Review by Roger Hargreaves – It's Square Enix we blame for making us look like Final Fantasy haters.

Final Fantasy XII was (mostly) great, but since then we've had the rubbish Compilation Of Final Fantasy VII spin-offs and remakes of all of the least worthy of the older era games.

Although you do wish they'd hurry up and get to the really good ones this is a far more interesting prospect.

This was the first Final Fantasy game released for the SNES and although it did get a US release, where it was known as Final Fantasy II, it never originally came out in the UK.

If only because it was one of the few early games to appear in the West it's something of a fan favourite.

Subsequent SNES entries are clear improvements in almost every way, but none make as big an evolutionary step.

The game's Tolkienesque storyline seems cliched and trite now, but at the time the clearly drawn characters and relatively complex themes they explored were a revolution in role-playing.

The fact that main character Cecil is not the country bumpkin of most role-playing titles is certainly a plus and most of your allies are as interesting.

The main villain is no Kefka or Sephiroth though.

The game's most important legacy is the active time battle system, versions of which were still being used in modern Final Fantasies until very recently.

It's turn based, with each character able to make their move once an onscreen timer has run out.

Some attacks take longer than others, so there is a fair amount of tactics involved. Naturally for a game of this era all battles are initiated randomly.

As with Final Fantasy III this has been completely remade in 3D, with new CGI cut scenes and even (badly) spoken dialogue using a new translation.

The most important new gameplay feature is probably the augments – items that confer special abilities and powers, from rare spells to stat modifiers.

There are also whole new lines of sub-quests (the best involving Namingway) and some touchscreen mini-games.

The most controversial change is in the difficultly level, which has actually been ramped up significantly. Or rather it's been reinstated from the original Japanese version.

It still avoids being the mindless grind fest that Final Fantasy III was though so it's not just for fans.

These remakes are finally getting interesting and it'll be fascinating to see just how far they go...

IN SHORT: One of the series' most important entries is given a complete makeover, in the DS's best RPG so far.

PROS: Classic characters and soundtrack. Some excellent graphics for the DS and the augments are welcome.

CONS: The voiceovers are largely awful and the super-deformed art won't please all. A lot harder than you'll remember.

SCORE: 7/10 Out: Now (UK)