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Mobius Final Fantasy review - A true Final Fantasy game on mobile?

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Mobius Final Fantasy review - A true Final Fantasy game on mobile?

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If you've been desperately waiting for a true Final Fantasy game on iOS and Android, then I've got some bad news for you - Mobius Final Fantasy isn't it.

That's not to say that it's a bad game though. In fact, it's quite the opposite.

It's an entertaining mobile RPG that makes clever concessions for the platform it finds itself on, mixing the FF formula with a card battler to great effect.

Now you might have read that last sentence, rolled your eyes and wandered off for a cry. But bear with me, because even people who loathe card battlers could well find something to like here.

Not final, not at all

The game sees you taking control of an amnesiac hero in a strange world. You wander along a linear path, hacking up enemies, gaining new skills, and generally becoming a tougher and more useful warrior as you do.

You don't get to explore nooks and crannies here, just fight monsters. Lots of monsters. There's a huge focus here on elements, and they're arranged in a rock-paper-scissors style swirl of strengths and weaknesses. Fire is good against water, that sort of thing.

You perform your basic attacks by tapping on the screen. Each round, to begin with at least, you get three moves. These can be sword swipes, offensive magic spells, or buffs that protect you against the incoming barrage from your foes.

You'll also collect orbs. These power up your special moves, which are located to the right of the screen. They also let you use your buffs and heals, so you need to balance offence and defence to get the best scores in your scraps.

Special attacks come in the form of collectible cards that you can upgrade with a fusion mechanic. There are loads to collect, and a gacha machine to spin as well. Then there's a job system that lets you tailor your play style.

There's a story here, but it sort of just waffles on. Some people might find it interesting, but it's told in little snatches and quite frankly it's almost impossible to keep track of what's going on. Which is fine, because it doesn't really matter.

What a lot

There's a huge amount going on in Mobius Final Fantasy - so much so that it's easy to get a little overwhelmed to start off with. Thankfully though, the opening stages are far from taxing, giving you plenty of time to experiment and adapt to everything it throws at you.

So no, Mobius Final Fantasy isn't a fully-fledged Final Fantasy game. What it does is fit a Final Fantasy game around a mobile-friendly framework. And it works pretty damn well.

This isn't some mindless flashy fighter that you have no input on - there are tactics, things to think about, and different avenues of progression.

Download it, give it a go, and you might find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Mobius Final Fantasy review - A true Final Fantasy game on mobile?

It might not be the Final Fantasy you want, but it's a Final Fantasy you should definitely try
Score
Harry Slater
Harry Slater
Harry used to be really good at Snake on the Nokia 5110. Apparently though, digital snake wrangling isn't a proper job, so now he writes words about games instead.