Final Fantasy video retrospective: Part IV

I know it's labeled wrong on the video itself, but you should probably fix the title from IV to VI, Alex.

"Playstation all the way..." except for those Gamecube, GBA, DS, Wonderswan, PC, and Xbox Final Fantasy games...

If FF7 were as awesome as fanboys make it out to be, it'd still only be half as good as FF6.

A-freakin-men to that brother. So many people swear by FF7. I think the hysteria springs from the fact that the majority of those people never played a Final Fantasy, let alone a Japanese RPG, prior to 7. FF6 was the pinnacle of the series for people like me who have been playing since the first one. The jump to FF7 was like the jump a lot of music artists make the moment they release a "sell out" album. Sell out to the masses by releasing a "top 40" or "pop" album while turning away the fans who supported you from the very beginning. That's what FF7 was to the franchise.

Go ahead and complain, those of you who want to argue for no reason other than to argue. If you didn't play 1-6 (or 1, 4, then 6 in the US), you have no argument.

The statement is still wrong. It hasn't been "Playstation all the way." FFXI was released on the 360. Remakes were made on the DS and GBA if you want to include those, since they were "in the numerical series."

Love IX the most. Then probably V, VI, and III but I didn't play III enough. Spinoffs Tactics Advance, Crystal Chronicles, and Chocobo Dungeon. I loved IX's fantasy art and music, the throwback with set jobs and characters, back stories, and that it was the first FF I played. I've watched my brother play VII and VIII and all I have to say is I would get too frustrated to even continue playing. I couldn't even complete VI though I managed to drag to the final tower.

They're not going to do the Gameboy games? Poo on that. I don't care if they're not technically FF games.

Beautiful video, 6 is and always will be my favorite RPG ever

VI.. one of the greatest masterpieces by square.. next to Xenogears and Konami's Suikoden II. Listening to that opening theme makes me want to play it again..

maxx: You pretty much hit the nail on the head. FFVII was "my first Final RPG" to a lot of people, which is what created the blind fanboy love. About the only good thing you can say about it these days is "well, at least they didn't screw it up as badly as they did the next one."

As a contrast, the only bad thing you can say about VI is that Square went out and topped itself with Chrono Trigger (well, and that the Bum Rush unbalances the game the second you get it).

But compared to what came afterwards... yeah, "shining light" is a pretty good way to describe it. Give me an actual well-developed, reasonably mature storyline over juvenile nerd-fantasy caricatures and a sh(l)ock value death any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

VI was the game that changed my life... Best Final Fantasy hands down. I'm glad I watched this video because I always assumed Sakagichi was behind the writing/directing, instead, it turns out to be the director of my second favorite RPG, Chrono Trigger. Heh Good to know :)

This is the type of "videogame anthropology" that I really appreciate, and I am so glad someone is making these videos and someone is seeing fit to post in Joystiq, because while Joystiq by it's nature tends to be about what is up-and-coming, this piece is about the history and culture of videogaming, and it is an interesting view of the evolution of technology, and how stories are able to evolve at the rate of the technology, yet all good storytellers in videogame land are pushing their current technology to the limits, not only to best tell their story, but because the story is told so much better when done the best possible way on the equipment of the time.

This brings tears to my eyes. Wonderful hours spent playing such a piece of art.
Thanks for bringing back the feeling, amigo.

Yeah, it's kinda hard to explain the feelings of nostalgia this game brings out in me. Being a bit older than the typical Joystiq reader and recalling the anticipation for this game as having been a fan of all the previous American releases, only to find the single most engaging gaming experience I have ever encountered. It's not a stretch to say this game more than met my expectations, and no game of any series or genre has matched the depth of emotional attachment to the characters than this game has, in my jaded opinion. Seven was a great game, an revolutionary in it's implementation and presentation. It may have created a standard and still inspires development in video game storytelling to this day. But there's something to be said about experiencing the classics before their more advanced decedents that gets lost. When I completed that game that's exactly what it felt like, complete.

Seeing this video and knowing that I've never played a final fantasy game, I think I'll buy all the ones on the
Gameboy Advance and play them.

I love how everyone here is calling people who like FF7 "fanboys" and that the only reason they can possibly like it is because it's the first FF they played. It's funny because most people I've talked to who like FF6 are also quick to say FF6 was their first FF game as well. Somewhat ironic.

This "I have more taste than you, and can't possibly understand why you like insert FF" fad is the real fanboy'ism.