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I'm playing through all of Final Fantasy, and everyone is invited (Playing Lightning Returns now)

nosimpleway

(he/him)
Honestly my favorite part of Galuf's swansong is incredibly tiny and maybe easily missed. Galuf breaks out of the spell that has everyone else pinned, shouts a few defiant words, and charges at Exdeath.

And Exdeath, a swirling cloud of evil spirits clad in plate armor, a magician unlike the world has ever seen, who commands the very crystals that sustain the planet... takes a step back.
 

Zef

Find Your Reason
(He/Him)
FFV itself may not hit my top rankings, but its cast is certainly one of my most beloved precisely because they are such luminaries. They're often goofballs and joke around or (in FFVA) come off a bit dim for their naivete, but they're so full of life and light that their misery and grief hits a lot harder than when they happen to more taciturn characters. When even antagonists are so vibrant and charming that you hate to see their flame go out, it doesn't matter whether the basic plot is meaningful and complex or archetypal and straightforward, the characters elevate it far beyond the reach of more pretentious installments.
 

Mogri

Round and round I go
(he)
Staff member
Moderator
I do wish the game gave you a few minutes between Galuf's passing and Krile's joining. It's hard to properly mourn him when a new character steps in with the exact same set of abilities -- I think she even inherits his equipment!
 

Peklo

Oh! Create!
(they/them, she/her)
I prefer that, actually. A lot of times people reduce the loss of life in interactive stories like this to what they're losing access to mechanically--the death of a character and its emotional impact is supplanted by the player panic of an integral cog in the repertoire of accrued and settled-into strategies being removed from the equation, for example. The tendency doesn't rear its head as much in games where such optimization isn't necessary, but so much of V is experienced through its mechanics and the careful interplay that develops in there--Krile's inheritance of Galuf's abilities is a thematic fit but also safeguards her from the potential resentment of "replacing" a known commodity in that well-oiled party machine, and allows the audience to focus on Galuf's loss entirely on a basis of who he was, not what he could do.
 
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inspired to start a ffv playthrough again because of all this. i'll come back when i'm done (while this thread is on ffX)
 

MetManMas

Me and My Bestie
(He, him)
It's also interesting to compare and contrast Tellah's battle with Edward with his failed revenge attempt against Golbez. Though he trades the melee attacks for his most lethal spells, both are ultimately an old man's feeble attempts at taking down someone who wronged him (or in Edward's case, someone whom Tellah believed had wronged him). Tellah is also the aggressor in both cases; Edward is begging him to listen and Golbez doesn't even bother with retaliating.

The most growth Tellah sees (that's not on his deathbed) is realizing that Edward is a good person, and that's in an optional scene that can easily be missed if you don't pay him a visit after defeating the Dark Elf.
 

Zef

Find Your Reason
(He/Him)
The most growth Tellah sees (that's not on his deathbed) is realizing that Edward is a good person, and that's in an optional scene that can easily be missed if you don't pay him a visit after defeating the Dark Elf.

I've been playing FFIV since '92 and TIL.
 

MetManMas

Me and My Bestie
(He, him)
I prefer that, actually. A lot of times people reduce the loss of life in interactive stories like this to what they're losing access to mechanically--the death of a character and its emotional impact is supplanted by the player panic of an integral cog in the repertoire of accrued and settled-into strategies being removed from the equation, for example. The tendency doesn't rear its head as much in games where such optimization isn't necessary, but so much of V is experienced through its mechanics and the careful interplay that develops in there--Krile's inheritance of Galuf's abilities is a thematic fit but also safeguards her from the potential resentment of "replacing" a known commodity in that well-oiled party machine, and allows the audience to focus on Galuf's loss entirely on a basis of who he was, not what he could do.
Also it's not like there's no changes at all. If I recall correctly, Galuf's base stats had more a focus on Attack and Defense while Krile's more inclined to Magic and Speed.
 

Peklo

Oh! Create!
(they/them, she/her)
I pretend those stat differences don't exist because they're 1) gendered in dumb ways 2) practically invisible starting out, and even more so at the point when Krile joins.
 

Destil

DestilG
(he/him)
Staff member
The only way to notice the innate stats is who gets the first turn based on Agi and job selection will override the small differences there (Krile, Faris, Lenna, Bartz, Galuf, from fastest to slowest).
I do wish the game gave you a few minutes between Galuf's passing and Krile's joining. It's hard to properly mourn him when a new character steps in with the exact same set of abilities -- I think she even inherits his equipment!
Lufia 1 is just about the only old RPG that tries this (and even there you get her back right before the final battle).
 

nosimpleway

(he/him)
The only way to notice the innate stats is who gets the first turn based on Agi and job selection will override the small differences there (Krile, Faris, Lenna, Bartz, Galuf, from fastest to slowest).

Lufia 1 is just about the only old RPG that tries this (and even there you get her back right before the final battle).
Unless you're speccing the whole party in the same job, at which point Krile really needs the Gold Hairpin because she blows through all her MP first. (Because that's what I'm doing in this run.)
 

conchobhar

What's Shenmue?
I'm a late entrant, but count me in too! I first (and last) played Final Fantasy V around the same time as IV, so as soon as I committed myself to replaying IV I started thinking about doing V as well. My schedule was too swamped to start earlier, but I'm ready to get into it now.

I only started the other day and haven't put much time in yet— I just left the Ship Graveyard— but even this early on, the game is already making a strong impression. Much has been said about the pre-title roll, the cinematic opening and the improved spritework, but I think it must be said that even the normal cutscene direction is massively improved. Like, people have pointed out the new shocked and laughing sprites, or how impressive certain scenes are, but this sort of choreography and pantomime is all over the place.

For example, right near the beginning when Bartz, Lenna and Galuf are moseying through the pirate's den, there's a moment where they spy on an unsuspecting pirate by peeking over a head-high ledge— depicted by using a "raised arms" sprite right in front of the spot. Or there's the scene where Bartz and Galuf become infatuated with Faris when they see her up close, where that moment is shown by having them nod to each other in recognition and then flutter their eyes. Even the simplest movements can communicate something, such as when Faris, upon seeing King Tycoon materialize and speak to the party, moves from her position behind the other three to standing beside them (which works as "Faris is intrigued" but also "Faris is trying to get a better vantage point for this conversation"). And I could go on; like I said, it's all over the place, with nearly every scene having some sort of expressive animation or movement like this. It's impressive how much body language V is able to communicate through these tiny sprites, but it's even more impressive when compared to IV— which really doesn't have anything to this extent or frequency.

(That's not meant as a criticism of IV, just an observation of how much Square's visual storytelling has improved in a single game's time. One of the exciting things about this marathon, to me, is seeing not only how Square refined their craft, but how quickly they did: every game here marks a massive leap over its predecessor in terms of presentation!)
 
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MetManMas

Me and My Bestie
(He, him)
Animation like that is some of the most under sung parts of RPGs in the 90s.
Oh yes. The choreography done with sprites and 3D models is one of the big things I love about 90s and early aughts jRPGs...and also why I am so disappointed that visual novel cutout views have largely become the default in modern jRPGs.
 

Peklo

Oh! Create!
(they/them, she/her)
It's a finish for me. Some wrap-up.

  • have you all checked out Chris Kohler's book titled simply Final Fantasy V? Boss Fight Books put it out in 2017 as part of their series of single-topic books about video games by authors invested in talking about them at length. Kohler's a good voice for this game not only because he loves it (and if you've listened to or read his work for any length of time, about the only era of FF you want him weighing on is the SNES trilogy if you want a positively-tinted treatment) but also because his personal and professional history is so entwined with the game and its unique publishing history. That perspective can't be duplicated by others, and it's all interesting focus on a game that is not talked about as much as its peers. I have my misgivings about some of the conclusions made, like the expected undervaluing of the game's narrative merits, but it's a great tribute to the game and its endurance and goes recommended. The personal interview he conducted with Sakaguchi provides particularly appreciated insight into the development and creative process.

  • on that note, in that book Sakaguchi brings up, of his own initiative, an aspect of the series design that he was passionate about and thought important to its character: that of the part of the game worlds shaping the narratives and the impressions players had of the series having good or interesting stories. According to him, it was the interplay between the means of travel, the set narrative beats, the construction of the maps themselves and the reactive nature of the setting--how people responded to your actions as the games went on--that all contributed to the sensation that what you witnessed was a "good story." It's hard to argue the point, as these are all elements that are present to some degree in the games that are commonly considered best in the series, and the absence of them often leaves people very genuinely distraught over something crucial they can't name as being missing. Because it's so many interlocking parts forming a complete picture, it's also often "invisible" design that's difficult to compartmentalize and thus can seem effortless unless specifically attempted to be dissected. It's my evaluation in that spirit that V is one of the absolute high points in the series for imbuing its entire game length with so much lively dynamism and puzzle-like interconnectedness that goes unnoticed unless deliberately highlighted. Think of the transportation available: chocobos landbound and aflight; wind drakes soaring the skies; ships that sail the seas; later, the introduction and fusion of the ultimate all-in-one vessel that takes to the air, waves, and ocean floor seamlessly, multiplying the exploratory space and the contexts for it. All these things work in unison to guide you all over the world, sometimes directing actively, sometimes leaving you to wander and discover the barriers on your own, and they're constantly being swapped in and out as the narrative demands, shaping each leg of the adventure by their presence or omission. The world they facilitate the exploration of is in great sync with this ethos, as it's not the "but there was another, more secret world hiding beyond the land you knew" approach the few previous games used to expand their scale--instead, you have worlds merging together at the climax, becoming denser and more intricate after having individually introduced the halves of the equation prior: the challenge now is understanding and unraveling the new relationships between old habitats and ecosystems, not the braving of a totally new geography. It's a beautiful encapsulation and essence of the kind of game this is, as we often talk about stories being plot-driven or character-driven--Final Fantasy V is one of the most world-driven games in the series's storytelling, and it does not accomplish such with copious piles of stuffy lore, but by presenting its setting as an active cornucopia of ever-shifting adventure to be had.

  • Exdeath's shining moment comes early in the merged world, after a number of excellent characterization has occurred in close succession: the splitting of the party as Lenna and Faris are consigned to their new royal duties at the outset of an ostensible era of peace; Bartz and Krile's decision to go off wandering on their own and the familial horseplay between them; Faris's subsequent return and rescue of the pair, reaffirming once again where her true heart lies. In the ruckus, Krile notes a stinging splinter on her thumb--an aside that turns to pay dividends shortly later as the tiny mote of wood transforms into the immortal warlock Exdeath, a dastardly ploy he's sure to immediately gloat about having pulled off. No one else in the series commits to absurdity on this level and still comes off as a genuine menace; just to underline the statement Exdeath goes on to dramatically duel a turtle, in the game's most elaborate sprite choreography for such an encounter. The important thing to note here is that for all of the ridiculous stunts Exdeath willingly participates in, he is still deathly serious in intent and effect, another aspect that is showcased throughout the last third of the game, as the power of the Void is finally in his grasp, and places around the world simply start to disappear, leaving gaping maws of nothing in the entropy's wake. This isn't a solitary, world-shifting event, but an occurrence that repeats itself a few times as Exdeath wrests the Void increasingly under his thrall; you are always dreading the next township that might simply cease to exist. This is a narrative and design effect that was pioneered by II's Emperor, whose Dreadnought devastated most of the population of the game's world, but it wasn't so total a desolation as literal holes in the world you knew; later villains either threaten the world through great narrative calamity, or lock away portions of it through contrivances to save on disc storage space. Exdeath remains fairly unique in the mode and manner of the destruction he inflicts on the world and in turn, the player's conception of it, and helps to characterize the nature of the threat he represents as its effects are so starkly presented.

  • I mentioned earlier that this is a soundtrack I'm very fond of in the larger Uematsu oeuvre so maybe it's time to focus on that for a bit. Tracks that I think are notable:
  1. Ahead on Our Way. It's the main theme, and so it carries a lot of significance for the kind of tone that the game overall rests on. Here, it's buoyant, adventurous, a little downcast at times, but ultimately stirringly hopeful. It carries the kind of optimism that goes on to characterize everything else the game does, and is deservedly iconic for it.
  2. Lenna's Theme. One thing you'll grow familiar and appreciative of in V's music is the stunning clarity and depth of its percussive elements. I don't think Uematsu managed better or more distinctive on the platform, maybe not even anywhere else. Here, the echoing resonance of the bass notes gives firm texture to Lenna's gentle disposition, boundless as the water that's her element.
  3. Fate in Haze. Uematsu's written a lot of dungeon themes; it just comes with the job when your livelihood is defined by RPGs. Many of them follow similar tonal and compositional routes, and still I think V's baseline for its labyrinths is one of the strongest. It's the simulated crackles and distant noises that imbue it with a mystery that interacts well with the melancholy melodic content.
  4. The Battle. This is perhaps the most immediate battle theme in the series. Even the customary bassline intro is accompanied by strings, as if in a hurry to get to the real meat of the piece. When it gets there, the loop is among the shortest ever, just past thirty seconds. For all of that, I've never actually grown tired of V's battle theme, unlike some others. This is a game where you fight an enormous amount even by series standards, and it's the speed of those encounters that's reflected in the music that always manages to captivate. It's energetic and thrilling for the fleeting seconds it's there, with no belaboured intros or outros.
  5. Walking the Snowy Mountains. More of those bassy delights. Big driving component pushing you along, as the more playful refrains give an airy character to the vast spaces that define a mountain dungeon from the caverns.
  6. The Dragon Spreads Its Wings. Another short loop making the most of its time, this time amplified by the story content surrounding the debut of the song. Hiryu's restoration thanks to Lenna is a character-defining moment for her, and the dawning of a new mode of traveling the world for the player--thus, heartfelt, soaring optimism is called for.
  7. My Home, Sweet Home. A song elevated by its use in the game, as it's only heard in Lix, Bartz's hometown which is entirely optional to discover and visit. What you can already hear in the composition is made explicit by the context it's granted there: nostalgia for something you carry with you no matter where you wander.
  8. The Evil Lord Exdeath. If there ever was a character theme so totally committed to the bit in the same way as its subject, I haven't heard it. This damn thing starts off with scare chords and a pounding rock riff before moving onto impact notes and sampled, muffled laughter to tie it all together. It's so over-the-top, so comically evil, that you just have to take it entirely as read. I crack a smile every time I hear it.
  9. Beyond the Deep Blue Sea. Submarines are a recurring but limited motif in the wider series, confined to only III, V and VII, and the music associated with them is always a chance for Uematsu to get introspective and wistful as the world around the player becomes more alien and inhospitable to their presence. I think some manner of unease is always present, as if you're not supposed to delve quite so deep.
  10. As I Feel, You Feel. What a title. This is made unforgettable by its context in the game, as the theme for the sprawling dungeon in the form of the Great Forest of Moore. It's atypical for that from the start: dungeons aren't supposed to sound this serene, the sunlight isn't supposed to filter in through the leaves like this. It's a momentous threshold crossed in the game's tale, underlined by just how off it all feels.
  11. The Land Unknown. The three-act structure of FFV grants it an equal number of inhabited worlds, and a varying atmosphere to each. The plucky and naive exploration gives way to displaced urgency, finally concluding in the merged world's sad but hopeful resolution. None of the themes are entirely removed from the others in texture or tone, but they're also distinct--a mirror for the maps themselves.
  12. The Decisive Battle. When I talk about FFV and percussion, this is the track I really mean. It's almost entirely defined by the pulsing, pounding drums and basslines, underlining Exdeath's gravitas and unyielding, protean intimidation, carrying that same amalgam of mirth and menace that defines the character and his screen presence.
  13. Dear Friends. The last scenes of Final Fantasy V are a letter written by one of the surviving party members after facing down Neo Exdeath. If all goes well, the author will always be Krile, her writing to fellow teen Mid to continue the correspondence they initiated earlier. The epilogue, as it were, concerns her own uncertainty about her place in the world now that it's not actively imperiled, and the loneliness in the wake of her grandpa's passing. The ultimate message that the game imparts about its cast that they're never going to abandon or let each other feel neglected, and that's what this music is also about, as Krile is invited for more adventures with her lifelong friends. That's the note the game goes out on, transitioning to both a reprise of the series' main theme as well as its own primary leitmotif. You can have an unlimited amount of mutually valid moments for "this is Final Fantasy" across the games, but this is definitely one of the instances where that essence is defined for me.
~~~
I guess that's about it for now. I tend to like Final Fantasy V more every time I play it, which is notable in the sense that I already and for a long while have liked it quite a bit. I'll leave it at this illustration of Exdeath comfortably and sexily lounging, definitely unaware and unprepared for you having entered the room.

c5MesZ1.png

Mwa-hahahaha... I turned myself into a tiny splinter waiting for just this moment!
 

FelixSH

(He/Him)
Congrats, Peklo, and thanks for the great write-ups (and this beautiful picture of Exdeath, it's delightful). I especially enjoyed your post on the comparison between Galuf and Tellah. It's a very interesting read, that I very much agree on. It feels a bit like Galuf vs Exdeath is a bit of a commentary on Tellah vs Golbez. Exdeath explicitely states "I cannot be defeated, by anger or hatred.” Tellah couldn't have won. Galuf can, because he fights FOR something, for his friends and family. I feel like it also contrasts the two games on the whole, where FF IV seems to focus on loss, grieve and death, while V focuses on hope, protection and believing in a new day (symbolized by Galuf passing everything he had on to Kryle).

Thanks for pointing out Kohlers book. I remember having heard about it in some podcasts, but it always slipped my mind very soon.

Also:

This is a narrative and design effect that was pioneered by II's Emperor, whose Dreadnought devastated most of the population of the game's world

Oh, great catch. You are totally right!

The whole start of, uh, world 3, when you just came back was always a part of the game that stood out to me. I just like the idea of the main game being over, but part of our guys is now on their way to new adventures, and we follow along. Even if it is clear as a cop-out, I think I didn't realize that, the first time I played the game. It's a very nice part.

And then Exdeath comes along, and is completely ridiculous. He is a treasure.

It's also interesting to compare and contrast Tellah's battle with Edward with his failed revenge attempt against Golbez. Though he trades the melee attacks for his most lethal spells, both are ultimately an old man's feeble attempts at taking down someone who wronged him (or in Edward's case, someone whom Tellah believed had wronged him). Tellah is also the aggressor in both cases; Edward is begging him to listen and Golbez doesn't even bother with retaliating.

Yeah, well said. I guess you could even read Tellah using his love (or what he considers love) for his daughter as fuel to use his full potential, when fighting Golbez. But you are right, both times read very similar.

The most growth Tellah sees (that's not on his deathbed) is realizing that Edward is a good person, and that's in an optional scene that can easily be missed if you don't pay him a visit after defeating the Dark Elf.

And I didn't know that. That is a really cool bit of character development for Tellah, a shame that I missed it.

I'm a late entrant, but count me in too! I first (and last) played Final Fantasy V around the same time as IV, so as soon as I committed myself to replaying IV I started thinking about doing V as well. My schedule was too swamped to start earlier, but I'm ready to get into it now.

Great, nice to have you along again.

I only started the other day and haven't put much time in yet— I just left the Ship Graveyard— but even this early on, the game is already making a strong impression. Much has been said about the pre-title roll, the cinematic opening and the improved spritework, but I think it must be said that even the normal cutscene direction is massively improved. Like, people have pointed out the new shocked and laughing sprites, or how impressive certain scenes are, but this sort of choreography and pantomime is all over the place.

Absolutely agreed, what Square got out of these little sprites is absolutely amazing. I love how this game looks, how detailed the buildings are, how creative and weird the monsters are and especially the choreography and different versions of the sprites of our heroes. The "raised arms" sprite of Bartz is a personal favourite - he uses it in so many different situations, and I always feel like he says "Let me handle this, I'm a hero", before reality catches up with him, and he gets, dunno, thrown out from the backside of a counter, because he is no shopkeeper.

Bartz is such a great character, I love him so much. As I do with them all, they are so lively and cozy.

-----------------------------------------------------

With regards to my own progress - I'm nearly done with Galufs world.

I liked the part, where Bartz, Lenna and Faris finally made the teleporter work, and shot themselves into the sky, or at least it looked that way. The story took a bad turn, but it was always a hopeful journey, where the idea was that we could do it - and have fun, while we are at it. It felt like we were reaching for the stars. Seriously, that's the vibe I got from the teleportation scene.

And then, the second world happens. We are stranded on a small island, where nothing lives but weak monsters (something we will revisit in FF VI). There is nothing to do here, but going to sleep. But even that doesn't work out, because Bartz, Lenna and Faris are abducted, and brought to Exdeaths castle, to be thrown into prison.

It's a pretty stark contrast to the peaceful, enjoyable first world. There, everything was more-or-less under control. Well, not quite, the Crystals got destroyed and people did die, but, up to the end, we were free to go wherever we wanted, and could beat everything that came our way.

Not here. We are immediately restricted, and find ourselves in a World that is consumed by war. Even though Exdeath had been sealed 30 years ago, his castle still stands, and his forces are still there. The whole second world is more scarcely populated, and it seems more wartorn, in general. Like, yes, Exdeath has been banned, but his troopes were still here and couldn't be defeated. And now, Exdeath is back, and dominates everything again. He really feels like a horrifying, dominant force in this world, grandious and delighted by his pure existence.

I imagine that this would be a cool surprise, but not quite as big as it was in FF IV. It feels like a more polished version of the twist with the second world in FF IV (there it was the underground). Here, the second world is clearly part of the story, we continue where we left off.

I short shout-out to Gilgamesh (probably a sort-of callback to the evil advisor in FF III, who was actually Garuda?), who I love dearly. He is probably the most human major antagonist that we have seen, and I love how he started the trend of the returning comic relief villains. "Battle at the Big Bridge" is also one of the few songs that I actually know, it's amazing and energizing. Both the big bridge and the ship battle are great, just for this one song. Plus, they are very exciting, just on their own.

After being blown away, we get to a remote village, where people were so perplexed about strangers that they let us stay for free. How nice! We get another very nice scene during the night, were Bartz apologieses to Galuf about destroying his plans. Who, in response, explains that, hadn't we come, the barrier would have killed everyone. And, aside from that, he is really happy to see us again.

It's a very touching, heartwarming scene. I love that Galuf explicitely says, how important we are to him.

During the day, we can get up on the stage, where Bartz does a little dance and gets paid 100 bucks for it. I probably repeat myself here, but I love these performance scenes, that FF III also had, especially when you play the third piano and the whole pub starts to dance. These scenes are always such a joy.

After walking for quite some time, we reach a wood, where we save a Moogle from a dinosaur skeleton. A Moogle! They are back, and they are way more adorable than they were even in FF III.

The whole scene in the moogle village is pretty great. First, they are in total panic and run all over the place. Then, the moogle we saved greets us, and from then on, the other are ok with us. We find a moogle suit, which makes a moogle fall in love with us (I guess it's eyesight isn't the best) and opens a chest for us. Then, they do a little dance-like routine, to signal Kryles Hiryuu where to find us.

With the Hiryuu, we get to Galufs castle (he is a king, in case you didn't know). At this point, I was reminded again how all the rulers and their advisors are very decent and nice people. They all seem very human, and like they care for their people. It's pretty nice, but it also feels weirdly...dunno, like it argues that monarchies are great? But I'm pretty sure that I'm just reading too much into this, here. I really enjoy this world, were all the regular rulers are just decent people.

Here is a little scene that I already mentioned. You can get behind the counter of the weapon/armor shop through a hidden door, where Bartz acts like he is a merchant, and gets told to get out. But, so that he isn't too sad, he gets a harp as a present. How nice!

Next, we need some more Hiryuu plant, because Kryles Hiryuu is badly hurt. On the way, we meet Kelgar, the king of the werewolves, and he and Bartz have a little fight. It's very goofy and dumb, and I guess Bartz hits the king so hard that he not only has to stay in bed, but also dies later on? I mean, it fits the theme of "all the Warriors of Dawn are dying, so the new generation can live", but, uh...

Anyway, there was a bit that reminded me of FF III again. A random werewolf teaches us Requiem, the song that hurts undead monsters REALLY hard. You only find it, if you talk to everyone, like you found equipment just lying around in the towns in III. And it is a sign for you to use at least one Bard, because the strongest monsters in the next dungeon are undead. It makes the whole dungeon way easier.

Oh, in that town, there is also a weird, old human who lives (?) in a well, and jumps out when we look down. He wants a frog, which you can catch as a Beastmaster, and is than happy to have something for his meal. Goofy, and very fitting for this world.

I always liked how you got the Golem here. You encounter it sometimes, it hits you and then flees. Except for later on, when you encounter him and the two undead dragon monsters. Who than don't attack you, but the Golem, and killing them but not him makes him join as a summon. It is a very cool idea, and reminds me a bit of how you get Gau in FF VI.

After getting the plant and healing the Hiryuu (where we see another scene were Lenna nearly sacrifices her, because she wants the dragon to get healthy again), Kryle talks about us needing to go to Guido, the 700-year old sage. No problem, except that Exdeath just destroyes his island, when we reach it.

With no further clue, we fly around the world and find the castle of Zeza (could that be actually supposed to be Cesar?), who is out with his fleet, to attack Exdeath. With the Hiryuu, we find him and land on the main ship. An attack happens, and we fight against Gilgamesh, again. Enkido is interesting, because he can be controlled, so you can just use his own Tornado spell on him, reduce his HP to a single digit, and then easily kill him. The battle also ends in a funny way, where Gilgamesh apologizes to his friend for leaving, only to realize that he is already alone.

I just want to say that I like that Gilgamesh has friends, or at least a single one. Maybe a bit of a callback to FF IV, when you have the re-fight against the Four Fiends?

What follows is the part with the submarine, where we go through the barrier tower. I got a few blue spells, and killed Atomos by halving his level, and then using level 5 Death. He is a jerk, I didn't want to do this fight the fair way.

But King Zeza needs to sacrifice himself, and we get a few more scenes, where Galuf tries to help, and finally ends up alone in the lower room of the submarine. We have to wait, and I feel like it is pretty effective, that the game acutally makes us wait for a minute or so.

After getting another Summon (Shout, I think?), we now can get to the sunken cave of Guido, where we learn that he is a turtle (after Bartz hit his shell a few times, because he is a jerk). We learn how Exdeath came to be - an evil spirit was sealed inside a tree, and that tree become conscious and evil. Guido had sealed him for 500 years, but 30 years ago, the seal weakened.

I was reminded of an old, dystopian short-story, "I have no Mouth, and I must Scream". In there, two super computers are created to fight the war of the US and the Sowjets. But the Sowjets also have a super computer, and they both join to become a computer that could control the world. Unfortunately, the fact that the computer couldn't move made it go insane and filled with hate. It's a great, dark story.

My point is, that with Exdeath it felt kind of the other way round. Maybe because a tree does live, in its own way. And the joy of Exdeath feels like it might come from the simple fact, that the evil spirit made the tree able to move. Imagine that, finally being able to move, after not even knowing that this is a thing. It must feel great.

Anyway, Guido sends us to the Forest of Mua, where Exdeath is from and where he is looking for something now. The forest is sealed, but we get a branch from the Elder Tree (I forgot it's real name). We make our way inside, but at some point, Exdeath burns down a big chunk of it, probably because he COULDN'T get in.

It's actually pretty intense, seeing first the lush woods, with leaves that make it hard to see, and then having everything barren and the trees naked.

The battle against the four crystals was the hardest in a long time, probably because I couldn't find a good way to trivialize the fight. I finally made it by mainly using Golem and Titan, plus Emition (the Blue Mage fire spell), to kill one, and then two others of the crystals. The Earth Crystal was, of course, immune to Titans attack, so I let the Chemist make everyone float, and than killed the last crystal without any problem.

Peklo already talked about the scene that followed, where Exdeath and Galuf fight. I don't think I can add anything new there, it was a very good read, that I'll just wholly agree to.

And with that, I'm done for today.
 

Peklo

Oh! Create!
(they/them, she/her)
The "raised arms" sprite of Bartz is a personal favourite - he uses it in so many different situations, and I always feel like he says "Let me handle this, I'm a hero", before reality catches up with him, and he gets, dunno, thrown out from the backside of a counter, because he is no shopkeeper.

This connects to an aspect I really appreciate about this game, and all older FFs that do it, in that you can choose who your field map avatar is at any given time, through party formation priority or specific inputs that govern it. I list my party in this game in the Lenna/Bartz/Faris/Galuf or Krile order because that's usually how I end up organizing the lineup, and so Lenna becomes the person through whom I experience most of the game, and that's accounted for in the incidental animations and pantomimed reactions like the shopkeeping escapade--it was Lenna who was the star of that exchange for me. It's not a perfect feature, since certain lines do give preference to Bartz as the assumed default POV, or just plain produce his portrait even if he's otherwise unseen, but the vast majority of the small interactions the game is full of are anonymous and generalized so anyone can enact them if that's who you're playing as. This really helps me to connect with the game more, as I can swap the perspectives around, and takes the edge off of some of the more questionable parts, like the dancing girls who essentially give lap dances to patrons at pubs (this sort of cheeky naughtiness and casual inclusion of euphemistic sex work is part and parcel for FF, at least in the years where the Dragon Quest rivalry ran deep and heated and they did many similar things). It's not really made any "better" for it if Lenna or Faris is the recipient, but at least it reframes the heteronormative titillation into a more queer direction than otherwise possible. And ultimately, I really just appreciate pink and purple hair a lot.
 

nosimpleway

(he/him)
I short shout-out to Gilgamesh ... and I love how he started the trend of the returning comic relief villains.
Gilgamesh both started the trend and is its biggest practitioner, as he returns in 8, 9 (as a very different person), 12, probably more but I haven't played them, then got retrofitted into 1 for Dawn of Souls, and 6 Advance.

When he shows up in Dissidia it's outside of the usual dimension-spanning conflict, he just pops in because that's what he does, pop into other games. And he's baffled that no one knows who he is, since he'd met a big chunk of the cast in their own games by then. Particularly Bartz, whom he still considers a good buddy.

It's cool though, his canon ending is that he gets to return to his friends, have his Genji Armor nicked off him, say goodbye to everyone, and prove that Necrophobe can't hold a candle to the burning flame of his winning spirit, or whatever the line was.

I think Exdeath is supposed to be dozens, if not hundreds, of individual spirits who were bound into the tree to keep them under control, only they melded into a hive-mind with their own singular DID ANYONE ORDER A LAAAARGE HAM personality and broke out. Which makes it weird that he can't get into Moore forest, since technically he is part of Moore Forest.
 

nosimpleway

(he/him)
I looked up whether Gilgamesh was in one of the expanded versions of FF4 and I'd forgotten*, and found out how closely he was associated with Benkei. The kabuki makeup, the naginata, the battle on a bridge, it all ties together. Benkei was defeated by Minamoto no Yoshitsune -- and Minamoto also translates to "Genji" with the right Chinese characters.

It's to the point where it's kind of weird that they gave a character so heavily based on Japanese legend the name of a Sumerian king.

* - There's an enemy called Gilgamesh, but it's a mistranslation of the also-recurring enemy gil-game, the Gil Snapper.
 

nosimpleway

(he/him)
Wind Drakes can dive and swim really fast, but it's not a great mode of transport because your party has to hold their breath. They don't get really good at it until a sidequest in world 3.
 

FelixSH

(He/Him)
Gilgamesh is also present in FF14, in a fairly extensive questline, and that game's version of "Battle on the Big Bridge" is one of my favorites.

This is a really great version of the song. Everytime I see something from FF XIV, I want to play it. I certainly will, at some point.

This connects to an aspect I really appreciate about this game, and all older FFs that do it, in that you can choose who your field map avatar is at any given time, through party formation priority or specific inputs that govern it. I list my party in this game in the Lenna/Bartz/Faris/Galuf or Krile order because that's usually how I end up organizing the lineup, and so Lenna becomes the person through whom I experience most of the game, and that's accounted for in the incidental animations and pantomimed reactions like the shopkeeping escapade--it was Lenna who was the star of that exchange for me. It's not a perfect feature, since certain lines do give preference to Bartz as the assumed default POV, or just plain produce his portrait even if he's otherwise unseen, but the vast majority of the small interactions the game is full of are anonymous and generalized so anyone can enact them if that's who you're playing as. This really helps me to connect with the game more, as I can swap the perspectives around, and takes the edge off of some of the more questionable parts, like the dancing girls who essentially give lap dances to patrons at pubs (this sort of cheeky naughtiness and casual inclusion of euphemistic sex work is part and parcel for FF, at least in the years where the Dragon Quest rivalry ran deep and heated and they did many similar things). It's not really made any "better" for it if Lenna or Faris is the recipient, but at least it reframes the heteronormative titillation into a more queer direction than otherwise possible. And ultimately, I really just appreciate pink and purple hair a lot.

I didn't even think of changing the lead character, to basically choose who does all the goofy stuff. It's nice that you can just choose who is the dork in your party, or the person who just goes up on stage to dance, just for the fun of it. Especially Lenna seems like a good fit for this - she seems to enjoy her bit of goofy fun, and doesn't take herself too seriously. But even as a non-lead, she is a refreshing break from the regular princess character, who is just this well behaved, super nice person. It really helps, that the game shows us that they all have fun, and can make good natured jokes at each others behalf. It's such a lovely cast.

I think Exdeath is supposed to be dozens, if not hundreds, of individual spirits who were bound into the tree to keep them under control, only they melded into a hive-mind with their own singular DID ANYONE ORDER A LAAAARGE HAM personality and broke out. Which makes it weird that he can't get into Moore forest, since technically he is part of Moore Forest.

I guess the Master Tree actively protects the forest against him. I certainly wouldn't want a pompous overlord anywhere near a place I protect.

Also, I thought it was just the spirit of Enuo that was sealed in one of the trees. But I also just checked the Wiki, and appearantly, it is not so. Huh. I guess I'll go with you theory, sounds plausible enough.

------------------------------------------

When I last stopped, I had just beaten the crystals, and watched the great scene were Galuf sacrifices himself for Kryle and his friends. It is certainly among my favourite scenes in the game, and I love how he can give his powers and abilities to Kryle.

I'm actually a bit split on Kryle. During her time in the second world, especially as an NPC, she is kind of a deus ex machina. I do agree somewhat with nosimpleway - she saves us from Exdeath the first time, knocks him out for a bit the second time (granted, she surprised him, which does count for something), and generally seems to know a solution to any problem. And, as she joins relatively late, the game doesn't really give her an arc. She feels like a bit of an extension for Galufs arc. I mean, I do enjoy the bit at the beginning of the merged world, where she and Bartz get out of the castle, and the mock and punch each other. Also, the scene later, where both accuse the other of having the idea of leaving Faris behind is just really funny.

So, I don't have much of a problem with her, she just seems a bit thin, compared to the others. And it's likely that she is a bit of a victim of the fact that there are only few character scenes in the merged world. So, these two scenes give her a surprising amount of character, I find. She fits perfectly into the group, is good friends with Bartz (even to the point, where the can hit each other, pretty hard, I might add, just for fun). The game does try to show, that she is just as much of a goofball as the others.

I do like her sprite, and she looks absurdly adorable in all her costumes. Plus, the ability to talk to animals is always nice, it's one that I always appreciate in characters.

Well, our next goal is Exdeaths castle, as the barrier is gone, and there is nothing else to do but defeat the Evil Overlord (honestly, there has never been an FF antagonist that was such a good fit for the title, considering the pompous behaviour of Exdeath). The castle still looks normal, when we get in, until Kelgar sacrifices himself to break the illusion.

I feel like I need to point out, that Kelgar still lies in bed from his battle with Bartz. And then dies there. So, I guess Bartz killed Kelgar. Which, uh, honestly fits this game, in a weird way. Plus, the Warriors of Dawn are partly here to help the new generation of heroes prosper and get stronger. They all they, before the end of the game, except that this is a world where spirits don't vanish. They will never be gone.

I love this world. I love this game.

The castle, when showing it's true looks, seems right out of DOOM. Seriously, this is one thing that always stuck with me. The walls seem like flesh, there are pulsing skulls, stuff like that, and it reminds me of the third set of levels in DOOM. It looks really great, and horrifying.

Gilgamesh had some fun, and put an empty chest into an otherwise empty room. I imagine he hid behind a pillar, looking forward for hours whenever we would show up, open the chest, and find nothing in there. And Gilgamesh just waited in anticipation, giggling about his goofy joke. He is such a beautiful character.

We fight him another time, and it has become easier again. Like, aside from Galufs solo battle, the fights against Gilgamesh seem to become easier every time. On the bridge, he becomes a monster at the end. On the ship, the battle was easier, but that might have been because I trivialized Enkidou. Anyway, in this battle he is mainly annoying, and transforms us into mini-people or frogs. Until he decides to SHOW HIS TRUE FORM, which, granted, looks pretty badass.

I think it's here, when he says these lines: "And now we fight like men! And ladies! And ladies who dress like men!" Which isn't an ideal line, but there is no joke about women being less capable of fighting. He knows that all four of our party are capable fighters, and tries hard to include everyone. He already has a lot of respect for us, and also just likes us.

Which is made clear even more, when he talks about Galuf, the "jolly old man". He isn't quite there, being friends with us, but he clearly considers us his anime rivals, who he has interesting fights with, but does also respect and like. It's obvious, that he is shocked to see Galuf gone. I fell in love with Gilgamesh here.

That he tries to attack us with Excalibur, only to realize that something is wrong, is just better. And then he is sent into the Void. I guess, Exdeath has a bit of leeway, but losing so often probably doesn't sit well with him.

Before I forget, Carbuncle also was here in the castle. He never looks that dangerous again, does he? Here, he just looks like a dangerous beast, but I think in every future game he is just this adorable, cute creature. And, like with the Bard song that hurts undead monsters, it's just in time - Exdeath gets way easier, if you can just cast Reflect on everyone.

I remembered the battle against Exdeath being hard, but it really wasn't. I was lucky enough that he cast Condemn on Bartz, my Blue Mage, so that I just learned that spell as well. In general, I felt like four characters are just too much for Exdeath, who simply didn't attack often enough. He could have been dangerous, had he been faster, but as it was, the battle was over soon enough. But then, Summoners and Blue Mages are just really powerful.

We also learned before the fight, that Exdeath was just working on giving the world it's true form back. The crystals shatter, and we get back to the first world. Except that, if you look a bit, you see pretty soon that the geometry has been changed. I assume that, if you play this game for the first time, you will not realize that - it was a bit of time, since we left for Galufs world. But if you know what happens, it's pretty clear.

But for now, we assume that Exdeath is dead, and we bring Lenna and Faris back to castle Tycoon, where the chancellor is very rude to Faris (he makes her put on a dress - I guess I sound sarcastic here, I'm not. I really think this is a jerk move). And we see a scene, that's bascially right out of FF II. The game seems over, and people start dancing in pairs, while the royalty sits in their thrones. I do find it funny, that you can't even reach Faris and Lenna, because you get always pushed away by the dancing couples.

Kryle and Bartz go outside, because they realize that something is still wrong. As they think that their friends will be happier in their lifes as royalty, they go on without them. But before that, we have the funny scene, where Kryle jokes about Bartz problems with flying, he punches her (honestly, I like that they can get rough with each other), and Kryle punches him back so hard, that he goes down. As I said, I find this scene really important.

So, we go on adventure again. For this, we go to the pirate cave, where we meet Boko! We see the big love story of this game play out, as we are introduced to his lovely, female chocobo companion, who is pregnant. And who is also very understanding, that Boko has to go, help us save the world.

I sometimes feel like this game makes fun of the conventions of the genre. I'm only half joking, when I call this the big love story of the game. That there is no romance between any of the main cast is great, I feel (I don't care much for love stories, that are just there because). No, we have one for a (intelligent) bird, who is the heroes best friend. It's lovely.

On Bokos back, we travel a long way, before falling into a hole. In there, we meet antlion (I think?). It's not a hard fight, though it wasn't exactly easy - without a heavy hitter and our summoner not here, it was actually not completely trivial.

We get the fun scene, where Faris comes to help us, but only after making us promise not to leave her in the castle. Bartz and Kryle laugh at her, for just being not made out for a royal life. This would be mean, but not anymore than laughing at Bartz problems with flying, and Faris herself joins in - she knows that it's true. And even if I critizised that she had to wear a dress, it does make sense in that world, and she was just new here. The game made it clear, that Faris could make her own decision here, and never judges her for it, except for the playful ribing of her friends.

We only realize what happened, after finding Guido in his cave. He tells us about the backstory - a 1000 years ago, there was a powerful mage called Enuo, who could control the Void. There was an epic battle, where 12 warriors fought him with 12 legendary weapons. The Void was there, though, and had to be sealed in the Cleft of Dimensions, which made it necessary to split the world (including the Crystals) into two.

At this moment, the "splinter" that Kryle caught, became Exdeath, who had just changed forms. This is really super dumb and great, I just love the idea of this powerful wizard using it's nature of a tree to hide itself. It's such an absurd plan, it's a thing of beauty.

We also learn that, with the worlds being one again, the Cleft of Dimension gets closed, and the Void escapes. Which is what Exdeath wanted, as he wanted to control its power.

Feel free to correct me here. I always get fuzzy on the details, but I think they aren't too important. But still, if anything is incorrect here, feel free to mention it.

There is a great, but short, fight between Guido and Exdeath. The turtle puts up a fair fight, and shows that he is pretty powerful himself. But still, Exdeath wins and throws us to a far away place. Oh, and Exdeath already showed his power over the Void, by letting it absorb Castle Tycoon. It's probably a big shock at the time. Here, you likely assume that Lenna is lost.

We find ourselves near the Ancient Library. The scholars there recognize Guido, and together, they work out how to get the 12 legendary weapons. We also learn about the most powerful summons, Bahamut and Leviathan, and the most powerful White, Black and Time Magic. Basically, we have hints for our sidequests.

But we still have to start the sidequests, before getting an airship, and have to retrieve the first of four tablets from the pyramid. In a nice bit of world building, the shifting sands of the desert stopped moving, as the Earth Crystal has no power anymore. If I had something to critizise about the game, it would be that I'd have liked to see a few more effects of the Crystals power vanishing. But that's really a minor gripe, I like that we see it a bit here.

The fight against the Gargoyles here was one of the hardest, and it took me forever. Faris and Kryle were basically useless, and I couldn't summon, because Lenna wasn't there. So, I only had Bartz' blue magic. Which should have been enough, if I just had used Aero 3. But, oh well, I think I did it with Level 2 Old? Dunno, it was hard.

The pyramid is annoying, but at least I had Requiem. Not much else to say here - it still looked great, and I appreciate the ideas for the design, but having every chest trapped was annoying. The one nice thing here was the minotaur monster, that talked about his brother in the Fork Tower. I didn't remember that FF VIIIs Brothers were a reference. Also, when we get the tablet, a piece of land blasts away, and frees Bahamut, King of the Dragons, who tells us he will wait for us at North Mountain. Pretty great entrance, I have to say.

When finally getting out again, we get to the piece of Woods with the Master Tree, where the Hiryuu brings Lenna to us. Except, she is possessed by one of the monsters of the Void, Merugene. That was another battle that was really hard, and I was a bit afraid I couldn't do it. I'll explain later why the chemist wasn't the immediate solution here. With a summoner, it would have been easy, but most stuff I had didn't hurt her much. I think I could confuse her, but that would only make her heal herself.

What I did, was to use Magic Hammer, to reduce her MP to very low amounts. She doesn't have that much, so this worked fine. I also learned that she actually has four different forms, one for each element, and each has it's own pool of MP. But Magic Hammer is cheap, and with that trick, she was soon incapable of doing much. Which, finally, gave me back my last party member, who could also really throw damage around and help me get Blue Magic.

But before doing anything, Exdeath draws multiple places (including the Moogles and their forest!) into the Void. Bartz gets extremely angry, when he see his hometown as a victim here too, and rushes around on the airship. He calms down soon, but it's clear that we need to act.

And with that, the final part of the game starts.

This actually seems really similar to the second part of FF VI. Exdeath hasn't won, the same way Kefka does, but he still destroys the world as he sees fit (and, as I already mentioned, it is clear how we get from one to the other). The World itself has a ton of sidequests, but you don't have to do any of them - if you want, you can just immediately enter the Void. It's probably not a good idea, but the possibility is there.

As always with open world stuff, it feels somewhat overwhelming. Not too much, because it is still restricted, and you have a clear guide for most stuff that you can find here. In general, I really love the open world parts of JRPGs (including DQ II and III). They give you a lot of freedom, but aren't as directionless as WRPGs tend to be. As mentioned, many of the things we can find are told to us, and can be repeated, as often as needed.

It's still not quite open. You still need the submarine for some parts, and for that you have to do a little quest chain. First, there is a temple with another tablet. The dungeon wasn't too exciting, but the Stalker fight at the end was really obnoxious. I think hitting the wrong one triggers a counter? God, this fight felt like random chance. At least it felt like Stalker could switch all the time, so it felt really hard to find the right one without dying.

After beating the dungeon, a barrier in Fork Tower vanishes, and I still don't understand the point of gating that tower. It feels kind of counter to the idea of this open-world part.

Anyway, the tower wasn't too hard. I sent Bartz (Blue Mage / Dancer) and Lenna (Summoner / Beastmaster) left, to kill Omniscient, and Kryle (Bard / Geomancer) and Faris (Thief / Chemist) to the left, to kill Minotaur. The encounter rate was low, so not much of a problem inside the towers. I think Kryle and Faris didn't even face a single random encounter?

I don't really remember the boss battles, except that they weren't particularly hard. The Minotaur took some time, and I needed a ton of Hi-Potions, but elsewise, it wasn't bad. Just took some time. It did end funny, as Minotaur tried to use Holy, but had no MP. I think I used Carbuncle for Omniscient, which made him really easy. But I don't quite remember. Summoners are really powerful. Oh, and I used Level 2 Old, which, together with the spell that halves levels, can be used on a ton of bosses.

With that done, Fork Tower explodes, and we can help Cid get out from the wheel he is stuck to. He and Mid give the airship the ability to dive, which finally gave us access to the whole world.

Last time I played this game, I felt like this was a missstep, and that the game should give you access to the submarine as soon as you get to the Ancient Library, and just not gate off anything. I still don't get why it is done that way, but it's not a big deal either. Maybe it is done, so we see the nice scene where Kryle and Mid talk, and Mid says that Cid still feels responsible for Karnak, and he wants to do something useful. Similar to how Galuf had a connection to Cid, as both have grandchildren, Kryle and Mid have a bit of a connection too.

First, I got back to the Pirate Cave, where we say our final goodbye to Syldra, whose spirit was still there. Except that, no, spirits are a thing in this world - your loved ones never really vanish, as long as they aren't forgotten. It feels quite literal in this world. And Syldra joins us forever, as the most useful summon. Together with that legendary staff that increases all(?) elemental magic, Syldra did around 3000 damage with each casting, which is quite powerful, and, with the Gold Hairpin, way cheaper than Bahamut and Leviathan, who were only slightly stronger. Syldra would be my go-to summon for the rest of the game.

Next, I found the town that was sucked up by the Void a thousand years ago, with the people only slowly realizing that they are back in the real world. It's a cool town, with a bunch of secrets, like the last piano (I got all songs, by the way), and a hidden shop keeper in every shop. Also, shoes that gave you permanent Haste status, which I got for two people now, and for everyone in the end.

There is also a Black Chocobo here, which I used to go to the desert in the North, that can only be accessed this way. North Mountain awaits there, where we fight Bahamut. He is quite a bit trickier here than in FF IV, as he does more than just Flare us, and he also doesn't announce it. It was a short, intense fight, that I nearly lost.

Next up was Istory Falls. I think I first got the Magic Lamp, and also did the side-quest of running around the world on the back of a Chocobo (nice callback to FF III, here it was actually a bit challenging, because the geography of this world is just more complex. And the price is better, even though I never put it on.

Istory Falls was another dungeon that wasn't too interesting, but still pretty cool looking. The main thing here, aside from the tablet, was the first appearance of the horrifying Tonberry (or Dingleberry, in the bizarre PSX translation - it's also worth mentioning here, that Wyvern was translated to "Y Burn". Just, what?). It never reached me, but damn, this thing has a ton of HP. Not too hard, with the abilities to confuse and control it.

It's a bit of a shame, that the Void monster will never be seen, as it is immediately killed by Leviathan. Who wasn't particularly hard to kill, even without Coral Rings (which I even had one of).

Next, I went for that timed tower with Gogo inside. It's such a goofy "fight", and Gogo is fascinating to me. He fits perfectly into this bizarre world, not taking the fight serious at all, and then ending the "fight" by casting X-Zone on himself.

The Deep Drench was too long, for my taste (and I was really glad to have a Geomancer here, like I was in Exdeaths Castle). I did find it interesting, that there were still Dwarves here, just hidden away deep underground. It feels a bit like the team said good bye to them, there being only five left. Together with the shattering of the Crystals, this feels like an era of FF is ending - considering the next game, this doesn't seem too far-fetched either.

The whole dungeon was made easier, by having only undead monsters. The bard really destroys them, including the boss.

Oh, I think I got the Chicken Knife at some point too, often running from battles now to power it up. It started out pretty weak, but you get nearly one point of strength for every time you flee (not quite, maybe for every 1.5 times you flee? Anyway, it powered up fast). So, Bartz became a pretty strong character, with his Dance doing more and more damage as time went on.

The last thing I did was Pheonix Tower, which was really, really annoying. Doesn't help, that it is an extremely boring dungeon to look at. At least you get a nice scene of Lenna, saying Good-Bye to the Hiryuu, who hadn't much longer to live. We see a flashback, where we learn that Lennas mother could have been cured, if she had killed the Hiryuu and cut out his tongue. She even had the knive and was near the dragon, but couldn't bring herself to do it. It was a powerful scene, and made the lame dungeon worth it. Like Syldra, Hiryuus spirit will never leave us.

At some point, I also defeated Odin, which I don't remember much about, except that I died a few times. I think it only worked out, if I got two sword dances in a row. Pretty brutal fight.

I always got the new legendary weapons, of course, whenever I got a tablet. Apollos Harp was pretty nice, as was the Assassins Dagger. Elsewise, I think I didn't find anything else that was useful. Oh, right, that staff for my summoner.

And with that, I got everything, I think. So, on to the Cleft of Dimensions.

It's a really cool final dungeon, maybe my favourite of the series? I love how you revisit different places of the game, because part of them have been drawn into the void. We start in the desert, where Exdeath gives a fun villain talk to his minions. Next are the Ancient Ruins, the frozen Mirage Village and the Woods, where the Master Tree lived. In there, we fight our first fight against Calofisteri. I don't remember much about the fight, except that she tried Drain a few times and failed. She died pretty easily.

Next up was a cave, where Omega wanders around. I did ignore him - many people probably die here, when seeing the thing and talking to it.

In the Ancient Libray, we find Apanda, who is basically Biblos 2.0. Nothing much to say about him. We continue to a bit of Castle Architecture in the sky, with invisible floor parts, until we get to a real castle. I'll just assume this is the Voids version of castle Tycoon, even if it looks quite different. In there, Iron Giants make their first appearance, and are hard to kill as always.

The castle is interesting, as it has a boss that you don't have to fight, but should, because he offers a save point. It's Apocalypse, a boss that has all(?) the Blue Mage spells. He died pretty easily, but I guess you can get pretty unlucky, if he uses bad stuff.

I find the castle interesting, as it has some stuff going on. Not quite a story, but it felt a bit that way? With the old man trapped in cells, except they are horrible jerk monsters, a princess who is trapped by a monsters, and than you realize that the princess herself is a monster too.

Next up was Catastrophe, who always cancelled my Float through Mighty Guard, which meant that the others had to attack. Thankfully, he doesn't have much HP, elsewise he would have destroyed me very soon.

Halikarnassos was next, but by now, I had the dress that made Bartz get Sword Dances 50 % of the time. Together with them doing >9000 damage, bosses really didn't last long.

Twin Tania is positioned as a big deal, and can take a lot of punishment, plus hit you really hard. I think I reflected one of her brutal spells? Or maybe I just tanked it? Still, she fell soon enough to Syldra and Sword dances.

And with that, we got to the last part, which looked like it was inside the Crystals? Maybe? It certainly looked really cool. Here, we find Gilgamesh, who does attack us, but only because he is scared out of his mind, because there are so many monsters around. Which sounds really funny, considering how terrifying he looks himself. But then, there are King Behemots here, which are real jerks and killed me one time. But soon, he recognizes Bartz, and is just happy to see us. He also stops his attacks. He goes, but promises that, when we meet each other next time, we will be friends.

And with that, there was just a little way left. I ignored the chest with Shinryu (another trap that will definitely kill many new players) and made my way to Nekrophobia. Who would have been dangerous, if I hadn't been very easily able to destroy his barrier with Syldra and than hurt him horribly with Sword Dances. Thankfully, because he hits very hard (and also looks very cool). But in the middle of the fight, Gilgamesh appears, saying nice things to everyone (well, he is quite a jerk to Faris, even if he doesn't mean to) and then shows that the Power of Friendship is stronger than the Power of Death.

The last savepoint, directly before Exdeath. He gives another Evil Villain speech, and starts sucking everything (including us) into the Void, which he thinks he controls now. But, in another callback to FF III, we are saved by the last generation, this time the Warriors of Dawn. Like the Heroes of Darkness, they hold back the Void, so we can attack the evil tree.

The battle was, again, pretty easy. I honestly can't tell you much about either part, because Syldra, Sword Dances and Regen + Leveling up constantly through the Bard Songs made us pretty much invincible. One or two times someone died against Neo Exdeath, but nothing that couldn't be easily corrected, as Farris as a Chemist is a pretty good healer too, for single characters at least. Faris did die at the end, though.

End so it ends

In the beginning, there was Void...
Then four Spirits came
Together in this Void...
The Crystals were born.
And the world was created...

Thus,

Hope gives the Earth blessings,
Courage lights the flame,
Kindness makes water the Source of life,
And
Pursuit lets wisdom ride the wind.

When the day comes that Void
Shall again envelop the world...
If within people live the four spirits,
Light shall again be born...

Four Spritis,
Wandering through Void,
Shall once again.
Give Birth to Light...

And

Pursuit lets wisdom ride the wind.
When the day comes that Void
Shall again envelop the world...
If within people live the four spirits,
Light shall again be born.​

We end up in the Void, as the Crystals that made the world actually exist, aren't there anymore. So, we give back the pieces, and new Crystals are formed. One forms in the Pyramid, one in Istory Falls, one in the Deep Trench and one in that Sea Temple, where the tablets rested.

And so, the Void vanishes, and the world is reborn, just like it was in FF III. The spirits of the Warriors of Dawn form a Hiryuu, and take us outside, into the real world. Except Faris, who is too weak, and gets left behind. For now.

Did you know that FF V has different endings? It changes slightly, depending on who left the final battle alive, and who was dead at the end.

We get a very nice ending, where Bartz (or someone else) writes a letter, and talks about where everyone is now. It's very sweet, and we see a montage of Faris (and probably of anyone who is dead). We also see how Bokos and Cocos children are born, who are as cute as their parents. Probably even cuter. Until later, where we meet the Master Tree again, as a group, and it gives us back our dead friends.

The world of FF V is one of hope, where good deeds are rewarded. We saved the world. And so, the world saves us.

And, in a sweet ending, we see all of our heroes ride Chocobos through a field of flowers, in what seems to be a nice spring day. In the light, that they helped saving. I like to think of it as a callback to the very beginning, where we see Bartz ride through a field on Boko, but alone. He has friends now, maybe even a new family.

And with that, it ends.

---------------------------------------------------

As always, I'll write a summary post, maybe tomorrow. I feel like I have a few other things to say, like about the jobs I used. We'll see.
 

Peklo

Oh! Create!
(they/them, she/her)
But in the middle of the fight, Gilgamesh appears, saying nice things to everyone (well, he is quite a jerk to Faris, even if he doesn't mean to) and then shows that the Power of Friendship is stronger than the Power of Death.

I didn't talk about Gilgamesh, partly because I don't really care about his schtick, but also because this farewell speech of his truly pushes him over the edge as really unlikable and confirms the fears I would've had about him based on prior characterization in the game. What he does is address each party member by name, but 1) he doesn't actually talk to Krile, just uses her as an extension and opportunity to lionize Galuf 2) comes out with the worst shit imaginable to Faris, only rivaled by Galuf's much earlier commentary 3) can only relate to Lenna as some weird icon of "purity" 4) Bartz, of course, is the only one treated as a peer and designated rival. This is the whole bit with Gilgamesh where we're supposed to find him sympathetic and likable because he's bumbling and hapless and forms these connections with the people he encounters and grows attached to, but in execution it's so enormously gendered in how he views each individual of the party that it doesn't really make me want to see more of him or root for his comedy routines because I'm constantly on edge about how he'll express any of it. FFV's strength is how it muddles and makes irrelevant gender boundaries and roles mechanically and narratively on a pretty consistent basis, but I'm under no illusion that those attitudes aren't still extant in the text, and they happen to be concentrated in a few places with Gilgamesh being a particular epicenter. There's really no other way to read his tendency and the game's explicit framing of the party's men ending up his worthy opponents while the women are just kinda there, fighting him similarly on equal terms, but barely acknowledged for it--this queasy default masculinity that finally bubbles over in that last parting exchange where he summarizes each hero as how he sees them, and negates Faris's identity particularly harshly and callously in telling her to "act like a woman" and other garbage. What I resented Cecil for in IV is also pertinent here because at this point in the game and the character's arc, we're no longer supposed to see Gilgamesh as an enemy or even an antagonist, if he ever was--he's firmly heroic and an ally, so his actions have more weight from that perspective. We're supposed to nod along and accept his summary of the game's cast, and it just reads entirely as false as an emotional hook to get anyone to care about him upon his exit, and a disservice towards how the rest of the game has treated its cast.

I try to avoid this kind of commentary because it's so easy to make these kinds of calls decades in the future entirely removed from the realities of the creative context at the time, but what it would take to have Gilgamesh land as intended for me is to rewrite that last interaction for the parts that really need it, and also importantly remove his fixation with Bartz and/or Galuf as his rival simply because they're the men present. This game is famous for the mutability of its cast so the truest way to express that with Gilgamesh might be to include a random variable for which individual he picks out as the duel of his dreams, highlighting his relationship with the party as a whole and leaning into the replayability the game is by now famous for; you'd never know what might catch Gilgamesh's eye and he'd be equally as compelled to cross swords with all members from playthrough to playthrough, as the player's casting of the party in their various Job roles also inevitably shifts and evolves. Maybe even add a "preferred target" programming flag in battle to underline whoever he deems a nemesis; this is a feature that already exists in the game in other contexts. That's really the crux of the character for me in that I can see these relatively straightforward opportunities to "fix" aspects of the portrayal as that's the biggest hindrance in him having the impact he otherwise may have had.

That there is no romance between any of the main cast is great, I feel (I don't care much for love stories, that are just there because).

This is a pretty major thing of note about the game as even by now, and certainly going into its most popular and widely played stretch after this game, Final Fantasy as a series is going to become defined by integral, prominent romantic arcs between primary characters. It's not something to dread particularly, as even as someone who has little interest in heteronormative romantic narratives on a personal level, the series is going to feature some very well portrayed examples of such to the extent that I'm not really bothered by the prominence of them as I do think they often serve to elevate and add to the relationships of the characters involved accordingly. But equally as compelling are the times when that is not how these people are defined, and how those choices in narrative omission speak to the priorities of the games and individuals and the stories they want to impart. Bartz is one of the very few male leads in FF who does not have a romantic foil or interest; the most you ever have even hinting at his sexuality are the occasional double-takes at Faris's appearance, which are more sight gags than anything and do not have a lingering effect on characterization after the moment passes. He spends the last third of his travels in the company of three women and those relations are mostly treated on a level of peers relating to one another, as that's what the mechanics convey and thus the narrative shapes itself to support in turn. It's really liberating to see happen, and is something that drew me into the game's story increasingly so as time went on and I came to realize that in the context of its series and in the view of larger pop culture it was actually exceptional for it.
 
Last edited:

Mogri

Round and round I go
(he)
Staff member
Moderator
The castle is interesting, as it has a boss that you don't have to fight, but should, because he offers a save point. It's Apocalypse, a boss that has all(?) the Blue Mage spells. He died pretty easily, but I guess you can get pretty unlucky, if he uses bad stuff
Almost all: if you use Exploder on him, he learns it and uses it on you.

And that is why FF5 is the best game in the series
 

FelixSH

(He/Him)
I didn't talk about Gilgamesh, partly because I don't really care about his schtick, but also because this farewell speech of his truly pushes him over the edge as really unlikable and confirms the fears I would've had about him based on prior characterization in the game. What he does is address each party member by name, but 1) he doesn't actually talk to Krile, just uses her as an extension and opportunity to lionize Galuf 2) comes out with the worst shit imaginable to Faris, only rivaled by Galuf's much earlier commentary 3) can only relate to Lenna as some weird icon of "purity" 4) Bartz, of course, is the only one treated as a peer and designated rival. This is the whole bit with Gilgamesh where we're supposed to find him sympathetic and likable because he's bumbling and hapless and forms these connections with the people he encounters and grows attached to, but in execution it's so enormously gendered in how he views each individual of the party that it doesn't really make me want to see more of him or root for his comedy routines because I'm constantly at edge about how he'll express any of it. FFV's strength is how it muddles and makes irrelevant gender boundaries and roles mechanically and narratively on a pretty consistent basis, but I'm under no illusion that those attitudes aren't still extant in the text, and they happen to be concentrated in a few places with Gilgamesh being a particular epicenter. There's really no other way to read his tendency and the game's explicit framing of the party's men ending up his worthy opponents while the women are just kinda there, fighting him similarly on equal terms, but barely acknowledged for it--this queasy default masculinity that finally bubbles over in that last parting exchange where he summarizes each hero as how he sees them, and negates Faris's identity particularly harshly and callously in telling her to "act like a woman" and other garbage. What I resented Cecil for in IV is also pertinent here because at this point in the game and the character's arc, we're no longer supposed to see Gilgamesh as an enemy or even an antagonist, if he ever was--he's firmly heroic and an ally, so his actions have more weight from that perspective. We're supposed to nod along and accept his summary of the game's cast, and it just reads entirely as false as an emotional hook to get anyone to care about him upon his exit, and a disservice towards how the rest of the game has treated its cast.

I try to avoid this kind of commentary because it's so easy to make these kinds of calls decades in the future entirely removed from the realities of the creative context at the time, but what it would take to have Gilgamesh land as intended for me is to rewrite that last interaction for the parts that really need it, and also importantly remove his fixation with Bartz and/or Galuf as his rival simply because they're the men present. This game is famous for the mutability of its cast so the truest way to express that with Gilgamesh might be to include a random variable for which individual he picks out as the duel of his dreams, highlighting his relationship with the party as a whole and leaning into the replayability the game is by now famous for; you'd never know what might catch Gilgamesh's eye and he'd be equally as compelled to cross swords with all members from playthrough to playthrough, as the player's casting of the party in their various Job roles also inevitably shifts and evolves. Maybe even add a "preferred target" programming flag in battle to underline whoever he deems a nemesis; this is a feature that already exists in the game in other contexts. That's really the crux of the character for me in that I can see these relatively straightforward opportunities to "fix" aspects of the portrayal as that's the biggest hindrance in him having the impact he otherwise may have had.

Thanks for the write-up. I do appreciate you going into detail here. The post took me a long time to write, so I got a bit lazy - I should have worded my dislike for the things he says to Faris more clearly.

Elsewise, I don't want to debate anything here, because I see your points and very much agree. Including the way you would fix the problems with him. I DO like characters like him (the general antagonist, that eventually becomes friends with the heroes, and actually has something good inside him), and I enjoy the reappearing villain archetype, that will appear in the next few games as well, in one form or another. But I'm also partly blind to the problems you mentioned, at least some of them.

It's a reason why I didn't write about the problematic parts with Faris in the beginning - that I just don't feel that well equipped to say something useful there. Thanks for doing it.

This is a pretty major thing of note about the game as even by now, and certainly going into its most popular and widely played stretch after this game, Final Fantasy as a series is going to become defined by integral, prominent romantic arcs between primary characters. It's not something to dread particularly, as even as someone who has little interest in heteronormative romantic narratives on a personal level, the series is going to feature some very well portrayed examples of such to the extent that I'm not really bothered by the prominence of them as I do think they often serve to elevate and add to the relationships of the characters involved accordingly. But equally as compelling are the times when that is not how these people are defined, and how those choices in narrative omission speak to the priorities of the games and individuals and the stories they want to impart. Bartz is one of the very few male leads in FF who does not have a romantic foil or interest; the most you ever have even hinting at his sexuality are the occasional double-takes at Faris's appearance, which are more sight gags than anything and do not have a lingering effect on characterization after the moment passes. He spends the last third of his travels in the company of three women and those relations are mostly treated on a level of peers relating to one another, as that's what the mechanics convey and thus the narrative shapes itself to support in turn. It's really liberating to see happen, and is something that drew me into the game's story increasingly so as time went on and I came to realize that in the context of its series and in the view of larger pop culture it was actually exceptional for it.

To be clear, I don't mind romances per se, I just dislike them when they are just there, because we need a romance. In these cases, it often seems like they are just used for cheap drama, and to not show the nice, supportive sides of loving relationships, but just the potential problems and the constant bickering. I think FF does this generally well from here on out, but I don't really remember. I did enjoy the love stories in VIII and X, though. I'm curious to revisit them.

But yeah, I do enjoy stories that don't focus on some romantic love story, but on the love between friends, as this game does. I generally enjoy media that go a bit more in-depth with regards to friendship, and how these relationships work. And FF V, I feel, does this very well, on the whole.

Almost all: if you use Exploder on him, he learns it and uses it on you.

And that is why FF5 is the best game in the series

That is awesome, and sounds like the best way to win this battle. The bosses in this game are amazing.
 

Peklo

Oh! Create!
(they/them, she/her)
Elsewise, I don't want to debate anything here

Yeah, I'll clarify here that I'm not so much staging a debate when I respond to your posts but use them as an opportunity to segue into topics that I left alone before or ones I didn't give the attention that I could have. I really appreciate your detailed coverage as you play in this thread as it provides a back-and-forth context and platform for other people to join in and add to the discussion with conversational hooks that might have escaped them on their own.
 
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