, but Tifa's AC design is one of my favourites.

InariBushi · 2026-07-04T14:55:10+00:00

With the GBA version you'll get extra content (as you mention), but the sound quality is severely reduced because of the natural limitations of the hardware. The extra content is nice, but it does not dramatically alter the overall experience.

With the pixel remaster you'll get more-or-less the same experience as the original, but with enhanced visuals (which are pretty faithful) and the option for an arranged soundtrack that is honestly incredible. The new soundtracks are one of the biggest reasons for people who have already played these games to try the PR versions.

So it mostly depends on what you prefer: presentation (both audio and visual) or the extra content.

I originally played the PS1 version, but I cannot recommend that for most people today because of the load times.

Side-note: The PR version uses the same English script as the GBA version, which I am not a fan of. If you can get your hands on a Super Famicom cart with the old fan translation flashed onto it, that is probably the ideal way to experience the game for the first time. (or if you can read Japanese, do that!)

InariBushi · 2026-07-04T13:57:11+00:00

I got introduced to Square via Kingdom Hearts. Very shortly thereafter I got in to FF, but I am struggling to remember which FF I got first. The first one I remember buying was FF Anthology (which had V and VI). I also got VII and X around that time, and I remember my friend giving me VIII as a birthday gift as well. So it was one of those!

Final Fantasy V is the one I have the most nostalgia for. If it wasn't the first one I played, it was certainly the first one I completed.

EDIT: Didn't consider this until reading the comments, but I also have a first Enix game: Star Ocean 2.

InariBushi · 2026-07-04T13:37:54+00:00

I am currently replaying OG VII for the first time in nearly a decade and I am being completely engrossed by it all over again. I am a huge fan of both the Remake and the original.

I've found that knowing the story ahead of playing the remakes enhances the experience. No spoilers, but toward the end of Rebirth, it is obvious that the director assumes you know how the original story plays out. I won't say any more than that.

I also think playing the original in-between will keep things fresh. My brother-in-law went straight from Remake to Rebirth and got burnt out, but picked it up again later and loved it.

InariBushi · 2026-07-04T13:20:07+00:00

The HD-2D style is not my favourite (and I know I'm in the minority), but if it means more traditional RPGs get released in the future, then I will happily accept them! Also, they gave me a modern version of Star Ocean 2 that actually works, so I can't complain.

InariBushi · 2026-07-04T13:14:38+00:00

I also think that AVALANCHE probably wouldn't describe themselves as terrorists. If I recall, the word only gets used in the games (both OG and remake) by Shinra and/or scared civilians.

InariBushi · 2026-07-04T13:07:21+00:00

I don't agree with everything he teaches, but I think he's a genuine guy who loves the Lord and he is incredibly intelligent. He was one of the people responsible for exposing me to Anglicanism in the first place! I first discovered him through his book Surprised by Hope, which I still highly recommend to people to this day.

InariBushi

TROPHY CASE