Why does Final Fantasy VI get so much love?

[Professor Beef]

I've noticed a lot of people mention this game in almost any thread pertaining to 16-bit gaming, and it's always gotten me curious as to why people love the game so much to this day. I want to try my best to not blow the game to bits here (since I don't really hate the game), but instead I want people to help shed some light on why many consider this the "best" in the series.

I guess I should start with my experience with it. I began playing the game a year or so ago. I had finally decided to bite the bullet and play it, wondering if I would like the game as much as I would like Chrono Trigger (since I had missed both of those games during the height of the SNES days). I fell in love with Chrono Trigger after playing and beating it just once on the PS1 version (which is the one I started with, hahaha), and I had high hopes (despite my initial stalling) for FFVI as well. I started to sort of understand why people began to like it after pumping a few hours into it. The humongous overworld, coupled with the numerous playable characters and (at first) decent story made an impression on me, and compelled me to keep playing. The battle system was great, too. Being able to customize the party with Espers was both a blessing and a curse to me, because I started to worry about making everybody learn everything. I also really liked the Artifact system too. The character-building in general is just really well done.

Speaking of the characters/espers, I have to say that Terra is a very unlikeable character story-wise. I could never find myself compelled to attach myself to her story, but that was probably the game's fault for shoving her down my throat so often. Battle-wise, she was great, but that also reminds me of another problem: there were too many characters. I don't mind a large overall party, but only if it caps out at around 7-8. This game had fourteen goddamned characters. That's way too many people I need to worry about. Granted, only a handful of them are really any "good," but I didn't have a clue about that until much much later into the game.

Fast forward another few hours, and we get to what many people hyped up for me: the Floating Continent. I had already grown frustrated with the ludicrous encounter rate in this game, but there was no fucking mercy here. It was all I could do to keep myself from ripping my hair out. After a surprise boss fight with an Ultima Weapon (right? wasn't there a mistranslation or something?) and some running/waiting, I got to see the villain win and blow up the world.

And that's where things quickly began to get worse for me.

I found myself stuck watching over the Cid of this game as Celes, wondering when I'm actually going to do something. I guess I caught the wrong fish, so Cid died and I was off to find Setzer and his big ass alternate airship. Once it was revealed to me that I was going to have to fly all over the place to find each and every one of my former party members, I just shut the game off. It was a slap in the face; I didn't want to go on a gigantic fetch-quest for my party members, and by that point I was tired of the game. A couple of my friends wanted me to keep playing, but they also understood how I would get frustrated with that part of the game.

It doesn't anger me that this game continues to get mentioned several years after being released. On the contrary: it surprises me when it's NOT mentioned. I may not like the game itself, but I know it's not a terrible game just because I don't like it. I just wanted to know what GAF thought about the game. Why you liked it, and what parts of it you guys liked. Hopefully I'm not alone when it comes to my dislikes, either.

 

[Kagari]

Oh boy, here we go... keep it clean, folks.

 

[cj_iwakura]

 

[SnakeXs]

Oh boy, here we go... keep it clean, folks.

That'd be my call to step away, then.

 

[Big One]

Why would you complain about the amount of party members when you haven't even gotten them all yet?

 

[TaintedEden]

Lol this should be fun.

 

[Rentahamster]

Because it's a good game.

 

[Pureauthor]

Well the music is absolutely fantastic.

I agree that most of the character development wasn't too well done.

And the gameplay... I don't remember anything about the gameplay system that stood out as particularly fantastic.

I personally don't think it did much wrong, but neither do I get those who claim it's super awesome and the pinnacle of jRPGs or whatever.

Also the Opera scene didn't do anything for me.

 

[LevityNYC]

The first half of the game is the most amazing thing ever.

The game itself is very easy, and you must be insanely underleveled to have any problems in the world of balance.

I agree that the world of ruin is a little bit of a letdown in terms of story, but as a whole, the game is incredible. The music and the characters are amazing.

 

[Monroeski]

1. It's a pretty damn good game.
2. It was the last of the good Final Fantasy games before VII hit and RPGs became mainstream, giving it serious niche/hipster/geek cred.

No genre has a stronger sense of "back in my day, things were better" among their core fanbase than JRPG fans, whether "their day" was SNES, PS1, or PS2.

 

[Jiguryo]

Because it's a good game.

And way better than the following titles, technologic advances left aside, when it comes to plot and character development / charisma etc...

 

[LevityNYC]

Someone upload the Dis Gonna Be Good gif

 

[tearsofash]

People are just fans of opera.

If you think FFVI has too many characters, I'd hate to hear your reactions towards Suikoden or Chrono Cross.

 

[Khrno]

This game had fourteen amazing characters.

Fixed, and I won't even touch anything else because opinions are to be respected.

 

[TaintedEden]

Okay I'll take a shot at this...

The music is absolutely incredible, some of the best in a video game.

Memorable characters and villains.

DAT INTRO:

Memorable set pieces and locations.

 

[WillyFive]

I would call it (alongside FFIV) as the definitive Final Fantasy.

 

[LiK]

 

[Pureauthor]

Fixed, and I won't even touch anything else because opinions are to be respected.

Gogo, Umaro, and Gau are amazing characters?

 

[Artadius]

Spoiler

Hey, I kept it clean.

Gogo, Umaro, and Gau are amazing characters?

Ok, granted Gogo and Umaro are pretty sparse... but Gau is, for the time that the game came out, a pretty unique and amazing character.

 

[FrostuTheNinja]

Love the locations, setting, music, characters

Spoiler

Even Umaro and Gogo

, esper system, and the open ended second half. I guess it just comes down to different strokes.

But yeah, as everyone else said, this is going to be fun...

 

[DrForester]

Lets start with your fourteen characters bit.

I'd argue that those 14 characters (minus a few like Gogo, Umaro and Mog) are all far more developed characters than most of the characters in other Final Fantasy games. They all have well written backgrounds and motivations that fit within the world the game takes place. They all fit, no one seems unnecessary or out of place within the game.

Next, the music. The music is just fantastic. It's not light heated it really establishes that this is a pretty bleak world, especially the world of run theme.

The villain. It's not some emo guy with mommy issues. he's a lot like the Joker in that he just wants to cause chaos. He's not looking to create a new world order, he just wants everything to die. Much like the Joker, it works very well.

Also had a great magic mechanic where everyone could learn magic if you wanted.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

I never really got the love for it either. Didn't care for the story, didn't care for the characters, didn't care much for Kefka as a villain (although his laughter was awesome) and hated how there were random battles out the ass. I picked up the PS1 version when it was released in Europe, but after nearly a decade of hype and praise, and after coming off FF VII and IX, it really didn't do much for me. It's not a horrible game by any means, but I'd take VII, IX or XII over VI any way.

 

[Seven Force]

Wonder what direction this thread's going to go in...

That being said, while it's not my absolute favorite FF title

Spoiler

(That would be VIII)

I definitely see why it get's all the praise it does.

Spoiler

I think Chrono Trigger's the better game, though

 

[WrenchNinja]

I too have been wondering about this. While I'm not big on the Final Fantasy series (Only played 12 and 13 all the way through), I always see this one brought up in particular, in ranking topics or topics about FFVII.

 

[Shirokun]

Well, I won't answer your initial question because you seem to understand what it is people like about it.

As for your frustrations with the "fetch-quest" second half, I can't really agree. First off, you can actually(IIRC) go to the final level once you retrieve the air-ship, so you don't actually have to get all of the characters if you choose not to(or if you let some of them die).

Secondly, the second half is not some giant retread of the game. The

Spoiler

world was drastically altered

, and it's reflected as such. There's some really great stuff to be had, some nice levels, and some really good character development. If you feel like it's a chore, then so be it, but it sounds like you've made an assumption about the final half of the game without giving it a fair swing.

 

[Kifimbo]

I agree with you that Chrono Trigger aged better than FFVI, but the latter is still really good.

 

[Duderz]

This was my first Final Fantasy game and still is my favorite, with XII and IX behind it.

Everything just clicked for me - I loved all the characters (save for Gau but even his sidequest at the end makes you feel for him), the Esper system was easy enough to use even though it diluted the characters the further you advanced, the world was the most interesting of all Final Fantasies, and it had such memorable sequences as the opening attack on Narshe, the Opera scene, the World of Ruin and actually seeing a villian succeed in beating your party....from a narrative standpoint, I think it's easily the strongest in the series.

You really could tell there was so much love and effort put into this game. I remember the forest you go into with the lake by it - you only see something like that once, but it was such a cool little touch. The graphics and characters were so well done and expressive; only Chrono Trigger really took it to the next level, which made the switch to polygons with Final Fantasy VII such a pain to go through. I think Nobuo Uematsu was at the top of his game with the soundtrack, as the many location themes and character themes are still memorable to this day.

Sorry you didn't like it, but you should know that in the WoR you don't have to collect all the characters again.

 

[Solune]

Professor Beef, as a regular of many fighting game threads I thought you a better man than this!

FFVI is one of the pinnacles of RPGs in general. Best FF soundtrack ever, incredible environments for it's time and has aged well. And it does a good job fleshing out alot of the character's stories. Highlights are Aria de Mezzo Carattere, Figaro brothers, I could go on but really it's just a fantastic game. Tastes may differ but if you see it mentioned often, there's a reason for it.

Now when people mention FFVIII as their favorite game, I have to stifle a laugh.

 

[Lissar]

You know, when I think about it I realize that a big reason is because I really love the characters (except perhaps Umaro... he was slightly unnecessary.) It isn't often I can say that about an entire cast of characters. Because of this the fact that there were so many of them didn't matter, I got so caught up in their narratives.

Also, although the basic narrative was fairly simple and straightforward (for the most part) I love how there is such a stark difference between the two halves of the game. When you felt like you had been working so hard during the first half only to have nothing end up right in the end. When I was 13 and playing it, it captured me like no other game had. But then, I was 13. I don't know how I'd feel about playing it for the first time now. I never trust my own judgments when it comes to older games.

 

[TheShampion]

People love it a lot because of the combined elixir of nostalgia and a good RPG. I actually am not a big fan of the second half of the game, but the problems you had with Terra and the big cast sort of cancel each other out for me. Terra wasn't the most relate-able character (I thought she was fine, but I can see where you are coming from), but that is why they have so many other characters to then be interested in. I am not even sure if there really is a main character of FFVI and that is what makes playing the game in the world it is set in so interesting. There are so many people with all these stories to explore. That is probably why people like it so much.

 

[ghibli99]

Of the many reasons, the final boss is a particularly unforgettable experience followed by one heck of a satisfying ending. The accompanying musical piece Dancing Mad has yet to be topped.

For me, it was the last truly great FF game before Square went all-out with a focus on cinematics throughout and beyond the 32-bit era. There are hints in this game of where Square was headed, and signs of where technology limited them. That's why I think this game, more than 7, would be absolutely wonderful touched up for modern systems.

 

[Artadius]

I would argue that the World of Ruin is the true game and everything up until that point is just the prequel or chapter 1 if you will.

So good.

Been pondering playing through it again here lately. Guess this is a sign

 

[Psi]

I guess I should start with my experience with it. I began playing the game a year or so ago.

That's the problem. A game like FFVI needs to be experienced during its time to fully appreciate it. In the SNES days it was glorious.

 

[LiK]

Of the many reasons, the final boss is a particularly unforgettable experience followed by one heck of a satisfying ending. The accompanying musical piece Dancing Mad has yet to be topped.

For me, it was the last truly great FF game before Square went all-out with a focus on cinematics throughout and beyond the 32-bit era. There are hints in this game of where Square was headed, and signs of where technology limited them. That's why I think this game, more than 7, would be absolutely wonderful touched up for modern systems.

one of the best endings in any video game ever.

 

[jett]

At the time, it was an incredible experience...one that I wish not tarnish with a recent playthrough. I haven't really played FFVI in nearly 15 years, and I think I'm gonna keep it that way. Frankly most JRPGs from that era are a bit of a pain to play now.

 

[GregLombardi]

Because it is a friggin masterpiece of early gaming that enveloped the spectator in a fantastic set of events, characters, and imagination.

 

[Solune]

 

[zlatko]

At the time it came out it was doing a lot of awesome shit.

As time went on, these things remained great and set up foundations for other developers to build off of.

Overall it was fun from start to finish, and memorable.

 

[Pureauthor]

That's the problem. A game like FFVI needs to be experienced during its time to fully appreciate it. In the SNES days it was glorious.

I dunno... if a game is only good relative to a certain time period, I'd say that prevents it from being a truly amazing game overall, wouldn't it?

Something like, say, Tetris is timeless.

 

[Pimpbaa]

It was the last good Final Fantasy.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

God tier soundtrack.

God tier antagonist.

Excellent shifting of gears in the middle, doing some very clever and creative things in the latter.

Fun characters.

Clean, top-shelf for 1995 RPG graphics.

Foretold the cinematic trend in JRPGs, yet didn't fail due to the hardware limitations anyway.

That's the problem. A game like FFVI needs to be experienced during its time to fully appreciate it. In the SNES days it was glorious.

Wrong. I played the PS1 version in 2001, fell in love within minutes.

 

[Dahbomb]

Why does any FF AFTER FFVI get so much love?

That's the real question here.

For me FFVI is the best FF game there is but I still like CT better than it.

 

[The Technomancer]

Kefka is still pretty much one of the best villains ever, and pretty much the best of the 16-bit era. There's just nothing else like him. He's not a faceless evil force from the nether who we never see until the final scenes, like so many games, but neither is he some human-ish figure with a twisted yet understandable ideology.

We get to see him across the entire game, get to witness as the mask cracks and falls away.
He just wants to watch the world burn.

 

[Callo Merlose]

This godly game was too overhyped for you and you were searching too hard for what it was. Those moments that you were supposed to fall in love with were supposed to be discovered by you, not instructed to you in a How To manner. You ruined it for yourself. If you can't see the greatness of this game, then we can't help you. You're blind to it.

 

[Yuripaw]

I really don't know why it gets so much love. There were some great stuff in the game up until a certain point, but I personally HATED it as soon as you get to that half way point in the game where everything changes.

I was enjoying the game so much, and then it turned into utter garbage in a matter of minutes, I couldn't understand what the hell was going on and why it went from an amazing game to a piece of shit.

 

[I'm an expert]

Because it's a game where you DON'T save the world. The world is destroyed. You lost. You failed. All you do in the second half of the game is pick up the pieces and try and get some redemption. But millions have been murdered, your world is dead. There's no magic fix to that. The game has WEIGHT.

It's also a game where your family dies, or your lover dies, or where you even try to commit suicide. These kind of ideas and themes just aren't in your everyday game, especially not treated so maturely like they are in FF6, and especially not in that age of gaming.

Because it's a good game.

 

[ghibli99]

That's the problem. A game like FFVI needs to be experienced during its time to fully appreciate it. In the SNES days it was glorious.

I disagree. I beat it for the first time in 2003, and it still ranks at the top of the FF heap.

 

[Fourth Storm]

The world really felt alive. The history regarding the War of the Magi was particularly interesting. At the same time, it didn't go overboard with encyclopedic nonsense. It left much up to the imagination of the gamer. And it left many unanswered questions such as "Was Gogo actually Daryll?"

Also had great art and the best score for any game ever. The themes the story explored were also quite "mature" (in the actual and not gamer sense of the word), such as Celes' near suicide and Gau's mentally I'll father.

You also cannot comment on character development without playing the World of Ruin. Most of that half is pure character development. And really, does Umaro the Yeti really require a back story? He's Mog's boy - nuff said!

 

[jstevenson]

The opening sequence of the game and the first 5 hours are absolutely incredible. The way it followed people, the better graphics giving us more emotion and more detailed characters, the story and interaction, the music!!!!

The way it created a very linear RPG, as well as a very open-ended one.

FFVI did SO SO much right. Still my favorite cast and most memorable cast of characters in a Final Fantasy game.

 

[ErasureAcer]

The game is fucking brilliant. I loved that at certain points in the game(Narshe, Phoenix Cave, The End)...You had to use up to 12 of the 14 characters in making your own parties. And had to swap between parties to take down the bad guys. Genius. Haven't seen this ever copied in any game.

The characters are awesome. Who doesn't cry when Celes throws herself off a cliff or when Cyan's family is murdered or the coin toss or when the espers are killed or when you meet Gau's father or when Rachel forgets who Locke even is OR when FILL IN THE BLANK. The game is heartwrenching. Perfect characters not to mention their musical themes that go with them.

Kefka is awesome. The fact he destroys the world is badass. He slains Leo. He throws the Emperor off a fucking floating continent. Man...the guy is seriously insane. Perfect villain.

Plus, you can beat the game with only 3 characters if you want. You don't have to hunt them down if you don't want to.