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It’s hard to imagine what more the PSP version of Yggdra Union could add to the already solid GBA game, but now that I’ve had my hands on the PSP port, it’s hard to believe this was once a GBA game.
The PSP version looks beautiful with its talking-head cut scenes and wider screen. After playing Yggdra on the PSP, I don’t see how I can go back to the small screen of the GBA, especially when it comes to the over-head map; it definitely looks less hectic on a bigger screen. The sprites during each battle look fantastic on the high-res screen and seem to pop out thanks to its brightness.
Full voice acting is another feature of the new Yggdra Union and while I usually cringe at voice acting, the voices in this game are pretty decent. As a bonus, there’s also the option of Japanese voice acting.
Not every scene is voiced, but the parts that are voiced don’t detract from the game at all. They even sound like the voices I imagined in my head while I was playing the GBA version.
Another improvement is the fast-forward button, which lets the battle play out at 2x the speed while still letting you control your team in battle. Fast forward is definitely appreciated; no matter how nice the archers look while fighting, if I know I’m going to lose, I’d rather see it go quickly.
I thought the GBA version was a bit on the hard side and it felt like the PSP version was easier even considering I actually knew how to play the game this time around. It turns out that the PSP version lets characters recover morale not only through items, but also upon level-up.
Players new to the game should be able to get into this version more since it eases up on the difficulty and the graphics provide nice eye- candy. Even after playing the GBA version, I still enjoyed playing through the PSP’s Yggdra Union, especially with its improvements.
Images courtesy of Atlus.
