Poll of the Day > Suggestions on which version of Final Fantasy II I should play?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I briefly played the Famicom version well over a decade ago but at the time it didn't hold enough interest after I had recently finished Final Fantasy III. With FF XII coming to PC soon, part of me feel compelled to play through the FF games I haven't played yet, namely FF II, FF X, and FF X-2 before I start on FF XII.

That being said, I am not sure which version I should play. I had play the NES version of FF I and Famicom version of FF III so kinda feel I should do the same with FF II. Of course with how archaic some of the older games are I am a little hesitant to play those version.

Is the newer version in FF Origins easier to stomach or the original won't be THAT bad?

Comments and opinions are appreciated,

Thank you
---

Dawn of Souls is the best version of FFII tbh.
---

Thank you for the response. And as luck would have it, that version is on the DS and Mobile (kinda). Not sure about getting it on mobile though but at the same time it would be more easily accessible compared to my DS.
---

I have played the Famicom, Origins, and mobile versions. Origins is the one I like the best, and I think Dawn of Souls (on the DS) is basically the same with the added dungeon. So I would go with either of those 2.

The Famicom version isn't bad, but I think it kind of suffers from basically using the FF1 engine without any of the FF3 improvements which made it much better. And the mobile...ugh...
---

PSP version is definitely the best. If that's not available to you or is too expensive, then Dawn of Souls. But yeah, if you can, get the PSP version.
---

IMO, if you don't have the patience, you will be too bored with FF II's gameplay to complete. Not that it's a bad game, just that the older FF games don't seem to hold up for me. And if FF X is also on your list of FF games to play, I would run, not walk, over to that exhibit, as FF X is IMO the best of the entire series. Personal bias admitted, but still.
---

Just my opinion - the FF games on mobile have terrible controls that are very frustrating.

I'd avoid any mobile version unless they have started to allow you to use a bluetooth controller.

Thank you for the additional responses. Given FF II relatively unique leveling, I'll like to give it a try a least. I tend to grind through JRPGs anyway so might feel right at home with the older FF games. At the same time though, given how Square Enix never returned to FF II leveling system, I am probably in for a beating. In the case of my characters, quite literally when I work on increasing their HP.
---

The mechanics work a bit differently in the later releases, which is one of the biggest reasons I recommend the PSP version. Honestly, I really liked the game, but I never played the original release and it sounds awful. I never did the whole "attack your own party members for hours" thing, thankfully.
---

PSP if you have it. Now, for Dawn of Souls - I could argue the GBA version of 1 is good enough, but when it comes to 2 the PSP beats
---

Origins is definitely the best version of FF1, but I don't recall it's version of FF2 being particularly noteworthy.

I do recall actually enjoying the PSP version, so there's that.

InfestedAdam posted...

At the same time though, given how Square Enix never returned to FF II leveling system, I am probably in for a beating.

As long as you have a rudimentary understanding of how the system works (attack raises attack but lowers magic. Spells raise magic but lower attack. Getting hit raises hp), it's really not bad at all. And you can always cheese it by beating the shit out of your own party members.
---

Dynalo posted...

attack raises attack but lowers magic. Spells raise magic but lower attack.

Well dratz. I thought every stat improved simply from usage without penalizing other stats. Didn't realize magic decrease as attack increases and vice versa. There goes my hope of making a demi-God party.
---

Stats don't decrease in the PSP version. It's one of the differences I was talking about.
---

Unfortunately the PSP version is not an option for me as I am not desperate to the point of buying a PSP just to play said game. Which leaves me the GBA or Android version. The Android version might be closer to the PSP version than the GBA but I am hesitant on mobile games. I'm not against buying a used GBA cartridge but am hoping to spend no more than $20. Kinda confuse with seeing some of these fanmade reproduction.
---

The version that's actually decent and worth playing: None.
---

Dawn of Souls was pretty alright. I finally got around to beating it. Its not super fun though, the game didn't age well.

And then there's the bonus extra content. If you like slamming yourself into meat grinders and making decisions in the main game that effect the extra content in ways you could not have ever known in advance and that require a whole new game to fix, you'll love it.
---

Just get whichever is most convenient. The game is pretty bad anyway.
---