December 26, 2023
i did it. i completed my first final fantasy game after years of "start game, wander around, get distracted, quietly drop it". and i had a damn good time omg!!
I was told by a few mutuals that I'd love this one and I absolutely did! all the characters were so fun and charming... Zidane is an extremely lovable protagonist, and the rest of the cast isn't far behind at all. they all have really nice arcs, designs, and personalities that make them a joy to have around, and it felt kind like a crime that the game only lets you take 3 others into battle with you at a time 😢
I was mixed on the ATB battle system at first (having only really played it in a game like Chrono Trigger) but found I really enjoyed the flow of it. I've seen a lot of people say they dislike this game's combat for being slow, but I kind of enjoyed managing the pace of it for a reason I can't explain; the abilities between the cast are nicely varied and the various enemies prevented me from getting too complacent. The battle visuals are great aswell, and the ability equipment system is interesting and felt like it nicely incentivized me playing around with my hoarded items. My only real issue with the gameplay was I think Trance is too unreliable; having it kick in for a random encounter so I don't have it for a boss was kind of frustrating, though I liked the designs and the actual abilities and bonuses.
I really loved the nature of the plot! Something about a strongly escalating "this isn't what it seems" story that always gets me. A gentleman thief smuggling a princess out of her kingdom escalates into a conflict that involves the fate of two worlds and the source of life itself.. that's the stuff. The reoccurring themes of living your life to the fullest, self-discovery, and standing strong in the face of death were kind of funny to experience when the last big RPG i finished was Persona 3, but just as resonant. I love how these overall ideas run through the party, with most of the cast having their own "coming-of-age", where they realize what kind of person they really want to be and cement themselves in facing the villain. Kuja was an excellent antagonist for this kind of story too; I enjoyed him a lot on the first few discs just for his theatrics and presence, but learning his origin and his subsequent actions near the end of the game made him even better and really cemented him strongly in my mind.
it was just.. AHHHH I really enjoyed it!! whenever i stepped away I thought about going back to it. that finale gave me a run for my money and put everything i had to the test... i had a big goofy smile on my face as the credits rolled. i'm going to miss zidane and friends deeply...
i've always had a lot of trouble getting into RPGs like this for various reasons; it really does kind of require a similar mindset as the one I get into when I sit down to read a book. but I found I was really strongly hooked and am glad to have given it my time and attention!
i hope to play future final fantasy games soon, but for now it's CrossCode next as i have a few friends waiting on that 🫡