Initial Ramblasy

A couple hours ago, I realized something. I've made the brilliant move of starting a blog where I review games in a period where I'm both insanely busy and playing through a game that it'll take me an eternity to complete. So, I'll start this off with one of my ramblings. Expect these to far outnumber reviews, by the way. Anyway, let's talk about Final Fantasy.

Final Fantasy is one of the oldest series out there. It all but kickstarted the popularity of the JRPG in the west, saved Square from bankruptcy, and just refuses to stop existing.

It all starts off in the humble NES era. Square, a small Japanese company, has released a few games, none of which have sold particularly well. Seeing their bankruptcy approaching, and the popularity of the RPG Dragon Quest, they allow Hironobu Sakaguchi, a long-time employee to go on with his dream project, a JRPG of his own. Being sure this is his last project, Sakaguchi names the game Final Fantasy. It of course is a blockbuster hit, Square is saved, and Sakaguchi keeps working for them and producing Final Fantasy games.

What I find particularly interesting about the series is its evolution through the different console generations. The NES Final Fantasies are traditional JRPGs, similar to the aforementioned Dragon Quest. The story is barely existent, and you stumble from objective to objective, grinding experience and getting very lost along the way. This is very much a mechanically focused game. Obsessing over your party composition, tactics, and equipment is the main source of enjoyment. There's a fair amount of exploration here, to the point where oftentimes you find yourself not being able to find your next objective.

Moving onto the SNES era, the series changes in a major way. Starting from Final Fantasy IV, the story becomes a major focus. Mechanically, they stay much the same, but they're no longer about the mechanics. The story is about a small cast of characters, but they're not the focus, or the main source of enjoyment. What's really important here is the overarching plot, the journey to save the land from whatever scourge may be unleashed on it. The characters are a diverse bunch of stereotypes, who leave any sort of external motivation at the door when entering the party: as soon as a character joins you in your quest, the only worry they have any more is that of the main character.

This may seem like a criticism of the SNES era Final Fantasies, but believe me when I say this is what I consider the golden era of the series: They have a genuine sense of energy to them, and the less-developed characters are more fun to have around than the grim protagonists the next era brings. There's an obviously huge amount of passion put into each and every one of the SNES Final Fantasies, and they manage to not feel as dry as the NES era of the series. Even better, you at least know what to look for in your travels, as the storyline gives you helpful tips as to where to go, without ever feeling hand-holdy.

Then we come to the PlayStation era. These are different Final Fantasies, having made the move to 3D. The story focus becomes even more pronounced. Gone are the days when characters were barely fleshed-out stereotypes, here are the days where characters are considerably fleshed-out stereotypes. Stories focus more on the relationships between characters, and the main conflict becomes almost a secondary concern. The famed mopy protagonist is introduced, Cloud of Final Fantasy VII, the first to be released on the system, is their vanguard, and Squall of Final Fantasy VIII fame is another notable figure. Gameplay drops to a more linear style, to allow for a more cinematic experience, though exploration is still here and kicking. The setting moves from the medieval worlds we'd previously seen into sci-fi inspired worlds.

Something that has to be addressed is that here's where Final Fantasy VII drops. Final Fantasy I on the NES was a success for the time, but the audience was considerably smaller. The SNES era's Final Fantasies were by no means a failure, but were never the same caliber of smash hit that the first one was. Final Fantasy VII was a huge success, and re-introduced JRPGs to western audiences. If asked, an amazing amount of today's gamers will say Final Fantasy VII was either their first game or their first RPG. I'll be honest: I don't think it deserves half of the fame it has, despite being a damn good game. Nevertheless, Final Fantasy VII's popularity strongly affected Square's handling of the series.

With Final Fantasy IX, an important milestone is reached. Not only is this the last game before the series goes into the double digits, but it's also the last Final Fantasy Hironobu Sakaguchi works on. It's a bit different from the other two PlayStation Final Fantasies, in tone, story, and setting. One can clearly see this being Sakaguchi's last hurrah, a way to mark his departure from the company in the same way that marked the beginning of his importance within it.

So, there we go, a small walk through the history and changing nature of early Final Fantasy. Admittedly, the history of the series is far from an obscure story, and most people will have played at least a single game in it, but I think that giving a re-cap is a good way to set up my first review. That's right, folks, I'm reviewing Final Fantasy X, the first game in the series to be made without Sakaguchi, the first to contain voice acting, and the first to be released on the PlayStation 2. Tune in for the review whenever the hell I finish it. Or don't, but you'll be missing out on hearing the thoughts of a random teenager on the internet, and how would you live with yourself after that?