Okay, I made this as a post in the forums, but it was a good rant, so I figured I'd make it my first Blog here. Not that anyone will read it, but I thought it was worth saving. Anyway, here goes.


I'll try to keep this spoiler-free, plot wise, but I just HAD to complain about this game.
First I'll say that I LOVED FFIV. I played it on the SNES as a kid but never finished it, and was delighted when the DS version came out so that I could complete it. It was a great game (though the last dungeon was a bitch).


But The After Years. Oh god, The After Years.
The main game is fun. Playing as a new character and getting to interact with all of the old characters was awesome. It offered a new plot, and was fun to play for more than just nostalgia's sake.

And then, just as the plot was getting good, it ended. The main game is LESS THAN 5 HOURS LONG.


Now, this might have been acceptable, seeing as it is an $8 game, and it expects you to buy the DLC to have a full experience.
But that's the problem: The DLC is HORRIBLE.

I just completed my second DLC add-on, and I severely doubt I'm going to continue. Each one is less than 3 hours long. That's barely the intro in most RPGs.
Now, if they were actual continuations of the main game, this would be fine (in my eyes, I know some would disagree), but the problem is that each one starts you over again as a NEW CHARACTER.

Meaning that you have to level up from the beginning each time you start a new DLC. And by the time you level enough to even notice a difference in your stats, the game is over.

The whole reason RPGs are fun is that feeling of slowly getting stronger, easily kicking the asses of enemies that used to give you trouble, and building up to fight the final boss. All of these DLC add-ons just feel like playing the boring intro to a mediocre RPG over, and over, and over.

In short, unless you are a die-hard FF:IV fan who needs more content, do not waste your money on The After Years.