Takashi Tokita, lead designer on Final Fantasy IV and director of the upcoming PSP compilation, Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection, has said he believes that there are “two types” of Japanese role-playing games.
“I think that there are two types of JRPGs: ones that are character- and story-driven, versus the standard, classic JRPG,” Tokita told PlayStation.Blog. “Final Fantasy IV combines elements of both, but leans more towards the classic style. In that sense, much like a song that can be covered by other musicians over and over again for years to come, I think the classic JRPG is a style that will continue to exist moving forward.”
When asked how fans of the newer Final Fantasy titles, such as Final Fantasy XII and XIII, would receive Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection, he responded that it’ll allow them to experience the franchise’s origins.
“New generations of Final Fantasy fans are created as new game platforms are introduced. Based on what I’ve seen, many of the more recent fans came into the series with Final Fantasy X on the PS2. By playing Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection, these newer players will get a sense of the origin of Final Fantasy as well as the path the game took as it evolved into later incarnations.”
Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection launches for PSP on April 19, 2011.