Final Fantasy The 4 Heroes of Light: Square Enix

Written by Nicole Kline  on September 10, 2010

Interview: We chat with Takashi Tokita about Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light.

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Takashi Tokita has had a long and storied career at Japanese RPG powerhouse Square Enix. Since joining the company in 1985, Tokita has been involved in the development of many of the company's most memorable classics, including Chrono Trigger and Parasite Eve. Recently, he's been in the director's chair for Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, a retro-tinged "side story" in the Final Fantasy saga.

We had a chance to speak to Tokita about the game and here's what he had to say about Square Enix's latest handheld endeavor:

Gaming Target: What made you choose the DS as the platform for this new Final Fantasy spin-off?

Tokita: The Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy IV remakes for Nintendo DS were well-received, but the staff reunited and began working on this title with the goal of creating an entirely new game while using knowledge and skills we gained in working on the Final Fantasy remake titles.

GT: What made you decide to go with design choices so similar in style to the remakes of Final Fantasy III and IV?

Tokita: The same reasons as noted above. But as this is a new title rather than a remake, things didn't go as smoothly as with the remakes, and it involved a lot of trial and error.

GT: What gave you the inspiration to use the Crown System?

Tokita: We wanted to create a new type of job system, so the Crown system was created based on an idea created by the staff at Matrix. With this system, we think that you will be able to experience the excitement of job changes while enjoying the freedom provided by avatar-style customization at the same time!

GT: How many Crowns are there in the system?

Tokita: A total of twenty-six crowns! A number of these are very rare, so please play the game to find them all!

GT: What is your favorite Crown, and why?

Tokita: My personal favorite is the Fighter! I've always preferred the monk over the warrior, as I've always liked characters that develop without relying on weapons. As a professional wrestling fan, this aspect really appeals to me!



GT: What was the impetus behind switching from a Magic Point system to an Action Point system?

Tokita: As a handheld game, we wanted to increase the speed of the game play, resulting in a battle system that consolidates customized commands into the Action Point Battle System. It's simple, but because it's simple, your choice of jobs and abilities becomes crucial.

GT: About how many hours will the gameplay be? For people just playing the story vs people who want to complete it all?

Tokita: A simple play through can take roughly twenty hours, but expect to take twice as long if you want to explore everything that the game offers.

GT: Speaking of completing it all, is there a level cap for the characters?

Tokita: Unfortunately, yes (laugh), but rather than master the character level, you will find that it is more rewarding to master all of the jobs! Enjoy!

GT: What's your favorite Final Fantasy game that you've worked on? How about played?

Tokita: Final Fantasy IV is quite memorable since I was fully involved with that title. Otherwise, the very first Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II, which took me by surprise in its story-driven nature and narrative proficiency. Final Fantasy V with its high quality finish, and Final Fantasy VII, which represented a turning point in the series with its impactful 3D graphics, are also memorableЧit looks like the evolution of the series!

GT: Finally, what's your favorite RPG ever?

Tokita: Of course, the titles I've worked on ought to be different, but even amongst them I enjoyed Chrono Trigger, because you can sense the competition that went into designing each era!

GT: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us.

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light will be released for the DS on October 5.