Final Fantasy VI Advance

Feb 14, 2007

When those who aren't familiar with video games ask me how the interactive medium can compete with the greatest works of the literary world or the sensory allure of the big screen, I am always left with a single argument. Video games, by their nature, entertain through immersion. You don't read about someone else's epic battle against dragons, you're swinging a magic sword and slaying them yourself. You aren't watching the FBI agent take down the terrorist, you're actually aiming the crosshairs and squeezing the trigger. It's a very powerful form of make-believe that remains relevant and culturally significant no matter the age of the player.

I bring this up because there are some games that have left a particularly powerful impact upon me, on par with any film I've seen or book I've read. Final Fantasy VI, originally released as Final Fantasy III for the Super NES is one of these games. It holds a special place in the hearts of countless gamers worldwide, and while the dusty old SNES cartridge may be the ideal way to experience what many consider to be the pinnacle of Square's craft in the 16-bit era, this latest re-release on the Game Boy Advance allows a whole new generation of gamers to experience this lovingly crafted tale in the palms of their hands.

This re-release and repackaging of Final Fantasy VI is made for the fans, as evidenced by the new box art illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano. Slight updates to the game's visuals do much to re-emphasize the strength of Amano's character design work this time around, most notably being the inclusion of his characters' portraits inside their respective dialogue boxes. The basic storyline is intact all the way through, as the fans wouldn't have it any other way, but there are a few new characters to encounter, a couple new spells and a new dungeon to explore. Once you've saved a game, you can also peruse a bestiary showing all the statistics behind the monsters you've encountered. Unique to this handheld version is the ability to quick save anywhere, so you'll never lose your place in the game when playing on the road.

The large cast of characters that is one of this game's hallmarks is most impressive because of their individuality, both from a story and from a gameplay perspective, as well as the amount of effort that was put in to exploring their personalities, motivations and histories. These characters tackle important themes that are still relevant today; they face the pains of life and death, and they do it in such a way that feels honest. This translation holds true to the original SNES translation, except that a few minor changes were made to correct previous censorship decisions where naming conventions were changed for the North American audience, so for example, characters can actually use holy magic instead of inflicting 'pearl' damage. From a localization standpoint, this feels like a director's cut version of the game, Star Wars references and all.

For some people, it's hard to go back to sprites. It's remarkable how much of a character's personality and imagery came across all those years ago considering just a few pixels were allotted to each personage. That these sprites were able to at least somewhat impart the general feel of the Amano character designs is a testament to Square's artists. The tile sets that make up each miniature environment are simple yet elegant, and even today, this remains an attractive game. One can even see how shrinking everything down to the small screen has done wonders for the game's visuals. Some of the battles do, however, cause the game to slow down.

Final Fantasy VII may have helped put the Sony PlayStation on the map and set a new direction for all Square RPGs to come, but Final Fantasy VI remains a prime example of how game design and storytelling should mesh in an RPG. The interface is effortlessly simple to maneuver, and even customizable to a degree. You can speed the combat up or slow it down to fit your tastes, or do away with the Active Time Battle gauge entirely if you're more of a turn-based combat type that would rather live without the stress of relentless enemy attacks. Random battles can be annoying to some, but the game is so well paced that you never really feel the need to sit back and accrue experience and wealth in order to progress. On the other hand, some may feel that the game is too simple, and in many ways, this is one of the easier RPGs to come out of Japan in this era, particularly when compared to the Dragon Quest games. There is very little freedom of choice here, outside of being able to decide in what order some side-stories should be played through, and the ultra-linear approach to storytelling only succeeds because of the strong pacing. You never feel lost, bored, or otherwise drawn away from the plot. There's always something exciting happening around each corner, and major plot events have an excellent way of segueing into each other without a hitch.

Final Fantasy VI's soundtrack deserves special mention. Every character has their own distinctive song, and some are so memorable you'll want to just set the game down for a moment and listen, like I did when hearing Shadow's theme again after all these years. These are songs that should be listened to by an audience far wider than just RPG enthusiasts. Every major scene, every significant battle, every emotional moment is accompanied by a composition that binds the experience together. What John Williams did for Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, Nobuo Uematsu has done for Final Fantasy -- he's created themes that have transcended their place in the medium and taken on a significance all their own. This is powerful stuff.

In an otherwise superlative experience, one can't help but notice that the composer's acclaimed score just doesn't sound as good coming from the handheld's speakers. Using headphones alleviates this somewhat, but the system hardware only comes close to matching the audio quality you'd get were you to listen to these tracks on their original soundtrack discs. Still, you'll love these compositions (one can argue whether you'd enjoy them more a second time around or if they're more remarkable to new listeners) and after completing the game, you'll gain access to a music player where you can listen to your favorite selections.

If video game history were ever to be taught to children, then Final Fantasy VI should be part of the curriculum's required playing. Its characters are among the genre's most unique and memorable, while its villain is quite possibly the most well-crafted embodiment of evil in RPG history. Final Fantasy VI shows that you don't need polygons or special effects when well-paced storytelling, captivating music, and a few sprites are more than enough. If you've already played Final Fantasy VI, you may still want to go through it again on your Game Boy Advance, Micro, or DS. You'll laugh, you'll reminisce, and the feeling of nostalgia will remind you why it is you love this hobby. On the other hand, if you've never played Final Fantasy VI before, consider yourself lucky. You're in for a special treat.