World of Final Fantasy (PS Vita) Preview

The journey in World of Final Fantasy, it must be said, is a breath-taking one. As previously stated, the colour palette is evidently put to good use, really breathing life into the world. Those playing will especially appreciate the reduced depth of field, giving the background a soft focus effect, akin to that of Super Mario 3D World. It's very clearly aimed at a younger audience, and is actually a very smart way of bringing in a new generation that may find the core series a little too challenging, but now have an excellent stepping stone into the franchise. However, this by no means diminishes the possibility of challenging gameplay. This being a RPG, players are presented with plenty of tasks and puzzles, which do require some thought and tactical thinking. In fact, the ability the protagonists have to double up in size becomes a core and fun mechanic in confronting such situations.

Ultimately, maybe the most notable pulling factor World of Final Fantasy has for itself, is the ingenious way of tapping into the Pokémon crowd. Here, gamers will get the chance to capture - or imprison - over two hundred little creatures, called mirages, which are then able to be used in battles to great effect. It really excels here and nails the thrilling aspect of collecting, fuelled by the excitement of discovering new mirages.

The battle system is extremely fun and refreshing, too, with a nice twist on the turn-based formula. During battle, those in control will have the opportunity to stack different mirages upon each other to unleash varying attacks depending on their elemental status. Having the mirages stacked will also give extra AP and HP to Laynn and Raynne, whilst alternating the mirages will provide differing elemental abilities and spells to be used. Similarly, these abilities are the key to solving puzzles and unlocking areas. Doing so requires the strengths of different mirages, which in turn encourages the player to collect as many mirages as possible in order to progress. Square Enix has done an excellent job in breathing new life into this aspect of the game, which now delivers an exciting and rewarding experience.

There is plenty of fan-service throughout the journey and veteran fans of Final Fantasy will come across many recognisable characters, which won't be spoiled here, but, rest assured, they will raise smiles. The dialogue is quite reminiscent of another excellent Square Enix release: Dragon Quest Builders. It's very charming and quirky, whilst being self-aware in its regular breakage of the fourth wall.