Final Fantasy Record Keeper

FREE
Final Fantasy Record Keeper
8

Performance

 8.0/10

Gameplay

 9.0/10

Visuals

 7.0/10

Story

 8.0/10

Pros

  • Performs very well
  • Looks as good as the anime (probably better)
  • Great roster of characters
  • Frequent content updates

Cons

  • Story takes a while to pick up
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Everyone remembers their first Final Fantasy game, and for the most part that game is invariably their favourite. My introduction into the Final Fantasy Universe was through Final Fantasy VII, arguably one of the best Final Fantasy games to come from the series.

On March 25th, 2015, Square Enix released Final Fantasy Record Keeper as a free downloadable game for mobile devices. It is an 8-bit game of epic proportions, which fits comfortably in what is expected from a game with the Final Fantasy moniker.

I was quick to download Final Fantasy Record Keeper and immerse myself into the nostalgia. The game collects snippets from each of the Final Fantasy games (I to XIII), excluding spin-offs and online versions. You are the record keeper Tyro, responsible for preserving the memories contained in the Great Chronicle. Something goes wrong and you have to travel through all of the memories to save them.

These trips down memory lane are bittersweet reminders of wins and losses shared. You have to complete familiar battles and are reunited with old friends. In your travels you are rewarded with memory crystals that unlock characters from each of the Final Fantasy games. Each character has their role in a party, and you can mix and match your parties to suit the various dungeons you encounter.

You set up your team of up to 5 characters, and enter into dungeons armed with weapons and abilities. Ability uses are limited and do not recharge while you are in the dungeons and any character KOd does not revive until you complete the dungeon. You do have the option to use mithril to refresh abilities and revive fallen comrades. Mithril is a prized possession in Final Fantasy Record Keeper, as collecting enough can help you purchase new items for your characters. It is highly recommended to keep your mithril for these item drops as they will help make the game easier.

Once you have completed a dungeon, you are awarded points based on your performance in battle. The better you do in the dungeon the higher your experience point multiplier, which goes a long way in levelling your characters up quickly. Grinding is quite necessary to get your characters to a high enough level to take on the hardest dungeons.

Final Fantasy Record Keeper also hosts a number of events that allow you the chance to play through key events in certain Final Fantasy games. In these events you can unlock new characters, collect new items, and level up your characters. Each dungeon gets progressively harder, but the rewards become increasingly better as you progress.

Not to do things by half measures, the designers at Square Enix also created item upgrades and ability refinement with the ever-familiar ‘mithril’ that are collected as drops when defeating enemies. These add the elements that make Final Fantasy games so addictive and challenging. Your strategic mind will be tested in this game.

“Once upon a time…

… there was a kingdom. Its glory was measured in magic and art, and above all else, stories.

The records of the Great Chronicle are the foundation of all order and balance.

To preserve these stories, the record keepers used powerful magic to bind them in paintings of great beauty.

The Opera House, Midgar, Zanarkand…

All these records of stories past were kept safe within the Royal Archives.

Until one day…”

Since downloading Final Fantasy Record Keeper in March, I have not been able to spend a single day away from playing the game. The best part, is that I have not spent a single cent to enjoy the full experience. There are In-App purchases, but they are not necessary to enjoy the game and this is an aspect of the game that I really love. It is easy to get frustrated by a game that requires in-app purchases, but Final Fantasy Record Keeper gives you the option to completely circumvent this. The only downside to the game is that it requires a connection to the internet to play. Which tends to get frustrating when you are travelling in a train that goes through many dead-zone tunnels. However, the overall pros of the game override the limitation set by online only play.

I can wholeheartedly recommend this game for any Final Fantasy fanatic. With all the excitement following the announcement of the Final Fantasy VII HD Remaster, Final Fantasy Record Keeper can help fill the gap until release day.

Platform iOS
Difficulty Normal
Time to Complete 20 Hours
Acquisition Free on the Apple App Store
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Admin wizard by day, stargazer by night, and bibliophile by choice; Hannah is an echo boomer (millennial) with a penchant for spending time seeking to prove the existence of the X-gene and figuring out how to get beamed aboard the Enterprise.