The Meeting of Different Final Fantasy Eras
I never played the original SNES version, but I am familiar with the releases on the Playstation and Gameboy Advance versions, so please keep that in mind when reading my opinions.
One aspect of these Final Fantasy remakes is that they combine elements of both the modern and previous eras of Final Fantasy. In the case of Final Fantasy IV, my personal impression was a graphical style similar to those on the Playstation (VII, VIII, IX) combined with a more traditional gameplay. I don't really mean in terms of graphical power, but more style. Yet despite the new visuals, the traditional gameplay elements are still there at heart. There are no grids or boards to unlock your abilities. Instead, in addition to the standard leveling up system, skills are also learned through the augment system, in which supplemental skills can be transferred to your characters. The battles felt like most of the other turn-based Final Fantasy games.
The visual style of this game is very attractive. While the characters are "polygonal", they have a cute and colorful design. While that may not appeal to everyone, it doesn't feel too excessive. The main reason why I drew visual comparisons to the Playstation Final Fantasy games was due to the battles. The way the camera focuses on the characters as they perform magic and the whole "polygonal" look reminded me of the Playstation games, specifically the ones in the series after the transition to 3D.
The audio of course is what you would come to expect from a Final Fantasy game. The songs seem to be similar, except they have been enhanced. While I suppose that cartridges do have their limits, I found myself to be satisfied with the overall sound of the music.
Overall, the game is of high quality. While I can't speak for those who have played the original and draw comparisons, I can say that I liked this game from an outside perspective. Remakes can always be controversial, but I at least think that almost anyone can find something enjoyable in this release.
