Final Fantasy VI Turned 25.

[Lord Golbez]

I think the reason that I don't regard the characters of FFVI as highly specialized is that I started with FFIV. The stat differences among characters are far more stark there than in FFVI and there isn't much flexibility to change them (other than choosing your equipment there's basically nothing). Only certain characters can learn magic and the spells they can learn vary. Granted some special abilities may not be terribly useful but they each have their own abilities and not much in the way of customization crutches to get around that.

Therefore, I tend to regard VI as the start of the trend continued in later games toward more customization over set individuality. I do agree though that characters with individuality are better. I tend to think some later entries like FFIX and FFX maintain that better than FFVI though. It's true that in FFX characters can lose all of their individuality, unlike FFVI, but the way the Sphere Grid is setup you can't really get most people out of their set classes until late game, it pretty much lays out for you the path to keep them on the one class track with maybe some dual classing late game. Beyond that you'd really have to grind to take away all individuality. A lot more than just to teach everyone the best spells in FFVI.

[Cell]

I've never quite felt the love for VI.

While I can respect it and it's certainly nowhere near the weakest FF, something about it just feels off and I can't even hide my disdain for Kefka.

[Rez09]

I, too, dislike Kuja. >: I
Kefka is a riot, though.

[Lord Golbez]

His disdain for Kuja is so hard to hide that he can't help revealing it even when discussing games in which Kuja doesn't appear.

[Cell]

A typo because I'm dumb, whoops.

Kuja is even less interesting than Kefka to me, which says a lot. I just don't find him funny at all.

[Wolf Kanno]

And now, we've reached the 25th anniversary of the NA release of FFVI. Any more thoughts people want to share?

[Rez09]

Huh, didn't know that -- amusingly, I've been playing a ton of this recently via ROM hacks, working on Brave New World right now after waaaaaaaaaaaay to much time with Ancient Cave and its crazy randomizer, and I'm planning to move onto Return of the Dark Sorcerer next. Good times. ^ _^ b