The Story, behind the story:
Hmm, do-over? What game(s) got me hooked to this wonderful past time that we all enjoy? I can remember a starting out playing on my dad's Mattel’s Intellivision with graphical marvels 'Pitfall' and 'Major League Baseball.' Also, I had loads of fun on the machine's funky, unresponsive 12 button controller. But, sadly this was not what 'hooked me' on videogames; nor did the Nintendo Entertainment System. In fact, I did not succumb to the digital mistress until the glory years of the Super Nintendo.

It was the summer of 1995, I was 12 and Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers were still my best friends. My brother and I enjoyed our video games, we had quite a few actually. But, we had not found ‘the game.’ You know the one. That mystifying piece of plastic, silicon, and metal with the power inside to take you to new worlds, perform awesome feats, meet countless friends and foes, and finally save a mythical world from impending doom and destruction.

Final Fantasy was the very beginning of my video game crack. This is the game that I stack current games against to prove to me that it’s a ‘good game.’ Only two others have transfixed me in the same way; Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Chrono Trigger.

This game had it all; romance, intrigue, mystery, betrayal. It was a pre-teen’s soap opera. Will Terra find out who she really is? Who are the Espers? Who is the man behind the mask called Shadow? So many questions, so many answers revealed. The true interactive storybook and the only game I wish to see updated to today’s graphical standards.


Introduction:
Final Fantasy VI is a Japanese style role-playing game (RPG) from Square Co. Ltd. Released in North America during the fall of 1994, it is the game that began Square’s sudden dominance in the RPG field in the United States. FFVI was one of those games that took everything before it, expounded upon it, perfected it, and delivered. To me, everything in this game is perfect, or at least as close to perfection as you can get. The game play, sound, graphics, and story are top notch.

Final Fantasy VI Vital Stats
System Requirements (one of the following):

• A Super Nintendo
• A Playstation
• A Playstation 2
• A Gameboy Advanced
• A Nintendo DS

Recommended Spec (one of the following):

• A Super Nintendo
• A Playstation
• A Playstation 2
• A Gameboy Advanced
• A Nintendo DS

Game original release date: March 2005
Developer: Square Co. Ltd.
Publisher: Square Co. Ltd.
Setup & Install:

Put in the disk/cartridge and have at it Simplicity at its finest!


Graphics & Sound:
The visuals of are definitely not the best the system had produced, but they are no where near the worst. It is classic Console RPG graphics at their finest. It’s a top down view and at that point in time, was the ‘norm’ for all RPGs on the SNES. All your characters were represented by a single person (the “head” of your part at that time) and you controlled that character to wander, interact, and talk to anything that the game allowed you to.


Many of the spells and attacks had wonderful effects for the system and were quite “cool” to watch while playing. Nothing too terribly terrific, it got the job done and that’s all that mattered.
The sound in the game also wasn’t the best the SNES had ever produced, but it is still very good. Every spell, item, and attack has its own unique sound. Every new area has a different tune as well. The only thing that “bugs” me and its apparent in just about every RPG I’ve played is that every battle and every boss fight has the same respective tune. This can get quite repetitive in a game that takes 30+ hours to beat.

Story:
The game follows the adventures of a young girl named Terra Branford as she helps a resistant group called The Returners fight against Emperor Gehstal and his empire. Gehstal also has an evil henchman/apprentice (think Darth Vader, but looks like a clown instead of a machine) who operates as Gehstal’s “hand” named Kefka Palazzo.

During her travels, Terra befriends many people, learns about her true self and how important she is to bring peace to the world. However, the story does not just follow the main character, Terra, the entire time. During the game there are many sub-plots that follow storylines for all the characters in the game. So, even though Terra is the “main character” you wont’ spend the entire game learning about her story (though a good chunk of the game revolves around it), you’ll also get to see the romance twists between Locke and Celes, you’ll learn more about the brothers Figaro; Edgar and Sabin, and many more.

The story that this game delivers is phenomenal. It truly exudes passion, mystery, suspense, and comedy. While playing the game, I felt compassion for all the characters, especially for Cyan and his family.


Game play:
FFVI plays like any other RPG before it. Walk around, fight baddies, upgrade your equipment and stats, talk to NPCs, etc… It’s your tried and true formula for this type of game.

What then, did FFVI deliver? They implemented a new magic system where every playable character could ‘learn’ to use any spell. FFVI also gave the player the option of using 14 different characters (two are ‘hidden’ characters). This does not include the 2 or 3 additional characters you could control at one time or another. At this time, it was by far the largest cast for any RPG (the largest for a Final Fantasy game ever, which holds true today) and is only surpassed (and dwarfed) by Chrono Cross’ 44 playable characters on the Playstation 1.

The FFVI featured the same routines as many other RPGs (menu based fighting, walking around towns, talking to NPCs, etc…) it was the games perfect implementation of it that makes it so good.


Conclusion:
As anyone can guess, I think this is a phenomenal gem of a game that can be snagged for a low price at this point! You can obtain it in 3 different (legal) ways right now. You can get it from E-Bay or a mom and pop store on the SNES and Playstation (the Final Fantasy Anthologies disc that also contains Final Fantasy V). Nintendo is also re-releasing it on the Gameboy Advanced later this year (ETA is unknown at this point).

This game is a masterpiece. You owe it to yourself to play it right now! So, this game definitely deserves a Do-Over, or two, or three, or four…

It's nice to see a game worth playing again. This is one of those you do not mind spending the money one.

Great job Stud! :smile:

Yeah, the good thing is...its a game that you can get between 10-40 dollars right now...but the game lasts (if you try the sidequests and such) around 30-40 hours.

Not too many games boast that kind of playing time anymore...

Quote: Originally Posted by NCXCStud Yeah, the good thing is...its a game that you can get between 10-40 dollars right now...but the game lasts (if you try the sidequests and such) around 30-40 hours. Not too many games boast that kind of playing time anymore...

I have to agree with you on this one NCXCStud. I really enjoyed this game and once I am done playing FFX for the 3rd time I think I might pull this one out again. I have always been a huge fan of Final Fantasy. I have almost every sword from most of the main characters!

i understand how this man feels but in my "glory days" of youth i was hooked by FFVII
subsequently i went off and bought every existing FF game an continued to play them

as far as i am aware Square/Enix are remaking FFVII for the PS3 when it is released and i allready have a copy of FFVIIC on the way from a friend in japan

i dont Think they will ever restore the early FFs due to poularity isues and as far as the coperates are conserned they have allready remade FF6/3 (HT/ET) ,FF4/2 (HT/ET) and FF5

i think there is a imposible chance that they will ever remake FF:MC

Quote: Originally Posted by FuRI0 as far as i am aware Square/Enix are remaking FFVII for the PS3 when it is released

Hmm...I believe the CGI video they used at E3 last year was just a "remake" to show what FFVII would look like if they remade it for the PS3. From what I heard, they have no intentions of bringing FFVII to the PS3. But, I could be wrong.

I'm just hoping that the Final Fantasy series finally branches out onto other systems. I'm tired of exclusives Plus, I don't have the money to buy the PS3.


Oh well. I'm glad there is another Final Fantasy fan on GameApex! Welcome friend!

UPDATE: We received word as soon as our boys made it back that Square Enix wanted to make it clear that there will not be a Final Fantasy VII remake for PS3. Repeat, there will not be a remake. But, there will be a new Final Fantasy game for the system somewhere down the line. We'll have info on that as it happens.
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/614/614692p1.html

I think many people got caught up in Final Fantasy Advent Children when it came out and confused it with the new PS3 rumours. But as far as I can see you are right, its not coming out!

*rocks back and forth and shouts @ liez its all liez*
secretly masking the overcoming wave of manic depresion
i just hope the dont try another X-2 oh god
i only played it cause it was FF beond that it was only used to get my GF into ff as well
she still wont play the hardcore FFs

Final Fantsy XII is coming out this summer. All will be forgiven FuRI0. The game received a perfect score from Famitsu. Which had only been done 5 or 6 times before that. FFXII will be good. I'm excited. It's supposed to harken back to the days of FFVI where there was an epic storyline and you felt like you had an attachment to the characters in the game . I'm stoked!

Quote: Originally Posted by NCXCStud Final Fantsy XII is coming out this summer. All will be forgiven FuRI0. The game received a perfect score from Famitsu. Which had only been done 5 or 6 times before that. FFXII will be good. I'm excited. It's supposed to harken back to the days of FFVI where there was an epic storyline and you felt like you had an attachment to the characters in the game . I'm stoked!

I felt an attachment to the characters on 6-7-(a little bit on 8) and for sure 10. I cant wait for 12!! I can buy it this Summer and play it this Winter.....I cant waste my Summer away on the tube, it will be hard though!

is it like the two epics FF7 & 8..
going to be released native to the pc?
i still play my copy of ff7 for the pc and i have a copy of ff8 here unopened
i say they are epics as they moved forward hugely between those 2
or has enix castrated the bull that was Squaresoft ?