Understanding Why Final Fantasy VI Worked
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- Опубликовано: 28 июн 2024
- In this video, I analyze the story of Final Fantasy VI, and explain why I think the game is still relevant today. Some classic games are the victim of nostalgia goggles, and revisiting them later in life can be a rough experience. However, I found that Final Fantasy VI was not only one that held up, but was actually better than I remembered.
All of my Final Fantasy VI footage was recorded off of the SNES Mini.
Thanks to the following people for their help proofing the script and encouragement:
Eurothug4000
/ eurothug4000
/ eurothug4000
Sole Porpoise
/ soleporpoise
/ soleporpoise
Special thanks to Heavy Eyed to who helped proofing the script, but also helped me set up my new microphone and fixed up some glaring issues with the audio:
Heavy Eyed
/ heavyeyed
/ heavyxeyed
Thank you so much to HotCyder for the thumbnail!
/ hotcyderable
/ hotcyder
Music featured from the Final Fantasy VI soundrack. Tracks used:
Omen
Devil's Lab
Phantom Forest
Strago's Theme
Cyan's Theme
Setzer's Theme
Epitaph
Searching for Friends
Terra's Theme
Celes's Theme
From That Day On
Forever Rachel
Coin Song
Under Martial Law
Kefka's Theme
Ending Theme
Other game clips featured in the video:
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Persona 5
Earthlock: Festival of Magic
Dark Rose Valkyrie
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
Blast Corps
Onimusha
Front Mission 4
Mega Man 2
Super Metroid
Afterparty
The Missing: JJ Macfield and the Island of Memories
GRIS
What Remains of Edith Finch
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Red Dead Redemption 2
Celeste
Final Fantasy VII: Remake
Ghost of Tsushima
The Last of Us Part 2
Death Stranding
Timestamps:
Intro: (0:00)
Nostalgia: (0:50)
Ensemble Representation: (3:02)
Two Anchors: (5:33)
Terra: (6:21)
Celes: (8:44)
Backstories: (13:03)
The Nature of Suffering: (13:49)
How Fiction Resonates: (16:06)
Kefka's Nihilism: (17:50)
A Masterpiece: (19:16) 
Игры
![Megan Thee Stallion - Rattle [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qY6qwqVCsww/mqdefault.jpg)
The Edgar/Sabin arc was a lot deeper than I realized and even so more than what was gone over in this review.
Being twins, when their father passed away, one of them had to take up the mantle. If Edgar left to pursue his dreams, he would feel guilty knowing Sabin did it for him and vice versa. His solution was a guiltless coin flip, fate would decide who was king and who was free. Except Edgar wanted his brother to pursue his dreams; so he rigged the coin. Sabin went on guilt free all those years never knowing. Edgar was secretly happy his sacrifice gave his twin a life worth living.
Yeah, my respect for the Edgar and Sabin story really grew with this last time I played the game. Again, a lot of the subtext was lost of child me, so being able to fully understand it this time around was really eye-opening about how great those characters really are.
Plus, Edgar probably figured that as King he'd also get laid more. You KNOW Eddie figures that sort of thing into every critical life decision.
Strago is a senile elderly man, on the last threads of his life, his granddaughter is the only thing keeping him alive (and his abilities which remain potent even with age). Probably like Shadow, the memories of his daughter lives on with Relm for him. Whereas Locke, Setzer, and Cyan failed, Strago was able to protect his loved one, up 'till the end.
I like Strago just fine, it's just that in this story in particular, he doesn't get much development. He more or less ends the story the same as he entered it. Which is fine, not every character needs to be the center of all the attention - which is what I was trying to get at. The cast is large, but the attention they all get is uneven. (Also, I don't think Strago is senile, he seems pretty sharp.)
@@CorruptedSave Strago is basically FF6's version of Master Roshi.
@@CorruptedSave Consider the state of Strago in the World of Ruin: at the base of an obsidian tower, participating in a cult that just shuffles around in circles worshipping Kefka all day. The only thing that snapped him out of it was seeing his granddaughter's face again. I think there's a lot of meaning to be gleaned from that, despite it seeming simplistic on the surface. It's understated, but I believe his story arc is just as important as anyone else's, if you really dig into it. It may resonate more strongly with an older audience who can identify with an old man nearing the end of his life, struggling to hold onto all of his faculties as the world around him is falling apart.
Great video btw.
Wasn't Shadow, Strago's granddaughter's father?
@@mickware5289 that's correct
When you said, “it’s about picking up the pieces of your life after everything falls apart” it really got me. I realized how vital this game was in coping with my own life falling apart. To this day video games are my number one coping skill.
I certainly hope things are going okay for you right now! But yeah, I know where you're coming from. Video games are how I like to unwind. And there's nothing quite like going back to revisit a classic video game love from the past to really bring back the good feelings. This year I replayed the Mega Man Legends games, and whew, the whiff of nostalgia was powerful, and it felt great.
FFVI is a good one, because there are multiple layers of themes that you can really chew on after you play the game. The story wasn't highly dense and detailed like some of the game worlds are nowadays. But you got enough information and humanity from the characters that you can really get a sense of the emotional truths they were trying to convey. I really meant it in the video when I said that I didn't even fully appreciate the story as a kid - not as much as I appreciate it now.
you should try and develop yourself beyond games
challenge yourself
you won't truly grow, doing easy shit, like escaping reality into a game world
@@ffxiarcadiusWhat is your opinion on books and music?
@@ffxiarcadius i assuming you are 100 perfect free of a need to distract urself from your problems in any kind of way? If you're feeling blue you don't go fishing and daydream in a boat as your sitting on the peaceful waters only for the pole to unexpectedly get a bite and its a huge rush? And you dont go to a bar to have a few beers (maybe a few stronger drinks on top maybe? Heck maybe more stuff?). I could list other examples but the point im trying to make is that just because some person uses a videogame to escape painful realities they might be doing with, it doesn't necessarily make him any weaker than the man who goes to the bar when he's having trouble with the wife.
Everyone copes in their own way. I've worked with civvies and also with people with ptsd as a counselor. There is not a person alive who doesn't seek a coping mechanism so you really should get off your high horse and stop being do dang self-righteous just because you might view this person's method as negative in some way.. in engaging in coping, whether or not u believe it,, you are both doing the same thing. With or without a tv....then again, maybe you like binge watching sports. I don't know you but I know that he ain't doing you any harm bro. Loosen up a bit bruh bc you're wound up pretty tight..
@@crazypumpkin7106
No, Im sober. So I dont go to bars to drink.
I dont drive either, so for me to be social costs me money.
No, I throw on headphones and street dance.
Folks film me
I endeavor to find healthier outlets than sitting on my ass and not being a proper Person.
It's called Policing your Own, and if we dont pick on each other, and tell each other to get our heads out of our asses, then our country may end up . . . .oh . . . we're already there arent we?
So dont cry to me about being mean to people because of their bitch habits . .
This is real life, and everyone's choice to be lazy on our Team brings the WHOLE TEAM down
The Whole Team being our Nation
Final Fantasy VI taught me to never give up, even if the world is literally going to shit.
Heck yeah, that's about as good of a takeaway from a story anyone can hope for, game or not.
And that you can fail. But it's not permanent, once you failed it's true that you cannot start again from the beginning, but you can start again. And for the second time you may succeed.
My greatest memory of playing this game was playing it with my mom when she was still alive. She died 5 years after the game came out. I recall one day coming back from high school seeing my mom playing FFVI and having difficulty with Sabin's move sets, her not being a fan of fighting games and all. So I mentioned that I could control him if she wished. I plugged in the second controller and anytime it was Sabin's turn, I'd input any moves she wanted me to do. I haven't touched that game in 20 years since her passing. Hope one day I am able to pick it up again to enjoy fond memories once more.
Wow, sorry to hear about that. I think the game itself is extremely focused on themes of loss and being able to pull through that loss, so I think if you are able to replay the game at some point, it might be tough but possibly cathartic.
Games in particular I think have a strong connection to memory and a lot of the thematic elements can really tie into moments in our lives. It makes me think of an episode of the Playstation Blogcast (Episode 99, 1:41:00 - I looked it up.) Everyone is going through their top games of the PS3 era, and the end of the podcast has Shu Yoshida the CEO of Sony talking about his top picks. His number 1 ended up being Journey, and he recalled how it made him think of his grandmother. And how the director at DICE got a letter from a girl who played the game while her father was dying and how the game helped her through it.
bruh this is a masterpiece, definitely one of the best ffvi videos out there
Thank you so much! I was really nervous about covering this game, since so many have done so before.
Yeah there's a sad lack of quality Final Fantasy VI content on RUclips
Hell ya! Most definitely 👍
I concur. Great analysis!
fr fr no cap son deadass
FF6 is about love. Every character tries to find something to care about. Terra eventually finds the love of civilization, Celes learns to love herself. Locke and Cyan learns it's OK to grieve over lost loves. Kefka is incapable of loving. When the heroes declare their reasons to live on, Kefka finally reacts in pain for maybe the first time in the entire game. He doesn't understand it all.
Why keep living? Because the love we discover makes life worth living, even if it's temporary. FF6 is so damn good.
Yeah and I think this is why this game endures the test of time so well. It has themes that resonate no matter what time you're living. It's way more than just good vs evil, and I love it for that.
To this day there's one game where a few seconds of its music or one memory of a piece of its story makes me, a 40 year old man, 13 years old again and crying with emotions inside. Masterpiece is an understatement.
It really is incredible how impactful the game was, isn't it? ESPECIALLY the music. I could basically imagine the whole game just going through the soundtrack.
That’s LITERALLY the case for tracks like “Epitaph” (which itself is a slower take on “Coin of Fate”), which plays for all of 30 seconds after you beat Dullahan.
Such a beautiful piece of music, designed for ONE small moment in the game. It’s so brief that you could easily breeze right by it without realizing how special is is.
Nobuo brings the game to life. partnered with an exceptional story line, and deep emotions. This fantastic review made my eyes wet, practically reliving the deep story. A testament to the timless masterpiece; FF6.
This is a great analysis. In most JRPGs we have naive teenaged protagonists being thrust into the middle of grand events that push them to grow into the heroes they are meant to be. The characters of FF6 are more emotionally mature from the start, and this gives the entire game an edge of seriousness. I remember reading in Nintendo Power at the time that the game contained unprecedented adult themes, and looking back it was one of the greatest ever leaps in gaming.
Thank you! And yes! This is such a good point, I wish I said something about it in my interview. I love the Persona games, don't get me wrong. But it is very refreshing to have adult characters in a JRPG and it's really weird that it's the exception. "Coming of age" is a pretty tried and true template for storytelling, but there is an over representation in this genre by a long sight. In general, Japanese characters skew really young, which is just hilarious when I look back at my life and where I was when I was 21, 22, 23, and compare that to where the characters in the games are.
@Shin Shaman For some reason the notification of your comment got buried, so I'm sorry for the late reply. But that's interesting - it has been quite some time since I played FF12, so I don't remember a lot of the finer details. Perhaps this means it warrants a return this year to check out. Honestly what I recall as my own personal gripe about that game was that I don't particularly enjoy programming my AI party members (but that's a whole other bag of things to talk about.) Perhaps that will change since I did pick up the Zodiac Age revamp!
@@CorruptedSave I think the problem with FF12 might have been that they undermined the emotional maturity. The story was conceptualized to originally be from the standpoint of Basch but because of a poorer reception than expected of Vagrant Story which they attributed to the more mature story, they brought in Vaan to take the role of 'relatable young protagonist' for the younger crowd. The problem here was that the story was already conceptualized, and Vaan wasn't in it. So adding him to it, he didn't really fit, he kind of lived outside of it, and Vaan himself didn't really get to see any character development or actual connection to the story. So it kind of felt like a story about all of these other grown ups doing their own thing from the perspective of a teenager who was for some reason there, but not really driving, nor learning, nor growing from the experience.
And I don't know, maybe it worked. The thing is people didn't really have a problem with Vagrant Story, and it is well received critically. But it didn't sell so well, and Final Fantasy 12 sold better. Would it have sold as well had it been headed up by a 32 year old soldier? I don't know, maybe it was just the Final Fantasy name. The story of FF12 in my opinion is good, but would have been better had either the story not focus Vaan and Penelo at all, or had the story really involved them fully. I think it is weaker because it feels like the protagonists feel tacked on to a story that was already underway. And it doesn't even mean Vaan is a bad character, only that he wasn't really written into the story that he was heading up.
@@zeidrichthorene Huh. That's pretty interesting. This viewpoint actually makes me want to replay it even more now, so I can keep my eye out for these perspectives as I go through it.
Same can be said of old Anime.
Stories nowadays are too generic and lacking character depth
Seriously this is one of my favorite games but damn I had no idea what I was getting myself into watching this video. This had a real, profound impact on me emotionally and even psychologically. Thank you for creating this.
Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed the video. I honestly wasn't sure I was going to make it - I was too nervous to cover the game since I kind of felt like it must have been covered to death. I'm happy I decided to go through with it, though.
Honestly it was kind of hard going through all of the emotions this game evokes in such a short time. Every scene brings me back to the first time I played it.
That was a ride.
@@notsure1350 I remember when I first played FF6, I got started on this game because my best friend talked me up on playing it during my freshman year in high school. He talked me up on FF6 and then Cheono Trigger which to this day are probably my 1a and 1b favorite games of all time. His name was Billy and due to some health circumstances out of his control he died early at the age of 35. Every time I think of these games I think of Billy and remember how good of a friend he really was.
@@CorruptedSave Honestly... the world needs more of... YOU. FF6 was in some ways a perfect vehicle for expediting inspiration... but to put it into perfect words... I am thankful that an Artist of such exquisite insight came forth to provide. Love and light will endure, even if it happens subtly, like in nudging you in your impulse to produce this magnificent recap of a timeless story. I'm actually glad you left out General Leo... my eyes are strained from the tears already, hahahaha! This was a legacy performance on your part. What I mean by that is: The impact of your video is going to alter lives for the better... who knows how many. Nothing will ever take that away from you... not even death. So smile bro... you can take it to the grave, knowing that your own love for FF6 amounted to a divine act that affects real people here in THIS WORLD... people whose suffering is REAL. The light you will have given them... and me... is VERY REAL. Infinite blessings.
@@byronclaude4197 Well thank you, I can't help but feel like that might be *too much* praise for just making a video for my small channel. Mainly what I want to do is share my thought about games because I enjoy and care about games a lot. There's a lot of content out there that I find to be solely consumerist in perspective, or overly reductive, and even downright hateful. There's space to be critical of them, of course, but in a respectful way. Mostly I just want to share my feelings about them, and hope that other people can appreciate them similarly or can also share their own thoughts. The fact that this video can connect to people I attribute to the game, because it's the game that gave us a lasting connection to our feelings and ideas. The video is just a reminder.
It is reassuring to see that I am not the only person who has reflected on this game in the covid era. I’ve specifically thought about that scene at 16:15, when the bar owner reminisces about the world of balance.
Like you, my appreciation for this game only grows with age. You simply cannot grasp the characters until you have experienced sufficient trauma. But when you do, they are amazingly inspirational. Their struggles with their personal suffering, and finding meaning in a broken world, are real and relatable.
Ever since I was a kid, I admired the Figaro brothers the most. They are so different, yet they have such an incredible brotherly love. Edgar is wise and selfless - his act of guaranteeing the coin toss and the ease with which he sacrifices the kingdom’s treasure to gain access to the castle taught me a bit about what it means to be a good man and a leader. Sabin is loyal and upbeat - he spends his life away from the castle training so that he could one day return and help his brother. He is the first character you can recruit in the WoR, and his line “Did you think a little thing like the end of the world would do me in?” is the first moment of levity since Thamasa. Sabin doesn’t just try to be strong himself - he uplifts the people around him. Out of all the party members, they have the healthiest psyches, because they accept their burdens and build goals around them. Edgar and Sabin NEVER air what problems they do have to the other party members. They are the most mindful of other peoples’ suffering, and only confide in each other.
I could write an essay about why this game’s story and characters are so amazing, but I’ll stop here. I just wanted to share a bit of what made the game special to me, and to thank you for praising elements that are always overlooked.
Thank you! What a wonderful, substantive comment! Yeah, when I started out, I didn't actually think about it from a COVID perspective until I got to the world of ruin and so much of it reminded me of today, and how there are milestones in history that cause a sort of paradigm shift. Looking at it from this perspective made the struggles of the characters all the more real. When I was a little kid, I thought Terra and Celes were kind of boring characters. As an adult I realize how dopey that was, hahaha.
That is such a great analysis of the Figaro brothers! Sabin is a classic favorite, but I've seen people bounce off of Edgar because of his flirtaciousness. They're really fleshed out, though, and the game is so economic with its time, I find it amazing that they managed to get so much characterization out of such few scenes. If they ever did remake this game (though, personally, after the FFVII Remake I'd probably grimace a bit if they did), what I would hope for is more character work. I would want them to create more scenes with the characters interacting with each other.
In any case, I'm really glad you enjoyed the video! I had a lot of doubts while making it, so comments like yours are reassuring that the effort was worthwhile.
at least the sea and sky is still blue, unlike FF6's ruined world. 😜
@@josenotmarichan So far! Haha. Though, to be honest, I really love that perpetual sunset of the World of Ruin. It's just the deserts replacing the grassy fields is what's such a bummer.
@@CorruptedSave I've always wondered what the new world map would look like after defeating Kefka. I'm assuming the continents are still the same, but in the color style of world of balance
@@josenotmarichan Oh for sure! In the ending we see the land looks greener and the sea is for sure blue. So I think you're right. The color palette returns to normal but the continents are forever changed. I wonder if someone modded the game to make the world of ruin look like the world of balance. Hmm..
I'm still amazed how they managed to fit all of that spectacle enriched with huge cinematic presentation, even for SNES standards, into one SNES cartridge. You can already notice there's something very special about that game. Games are getting bigger in size, but even modern games struggle to match the quality of that one SNES game when it comes to storytelling and world building.
Right?! I'm always shocked at how small SNES era games actually are. Meanwhile patches for lesser games are several GB.
I mean, don't get me wrong, I've definitely found plenty of modern games to love. We just have to throw some respect onto the creators from these early generations of gaming where they had to find creative solutions for everything. I mean, even just the fact that Kefka had an audible laugh and Celes had a singing voice blew me away when I first played it.
Also, the FF6 story is actually quite lean when it comes to story as well. It moves along efficiently and doesn't have much filler. There are neat little details to discover all over the place, but it doesn't have a feeling of bloat. Another lesson I think modern games (especially RPGs) can learn.
Loved this game as a kid, still do as an adult in my late 30's, And it still holds a special place in my heart to this day! This is one of a special few that holds the test of time!
It really is! A rare quality for things to stand up to that span of time, and FF6 holds up and in some ways is even better!
I am also in my late 30's @ nearly 39, I loved this game when I was young, and have been replaying it every few years my entire life. My guess is 30+ times now, same with FF4 as well. This FF was the last FF that wasn't a shonen anime meant for teenage guys. I didn't see this video at release, but now with the FF6 pixel steam whatever it is edition, i can only assume i'll be buying it again, probably the 5th or 6th version? to think i even own it already on steam... hah!
@@kirbyrules55 Haha I broke down and got the Pixel Remaster. I've basically bought this game as many times as they put it in front of my face. I regret nothing!
@@CorruptedSave i'm sure i will, i also regret nothing!
I bought the pixel remaster and love and appreciate it more now than before
I've never played a FInal Fantasy game ever in my life since my childhood in Nigeria but this game, I stumbled on this video randomly and now this will be my first Final Fantasy game. I love the themes of hope in despair, perseverance despite failure, unity, and overcoming nihilism. Thanks for such a great video.
Oh wow! Well I'm really glad that I made you want to check it out (but I'm so sorry for the spoilers!) To be fair, I think FFVI is a great game even if you know what's going to happen, but still, sorry about essentially saying the ending to you. Did you play any of the other classic JRPGs from that time? There are a shockingly high amount of really good ones.
@@CorruptedSave oh, no worries about spoilers, friend. They don't ruin the experience for me. Also, no I have ever any JRPGs at all. My main sources of gaming were the PS2 Famicom (yes, that was still popular in my country up till the 2000s 😂) I only recently built a gaming PC last year and have gotten into PC gaming. Now, I wanna check out these old retro games with great stories. Chrono Trigger is another classic JRPG I wanna try.
Goddamn. The feels. Much more playing this as an adult then when I was a child.
I really love a story that works well as a basic story to enjoy as a kid, and then thematically enjoy as an adult. I feel that way about Princess Mononoke, too. Though it's decidedly more an adult film, I enjoyed it as a teenager for how cool the basic story was and how great it looked, but watching it as an adult, it gets me right in the feels.
Yeah, Man It does lol
now I really wanna play FFVI.......
I would be excited for you to give it a try!
Thank you for recommending this video. I really wanna play ff6 now.
you should try it! totally one of those must-play games
There was so much wisdom and emotional maturity in the story, and I also did not quite appreciate it all at age 12 when it came out.
The ending teaches us that not everything in the world has to be fixed for us to enjoy living in it. Tragically, Shadow cannot cope any more with his loneliness and (it looks to me like, and the variation on his theme music sounds to me like) he kills himself. (His dog, whom I love so much, stays faithful to the end) It is still raining all the time in Zozo, the sea level hasn't gone back down again, who knows if the Moogle species has a future.
And yet people are rebuilding, they have hope again, Kefka's lasers aren't frying anybody anymore.
Yeah, it all coalesced into a really wonderful story with a great message, and I'm happy that it's one that really resonates many years later. Some stories are really of their time, but this one certainly has legs.
As for Shadow's dog, I'd have to go back and look but I *think* it doesn't stay with him. I believe that he tells the dog to go, and then runs and huddles in a corner and you don't see the dog going with him. (I presume the dog would then go live with Relm.)
@@CorruptedSave Oh, I hope you're right about Interceptor living with Relm.
I would happily write the dialogue for Final Fantasy 6.5 for Square Enix. (Relm grows up and becomes a freelance artist, Cyan creates the kingdom of New Doma; all the surviving heroes are threatened by a cryptocurrency magnate who cheated Cid out of his savings, killed Ultros, and operates off of that island Celes woke up on, controlling scary sea monsters).
It really is amazing how deep the themes these games had for an audience of children. I first played this game at age 12.
Oh yeah, I was around the same age, too. I'm surprised I liked it as a kid, the story is way more mature than I remembered it being. I suppose this is what makes it an enduring classic. It works on a lot of layers!
they weren't really for an audience of children. vi was only marketed that way in the US because nintendo was/is seen more kiddy here--hence putting mog on the cover. none of the first 10 final fantasies are kid's games--and i doubt most kids could beat any one of them (despite only a handful being Hard). can't really say anything about the others bc i haven't played them.
J hu already said it, but yeah, I think this game was made by adults for adults, but the genius of their development was that they were also made to be enjoyed by children. Or maybe vice versa makes more sense.
Same!
My favorite game of all time. I won't necessarily declare it the BEST game of all time, but this could certainly be argued. It's a narrative masterpiece. The aesthetic is unique and exceptional. The musical score IS the best score of all time. For years I dreamed that it could be adapted for film or a series. It still could, but man, I'm too terrified they'd ruin it. During all that time, I'd also dream of a masterful remake of the game. The current FFVII remake has TRULY terrified me that Square Enix could even come close to doing it justice. It's just a piece of magical gaming that I treasure. It deserves respect and adoration. Really enjoyed hearing you talk about your deep analysis of the game.
It is certainly in the discussion for the best games of all time, for sure! (I mean, naturally we always have to account for personal tastes and all, but even though not everyone likes RPGs I will go down fighting to have this be in consideration.)
And I totally agree... I could almost make a video about my problems with FFVII Remake, but I fear I'd just be repeating what other people have probably said. My biggest complaint isn't even about the fact that they changed the story - rather is that changing the story was the FOCUS of the game. They spent so much time building up to the idea of "destiny has changed" that the core story below that took a back seat. Characterization took a back seat. They sat on the shoulders of the previous game, relied on our familiarity of the original, and didn't remake it at all. It's more of a pseudo-sequel that doesn't stand on its own.
Anyway, haha, I don't want my boring complaints about FFVII Remake to overshadow your love for FFVI and that I am grateful for your kind comment!
I know this video inside out and you know all my positive opinions but I am here to add to the algorithm boost
I can always count on you, Mitchiban!
Well, it worked (at least for me).
Thanks for helping me discover this gem of a vid.
I wish Square would start making FF6 style games again.
A prequel "War of the Magi" would be Amazing..
So White privilege is BS...
Everyone suffers.
@@pookiebear4444 Haha, well I don't think I would quite phrase it like that. White privelege exists, but in many different forms along with other types of privelege. And in most cases, you can have those priveleges or don't have them in different places, situations, or times. I think what Zadie Smith was getting at in her own work was that having some privileges doesn't mean you don't also suffer. And in the game, you have people who are like Terra or Gau - essentially homeless characters - that have endured suffering in their lives. And on the other side of the coin you have Edgar and Sabin, who are royalty, and they've also suffered but in different ways. None of them have any more or less right to ignore their pain or have their pain ignored by others just because of who they are.
Every once in a while I go back and play through FFVI, and I swear it gets better each time. One great thing that the Final Fantasy series has lacked for a long time, is a cast that isn't all young and attractive people. In FFVI, you have characters of various ages and in different stages of their lives. Love is explored from all angles -- not just romantic, but between brothers, grandfather and granddaughter, Terra's motherly instincts in taking care of the orphans, the vague quasi-familial bond Celes and Cid seem to share, and even a secret father/daughter thing if you stumble upon the right hidden scenes. As much as I have enjoyed some of the games Tetsuya Nomura has helmed, he is operating with some blatant creative blinders on that make certain character types out of the question.
The character progression/custimization system is also really fun. It's definitely not like in FFVII or FFVIII where any character can do anything, but every character can at least cast magic even if they're not naturally gifted at it. This helps take some of the load off the "mage" character so they can heal or do damage, while any random grunt can use Protect, Esuna, Haste, etc., which isn't dependent on high magic power.
There's also some nice wiggle-room with the equipment some characters can use, but still within limitations. One thing I like doing with Celes in the early game when she doesn't have a ton of MP, is giving her a Genji Glove and dual flails that she can use from the back row. She can rock some serious damage with those things!
One minor thing I don't like about the game is how magicite will give a specific kind of stat boost to your character when they level up. Of course that's not a bad thing on it's face, and the game is tuned well enough that you can easily ignore it. But if you want to take full advantage of that feature, it means you feel pressured to constantly monitor each character's experience level and swap around magicite just before they level up to achieve the stat you want. It's a tedious chore, but one that's hard to let go once you see how potent it can be. For example, Cyan is naturally a pretty darn slow character, but if you give him Speed upgrades each level, you can quickly fix this.
Anyway, great video dude!
*Edit:* I almost forgot, I LOVED your questioning about what made Kefka into the messed-up person that he is. I always took it for granted that "Yeah, of course it was the magitek experimentation that made him crazy. They said so!" But it was Gestahl who said it, who is definitely not a reliable source. Realistically, it was probably a mix of things. His upbringing was probably an absolute dumpster fire for his development, the magitek stuff would have surely had an impact too, but by coincidence he also might just happen to be a psychopath anyway.
Thank you for your reply! One thing I didn't really touch on were the RPG mechanics, for sure, and you touched on it pretty well here. One criticism I have is that not everyone's special skills are all that useful. Actually, once you go into the final tower, the magic renders most of it obsolete. Except for Blitz, of course.
I like the idea of having specialized characters, but with how many there were, and how you needed to tackle the final area, they definitely couldn't commit to having everyone too specialized. That said, I like to have reasons to bring characters along, and that's something that titles like FFVII didn't really do enough.
Alternatively, I really like FFIV and the way it handles party. The way they come and go lets the party be tailored to the next portion of the game, and it also lets the characters be an active part of the storyline - both in and out of the group.
I totally agree about the character variations, too! It feels much more epic when you get people from all different walks. The trend (not just in FF games) seems to be all teens/young adults lately. For as lacking as Strago was served in the story compared to someone like Celes, he was still awesome for being an old mage character joining the heroes to save the world.
I really want to make more time for JRPGs, but a lot of them tend to have the same feel to me right now. I don't know if it's just a very strong anime influence, or just a general large trend toward a similar style, but the genre seems very homogenous right now. Or maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. (Or my old, calcified brain just isn't seeing what makes them great.)
It wasn't Gestahl who said it but rather a rando in a pub in Vector
Now I want to play FFVI again... (it's only been like 20 years) Great video!
Thank you! It's worth a revisit!
Excellent comment I am error! EXACTLY 20 years for me as well.
Here is a video response...
ruclips.net/video/rtjMho-O8N0/видео.html
If you wan to play it yet again. The t-edition mod is available in english for the snes version and holy crap it is soooo good. The story is the same but there's many new equipment, monsters, bosses, espers, side quests, even alternate costumes for every char.
@@edyc1989 There is now also the Pixel Remaster
Okay, I was today years old when you said the thing about Celes and 'Celestial' and that relation to Terra; truly never saw that back in the day. Great analysis and it definitely holds up more than 20 years later. Also, Kefka is Sephiroth before Sephiroth but just in a clown suit. They are both constructs of a greedy, imperial force that turn psycho and are all about nihilism.
To be completely honest, it wasn't a connection I made myself until I started replaying it and making this video. I'm really glad you found at least something to take away from this video, especially because it's a game that a thousand people have already talked about.
And I love that Kefka is just a dude in a clown suit. It kind of makes him seem like a buffoon in the beginning. But not taking him seriously is how he was able to get away with what he did (and maybe part of WHY he did what he did, too.) If they ever remade this, I'd love if they fleshed him out a bit more. Then again, I'm not sure if what would be added would be any good compared to what we can imagine filling in the blanks.
Sephiroth and Kefka are fundamentally different.
Kefka is a nihilistic psychopath, but Sephiroth was made to represent human narcissism writ large.
Where Kuja just wants to destroy everything, Sephiroth wants to absorb the spirits of every living being on the planet and make them part of his will before moving on to other planets. They're literally polar opposites.
Why can't people just appreciate each character without it turning into an infentile dick-comparison exercise of who's better or trying to undermine the one of them by implying they're overdone or unoriginal.
Kefka is clearly a joker rip off. Sephiroth was literally based on Sasaki Kojiro from the Musashi series and folklore. They're both archetypes, for better and for worse.
@@CorruptedSave to be fair, with the tilesets that make up ff6 block graphics, it's hard to do anything extremely serious with the story so it's best that Kefka isn't exactly played straight but a little bit for laughs. A shame because chrono trigger was able to somewhat overcome hardware limitations and have a more hand drawn look. Leave it to ff7 to tell one of the best stories ever.
@@hian Kefka is not clearly a Joker rip-off; he's his own character. People only say that because they look similar. The Joker wants to cause mischief because it entertains him, he does it purely because he is a psychopath, while Kefka wants to destroy everything because he's filled with hate and it gives him a sense of pleasure to watch others suffer to fuel his own self-destruction. Kefka wants to destroy because he hates himself and selfishly thinks everyone else should join him. He and Kuja are very similar but Kuja has added childshness to him.
@@peachesandcream8753 If you consider the Killing Joke Canon, Kefka and joker actually have more in common than you think. Both were broken by the things life did to them. Both see the world as an illusion, a joke that nobody else seems to get. Both want to make everyone see the world the way they do, and can't understand why nobody else does.
The big difference is really that Kefka wants to end everything, and finds anything but suffering and despair to be abhorrent, whereas Joker just sees it as an excuse to do whatever he wants. They are slightly different reactions to being utterly and completely broken.
My guy was Edgar, loved the unique machinist class we never really saw again (aside from FFT but the guns were different).To boot he was a womanizing king, great tropes.
Oh yeah, I loved his tools, and in general I love technological characters in these stories. I love that he his backstory has him essentially falling on the sword to stay behind to manage the kingdom, and he engineered it in a way where Sabin could feel like it was chance instead of someone sacrificing their own happiness so he could pursue what he wanted. It's a shame they only got a few scenes to flesh that out, but they accomplished a lot in those few scenes.
Machinist exists in FFXIV.
@@CorruptedSave Sabin knew from the beginning that Edgar had rigged the toss. This is implied if you have both twins with you when meeting Setzer, because Celes uses the exact same coin to trick Setzer (part of the replay value of the game is specific lines you can only get if certain party members are in your party - and it’s actually impossible to get them all in the same play through). Thing is, it was a two-headed coin, but the heads were different (shown in the ending); one head was Edgar, and the other Sabin.
@@powerofk I didn't interpret that they imply Sabin knew. After Setzer points out it has two heads, Sabin turns to Edgar and goes "That coin...!? BIG BROTHER!!! Don't tell me...!"
I really didn't take it like he knew the coin had two heads and was incredulous that Edgar handed it over. I feel like that's when he realized the toss was rigged all those years ago. It's also where he starts realizing how much his brother actually cares about his happiness.
Now, how Celes knew his coin was double-sided... that's a mystery. I'll assume it came up in unseen conversations when camping.
@@CorruptedSave Its easy. Edgar thinks he's really clever but women see right through him. Celes is actually sharp and figures he wouldn't leave something like that to chance. Sabin's a meathead and a total fool. Setzer's dramatic and thought it was hilarious that Edgar was so bold.
Been watching a lot of FF6 vids ever since the pixel remasters came out and glad this one got recommended to me. Great analysis.
The thing about Strago which I think does give weight to his motivation at the end, to an extent that it can be compared to everyone else is I think demonstrated in how the party finds him in the WoR. He has not only given up, but joined a cult in worship to Kefka. He will not talk to or even acknowledge his former comrades, only continue marching endlessly with the other cultists, unless Relm is with you to talk sense to him. Really, when you think about it, the old man falls harder than just about anyone else in the party, actually joining into and accepting Kefka’s nihilism. Relm is his only possible tether back out of all that. So while yes, love for his granddaughter may seem a smaller in that moment compared to some of the others, the game does in my opinion at the very least show how critical having Relm in his life is to him.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
The Strago stuff, I totally get. There are a good handful of Strago fans in the comments that really took umbrage with me poking at him. Which is honestly my fault that I didn't make it clear that I actually like his character. A decent amount actually. (Grandpa with a mohawk? Come on, that's cool as hell.) But my main point is really just that as a character he has a story, but that story is just a constant throughout the story. He doesn't really "grow" in the way that the highest tier characters that get most of the focus do. Terra and Celes go on journeys of self discovery during the game's events. Locke, Edgar, Sabin, and Cyan have moments of growth and maturity. Everyone else kinda have backstories, but more or less remain consistent. Which is totally fine, not every person has to be a focal point - especially with a cast as large as this one.
(contemplates departed grandfather... reflects on my timeless love for him)
FFVI will forever remain as a masterpiece for how it inspired other videogames and even other art acts for sure. Totally groundbreaking. Even for the upcoming FF games. And if we get on discussing on how much Uematsu's music influenced and made possible all these moods and character developments through themes and epic beats...well, we'd just keep on finding more arguments and points to say why this might be the best on the whole franchise history, and one of the best games ever made. Amazing video, amazing deep analysis, thank you so much for such a beatiful, heartfelt and detailed overview about such an ageless art piece.
Thank you! I'm very glad you enjoyed it!
Yes, I couldn't talk about Uematsu's score. First because I don't know how to talk about music other than to gush about how much I love it. And second... oof this would have been an hour long!
The part that blew me away was that you could have save ninja if you waited for him. It taught me, you do not leave your comrades behind.
They had a bunch of little details in that game that made it amazing. Nowadays, because I know how to do it, I easily just wait for Shadow to come, but I remember as a kid I got up and danced on my feet with anxiety like I had to pee trying to wait for him.
I did not know that the first time, but I definitely felt his absence during the latter half of the game (mostly through finding "ninja" typed weapons that nobody else could equip or use). I quickly presumed he was dead (confirmed in the end credits with just his portrait floating over the village), but didn't learn that waiting for him was even an option until many years later.
I raise you to three main characters:
Terra, Kefka, and Celes.
All three of them are Esper/human hybrids: biological, failed experiment, successful experiment
All three seem to struggle with, if not lack, a human aspect: Love, Hope/Purpose, Self-Worth
All three have a skewed sense of self: fear of self, megalomania/god complex, destruction/punishment of self
All three of them were used by the empire and how their environment treated them (in Terra's case once she's responsible for her decisions and actions herself) at least partly shapes who they'll ultimately become (Kefka was enabled in his madness when the experiment destroyed a part of his humanity, Celes had a fatherly figure in Cid, the first thing Terra experiences, once she's in control of her mind, is the unconditional help and support from Locke and Arvis). Terra and Celes were humanized. Kefka was even more dehumanized by the emperor.
Which all might have played a big role when some of them manage to find/learn/"unlock" the human aspect they were missing. Terra learns love and also that she doesn't have to fear what she is and actions, choices, motivations decide if someone is scary or not. Celes learns to see the worth of herself and that she has it in her to change the world for the better and be a good, strong influence for others. Kefka, well. We all know how he develops and finally ends.
If we want to decide on main characters, then it's those three, and we follow their journey of coming to terms with what they are and that what they are is not the deciding factor of whether they're good or evil, worth of living or not. The two who overcome their inner conflicts and accept help and support from others (who they help in return) live, the one who doesn't dies a lonely death.
Great points! Kefka is surely a very important part of the story, and I agree - his similar status to the protagonist leads really puts him in a good position to be their foil. I think that's what makes Kefka a stand out villain in the Final Fantasy series. The bad guy in a story should be a counterweight to the heroes and fill a space to oppose their ideals and force them to grow in the opposite ways that he does. Kefka does exactly that. The story really doesn't work without him at the wheel.
Fantastic analysis, but you missed a bit when covering Celes's character. Cyan referred to her as the butcher of Maranda, the town that was all messed up by the Empire in the World of Balance. It's implied that she did that.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
You're right, I definitely didn't bring that up. And for sure, I think that's one of the war crimes that makes Celes hate herself. Since she was essentially raised with the intent of being used as a weapon, I'm sure she felt she had no choice but to act on orders. She may have gotten her sense of morality from Cid and/or Leo (definitely not Kefka or Gesthal) which would make her dislike the things she was doing as a general. As for her crime that got her imprisoned, someone else in the comments mentioned that it was her being opposed to Kefka's poisoning of Doma. I'm not sure if that's canon or not, I didn't look up alternate translations of the game to confirm or deny something like that.
@@CorruptedSave It's confirmed that Celes knows about Kefka's plan of poisoning Doma and she resents that. That's part of her rebuttal against the imperial guard that hit her when you first meet her in the game.
@@jorgebermudez7861 I wonder if this is one of the problems with the translation, because I remember going back through the footage and not being able to pinpoint any bit of dialogue that 100% confirmed it. Not ruling out that I just missed it, but it very well could be that it was more explicit in the original Japanese writing.
@@CorruptedSave I played the PlayStation version and I remember Celes clearly saying that. Maybe the translation they made for the PS system was more specific than other translations.
@@jorgebermudez7861 Ahh ok, that makes sense. I'll have to look up the difference in translations, I'm curious about it now. I've only ever played the SNES version. Also some other people have pointed out some ROM hacks that improve the translations as well. There are probably some videos out there explaining the differences, so maybe I'll look for those and put them on in the background at work today.
2:30 The entire first half of the game doesn't build up to the destruction of the world, that's why it worked. And there absolutely can be a version of the game where that doesn't happen.
When Square was first developing Final Fantasy VI they did not plan on including a "World of Ruin", they only did so because by the time they got to making the scenario for the Floating Continent they were way ahead of schedule. Some of the events in the World of Ruin were originally planned to happen in the world of Balance (Particularly Gau's sidequest with his father (and I can envision how Cyan's dream-sidequest and the underground Castle could happen in the World of Balance-only-timeline, possibly unlocking just before the Final Dungeon, but I haven't seen any confirmation for that)).
It is because they didn't initially plan for a second half of the game that led to them not rushing the first half. You'd otherwise notice that the game is seemingly ending too soon, or something else off with the pacing. Or they might more heavily forshadow the event (more than including the map of the World of Ruin in the manual would imply).
I just don't think things would have gone as well if Square had planned it all from the start. There'd be something inorganic about it. The lack of a plan allowed for a more natural mess (Now I'm being too vague, I'll end it here).
It's definitely cool that they decided spontaneously to run with that idea while making the game. However, I disagree that there could be a version without the world of ruin. I mean, *technically* there could exist a version without it, and but the game would be a dramatically different experience. I think there are a lot of games (or any story really) where a lot of the iconic things were spontaneous and added later rather than planned right from the start.
All that said, I would love to dip into an alternate reality and see what how a World of Balance-only story would have turned out!
Canaris4 yea. It's an era dead and gone. Nowadays you have to mocap and voice all cutscenes and that means things need to be finalized before they do all of that. Back in the day, the script would continue to see changes all the way up until game completion.
This is incorrect. The production of this game was super rushed because the team was told they needed to begin work on Chrono Trigger and that the production schedule needed to be sped up. Many of the devs slept in their offices just to make sure they could work every possible minute. I hate people talk out of their necks.
@@paddyhopper An article in Famitsu with the developers did indeed reveal that the World of Ruin was not in the plans at all. This was confirmed by Sakaguchi himself that they were able to include it because they were, in fact, ahead of schedule.
@@QuiGonZel thats weird. That runs counter to everything I have ever read. If they were ahead of schedule they should've fixed all the dumb shit in the world of ruin that didn't make sense.. like the two empties in albrook. Etc.
Incredible video! FF6 is my all-time favorite game and you really did the title justice. Thank you for this. Reminds me of what I loved about this game so much, the characters.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it! When I originally sat down to make it, I wasn't sure if I had anything new to say about the game, as I'm sure that thousands and thousands of people had already picked it apart by then. But I'm just really happy that it's helping everyone to relive a bit of why we all love this game.
this was the best RPG ever made! Honestly what I loved about it most was almost every character had a unique storyline and it wasn't centered around just one character.
Yeah, and there's just enough of everyone that you at least get a good sense of who they are. Also their stories don't all revolve around the villain... it's like they all were just living their lives and have normal hardships and they ALSO have this Kefka problem, too.
@@CorruptedSave This character design goes a long way into making the world feel real and lived in. More so than much of the other Final Fantasy worlds.
@@robertharper3114 I agree! In a bunch of RPGs you just have to wonder for some characters "what do you do when you're not galavanting around the world being a hero?" Sometimes that can be hard to imagine. But in this game, you can totally imagine what the day to day life of almost all the characters would be (save for Gogo, haha.)
@@CorruptedSave The originally intended method for unlocking Gogo was very interesting. It was intended that you would occasionally see party members not in your party in the cafes and bars when you went into towns. Sometimes, in the World of Ruin, one of them would say something a bit off. You then go, put that person in your party and come back and talk to the imposter that was Gogo. Because the imposter was on a timer and changed towns, the developers felt it put too much of a burden on the player to figure it out, so they changed it to what we have.
@@AmariieMaerthos Aw man, not gonna lie - I LOVE that idea. I really like that better than the Zone Eater thing. I also just really like that members not in your current party could be found out in the world, it seems like a fun concept.
To me FFVI is the FF ever made, the soundtrack is a masterpiece. First game I played with more adult discussions like suicide, grief, regret and how the characters deals with death of a beloved one. Just loved the back story of Locke, Cyan, Setzer and Celes
They did a very good job with FFVI, and I still think it's amazing that this game was made in the SNES era. It's funny because I like a lot of the Final Fantasy games, but they've always had to try and live up to this one.
One thing. Terra's name in Japanese is "Tina". The name changed during North America's release because the localisation team felt that the name Tina is too generic for a hero. So, the thing about Celes and Terra being named to have the opposite meanings of each other might not be true.
Aside from that, your work is a masterpiece not less than the game itself.
Thank you, that's really kind!
Yeah this video was definitely my own interpretation, not like researched and cross-referenced with any development diaries or interviews from the team, so I hope people don't take it as such. The Tina thing has come up a few times in the comments, and supposedly it was a reference to Tina Turner (which doesn't surprise me, because Japanese people in this industry love referencing pop music.) But someone else said they listened to a podcast where they said the names Celes and Tina were references to the opera La Celestina. Which would be an interesting origin considering there is an opera in the game that is important to the themes. And it would be more interesting than Tina Turner, haha.
And thanks god they changed it! Terra is an AWESOME name
@@estebantedesco1348 I agree, Terra is a way more iconic name for a Fantasy RPG character than something like Tina.
Celes mean sky
Terra mean Earth
Opposites.
Terra was a clever change either way
I too appreciate this game even more now than when I played it in 1994. And I've gone back and played more of the earlier FF games, and I'm even more blown away that they took such a large step forward with FF VI in terms of characterization, themes, emotion. Frankly I can't believe they had the vision to make this game.
I also really love FFIV and appreciate that game much more as an adult, too. But I think that FFVI had the greatest gulf between my enjoyment as a child versus my enjoyment as an adult. Which is saying something because I *loved* it as a kid. It's just the story has extremely adult stories, which is *amazing* to me considering that in the 90s I think video games were still very much widely considered a children's hobby.
I played through FFVI again in 2019, and I was amazed about the complexities that I didn't grasp when I was a teenager. The story is far more dire, depressing, nuanced, and compelling than I had remembered. The story arcs had not lost any bit of their intrigue, and the story had won me over all over again. This is, by far, my favorite game, and has been since 1994.... I hope this video helps to draw younger gamers, that have never experienced this gem, to delve into the majesty of this story!
Thank you so much! I find it interesting that there have been a few people that had similar experiences revisiting the game. I think that goes to show that it's the game itself that has all these layers, and not just people digging for meaning in something we liked as kids.
There have been a few people talking about how they played it recently for the first time, or plan on playing it. Which is great! But for people planning on playing it soon, I feel bad if they got spoiled on it watching this video. Though, if one gets spoiled by watching a video on a game that is nearly 30 years old, the onus is slightly more on the viewer at this point I think.
I am only halfway into this video, and have been moved to tears several times.
As a kid, who played this on SNES when it was first released, I enjoyed the game as just another Final Fantasy game.
As an adult, who is currently going through hard times, I feel so many emotions watching this video.
First is the flooding back of all the memories of playing this game.
Next, thanks to you, is seeing the deeper themes of the game in an entirely new, incredibly human light. Yes, even after the world has been destroyed...as Cyan says, we must find peace within our hearts, and look forward to the future.
The existential struggles of Terra and Celes strike a different chord with me as an adult. Wanting to be loved, wanting to be seen as human, insecurity around identity, searching for meaning and purpose...and of course, crippling despair.
I didn't realize just how great the story and writing in this game is.
Seriously, thank you SO MUCH for this video. It is so brilliant, and I hope to see more of this type of content from you, you really have a gift for getting to the core of a story and communicating it in a simple, relatable way.
Thank you! I am glad that you found the analysis worthwhile. I was really worried when I made this video because I assumed that this game had already been talked about to death and I wasn't sure if I had anything to contribute beyond "wow, this was a good game, right?"
I actually didn't intend of making this until I replayed the game and felt like it *improved* upon my memory of it. I think that's exceptionally rare for games. Parts of the game that I didn't really think about twice in the past really hit home this time around. People talk about this game as being one of the most bleak Final Fantasy games, and it certainly goes to some dark places. But in a strange way, that also sets it up to become one of the most uplifting in the series as well.
Sorry you're going through some hard times right now. If you have the time, try booting up the game again. And if you do, and you think about it, let me know how your replay went.
5 minutes in and I’ve already teared up once and gotten chills. This is amazing. Great work.
Thank you so much! (I credit FFVI for the chills, though!)
Well, you went and made a grown gamer cry with this video and got yourself a new subscriber in the process. Well done :)
Thank you! Although I have to give the credit to FFVI for the emotional impact there. I was simply riding its coattails!
I am someone who played this game when it first came out to even today. You have given me a new level of appreciation for the game and the story that I've always had, but couldn't put into words. Very well done!!
Thank you so much! I'm really glad that you enjoyed the video!
I was in high school when this game came out. I never thought of it the way you present it but you are absolutely correct and this was a wonderfully put together video.
Thank you so much! I'm glad that this interpretation resonated.
I’ve played this game so many times, I’ve lost track of how many. Never knew it was possible to save Cid, though. To be honest, I wouldn’t want to in any play through. The scene of Celes throwing herself from the cliff resonates so strongly, for me it would damage the story if it wasn’t there.
Yeah, as horrible as it sounds, Cid dying just makes for a better story. There isn't even an incentive beyond just... not wanting someone to die and not wanting Celes to be crushed by the loss. (Not that there needs to be an incentive - wanting to save him for only a Gold Hairpin or something doesn't feel like a good motivation.)
The story, characters, and music are all top notch.
100% this is a classic for very good reasons. And oooj the music is just so good!
I haven’t played this game since 95. Its still my favorite story I’ve ever played. I recently looked up its soundtrack because so many of those compositions were still in my head to this day. I’m glad I got suggested this video, it was a great watch. It was great to hear your perspective after revisiting this gem of a game. It makes me want to replay it!
Oh you should replay it! I loved this game, and played it multiple times in the past, but I legitimately didn't expect it to give me the kind of feels that it did at my age. It really works on multiple levels, and as such it's one of those classics that earns its place. I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I'm honestly shocked it gets recommended at all, haha.
You should absolutely play it again because it holds up very well.
That said, if you could level one criticism of the game, it’s that it’s too easy-especially if you min/max with the espers. I would look for a way to make it more challenging. That could mean putting it on the fastest battle speed (which only makes the enemies faster), or finding and setting up the Brave New World mod (which require emulation).
The story of FFVI needs to be a series. I always thought these stories would be impossible to adapt to film, but one of these serials that only run for a couple short seasons, that'd be perfect.
And these fantasy adaptations are hot right now.
Hey I'm all for that! Anything to get this story to a wider audience. I think the limited series approach would be perfect - there's too much story here for a movie or for a few episodes, but I wouldn't want it to be dragged out beyond reason, the pacing is important. We're at the point now, though, where it could be pulled off. (And could to imagine the adapted score? Sheeeesh!)
This was incredible - great analysis, thank you so much for taking the time to do it. I also replayed FFVI during COVID after over a decade away and, yeah, I totally agree that I didn't appreciate it enough. It's a beautiful game that's so well put together and thoughtful, and really it's my favorite of all time.
Thank you so much! Since it's your favorite game, I appeciate the stamp of approval on the vid! Also very glad that you came the same conclusion independently playing this during the year of COVID and seeing its relevance. This is definitely an enduring classic!
Damn great job. This is my favorite final fantasy game, and you are right. This is a masterpiece.
Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed it! FF6 is just one of the best games, period. (It's actually interesting how many SNES titles truly hold up to the test of time.)
This was my favorite RPG of all time. Well done video!
Thank you so much! You choose favorites well!
Beautiful review. Thanks for the magnificent work. You just gained one more subscriber👍😃 👏😌
Thank you so much, I'm happy you enjoyed the video!
I have a list of my favorite video essays. This video has been saved to that list. This was seriously impressive. With such an unusually high level of polish from a channel so new.
Thank you very much, I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I was super nervous covering a classic game that has been talked about by many more, much larger people than myself. But responses like this make me feel like I should consider pulling out some more of my favorites to talk about them.
@@CorruptedSave I would LOVE if you did more videos like this.
My brother and I have often spoken of the World of Ruin we are presently in.
It's alright though...
Friends will be found.
Strife will be overcome.
The sun will breach the clouds.
Better days on the horizon.
Thank you for this deep essay. This is and will always be my all time favorite game. Not just a game... one of my all time favorite stories.
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. And yes, the world in this game is basically the darkest in any Final Fantasy, but I think the message is probably the most uplifting as a result!
@@CorruptedSave I couldn't agree more. You've created something beautiful with this. And in this world there is nothing better. Celebrating a masterpiece! Celebrating quality.
Celebrating experience.
@@JohnDWJ Well it heartens me that you found value in the video. This is just a hobby for me; I do it for fun because I enjoy the process and I like talking to people about these things we all love. So thank you!
@@CorruptedSave You are most welcome. We are all of us traversing the World of Ruin. Being able to meditate on things we love and reflect upon the journeys taken (suffering and joy) is of incredible value.
Hope in dark places. Final Fantasy VI has inspired my own creativity for much of my life. I'm glad I am not alone in realizing the real world reflections. Thank you again, good sir!
exellent video man , here to give my comment and like!
Thank you so much, I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
This is my second favorite FF game, just after 7 and just above 9. Absolutely fantastic, intelligent analysis.
All very good choices! Also it's nice to hear someone showing love to FF9 - I find it to be a somewhat underappreciated gem in the series. I'm glad you liked the video!
Absolutely my favorite take on my favorite game. Amazing job encapsulating all that is special about it.
Wow! Thank you, I really appreciate that considering how many people must have made videos about this game. I almost didn't, I wasn't sure if I had anything worthwhile to add to the conversation. But this kind of response really makes it feel like it wasn't a mistake, and I want you to know that means a lot to a little video hobbyist like me! :)
I grew up a Nintendo kid, so I was pretty disconnected from the FF series for many years. Then one day, as a teenager, I decided to play a final fantasy game.
My emulator only had FF6, so I turned it on and started off.
Man, what a banger. I remember playing others after 6 and feeling disappointed. Not because they were bad, but they were just never on THIS level. This game will always have a special place in my heart.
This review has no business being this mature and well thought out. Thank you for a great video my brother.
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I am honestly surprised people are still finding it among the piles and piles of FF6 videos.
this was excellent, comfortably one of the best videos discussing VI that i've seen! particularly enjoyed the overarching point about terra and celes overcoming their hopelessness, which goes against and overpowers kefka's whole nihilistic belief system. you've done a great job, looking forward to what you do next!
also, really interesting about celes being like 'celestial' - in my head i always thought it was like 'ciel' (sky/heaven in french), to contrast with terra's 'earth', just like you said, but celestial and ciel actually both stem from the latin 'caelum' (same meaning as above ofc), so it's really cool to me how we both reached that conclusion from different points!
Thank you very much! I really really love the info you shared about Celes's name! It's really cool there are multiple paths to get there. I realize that I am going off of a translated interpretation of a name, but the fact that there is more that one route to get there makes me feel more confident that we're on the right track. It plays into that theme of earth and sky, and people needing two things to thrive - body and soul. Or nourishment and will. Little kid me would never pull that away from this game, haha.
@@CorruptedSave I suppose the only point against the naming connection would be that Terra's name was Tina in the original game- it was only changed to Terra in the English localisation after audiences scoffed at it. That said, it's pretty funny that they decided to use that exact idea again just one game later (with Aerith's name representing the earth and Cloud's name representing the sky) so it was clearly a concept which was stuck in their minds!
Incredible video as always, by the way- I always look forward to your uploads, you knock it out the park every time.
@@Appers Thank you very much! (And I'm so glad they didn't stick with Tina, hahaha!)
Ludiscere ff6 is a hard game to really nail a theme to. Maybe that's one of the things that added to its appeal but to me the game was not cohesive. Each of the characters were designed by different people and while they're awesome, the narrative does not have the cohesion that ff7 and ff9 have. These assessments seem valid though.
Best FF I've played for sure. Frigging amazing video essay. What can I say that everyone else hasn't already? This was powerful, even in its shortness, and that's a gift you spun for us.
Thank you.
Thank you! The response has been wonderful on this one, and I'm grateful for that. It's a game that is dear to many people, and it can be scary to talk about it, because people feel so strongly about it already.
You storytelling is so beautiful and emotional! Thanks for a great video 👏👏👏
Thank you! (FFVI gets all the credit there!)
My dude, this video is fantastic. You hit the bullseye dead on with your analysis. I related to this so much!
Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
I think Strago's meaning was perfect. He's experienced life a great deal longer than everyone. He already had the knowledge and experience of unconditional love that Terra had just learned about. He didn't need to have much of an arc, because he's already had several throughout his life
Sure, Strago has a lot of stuff going on if we, the audience, fill in the blanks for the game. But being "aged and experienced with a granddaughter" isn't really a fleshed out character for a story. He has a bit going on - his sidequest involves him being spurred on to conquer a powerful monster he never could throughout his life, and when you first meet him he's very secretive about the magic in the town. I even say in the video that I like him fine, it's just that the character development is very lopsided. Most characters we meet in the first third of the game get a lot of work done on them. Mog, Umaro and Gogo basically have nothing going on. Gau, Strago, and Relm (and to some degree Setzer, and even Shadow since his dreams are almost like easter eggs) are on the thin side. They get brief moments to shine in the story, but they're not nearly as developed as Terra, Celes and Locke. Strago may have a lush backstory, but in order for him to be well fleshed out, that needed to be conveyed in the game. Otherwise we could lend the same leeway to someone like Banon, who is undeniably a small side character, even though as an elder character and leader of the Returners, we can assume he's seen some shit in his day.
@@CorruptedSave i get that and agree. I also like that its not necessary for characters to not have everything known about them. Even in stories, tv shows in general, if you miss some episodes or dont know everything that was shown or divulged about a character, a well written character or story should still work. Of course some moments wont hit as hard, but in real life, you will never know everything about anyone. I would even argue you dont know everything about yourself. I absolutely loved the video, and agree his reason was thin when put up against some of the others, but applying my own knowledge and experience, as its impossible not to do for any character/real person, i totally get and love his reason. And see it just as powerful, if not more so, than some of the others. Fighting for your children, or your childrens’ children, can bring out the utmost inner fire in people.
@@grennbalze Oh for sure, not all characters need the in-depth treatment. I mean, I've loved characters for far shallower reasons than character development. In fact, my favorite game character of all time is Jill Valentine from Resident Evil. And as much as I love the series, the heroes are really just vessels for the player to experience the game. They're given like... instruction booklet levels of backstory that's hardly present in the game itself. I love Jill because I associate her with a formative gaming experience in my personal life, not because I identify with her personality or growth in the story. So in that regard, I do not begrudge anyone for liking anyone, even minor characters.
There have been a handful of Strago fans in the comments that misunderstood my intent on singling out his character, or even that I didn't intend for the criticism to seem all that harsh. Some of it I feel like is knee-jerk reactions to criticism, but I'm not so egotistical to not also consider there is likely some faults in my own writing and editing that I didn't effectively convey the tone or intent of that criticism well.
I mean, as a kid, I thought Strago was pretty cool just because he was an old guy rocking a mohawk, haha.
@@CorruptedSave I think if I was going to develop this character more I would focus on the inherent conflict with the resurgence of Clyde into Relm's life. I imagine Strago would be extremely protective of her and reject any attempts made by the wayward father to build a relationship or make amends.
That would be great character conflict if Shadow was sincere in his attempts to fix things and move forward and Strago was vehemently opposed to his intervention in her upbringing.
@@damian6631 I would love if they got more developed in that regard. Honestly, that change would probably catapult all three characters into a higher tier right away.
A great essay of a master piece game! Your experience of growing respect for the game reflects mine with FF7. I think that experiencing a game once with a child's mind, having that "SO COOL" feeling, and then with an adult mind understanding all the nuances gives that layered sense of appreciation.
Thank you! It's really interesting when the change in perspective actually makes something BETTER. Usually when I revisit something that I loved as a kid, the nostalgia has worn off and the work doesn't quite hold up. I was honestly surprised how much more I love this game now. I guess I have a lot to replay, haha.
Thank you for this video. Ontario, Canada is in another lockdown and I just started playing this again. I've been screaming from the rooftops that this game had the best storyline of all RPGs since I was in Grade 7-8... This is my first video that I've seen from you and now I'm a subscriber.
Thank you do much! I'm really glad you enjoyed it. And for sure this game stands tall among other RPGs. There are also other really great ones, but FF6 is always part of the conversation, and I think it always will be.
As a side note, I plan on putting out more than one video this year, haha. Last year was just really busy for me and tough to find the time to put in all the work. But I have a new job now, and I'm crossing my fingers that means everything will slow down and I can put out more content!
To date this was by far my favorite Final Fantasy game. A true work of art on all levels. You could even play this game with 2 controllers.
It's really stood the test of time where many others have not! It's wild to think how impressive this was for the time they made it! (And they made it in one year, too. Eat your heart out FF15, haha.)
@@CorruptedSave A few of my best childhood memories was playing this game with my mother. Minus a few portable titles that were pretty good after the ff game with Cloud the stories all felt too much like a soap opera. Over done and unrelatable with drawn out dialogue that never really connected like earlier titles. I never felt like skipping through text bubbles back in the day, I did side quests not just for the rewards but to unlock new 'friends' and uncover more of this world they crafted.
I've wanted to make my own video of FF6 for years now. I just couldn't quite find the words for it. But this was more or less what I've wanted to say, albeit reading more into subtext and meanings than I otherwise would have. The time in my life I truly began to appreciate this game the most was when I hit rock bottom, and remembering this game again gave me a little hope. Its without a doubt one if the greatest games ever made. I really need to find the time to replay it soon.
I have a problem where I want to talk about a game, but the thoughts and feelings I have are so nebulous that I'm not even sure where to start. On my doc with all my video ideas, a bunch of them are just game names, haha.
But yeah, after I replayed this, I just really felt like the struggles in that game were so relevant, I had to try and make it work.
Solid analysis, I dig it!
Also obligated to point out I appreciate the small things you did with editing, e.g. dropping the phrase 'searching for friends' while showing the Falcon rising from the water =)
Thank you so much! I appreciate that you appreciated it! I try to always find some footage to match up with the sentences I'm saying whenever possible. It's tough, though, whenever I'm saying something fairly abstract... I just have to find something interesting to go with it. That's usually where my editing process slows down a bit. (Let's be honest, slows down a lot, haha.)
I feel the same way.
When the Falcon rose through the water right when you said those words, I was like "Yeaaaaah !!!"
Easily one of the most goosebumped moments of the entire franchise to me.
A very thoughtful perspective and analysis. Looking forward to seeing more from you.
Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I do plan on making some videos soon. I've had a very busy last year, so there hasn't been any recent content since this video. But I think things are settling down, and I have a few ideas for stuff I'd like to talk about. Not all of them are exactly like this style of video. I was afraid to talk about anything classic, because I thought people had said enough on the topics, but everyone seemed to enjoy this, so I've been thinking about what I'd like to cover in this style next.
The back-and-forth between kefka and the characters at the final battle is exactly how I formed my philosophy on life at 13 years old.
Life may have as much meaning as mold growing on a warm wet Rock left out in the sun a few billion years too long, but we CAN find meaning in a UNIVERSE full of things to be passionate about; each other, especially!
We don't need to live forever, we don't need to wish for an after-death forever (promised by people who are still alive... sus). We just need to appreciate our time here and now, with the people that we know and love.
Pain and pleasure are Universal, and happen to all of us in real-time. The best way to go about life is to try to reduce the pain in others while you pursue your happiness.
It's so simple.
That's awesome! And honestly, this is a story that can only be told this way due to the fact that Kefka does ravage the world. Because everyone has a reason to just lay down and die at that point. The fact that they don't and they all still have reasons to live, perhaps more than ever, is really inspiring. Incredible loss does not have to be the end as long as you can keep finding personal reasons to keep trying. It's tough to find a better message than that.
Fantastic video. I've seen a few vids essays about FF6 (8bits music's trilogy take on the music of the game, and Bltzz, big FF7 fan, playing FF6 for the first time, finally, to see how it holds up with 7), all of them very entertaining and fantastic, but yours takes the cake. Splendid narration from beginning to the end. It's almost a meaty trailer of the entire game (except, it's the trailer of a 60+ hours story, so obviously, 21mins are in order for such a trailer).
Aw thanks! I appreciate that a lot. Way more than you might know. I was hesitant to even make this video, because I was sure I didn't have anything new to bring to the table. But I felt like doing it, because I feel like the game hits different today than it did 20+ years ago (or even 2 years ago.) There's so much more to talk about in this game, too, and I'm sure other videos go into the production history, or (like you mentioned) the music. I'm deeply unqualified to talk about music, haha.
I'll definitely have to check out those other videos you mentioned!
@@CorruptedSave Hehe, appreciate that you appreciate.
Well, you summed up the game very well, with, cherry on top of the cake, the parallel of what we're going through right now, which is pretty relevant, since we're indeed in a world of ruin of sort, where we can clearly see and feel the difference from even 2 years ago. So, sure, having a videogame from waaay back showing us that regardless the adversity, it's still possible to hope, and fight together against the dread IS indeed a truly important message in our troubled times. It was great of you to point that out, and that, in itself, was worthy of doing this entire video.
Thank you.
I just finished ff6 myself, and man what a game. Great video, you have earned an enthusiastic sub. Looking forward to watching more of your videos!!
Thank you so much, I'm really glad you enjoyed it! (The game mostly, but also the vid!)
Amazing Video!! Really well done. You absolutely nail why this game resonates so many years later.
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I'm honestly shocked at how *well* the game holds up. I mean... I always knew it was great, and one of my favorites. But sometimes you go back to old games and they don't hold the same magic. Somehow FF6 held MORE magic than it originally did. Simply a stunning game!
this is one of the best videos I’ve ever seen on youtube. you have done this game justice and it is my favorite game of all time.
Thank you! Though I give all the credit to the game. The video would be nothing if the game wasn't such an enduring classic.
Amazing video analysis! It's surreal how so many 90s RPGs carry deep themes, even having all these storage limitations. I wish that AAA videogames as a whole would evolve even further, but alas. Neverthless, I am hard pressed to find games developed nowadays that can make me cry, and at the same time, make me question even my existence, as FF VI, FF IX, Xenogears, Chrono Trigger and Earthbound.
Thank you, I'm really glad you enjoyed the video!
I feel you on that! I have definitely found modern titles that I really really like, and sometimes I question whether or not I'm being influenced by nostalgia. But I don't know... when I go back and revisit them, I like them just as much as I used to.
Part of me thinks that maybe what happened is that we forgot about all of the super lame games we played, and carried with us all of the *amazing* ones. But now, while we are more aware and have a frame of reference to compare new releases to, the sheer volume of games being produced now makes it seem like an avalanche of mediocrity. But if you wade through, you can probably find gems. Just a theory.
But those old RPGs from the SNES and PS1 era just seemed to have a special flavor, eh? If I made a list of my favorite video games of all time, I'm sure that era would dominate my top 10... 20... let's make it 50 haha.
Amazing video! What a great lead up from the game's focus on the entire ensemble to how it's all about the people. And it's 100% true. Life is all about the people!
Thank you! It's really difficult to talk about this game. So many people have done it that it feels like it could be like dissecting Mega Man X this late in the game. Not saying that I did the best or anything, but I'm just overall happy that people seem to like the video and feel like it's not just retreading what's already been discussed.
@@CorruptedSave You have a natural talent my dude. Can't wait to see what you come up with next!
I remember picking this game up when it first came out and falling in love with it instantly, the atmosphere, gameplay, music and graphics were so great. It ranked right up there next to Secret of Mana, probably one of my favorite games of all times. I still love playing them, I got my niece into Secret of Mana, she loved it and we paired up to play it all the way through over 3 weekends. Someday I hope she might be keen on the more mature games like this.
Oh man, Secret of Mana, what a blast from the past. My cousin and I used to play that together. The whip was my favorite weapon by far, but generally it was a really cool battle system with leveling up each weapon and giving special charge moves. Thinking about it makes me want to replay it.
Glad this showed up on my feed, great work, and great analysis, thank you!!
Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
The Terra and Celes name meaning is a cool connection but probably not intentional as the character wasn't known as Terra until the game was translated.
Yeah, a few other people have commented that Terra was originally Tina. I feel like the Terra name has stuck as canon. In FFVII, "Aeris" has since been corrected as the proper "Aerith," but Terra has remained Terra as she's been in more stuff like Dissidia and whatnot. I think even if the name meanings themselves were not intentional, the characters still compliment one another pretty well.
From what I understand, the game's production was actually rather hasty, and a lot of decisions were last minute. (Well, last minute by game development standards.) So I'm honestly, not sure if any of my interpretations were explicitly intended by the creators. I think the game still works, even if it's not the case.
@@CorruptedSave I agree that the two characters do compliment each other even if they don't interact all that much throughout the story. Yeah the old Aeris/Aerith debate. I always thought it was goofy since both "s" and "th" are both accurate translations for "su" so either one works.
@@cheffdonty I guess the Aerith thing just fits better, because of how close it is to "Earth." Considering her counterpart is Cloud and also she legit is connected to their planet, I suppose it makes sense.
It kinda makes me sad that so much of the nuance in games from our childhoods probably didn't survive translation. Tim Rogers talks about that quite a bit in his videos.
I only know about FFVI in passing, but it's interesting to hear about the game in this high regard. I'm really interested in playing it now, so I might just have to do that. Great video btw!
Thank you! It is definitely held in high regard, and in this case I believe it is deserved. It can be kind of hit-or-miss when revisiting old titles, because the context in which we play them are different. This one actually *improved* in my eyes for playing it later in life!
@@CorruptedSave That's fair. When it comes to snes titles, I've usually enjoyed myself. I adore Earthbound and Super Metroid now, and I only ever played them a few years ago. Hopefully I'll have a similar experience with FFVI!
@@Cinnacal FF6 was my favorite rpg of all time, however Chrono Trigger is a close second, and admittedly the better constructed game overall. Both are SNES era must plays in my opinion.
Your video is immensely in-depth. Love it!
Thank you so much, I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for this incredible video! I played through FFVI about 20 years ago (was my first ever RPG too, what an introduction to RPGs eh?!) and loved every second of it. Always regarded it as one of my favorite games ever but never had the chance to replay it during all these years. Watching this video made me realize that the game is even better than I realized back then and now I cannot wait to play it again, just gotta find the time for this amazing game.
Thank you, I'm happy you enjoyed it! I really hope you get the time to revisit it soon. The story is surprisingly "adult" in nature. So much so that not only as a kid, but even as a teenager I didn't appreciate it fully. And as a kid, I really didn't care about Celes or Terra all that much. But now, my heart absolutely bleeds for them. I find that is common for me when I revisit well-done stories from my early life. My younger self latched onto more "fun," outwardly "cool" characters, and was more bored by the complex ones. My adult self realizes that I just wasn't mature enough to appreciate what was unfolding in front of me.
I never grew up with Snes/NES and my first console was the Wii for context but this game's story still holds up and I don't think it is nostalgia. But playing this game was one of the best experiences I have ever had. Sure on the surface level I liked the gameplay and music but the characters were outstanding. I got Cid to die and actually thought the game ended there and you were not supposed to continue after Celes attempted suicide and the screen went black. It is rare that games or any media really makes me feel but This video put perfectly how I felt by the ending. Sure I was glad Kefka was gone but seeing each character have their own ending and finding hope after everything was probably the best part.
Honestly, it really heartens me to hear that you went back to visit this game at some point. It's rough for some people that started out with later console generations to travel back to the ones before it, and on that level I understand people that don't play some of the older classics. That's one of the reasons I'm not totally against remakes. Certainly they can feel like "cash grabs" from studios that might seem like they're out of ideas. But if done well, they can expose new audiences to games that are absolutely worth experiencing. So really, I commend you for seeking out and playing this game and I'm so glad you got out of it what you did. And thank you for enjoying the video, too!
Final Fantasy 6 is the 1st game that got me into RPG and will forever have a place in my heart. It's not a perfect game but it's damn near perfection.
I think for me it was FF4 that got me super invested in the genre. But for sure I think FF4, FF6, Chrono Trigger, and Breath of Fire 2 set a litmus test for how I judged JRPGs for the rest of my life. (And Final Fantasy Tactics is basically how I want all tactics games to be, haha.) I do think there is room for improvement here and there, but for the most part I look back on these games as the gold standard.
Really love your work! Have an awesome 2022!
Thank you so much! You as well!
Great stuff. Thanks for this poetic take. Things i havent see others talk about and i havent thought about
One of my biggest concerns about making a video about this game is that I felt like it was probably too well covered of a topic. It heartens me to no end that you felt like it was a unique interpretation. Thank you!!
An excellent look at a game I... haven't finished yet. I'm anxious to experience more of this game, but i'll admit i was faltering at times, the natural struggles of trying to engage with retro games that have no nostalgiac connection to begin with. I have always looked forward to experiencing this game and now i'm excited to continue it.
I feel awful that you likely stuck out long enough to have swaths of the game spoiled. But if you're excited to continue, I think that's something positive. You'll have to let me know what you think as you continue on!
@@CorruptedSave If i had been worried i would've have watched. I'm not that precious about spoilers (in most cases), i try to live by it's not what happens but how it happens, so at this point, i see it all as stuff to look forward to.
The imagery of Terra representing Earth was always evident to me, but I never associated Celes with stars, and hopes and dreams… and how she opposes Terra… this is poetry, man. Thank you for that.
By the way: yes, this game is a masterpiece… and was done in a year.
Final Fantasy XV took 10+ years to make. That thought just destroys me.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video! It is really amazing that they made this game in such a short amount of time. I don't even like FFXV even half as much as I like FFVI. That's not to say that the game didn't have plenty of love and care poured into its development. But it just doesn't capture the same tones or feelings that I love in IV through IX at all. I find myself barely looking forward to FFXVI.
amazing video. I dont hold ff6 in the highest regard because the gameplay loop in the 2nd half really rubs me the wrong way - BUT the story telling is top tier and that gameplay loop is required in order to service the story.
its quite amazing tbh, and they were way ahead of their time.
Fair enough! The game definitely isn't going to be for everyone, that's for sure. Just the menu-based battle systems and random encounters are enough to turn people away whose tastes just don't line up with that style of game. But I do think the storytelling was firing on all cylinders in this one.
Dude, you nailed everything about this game in this video. I played it about a year after it came out on the SNES, and it feels more impactful on every replay. Excellent work. I'm so pleased that their are still people making content about this game. It's by far my favorite Final Fantasy game.
Right now I don't have the time to revisit Final Fantasy VI, but you've left me wanting to play it again. Definitely in these times its plot hits you in a very peculiar way.
Until now I realize that Celes' bouquets in the opera have always been foreshadwoing.
Oh for sure! The whole reason I wanted to make a video about it was because of that particular way the plot felt when I replayed it. It was certainly food for the soul. I hope you get that chance to replay it soon! (And also curious what else is in the backlog.)
I played ff6 on an emulator as a teenager on an emulator and I admittedly missed many of the core themes despite being enamored with the game itself, similar to how you describe. It was the retrospective of the series that also gave me such deep appreciation for the game, while I was compelled by some of the other Final Fantasy titles, I never felt as invested in the characters as I did in 6. I didn't want to just play and beat the game and level up my characters, I was compelled by the events of the story. When Kefka destroys the world and leaves it in a desolate landscape I was desperate to recruit all the members of the party hoping no one had died except, (I did hate some of the characters for not being immediately useful, but that's besides the point.) This video has inspired me to play it again, but I will still wish and hope for my octopath engine ff6 remake.
You're the first person that's come through and suggested an Octopath style remake rather than a 3D FF7 Remake style game, and I have to say I would be SUPER down for that. Octopath I have some issues with - mainly the disconnected stories and lack of interactions with the party members. But the visuals, the music, and interesting battle system were just fantastic. Making FFVI in that game's style would be overpowered, holy crap.
I'm really glad you got something out of the video and it's got you considering revisiting the game. FFVI is a unique game, even among its Final Fantasy peers, where there is so much focus on the party members. I honestly think that's why it's such an enduring classic. (That and the music, because holy crap it has one of the best RPG soundtracks ever.)
I played it on Christmas afternoon after we opened presents... After that intro it was soooo hard to quit and go to the dinner my mom kept calling me downstairs for...
@@CorruptedSave The problem with Octopath is that every single story act is just a formula. Go to town with whatever character. Talk to people. Find problem. Go to dungeon or building exactly next to town to solve problem. End of act.
The visuals, gameplay, dialogue, and everything else are pretty decent but there's like no exploration except for a few winding paths between towns. You can go find some random dungeons that feel like a waste of time, I guess. You can "find" the dungeons for the "hidden" jobs that are clearly labeled for you on the radar...
The game got a lot of stuff right, but it's pretty flawed. I finished a few characters and want to do them all. The story for each character isn't bad or anything... It's just so crushing to play through that damn formula again and again. There's nothing new to do.. Cookie cutter stories...
So, I finished a few characters and have since moved on to other games with the intention of coming back to Octopath.. I wonder if I ever will though. Maybe.
I'd love to see them fix that stuff with a sequel or a new game that uses most of the same style.
@@anonamatron I totally agree. I also hated how the party felt disconnected from each plot. It's almost like they didn't exist in each others' worlds except through the little conversation asides.
I think they will do better in the Triangle Strategy game. The story in that is more involved and already from the demo I can see they fixed a lot of problems there. (I'm honestly anticipating that game more than Elden Ring or Horizon, haha.)
Well said and nicely put together! I got all teared up.
Thank you, I'm happy the interpretation resonated!
Incredible video! I'm currently replaying this game but, like you, I got it for SNES on its release in the nineties. You really hit the nail on the head about it being a game about refuting nihilism. And the connection to the how the suffering of each character couldn't be measured/compared on some uniform scale was really insightful (and nicely sourced!). Congrats on an amazing video!
Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed the video. It's interesting to see how many people have recently revisited this game. I'm not sure where the resurgence in popularity game from, but it's heartening to me to talk to so many people that have replayed it and also found that it was even better than we remembered!
My first time with FF6 was on the SNES, as well. One of the most deeply satisfying experiences in gaming for me 🥰
Heck yeah! FF4 is one that I really love, and of course Chrono Trigger has a seat near the top of the SNES catalog as well. Super Mario RPG was so much better than I think anyone could have expected at the time. While not emotionally as resonant, I love love Breath of Fire 2 and Secret of Mana. The SNES's line up of RPG games is chef's kiss. But FF6 is like this glowing star child among games where it managed to reach so many people and had just the right mixture of story, character, music, aesthetic, etc to make a lasting impression on people.
FFVI has remained my favourite in the series ever since I first played it on the SNES in 1994, and it's one of my favourite games of all time! I also have revisited playing this game recently, and can 100% vouch that the game holds up and then some. It's a beautiful game, and I absolutely love it!
One thing that I realized recently after hearing the news that the PS3 store will shut down later this summer is that there will no longer be any official way to purchase the original version of this game. The only way to buy it after the PS3 store closes is the horribly mediocre mobile/Steam port. That's just.. sad for such a masterful game. :(
I very much hope that this game gets the remake it deserves some day!!
The mobile port on Steam is horrific. Man is it ugly. I don't even think I'd be opposed to updating the look of the game if they completely wanted to overhaul it. It's just the way it looks, something about the color palette, and how sanitary it looks just doesn't convey the world and its tone in a way the original art did.
For this video I did my recording on an SNES mini, but I know those aren't exactly easy to come by right now. The idea that the Steam version would be most people's only official venue irks me.
I'm really glad to hear from yourself and a few others that you also had that experience of revisiting this game and finding it holds up and more. I know it's not exactly some kind of rare, unknown title, but I still run into more people that haven't played it than have. I like FFVII plenty, but it's a shame that game hogs so much of the spotlight.
@@CorruptedSave It is. I just.. don't know what happened with that version. The art direction in general is inconsistent and doesn't match the aesthetic of the original game at all.
And I love FF7 too, and will forever be grateful for what it did for JRPGs in the West, but FF6 is the superior game in almost every way, and it deserves more attention -- the proper remake kind of attention. :)
Awesome video, man. Appreciate very much the message in the end, we need more games like this, to remember us about the importance of relationships and respect to life.
Thank you! Yeah, I agree. This game is somehow very uplifting with its message without being overly schmaltzy about it. I find that to be rather impressive, because that's a tight rope to walk, especially in video games where storytelling can be really sparse and/or ham-fisted because of how it has to wrap around the gameplay.
@@CorruptedSave Exactly.
Really great video, your take is satisfying to watch. Great production too, the clips are great, and your audio production is excellent.
Hope to see you make more content!
Thank you! I do plan on making more videos. This year has just been super busy, so I haven't been able to put out any but this one. I'm hoping now that things are settled down, next year I'll be able to put out more than one.
"I wanted to see if it was still the masterpiece I remembered it to be..."
*shows footage of Sabin suplexing a moving train*
How could it be anything else?
Hahaha thank you! You made my day. I very rarely have unrelated or unmotivated clips when I edit, so the fact that you picked up on that choice really makes me so happy.
(Jump!)
(Wait for Shadow)
Haha the choice now is obvious, but as a kid that had me biting my nails!
When I played this game when it first came out I was too young to understand unfortunately I am not able to go back and replay this game because I am blind. I do remember the scenes that you brought up. With your videos and comments I’m able to relive what I experienced when I first played. thank you
Oh wow, I am so sorry to hear that, but I am thankful that the video was able to help you to relive the game in some form. One great thing about Final Fantasy 6 is that the music is so distinct and memorable. Even before I replayed it, I could imagine whole portions of the game just listening to the tracks. I think that speaks to how well the game was made, that it stuck with so many people all these years later.
Holy cow! This video made me see my favorite game of all time in a new light. Thank you!
I'm really glad you enjoyed it!