[Classic] This thread contains my reactions to Final Fantasy VI

I'm replicating the SNES as best I can, with my USB controller and full screen'd original version ROM. I figured maybe I didn't like IV because it was on the GBA and not as first played by those who love it to death. So here I am trying to imagine myself in 1994 playing Final Fantasy III as released in America.

I would like to hear from others: while playing this game for the first time, if you remember, what the hell was going through your mind? Because I'm kind of BLOWN AWAY and I can't recall any other game from this era having such an effect on me. Maybe A Link to the Past, but for different reasons.

This story is so dark and sad; it's beautiful. How did an SNES game accomplish this? I find the lighter moments to be really great, like

Spoiler:

-When asked if you want to steal the guard's key when rescuing Celes, your options are Yes and Stealing is wrong
-Locke laughing when Celes is practicing her spontaneous opera role
-Ultros getting pissed because nobody read his fake letter in the opera house

Anyway, I'm only about 10 hours in, having just busted out of the Magitek Research Facility, so I would appreciate not being spoiled for anything that occurs after this event. Man, if Kefka's laugh hadn't already sealed it for me, the whole opera sequence would have. Everything about that was gorgeous. Overall I'm finding the game pretty easy; boss battles on average last roughly 30 seconds if not less... I don't really care. I'm in it for the story and music.

And speaking of the music, I've been listening to OGC4's and Tour de Japon's orchestral performances of the opera for a few years. Now that I finally have the music's context, it takes on a completely different meaning. Great stuff.

I'm glad I didn't wait for the GBA port. Back to my question though, anyone here remember their first playthrough of this? And was it similar to my current reactions?

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Originally Posted by Saiken

Nevertheless, it can be considered archaic and primitive in comparison with more recent installments.

Yeah. Well, that's why I made sure to frame my opening post with comments that clearly indicated this was a game from an earlier period of time, and my reaction is coming from that reference point. The game surely could benefit from historical background and social development, but this was at a time when such a concept was foreign in video games anyway (to my knowledge), so why bring it up?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Megavolt

Expect the story to get sadder in a big way, heh heh. FFVI doesn't just taunt you with the possibility like every other RPG does. It actually goes there.

Holy shit. You weren't joking, were you? I just passed that moment. I'm glad I started the game unaware that this would happen. I'm looking forward to searching for everyone.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Just finished it a few minutes ago. The final dungeon kind of pissed me off; it took me a while to get a decent balance amongst the parties but once I found one things went all right.

Spoiler:

The battle with the first statue was extremely intense since that was my weakest party. Holy shit that cracking sound of a boss's defeat is so good to hear sometimes. Sabin was like "fuck you losers I'm done bringing you back to life every turn I want to play with my Genji Glove."

I spent a few hours grinding so I could throw around Ultima whenever I felt like it. Man what a joke that is combined with an Economizer relic! The final battle consisted of nothing - and I mean nothing - but Ultima spells and Cure 3 (maybe a Regen here and there). I would say my party on average was around Level 50.

I haven't fleshed out all of the characters in terms of development. I know I missed a bunch of scenes with Shadow, which I think I can still access if I can make it back to the overworld. I never bothered getting Gogo either.

The Genji Glove + Offering combination didn't prove as gamebreaking as I thought it would; it was still immensely satisfying to see Sabin deliver eight consecutive rounds of 2000+ to those fuckin' dinosaurs in that forest though.

Spoiler:

I have mixed reactions to the ending sequence. The first half was good, following each character as they made their escape from Kefka's castle, but what was with the second half? I would say 80% of that sequence was just the airship flying around and around. I was hoping for a lot of character interaction. It felt dragged out. I was expecting - and sort of hoping - that Terra would die at the end. Not because I disliked her, but it would have really hammered home for me the longterm effects of Kefka's insanity, plus capped off an already sad story.

A phenomenal game, overall. Definitely ranks up there for me on my Final Fantasy list.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by jb1234

It's not one of the harder fights in the series but damn, it has some fine music.

Agreed. Right after I turned the game off I immediately opened up Dancing Mad from the OSV.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Saiken

What "touch" did you mean?

Yeah I'm interested in knowing this as well.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?