amphibious_ReViews

It took me absolutely forever to beat Final Fantasy V. I came off of FFIV on a high, started this game right away, and absolutely tore through its opening. I was really enjoying the game, especially thanks to all of the humor and pop-culture references included by the localization team. However, by the time I started to reach the late-game content, something just wasn't clicking, and I put it down for almost two years. Revitalized by all the time I need to fill in the middle of the night with my hungry newborn daughter, I went and tackled the rest of the game. It took me a while to realize it, but after finally beating FFV , I concluded that it managed to combine an upgraded version of FFIII 's class system and a lighter version of FFIV 's story and structure to make a near-perfect sequel. I was just too grinding-averse at the time to finish it in one go. Following Final Fantasy IV 's direction, FFV begins the game by introducing you to the party members one by one,

Final Fantasy IV  is absolutely the perfect follow-up to the original trilogy. It improved upon the story-building of the third , the character-swapping of the second , all while maintaining the charm and motifs present since the first . It faltered a bit in that it felt incredibly linear, limiting opportunities for exploration and discovery. However, that linearity also almost completely removed the need to grind for levels, and I would consider that a worthy trade-off. When it comes to the Final Fantasy  series, I have the tendency to play until about the halfway point, lose interest for a while, and then come back to beat the game with the same vigor that I started with. It's not the most ideal way to play a game, but it stops me from being to burnt out by repetitive mechanics. However, FFIV was the first in the series to keep my attention the whole way through! I credit the story for my engagement. The game is broken down into segments that almost feel like levels, introducin

Although I wouldn't consider it my favorite Final Fantasy  title (that place is held by FFII ,) it isn't hard to see how Final Fantasy III  was a game-changer for its series. Although it is quite similar in structure to the original , FFIII  is the originator of the job system, allowing (and requiring) the characters in the party to change roles throughout the game in order to perform different attacks, use different weapons, have different magical capabilities, and more! Although the interactivity between characters and the depth of the story suffered in this entry compared to its immediate predecessor, the world was opened up so much more. New magic and new jobs meant new opportunities for players to explore both the overworld and dungeons in ways unprecedented for the series. Unfortunately, save for the final tower, I feel as though the dungeons were still far more linear than in FFII , removing a lot of challenge and excitement from each of those sections. I also

Like its counterparts on the NES ,  Zelda II: The Adventure of Link  and Super Mario Bros. 2  ( Super Mario USA ), Final Fantasy II  almost completely ignored what made its predecessor so successful. However, I think it was a much more enjoyable game as a result! Final Fantasy II 's most blaring difference was the implementation of a stat-growth system instead of the traditional leveling system found in the series' other entries. Many found it tedious that you had to repeat an action to improve it (or its associated stats), but I actually enjoyed grinding in this entry because I could focus on new combat strategies in order to improve my target stats, instead of just fighting the same fight repeatedly. FFII  also took a huge step by introducing characters with names, faces, and personalities, over the anonymous heroes of FFI . The interactions between characters through predetermined dialogue sequences and the interactive "ask/learn" system helped to flesh out the

Final Fantasy was a fun little game that I started playing for a while on bus rides, but that was all. It wasn't until recently that I decided I should truly delve into the game and see what it had to offer, and I was not disappointed. The first game plays in the traditional RPG style (although it set most of the precedents now known as "traditional"). There is a large overworld and many sub-locations for the player's party to travel to in order to find key items, defeat bosses, and trigger events that will allow for progression through the story. The game revolves around four heroes restoring light to the four elemental crystals/orbs in order to revive the crumbling world in which they live, and such a quest will not be short of challenges! I played the GBA version over the original  NES  version because I would have easier access to the sequel that way (same cart and all), and I am glad I did. The interface was gorgeous and everything fit together so nicely,