The first time I played, I didn't really level and I didn't junction anything aside from GF's. This was my first RPG and I wasn't really good at games. It began with me watching my brother play through the end of the Dollet mission and then he just stopped playing. I was in love with the graphics and was entranced by the story and characters. I begged him to play the game and took over where he left off.

I think the Christmas after my brother got the game for his birthday was when my sister got me the strategy guide, so I must have gone through the game pretty slowly. I remember having to use this when going through the sewer section in Deling City. The only other thing I remember is I got through to the boss you fight at the Galbadia Missile Base (BGH251F2) and got stuck. I got him to the point where he used Beam Cannon every move which was an instant kill move due to the max hp of my party being low. Rather than start from the beginning, I went out and bought a Gameshark so I could cheat my way through because I had to know what happened in the rest of the story since that's what I cared about and couldn't care less about the actual gameplay. I did love Triple Triad though

This game is one of the biggest pieces of gaming nostalgia for me now. I also don't suck at games and have no trouble beating it today.