Final Fantasy VI
1999
- role-playing (rpg)
- adventure
- fantasy
- sandbox
- open world
- single player
The story
A port of Final Fantasy VI for PlayStation that adds an opening and ending FMV cutscene and includes a number of bonuses, including a bestiary and artwork gallery that can be accessed from the main menu, and which are revealed as the player progresses through the game. It is largely similar to the Super Nintendo version with the only notable changes to gameplay being the revision of Vicks to Biggs, the correction of a handful of bugs, and the addition of a new "memo save" feature, which allows players to quickly save their progress to the PlayStation RAM. Due to the CD-ROM format of PlayStation it has longer load times in comparison to the Super Nintendo version. In Japan, it was available in both a standalone release and as part of Final Fantasy Collection, while in North America it was available only as part of Final Fantasy Anthology. In Europe it was sold only as a standalone release.
What it’s like
Pixel-art sprites on painted backdrops, with a warm, slightly washed-out PlayStation palette that gives the towns and ruined airships a soft, storybook glow. The FMV opening and ending add glossy pre-rendered sweep to an otherwise hand-built world, and the orchestral score, with its familiar sweeping themes, carries most of the atmosphere, swelling over overworld wanderings and dropping to hushed piano in quieter scenes. The vibe is nostalgic and gently melancholic, the feeling of an old favourite re-opened on a rainy weekend or played in long evening sessions. Pacing is unhurried: turn-based battles punctuated by long stretches of exploration, town visits, and conversation, with load screens that are a little longer than on the cartridge original. Its emotional register is wistful and earnest, following a large ensemble of misfits as their lives tangle with a world coming apart, and the arcs are about loss, rebuilding, and finding a place among others. Violence is cartoonish and fantasy-styled, with monsters falling in sprite-animated flashes and no gore, though some dark themes and moments of grief land heavily. Suited to players who want a sprawling, character-driven adventure with a comfort-food feel and a bit of sorrow beneath it.
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