About two years ago, “Theatrhythm Final Fantasy” was released as a tribute to the series 25 years of “Final Fantasy.” Though it looked like a simple spin-off rhythm game with not much substance, it was one of the most solid rhythm games ever made. The use of the touch screen and the movements required for each note added an extra layer of depth and challenge for years worth of replay ability. The struggle in getting an S rank and the small selection of great music makes for a sort of isolated experience; it may be difficult to explain, but “Theatrhythm” was a unique experience worthy of anyone’s time. With the release of “Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call,” it didn’t seem like there would be much of a point to it. The controls were already perfectly tuned and any song not in the final game was up for DLC. And to be fair, they didn’t just necessarily rehash the same game; while many of the tracks retain the same beats to be hit, a majority of them have either been extended or made more complex for veterans of the original. There have also been some additions to control options, now allowing for either button/directional pad, button/stylus hybrid and one-handed L button/directional pad; though the selection is nice, the only comfortable and most precise is control is still the stylus. On a more superficial level, the visuals have been upped tenfold: more intricate, stylized and just overall nice to look at. More specifically, during a song, executing a Critical beat will bring forth a beautiful firework like spectacle, and the lines for beats have a brilliant rainbow bubble like texture. There has even been an increase in the backgrounds and sets during songs, though this isn’t always helpful as it can be distracting during many of the songs. And, for me personally, the addition of an airship version of the field music stages has to be the most vomit-inducing thing that I have ever experienced, and I’ve never been susceptible to motion sickness, so be wary if you are interested in checking out this game. The song count has been increased to over 200 songs, and while more always seems to be better, it makes all the songs lose that sense of specialty, and makes for more a chore to complete them all, rather than a satisfying goal. Although, some of the additional songs are a decent addition and at least make buying this version worth something. Even the addition of an online versus is a reason for purchasing the game, as it is so difficult to find anyone around who actually owns a copy of the game to play versus in the original version, utilizing the 3DS’s online ability makes for hours of fun. In all, there is a lot more going for this game on a superficial level, and it does retain a large amount of what was found in the first game. So, if you do want to buy one of the two, “Theaterhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call” is the more sound for future enjoyment and the better bang for your buck. But, if you are a true connoisseur of rhythm games, lack Wi-Fi and want a more personal experience, go with “Theatrhythm Final Fantasy” instead.
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More than just an update: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call reveiw
December 12, 2014
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