# šŸ‹ Final Fantasy 4 - Week 10 **URL:** \ **Category:** Book Clubs\ **Created:** [August 28, 2026, 3:07pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/final-fantasy-4-week-10/75560 "2026-08-28T15:07:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Daisoujou](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/daisoujou/32/818333_2.png) [@Daisoujou](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Daisoujou)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 3:03am UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/final-fantasy-4-week-10/75560/101 "2026-09-26T03:03:50Z")
Gotcha, thatā€™s fair! My biggest answer would be arcade style games where you might only get a few sentences of context, like shmups or beat em ups, but those donā€™t get a lot of mainstream respect these days (theyā€™re great though trust šŸ˜). Most modern AAAs include a significant story focus, I feel like the exception is probably Dark Souls and the like? Souls games arenā€™t lacking an overarching plot and some people get really into the lore but in the end reading item descriptions and getting an NPCā€™s 10 lines of dialog is still a tiny minority of time compared to the adventuring and fighting. But thereā€™s so much in the indie space that might be more about the gameplay, the survival and simulation type games, a lot of roguelike type stuff thatā€™s gotten big (notably excluding Hades and probably some others), etc. I feel like what Iā€™m doing might not quite be the same as you but I fall into this position where to feel really good about the story I need the gameplay to be kind of augmenting the story, or at least I donā€™t pull them apart as much as people seem to. Like a lot of people find SaGa games to be very light on story but I feel like because they are open-ended and allow for unique playthroughs thereā€™s an emergent story of what happened to my particular group, and high stakes from difficulty usually helps because even in simpler stories I can buy in more emotionally. Me playing in the Xenogears club was a whole big thing with my issues with that game lol, but I feel like no matter how well written people find it to be, itā€™s harder for me to enjoy that when Iā€™m finding the combat really tedious. Especially when scenes of cool mech fights and the like are being sabotaged by the fact that Iā€™ve played as the cool mech and itā€™s really boring, with a constantly draining fuel mechanic that makes it feel like Iā€™m frantically looking for the next gas station. Anyway, in that way I am kind of creating an aspect of the story out of what Iā€™m playing. I feel like some people would just say I care more about the gameplay, then, but I at least think of it as how the two interplay into the experience of each other. And importantly, if itā€™s that kind of experience, I donā€™t need the gameplay to be ā€œfunā€ per se. I also love a lot of pure gameplay stuff too, though. ---
**Author:** ![coraldragonstar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/coraldragonstar/32/281633_2.png) [@coraldragonstar](https://community.wanikani.com/u/coraldragonstar)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 2:51pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/final-fantasy-4-week-10/75560/102 "2026-09-26T14:51:12Z")
Given my general lack of experience with non-RPG games, Iā€™m taking most of your comment in as ā€˜recommendationsā€™! šŸ˜† (Oh to reach retirement so I have the time to start experimenting again! šŸ„ŗ) I know Iā€™m not very fond of arcade type games, but I canā€™t really say Iā€™ve tried any Dark Souls games. As I mentioned with Pokemon, I do sometimes create my own story in my head as I play, so if a game is reasonably customizable (like you say SaGa games are), I could probably enjoy them well enough. Itā€™s harder work to have to make the story up myself, though, which limits the accessibility for me a bitā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![simias](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/simias/32/791573_2.png) [@simias](https://community.wanikani.com/u/simias)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2026, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/final-fantasy-4-week-10/75560/103 "2026-10-01T17:40:44Z")
> **Dark Matter** > > I just encountered the Dark Matter item in FFV and I thought it was the first appearance of this item in the series but according to the wiki it isnā€™t: > > > The Dark Matter can be stolen from [Zeromus](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Zeromus_(Final_Fantasy_IV_boss) "Zeromus (Final Fantasy IV boss)") in the final battle, using [Edgeā€™s](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Edge_(Final_Fantasy_IV_party_member) "Edge (Final Fantasy IV party member)") [Steal](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Steal "Steal") command. In the original version of the game, it serves no real purpose. In the _[Pixel Remaster](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_Pixel_Remaster "Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster")_, after saving clear data, upon reloading said clear save, the Dark Matter does not remain in the inventory. > > > > In the 3D versions, the Dark Matter actually serves a purpose: after stealing it from [Zeromus](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Zeromus_(Final_Fantasy_IV_3D_boss) "Zeromus (Final Fantasy IV 3D boss)") and completing the game, the player can land the _[Lunar Whale](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Lunar_Whale "Lunar Whale")_ near the face on the [Red Moon](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Red_Moon_(Final_Fantasy_IV) "Red Moon (Final Fantasy IV)") and walk up to it. The party will be prompted to use an item. Using the Dark Matter initiates a boss battle with a new [superboss](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Superboss "Superboss"), [Proto-Babil](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Proto-Babil "Proto-Babil"). In the mobile/[Steam](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Steam_(service) "Steam (service)") versions, the Dark Matter is only stolen from Zeromusā€™s true form after using the [Crystal](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Crystal_(Final_Fantasy_IV) "Crystal (Final Fantasy IV)"). > > > > Early theories speculated it lowered the power of [Big Bang](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Big_Bang_(ability) "Big Bang (ability)"), but this has been proven false. _[Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_Ultimania_Archive "Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive"), Volume 1_, states that there is a very low chance of stealing it and thus doing so successfully is a ā€œcause for celebration despite its questionable utilityā€, making it something of a [trophy item](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Trophy_item "Trophy item"). The Dark Matter is [dummied out](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Dummied_content "Dummied content") of the North American [SNES](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/SNES "SNES") version and the _Easy Type_ version. > > I just spent 20 minutes attempting to steal it, without success. If I understand how the steal mechanics function, it has a 5% chance of success. ---
**Author:** ![Akashelia](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/akashelia/32/576782_2.png) [@Akashelia](https://community.wanikani.com/u/Akashelia)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/final-fantasy-4-week-10/75560/104 "2026-10-01T17:42:12Z")
Oh, cool. So even the face actually has a purpose. ---
**Author:** ![simias](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/simias/32/791573_2.png) [@simias](https://community.wanikani.com/u/simias)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2026, 5:49pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/final-fantasy-4-week-10/75560/105 "2026-10-01T17:49:58Z")
> **ć€Œćƒ€ćƒ¼ć‚Æ惞ć‚æćƒ¼ć€ļ¼§ļ¼„ļ¼“** > > ![Final Fantasy IV (Japan) (Rev 1)-261001-184401](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/original/4X/c/e/e/ceee915d4e4e9f0c18dd981804c2e30a2ebb9072.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![GrimoireLux](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/grimoirelux/32/818803_2.png) [@GrimoireLux](https://community.wanikani.com/u/GrimoireLux)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2026, 6:08pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/final-fantasy-4-week-10/75560/106 "2026-10-01T18:08:42Z")
I think I got one in the GBA version but it also does nothing there, despite there being postgame content. Would have been cool if it actually did lower the strength of Big Bang. Even with a 5% chance to steal, it would make a huge difference. ---
**Author:** ![frequent4832](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/frequent4832/32/750610_2.png) [@frequent4832](https://community.wanikani.com/u/frequent4832)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2026, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/final-fantasy-4-week-10/75560/107 "2026-10-01T18:46:44Z")
I saw the ā€œsteal it to make the fight easierā€ thing when I was looking for help online and instantly clocked it as an urban legend. But honestly, itā€™s not any more far-fetched than the very real strategy of using black magic after he shakes to deliberately provoke a counterattack. Games back then were just weird. ---
**Author:** ![TsukiDayo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/tsukidayo/32/747070_2.png) [@TsukiDayo](https://community.wanikani.com/u/TsukiDayo)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 3:05pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/final-fantasy-4-week-10/75560/108 "2026-10-19T15:05:34Z")
Cleared the game over the weekend! > **endgame** > > The final dungeons were a lot of fun, though I would have liked an actual fight with Golbez at some point, I do like the rematch with all the 四天ēŽ‹ and the sphere boss. Dark Bahamut was kind of ridiculous with all the reflecting going on, I think this type of mechanic would be more fun if I could more easily keep track of everyoneā€™s status. > > Zeromus kicked my ass a few times and I had to go overlevel just so I didnt have to sit through the cutscene again, that cutscene being unskippable might be my biggest gripe with the whole game honestly. I had no motivation to give the fight another fair shot because of it. Sounds like there are some interesting (and obtuse) mechanics to it after reading the thread but I wouldnā€™t want to risk another defeat. Also I am just now realizing I forgot about the kitchen knife lol. > > The shortcomings are much more obvious as I am older but I still really enjoyed this game. Being able to go to the underworld and the moon blew my mind as a kid and I enjoy a lot of the locations and set pieces. Really looking forward to playing V, I donā€™t remember much of the plot but I had so much fun with the combat in that one last time I played. ---
**Author:** ![GrimoireLux](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/wanikanicommunity/user_avatar/community.wanikani.com/grimoirelux/32/818803_2.png) [@GrimoireLux](https://community.wanikani.com/u/GrimoireLux)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 3:33pm UTC](https://community.wanikani.com/t/final-fantasy-4-week-10/75560/109 "2026-10-19T15:33:16Z")
I donā€™t blame you for wanting to be sure you were leveled enough for the final boss. lol I did the same thing for the exact same reason. That scene leading up to it is rough. [Previous page](https://community.wanikani.com/t/final-fantasy-4-week-10/75560.md?page=5)