Summary
A collection that includes a full graphical overhaul of the original FF IV while using the script and mechanics of the GBA version, a new game called 'Interlude' taking place a year after FF IV ends, as well as the entirety of The After Years, a mobile game that also released on the Nintendo Wii shop, that takes place sixteen years after FF IV, each chapter changing to a different characters story before it all comes together.
Now, this won't be a full review of each game, but more looking at the Collection as it stands as a remake of the originals and what makes this one worth playing relative to the others. Frankly, there is enough talk about FF IV out there you don't need me to explain why it's a classic.
If you want more talk about FF IV, feel free to check out this podcast, which I am featured on, talking not only FF four but the whole series (Or it will as it goes on. It's only up to Final Fantasy IV.
Final Fantasy IV:
The immediate thing I am going to say about this is the sprites look fantastic. The visual overhaul of this game is great from beginning to end. It retains all the atmosphere of the original with much greater detail. Line this up side by side with the more recent Pixel Remaster, and it's not even close. And honestly, just from the visuals, I think FF IV still looks better in the sprite format than the 3D remake that came out on the 3DS.
To make the deal better, it uses the script of the GBA we got in the West rather than the SNES. There was no getting around the fact the original SNES translation we got was a rush job, it was a frustrating truth of the SNES era of RPGs. As great as those games were, almost none of them had a great translation compared to what it could have been.
This version also restored all the cut features from the original US release of FF IV. If what you are looking for is the most authentic AND updated version of FF IV, this version is easily the best one you can pick.
...However, from a pure gameplay perspective, I would say the 3DS remake had the best combat system of any rendition of FF IV. The Augments as well as tweaks to Cecil's spell list, among other things, just make the combat that much better. Both still play well, FF IV is still just fun to play, but it is the one thing the 3DS did better I feel.
Final Fantasy IV: Interlude
This is at best a neat little thing to bridge The After Years to FF IV, but honestly it's entirely skipable. It's only in the FF Collection, and is the same gameplay as FF IV. Nothing really to say other than this is not exactly a worthwhile selling point of the collection.
The After Years
Look, this game gets a bad rap. I get it, there are a lot of problems with it. And those problems carry right over into this version. Much like the main game, the sprites in this look so much better than the original After Years on both Mobile and Wii Ware. That said, gameplay remains unchanged and that means this isn't going to change your opinion on the original After Years if you were looking for a reason to give it another go.
You will still have to deal with all the issues that come with buying a full game that still plays like a cell phone game where there are many aspects included just to pad out the time of the game. There are things about this that are frustrating.
That said, if you've never played this one, there is a lot of good in The After Years. It's great to see how certain characters grew after the end of four, I like seeing Kain finally get some resolution to his story after FF IV ended, and there is a highlight to seeing the kind of ruler Edward became for his Kingdom. Throw in a decent shot at a Duel Tech system between characters, and I think we have a game here that got a bit more hate than it probably deserved (It deserves some of it though).
Summary
This is the best version of both FF IV and The After Years you can ask for. The 3D one is the choice if you want the more customization and fun combat system, but if you want something closer to the original experience you really can't beat the PSP collection. I played it for the first time this past month, and I was astonished at how good it looked from beginning to end. I don't know why we haven't gotten this released outside of the PSP yet.