It is hard not to judge Final Fantasy II without comparing it to its predecessor, especially considering that the last time this game graced this shore was in a combined FFI/FFII PlayStation release. While the two share a plethora of similarities, their differences are what truly define them and help us understand the arc that Square Enix took to create a memorable gaming franchise.
The story starts with an invasion, as a hostile power occupies your town and destroys everything in its path. You and your friends make a desperate escape to the surrounding woods to avoid detection, but just when you think you are safe you become hopelessly overwhelmed and left for dead. Upon waking up in a rebel camp, you find one of friends missing and you must try to find him.
While far from Grand Illusion, the narrative is a solid step away from the original Final Fantasy which only flirted with the notion of having a A
