Final Fantasy IV: The After Years now available on iOS

Final Fantasy IV - The After Years (image 001)

Following up on December 2012 release of Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy V (which arrived back in May), publisher Square Enix has released a brand new game in the series. Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, now available for the iPhone and iPad, takes place seventeen years after the characters and events of its predecessor.

The game also includes some of the original characters along with new heroes such as Ceodore, the son of Final Fantasy IV‘s Cecil and Rosa. I’ve included a trailer and a couple more highlights after the jump…

The storyline goes something like this:

Seventeen years have passed since the war’s end, and the son born to King Cecil and Queen Rosa of Baron has grown into a young man. Prince Ceodore has enlisted in the airship fleet known as the Red Wings, eager to meet the expectations demanded of his blood and station.

Yet once more another moon has appeared in the sky, and with it vast hordes of monsters intent on destruction. The brief peace enjoyed by the Blue Planet now stands threatened under the shadow of impending catastrophe.

The active time-battle system, game mechanics and character upgrades will be instantly familiar to anyone familiarized with the  Final Fantasy series. The story starts with am introductory quest called Ceodore’s Tale where you unlock the tales of six additional characters.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years takes a non-linear route so you can play unlocked characters in any order and then return to the core story. There are a total of ten stories, including ones titled Kain’s Tale, The Lunarian’s Tale and The Crystals.

Check out the trailer.

Some of the more notable features include:

– Active Time Battle
Take control of exhilarating combat made possible by the non-stop action in Square Enix’s iconic battle system.
– Lunar Phases
Feel the moon’s presence in combat, as its waxing and waning influences the potency of attacks and abilities of all combatants. Lunar phases cycle naturally with the passage of in-game time, or when resting at an inn, tent, or cottage.
– Band Abilities
Combine the strength of your party members to awesome effect with Band abilities that can be unlocked through in-game events or by leveling your characters’ Affinity.
– Minimap
Keep an eye on your current location and nearby surroundings, or tap for quick access to the world map.
– Game Center Support
Step up to meet all-new challenges offered by dozens of achievements.
– Widescreen Support
Enjoy fullscreen display on iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, and iPhone 5c.

Download Final Fantasy IV: The After Years now for $15.99 from the App Store.

There are no in-app purchases (go figure).

The download comes in at 473MB, requires an iOS device running iOS 4.3 or later and is optimized for the iPhone 5/5s/5c’s taller screen.