Re: Faris If we are to consider video games to be art, then we must be willing to treat and discuss them as we would any other artistic medium. This includes examining the work as the author intended, as well as independently of authorial intent. Faris was almost certainly not intended to be viewed in the way I have discussed. And that's fine. But the character resonates with trans and gender queer people in a way in which they see themselves and their struggles through Faris. I found this interesting and worthy of discussion. I also acknowledged that this reading is NOT absolute, and that the text, as it is, independent of authorial intent, leaves room for other interpretations. This includes the dominant reading of Faris being a tomboy who was merely disguised as a man. And that's okay. More than okay! You are absolutely allowed to continue referring the Faris as a woman, because the text supports this reading as it does others. I even say as much in the video, and that I am not demanding anybody change the way they refer to Faris because of the reading I have presented. Disagreements are fine. Belligerent disagreement is not. Know the difference; it's really not hard to say, "I don't agree with this assessment," and go on with your day. Thank you.
As soon as you started on that section in the video, I was immediately like "oh boy, time for a comment apocalypse". Personally, I didn't even think about such implications since this crossdressing woman trope is so popular in Japanese media of the time. So I chalked it up to that. 😅
Agreed! Ppl can get so goofy over video game characters, especially when they are (or are coded as) a minority. I dread the comments section of any video discussing the latest Bridget in any objective and nuanced light. Not because of the Left or LGBTQ people, but because reactionaries who hate trans ppl go on the OFFENSIVE over something that don't affect them.
I really didn't put too much thought into it and just figured it was the girl raised as a boy who likes being a boy and what's considered boy things; more of a trope than a discussion piece. Interesting during the time as something I hadn't seen in video games very often but superficial in the grand scheme of the light story. As long as Faris hit hard or cast hard, Faris was welcomed in my party. I find Cloud's crossdressing section in FF7 more interesting as a thematic discussion on identity since Cloud's memories and actions are confused over Faris.
@@loganhayse8771 And that's a totally valid read on the material! Some people are just being dicks about it. And there is something to be said about Cloud on this particular front, but whether I will pull on that particular thread in that character's tapestry remains to be seen.
@@ecocodex4431 I love "people can get so goofy over video game characters" because that is how you feel about people thinking the Faris "they/them" stuff is crap BUT if a tranny thinks that a character is good for "rEpReSeNtAtIoN" then that isn't goofy. It is probably stunning AND brave.
With regards to Farris, I think saying 俺 (Ore) is an exclusively male pronoun is a trap non native speakers tend to fall in to. あたし (atashi) is a more feminine equivalent to 私 (watashi), the most neutral/polite form of 1st person pronoun, but you'll see queer men use it, but that doesn't mean they identify as female. Ore can also be used by women without them having to identify as male. There are also plenty of examples of female characters that use 僕 (boku) a traditionally boyish pronoun, that aren't male identifying. That said, you can certainly interpret the character how you see fit.
Yeah the voiceover was recorded well in advance so I had to leave a text blurb to clarify that this kind of thing isn't exactly set in stone, but that there are certain connotations with personal identifiers.
I'm very glad you included The Age of Emulation in the video. It's something that not many people are informed on, but the people involved put so much time and effort into making a good fan translation. Plus, the change of tone from the rest of the video was fun and enjoyable. Great choice in including this important section!
@@loganhayse8771 Me too. This along with Dragon Quest 5-6, and Seiken Densetsu 3 were what compelled me to get into emulation. Others like Bahamut Lagoon, Treasure Hunter G, and Rudra no Hihou soon followed. I've always been equally thankful and amazed at the sheer amount of time and effort put in by fan translators in making these games accessible to a wider audience out of the goodness of their hearts.
@@acidwizard6528 so many amazing games we only heard rumors or rumored in the back of Nintendo Power and then boom; instant access and can understand what's going on. Not always the best translations but man; Seiken Densetsu 3? A sequel to one of the key games of my youth? And in English? You better believe I'm downloading and be back in an hour for my dial up to finish the download.
Have been watching each of these on my night shifts, was sad that there was only 5 but really hope you'll continue this series up to 16. Thanks for the work you've put into these, each of them are lovely documentaries on these titles and I love hearing about the development and reception of each one.
4-6 mean very much to me because I played them at release...well, not 5 obviously but I did complete it when it was released on PS-X. Don't get me wrong, 7 is a beautiful game but the previous entries (especially 6) have a special place in my heart and always will.
It's worth mentionning that technically pass the fight on the boat everything about Gilgamesh is optionnal, like if you don't check the chest in Castle Exdeath you'll skip that where Exdeath banish him and will never meet him again, and in the Rift Necrophobe's fight and hence Gilgamesh's sacrifice is optionnal, and even then if the player is strong enough Necrophobe can be killed without triggering Gilgamesh's appearence. So I'd like to imagine there is multiple timelines where he live or die depending of the player's actions ^^
Bartz's world has lived in a time of great prosperity and peace with thriving trade and connections between the nations. Galuf's world is more wild, untamed, and scarred by war. Towns are far flung and isolated. Look how many people in Bartz's world kept recognizing the king of Tycoon and reporting his whereabouts to you. You have the king of Bal IN YOUR PARTY and most people in his world don't recognize him. They both definitely have their own character.
Yea. I actually had more trouble distinguishing towns in ff6. These old rpgs made it tough with their limited tilesets. Ff4 had different music and significant story at each town. It wasn't until ff7 when they could truly distinguish towns
A class FF seems to have overlooked... Pirate. Having the stealing skills of a thief, and the base stats of a red mage, rather than a thief, able to wear up to non-plate armor, and use their limited variety of weapons.
I only stumbled upon your series the other day and I gotta say, this is already the best Final Fantasy retrospective I've ever seen. Not only do you do a great job of breaking the games down and analyzing them in a fun and comprehensive way, but your perspective on the games feel fresh. You even have info on them that I've never even heard of, despite how long I've been a fan of the series. Not only that, but I appreciate the positivity of the videos. The fact that you made a FFII video that didn't just dismiss the game and gave it a more charitable look was refreshing. I can't wait for the rest of the series, and now I gotta watch the rest of the videos on your channel!
Something I notice about Farris is that early on the job outfits you have for her are pretty masculine, but as the game goes on the job outfits she has become more feminine, which implies to me that since she isn’t surrounded by masculine pirates all the time she’s able to be more woman-like, which I think is pretty good story telling. I never ever had the impression in the game that she was a woman who actually thinks she’s a man, she knows she’s a woman but wanted to fit in with the pirates, so she pretended to be a guy, but she’s not actually a guy. Does that make sense?
@captainpep3 That is pretty much how I always took it. That she figured the guys wouldnt accept her as their leader if she presented as a woman. I hate when people take a character like Farris and use modern day ideologies to force something I dont believe she ever was so they have an allegory for themselves. Which I find narcissistic because they are stripping the character of their identity and putting their own on the character.
I like the angle someone in a chat I was in said that "one of the pirates mentions that the captain found Faris as a lass so it's very cute and heartwarming that they all probably knew all along but went along with it for their cap'n." Just a bunch of goofs validating their own.
As you said some people knock FF5 and call it goofy but I think it's quirky, lightheartedness is part of the charm. It's like if Final Fantasy had a Saturday morning cartoon.
You are doing absolutely fantastic work. Watching your retrospectives succeeds in changing my view on these games every time. A celebration of media inextricable from my childhood, that also feel more important as a result.
These videos really are some of the best on the platform, I've been loving everything you put out, whether FF or not, I really appreciate your insight and analysis. This video really made me appreciate FFV more than I did as it was one of my least favourites, it's still not at the top but I definitely appreciate more about it, especially mechanically. I also deeply appreciate the way you tackle Faris, I never even thought of it in that light. Like you say, if we're to absorb these games and their meanings as pieces of art, as they are, that means they're open to any and all interpretations, and despite what the "fact" of the text is, Faris' story absolutely could and does resonate with the trans community despite the intent and that's certainly interesting. Really looking forward to seeing you tackle FFVI, one of my absolute favourites, that's certainly going to be a treat!
I don't think Faris is trans. I think she still sees herself as a woman but is so used to man mannerisms and brutish behavior that it's her personality. Juggling pronouns and debating her gender identity is not what I think is intended by the developers. Faris is Faris. And she is a total badass but her speech gives me a headache to read.
Not sure how this popped up in my recommendations this shortly after release but this is looking excellent so far. The word "Retrospective" has come to mean many things on RUclips over the past few years but I love the structure that you've gone for in particular covering the history, the game and then still putting a whole lot of time into its legacy. That final part, I feel, often falls too short in retrospectives and I'm definitely stoked to see the rest of your work.
I was hoping your video would touch on how important FFV was to the early emulator scene. I'm impressed by just how much depth and detail you gave the subject.
Final Fantasy V's story was perfect for the kind of story it wanted to tell. A lighthearted adventure with the perfect mustache twisting Saturday morning cartoon villain.
I agree. While it’s not my favorite, I’m a HUGE fan of Salaguchi’s most recent game, Fantasian, and I always tell people it feels VERY much like FFv in terms of its light story and focus on gameplay. I hate that people seem to care so much about moral relativism now and think that it somehow makes games “good” or “smart”.
taking Faris's identity into consideration, many players might or might not have played ff2 in japan before moving on to this title as they may experience deja vu with Leila who was also a pirate captain meaning that Faris wasn't the first one with that title
Regarding Farris, as a trans person myself, I do NOT see Farris as trans. I've always seen her as a tomboy who likes to act very masculine (or "butch") but ultimately never feels any gender dysphoria. Just that she's a girl who enjoys being rough and tumble, who due to fear of her fellow pirates growing up, felt the need to hide herself. And there's nothing wrong with her being that way. It's fine for characters to have unusual gender issues without being transgender, and it's a bit reductive to assume a character has to be trans just because they have any gender identity struggles.
I haven't played the game, but this character as described reminds me a lot of Jim from the show Our Flag Means Death. They disguise themselves as a man to serve aboard pirate ships in search of vengeance against a man who wronged them, but after revealing themselves to the main cast, they decide they're comfortable continuing going by the alias "Jim" and adopt they/them pronouns.
Your in depth prologues with dev history are really my favorite parts of these videos. I love the bit about the RPGe fan translation in this video especially. I’ve watched other retrospectives on these games but imo, your vids are the new gold standard on RUclips! Love your work dude, I can’t wait until you do IX!!
I haven’t seen anybody in the comments say this, but slight correction: the OVA was animated by Madhouse, Studio Bones didn’t exist yet. Great video otherwise! You’ve got the best FF videos on this website. I’m extremely excited for more. The production history in particular is so good.
These have all been so good so far. In this one, I really liked the correlation you made between the story's undertones and the economic crisis taking place in Japan during the game's development.
*sad moment between Lenna and Faris* "S...sister?" "Shiver me tempers!" Holy h*ck I died laughing at that one I had to replay it just to see if I didn't read it wrong. I read that in Mr.Crabs' voice.
These retrospectives strike a great balance between your opinion and fact, and it feels like im replaying the game again just watching this. Keep it up!!
FF5's story never really resonated with me because of one main factor: plot convenience. While I am not a huge fan of simple plots with cartoon villain endgame bosses, I can still enjoy it if events unfold in a manner that is believable within the game's universe. However, the number of "close calls" only to be saved by the most lucky of coincidences is off the charts and reminds me of the movie "Dante's peak" with the amount of plot armor its characters have (besides Galuf's death, although his skills passing on seamlessly is plot convenience as well).
Another great, well researched, and entertaining retrospective. The emulation chapter especially resonated, as that was the way I played FFV way back in the day. The fact it was created by ambitious youth was the cherry atop considering how atrocious the FFV port on the PS1 was.
31:25 unfortunately this is false, leveling up provides a damage and defense bonus as well based on the level itself, but because leveling is so slow, it's better to strategize anyway :) Shortly thereafter, worth mentioning as well that teaching any class a Magic skill as their secondary ability raises the Magic score to whatever the base of that class is at that level, so you can give knights black magic and they cast just as well as a black mage.
No it partially gives magic pwr, at Black L6 it gives all of the power. Giving Berserker Black,Summon is how you power up Berserker's Rune axe and Earth hammer.
@31:27 this point is wrong, equiping !white gives the magic stat of a white mage in addition to giving access to the spells, so a monk with !white would be as good at magic as a white mage. This can be used in other ways, for instance, giving a magic skill to a ninja or geomancer will boost the power of the geo powers or the ninja scrolls.
What's so depressing about that interview is that they love FF5 for it's gameplay/combat, yet in FF16 we got a generic action game w/ very light RPG elements. Shame...
@@acerimmer8338 I do agree to a certain extent. The SNES/SFAM era mainline entries will always have a commanding presence in my heart when it comes to nostalgia. I do think it needs to sell well by its adapt or die transition to action otherwise any future games could be lost to the void. I also wish it was possible to have the choice for turn based gameplay experience. Sort of how DQ11 had a retro version as an option. I’m not even sure if that would be possible, but I’d be first to pre order 17 if that were the case.
@@acerimmer8338it in no way is generic. Maybe you find it uninteresting, but that game is very unique with its combat, and it’s really good and deep when you get into it. Though the game is admittedly a bit too easy
@@matthewj7800What I missed with the axtion rpg style combat was a sense of playing as the whole cast as opposed to a single protagonist, and the loss of control and that particular style of tactic. I would, without a single shred of doubt, have enjoyed every action FF game a lot more if it was turn based. But that's me, and they aren't under obligation to make games I like to play. So I'll find comfort in other gems like Octopath and such.
FFV is right up there in my top 3 favorite FF games, thank you for making a expanded and detailed retrospective. A core aspect of FFV that I really appreciate is the party is made up individuals from different walks of life in this world, noticing the disturbance and coming together to save it
@@prairiete XII? So because u like starwars and loved how they basically stole everything from them, or because u hate Star wars and u loved that they stole everything from them?
@@AlekTrev006 We hit the patreon goal for a Tactics video in the lead up to this one. But for scheduling reasons it won't be out until next Summer, between the FF7 and 8 videos. But rest assured, I will be doing Tactics.
I actually really like the way that you talked about Faris, it's actually really appreciated with the way you handled it! The fact that a relatively small section of your video has gotten certain sects of people so riled up is ludicrous and really just a show of immaturity. Final Fantasy V is the first game from the series I have played; your video is both very informational and very well-put! I think this is a top-notch retrospective of the game!
Yeah, it's a shame, cus the video is really good. I mean, I don't personally agree with his interpretation, cus its clear Faris is just the usual tomboy princess archetype, but it doesn't mean I just hate the video now, people need to chill.
@@jackmesrel4933 Oh yeah, I believe that that was the original authorial intent! Media is an art, and art is something to be interacted with on a personal level, everybody's interpretation will be a little different. Faris is Faris in the end, whether he's trans to some people or that she's a cis tomboy to others, there's a lot to engage with either way.
just discover this channel a few days ago, let me tell you i do have enjoy this retrospective, keep your good work soldier, now i the wait star for in my opninion the best FF
Personally, I think Sakaguchi’s decision to bring Kitase on as a collaborator to help him create the foundations of, and later directing and producing, the Final Fantasy games on the Super Famicom and future systems was probably one the best things to happen to Final Fantasy at that time seeing as how he was the Director/Producer of not just some of the best Final Fantasy games but best video games of all time. Those titles being FFVI, FFVII, FFVIII, and FFX. FFIX is also one of the best Final Fantasy games and one of the best games of all time however he didn’t work on that one since he was working on FFX at the time and FFIX was also being developed in Hawaii. As you state, Kitase was more into creating sequences that were more spectacle in an attempt to “woah gamers” visually. With that in mind, you could argue that it was through Kitase that the cinematic style of future Final Fantasy games, and is directly due to Sakaguchi’s decision to bring Kitase under his wing. Despite the future failure of Sakaguchi’s push for Final Fantasy to enter the movie industry, Sakaguchi really did know what he was doing and knew how to spot meteoric potential in members of his team and help foster that potential into becoming reality.
Been playing through the series, I will probably play V through the Pixel Remaster, I do love the level of detail you have gone into, not just in this game but on all the previous entries Really excited for your video on VII!
love watching the growth brother.. nothing here i havent already praised you about before but even so i'm really impressed by your work here. this is the longest yet and i'm sure as the games get longer and longer in design so to will your reviews and to NEVER see a drop in quality, a drop in research, editing, voice over, or anything given to the production of these videos.. you're an absolute unit Drewby. i'm never disappointed watching your videos, even with their length.. keep pushing and striving my man the views WILL come and the fans WILL come. you've already garnered some regulars and i'm really happy you're seeing results. crazy seeing you graduate college and then watch you apply that in the realistic setting.. the stuff you can do on here.. just incredible. miss you man, hope you're doing well up there
The "fan translation" section is top-tier content. Very entertaining and highly informative. Love your videos! I've been playing the pixel remasters for the first time over the past year (after only having played VII, X, XIII, and XV like a normie). Your retrospectives have made for a great "post-game" experience.
Great video. Love the first parts about the context in which the game was developed. Also, good portion on Faris that is a refreshingly nuanced and mature. Subbed!
Hey thank you for this release! I'm happy to see my name in your patreon list at 17:34 and very happy to support you even if with just a single coin. Cheers! Can't wait for VI, VII, VIII and very especially IX!
It's hilarious that Japanese developers thought this game was too complex for Americans who had already been playing text-based adventure games and role-playing games on graph paper
You sir have earned a new subscriber. The amount of work you put into making a documentary about one of the lesser known Final Fantasy games is commendable. I'm going to watch your other Final Fantasy content and more perhaps.
You are contradicting yourself. Precisely because it's forgotten, it doesn't deserve a remake. FF 7 got a remake precisely because no one ever forgot about this game.
@@BiriBiri925 You are contradicting yourself. Precisely because it's forgotten, it deserves a remake to give the game a second chance, and flesh out the original ideas and concepts that they weren't able to fully explore because of the limitations of the time. Devil May Cry 2 is another perfect example of a game that should be remade.
@@backupschmliff1156your caught in a timeloop. Biribiri925 was not defeated by your comment but simply sent 2000 years into the past by the RUclips Fiends, Mr. Beast, Pewdiepie, Markiplier, and Matt Pat.
I had just finished watching the four previous retrospectives and was pretty bummed out and then I see this in my hour of need. Keep up the good work 👍🏻
Personally, I saw the theming of responsibility as being an environmental one. Exdeath and his spirits were repeatedly swept under the rug until it was too late, akin to irl environmental issues. Also explains why Exdeath is a tree. He is a symbol of the ruined environment, the effect of the Crystals shattering. Under this view, Lenna and the Wind Drake are thematically connected too. Then again, it's an interpretation like anything else. And: I love this game
FF5's story feels different and simple because it is the type of that FF has only done twice, Heroic Fantasy. Where a 4 and 6 is High Fantasy(LOTR or Skyrim), FF 5 is more like Conan and OT Star Wars. It's a simple story written with great characters and a simple world anyone can understand. That's why it feels different than 4.
What a baffling take. FF5 is more “Star Wars” and FF 4 is more Lord Of The Rings? You realize the plot for FF4 is basically a direct ripoff of Star Wars right? A young hero struggling with whether to take the path of the light side or the dark side (cecil) fights an evil empire (baron) and a black clad evil knight (golbez) who turns out to be his relation? And he learns from an aged wizard (Fusoya) how to better use his abilities as well as his true hidden heritage? He flies are on a ship called The Falcon?
One thing I love about FFV is that the mechanics of the job system actually encourage ROLEPLAYING. To me, Faris is a pirate and therefore starts as a theif/monk/archer. Galuf is a interdimensional mystic so he is a black mage/time mage/ geomancer. Lenna's personality makes her a white mage etc. Butz is a wandering adventurer - clearly a red mage/blue mage in my mindOther people's interpretations of these characters leads them to use jobs differently .
Same here but I make Bartz a Thief because of his more Zidane like personality and I associate wind and green with thieves. Wind crystal. Lenna a white mage because of her caring and nurturing personality. Water crystal. Faris a black mage because of her strong, fiery personality. Fire crystal Galuf as a Monk due to his direct personality as an old geezer. Earth crystal.
i remember my grandfather owning a few games for his ps1. FFV, FFVIII, and Abe's Exoddus. VIII didnt sit well with me, just not what i liked or had wanted out of a fantasy game. FFV however... that is what intrigued me the most being only four-ish, maybe five at the time. Every other weekend i'd be dropped off at his trailer home and he would either be playing WoW with my uncles or watching Pokemon on his tiny bedroom TV, whilst i would be playing FFV, dying to Galura over and over again, or going underwater in Cid's submarine. i never beat the game at that age. it would take me until i was roughly eleven maybe twelve years old when i did. i have played this game nearly all of my life and i love playing my Anthology port. your video showed me the Pixel Remaster and all of the feelings of sadness and wanting to play FFV again came out in aggressive waves of emotions i haven't experienced in a long time. i love this game so much. my "first" playthrough on my memory card has almost eighty hours of in game time on it. it was the only game id play until i had maxxed the Mime job level to really feel like i did something. i never got all of the legendary weapons, nor did i ever know about how to get them until... this video lol. what i did find was that weird sword in the Phantom Village where its damage is based on how many fights you HAVE NOT fled. man was mine useless. i love your video to the very end. this game means the absolute world to myself and my grandfather for showing me it as well as other RPGs. thank you sir
Excellent! Became a patron. Looking forward to FF6, probably my favorite. Started playing with FF1 as a kid with a NES and have always loved this series, though haven't really played much past FF8 at this point.
The Dawn Warriors seem to be a variant on the FF2 spell, Ultima... They were powerful for their time, but as shown by their being unable to destroy even the weakest form of X-Death, by the time of the story, they were only the equivalent of low to mid-level champions, Dawn showing only the beginning of light, and the Light Warriors having the full strength of light behind them.
I've seen a couple of your videos but 30 minutes into this one... you've more than earned my sub. I don't have the time I had as a kid to do much more than appreciate the story of FF games so when you actually start getting into the strategies involved in this game's job system (I think I played 10 hours without changing out of my initial job choices, honestly, even though I have played about 1/4 of Bravely Default and SHOULD know better), you've given me extra depth to enjoy about this game whose story didn't draw me in as much as FF3 and FF4... yet. But wow, this seems so worth slogging through (unlike the earlier titles, I don't own a copy of this game where I can cheat by enabling Save Anywhere) and really experiencing.
13:45 While hard times does mean that people have less to spend on games, it also means that, since they hate their lives, they crave escapist games even more. So you know, not so bad for us devs I guess. Although a tub of yogurt is still $6.50.
35:50 this is a problem in programming in general, not necessarily the SNES. If a programmer wants a number range in a variable that is twice as large as normal, they can forgo negative numbers to double the range. That is, if the program doesn't catch when math would put the variable in the negative, it will roll over into the maximum value. This is of course a very simplistic explanation, and in programming languages such as C, the behavior of overflowing variables is undefined, but usually results in strange stuff like this. The reason these bugs exist is because programmers probably didn't expect it to happen, and only implemented hard capping of stats in positive integers.
Watching these games evolve with time, and seeing how the next one changes in response to the critiques of the previous has been fascinating. As always, the video is perfect. Feel truly blessed to have stumbled upon your series
I think that the case of Farris is very similar to Joan Of Arc, who despite dressing as a man and acting as such it was made out of her own safety and leadership, when Joan was judged and asked by her gender she always emphasise that she was a woman and never felt as such. I don't mean that there isn't a queer reading in there as any type of person who breaks the gender standards could be part of the LGBTQ community. With Farris (as the game continues) starts to refer as a woman and that's reflected on her late game sprite jobs. Another character that is kinda similar to Farris could be Utena from Revolutionary Girl Utena, she also uses male pronouns and costumes in order to fit her ideal vision of a prince, however she always felt as a woman and by the end of the series (specially in the movie) she embraces her womanhood. And as I said before this doesn't delete any type of queer reading the show could had (Considering that the show is about two girls breaking the mold of the female gender)
My favorite moment was playing FF5 on my GBA wide awake from caffeine in a hotel. I got to the start of act two and made it to the Battle On The Big Bridge. It was one of my favorite segments of the game and the track has stayed with me to this day. I’m so glad Greg has been recurring character throughout the series cause we get to hear that track more often!!!
I’m playing FFXVI right now, I’m in the home stretch and after hearing you describe some of the plot of FFV it almost sounds like FFXVI could easily somehow be connected to FFV. The Crystal are in both games seem to serve the same function in the everyday life of the citizens. Exdeath wipes a town near the sea off the map leaving a massive crater the sea then flows into, while in FFXVI you come across a massive crater near the sea which is flowing into it called The Scar that was caused by “a god like entity” which then went on to destroy Civilization leaving only ruins(some of which are ruins of airships), in both games the Crystals are destroyed, in FFV the Crystals grant powers the the Heroes of the story while in FFXVI the Crystal bestow powers “or blessing” to the different individuals in the world while also bestowing tremendous power to one person per Crystal called Dominants. Some of which become part of your party, while others are enemies. There’s probably even more similarities between the two but then I’d have to go into spoiler territory and I’d rather not do that because I hate when shit gets spoiled to me. Like that asshole whole spoiled the reveal of Atrayus place within the Norse Mythology after I specifically told him I hadn’t beat it yet. Fucking wanted to punch that dude straight in the face.
Just because a lady likes to do things that are considered 'masculine', that doesn't make her nonbinary. She's just a tomboy. The issue is that assuming such is akin to boiling gender/sex down to a stereotype, and that is harmful.
You are right, but they didnt boil Faris down. They simply discussed Fan reception to Faris much like they did for other characters, and that fan reception involves how different people interpreted them. Your heart is in the right place but you fall into the trap you warn against by boiling Faris down into only being a tomboy when it's neither confirmed or denied.
Ironically, I was playing ff5 when you released this so opted to wait til after to watch. Exdeath is dead, the void has been quelled, and the Chrystal’s have been restored. Excited to finally watch this
About 14 years ago, I got a laptop and VBA along with the ROMs of I & II, IV, V and VI Advance! I love this version of I, was pretty meh for II, got stuck on IV and jus couldn't really get into V... VI, on the other hand, well it was an enhanced version of the PlayStation version, the first Final Fantasy I owned and played 20 years ago now! I've been doing an Anniversary Let's Play of VI Advance to celebrate and am looking forward to you covering my favourite in the series! Although, I probably should get back to it, though... I've kind of fallen behind!
FFV is the best final fantasy. My personal favorite is X but objectively FFV is the only one not missing something an FF game should have. Everything else subtracts essential parts and adds others
@@ramudon2428 the open world just wasn't as expanded as it was in the first 6. That and the aesthetic is entirely different FFIX is an amazing game I cried at the end lol
To be honest, I am happy you chose to look at the early 90s Japanese social economic problems. The past being so rich leaving the younger to live so poor. That brings up my understanding that the entire western economy is nothing more than a pansy scheme. It is a reminder of what our own society will become in future years when the older generation fail to let go and the young are left with the ramifications of the previous gens actions.
The video was fantastic... then it went beyond that during the fan-translation story. I loved it! Amazing! This is the best FFV retrospective that i've watched.
Great video, but I disagree with your opinon on the worldbuilding and pacing. It may be subjective, but I really like the return to "square one", and it was done on a smaller scale before (FF III). It also fits the sudden turn to a much darker storytelling, and the feel of disempowerment aplifies that. I agree that places in previous games can be considered as more varied, but I found this variety rather shalllow and disconnected from each other, and in IV deep but still disconnected. In contrast, in FF V, while the places seem more similar, the words seem themselves seems more consistent and driven by different sociopolitical forces.
NOOOOO! You didn't show even part of Galuf's last battle, even though you showed before and after while mentioning the plot point! BLASPHEMER! I mean, yeah it's a scripted battle you can't "lose," but it is just too awesome. Though I wish the beginning of the Decisive Battle was a little slower and a full octave slide instead of a quick pull to drum up more of a sense of menace and an impending doom feel before it breaks into its "fight for your life" rhythm, that is the battle where it fits most. Oh yeah, just hearing what Sobodash did was pure 90s nostalgia. Of course, anyone with a single high school chem class behind them knew the formulas presented in the vast majority of Anarchist Cookbooks floating around were literally blow yourself up methods of making stuff, and most hippies would advise against smoking banana peels like the book suggested. But every school had at least one kid with a copy itching to distribute.
I'm curious why you left out some obvious to me themes: the Ex Death is a plant. It's the planet striking back. Having environmental themes in most ff series is a common message. Maybe you did mention it but it seems like it could have had its own section.
@@hassledvaniawhat do you mean? A lot of people I know have made the Faris is trans or non-binary connection. As for exdeath being a tree, it's an interesting thought and I definitely am glad to hear it but it's a bit hard to equate Exdeath with evironmentilism considering he burns down a forest and blows up large chunks of the world. 😂
You really keep knocking these out of the park! Super enjoyable as always and that emulation/translation section about the history of fan translations was not only fascinating, your humour really shone through.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Re: Faris
If we are to consider video games to be art, then we must be willing to treat and discuss them as we would any other artistic medium. This includes examining the work as the author intended, as well as independently of authorial intent.
Faris was almost certainly not intended to be viewed in the way I have discussed. And that's fine. But the character resonates with trans and gender queer people in a way in which they see themselves and their struggles through Faris. I found this interesting and worthy of discussion.
I also acknowledged that this reading is NOT absolute, and that the text, as it is, independent of authorial intent, leaves room for other interpretations. This includes the dominant reading of Faris being a tomboy who was merely disguised as a man. And that's okay. More than okay! You are absolutely allowed to continue referring the Faris as a woman, because the text supports this reading as it does others. I even say as much in the video, and that I am not demanding anybody change the way they refer to Faris because of the reading I have presented.
Disagreements are fine. Belligerent disagreement is not. Know the difference; it's really not hard to say, "I don't agree with this assessment," and go on with your day.
Thank you.
As soon as you started on that section in the video, I was immediately like "oh boy, time for a comment apocalypse".
Personally, I didn't even think about such implications since this crossdressing woman trope is so popular in Japanese media of the time. So I chalked it up to that. 😅
Agreed! Ppl can get so goofy over video game characters, especially when they are (or are coded as) a minority. I dread the comments section of any video discussing the latest Bridget in any objective and nuanced light. Not because of the Left or LGBTQ people, but because reactionaries who hate trans ppl go on the OFFENSIVE over something that don't affect them.
I really didn't put too much thought into it and just figured it was the girl raised as a boy who likes being a boy and what's considered boy things; more of a trope than a discussion piece. Interesting during the time as something I hadn't seen in video games very often but superficial in the grand scheme of the light story. As long as Faris hit hard or cast hard, Faris was welcomed in my party.
I find Cloud's crossdressing section in FF7 more interesting as a thematic discussion on identity since Cloud's memories and actions are confused over Faris.
@@loganhayse8771 And that's a totally valid read on the material! Some people are just being dicks about it.
And there is something to be said about Cloud on this particular front, but whether I will pull on that particular thread in that character's tapestry remains to be seen.
@@ecocodex4431 I love "people can get so goofy over video game characters" because that is how you feel about people thinking the Faris "they/them" stuff is crap BUT if a tranny thinks that a character is good for "rEpReSeNtAtIoN" then that isn't goofy. It is probably stunning AND brave.
With regards to Farris, I think saying 俺 (Ore) is an exclusively male pronoun is a trap non native speakers tend to fall in to. あたし (atashi) is a more feminine equivalent to 私 (watashi), the most neutral/polite form of 1st person pronoun, but you'll see queer men use it, but that doesn't mean they identify as female. Ore can also be used by women without them having to identify as male. There are also plenty of examples of female characters that use 僕 (boku) a traditionally boyish pronoun, that aren't male identifying.
That said, you can certainly interpret the character how you see fit.
Yeah the voiceover was recorded well in advance so I had to leave a text blurb to clarify that this kind of thing isn't exactly set in stone, but that there are certain connotations with personal identifiers.
You mean stuff you just want to use to justify your sick fantasies? It's clear that Faris is meant to be a girl.
I'm very glad you included The Age of Emulation in the video. It's something that not many people are informed on, but the people involved put so much time and effort into making a good fan translation. Plus, the change of tone from the rest of the video was fun and enjoyable. Great choice in including this important section!
This was the first game during that time that got me excited and introduced me to emulation.
@@loganhayse8771 Me too. This along with Dragon Quest 5-6, and Seiken Densetsu 3 were what compelled me to get into emulation. Others like Bahamut Lagoon, Treasure Hunter G, and Rudra no Hihou soon followed. I've always been equally thankful and amazed at the sheer amount of time and effort put in by fan translators in making these games accessible to a wider audience out of the goodness of their hearts.
@@acidwizard6528 so many amazing games we only heard rumors or rumored in the back of Nintendo Power and then boom; instant access and can understand what's going on. Not always the best translations but man; Seiken Densetsu 3? A sequel to one of the key games of my youth? And in English? You better believe I'm downloading and be back in an hour for my dial up to finish the download.
Have been watching each of these on my night shifts, was sad that there was only 5 but really hope you'll continue this series up to 16. Thanks for the work you've put into these, each of them are lovely documentaries on these titles and I love hearing about the development and reception of each one.
These Retrospectives have an insane quality level. Keep'em coming!
I really like FF5
Its pure gold
Me too. In fact that's the only FF I'm playing currently! 😅
Same. I ended up playing through all pixel remasters and 4-6 I REALLY liked.
@@BurnoutsAndBourbon I enjoy 4 and 5 more than 7
4-6 mean very much to me because I played them at release...well, not 5 obviously but I did complete it when it was released on PS-X. Don't get me wrong, 7 is a beautiful game but the previous entries (especially 6) have a special place in my heart and always will.
Gilgamesh does not die, the rift takes him on a journey throughout many other FFs.
...I know. But we had no way of knowing that in 1992.
@@AndrewBluett that is very true, I didn't take into consideration that you might be talking from that perspective. Sorry 😅
@@thatswedishguy638 You're all good
It's worth mentionning that technically pass the fight on the boat everything about Gilgamesh is optionnal, like if you don't check the chest in Castle Exdeath you'll skip that where Exdeath banish him and will never meet him again, and in the Rift Necrophobe's fight and hence Gilgamesh's sacrifice is optionnal, and even then if the player is strong enough Necrophobe can be killed without triggering Gilgamesh's appearence. So I'd like to imagine there is multiple timelines where he live or die depending of the player's actions ^^
Bartz's world has lived in a time of great prosperity and peace with thriving trade and connections between the nations.
Galuf's world is more wild, untamed, and scarred by war. Towns are far flung and isolated.
Look how many people in Bartz's world kept recognizing the king of Tycoon and reporting his whereabouts to you.
You have the king of Bal IN YOUR PARTY and most people in his world don't recognize him.
They both definitely have their own character.
Yea. I actually had more trouble distinguishing towns in ff6. These old rpgs made it tough with their limited tilesets. Ff4 had different music and significant story at each town. It wasn't until ff7 when they could truly distinguish towns
@@alanlee67 You've identified one of the few weaknesses of FF6.
FWIW I think FF5 did a great job differentiating towns.
Butts is from licks?
A class FF seems to have overlooked... Pirate.
Having the stealing skills of a thief, and the base stats of a red mage, rather than a thief, able to wear up to non-plate armor, and use their limited variety of weapons.
I only stumbled upon your series the other day and I gotta say, this is already the best Final Fantasy retrospective I've ever seen. Not only do you do a great job of breaking the games down and analyzing them in a fun and comprehensive way, but your perspective on the games feel fresh. You even have info on them that I've never even heard of, despite how long I've been a fan of the series. Not only that, but I appreciate the positivity of the videos. The fact that you made a FFII video that didn't just dismiss the game and gave it a more charitable look was refreshing. I can't wait for the rest of the series, and now I gotta watch the rest of the videos on your channel!
Something I notice about Farris is that early on the job outfits you have for her are pretty masculine, but as the game goes on the job outfits she has become more feminine, which implies to me that since she isn’t surrounded by masculine pirates all the time she’s able to be more woman-like, which I think is pretty good story telling. I never ever had the impression in the game that she was a woman who actually thinks she’s a man, she knows she’s a woman but wanted to fit in with the pirates, so she pretended to be a guy, but she’s not actually a guy. Does that make sense?
Makes sense to me.
to most people, this makes perfect sense, yes.
@captainpep3 That is pretty much how I always took it. That she figured the guys wouldnt accept her as their leader if she presented as a woman. I hate when people take a character like Farris and use modern day ideologies to force something I dont believe she ever was so they have an allegory for themselves. Which I find narcissistic because they are stripping the character of their identity and putting their own on the character.
it really is. forcing someone into a box to satisfy his own prejudices, but its for their own good! so gross. @@thepsychomagus
@@thepsychomagus*cough* Naoto Shirogane from Persona 4 *cough*
I personally relate to Bartz, being a free spirited moron, and so I made him all the job classes I liked.
I like the angle someone in a chat I was in said that "one of the pirates mentions that the captain found Faris as a lass so it's very cute and heartwarming that they all probably knew all along but went along with it for their cap'n." Just a bunch of goofs validating their own.
As you said some people knock FF5 and call it goofy but I think it's quirky, lightheartedness is part of the charm. It's like if Final Fantasy had a Saturday morning cartoon.
Legend of the Crystals was a cartoon based on FFV. (apologies if this video mentioned it).
It’s characters are the descendants of the FFV heroes.
You are doing absolutely fantastic work. Watching your retrospectives succeeds in changing my view on these games every time. A celebration of media inextricable from my childhood, that also feel more important as a result.
These videos really are some of the best on the platform, I've been loving everything you put out, whether FF or not, I really appreciate your insight and analysis. This video really made me appreciate FFV more than I did as it was one of my least favourites, it's still not at the top but I definitely appreciate more about it, especially mechanically. I also deeply appreciate the way you tackle Faris, I never even thought of it in that light. Like you say, if we're to absorb these games and their meanings as pieces of art, as they are, that means they're open to any and all interpretations, and despite what the "fact" of the text is, Faris' story absolutely could and does resonate with the trans community despite the intent and that's certainly interesting.
Really looking forward to seeing you tackle FFVI, one of my absolute favourites, that's certainly going to be a treat!
I don't think Faris is trans. I think she still sees herself as a woman but is so used to man mannerisms and brutish behavior that it's her personality. Juggling pronouns and debating her gender identity is not what I think is intended by the developers. Faris is Faris. And she is a total badass but her speech gives me a headache to read.
Not sure how this popped up in my recommendations this shortly after release but this is looking excellent so far.
The word "Retrospective" has come to mean many things on RUclips over the past few years but I love the structure that you've gone for in particular covering the history, the game and then still putting a whole lot of time into its legacy. That final part, I feel, often falls too short in retrospectives and I'm definitely stoked to see the rest of your work.
I was hoping your video would touch on how important FFV was to the early emulator scene. I'm impressed by just how much depth and detail you gave the subject.
Final Fantasy V's story was perfect for the kind of story it wanted to tell. A lighthearted adventure with the perfect mustache twisting Saturday morning cartoon villain.
I enjoy lightheaded adventures 🤗
Due to the gameplay and story FFV is almost my favorite in the series. Although more recently I am beginning to think it might be my favorite.
He made his castle out of human flesh, moustache-twirly feels a little like an understatement lol
You did not had to slander Exdeath this hard💀
I agree. While it’s not my favorite, I’m a HUGE fan of Salaguchi’s most recent game, Fantasian, and I always tell people it feels VERY much like FFv in terms of its light story and focus on gameplay.
I hate that people seem to care so much about moral relativism now and think that it somehow makes games “good” or “smart”.
taking Faris's identity into consideration, many players might or might not have played ff2 in japan before moving on to this title as they may experience deja vu with Leila who was also a pirate captain meaning that Faris wasn't the first one with that title
Regarding Farris, as a trans person myself, I do NOT see Farris as trans. I've always seen her as a tomboy who likes to act very masculine (or "butch") but ultimately never feels any gender dysphoria. Just that she's a girl who enjoys being rough and tumble, who due to fear of her fellow pirates growing up, felt the need to hide herself. And there's nothing wrong with her being that way. It's fine for characters to have unusual gender issues without being transgender, and it's a bit reductive to assume a character has to be trans just because they have any gender identity struggles.
Trans is to 20s as Disco was to 70s.
I am trans and DEF see Farris as trans.
@@hansjuker8296trans people aren’t a fad. They’re people
@@AnimusBehemoth 😊
I haven't played the game, but this character as described reminds me a lot of Jim from the show Our Flag Means Death. They disguise themselves as a man to serve aboard pirate ships in search of vengeance against a man who wronged them, but after revealing themselves to the main cast, they decide they're comfortable continuing going by the alias "Jim" and adopt they/them pronouns.
Your in depth prologues with dev history are really my favorite parts of these videos. I love the bit about the RPGe fan translation in this video especially. I’ve watched other retrospectives on these games but imo, your vids are the new gold standard on RUclips! Love your work dude, I can’t wait until you do IX!!
Just gotta say, dude, these are magnificent videos. You should be really proud of your work. Thank you
I haven’t seen anybody in the comments say this, but slight correction: the OVA was animated by Madhouse, Studio Bones didn’t exist yet.
Great video otherwise! You’ve got the best FF videos on this website. I’m extremely excited for more. The production history in particular is so good.
Man speaking of bloodbath, what's up with your like/dislike ratio?
What did people not like about this video?
Edit: I might have figured it out.
Was it when he went big T on the pirate? That would be my first port of call if I were to sherlock it.
And he did it for virtue signaling no less, totally ruined the video.
@@ramudon2428Big T, my gods. What a pitiful, fragile mindset. Triggered by the tiniest thing. You're so sad and weird.
@@trenthoward6800 I can smell a loser a mile away and you stink lil guy
@@trenthoward6800grow up
These have all been so good so far.
In this one, I really liked the correlation you made between the story's undertones and the economic crisis taking place in Japan during the game's development.
I've been waiting for the continuation of these retrospectives. Amazing work!
Having watched 1-6, I am loving these retrospectives... pleas continue as best you can sir.
*sad moment between Lenna and Faris*
"S...sister?"
"Shiver me tempers!"
Holy h*ck I died laughing at that one I had to replay it just to see if I didn't read it wrong. I read that in Mr.Crabs' voice.
that dialogue must have been the PS1 translation, i know because i've played that version before
These retrospectives strike a great balance between your opinion and fact, and it feels like im replaying the game again just watching this. Keep it up!!
FF5's story never really resonated with me because of one main factor: plot convenience. While I am not a huge fan of simple plots with cartoon villain endgame bosses, I can still enjoy it if events unfold in a manner that is believable within the game's universe. However, the number of "close calls" only to be saved by the most lucky of coincidences is off the charts and reminds me of the movie "Dante's peak" with the amount of plot armor its characters have (besides Galuf's death, although his skills passing on seamlessly is plot convenience as well).
Another great, well researched, and entertaining retrospective. The emulation chapter especially resonated, as that was the way I played FFV way back in the day. The fact it was created by ambitious youth was the cherry atop considering how atrocious the FFV port on the PS1 was.
31:25 unfortunately this is false, leveling up provides a damage and defense bonus as well based on the level itself, but because leveling is so slow, it's better to strategize anyway :)
Shortly thereafter, worth mentioning as well that teaching any class a Magic skill as their secondary ability raises the Magic score to whatever the base of that class is at that level, so you can give knights black magic and they cast just as well as a black mage.
No it partially gives magic pwr, at Black L6 it gives all of the power. Giving Berserker Black,Summon is how you power up Berserker's Rune axe and Earth hammer.
@31:27 this point is wrong, equiping !white gives the magic stat of a white mage in addition to giving access to the spells, so a monk with !white would be as good at magic as a white mage.
This can be used in other ways, for instance, giving a magic skill to a ninja or geomancer will boost the power of the geo powers or the ninja scrolls.
I'm glad someone else pointed this out. The presenter has the right idea though.
Great timing on this video considering that recent IGN interview with the FF16 staff and how they all listed FFV in their top 3 favorite FF games.
Beat me to it!
What's so depressing about that interview is that they love FF5 for it's gameplay/combat, yet in FF16 we got a generic action game w/ very light RPG elements. Shame...
@@acerimmer8338 I do agree to a certain extent. The SNES/SFAM era mainline entries will always have a commanding presence in my heart when it comes to nostalgia. I do think it needs to sell well by its adapt or die transition to action otherwise any future games could be lost to the void. I also wish it was possible to have the choice for turn based gameplay experience. Sort of how DQ11 had a retro version as an option. I’m not even sure if that would be possible, but I’d be first to pre order 17 if that were the case.
@@acerimmer8338it in no way is generic. Maybe you find it uninteresting, but that game is very unique with its combat, and it’s really good and deep when you get into it. Though the game is admittedly a bit too easy
@@matthewj7800What I missed with the axtion rpg style combat was a sense of playing as the whole cast as opposed to a single protagonist, and the loss of control and that particular style of tactic.
I would, without a single shred of doubt, have enjoyed every action FF game a lot more if it was turn based. But that's me, and they aren't under obligation to make games I like to play. So I'll find comfort in other gems like Octopath and such.
FFV is right up there in my top 3 favorite FF games, thank you for making a expanded and detailed retrospective. A core aspect of FFV that I really appreciate is the party is made up individuals from different walks of life in this world, noticing the disturbance and coming together to save it
Yep it was top.
And Exdeath is ffs best villain until this day
VI, XII, V is my top 3
@@prairiete XII?
So because u like starwars and loved how they basically stole everything from them, or because u hate Star wars and u loved that they stole everything from them?
Great work on this video!
Hope you can do FFVI, VII, VIII, IX, and X. These Videos are works of art as the Games themselves. ❤
I just want VI!
Dont stop at X! I would love to see how he manages to cover XI! Heck all the way through XV if possible!
@@zedorian6547 someone would have to be an idiot to cover the mmo titles.
Don’t forget 12 & Tactics (they are intricately connected, just 1000+ years apart in the Timeline) ! Never forget Ivalice ☺️!
@@AlekTrev006 We hit the patreon goal for a Tactics video in the lead up to this one. But for scheduling reasons it won't be out until next Summer, between the FF7 and 8 videos. But rest assured, I will be doing Tactics.
1:12:09 It's implied that Gilgamesh might actually be the *same* character across different games, popping in and out of the interdimensional Void.
Oh I know. I'm just looking at these games in the context of their era and in 1992, this was Gilgamesh's only appearance.
Yes I am pretty sure that's what the game developers think too.
I think it's only directly implied that the original one from 5 appears in 8, still pretty neat
It's not implied, it's outright stated.
I actually really like the way that you talked about Faris, it's actually really appreciated with the way you handled it! The fact that a relatively small section of your video has gotten certain sects of people so riled up is ludicrous and really just a show of immaturity.
Final Fantasy V is the first game from the series I have played; your video is both very informational and very well-put! I think this is a top-notch retrospective of the game!
Yeah, it's a shame, cus the video is really good. I mean, I don't personally agree with his interpretation, cus its clear Faris is just the usual tomboy princess archetype, but it doesn't mean I just hate the video now, people need to chill.
@@jackmesrel4933 Oh yeah, I believe that that was the original authorial intent! Media is an art, and art is something to be interacted with on a personal level, everybody's interpretation will be a little different. Faris is Faris in the end, whether he's trans to some people or that she's a cis tomboy to others, there's a lot to engage with either way.
just discover this channel a few days ago, let me tell you i do have enjoy this retrospective, keep your good work soldier, now i the wait star for in my opninion the best FF
Personally, I think Sakaguchi’s decision to bring Kitase on as a collaborator to help him create the foundations of, and later directing and producing, the Final Fantasy games on the Super Famicom and future systems was probably one the best things to happen to Final Fantasy at that time seeing as how he was the Director/Producer of not just some of the best Final Fantasy games but best video games of all time. Those titles being FFVI, FFVII, FFVIII, and FFX. FFIX is also one of the best Final Fantasy games and one of the best games of all time however he didn’t work on that one since he was working on FFX at the time and FFIX was also being developed in Hawaii.
As you state, Kitase was more into creating sequences that were more spectacle in an attempt to “woah gamers” visually. With that in mind, you could argue that it was through Kitase that the cinematic style of future Final Fantasy games, and is directly due to Sakaguchi’s decision to bring Kitase under his wing. Despite the future failure of Sakaguchi’s push for Final Fantasy to enter the movie industry, Sakaguchi really did know what he was doing and knew how to spot meteoric potential in members of his team and help foster that potential into becoming reality.
Been playing through the series, I will probably play V through the Pixel Remaster, I do love the level of detail you have gone into, not just in this game but on all the previous entries
Really excited for your video on VII!
love watching the growth brother.. nothing here i havent already praised you about before but even so i'm really impressed by your work here. this is the longest yet and i'm sure as the games get longer and longer in design so to will your reviews and to NEVER see a drop in quality, a drop in research, editing, voice over, or anything given to the production of these videos.. you're an absolute unit Drewby. i'm never disappointed watching your videos, even with their length.. keep pushing and striving my man the views WILL come and the fans WILL come. you've already garnered some regulars and i'm really happy you're seeing results. crazy seeing you graduate college and then watch you apply that in the realistic setting.. the stuff you can do on here.. just incredible. miss you man, hope you're doing well up there
The "fan translation" section is top-tier content. Very entertaining and highly informative. Love your videos! I've been playing the pixel remasters for the first time over the past year (after only having played VII, X, XIII, and XV like a normie). Your retrospectives have made for a great "post-game" experience.
Great video. Love the first parts about the context in which the game was developed. Also, good portion on Faris that is a refreshingly nuanced and mature. Subbed!
Looking forward to your FFVI Retrospective!
Hey thank you for this release! I'm happy to see my name in your patreon list at 17:34 and very happy to support you even if with just a single coin. Cheers! Can't wait for VI, VII, VIII and very especially IX!
It's hilarious that Japanese developers thought this game was too complex for Americans who had already been playing text-based adventure games and role-playing games on graph paper
Come on, graph paper rpg players were a minuscule niche and by no means the norm.
To be fair, Americans were acting kinda daft tho with the violence and Satanism in video games and stuff.
@AndrewBluett These Retrospectives of Final Fantasy are amazing! Keep it up, very excited to watch the Final Fantasy 6 Retrospective.
keep it up , love these kind of video. 😍
You sir have earned a new subscriber. The amount of work you put into making a documentary about one of the lesser known Final Fantasy games is commendable. I'm going to watch your other Final Fantasy content and more perhaps.
I think that Final Fantasy 5 is one of the most deserving entries for a remake given how forgotten it is.
You are contradicting yourself. Precisely because it's forgotten, it doesn't deserve a remake. FF 7 got a remake precisely because no one ever forgot about this game.
@@BiriBiri925 You are contradicting yourself. Precisely because it's forgotten, it deserves a remake to give the game a second chance, and flesh out the original ideas and concepts that they weren't able to fully explore because of the limitations of the time. Devil May Cry 2 is another perfect example of a game that should be remade.
@@BiriBiri925 Ironically FF 7 didn´t get a remake, but a time travel sequel with the meta subtitle "remake".
@@backupschmliff1156your caught in a timeloop. Biribiri925 was not defeated by your comment but simply sent 2000 years into the past by the RUclips Fiends, Mr. Beast, Pewdiepie, Markiplier, and Matt Pat.
Is it really forgotten have you heard of Bravely default, Bravely Second, Blue Dragon, etc...?
I had just finished watching the four previous retrospectives and was pretty bummed out and then I see this in my hour of need. Keep up the good work 👍🏻
Personally, I saw the theming of responsibility as being an environmental one. Exdeath and his spirits were repeatedly swept under the rug until it was too late, akin to irl environmental issues.
Also explains why Exdeath is a tree. He is a symbol of the ruined environment, the effect of the Crystals shattering. Under this view, Lenna and the Wind Drake are thematically connected too.
Then again, it's an interpretation like anything else. And: I love this game
If you don’t know Japanese,you don’t get to criticize a translation.
You're pretty good,I admire the presentation and journalistic intent. I see a great future for u please keep at it!!!
FF5's story feels different and simple because it is the type of that FF has only done twice, Heroic Fantasy. Where a 4 and 6 is High Fantasy(LOTR or Skyrim), FF 5 is more like Conan and OT Star Wars. It's a simple story written with great characters and a simple world anyone can understand. That's why it feels different than 4.
Conan...O'Brian...?
What a baffling take. FF5 is more “Star Wars” and FF 4 is more Lord Of The Rings? You realize the plot for FF4 is basically a direct ripoff of Star Wars right?
A young hero struggling with whether to take the path of the light side or the dark side (cecil) fights an evil empire (baron) and a black clad evil knight (golbez) who turns out to be his relation? And he learns from an aged wizard (Fusoya) how to better use his abilities as well as his true hidden heritage? He flies are on a ship called The Falcon?
@@JazGalaxy I think he meant in very vague terms. Although it is pretty funny that they are completely opposite to what he said.
@@backupschmliff1156lol the barbarian not coco
One thing I love about FFV is that the mechanics of the job system actually encourage ROLEPLAYING. To me, Faris is a pirate and therefore starts as a theif/monk/archer. Galuf is a interdimensional mystic so he is a black mage/time mage/ geomancer. Lenna's personality makes her a white mage etc. Butz is a wandering adventurer - clearly a red mage/blue mage in my mindOther people's interpretations of these characters leads them to use jobs differently .
Everyone is a blue mage for me, although part time other jobs.
Same here but I make Bartz a Thief because of his more Zidane like personality and I associate wind and green with thieves. Wind crystal.
Lenna a white mage because of her caring and nurturing personality. Water crystal.
Faris a black mage because of her strong, fiery personality. Fire crystal
Galuf as a Monk due to his direct personality as an old geezer. Earth crystal.
Dude you play exactly the same as I do lmfao. I pick the same characters for those jobs.
I just beat V for the first time last week. I did everything except beat Shinryu and I really enjoyed it. I wish I would have played it way sooner.
i remember my grandfather owning a few games for his ps1. FFV, FFVIII, and Abe's Exoddus. VIII didnt sit well with me, just not what i liked or had wanted out of a fantasy game. FFV however... that is what intrigued me the most being only four-ish, maybe five at the time. Every other weekend i'd be dropped off at his trailer home and he would either be playing WoW with my uncles or watching Pokemon on his tiny bedroom TV, whilst i would be playing FFV, dying to Galura over and over again, or going underwater in Cid's submarine. i never beat the game at that age. it would take me until i was roughly eleven maybe twelve years old when i did. i have played this game nearly all of my life and i love playing my Anthology port. your video showed me the Pixel Remaster and all of the feelings of sadness and wanting to play FFV again came out in aggressive waves of emotions i haven't experienced in a long time. i love this game so much. my "first" playthrough on my memory card has almost eighty hours of in game time on it. it was the only game id play until i had maxxed the Mime job level to really feel like i did something. i never got all of the legendary weapons, nor did i ever know about how to get them until... this video lol. what i did find was that weird sword in the Phantom Village where its damage is based on how many fights you HAVE NOT fled. man was mine useless. i love your video to the very end. this game means the absolute world to myself and my grandfather for showing me it as well as other RPGs. thank you sir
Excellent! Became a patron. Looking forward to FF6, probably my favorite. Started playing with FF1 as a kid with a NES and have always loved this series, though haven't really played much past FF8 at this point.
If you haven't seen it already: It's out and it's INCREDIBLE.
The Dawn Warriors seem to be a variant on the FF2 spell, Ultima... They were powerful for their time, but as shown by their being unable to destroy even the weakest form of X-Death, by the time of the story, they were only the equivalent of low to mid-level champions, Dawn showing only the beginning of light, and the Light Warriors having the full strength of light behind them.
The depth and breadth of research you do is insane for these. Grad school paper level. Masters level. Incredible series so far.
2:13:53 Oh my god, I never thought I'd laugh so hard on a retrospective video. That "yesss" shout was spot on 😂💀
Fantastic job again, looking forward for the next one! Greetings from Monterrey, México!
I've seen a couple of your videos but 30 minutes into this one... you've more than earned my sub. I don't have the time I had as a kid to do much more than appreciate the story of FF games so when you actually start getting into the strategies involved in this game's job system (I think I played 10 hours without changing out of my initial job choices, honestly, even though I have played about 1/4 of Bravely Default and SHOULD know better), you've given me extra depth to enjoy about this game whose story didn't draw me in as much as FF3 and FF4... yet. But wow, this seems so worth slogging through (unlike the earlier titles, I don't own a copy of this game where I can cheat by enabling Save Anywhere) and really experiencing.
The emulation story is just pure gold!
13:45 While hard times does mean that people have less to spend on games, it also means that, since they hate their lives, they crave escapist games even more. So you know, not so bad for us devs I guess. Although a tub of yogurt is still $6.50.
35:50 this is a problem in programming in general, not necessarily the SNES. If a programmer wants a number range in a variable that is twice as large as normal, they can forgo negative numbers to double the range. That is, if the program doesn't catch when math would put the variable in the negative, it will roll over into the maximum value. This is of course a very simplistic explanation, and in programming languages such as C, the behavior of overflowing variables is undefined, but usually results in strange stuff like this.
The reason these bugs exist is because programmers probably didn't expect it to happen, and only implemented hard capping of stats in positive integers.
Watching these games evolve with time, and seeing how the next one changes in response to the critiques of the previous has been fascinating. As always, the video is perfect. Feel truly blessed to have stumbled upon your series
I'm finally here for one of these as it launches, these have been great so far!
Just how you presented the beginning makes me wanna watch your work through to the end
you always do a phenomenal job with these retrospectives!
I think that the case of Farris is very similar to Joan Of Arc, who despite dressing as a man and acting as such it was made out of her own safety and leadership, when Joan was judged and asked by her gender she always emphasise that she was a woman and never felt as such. I don't mean that there isn't a queer reading in there as any type of person who breaks the gender standards could be part of the LGBTQ community. With Farris (as the game continues) starts to refer as a woman and that's reflected on her late game sprite jobs.
Another character that is kinda similar to Farris could be Utena from Revolutionary Girl Utena, she also uses male pronouns and costumes in order to fit her ideal vision of a prince, however she always felt as a woman and by the end of the series (specially in the movie) she embraces her womanhood. And as I said before this doesn't delete any type of queer reading the show could had (Considering that the show is about two girls breaking the mold of the female gender)
My favorite moment was playing FF5 on my GBA wide awake from caffeine in a hotel. I got to the start of act two and made it to the Battle On The Big Bridge. It was one of my favorite segments of the game and the track has stayed with me to this day. I’m so glad Greg has been recurring character throughout the series cause we get to hear that track more often!!!
Greg is now what I'm going to call Gilgamesh. It's excellent.
Ol' Greg back on his bull; battling on a bridge and drinking bailey's from a shoe
The ancient library music is one of my favorite tracks in the entire series.
Dunno if it's mentioned in this video, in the FF Legend of the Crystals OVA english dub they translate Bartz/Butz's name as "Batz".
I’m playing FFXVI right now, I’m in the home stretch and after hearing you describe some of the plot of FFV it almost sounds like FFXVI could easily somehow be connected to FFV. The Crystal are in both games seem to serve the same function in the everyday life of the citizens. Exdeath wipes a town near the sea off the map leaving a massive crater the sea then flows into, while in FFXVI you come across a massive crater near the sea which is flowing into it called The Scar that was caused by “a god like entity” which then went on to destroy Civilization leaving only ruins(some of which are ruins of airships), in both games the Crystals are destroyed, in FFV the Crystals grant powers the the Heroes of the story while in FFXVI the Crystal bestow powers “or blessing” to the different individuals in the world while also bestowing tremendous power to one person per Crystal called Dominants. Some of which become part of your party, while others are enemies.
There’s probably even more similarities between the two but then I’d have to go into spoiler territory and I’d rather not do that because I hate when shit gets spoiled to me. Like that asshole whole spoiled the reveal of Atrayus place within the Norse Mythology after I specifically told him I hadn’t beat it yet. Fucking wanted to punch that dude straight in the face.
Just because a lady likes to do things that are considered 'masculine', that doesn't make her nonbinary. She's just a tomboy. The issue is that assuming such is akin to boiling gender/sex down to a stereotype, and that is harmful.
You are right, but they didnt boil Faris down. They simply discussed Fan reception to Faris much like they did for other characters, and that fan reception involves how different people interpreted them. Your heart is in the right place but you fall into the trap you warn against by boiling Faris down into only being a tomboy when it's neither confirmed or denied.
Ironically, I was playing ff5 when you released this so opted to wait til after to watch. Exdeath is dead, the void has been quelled, and the Chrystal’s have been restored. Excited to finally watch this
Wow, I did not expect this one so soon after IV! Cannot wait to watch!
OH MY GOODNESS!!! My favorite FF EVER!
This channel is going to blow up! Insanely high quality and in depth
This is the best video I’ve have watched on RUclips this year. Impeccable work 👏🏻👏🏻
About 14 years ago, I got a laptop and VBA along with the ROMs of I & II, IV, V and VI Advance! I love this version of I, was pretty meh for II, got stuck on IV and jus couldn't really get into V... VI, on the other hand, well it was an enhanced version of the PlayStation version, the first Final Fantasy I owned and played 20 years ago now! I've been doing an Anniversary Let's Play of VI Advance to celebrate and am looking forward to you covering my favourite in the series! Although, I probably should get back to it, though... I've kind of fallen behind!
Thank you for a fantastic video, I hope to see more!
FFV is the best final fantasy. My personal favorite is X but objectively FFV is the only one not missing something an FF game should have. Everything else subtracts essential parts and adds others
What did IX miss?
That would be my personal favourite, that's why I'm curious.
@@ramudon2428 the open world just wasn't as expanded as it was in the first 6. That and the aesthetic is entirely different
FFIX is an amazing game I cried at the end lol
@@aroccoification Hm yeah that's fair, it is more so a guided experience. Thanks for replying.
@@ramudon2428 X is my favorite and that's entirely guided. Doesn't make it bad just means it's structured differently than traditional FF
@@ramudon2428 what makes 9 your favorite?
I pray once more the algorithm picks up your content
Lol a character named "Butz". Algorithm gold, I think haha
To be honest, I am happy you chose to look at the early 90s Japanese social economic problems.
The past being so rich leaving the younger to live so poor.
That brings up my understanding that the entire western economy is nothing more than a pansy scheme.
It is a reminder of what our own society will become in future years when the older generation fail to let go and the young are left with the ramifications of the previous gens actions.
Ponzi scheme*. Named by a swindler called Charles Ponzi.
Blue Mages: Breaking Speedruns since 1992
The video was fantastic... then it went beyond that during the fan-translation story. I loved it!
Amazing!
This is the best FFV retrospective that i've watched.
Next game is best game in series.. besides maybe 14. Can't wait for the retrospective!
Great video, but I disagree with your opinon on the worldbuilding and pacing. It may be subjective, but I really like the return to "square one", and it was done on a smaller scale before (FF III). It also fits the sudden turn to a much darker storytelling, and the feel of disempowerment aplifies that. I agree that places in previous games can be considered as more varied, but I found this variety rather shalllow and disconnected from each other, and in IV deep but still disconnected. In contrast, in FF V, while the places seem more similar, the words seem themselves seems more consistent and driven by different sociopolitical forces.
Omg it's finally here! When I finished seeing all your other work I was distraught not to have more, and I finally have more!
NOOOOO! You didn't show even part of Galuf's last battle, even though you showed before and after while mentioning the plot point! BLASPHEMER! I mean, yeah it's a scripted battle you can't "lose," but it is just too awesome. Though I wish the beginning of the Decisive Battle was a little slower and a full octave slide instead of a quick pull to drum up more of a sense of menace and an impending doom feel before it breaks into its "fight for your life" rhythm, that is the battle where it fits most.
Oh yeah, just hearing what Sobodash did was pure 90s nostalgia. Of course, anyone with a single high school chem class behind them knew the formulas presented in the vast majority of Anarchist Cookbooks floating around were literally blow yourself up methods of making stuff, and most hippies would advise against smoking banana peels like the book suggested. But every school had at least one kid with a copy itching to distribute.
I'm curious why you left out some obvious to me themes: the Ex Death is a plant. It's the planet striking back. Having environmental themes in most ff series is a common message. Maybe you did mention it but it seems like it could have had its own section.
I mentioned he was a tree, but not so much the environmentalism. At least not in the same breath as Exdeath.
Dude misses the giant environmentalism messages yet jumps down a "Faris is NB" rabbit hole of his own making
@@hassledvaniaYou should LTG
@@hassledvaniawhat do you mean? A lot of people I know have made the Faris is trans or non-binary connection.
As for exdeath being a tree, it's an interesting thought and I definitely am glad to hear it but it's a bit hard to equate Exdeath with evironmentilism considering he burns down a forest and blows up large chunks of the world. 😂
@hassledvania yeah as a non-binary person I'll have to disagree with you.
You really keep knocking these out of the park! Super enjoyable as always and that emulation/translation section about the history of fan translations was not only fascinating, your humour really shone through.