Dissidia is the gaming world’s ultimate amalgam. It not only takes characters from ten different entries within the Final Fantasy universe, but throws them into a game that’s a combination of both the RPG and fighting genres. While that mixture may seem a bit odd, Dissidia seems to have something for everyone, and the end result is a delicious Final Fantasy gumbo that’ll have fans of either genre battling it out for months to come.
At its most basic, Dissidia is the classic tale of good versus evil. For millennia, a balance between good and evil has endured, but at the game’s outset, that balance is disrupted, and order begins to dissipate, forcing both Cosmos and Chaos (physical entities of good and evil) to call on their strongest warriors for a winner-take-all battle royale. Dissidia takes the main protagonist of each of the first ten FF games and pits them against their ten arch rivals, which in turn amounts to the ultimate wet dream for fans of the FF franchise. Everyone from Cecil (FF IV), to Tidus (FF X), to Onion Knight (FF III) is here, and each individual offers their own unique and exciting play style.
Characters aren’t the only thing being thrown together in Dissidia, as its gameplay comes in the form of an interesting fusion of the 3D fighter and RPG realms. Once you’ve selected your warrior (all of which are available from the beginning), you’ll head out to battle. Each character has their own level containing five separate stages, with each stage hosting anywhere from two to ten battles, depending on difficulty. After certain battles are cleared, you advance to the next stage, and ultimately come once step closer to defeating Chaos.
The meat of the game comes from its battle system, which is as deep as it is entertaining. Dissidia offers two types of attacks: HP and Bravery. HP attacks are handled with the square button and do exactly what you’d expect them to - drain HP, but Bravery attacks (circle button) are a bit more in-depth. A Bravery attack won’t harm your enemy, but will increase the hit points of each HP attack. A number is displayed showing how much damage you’ll deal with each HP strike, but the more Bravery attacks are used, the higher that number will climb. Therefore, those relying too heavily on their HP attack will do minimal damage, often opening them up to critical hits from their opponent. It’s a very refreshing take on the fighting genre and forces you to deal with enemies intelligently and strategically.
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