Perhaps it's because it was my first console, but I have a strong nostalgic connection to the SNES. I actually got an N64 only a year after the Super Nintendo, so for me those eras kind of overlapped (it was a less internet-saturated time, so I wasn't feeling FOMO as much over all the newest games, and the old ones I was discovering were new to me).
Final Fantasy IV, released in the U.S. as II originally, is a huge leap forward for the franchise in many ways I've already detailed on this blog. I do wonder a bit to what extent this is due to technical breakthroughs (surely somewhat) and to what extent it's a reflection of the folks at SquareSoft just getting better at making this kind of game.
IV has a broad cast of characters who each have at least a little personality - this, of course, is something that games have gotten better and better at over the years. I believe it wouldn't be until VI that you got to keep a large stable of characters and swap them out between fights. Here, we have a few characters who show up temporarily, and honestly it's a little surprising to see that some of them don't actually come back as playable characters (Edward, the Bard, seems due for a return, but he simply remains a friendly NPC).
Naturally, the center point of the story is Cecil, the clear main character of the game, and the only one we have from start to finish. Cecil's arc is simple, but cool - he begins as a Dark Knight guilty of brutal acts of conquest, but begins on the journey to redemption when he acts as guardian to the young Rydia after inadvertently killing her mother and destroying her hometown.
His transition to become a Paladin happens a little earlier than I expected (though there's still a fair amount of content before that point).
Still, this game still has a foot in the series' roots, with a focus on elemental crystals at the center of it (though if I recall correctly, there are no such crystals in II). While VI and especially VII moved the series away from traditional medieval fantasy, it's clear that there are some of those genre-bending ideas here (and in previous games, even the first). The third airship you get, the Lunar Whale, is more of a piece of futuristic sci-fi tech, as is the Tower of Babel, which you visit a number of times as climactic dungeons.
This game's progression system actually works pretty much the way that I had assumed most RPGs did, having gotten my start with Super Mario RPG. Characters simply learn spells and abilities as they level (though Rydia gets some of her summons from optional side quests, and at least one from an item drop,) which means that, on one hand, you can't really tailor them to what you particularly want (and given that you have no control over which characters are in your party, you'd better learnt to like what you have) but on the other, they're going to be able to do their job and do it right.
I also think they did a pretty good job in making spellcasters feel like they have enough MP to actually cast spells, while still forcing you to manage the resource, especially in long-haul dungeons. The addition of save points where you can use Tents and Cottages is a fantastic change here - the final dungeon has, if I recall correctly, two save points. While you can't resupply (I did use Teleport a couple times to go back and get more items, being better able to get down there with higher levels and fewer side-paths needed to take) it's a great opportunity to take a break.
I'll also hand it to the game in that it has a big twist that actually makes sense because it echoes a previous twist.
So, now I'm looking forward to checking out the new and improved Jobs system in V, and getting excited to fully delve into VI.
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