If i could make a videogame i would make a good videogame not this
Final Fantasy V is rather interesting, especially because it’s the one in the pixel remaster set that I knew the least about. All I really knew was that it evolved upon the job system mechanic from FF3. Now having played through the game in full, I can definitely say I enjoyed it. It really evolves the Job System from FF3, further realizing how this system could entirely function. That being said, there are some issues I had with how this game handles the Job System, alongside some other aspects of the game that made it not hit the same highs as other Final Fantasies. Though I want to reiterate, Final Fantasy 5 is still a good game, even if it’s not particularly my favorite of the series.
The Job System is interesting. One simple change was made between FF3 and FF5 that drastically changes how you can interact with jobs. This addition is simply allowing you to equip an additional skill from a job level you’ve already gained. So say as a Black Mage you’ve learned Level 5 Magic, if you then switch to a Knight, you can equip Level 5 Magic in that skill slot. That by itself creates a new layer of customization, creating actual builds and setups for each of your party members. And the jobs introduced in FF5 (at least the ones I used) were really fun! Samurai was really overpowered, Summoner just functions the same as Rydia from FF4 and I love Rydia, and I actually found myself using a support class with the Time Mage (Haste was just too useful). As well, that whole class fatigue system from 3 is entirely removed, which is assuredly for the best.
Though with that being said, I think there’s 2 major issues with how that job system works in 5 that keeps me from absolutely loving it. Those two factors being limited customization, and actually grinding jobs to mastery. What I mean by limited customization is that most classes, aside from 2 specific ones who function differently, can only equip a single job skill. That means that at the end of the day, you’ll really only ever need to master two jobs per character. If you never overlap any jobs for any characters, that’ll mean you only need to interact with 8 jobs in the game to make optimal builds for your characters. The other reason why I had so little motivation to experiment with jobs was just simply how long it takes to grind them out. For almost the entire game, enemies give 1-2 ABP (the experience points for Job Levels), only slightly increasing once you get into the final act. This, felt absolutely dreadful to do, since you typically need over 500 ABP to master a job, and some, like Red Mage, require over 1000 ABP. I think it took me over halfway in act 2 to actually master a single job, and I got that job in the early hours of the game. The abysmal grinding alone sort of creates a sunk cost fallacy with the jobs you’re already using. I already put so much invested in my Time Mage, why switch jobs and have to grind all over again? I really appreciate the Pixel Remasters featuring modifiers to increase ABP gained in battle, for most of the game I went without it to preserve the “authentic” FF5 experience. However I’m glad I switched to using the modifier instead, it makes the actual experience of playing FF5 so much smoother.
A slight side-tangent I want to express is how annoying it was to try and run from battles. I don’t entirely know how it works, but sometimes it can feel like you’ve been trying to run away for over a minute or two and simply nothing happens. It became a nuisance more than anything else, and almost every time I died in game, it was due to enemies wailing on me as I was trying to run from them. I very much appreciate the Pixel Remasters having auto-saves for every room transition for this reason alone. I did fight most of the encounters I saw, so I was never underleveled, and yet sometimes I was just woefully unlucky. This all boils down to my strong held belief that in games like this, being unable to flee from random encounters is an annoying design choice.
While I critique the Job System and Flee Rates, the general gameplay of FF5 is still buttery smooth. I think that’s just due to how well the ATB system works. At the end of the day it is just a modified version of a turn-based system, but that waiting for the next turn in order to attack makes things so tense and engaging. As I got further into the game, the more those moments of inaction had me on edge, as who knows what could happen in whatever fight I was in. Though funnily enough, by the time I was in the late game, once my builds were completed, the bosses were a general cakewalk.
The story itself is rather interesting. I wouldn’t say it’s as strong as other Final Fantasies, but I do in general like the world in FF5. The major reveals about the world of FF5, how it came to exist, and what it was before the events of the story are really interesting, and the locations you get to explore in FF5 are cool to see. I really like how some locations in Acts 1 and 2 are deliberately undoable at the time you first visit them, but become heavily important once Act 3 begins. The story itself, while simple, is paced rather well, that is until Act 3. Act 3 starts out well, and ends well, but the middle of Act 3 feels rather directionless, having little direction compared to the previous two acts. I think if just more story was added in those sections it would work well, cause the act 3 dungeons are some of the best designed in the game, but it feels like it’s just something you have to do before you get more story. Though I will say the absolute highlight of FF5’s story for me was undoubtedly Gilgamesh. He ruled.
Even though I don’t think this game is amazing, I still really like what it was able to do. The Job System is vastly improved over how it was in 3, even if it’s still not perfect. I’m simply a sucker for customizing, and building characters. I really would love to see another Final Fantasy try out the job system, though I don’t know if any actually use it (I know nothing about the games after FF7). Yet again, with how rarely I find myself playing a Final Fantasy, I always forget how much I end up enjoying them, and 5 is no exception. It was definitely a worthwhile playthrough, and I’m glad I finally got around to it.
The Job System is interesting. One simple change was made between FF3 and FF5 that drastically changes how you can interact with jobs. This addition is simply allowing you to equip an additional skill from a job level you’ve already gained. So say as a Black Mage you’ve learned Level 5 Magic, if you then switch to a Knight, you can equip Level 5 Magic in that skill slot. That by itself creates a new layer of customization, creating actual builds and setups for each of your party members. And the jobs introduced in FF5 (at least the ones I used) were really fun! Samurai was really overpowered, Summoner just functions the same as Rydia from FF4 and I love Rydia, and I actually found myself using a support class with the Time Mage (Haste was just too useful). As well, that whole class fatigue system from 3 is entirely removed, which is assuredly for the best.
Though with that being said, I think there’s 2 major issues with how that job system works in 5 that keeps me from absolutely loving it. Those two factors being limited customization, and actually grinding jobs to mastery. What I mean by limited customization is that most classes, aside from 2 specific ones who function differently, can only equip a single job skill. That means that at the end of the day, you’ll really only ever need to master two jobs per character. If you never overlap any jobs for any characters, that’ll mean you only need to interact with 8 jobs in the game to make optimal builds for your characters. The other reason why I had so little motivation to experiment with jobs was just simply how long it takes to grind them out. For almost the entire game, enemies give 1-2 ABP (the experience points for Job Levels), only slightly increasing once you get into the final act. This, felt absolutely dreadful to do, since you typically need over 500 ABP to master a job, and some, like Red Mage, require over 1000 ABP. I think it took me over halfway in act 2 to actually master a single job, and I got that job in the early hours of the game. The abysmal grinding alone sort of creates a sunk cost fallacy with the jobs you’re already using. I already put so much invested in my Time Mage, why switch jobs and have to grind all over again? I really appreciate the Pixel Remasters featuring modifiers to increase ABP gained in battle, for most of the game I went without it to preserve the “authentic” FF5 experience. However I’m glad I switched to using the modifier instead, it makes the actual experience of playing FF5 so much smoother.
A slight side-tangent I want to express is how annoying it was to try and run from battles. I don’t entirely know how it works, but sometimes it can feel like you’ve been trying to run away for over a minute or two and simply nothing happens. It became a nuisance more than anything else, and almost every time I died in game, it was due to enemies wailing on me as I was trying to run from them. I very much appreciate the Pixel Remasters having auto-saves for every room transition for this reason alone. I did fight most of the encounters I saw, so I was never underleveled, and yet sometimes I was just woefully unlucky. This all boils down to my strong held belief that in games like this, being unable to flee from random encounters is an annoying design choice.
While I critique the Job System and Flee Rates, the general gameplay of FF5 is still buttery smooth. I think that’s just due to how well the ATB system works. At the end of the day it is just a modified version of a turn-based system, but that waiting for the next turn in order to attack makes things so tense and engaging. As I got further into the game, the more those moments of inaction had me on edge, as who knows what could happen in whatever fight I was in. Though funnily enough, by the time I was in the late game, once my builds were completed, the bosses were a general cakewalk.
The story itself is rather interesting. I wouldn’t say it’s as strong as other Final Fantasies, but I do in general like the world in FF5. The major reveals about the world of FF5, how it came to exist, and what it was before the events of the story are really interesting, and the locations you get to explore in FF5 are cool to see. I really like how some locations in Acts 1 and 2 are deliberately undoable at the time you first visit them, but become heavily important once Act 3 begins. The story itself, while simple, is paced rather well, that is until Act 3. Act 3 starts out well, and ends well, but the middle of Act 3 feels rather directionless, having little direction compared to the previous two acts. I think if just more story was added in those sections it would work well, cause the act 3 dungeons are some of the best designed in the game, but it feels like it’s just something you have to do before you get more story. Though I will say the absolute highlight of FF5’s story for me was undoubtedly Gilgamesh. He ruled.
Even though I don’t think this game is amazing, I still really like what it was able to do. The Job System is vastly improved over how it was in 3, even if it’s still not perfect. I’m simply a sucker for customizing, and building characters. I really would love to see another Final Fantasy try out the job system, though I don’t know if any actually use it (I know nothing about the games after FF7). Yet again, with how rarely I find myself playing a Final Fantasy, I always forget how much I end up enjoying them, and 5 is no exception. It was definitely a worthwhile playthrough, and I’m glad I finally got around to it.