Dissidia: New Benchmark for Fighting Games

Date: Nov 28 2009
Purchase Date: Since September
Type of game: Fighting with RPG feel
Features: 10 heroes and 10 villains from FF1-10. Story Mode. Multi-player. Arcade Mode and so on.
Who should get it: Final Fantasy fans although first-timers can enjoy it as well.

As you can see, I've played this game for a fair few months and this is the top game in my PSP and truth to be told, I've not touched the UMD nor played any other game upon getting my hands on Dissidia.

Well, enough of my dawdling and on to the actual topic itself. Dissidia: Final Fantasy as suggested in Square-Enix latest attempt in another of their epic games. This game is considered a "fanservice" game where the publishers seek to appease fans rather than aim to make a quick buck. Of course, with such an amazing product filled with many elements, it is little wonder that Square-Enix IS making a sizable profit from Dissidia.

A fighting game filled with 10 main heroes and 10 villains from the first 10 Final Fantasies, Dissidia already sends thousands of FF fans drooling. Imagine epic battles between Cloud of FF7 and Squall of FF8, this is a chance where Final Fantasy characters can battle each other across titles on an even footing. As such, this game incorporates many features to keep the fans happy and the replayability is definitely there. This is certainly not the kind of Fighting game you'd get bored after a week. This is Dissidia.

Graphics and Audio wise, I've given a cool 23/25 score and you will definitely not be disappointed. The graphics are top-notch on a mere handheld system and is comparable to a Playstation2 console. The characters are detailed and the battle stages are excellent, as for audio, prominent voice actors like Johnny Yong Bosch have been hired to add more glitter to the star-studded cast. If you are wondering, Bosch voices Firion of Final Fantasy 2.

In terms of music and battle themes which Square-Enix are so famed for. Any FF fan would not be disappointed, there is a wide array of Final Fantasy themes to pick from in your favorite battle. These themes are from the actual games themselves and bring together a totally nostalgic feel. The likes of One-Winged Angel or FFIV's catchy battle theme playing over your fight will certainly keep fans happy. My only gripe would be the english voice actors, this may sound strange considering I just praised them but they're nowhere as fitting in their role than their Japanese counterparts. Don't get me wrong, the Enlish voice actors did an awesome job, but the Japanese ones were better.

Excellent Graphics? Check. Great Audio? Check.

Gameplay: The heart and soul of any game. For a Fighting game, the gameplay here is surprisingly addictive and fun. As mentioned, it incorporated a RPG feel to the game where players can level their characters, learn and equip skills as well as unlock new flashy moves. The RPG elements here sets this game apart from your other Fighting game titles like Tekken or Soul Calibur. You have to hunt materials and other weapons to make your own improved gear and each gear has their unique functions. Eg: Getting an Adamant set will give you bonuses to your characters in battle. As such, there are many possibilities and builds to play around with your characters and this offers hundred of hours of gaming.

For a fighting game, this receives top score for its gameplay. Unfortunately, points have to be taken from its shoddy Story Mode although this can be forgiven. As a fighting game, one does not expect a decent Story Mode or even one at all. However, Square-Enix who have churned out better stories than some of the popular bestsellers out there disappoints us with their boring and bland story. I will not cover too much about this since this is well, a fighting game and not your traditional Final Fantasy game. If you are expecting a great enthralling tale, you are looking at the wrong section. *points to FFX*

Creativity: Wow need I say anymore, this game is a brilliant one of a kind. A fighting game with RPG elements? A unique yet newbie-friendly fighting system? An easy-to-pick-up controls despite the many features of the game? This has got to be one of the most creative Fighting games I've ever seen. It does seem overly generous to give it 25/25 for creativity but there it is, I just can't seem to think how to denounce this game.

Fun: Are you kidding me? This game is amazingly fun. I've clocked over 200 hours on this game and I know people who hit over 500. Not only do you have wonderful computer AI to spar with, you can play against friends as well. Its Multiplayer function makes up half of this game's attraction. If you've a PS3, hook up the ad-hoc party and you can play with people all over the world and trust me, nothing beats the satisfaction of defeating a real human player. Even if you do not have ad-hoc party function, you can still play with friends who have this game or head down to your local hobby shops and look for challengers. Sounds fun? That's not all, there are Dissidia Tournaments as well. Yes, this game is popular enough to warrant its own e-sport. You can find local tournaments hosted or look for them online. Whichever it is, get ready for HOURS of fun.

All in all, this is a wonderful title. It's been no.1 on GameFaqs PSP section ever since it's out and is still going strong. The community there is excellent as well as the numerous guides uploaded by players. Head down to www.gamefaqs.com to exchange tips with fellow players. You can also visit youtube to look up some videos of the dissidia gameplay and trust me, you will be impressed.

As a conclusion, this is a must-have game for any Final Fantasy fans out there. If you've never touched a game of FF before, fret not. The learning curve is simple and require no background knowledge of FF1-10 to enjoy Dissidia. Although it will make it more fun if you played them before obviously. A worthy purchase and a strong contender for PSP Game of the Year.