Final Fantasy Explorers Reviews
Final Fantasy Explorers for the 3DS is an easy, accessible, and fairly shallow Final Fantasy-themed take on the monster-hunting game genre.
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 isn't short on hooks or good ideas, but it's too repetitive and grindy an experience while lacking Monster Hunter's character and depth. Fans of the saga will love the chance to tackle favourite summons or dress their Avatar like the series' best-loved heroes, but for most players the allure will wear off all too soon.
Final Fantasy Explorers adds a touch of that old Square magic to the monster hunting genre, complete with familiar job classes and abilities for Final Fantasy fans. It's not as technical as Monster Hunter so it'll feel shallow for veterans of that game. It's easier mechanics and faster pace make it more beginner-friendly, however, though everyone regardless of skill should be prepared for a serious grind.
At the end of the day though, Final Fantasy Explorers just feels shallow. It's not that it is a bad game, it's just painfully average in almost every respect. With some more graphical polish and more unique things to keep it in-line with the Final Fantasy universe, I think this game could have been a huge success. If you are a Monster Hunter or Final Fantasy diehard and want something new to play, this might fill the void for a little while, but at the end of the day, it just feels like a poor-man's attempt at Monster Hunter.
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 offers a lighter alternative to players intimidated by Monster Hunter, but know going in that it's a very light experience indeed.
Choose your job and embark on a boring adventure
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.
Enjoyment of Final Fantasy Explorers is defined by two things: nostalgia for Final Fantasy and the amount of immediate challenge desired.
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.
Dull encounters mean a great Job system never gets a chance to shine.
Interesting, but takes 20 hours to get going
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.
Final Fantasy Explorers is layered with systems and mechanics, some of which are great and others that aren't. It all works best when it's dripping with nostalgia, which might not make for an amazing game, but it makes for a good time if you're a fan of Final Fantasy. It doesn't have the nuance or depth of a Monster Hunter game, but it's a decent, enjoyable experience that is well worth checking out, especially if you can play locally or online.
While Final Fantasy Explorers isn't exactly a first, either for the series or RPGs, it's still an enjoyable game that can be experienced either alone or with friends. Some of the controls do hold it back, and there definitely could have been a bit more effort put into the storyline, but there are some very interesting and deep mechanics to experience here. Despite being a bit of a grind later on, it's definitely worthwhile when that perfect skill combination is found, or a flawless set of gear is crafted. Whether alone or with friends, Explorers is a worthy investment for those looking to scratch that RPG itch.
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.
An extremely strong start to a promising series, here's hoping we see Square Enix give this formula another shot soon.
[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.
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.