Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Message Board older than one year ago

People give Square Enix trouble for Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy, saying that the graphics are too simple and the gameplay too limited for a retail 3DS game. To those people, I say whatever. Well, I might (conditionally) agree on the second point. But mostly, whatever.

Even if it is a simple implementation, it's a game that the series has needed basically since the beginning: a celebration of its memorable music. Plus, it's super cute! And fun to play!

#finalfantasy While some of my colleagues may not be fans of the first Final Fantasy-based rhythm game for the Nintendo 3DS, I continue to hold out hope for Square Enix's Theatrhythm Final Fantasy. More »

- three types of touch input
- top screen displays all relevant information
- tap when prompted by a red icon
- swipe a specific direction with yellow
- press and hold with green
- Battle Music, Field Music and Event Music
- each Final Fantasy game features each of these modes
- each mode has three levels of difficulty
- characters are able to level up
- Battle Music places your group into a battle against a familiar enemy from that particular Final Fantasy
- in Final Fantasy VI, fight against the Ultros
- red/yellow/green timing cues will pan across the screen in four horizontal rows
- proper timing will cause your characters to attack
- misses will cause you damage and eventually you'll lose the battle
- Field Music will set one of your characters walking along a 2D setting
- this can change depending on the missio
- follow one line of music
- can now appear in waves
- perform well and your character will eventually trade off with a friend
- miss and your hero will trip and fall often.
- Event Music plays a CG cutscene montage from the Final Fantasy game in question
- musical commands appear along a line that across the movie as it plays
- strong performances here will result in longer cutscenes
- each round has a limited bonus sectio
- in Battle mode, you will typically summon a powerful creature or spirit
- in Field, you become a Chocobo and start running faster
- when a mission ends, your skill is measured in points, comprehensive grades, and a summary chart

I am not one to care about rhythm games. If I want to listen to music or tap along to a good beat, I'll fire up my iPod. I do, however, love Final Fantasy music. I've spent quite a penny importing various soundtracks from the series over the years, including assorted piano and deluxe collections. If any franchise could get me to really invest some time in a rhythm game, it'd be Final Fantasy...

- Prologue

Cosmos and chaos—temporal intervals between the two divine pillars are called rhythm. Rhythm gave a birth to crystals ruling music, and the world was full of the glow of sounds. However, the harmony was disturbed by the force of chaos, and the crystals ruling music were losing their glow. To restore glow to the crystals, musical undulation “rhythpo” must be enhanced. Warriors led by crystals are starting their adventure to weave music...

- includes music from FF I to FF XIII
- characters in the game exist within a single universe
- Popular heroes and heroines, such as Lightning (FF XIII), Cecil (FF II/IV), or Tina/Terra (FF III/VI), form a party and venture together
- Series Mode lets you pick a specific Final Fantasy game in order to play through music from that entry
- Each title offers three kinds of stages
- Event music stage: Against the backdrop of a cut scene in an original art style
- Field music stage: Chocobo and Moogle support characters under a specific condition
- Battle music stage: Battle against monsters from the franchise
- complete a stage in “series” mode to unlock its music in the second “challenge” mode
- play the same tune in multiple difficulties
- game include RPG elements like character development
- website here
Link

Square Enix is known for making games that use their platforms to the highest possible graphical potential, often redefining what gaming hardware is visually capable of. In this fairly low-quality YouTube clip, Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy looks ... well, it it has Moogles, and that ain't nothing.

#finalfantasy Square Enix has made the unusual mash-up of music and role-playing game known as Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy official. The Nintendo 3DS game will span the music and characters of thirteen Final Fantasy games and comes from a promising developer. More »

No doubt the announcement of Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy late last week has kept you up many a night since, pondering everything from which of your favorite Final Fantasy characters will find their way into this theatrically rhythmic piece of insanity, to where the line between portmanteau and complete nonsense word must ultimately be drawn.

Rhythm battling! That's happening!

While Square Enix will likely be of little help on the latter matter, the former has been cleared up a bit via some new details released this morning (and translated/posted by Andriasang).

Evidently, Theatrhythm will feature characters from all 13 main entries in the Final Fantasy series. Before you scream something at your monitor about how this is butchering the Final Fantasy canon, take a deep, calming breath, as Squeenix has you covered. Each cast will have its own set of three stages, which you can tackle via a party of four characters of your choosing. Those different stage sets will each have their own differing gameplay mechanics as well, though exactly how they're different has not yet been explained.

You can see the new Chibi art style in the embedded screenshots. Though exact character lists have not yet been announced, major characters like Cloud, Lightning, and whoever the hell it is that people cared about in Final Fantasy XI will likely be included.

Something is happening! Probably with rhythm!

The exact nature of the rhythm-based gameplay is still a bit of a mystery, though Square Enix has noted that a number of major songs from the numbered entries in the franchise will be included in the game, such as:

• "Clash on the Big Bridge" (Final Fantasy V)
• "One Winged Angel" (Final Fantasy VII)
• "At Zanarkand" (Final Fantasy X)
• "The Sunleth Waterscape" (Final Fantasy XIII).
• The Main Final Fantasy Theme

Lastly, we have the game's storyline, which, as translated by Andriasang, is absurd.

Apparently, the space between the gods Chaos and Cosmos is known as "Rhythm." "Rhythm" gives birth to the crystal which controls music, and fills the world with sound. However, the forces of chaos have disrupted the peace, and the crystal has begin to lose its shine. To restore the crystal's shine, the music wave "Rizpo" must be increased. And so, the warriors, guided by the crystal, begin their journey of music.

That sounds totally reasonable, right?

As great as a Final Fantasy spin on an Electric Light Orchestra album sounds, we'll reserve any and all judgment until we've seen some actual gameplay.

Final Fantasy is coming to the Nintendo 3DS. Don't get too excited, RPG fans. Square Enix's latest product isn't your typical fare (or genre) for the series. Titled "Theatrhythm Final Fantasy," the new Final Fantasy game is actually a rhythm-based battle game, featuring cute, chibi-esque versions of iconic franchise characters...