Final Fantasy Anthology: European Edition

Final Fantasy Anthology offers two games in one package. This PlayStation PAL release was created by Square Soft in response to demand from fans of the Final Fantasy series of role-playing games. Two compact discs contain the previously Japanese-only released Final Fantasy IV and V.

FINAL FANTASY IV, known in the US as Final Fantasy II, follows the exploits of Cecil, a Black Knight and former leader of the Red Wings who questions the orders of his king and is demoted because of this. From here, he embarks on a journey that will span worlds and decide the fate of the entire kingdom.

Battles are turn-based, but introduced to the series is the Active Time Battle (ATB) concept, which forces players to be quick with their decision-making because, despite the turn-based nature of the title, enemies can attack at brief intervals. The player's party can consist of as many as five people at one time and throughout the adventure, characters will leave and join up with the party.

The characters themselves are divided into classes and possess specific attributes and skills. Kain, for example, is able to use a jump ability in battle while Rosa wields white magic. Known as the "Easytype," the original US release excluded particular items, abilities, and spells, all of which have been restored for this release, dubbed "Hardtype." As part of the update, new FMV cutscenes are interjected throughout the game.

In FINAL FANTASY V, you control five characters who are trying to stop an ancient evil from returning to the world. At the start of the game the winds suddenly stop, leaving the lands mysteriously still. The king of Tycoon Castle decides to investigate the Wind Crystal (the world's source of wind) and disappears in the process. His daughter Reina sets out to find him but discovers a large meteor blocking her path. She then meets up with Bartz, a youth who lives his life as a traveler and adventurer, and Galuf, an old man who had been injured and has no memory of his past.

When this group arrives at the sacred resting place of the Wind Crystal, they find the fabled gem shattered. The broken essence of the crystal speaks to them and reveals that they are the chosen ones - and are tasked to discover and stop an ancient evil. From here an epic adventure begins, one that will span three worlds on a quest for knowledge and the destruction of evil.

In addition to its storyline, Final Fantasy V contains other unique elements. Most notable of these features is the Job System. When certain events take place, items will be acquired which allow new "job classes" to be used. Each job has specific abilities and the more Ability Points gained from each job, the better a character can become at those particular skills. This allows almost complete freedom for character advancement and another aspect of strategy in party development.

The new versions of these games feature lengthy movie sequences at the beginning of each adventure, which gives fans a chance to see more realistically rendered versions of the characters in the game.