Final Fantasy Favorites: Gameplay

Arguably the most important aspect of any game is, as the name suggests, gameplay. Beautiful graphics, wonderful stories, everything else becomes pointless if the interactive portion of the game isn’t interesting to the gamer. Otherwise, you might as well just read a book or watch a movie. I’m not talking about the battle system here, however, since I feel that deserves an entire post to itself, but I will be going into as much of the interactive experience of Final Fantasy as I can, including things like World Maps, minigames, transportation, and even simple things like controls and talking to NPCs. Let’s get to it.

Final Fantasy Favorites

One of the more common video game blogs I’ve seen online have at one point or another done their own take on the Final Fantasy video game series, ranking them from worst to best, so I thought I’d join the club and contribute my own list to the internet. I find it really difficult to pick an absolute victor in the game series, however, since each game is so different from the others in so many different ways. So instead of a list, I’ll compare and contrast the games that I have played, which sadly is a rather short list, based on certain elements of the games, with a personal favorite in each category. Because this review list would otherwise be insanely long otherwise, I have decided to split it up into several separate posts, each detailing a different element. I’m excited, and I hope you are too!

First up: Gameplay

Maniacal Monday: Seymour, from Final Fantasy X

The Final Fantasy game franchise is widely regarded as one of the best RPG series’ of all time.  And with over thirty game titles to their name, it’s certainly one of the largest. The first Final Fantasy was released in 1987 in Japan, as a last-ditch attempt to save the Square company from bankruptcy, and it quickly grew one of the largest fanbases in videogame history. Each new title in the main series brings an entirely new story, a new battle system, and new characters. Like any good story, however, it needs  good antagonists. And one of the most intriguing is Maester Seymour, from FFX.

Eidolons of Gran Pulse - Brynhildr

By the grace of Etro, warrior maiden be drawn by the fires of battle.
Come forth, wreathed in blazing glory.
Your Rousing Inferno terrorizes all with your fury,
Discouraging those who would seek to quarrel.
The Ethereal Blaze that surrounds your vessel
Shall burn to cinders any who provoke thee,
And with ease, your enemies shall swiftly foresee
The demise of those who with Eidolons meddle.

As you burst forth swiftly, racing through
Your enemies, they will with dying groans exclaim,
As you follow your powerful master's bidding.
Múspell Flame, burn those who dare challenge you.
A name in blood, a pact of flame.
Brynhildr shall rise, her bond eternal and unyielding.

Eidolons of Gran Pulse - Odin

By grace of Etro, let thunder herald your arrival.
Come forth, sunderer of falsehood.
Allow no evil to remain, struck down by good,
Struck down by you, thou lightning-bound angel.
The world remains in a state of peril,
Besieged by enemies vicious and crude.
They tremble before thee, bright-shining, and hued,
As they wait for a punishment cruel.

Gallop into the sunset swiftly,
As the story follows in futile pursuit.
The end will nigh find itself coming.
Zantetsuken, annihilate all those unworthy.
A name in blood, a pact of truth.
Odin shall rise, his bond eternal and unyielding.