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| Articles by J Hodder |
Final Fantasy is one of the most well known names in the history of Video Games. Besides its twelve main titles, there has been a host of games and other mediums sharing the same name. Over the next few articles, I will be discussing the Final Fantasy series top ten games in my opinion.
10. FINAL FANTASY III
Final Fantasy III was released on the Nintendo Entertainment system but was never released in America. After getting an emulator, I obtained an english translation of FFII and III along with the original Final Fantasy. Playing through each of them, I found this one to be the best of the NES series.
At the beginning of the game, you are given four "onion kids" characters, who are the novices of the game. You are able to switch the classes of each of these characters from any of the jobs available. You start off with the choice of Fighter, Monk, Black Mage, White Mage and Red Mage, with more classes as the game continues. The characters gain more power as they are used, just like any other class.
The battle system is basic, using the side system as all NES and SNES Final Fantasy games have. Its slow and a little annoying at times, but that's how all game series begin; trying to find their roots. The challenge factor of the game is much higher than the newer ons as well, but at as difficult as the original game. Before the FF series captivated us with incredible story, they kept our attention with challenging gameplay.
For it's time, FFIII was revolutionary. It is unfortunate that the game never had the chance to captivate North American audiences like the other parts of the FF series.
9. FINAL FANTASY IX
The final installment of the FF series on the Playstation One. This one was a little disappointing, but did introcude some innovative ideas in it's short gameplay. I played this game in about 15 hours, which is much less than i spent on VII and VIII.
The story of IX follows a pair named Garnet and Zidane. Garnet, Princess of Alexandria, escaped from her home, a place where she felt more like a prisoner than royalty. She met Zidane, a young theif who, for some mysterious reason, has a monkey-like tail. The two team with an unusual cast of characters to stop Garnet's mother and a mysterious man named Kuja.
The storyline of this game is much weaker than we are used to in the FF series since they moved to SNES, and later on, to PS. The game did make an interesting addition with the Idenpendant Action system, which allowed many side stories and quests to be played out. Used in any other game, this could have had much more potential.
The game difficulty was a little erratic as well. At some opints, it could be painfully easy and at others, much more challenging. The system of enemies matching your character's levels made cheating more difficult, as the enemies would level up just as fast. The final boss was said to need a miracle to defeat, but I never found any trouble in conquering him.
A love story has been an important part of the FF series since the fourth part. In this edition, the love story is weaker than ever. It felt like the kind of puppy love you see from junior high students, which I guess fit the age bracket of the two lead characters. The story lacked affection between them and then at the very end, it makes them appear so in love after very little build up.
If FFIX is your only fix for Final Fantasy, it's better than nothing, but in the history series, it lacks the greatness of other titles.
8: FINAL FANTASY VIII
Graphically, this game was the most impressive on the PS1. Graphics alone can't make a game, which is why this installment in the series lacks so much.
The story follows Squall Leonhart, a member of a mercenary force called SeeD. After an introduction to him and his rival Seifer, we are immediatly thrust into Squall's final exam; a full scale warzone in which he must secure a city under attack. Upon completion, he is welcomed into SeeD and sent on his first mission; to aid the beautiful Rinoa Heartilly in liberation of her home country.
the gameplay continued what FFVII began; navigating your team across a now-3D world and entering into visually impressive battles. CG movies were overused in my opinion, attempting to tell the story with too many visuals. The story goes through many points of complication and confusion, which may have turned off many fans. Gaining money was a little more annoying, as you no longer earned money from monsters, but from a salary earned by your SeeD rank. You were required to answer questions to increase your rank and salary, taking time away from the main story and making item and weapon purchase more a hassle.
Speaking of weapons, you can't buy them in FFVIII, you must build them. After obtaining a copy of a magazine that has the specs for a new weapon, you collect the required parts and pay to contruct the weapon. How spider webs and animal horns can contrct a gun or sword, I will never understand. The challenge came in getting the rare parts, but it became annoying due to low drop rates of those enemies.
The love story of FFVIII was more of a typical teenage relationship. Rinoa did not approach Squall because of some deep connection she felt for him, but because he was the best looking guy she saw. After forcing him into a dance, she ditches him after coming across someone else. To complicate things further, there is talk of a (possibly sexual) relationship between Rinoa and Squall's hated rival Seifer.
The game keep me entertained for 30 hours, which was probably 10 more than it should have. While not the worst game in the series, It certainly isn't the best.
7. FINAL FANTASY VI
The first North American release on the SNES. Final Fantasy VI took a very different direction than the other titles, having a more open and non-linear plot.
The story begins by introducing us to Terra, a young woman who accompanies two soldiers in their armored combat machines known as Megitek Armors, to the moutains of Narshe. After an encounter with a magical being known as an Esper (useless fact: Espers were originally known as Phantom Beasts in Japan,) Terra is freed from a mind control and teams up with a theif named Locke, who brings her to the Returners, an organization that fights against the evil empire that brainwashed her.
The most interesting thing is that there is no real main character to FFVI. Almost all the playable characters are of equal importance; from the mysterious Terra to the mighty martial artist Sabin. The second half of the game also featured optional quests which would reunite and empower your twelve playable characters. The characters have their own unique skills, many inspired by earlier games, such as Mimes and Blue Mages.
The gameplay is one of the simpler interfaces the series has seen. The difficulty is also not as bad as other games, which makes it almost too easy to get through. It should start getting hard near the end of the first half. It is a very lengthy game which can occupy your time for a few hours. The PS1 version also featured a number of CG movies as well as listings for monsters seen and skills aquired, giving you something to aim for in your gameplay.
Overall, FFVI is an awesome game that known as one of the best RPG's made for the SNES. It is a worthwhile game to play on either Super Nintendo or Playstation.
That's it for today folks. Join me next time, when I dish out part two of the Final Fantasy Top Ten. Till then, keep gaming on!
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Copyright 2001-2003 Gamer Zero. Site Designed by J Hodder. All Rights Reserved.
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