Hot damn, two Final Fantasy games in a row! Let's talk about Final Fantasy's middle child. Due to be released years after it was relevant, it doesn't garner the same respect as it's other SNES brethren thanks to lacking nostalgia, yet all the cool trout it introduced has not only become standard fare by the time it came out in the West, but we all got introduced to it's best features in an upgraded capacity, making it difficult to appreciate what it really did for the series.
For many fans, FFV is the best game in the series. Maybe not the best entry, but the best game, and frankly I find this assessment to be hard to argue you with. The Job Class system is always a welcome customization system, and while it lacks the bells and whistles of the later installments, it kind of beats them out for me by being far better balanced. It's hard to find a bad job in this game, and while it's not as balanced as FFIV, it's gameplay is a pretty close second. It's also the last game in the series that I feel is challenging. Hardly the hardest game in the series, but the difficulty drop between this entry and VI are quite noticeable.
The game also introduces a lot of classes that I actually either love or have a soft spot. Blue Mages, Samurai, Dancer, and Mystic Knights are awesome, and despite some people's issues with them, I find that Bard, Tamer, Chemist, and Berserker are pretty neat classes with some cool uses with a creative approach. In fact, that what makes this game so fun is just playing around with all the job combinations, and thanks to not having the min/max element of later installments, you can feel free to really play around with combinations with little repercussion, something even FFIII kind of failed at.
Yet to say V's greatest contribution to gameplay is simply it's job class system and the introduction of the sub-job mechanic is kind of selling the game short. The overall game structure of this game really pushes for the player to explore and the game is filled with hidden secrets all across the three (technically five if you can't the submarine parts) world maps you traverse. I loved finding the secret entrance to Castle Walz's basement where Shiva lay hidden to do battle. Using a black chocobo to find Bartz's hometown. Challenging the Gil Snapper, finding the Phantom Village, and the more open ended final act of the game where you collect all of the games ultimate spells, summons and the legendary weapons. FFV may as well be called ADVENTURE: THE GAME, because that's pretty much the experience I feel it offers as a game.
The King of Tycoon senses a disturbing presence within the crystals and notices the arrival of a strange meteor to their world. His kingdom has guarded the Wind Crystal for centuries and with the thanks of Cid, mankind has learned to harness the power of the crystals to gain great wealth and prosperity. Unfortunately, this abuse of their power has weakened them, and now the crystals are shattering. Lenna, the Princess of Tycoon goes in search of her father when he doesn't return, and she is soon accosted by monsters. She is saved by Bartz, a noble, if a bit simple, wanderer who comes across her on his travels with his Chocobo stead Boko. The y investigate a meteor that crashes near them and discover Galuf, an amnesiac old man who thinks he may have been a warrior long ago and has a mission to save this world's crystals, but obviously can't quite remember why. With the Wind Crystal destroyed, no ship can sail the seas, and thus the party can't reach the Wind Shrine to investigate. They learn of a pirate crew with a ship that can travel without the need for wind and try to "borrow" it, only to gain the ire of the pirates and their captain, a stern warrior named Faris who has an interesting secret and an unknown connection to one of the party. Faris is intrigued by this possible connection and also wishes to learn why the Wind stopped and so he accompanies the three to the Wind Shrine to discover it's destruction and that some evil force is taking advantage of the crystals weakened state to destroy them. Tasked by the crystal to save the world, it's shards bequeath to them the ancient knowledge of warriors who have long since served the crystals in time past. Thus the four set off on a world spanning adventure that will take them across two worlds and the mutliverse to stop a great evil force from being revived.
V often gets knocked for it's story. Yes, I would agree that the game is less serious and dramatic than the more popular entries it's sandwiched between, but I still feel that doesn't mean it's plot is bad because the story and characters are more fun than dramatic. The five main characters have their dramatic moments but they are also just fun to be around and watch their next ridiculous plot point. IV's story is often times, very ridiculous, but still tries to play it straight, which can make it hard to gt in for some people. FFV is a bit more tongue in cheek and plays the laughs more often than the serious moments, even then, the serious moments are still well done with moments like Galuf's sacrifice, Bartz's childhood flashback, the birth of the new Phoenix, and Gilgamesh's last stand are fantastic moments that really stay with you.
Another element I feel that is often overlooked by this entry is how fantastic it's music is. Clash on the Big Bridge, The Evil Lord Ex-Death, Home Sweet Home, Legend of the Deep Forest, Sorrow of Parting, Music Box, Musica Machina, Dear Friends, and Opening Theme are some of Nobuo Uematsu's best works and really showed he was growing into the promising composer that FFIV led us to see. It's my third favorite FF soundtrack in the series and I'm still amazed by it.
I don't feel I really need to sell or explain this one to people, especially here. FFV is a lost gem of the series and for me, proof that Square and Final Fantasy's Golden Age began in the 16-bit era, as this game showed just how fun an RPG could be in terms of game design and just a lovable story and characters.
Last edited by Wolf Kanno; 07-30-2017 at 09:40 PM.
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