Final Fantasy 3/6 and some comparisons to today's games

[Yoshiyuki Blade]

Coincidentally, I just got back from a buddy's house and I (and another buddy) were talking about FFVI after we saw the Dissidia cinematic intro. We were like "Oh yeah, Kefka is such a badass" and "Oh look its Terra" etc. and the conversation went primarily into FFVI. It's by far my personal favorite FF.

@DeerSteak

I agree completely. Some of the emotional undertones of these memorable scenes were incredible. Of course, because the SNES was so primitive, they really couldn't flesh it out as well as they could. The music was incredible, using the poor SNES' sound engine to simulate a full instrumental orchestra. If it was redone with today's technology, I would cream my pants.

 

[stevedave]

That's lame, you didn't even read what I wrote. I bought the PC version when it was new (summer 1998). I didn't play it "out of its time frame". The fact I played through 3 discs only to lose interest tells me I wasn't connected. I didn't say your favorite game ever was terrible as if I had kicked your puppy; I just lost interest in it.

A true classic is not hard to "play out of its time frame" wtf ever that means - I assume you mean that it's old. I didn't play Shining Force 3 until about 4 years after it released and I didn't play Panzer Dragoon Saga until last year, and neither of them felt "out of place" despite being Saturn games. You're projecting your beliefs onto others without actually reading what they said.

I was just observing possible reasons you might not of enjoyed it, and outdated graphics is usually the biggest complaint. Also just like in FF6 you notice a ton more the second time around; like you can catch the points where Cloud is retailing Zack's life the second time around.

Playing a game in it's time frame gives the full effect and impact of the game, people who played FF6 10 years after it was released weren't nearly as impressed with the intro and people who played it on release day; intro was the shit graphic wise back in the day someone just starting it today wouldn't think twice about it. And when I played Shining Force 3 the graphics were still good, and when I played the 2nd and 3rd story a few years later the appeal of the graphics was gone. Classics are always good, but a classic that you got to enjoy in its glory days always leave a deeper nostalgia print.

 

[villain71]

As long as the Japanese are making FF they will never change their anime look into them. Deal with it haters.

 

[Yoshiyuki Blade]

Playing a game in it's time frame gives the full effect and impact of the game, people who played FF6 10 years after it was released weren't nearly as impressed with the intro and people who played it on release day; intro was the shit graphic wise back in the day someone just starting it today wouldn't think twice about it. And when I played Shining Force 3 the graphics were still good, and when I played the 2nd and 3rd story a few years later the appeal of the graphics was gone. Classics are always good, but a classic that you got to enjoy in its glory days always leave a deeper nostalgia print.

I actually played FF6 (or FF3 US) for the first time a good 7 years after its release and fell in love with it. This was shortly after I played FF7 and wanted to go back to play some of the older ones including FF4 (or FF2 US). It just seemed to hit the nail on the head in creating an immersive atmosphere. The music alone would have done it, but the dim, depressing color palette really complemented it perfectly. Like the world was constantly in a clear-sky winter and the sun was always at a shallow angle.

Lastly, I wish games would commit to their storylines. In FF6, there is a definite beginning, middle, and end to the story. I grow weary of games where they deliberately don't end the story so that they can make a sequel where you do more of the same old, same old. Give the game an ending, even if it is just a "chapter ending". Don't end the game without ending it, if you know what I mean.

I agree with this, FF6 had one of the best video game endings I've ever seen. It truly felt conclusive and didn't throw any bullshit curveballs like hints to a sequel or a vague understanding of the conclusion, leaving the player to speculate on what just happened. And it was like 20 minutes long! Showing a little personal snippet of each character as they made their escape, seamlessly transitioning their theme songs from one person to the next. Incredible. Of course, most people really don't give a damn about stuff like this .

 

[DeerSteak]

I was just observing possible reasons you might not of enjoyed it, and outdated graphics is usually the biggest complaint. Also just like in FF6 you notice a ton more the second time around; like you can catch the points where Cloud is retailing Zack's life the second time around.

Playing a game in it's time frame gives the full effect and impact of the game, people who played FF6 10 years after it was released weren't nearly as impressed with the intro and people who played it on release day; intro was the shit graphic wise back in the day someone just starting it today wouldn't think twice about it. And when I played Shining Force 3 the graphics were still good, and when I played the 2nd and 3rd story a few years later the appeal of the graphics was gone. Classics are always good, but a classic that you got to enjoy in its glory days always leave a deeper nostalgia print.

OK, so you're still projecting your issues onto me; I never said anything about the graphics. I had (from what I can tell) a BETTER translation with the PC version to boot. What part of "I played it new" do you not understand? It's like you're some sort of Final Fantasy VII-pimping internet bot that half-way recognizes complaints about the game and you spit out your automated response. Stop it; it's not a discussion if you don't reply to what's written.

I am DYING for a Shining Force III remake with all three scenarios as well as a FF VI remake on an HD console.

And anyone with a brain realizes in the first go-around that Cloud = Zack once you find out he's a clone, but the huge gaping plot hole that was never answered when the question was begged is just why the hell did Tifa play along? Did she forget who was who? Ridiculous. Fun game, but ridiculous.

 

[stevedave]

OK, so you're still projecting your issues onto me; I never said anything about the graphics. I had (from what I can tell) a BETTER translation with the PC version to boot. What part of "I played it new" do you not understand? It's like you're some sort of Final Fantasy VII-pimping internet bot that half-way recognizes complaints about the game and you spit out your automated response. Stop it; it's not a discussion if you don't reply to what's written.

I am DYING for a Shining Force III remake with all three scenarios as well as a FF VI remake on an HD console.

And anyone with a brain realizes in the first go-around that Cloud = Zack once you find out he's a clone, but the huge gaping plot hole that was never answered when the question was begged is just why the hell did Tifa play along? Did she forget who was who? Ridiculous. Fun game, but ridiculous.

The part about "you played it new" that I didn't understand is the fact you didn't say it in your original post, you just said on PC which I assumed to not be new and in fact isn't new but rather newish.

Well you miss major parts your first go around. Cloud isn't a clone of Zack, Tifa doesn't sit idle by while cloud mixes his past with Zack's past she questions his stories and Cloud answers most of them correctly...ish so she doesn't push the issue (avoiding conflict a very realistic human flaw).

Which is too the point maybe you didn't fully experience the game for whatever reason.

 

[Yoshiyuki Blade]

And anyone with a brain realizes in the first go-around that Cloud = Zack once you find out he's a clone, but the huge gaping plot hole that was never answered when the question was begged is just why the hell did Tifa play along? Did she forget who was who? Ridiculous. Fun game, but ridiculous.

There's still some subtleties the 2nd time you play it around. Like when Cloud was retelling the story from his point-of-view for the first time after you leave Midgar, there's a scene where it shows Sephiroth facing to his left (our right) with Nibelheim in the background asking Clould, "How does it feel?" (to be back at his hometown). Then as the group moved forward, it turned out that Cloud was on the right side of Sephiroth (our left). Of course, that turned out to be Zack later on, but the discrepancy was placed in beforehand and most people probably wouldn't have noticed it the first time around.

Tifa probably didn't want to mess Cloud up psychologically so she tried to keep this bizzarre situation a secret. Taking the "what he doesn't know won't hurt him" appoach, which utterly failed in the end. You'll also notice her not talking very much in Cloud's Flashback scene. There were a couple of "..." responses, which in retrospect implied that she knew something they didn't but didn't want to say anything.

Tifa doesn't sit idle by while cloud mixes his past with Zack's past she questions his stories and Cloud answers most of them correctly...ish so she doesn't push the issue (avoiding conflict a very realistic human flaw).

That's right, she asked a few things the Cloud ought to have known like whether he went to her house and into her room or not. The personal things unrelated to Zack.

 

[Youn]

What I loved about FFVI was that at the point when the planet transforms, I seriously thought the game was over, but then it wasn't, and the sequence stranded on the island was just really unexpected and I couldn't believe there was more.

Also, the ending was probably the most rewarding ending I've ever experienced, the music, the character snippets and cinematics, you could tell the pride that went into the game and it was a very conclusive and accomplished feeling.


I remember for FF7 faking being sick to stay home from school to play it, so I have very fond memories of that one as well, but as some others have said, I didn't relate to the characters as much as I did in 6, which I happened to relate to several in small ways.

 

[jamesrb]

As of now FF6 is my favorite game. Nothing I can say can really do justice to the game or the memories I have of playing it with my friend.

FF5, FF4, and FF7 were my next favorites in order, though a step down from FF6. I felt that FF1 and FF3 were a step below those. FF8 was terrible and FF2 really felt like borderline masochism.