Having said that, Square Enix are just superb. Whilst rattling off a dozen epic titles to boldy support this statement, let's take a moment to think about the background of the Final Fantasy legacy for starters. Final Fantasy IV Advance was originally released in the US as Final Fantasy II in 1991. That was a while ago and many changes have taken place in the graphical 2D world of Cecil the Dark Knight.

Final Fantasy IV Advance stays true to the RPG template used in previous FF games. The main differences between this release of the game and the 1991 version is basically related to improved graphics, better sound quality and overall, better environmental effects. There is also a more detailed combat system. Well, that just about covers everything you could want in a game. Review complete.

Okay, so the review isn't quite complete. We were being humorous. Cecil wouldn't be too happy if we didn't dedicate at least one paragraph to his valour and heroism. So, the Dark Knight Cecil is on a mission. This is where Final Fantasy IV Advance begins. As one of the Baron's henchmen, Cecil returns from a mission to gather crystals for the Baron, only to be stripped of his rank and sent off on another more perilous mission accompanied by his friend, Kain. Without question, Cecil obeys and sets off with Kain to find and kill the Ice Dragon.

The game has three main areas, which are the main menu, inventory and battle screen. The main menu is a map of the area where your character is located. Battle screen is self explanatory as is inventory. As Cecil, you get to travel through towns, caverns, forests and various other landscapes as you progress through the game. The graphics and detail are standard for a GBA game so in other words, not too great. But it's not the graphics of the game that matter. The storyline and characters are the essence of what makes Final Fantasy IV Advance fun to play.