Final Fantasy Explorers Reviews
Presenting itself as a large dose of fan service, with fun combat sequences and a very good cooperative component, it fails when it starts to get too repetitive and simplistic and its level of challenge comes off as not balanced enough. This intersection between Final Fantasy and Monster Hunter will mostly satisfy the fans of the former but disappoint those of the latter.
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Final Fantasy Explorers for the 3DS is an easy, accessible, and fairly shallow Final Fantasy-themed take on the monster-hunting game genre.
It's easy to dismiss Final Fantasy Explorers as little more than a shameless copy of Monster Hunter, and while it's true that the game is short on original ideas and lacks the devilish complexity of Capcom's million-selling series, it would be grossly unfair to ignore the game entirely. While the Job system isn't as deep and involving as Monster Hunter's weapon-based classes and the short quests quickly descend into repetition, the online side of the game is solid and the allure of forging new items ensures that the desire to find the best loot is always at the front of your mind.Then there's the setting and the generous helpings of fan-service; while the Final Fantasy brand has arguably been abused by its owner with some distinctly lackluster outings in recent years, it still offers an incredibly appealing universe to inhabit, and hardcore fans left cold by Monster Hunter's locales might find this familiar fantasy realm a little more appealing - especially when it's possible to invoke the spirits of Cloud, Tidus, Yuna and Tifa, as well as many other famous Final Fantasy characters. Ultimately though, Final Fantasy Explorers feels like an entry point for the genre rather than a true rival to Capcom's crown - it's accessible and enjoyable, but the shallow nature of the gameplay might leave seasoned players feeling a little cold after extended play.
Even though all of its individual pieces did their job, there wasn't much that made me want to keep playing Final Fantasy Explorers. Even scenic landscapes and potent sentimentality can't save the game from bland combat and repetitive missions.
Would a deeper story and some interesting characters put Final Fantasy Explorers over the top? Sure it would have. But considering how well it does just about everything else and just how much there is to do, those omissions are more than forgivable. Final Fantasy Explorers is a game that both newcomers and veterans to the online Action RPG genre should enjoy greatly.
Choose your job and embark on a boring adventure
Final Fantasy Explorers offers a lighter alternative to players intimidated by Monster Hunter, but know going in that it's a very light experience indeed.
I like what Square Enix has done with Final Fantasy Explorers. It has some real potential to be great, but as it stands, it might fall short slightly with a more seasoned Final Fantasy adventurer.
Final Fantasy Explorers can be an engaging experience, but with a slow start, a lack of communication options for multiplayer, and a lack of polish, it's hard to recommend.
Interesting, but takes 20 hours to get going
Dull encounters mean a great Job system never gets a chance to shine.
Thankfully, one hallmark of Square Enix games remains praiseworthy here, and that is the music. Apart from the battle victory fanfare, the score is completely original, though everything immediately fits into the Final Fantasy musical compendium. Heavy on synthesized strings and woodwind instruments, it mixes beautifully with the environments and distress of each situation. Voices are limited to grunts and sighs, but at least the sound effects are as varied as the abilities and weapon strikes they are paired with. Monster Hunter is a unique action-RPG series that has benefited by not having many comparable games encroach on its turf. Final Fantasy Explorers is a blatant attempt to seize some of that territory by tapping into the extensive lore of its franchise. It certainly succeeds in providing a forum for building personalized heroes to show off in cooperative missions, and has enough content to supply hundreds of hours to those interested. It doesn't, however, have the strategic girth, the environmental depth and detail, nor the quirky and engaging story and characters that Capcom has perfected with its series.
Enjoyment of Final Fantasy Explorers is defined by two things: nostalgia for Final Fantasy and the amount of immediate challenge desired.
I had a really rough time with Final Fantasy Explorers. Comparing it to Capcom's already established series was always on my mind, and honestly, it's unavoidable when you're familiar with it and a big fan of the franchise.
When playing with others the visual prompts used to co-ordinate skill use and crystal surges are masterful, and should be taken note of by any developer looking to create a modern multiplayer game without voice chat
Final Fantasy Explorers is a poor Monster Hunter clone but still a reasonably fun game. It's a lot of fun to team up with three friends and beat your way through Bombs, Chocobos and Tonberries, even if it ends up feeling repetitive after a while. Those who've cut their teeth on Capcom's beasts will probably find the gameplay too basic, but newcomers to the genre, especially Final Fantasy fans, should find it to be a good introduction to the basics. It's not the best hunting game on the market, but it's one of the most accessible, especially to those used to the slower pace of RPGs.
Although initially quite enjoyable and filled with aspects that fans of the series will enjoy, the repetitive nature of the game is an absolute killer. The fan service is enough to get players interested, but not enough to keep them satisfied. For those in the audience that just happen to be fans of both Final Fantasy and Monster Hunter, this may be enjoyable in the short term, but, ultimately, Final Fantasy Explorers feels like somewhat of a failed experiment.
[T]here are issues in Final Fantasy Explorers, but the qualities that it does have that meant I couldn't put it down overrode all of those.
An extremely strong start to a promising series, here's hoping we see Square Enix give this formula another shot soon.
Had Square not played it so safe, Explorers would be a much better game than it is; as it stands, I'd definitely recommend this one for those who feel the Monster Hunter series is a bit too inaccessible and/or those who love Final Fantasy, but for everyone else, they might be safe to pass on this one in favor of greener pastures elsewhere.