First released on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, then converted for Windows PC, the unlikely spin-off in chibi sauce also arrives on the new Nintendo console taking advantage of the release of the package Maxima, an update - sold separately in the case of the previous versions - which adds a whole series of extra contents aimed at prolonging the adventure with some new challenges and a potential link to the increasingly probable sequel: in addition to the New Game + mode, in fact, Maxima introduces some new champions - among which Noctis and Y'shtola stand out - but also a minigame, some new mirage, the inevitable superboss to defeat and more. World of Final Fantasy on Switch it is almost identical to how we remembered it, with the addition of the portability that offers the peculiar Nintendo hardware and some nasty bugs that we hope Square Enix will solve soon.
Giants and lilies
For the uninitiated, it is worth remembering that World of Final Fantasy Maxima is an episode unrelated to the Final Fantasy series, also because Square Enix for the occasion has ventured a kind of clone of Pokémon. The protagonists of this story are two twins, Reyn and Lann, who have lost their memory and who to remember what happened will have to capture the "mirages" scattered around the world of Grymoire, creatures taken directly from the universe of Final Fantasy - like the chocobo or the malboros - which our folks can use to fight. The various mirages have different dimensions that strategically affect the composition of the group during the clashes. THE mirages In fact, larger creatures can carry Reyn, Lann, and smaller creatures can stand above their heads.
The two brothers can also change shape and turn into "jiganti" or "lilichini", super deformed counterparts that can climb on the back of the biggest mirages. Each" pile "of mirages is a sum of the statistics and abilities of the mirages that constitute it: World of Final Fantasy Maxima is a very simple game only in appearance, given which hides a great depth that is revealed above all towards the end of the game and in the optional challenges accessible only after finishing it. In the options menu you can choose whether to scan turn-based or real-time battles, using a variant of the Active Time Battle used in the old Final Fantasy or a hybrid solution. In the turn of our stack we will be able to choose which skill to use, whether to attack enemies, heal our heroes or imprismare opponents, that is, to capture them to add them to the Miraggiario, a kind of encyclopedia that also allows you to improve mirages, unlock their powers with the points earned at level ups and even evolve them into larger and more menacing creatures.
World of Final Fantasy Maxima is therefore a fairly deep role-playing game on the gameplay front, but it must be emphasized that the plot and the dialogues are rarely taken seriously: from this point of view, the title Square Enix wants to be not only a love letter to true fans of the series, but also an excellent starting point for those who have never tried their hand at a JRPG. The result is therefore an enjoyable adventure but without too many pretensions that focuses a lot on gags but that does not disdain more serious tones, although it is difficult to remain impassive every time sulks like Cloud or Squall in their adorable lilac form.
The Switch version
The Switch conversion of World of Final Fantasy, including the Maxima update immediately, appears more similar to the original release for PlayStation 4 than to that PlayStation Vita: the latter lacked shaders and anti-aliasing, so it returned a rather dirty and flat image. The PlayStation Vita version defended itself well, in terms of the hardware in question, but unfortunately it also lacked some slowdowns and too long loads, especially when the menus were opened. Knowing Square Enix's not-so-excellent track record in terms of conversions, our fear was that the Switch version was plagued by the same issues, instead we found ourselves faced with completely new critical issues. Net of an anti-aliasing a hair less effective in mode Dock, the Switch version is therefore practically identical to the PlayStation 4 in terms of lighting, frame rate anchored to 30 frames without noteworthy slowdowns and fast loading between screens or when opening and closing menus.
Problems arise more than anything else when switching to mode portatile, but not in the way you probably think: the resolution naturally drops, and World of Final Fantasy Maxima loses the anti-aliasing filter and gains a kind of blur effect thought probably to blur the infamous ladders and return a less dirty image. It's a ploy that works in part because the image is actually much cleaner than the PlayStation Vita version, which was the reference laptop until now, but also blurry and muddy. It is not particularly annoying, mind you, and in this sense the Switch version automatically becomes the best in portability, thanks to the possibility of putting the game on standby at any time, a very convenient feature especially in a JRPG like this one where the save points tend to be particularly distant.
However, we did encounter some bugs, and technical problems that we hope Square Enix will solve as soon as possible with some patches, which it has not yet done at the time we are writing these lines. When you switch from portable mode to the Dock with the software running, for example, the resolution does not change and the game smears the portable image on the TV screen with decidedly lackluster results: at that point the only solution is to close the software and restart it directly in the Dock, throwing the versatility of the entire system to the winds. Another even more troubling problem occurs when you go back to dashboards without closing the software and opening applications such as the eShop or the news page: at that point the interface faces slowdowns such as to plant the whole system, forcing the shutdown and the consequent restart ... with all due respect to any game left pending. Square Enix, what are you up to?
Comment
Tested version Nintendo Switch Resources4Gaming.com7.5
Readers (14)7.7
Your voteTaking into account all the additions related to the Maxima update, the Switch version of World of Final Fantasy is probably the best way to enjoy the bizarre spin-off even in portable mode, net of some small graphic downgrade compared to the PlayStation 4 and PC versions. . The Square Enix title is a little gem, embellished with new content, but we have decided to lower the vote by half a point due to the unjustifiable technical problems reported: consider it a round 8 in case a corrective patch should come out.
PRO
- It's a light-hearted and original RPG
- Lots of fanservice for Final Fantasy lovers
- The unreleased content of the Maxima upgrade is interesting and extends the experience
- Some really annoying technical problems
- All the advantages but also the defects of the original version
- No purchase if you already own the other versions: you can directly buy the Maxima upgrade separately
