This review contains spoilers
A staggering, dramatic achievement created by an impassioned team of experienced and talented developers. This is an incredibly ambitious installment, aiming to capture the melancholy and essence of life in an oppressive world. The strife of each (mandatory) party member and subsequent forging beyond their unique but analogous pain is a profound commentary on the value and necessity of hope. The game demonstrates its dynamic tone as it shuffles you through diverse locations, set pieces, and minigames, without ever compromising on interactivity or ignoring the tenderness of the material. The world of ruin was a genius idea, sending the world into a bleak, aimless despair following the failure of our protagonists to allow them to experience or return to their intense anguish and reevaluate life. Kefka is the perfect, dastardly antithesis for our heroes; a cunning man who denies his humanity. In spite of the emotional backstories that unify most of the game's principal characters, Kefka is an unpopular lackey general who's past is minimally explored even after his sudden and unforgiving betrayal, as if he was some inhuman creature incapable of any redeeming qualities based on his blatant disregard of life; this is what the pure, hidden evil of a monster's heart looks like. All-in-all, one of the finest narratives the medium can offer, with a compelling fervor that comes through even in the less-than-stellar original translation.
Considering the large number of party members, its surprising how unique and deep they are mechanically. There are multiple berserkers and mages, for instance, but each have a special ability or strength that opens a myriad of strategic possibilities. I'm particularly a fan of Sabin, who is capable of powerful attacks at no cost, provided you remember the inputs for his blitz combinations, almost like fighting game combos. Compare this to Gau, a blue mage-berserker hybrid, and you'll get a sense of how differently the characters have been designed. Customization is integral and extensive even occasionally at the expense of pacing during some of the longer/more difficult dungeons. I do have a few qualms, mainly the encounter rate during some sections being a little intrusive, Gau having a ton of useless rages making learning useful ones arduous, really good equipment being locked behind high risk, non-interactive coliseum fights, the world of ruin being perhaps a little too vague with how to explore important character details and arc resolutions, and a general (although understandable) lack of game balance. However, compared to the satisfying setups and executions possible within the game's systems, as well as the intricate world design, these flaws are made out as (mostly) minor blemishes on the quality of the experience as a whole.
Other noteworthy aspects, the artstyle is charming and ageless, and the soundtrack is Uematsu at his apex in terms of range, catchiness, and dramatic weight. This is a masterpiece and an ambitious gold standard for JRPGs, easily joining my favorites.
Considering the large number of party members, its surprising how unique and deep they are mechanically. There are multiple berserkers and mages, for instance, but each have a special ability or strength that opens a myriad of strategic possibilities. I'm particularly a fan of Sabin, who is capable of powerful attacks at no cost, provided you remember the inputs for his blitz combinations, almost like fighting game combos. Compare this to Gau, a blue mage-berserker hybrid, and you'll get a sense of how differently the characters have been designed. Customization is integral and extensive even occasionally at the expense of pacing during some of the longer/more difficult dungeons. I do have a few qualms, mainly the encounter rate during some sections being a little intrusive, Gau having a ton of useless rages making learning useful ones arduous, really good equipment being locked behind high risk, non-interactive coliseum fights, the world of ruin being perhaps a little too vague with how to explore important character details and arc resolutions, and a general (although understandable) lack of game balance. However, compared to the satisfying setups and executions possible within the game's systems, as well as the intricate world design, these flaws are made out as (mostly) minor blemishes on the quality of the experience as a whole.
Other noteworthy aspects, the artstyle is charming and ageless, and the soundtrack is Uematsu at his apex in terms of range, catchiness, and dramatic weight. This is a masterpiece and an ambitious gold standard for JRPGs, easily joining my favorites.