Seeing this game kind of reminded me of the time when Monster Hunter decided to make a sudden switch to Nintendo, and the lack of hunting games that Sony users have been experiencing was becoming a worry-some feeling.
As years went by, people started moving on and decided to make a bold move for themselves; as they plan to create something that is similar to Monster Hunter... but not as the same as the Monster Hunter game itself.
While there are some titles that provides the same feeling that Monster Hunter provides, there's this one game that struck me fancy... and it was something made by Square Enix.
WHAAAAAAAT?! Will Square Enix even bother to make such a title? Yes! We know that Square Enix is a master when it comes in making grand adventures. Fortunately, for those who are yet to get familiar with Monster Hunter, while also being fans of the traditional JRPG genre, will surely get a load of this... if you find grinding to be enjoyable in the first place.
This is the Reader's Review of Final Fantasy Explorers! For those who may have already read my Monster Hunter Reader Reviews, then this may not be a no-brainer for you as certain similarities in gameplay may be covered here.
Title: Final Fantasy Explorers
Date released: December 18, 2014 in Japan, January 26, 2016 in North America, and 3 days later after the North American release in Europe.
Company: Square Enix, Racjin
Genre: Action RPG, Open-world exploration
Platform: Nintendo 3DS family of handhelds
ESRB Rating: E10+
Brief Background: The development of this title was led by Atsushi Hashimoto, the one who was also in charge of the Nintendo DS remake of Final Fantasy Legend II, At the time of development, Hashimoto decided that title is to be a Final Fantasy game that is designed to be played by multiple people. That said, certain inclusions were made such as battles between the player and classic Final Fantasy Eidolons (summoned creatures that are mostly found in the main Final Fantasy titles) and the job system (where Hashimoto feels that it is heavily beneficial for multiplayer diversity). The overall idea of the game focuses on the titular Explorers to investigate the land while also cleansing the land from an evil unspoken.
What do you do here?
The story revolves around you, an Explorer, as you travel throughout the island of Amostra to investigate the Crystal reserves that was recently discovered there. However, Amostra won't be a cakewalk for our brave Explorers as monsters roam around the land and they will attack anyone that stands in their way.
Explorers will stay at the town of Libertas as their base of operations, from there they will meet friends from far and wide to assist you in exploring this beautiful yet dangerous land of adventure, treasure, and trouble.
What makes the game interesting?
As the title suggests, it is a Final Fantasy title through and through. The main difference here, however, is that it has been given a Monster Hunter makeover; meaning that there are gameplay mechanics that you will be familiar with, such as the quest system. The quest and progression system is what you expect; you get quests, accomplish them, succeed, reap the rewards, make gear, rinse and repeat.
What makes the quest system special is that you can be able to spice up the difficulty of each mission by setting up certain rules such as item restrictions and increased damage taken from monsters. While it doesn't make any impact to the actual game-play (other than making things harder), it is worth it to finish missions with self-imposed challenges and leaves a breath of accomplishment in your part.
The attention to detail are quite evident in this game; from the mobs that you fight to the big baddies that will do what it takes to stop you. Also, there will be a chance that the mobs you defeated will become a part of your team upon extracting their souls. Each of these monsters has their own set of skills, providing diversity to your explorations.
Another interesting feature in this game is that the areas you explore are interconnected with one another, which makes that feeling that the entire island IS a battleground, culling the number of monsters left and right. Also, like Monster Hunter Tri, you are given the chance to exit Libertas without accepting any quests where you can just roam around at your own leisure with no particular penalties, while fending off monsters that comes in your way.
The Job System is present in the game; adding means of customization to your humble Explorer. You start first as a Freelancer, however as you proceed to the game, there are more job options that you can unlock and utilize; from the defensive Knights to the magical powerhouse Sages. Each job has their own advantages and disadvantages which can allow you to strategically plan ahead on what job to use before going out.
Also, you can learn different spells and skills which allow you to easily traverse the perils of Amostra. Certain spells like Firaga and Holy can only be used by specific jobs well, however.
Unlike traditional Final Fantasy titles, you don't level up here, but instead you power up through the weapons and gear you equip to your Explorer; increasing their statistics and gaining abilities such as increased critical hit rate and resistance to elemental attacks; allowing you to adapt in any given situation. You can also upgrade these weapons and armors using items that you get from exploring the field, which adds more ability options and perks to said pieces of equipment.
Replayability is quite decent; since that you'll be spending most time grinding for gear... if you find this feature to be fascinating, at least.
Another great feature here is that you can rename your abilities. Nothing special, but it's very nice to have a name of skills that you like to use.
Mutations are abilities that you can use to improve the effects of your attacks. It has its plus and minuses, but nevertheless, it is a sure-fire way to make your spells as devastating as possible.
What are the flaws that you find unpleasant?
Like I said, the game itself is a Final Fantasy game with a Monster Hunter face-lift. The problem, however, is that die-hard Monster Hunter fans will find little to no amusement when it comes to this game. Everything in this game; the combat, the monsters, the mechanics, everything in this game may seems odd for these fans.
The story, just like in every Monster Hunter game, is bland and ridiculously absurd (but at least Monster Hunter compensates it with rewarding game-play that keeps on giving). Everything from the NPCs to the guides that you interact in the game, they are just not really that lively; which is a shame since many Final Fantasy titles focuses on great and immersive stories that will put you at the edge of your seat for hours on end.
The missions become repetitive and tedious as you progress and even while there are multiple mission modes to choose from, it doesn't feel... rewarding.
Another disappointing factor is the amount of bosses that you fight; it's not quite that memorable; probably because Final Fantasy tries to make the boss intros as minimal as possible so that players would get in to the action as possible. However, this can be debatable as Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate provided this same method. The only difference here is that Capcom made these cut-scenes with the Hunter in mind; they made simply beautiful mini sequences that dictates your first encounter with a certain monster; an immersive and fun way to make fights interesting, which is partly missing in Explorers.
As mentioned a while ago, there are some skills that improve the potency of your skills through mutations; giving some effects like blinding enemies and reducing cool-down for abilities. While beneficial, using mutations is a bit tedious as you need a specific mutation to get the necessary effects that you want for your abilities, which means that you have to study these in advance in order to maximize its uses.
Finally, previous DLC's that were distributed separately in the Japanese version are already included in the English version and there will be NO DLC's to be distributed for the English version in the future; which actually kills the hype for the game in the first place. It reminded me a lot of Evolve, where the lack of future DLC's was the reason most people decided to drop the game early on.
Do you have any regrets in buying this game? If so, what are those regrets? If not, what was the one word that best describes Explorers?
I want to be a bit honest about this, after seeing the announcement for Monster Hunter Generations and after playing the game a bit, I am starting to have some regrets on ever getting one. I've seen people in one of the Facebook pages that I am in selling copies of Final Fantasy Explorers two months just after the game's release, which is a shame because it has so much potential, yet offers so little. Nevertheless, I still find it enjoyable, but only for small doses as even if you try to come back, there really isn't anything new to expect there.
Do you recommend this game?
Only if you are a dedicated Final Fantasy fan or someone who just want to be familiar with monster hunting games. Otherwise, spend your money on Monster Hunter games or Toukiden titles instead (I've heard great things about Toukiden, so it's worth the shot).
Overall Rating: 7/10
Surprising playable, Final Fantasy Explorers is an ambitious take on the series with a well-known reputation. While there are some liberties to be taken into consideration, it still plays like a Final Fantasy game. The monsters, the weapons, the combat is OK all in all, but seriously, Square Enix could have done better here. Who knows, they may be able to make further improvements for the sequel... if there is enough fan support, at the very least.
--END OF REVIEW--
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