Final Fantasy Anthology
Categories: Final Fantasy games | 1998 computer and video games | 1999 computer and video games | 2002 computer and video games | PlayStation games
| Final Fantasy Anthology | |
| Developer(s) | Square Co., Ltd. |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Release date(s) | September 30, 1999 (NA) May 17, 2002 (EU) |
| Genre | Role-playing game |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation |
Final Fantasy Anthology is a compilation of two Square Co., Ltd. computer role-playing games, remade and re-released for the Sony PlayStation. The North American release includes the games Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI, while the European release includes Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy V. In Japan, all three games were released both individually and packaged together as part of a limited edition box set called Final Fantasy Collection. Although all three games differ little from the original Super Nintendo Entertainment System versions in terms of gameplay, graphics, and sound, a number of additional omake bonuses were added, including art galleries, bestiaries, and full motion video cutscenes not present in the original releases. Sound did not differ a lot, but unfortunately, some instruments from the original SNES versions were omitted from the PlayStation localization, making some of the in-game music seem to connoisseurs like something is missing.
The original Super Nintendo Final Fantasy V had not previously been released outside of Japan, although an English language software localization was produced for an abortive Microsoft Windows port. The original Super Nintendo Final Fantasy VI had previously been released in North America under the title Final Fantasy III, and the script from this localization was used, with minor changes (the item "Fenix Down" was renamed "Phoenix Down," for example, to give it the same meaning as in future games in the series), for the North American Final Fantasy Anthology release. Neither Final Fantasy IV nor Final Fantasy V had previously been released in Europe in any form. A fan translation project was made for Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy V by the J2e Translations and RPGe teams respectively. They differ from the Final Fantasy Anthology release only in terms of the script.
Final Fantasy Anthology was met with mixed reviews, especially from North American audiences who tended to be especially critical of the load time inherent in the CD-ROM format utilized by the PlayStation, but not in the original cartridge format utilized by the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Players could expect a 2-4 second load time when accessing the items menus, and the transition between fight scenes also suffered from lags.
As the North American release did not include the PlayStation remake of Final Fantasy IV, that title was subsequently packaged with Chrono Trigger and released as Final Fantasy Chronicles. The PlayStation remake of Final Fantasy VI was released separately in Europe. Early versions of the PlayStation 2 console were incompatible with both the North American and European versions of Final Fantasy Anthology, although these incompatibilities have since been addressed in later hardware revisions.
| Final Fantasy series |
|---|
| I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI | XII |
| Compilations and collections |
| I-II | Collection | Anthology | Chronicles | Origins | Dawn of Souls |
| Spinoffs and related titles |
| Before Crisis | Crisis Core | Dirge of Cerberus | X-2 | Rise of the Zilart | Chains of Promathia | Treasures of Aht Urhgan | Crystal Chronicles | Mystic Quest | Tactics | Tactics Advance | Kingdom Hearts | Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories | Kingdom Hearts II |
| Film and television |
| Advent Children | Last Order | Legend of the Crystals | The Spirits Within | Unlimited |