Final Fantasy Anthology

"The best collection that a Final Fantasy player can get their hands on"

The first six final fantasy games were considerably hit to the wayside after the release of Final Fantasy VII. No one paid them much attention, and the games began to fade into oblivion. It was utterly tragic- some of the best games of all time were being forgotten.

Square Enix, not one to let such an atrocity become a reality, changed the tide and began releasing Final Fantasy collections onto the PlayStation. Each collection featured two final fantasy titles that had been previously released onto other systems. It brought the first six games back into the mainstream's eyes.

There were three collections released- Final Fantasy Anthology, Final Fantasy Chronicles and Final Fantasy Origins. Of the three, Final Fantasy Anthology stands out as having the best collection of games; Final Fantasy VI, arguably the best Final Fantasy of all time, and Final Fantasy V, the Japanese import that was criminally withheld from the American public for so many years.

Due to the fact that it consists of two different songs, I won't be going into the incredible detail that I would if it were merely a discussion of the actual game. Rather, we'll cover most of the basics that make this collection the best collection of all time.

Final Fantasy V
Final Fantasy V was originally not released into America, and it can now be brought to your living room!

... Yea. Anyway, FFV is the story of a young chocobo rider named Butz (or Bartz, if you prefer) who witnesses a meteor that comes crashing down into the forest. At the site, he meets up with Galuf and Reina. After some hasty introductions, Galuf explains to Butz that the crashing meteor has released an enemy that will destroy the crystal of wind. If the crystal of wind is destroyed, wind will never blow again. Obviously, you must go to the temple of the wind crystal and stop it being destroyed.

However, upon reaching the crystal, it's too late- it has exploded! Now, Butz, Galuf, Reina, and Faris (a pirate you've picked up along the way) must travel across the globe trying to stop the other three crystals from being destroyed, for if they are, they will unleash a most terrible evil...

As for gameplay, FFV brought the job system to us once again. First introduced in FFIII, this game perfected the system with the introduction of learning skills by the use of AP. As you defeat enemies, you gain AP and through the course of the game will learn and master new abilities. With over a dozen jobs to choose from and almost a hundred abilities, you will be able to customize each character in unique ways to tackle any obstacle you come across.

Graphics and sound were OK for SNES, but nothing spectacular. Don't play for the music/graphics, but instead for the great gameplay.

Final Fantasy VI
Originally released on the SNES, this game was a landmark title for its time and will always be remembered and cherished by those who once played it.

The story begins as a young enchantress who has been brainwashed by the empire finds herself in search of an "esper"- a source of power sought by the emperor. Upon reaching the esper, the soldiers that are with her are killed, and she blacks out. Regaining conciousness, Terra finds herself working with the resistance. Having no memories of her past, she joins the stalwart group to do battle with Emperor Gestahl and his nefarious cohort Kefka.

The storyline is chock full of rich character development that is sure to please all groups. From Gau, the wild boy who can utilize the powers of animals, to Shadow the lone mercenary whose story is slowly revealed and finally unravels into a wonderful tale.

As for gameplay, Final Fantasy VI was the first FF to utilize "learning" magic spells. By equipping espers, spells are learned by gaining AP rather than by leveling up or by simply buying them. It was the precursor to Final Fantasy VII, IX, X-2, Tactics and Tactics Advanced, and will likely set the stage for even more in the future.

Graphics and sound were INCREDIBLE for its day. In the early 90s, Square created stunning visuals in two enormous worlds. It's amazing that so much could be fit onto one cartridge. The music, though.. the music surpasses even that. Phenomenal orchestral music for such an early time in gaming history, it still has one of the best soundtracks to date, easily surpassing some of the PS2s best.

Both games are must-have for any Final Fantasy gamer, and if you've never tried final fantasy before, this is one hell of a way to start!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 12/12/05