Info about Breath of Fire IV:

Official game description:
Story  
"In a far-away world, two continents float, separated by a vast swamp-land.  
For eons, no contact existed between the two continents because ships couldn’t sail across the expanse.  
At last, when the historic first contact was made between the two powers, war erupted!  
After long and costly fighting between the Fou Empire in the west and an alliance of countries in the east, both sides exhausted all their strength and resources.  
With no other alternative, the two powers agreed to an armistice.  
One year later, Princess Elena vanished.  
She had been traveling in the east from town to town, exploring battlegrounds and visiting war veterans.  
Her trail vanished in a small town near the front line.  
Nobody knew her whereabouts!  
The Eastern Alliance wanted to avoid sending a large army to the front.  
Such a move would be a political blunder, breaking the armistice and stirring up hostilities.  
It became impossible to carry out a large-scale search for Elena.  
Time passed... with no sign of the princess.  
Elena’s sister, Princess Nina, finally makes up her mind.  
She leaves on a journey in search of her sister – by herself."  
Characters  
Ryu  
Ryu meets Nina while he is lying unconscious on a street in a desert town in the eastern continent. His race and native land are unknown. Ryu has a Dragon’s Eye, which empowers him amazing abilities to transform into a dragon and summon dragons.  
Nina  
The princess of Wyndia, a town of the Fae tribe (winged folk). Nina meets Ryu on her journey to seek her lost sister Elena. Though somewhat naïve, Nina is skilled in Healing magic.  
Scias  
A mercenary soldier, Scias was hired by the eastern side during the war. Scias becomes the party’s watcher. He is very quiet and aloof from the world. Scias can perform a powerful double attack with his sword.  
Cray  
A young leader of the Woren tribe (cat people) in the eastern alliance, Cray joins Nina to search for Princess Elena, his childhood friend. He has a strong sense of responsibility and acts as the leader of the party. His high offensive and defensive abilities are very dependable.  
Ershin  
Ershin wears completely sealed armor to protect her from any kind of curse. Since she wears the armor all the time, no one knows her real face or background. She meets the party in a mysterious place polluted by a curse and decides to join them.  
Ursula  
Ursula is a middle-class leader of the Fou Empire. She came to the eastern continent in search of dragons, and meets up with Ryu and his companions. Ursula was brought up in the military, and knows very little about worldly concerns. She is excellent at attacking with both magic and weapons.  
Fou-Lu  
Fou-lu unified the western continent single-handedly with his paranormal powers. He became the first emperor of the Fou Empire several hundred years ago. Despite his youthful look, he has mystic dignity. It is said that he predicted his own resurrection as he passed away.  
All 2 localizations of the game included (English and Japanese)  
Improved DirectX game renderer  
New rendering options (Windowed Mode, Vertical Synchronization Control, Gamma Correction, Integer Scaling, Anti-Aliasing, and more)  
Improved audio engine (restored missing environmental sounds and audio configuration)  
Improved keyboard and mouse support  
Improved Warehouse and Crane minigames  
Improved F9 exit screen  
Issue-free battle and combo system (all crashes have been fixed)  
Issue-free cutscene scripting  
Issue-free task switching  
Graphic Option Settings Overview  
"Display mode" - Provides the control over monitor resolution and refresh rate.  
"Presentation" - Provides the control over presentation mode (fullscreen / windowed).  
"Aspect ratio correction" - Provides the control over image aspect ratio correction.  
"Scaling method" - Provides the control over image scaling mode (how image is scaled on a monitor).  
"Vertical synchronization" - Provides the control over vertical synchronization (frame synchronization).  
"Gamma Correction” - Provides the control over gamma correction (image brightness).  
"Anisotropic filtering" - Provides the control over anisotropic texture filtering technique (texturing quality).  
"Antialiasing" - Provides the control over anti-aliasing technique (3D geometry edges smoothing).  
※WARNING※　The difference of each settings may be difficult to distingush depending on the environment  
FEATURES:  
Awaken your sense of adventure and explore a dynamic 3D world with a diverse cast of characters rendered in detailed pixel art.  
Master an array of skills and magic to unlock strategic victories in battle as you go head to head with unique enemies using powerful "Dragon Transformations" and combo actions!  
Follow the intertwining stories of Ryu and Fou-Lu to their thrilling conclusion in this classic RPG adventure.  
"Texture filtering modes can be changed via DirectX Settings configuration tool.  
Press F9 key on the keyboard to return to main menu or quit the game."  
This re-released version of the game was co-developed by GOG.

Release date: Apr 1, 2026

Categories: JRPG, Turn-based Combat, Character Progression, Story-driven Gameplay, Mini-game Collection, Farming, Dragon Transformation, Pixel Art

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 86; verdict: Mixed Compatibility; summary: The game has mixed compatibility with Linux/SteamOS. While it works well on Steam Deck out of the box, it is reported to be non-functional on SteamOS, indicating potential issues that need to be addressed for broader Linux compatibility.
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals several key issues with the Steam Deck experience. Controller support and user interface problems are frequently mentioned, with users needing to tweak controller layouts and experiencing difficulties with navigation. Compatibility with SteamOS is a significant concern, as some users report the game being non-functional. Performance issues, such as a locked framerate and visual quality, are also noted. Despite these issues, some users report a positive experience with the game running well on the Steam Deck.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 40.0h
  - Story completion: 30.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provided includes direct mentions of significant playtime spent on the game, such as 'hours I spent on this game' and 'how many hours I spent on just fishing.' These quotes suggest substantial investment in the game, indicating a lengthy total playtime for game completion. The third quote mentions 'plusieurs dizaines d'heures' (several dozen hours) to finish the story, which supports the story completion time. However, there is no specific evidence provided for typical session length or endgame hours.
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes:
  - Nostalgic JRPG Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Nostalgia and love for classic JRPG gameplay.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys turn-based combat and retro graphics.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: JRPG fan; old-school player
    - Reference games: Final Fantasy; Dragon Quest


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Nostalgic Experience (weight 0.49): Players express nostalgia for the game, appreciating its return to modern platforms.
- Classic JRPG Praise (weight 0.48): Many players appreciate the game as a classic JRPG, highlighting its traditional elements and overall quality.
- Character and Enemy Design (weight 0.31): The design of characters and enemies is frequently mentioned as a strong point of the game.
- Masterpiece Status (weight 0.31): Many reviews describe the game as a masterpiece, indicating high regard and appreciation.
- Enjoyable Gameplay (weight 0.3): Players find the gameplay pleasant and enjoyable, contributing to a positive experience.
- Engaging Story (weight 0.3): The story is noted for being mature, solid, and well-regarded within the series.
- Soundtrack (weight 0.29): The soundtrack is highlighted as a memorable and enjoyable part of the game.
- Community Support (weight 0.28): There is community support available, including guides and detailed instructions for modifying game settings.
- Series Support (weight 0.28): Players express support for the series and excitement for its availability on modern platforms.
- Overall Performance (weight 0.28): The game works great overall, with good optimization and low GPU usage.
- Steam Deck Compatibility (weight 0.22): The game runs well on Steam Deck, which is a significant advantage for players using this platform.
- Detailed Gameplay Mechanics (weight 0.21): The game features detailed gameplay mechanics, which are appreciated by players.
- Affordable Price (weight 0.2): The game is considered to have a generous price, making it accessible to a wider audience.
- Battle System (weight 0.12): The battle system is mentioned as a key feature, though details on its reception are varied.
- Gem of the PS1 Era (weight 0.12): The game is considered a true gem of the PS1 era, reflecting its lasting impact and quality.
- Lengthy Gameplay (weight 0.12): The game offers dozens of hours of gameplay, providing good value for the time invested.
- World-Building (weight 0.12): The game features incredible world-building, enhancing the immersive experience.
- Character Development (weight 0.12): Character development is noted as a strong point, contributing to the game's depth.
- Modern Hardware Compatibility (weight 0.12): The game is appreciated for being brought back to modern hardware, making it accessible to contemporary players.
- Favorite Character (Mami) (weight 0.11): Mami is mentioned as a favorite character, indicating a personal connection to the game's characters.
- In-Game Fishing (weight 0.11): The in-game fishing is praised as one of the best, adding a unique and enjoyable aspect to the gameplay.
- Visual Improvements (weight 0.11): The game looks sharper, indicating visual improvements that enhance the gaming experience.
- Cool Game (weight 0.11): Breath of Fire IV itself is considered pretty cool, reflecting its positive reception.
- Effort by Developers (weight 0.11): The effort by GOG and Capcom is admired, reflecting appreciation for the work put into the game.
- Unique Game Identity (weight 0.11): The game is recognized for its unique identity within the Breath of Fire series.
- Playing as the Villain (weight 0.11): The game offers the unique experience of playing as the villain, adding a different perspective to the gameplay.

Common complaints:
- Poor port quality (weight 0.53): The game is criticized for being a terrible or janky port, with various technical issues affecting gameplay and user experience.
- Visual and graphical problems (weight 0.53): Players have reported various graphical issues, including ugly 3D models, lack of texture improvements, poor visual quality, and stretched textures.
- Missing features and options (weight 0.45): The game lacks several features and options that players expect, such as point filtering, scanlines, CRT filter, and proper borderless window mode.
- Lack of Chinese language support (weight 0.3): Players have noted the absence of Chinese language support in the game, which is a significant drawback for Chinese-speaking users.
- Alt+Tab crashes (weight 0.22): The game crashes or controllers stop working when players alt+tab, which is a significant inconvenience.
- No Steam overlay support (weight 0.2): The lack of Steam overlay support is a notable issue for players who rely on this feature for community interactions and game enhancements.
- Lack of convenient features (weight 0.2): The game lacks convenient features such as battle speed adjustments and achievements, which are expected by players.
- Locked 30 FPS (weight 0.12): The game is locked at 30 FPS, which is a significant drawback for players expecting smoother gameplay.
- No Workshop support (weight 0.12): The lack of Steam Workshop support limits the ability for players to share and download user-generated content.
- Lack of additional versions (weight 0.11): Players are disappointed that other versions of the game are not available, limiting their options for gameplay.
- Non-linear progression abruptness (weight 0.11): The non-linear progression in the game can feel abrupt, which may affect the overall gaming experience.
- Outdated launcher (weight 0.11): The game has an outdated launcher, which can be inconvenient and affect the user experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Turn-based JRPG mechanics (weight 0.47): The game features turn-based mechanics typical of JRPGs, providing a classic role-playing experience.
- Achievements for progression (weight 0.31): Players can earn achievements for finishing chapters, reaching levels, and fighting bosses, adding to the game's replay value.
- Interesting and balanced combat (weight 0.22): The combat system is interesting and challenging without being overly difficult, striking a good balance.
- Dual character perspectives (weight 0.13): The game features dual character perspectives with consequences, adding depth to the storyline and gameplay.
- Story-driven gameplay experience (weight 0.13): The game is heavily focused on its story, driving the gameplay and player engagement.
- Mini-games affect dragon evolution (weight 0.13): The inclusion of mini-games that influence dragon evolution adds a unique layer to the gameplay.
- Multiple game versions available (weight 0.12): The game offers different versions, catering to a wider audience with varied preferences.
- Gamepad support included (weight 0.12): The game supports gamepad controls, enhancing the gaming experience for those who prefer controllers.
- Farming for progression (weight 0.11): Players can engage in farming activities to progress in the game, adding a strategic element to resource management.
- Filter customization options (weight 0.11): Players have the option to customize filters, allowing for a personalized gaming experience.
- Straight port of the game (weight 0.1): The game is a straight port, maintaining the original experience without significant changes.

Performance notes:
- Graphical issues and improvements (weight 0.31): Players have noted various graphical issues, but there are also mentions of improved graphics and sharper visuals.
- FPS locked at 30 (weight 0.24): The game is locked at 30 FPS, which is a concern for players expecting higher frame rates.
- Game auto-exiting on devices (weight 0.13): The game auto-exits on specific devices and operating systems, causing frustration for affected players.
- Texture and sprite quality (weight 0.12): There are calls for improvements in texture and sprite quality to enhance the visual experience.
- Smoothing and blurring issues (weight 0.12): Players have complained about awful smoothing and blurring effects in the game.
- Low GPU usage (weight 0.12): Some players have reported low GPU usage, which might indicate optimization issues.
- Reduced loading times (weight 0.12): There have been reports of reduced loading times, which is a positive improvement.
- Runs perfectly on some machines (weight 0.11): Some players report that the game runs perfectly on their machines, indicating good performance on certain setups.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for JRPG fans (weight 0.12): This game is highly recommended for fans of Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs) and those who appreciate this specific graphics style.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Nostalgia (weight 0.21): Players feel nostalgic due to their long-standing fandom of the Breath of Fire series and fond memories of playing previous versions of the game, such as the PS and Windows versions. Many reviewers have a deep emotional connection to the game, having played it extensively during their childhood and considering it a gem of the PS1 era.
- Frustration (weight 0.16): Players are frustrated primarily due to technical issues, such as lack of controller support, gamepad functionality problems, and the game auto-exiting when starting from the main menu. Additionally, the absence of Chinese language support and overall game malfunctions contribute to this frustration.
- Hope (weight 0.14): Players express hope for future releases and remakes of the Breath of Fire series, including specific desires for Breath of Fire III to be released on Steam. There is also a strong hope for new games in the series and additional language support, such as Chinese translations.
- Disappointment (weight 0.13): Players are disappointed with the quality of the port, citing lack of texture and sprite improvements compared to other versions, and the absence of promised graphical enhancements. The lack of a proper remaster or remake, along with visual and technical issues, also contribute to this disappointment.
- Happiness (weight 0.11): Players are happy about the game's availability on Steam and its performance on the Steam Deck. The enjoyment of the game and the excitement about the series being ported to a new platform contribute to this positive emotion.
- Excitement (weight 0.08): Players are excited about the game's release on Steam and the potential for future releases in the series. The anticipation of playing the game again and seeing it return to modern platforms fuels this excitement.}