As this title is one of my most treasured, I would rather keep the following succinct compared to my usual lack of brevity.
What makes Final Fantasy’s sixth mainline installment so special is that, while it does not reach the mechanical complexity of the previous title’s job system, it doesn’t come across as a downgrade. Armed with an ensemble cast of misfits, tragedies, and aspirations, the playable characters of Final Fantasy VI distinguish themselves with their special abilities to complement that it’s not simply a leading individual’s story - this is a journey for everyone just as it is for the player’s expression.
The first half of the game mixes and matches the party lineups to indoctrinate players into the creativity that the second half opens up, yet that doesn’t mean that there is never not open-ended actions that can be taken. Final Fantasy’s ATB system is as strong as it could be here - and, with effective stratagem or experimentative initiative - the party is only as strong as the player’s willingness to see all it has to offer. This is far from the hardest game in the series; in fact, Final Fantasy VI is not difficult at all, yet there are certain roadblocks, such as the defense of Narshe, The Ultima Weapon, and so on - that demand that you pay attention. An effective strategy game rewards that, but it also gives you the tools to think outside the box if you act upon that, leading to discoveries, namely certain vulnerabilities to status effects or instant kills. Your expressiveness ties into the aforementioned demands of the game so much so that it feels natural.
The depth of the game’s thematics is absolutely astonishing, reveling in the human condition as its crux. Final Fantasy VI is a celebration of life - the way each person finds his or her own self-actualized value - and a rejection of nihilism. The interpretative potential this game opens up is only reinforced by perhaps the greatest antagonist the series has ever produced, an absolute man-made monster whose transcendence makes for the perfect juxtaposition to the ensemble cast. Final Fantasy VI is about togetherness to endure it all - and they prove it the entire way to one of the most astonishing finales in the history of the genre.
This game is a masterpiece. And, to yours truly, it’s the kind of title that timelessly stays dear.
What makes Final Fantasy’s sixth mainline installment so special is that, while it does not reach the mechanical complexity of the previous title’s job system, it doesn’t come across as a downgrade. Armed with an ensemble cast of misfits, tragedies, and aspirations, the playable characters of Final Fantasy VI distinguish themselves with their special abilities to complement that it’s not simply a leading individual’s story - this is a journey for everyone just as it is for the player’s expression.
The first half of the game mixes and matches the party lineups to indoctrinate players into the creativity that the second half opens up, yet that doesn’t mean that there is never not open-ended actions that can be taken. Final Fantasy’s ATB system is as strong as it could be here - and, with effective stratagem or experimentative initiative - the party is only as strong as the player’s willingness to see all it has to offer. This is far from the hardest game in the series; in fact, Final Fantasy VI is not difficult at all, yet there are certain roadblocks, such as the defense of Narshe, The Ultima Weapon, and so on - that demand that you pay attention. An effective strategy game rewards that, but it also gives you the tools to think outside the box if you act upon that, leading to discoveries, namely certain vulnerabilities to status effects or instant kills. Your expressiveness ties into the aforementioned demands of the game so much so that it feels natural.
The depth of the game’s thematics is absolutely astonishing, reveling in the human condition as its crux. Final Fantasy VI is a celebration of life - the way each person finds his or her own self-actualized value - and a rejection of nihilism. The interpretative potential this game opens up is only reinforced by perhaps the greatest antagonist the series has ever produced, an absolute man-made monster whose transcendence makes for the perfect juxtaposition to the ensemble cast. Final Fantasy VI is about togetherness to endure it all - and they prove it the entire way to one of the most astonishing finales in the history of the genre.
This game is a masterpiece. And, to yours truly, it’s the kind of title that timelessly stays dear.