Recent reviews by RubyKnight

Coming off the heels of Final Fantasy I, I was excited to try the sequel, and see what has been expanded on the Final Fantasy formula. But, despite improving in some ways, I found it much harder to get into than it'd predecessor.

FF2 ditches the level based system that we're used to in most mainline Final Fantasy games and uses a skill based level system. As you use a weapon, it's skill improves, and your stats grow with it. It's not my favorite mechanic, as going back down to a new weapon when you've leveled others can be frustrating. It isn't until much later when you can reliably grind monsters without death that the skill system shines.

The game boasts a much better tale than the first, but somehow, I disliked it more. There was something simple about Final Fantasy I's short story that drew me in better than I thought. Here, it is filled with a lot of odd decisions, such as a password system where you must ask very specific people very specific questions to progress through the story.

How was I suppose to know I had the show a mirror an amulet?

Coming from a long time player of Final Fantasy games, I feel ashamed to admit that I never really played the original six. I grew up on the PS1 titles, and went from there. Over the years I have tried to play the originals, but found myself dropping them within the first half hour.

Finally completing Final Fantasy I feels like an accomplishment in itself. As a long time player of the series, I was shocked to see some of the Final Fantasy staples completely missing from this game. It makes sense in retrospect, it was the first game in the series and also 1987. Games and RPGs were still in their infancy.

Was Final Fantasy a good game? Yes, for what it was. My biggest gripe with the game it's rudimentary magic system that feels very outdated and terrible to use. Otherwise, Final Fantasy is a good time, with it's bare-bones story and even more bare-bones combat.

All-in-all, I am glad to have finally played and finished the first in the series, and am looking forward to seeing how the mechanics in the series evolves as I continue throughout the first six.