Gamer's Perspective

As I sit here about to take on the task of writing a review for what many consider one of the best Role Playing Games of all time, I realize I need to get myself in the mood. I pull up Itunes and start playing the game soundtrack and amazingly I feel like in my teens again, reliving probably one of the most dramatic opening scenes of any RPG. Yeah it may not have the CG flash that is a staple of the genre these days. The doom filled tones filling the air. The cold wind blowing in the background as the magi-tech armor makes it’s way towards Narshe. These sounds and scenes combine to set an atmosphere that few games can ever hope to re-create.

The story centers around Locke an “adventurer” asked to help the resistance movement (The Returners) out by escorting a strange young woman named Terra, whom was found to possess incredible magical powers, to Figaro Castle in an effort to get her to join the Returners in their struggle with the Empire. Along the way they unravel the amazing tale of her past and take it upon themselves to save the world from guaranteed destruction at the hands of the Empire. Not only is the story quite remarkable and deep. The characters that tell it are filled with personality and each have a great deal of history that is told (mostly optionally) to really flesh out what has brought them together. The characters are so varied and original it’s nearly impossible for you to play this game without finding one you identify with and really take as your own. Final Fantasy III also accomplishes something that I’m not sure any RPG has done before it as for the first time the series will make you despise a villain as well. Final Fantasy III introduces you to Kefka, probably equal to only Sephiroth as the best villain in the Final Fantasy series.

Graphically this game has aged but due to its solid sprite based graphics it’s still more than playable by today’s standards. The only real drawback is that most towns have little in the way of variation and personality. You will feel as though you’ve been to the town before even though it may be your first time in it. Dungeons and mountains are varied enough however to never make the experience seem tired.

Final Fantasy III’s combat is a standard turn based system. Each character’s has a gauge and at the beginning of battle the gauge fills and when it is full it is that particular characters turn. The gauge can be effected by such things as haste and slow spells, not to mention status-changing attacks. Generally speaking, (with the exception of a stopped character) more often then not after the first cycle of attacks you will generally know whose turn is due up next and when the enemy is going to attack you. While not exceptionally riveting by today’s standards, planning your attacks and anticipating your enemy’s moves were essential for success. What really makes combat shine in this title is the fact that it introduces some interesting concepts that are still played out in even the latest installment of the series.

First off each character have their own special abilities. Locke steals; Saban uses blitzes, Terra morphs etc etc. These abilities can be instrumental in swaying battles. Final Fantasy III also introduced relics (which later became accessories) to the Final Fantasy series. These relics could be something simple as sprint shoes (which allowed you to be able to run instead of walk on the town and dungeon screens) or they could a lot more elaborate as you could equip two at the same time for amazing effects. Take for instance equipping the Genji Glove (which allows you to hold a sword in each hand) with Offering (which allows you to attack 4 times) means that you can hit a total of 8 times per turn, causing massive damage depending on the weapons equipped. Add both of these major tweaks to the series with the introduction of Espers, (Espers being summons which also teach you magic spells while equipped to a character) and you have a combat system that was amazingly full of depth for its time.

My final score is a 9.4