S&S; Review: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

Title: Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy
Format: Nintendo 3DS
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: indieszero
Price: $39.99
ESRB Rating: E10+
So you think you can rhythm? Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy is the prospective start of a new Square Enix franchise. Featuring sweet RPG nostalgia coated with heavy percussionist action, this game is addicting and fun. The showcase of themes and background music present a pastiche of old and new, from Nobuo Uematsu to Masashi Hamauzu. At same time, you will be able to develop characters and level grind as you practice your way to SSS rankings.
Story and Presentation
The strong points of the Final Fantasy series could be listed as: engaging battle systems, epic storytelling and sweeping orchestral score. But what would happen if we dropped two in favor of a music central game? In fact, there is a barebones story about a realm in the FF universe that needs saving from Chaos. This is accomplished by strengthening your characters and collecting Rhythmia. These Rhythmia are like musical fragments of the FF crystal. Outside of that story, it's basically a trip down memory lane for those who have played through the canonical 13 titles.
Graphics
Graphically, the title is cute and stylized in a paper cut-out way. The chibi versions of the main characters from each of the 13 titles are playable from the start of the game. They take on the journey through the series in three modes. BMS, or battle mode, pits the heroes against equally stylized representations of the series' mosters and villains. The battle effects, spells and summons, look fantastic and probably should be applied to future remakes of the games (i.e., Final Fantasy VI). FMS, or field mode, marches you through the various worlds of Final Fantasy and you end up touring through them by Chocobo. EMS, or event mode, challenges your skill against gameplay footage and FMV. The earlier titles do look a little muddy in the background of these modes. More recent titles actually showcase some of the best video compression on the system. XIII's visuals look clean in the game's video theater mode.
Sound and Music
As a rhythm game, the highlight must be the music. The soundtrack to Theatrhythm packs in some of the series' greatest hits. Personally, my first Final Fantasy was VI and the nostalgia value is very high. The music evokes emotional reactions. You feel the way you did when you first played these games and heard these songs. The bad part is, you have to concentrate to play the game competently. As I played, I found myself humming along and following the beats as I remembered them, which worked against me in some cases. There's something satisfying to tapping along with some of the grand marches in field mode. The music the player makes while taking direction from the game highlights the strength of the design and dierection.
Core Gameplay
The core gameplay of Theatrhythm is very basic and a snap for rhythm game veterans. Follow the cues and tap, slide, press and hold the stylus through a playlist of songs. The twist to this formula is an RPG element. Your characters can level to gain abilities and acquire items from battles and treasure chests in the field. Each of these abilities and items can be equipped during the songs to increase your chances of success. The songs range in difficulty from Basic to Expert to Ultimate. So, a strong party is suggested to make your way through the brutal screen tapping. Plenty of unlockables and DLC encourage a high replay value.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy is a fantastic start to a new franchise. Gamers are already suggesting follow ups with stylized Nintendo characters in fan art. Given Square's history with Nintendo that's a possibility for a sequel. Based upon the original game, that sequel would be very well received. With some consideration to readers who may just be getting into the series, I would say that there's a bit of curve to learning the songs. For those, I say that this game is a wonderful introduction to a storied franchise.
S&S Rating: 9.5/10.0