[Ginkasa]

Oh man, I started this thread just over ten years ago. It was already feeling like late stage Gametavern at that time and we've added another decade on to it. I say that, but of course the earlier pages on here are a lot more active than anything could hope to be in this new and scary decade.

Coincidentally (I swear!) I started playing through the Final Fantasy games again about a month ago. I spent a lot of time going through the MSQ of FFXIV the latter half of last year and all of callbacks and references to prior titles really got me jazzing to play through the series again. Of course I also played VII Remake which just came out which maybe the hype around that contributed as well.

For most of these games this has been or will be the first time I've gone through them since 2010 or 2011 - I think I've gone through VII (the original) and X since then and also maybe started up a few others, but didn't finish.

I have gone through I and II. These were the Origins versions, though emulated this time since my PS2 broke. Regarding I, I actually appreciated more this time how it parses out the game to the player. The first half of the game is pretty simple since it keeps you constrained - its easy to keep track of where you've been and what you need to do. Its only when you need to get the airship that I think it goes a little off the rails and a FAQ really is needed to figure it out.

I did not recall from before that II has you go back to the same village again and again. It kind of separates the game out into distinct missions rather than an ongoing journey. You're given a mission, go out and complete it, and then report back and debrief. What I thought was most impressive about this is how the game utilizes this structure effectively for immersive storytelling.

(spoilers for this 30+ year old black sheep of FF incoming)

Throughout the game you're checking back in at this same town: your home base. It becomes second nature so even when you reclaim the kingdom and your HQ moves, you still feel drawn to visit this town. You wrap up an incredibly long and draining dungeon (second maybe only to the final dungeon) and the most natural stop to rest and recuperate is your old home base on your way to the castle. But as you reach the town you notice the world map icon is destroyed and you can't even enter it. The town is gone. If you go and check some of the other towns you've likely frequented when out in the world you'll find all them in the same area have also been destroyed.

There's no cutscene. We don't see the heroes in the middle of the decimated town square and cry out for revenge as doleful music crescendos. We just experience it ourselves - our own loss at this familiar and welcome refuge. Not to say the more cinematic touch the more modern games take is bad or ineffective at all, but I think this approach really conveys the emotions effectively utilizing the technology that was available.

A masterful stroke.

I'm currently playing III via Steam. I enjoy having real characters and a slightly beefed up story, but I'd really prefer to have a nice 2D remake with beautiful sprite art rather than ugly mid-life DS graphics. After this I'll have a crossroads on whether I want to play IV via the Steam version (with slightly better mid-late-life DS graphics) or emulate the PSP version (since my PSP's battery blew up)?