On day 27 of my Final Fantasy Marathon, I finished Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster. Today, I’m starting Final Fantasy IV The After Years.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years is a rare direct sequel to a Final Fantasy game, though it was released 17 years after its predecessor, Final Fantasy IV. The game is set 17 years after the events of the previous game.

It follows the tale of the original cast, plus some new characters. The game was originally released for mobile phones in Japan and then was ported to WiiWare in the U.S.

It was later released as part of a bundle with Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy IV Interlude on the PlayStation Portable. The WiiWare version featured 2D graphics similar to those in FFIV Pixel Remaster.

The game was remade in 3D for iOS and Android phones and that version was later ported to Steam. Unfortunately, it is the Steam version I’m playing.

The 3D graphics are hideous and weirdly monotone, and I’d much prefer a 2D port, but it is what it is. I have previously completed the game and unlocked all the Steam achievements.

Episodic format

This game has a unique episodic format in which you can choose from a list of tales to play in whichever order you choose, though some later game content is locked behind completing previous installments.

I choose to start with Ceodore’s Tale. Since I have finished this content before, I have the option of choosing “New Game+” but I’m going to start a New Game from scratch. I may do a second New Game+ playthrough after I finish this one.

Obligatory scroll

The game opens with an obligatory scroll explaining the story so far. Long ago, the prayers of an entire people saved the Blue Planet.

Today, the heir of the holy paladin is departing on a quest. The second moon, which took off at the end of the previous game, has returned and keeps growing larger.

The nepo baby

Ceodore Harvey is the Prince of Baron and the son of Cecil and Rosa, the heroes of Final Fantasy IV. He’s a rather short teenager with spikey blonde hair and weird-looking armor with strange spikes on it.

He’s riding on an airship with Wedge and Biggs, his superior officers. Wedge can tell he is nervous, so he suggests talking to the other soldiers.

I have a chat with everyone and then return to Wedge. He says we are on our way to Adamant Isle, which is the location from the previous game, where I met the tail collector.

There, Cecil will undergo an initiation trial to become a knight. Wedge says that Cecil is overjoyed to see Ceodore finally taking on this task.

The asshole

Wedge speaks in glowing terms of Ceodore’s hero parents. Ceodore says he’s just another soldier.

Biggs shows up and says he’s not even that. He’s just a squire and joining the Red Wings isn’t the easy lark it was in King Cecil’s day.

Cecil says something Biggs doesn’t like and he hauls off and backhands him. Wedge runs over to check on the Prince, while Biggs tells him to learn to keep his mouth shut.

We land on Adamant Isle. Biggs tells me to report to the village of Mythril and await further orders.

Moon phases

I head into the town and Biggs tells me that I must obtain the Knight’s Emblem from deep inside the Adamant Isle Grotto. However, I can’t get in until the moon is full.

I ask why and Wedge explains that the light from the moon affects all creatures on the planet. Magic and physical attacks have strengths and weaknesses that change with the moon phases.

The moon phases change with the passage of time, and also move up one phase whenever you rest at an inn or pitch a tent. During the full moon, black magic is stronger, but physical attacks are only half as powerful.

However, this cuts both ways. Enemies will also cast stronger black magic, but have weaker physical attacks. Adjusting your tactics to fit the phase of the moon can help you win battles.

Loot

Like the Pixel Remaster games, there are items and treasure chests scattered around the towns and dungeons. However, unlike those games, the map doesn’t tell you how many there are in any given area.

You have to either check everything or use a guide on the internet. I’m going to try to play this first run without using any guides, so I’ll probably miss some stuff.

The second time through, I’ll use a walkthrough so I can see what I missed. Most of the stuff I find is common items.

I find a Ruby Ring and return it to the Pig that lost it for 500 gil. I also pick up a few healing items and a tent at the item shop.

To progress the story, I have to spend the night at the Inn, which moves us into the Full Moon phase.

Ceodore’s trial

When I leave the inn, a soldier is waiting to tell me Captain Biggs is waiting for me at the grotto. Biggs scolds me for being late to my own mission and calls me a worthless squire.

He is such a joy. Biggs and Wedge join my party and we head into the grotto after I collect some basic gear from the treasure chests.

Along the way, we encounter some weak enemies and I get a brief tutorial on the game’s battle mechanics. It has an ATB system like FF IV, but adds the moon effects and a special ability called a band.

Bands are multi-person techniques. They require more than one party member, but can result in powerful attacks and other special abilities.

Only party members with deep bonds learn band abilities. Biggs and Wedge demonstrate their Vibra Plus Band, which doesn’t sound gay at all.

Now that the tutorial is over, Biggs and Wedge leave the party and I’m on my own. Biggs tells me to come back alive or forget about making the Red Wings.

All by myself

The enemies here are weak, but they attack mostly in groups of four. Since Ceodore has no black magic, that means at least four rounds for every fight and even with the auto-battle speeding things up, it’s a bit tedious.

The game has save points that work the same as FFIV, except they also move the moon phase forward when you use a tent or cottage. This can come in handy when you want to play to your strengths or negate an enemies, by changing the moon phase or you’re hunting an enemy that only appears during a specific phase.

I find some Iron Gloves and equip them. I reach the chest with the Knight’s Emblem, but when I try to get it, an enemy attacks.

Ceodore gets woke

A giant Sand Worm attacks. I’m not doing a ton of damage to it, until I decide to toss an Arctic Wind at it.

I guess I pissed it off, because it countered with a tornado type attack that knocked my HP down to 1. Wedge and Biggs show up and Wedge asks if I’m OK.

I tell them to back off because this is my battle to fight. As I trudge back into battle, I unlock a new ability that fully restores my HP.

I finish off the Sand Worm in a couple rounds and claim the Knight’s Emblem and learn the ability Awaken. This ability fully restores Ceodore’s HP, removes some status ailments and boosts his defense, but after three rounds, he loses his buffs and his HP becomes critical.

I assume Awaken wearing off is why Ceodore collapses after the battle. Wedge casts Cura on him and he gets back up.

Wedge praises Ceodore, saying he has amazing powers. Biggs and Wedge rejoin the party and we leave the grotto.

Return to Baron

I return to the airship and tell the soldier I’m ready to go back to Baron. Biggs asks how it feels to be a knight.

I say I’m not sure and Biggs says of course not. The Knight’s Emblem is just a test. It only signifies the start of my journey.

I won’t truly be a Red Wing for a long time yet. Wedge can’t wait for me to become a paladin like my dad.

However, I’m not so sure I want to follow in my father’s footsteps. A soldier runs up reporting a large group of monsters attacking the ship.

He also points out smoke coming from the direction of Baron. Monsters attack. They are more powerful than those in the grotto, but nothing we can’t handle.

Cecil

The scene shifts to Cecil sitting on his throne in Baron. His armor is even weirder and spikier than Ceodore’s.

His formerly purple hair is also now a blonde bouffant, somewhat reminiscent of Edward’s. His blue and gold headband make him look vaguely Swedish.

Rosa is also standing in the throne room when a soldier runs in to report a large horde of monsters headed toward Baron. She says their numbers were supposed to be dwindling.

Cecil tells Rosa to wait and goes off to see what is happening. He looks ridiculous, but fights well, easily taking down the monsters he runs across with his giant sword.

Cecil is perplexed that monsters are inside the keep, even though the gate was secured.

He continues through the castle, fighting through some scripted encounters along the way. Rosa shows up.

She says she is coming with Cecil. He says he won’t let her put herself in danger, and she says same to you.

Rosa points out that having a white mage by his side will allow Cecil to focus on fighting and he agrees to let her come with him. But first, he makes her promise that if things get bad, she will abandon him and take care of Ceodore, even if that means leaving Cecil to die.

Rosa is like, “sure!” Cecil realizes the monsters must have come from the air.

Moon montage

Rosa notices that the second moon has returned. Cecil wonders if that is Golbez’s moon and if so, why is it returning now?

Cid shows up and wants to know what Cecil has been doing this whole time. He asks where Ceodore is and Cecil says he’s out questing for the Knight’s Emblem, but he’ll be OK because he has Biggs with him.

Cid says they better do something before the monsters ruin Ceodore’s celebration banquet. He joins the party.

A losing battle

Monsters attack the party and keep coming in waves. Cecil and Cid learn the band skill “Machine Break.”

Cecil decides Baron is not going to be able to hold out and asks Cid to get Rosa out and go find Ceodore. Rosa objects, but Cecil says this is the king’s orders.

Not Rydia

Cecil sees the shadow of Bahamut pass over the castle. A mysterious green-haired girl shows up and Cecil initially thinks it is Rydia, but quickly realizes his mistake.

The Mysterious Girl summons Bahamut to attack Cecil. This is an unwinnable fight, so I unequip Cecils’ sword and shield.

After a few rounds Bahamut counts down and then KO’s Cecil with his Mega Flare attack. The Mysterious Girl says this is the limit of a “half-breed.”

Ceodore in trouble

Ceodore senses something is wrong with his father. Biggs orders the airship to go maximum speed, but the crew is already going as hard as they can.

The ship takes damage to the wing and loses control. Ceodore crashes to the deck and everything goes white.

Trouble in the Land of Summons

The scene shifts to the Chamber of the Eidolon King. Rydia is there in her ridiculous long-sleeved bathing suit with her cheeks hanging out and knee socks outfit.

The King senses danger and tells Rydia she must leave at once. He then teleports her away.

The Mysterious Girl shows up and tells the King and Queen that Bahamut is already under her control. She then turns the rest of the Eidolons to stone.

Everyone has a bad feeling about this

We get a montage of various characters noticing the Tower of Babil is back, starting with Edge. We see the Tower lighting up.

Last of the Red Wings

Ceodore’s airship has crashed and it appears that Ceodore is the only survivor. However, Biggs isn’t dead yet, just nearly dead.

Biggs orders Ceodore to return to Baron. Ceodore says he can’t possibly do that on his own, because he is just a squire.

This sends Biggs into a flashback where he remembers confronting the Dark Knight Cecil about the murder the Red Wings did in Mysidia at the start of FFIV.

Biggs says Ceodore is the last of the Red Wings and must obey his order to return to Baron at whatever cost. Ceodore vows to return and Biggs dies.

The hooded man

Ceodore begins the long walk home, but runs into some monsters. He takes out the first two, but the third is more than he can handle.

Fortunately, a hooded man intervenes. He says Ceodore didn’t look completely useless, but taking on a monster like that is suicidal.

Ceodore says he must return to Baron, no matter the cost. The Hooded Man questions how he will get there with no airship.

He tells Ceodore to come with him to Mysidia. He says they can reach Baron from there.

He says he has urgent business of his own in Baron. Ceodore introduces himself to the hooded man, but the hooded man says he gave up his name long ago.

Mysidia

We walk to nearby Mysidia and the Hooded Man tells Ceodore that someone in the Hall of Prayer can break the seal on the Devil’s Road for us. In the Hall of Prayer, we find a woman with pink hair and yet another ridiculous outfit.

Turns out it’s Porom. She remembers meeting Ceodore when he was very young. Ceodore asks if someone can break the seal on the Devil’s Road.

Porom wants to know why he wants to use it. He tells her about the trouble in Baron. She summons a generic white and black mage.

Porom says the white mage can break the seal. She also says the road is dangerous and tells the two mages to go with us.

She says she’d go herself, but she can’t leave the Hall of Prayer empty right now. Porom asks the hooded man who he is, and he claims he’s nobody she knows.

I pick up some supplies and equipment and rest at the inn and then have the white mage break the seal so we can enter the Devil’s Road.

The Devil’s Road

The Devil’s Road is a maze of teleporters with a few chests scattered around. I get a Sage’s Surplice, which I give to Cecil.

I find a Silver Apple, which also goes to Cecil. We emerge from the road in Baron and loot the town of it’s hidden items, before resting at the inn and restocking.

Baron Castle

We attempt to enter the Castle, but the guards say nobody can come in, on orders from the king. Ceodore is like, dude, I live here!

The guards don’t seem to recognize him. The Hooded Man says we are wasting our time and we leave.

The Old Waterway

Ceodore says the guards were acting strange. The Hooded Man says it’s like last time. He tells the group we can sneak into the castle through the waterway in town.

We return to Baron and get the Baron key from Cid’s daughter. I also find a Lustful Lali-Ho on their bookshelf.

We enter the waterway. I find a Soma Drop, which I decide to hang on to for later.

Baron Castle part two

We get into the Castle and Ceodore calls for his parents, but they don’t answer. The Hooded Man asks Ceodore who his parents are and is shocked to learn they are Cecil and Rosa.

Ceodore decides to go look for his parents on his own and leaves the party. The generic mages also take off, saying they need to warn Mysidia that something bad is going down.

The Hooded Man says he can barely hear a voice. He goes into the dungeon and finds the castle guards locked up.

He decides Ceodore is in danger and goes to look for him. In the throne room, he finds Cecil and initially is happy to discover he seems OK.

However, Cecil is acting like an asshole. He dismisses the Hooded Man as a beggar and the Hooded Man leaves.

Sweet little lies

Ceodore finds The Hooded Man and says it seems nobody is home. The Hooded Man says it seems so.

Ceodore says he couldn’t find Cid’s airship either. The Hooded Man hopes Cid made it out safely.

The pair leave the castle and the guards want to know how they got in. The Hooded Man asks Ceodore what he will do now.

Ceodore says he is going to look for the Enterprise. He asks the Hooded Man what he will do, but before he can answer, the scene shifts.

Journey to Mist

We are back in the throne room and Cecil is feeling uneasy about the Hooded Man. He orders his guards to go after him.

Cecil and the Hooded Man see the guards coming after them and decide it’s time to split. The Hooded Man says they should go to the Mist Cave.

The pair learn the Cross Slash Band. I save the game and quit at two hours and 46 minutes in.