"Final Fantasy VI" returns for its swan song on the Game Boy Advance. "FFVI," called "Final Fantasy III" when it first appeared in the United States for the Super Nintendo, was one of the best role-playing games of the 16-bit era and arguably one of the best titles in gaming history. Does the port to Nintendo's aging portable platform stand up to the test of time? Most definitely.
Unlike the recently rereleased game "Final Fantasy V," "FFVI" decides to focus more on story and character development elements rather than a comprehensive gameplay formula designed to keep gamers playing forever. The story concerns a young soldier named Terra and her journey to discover her true self. She's joined in the beginning by a treasure hunter and a young king, both members of a rebellion looking to overthrow the empire ("Star Wars," anyone?). The title's epic tale distinguishes it from the throwaway stories of many recent RPGs.
"FFVI" also features a musical score that is now famous in gaming world. Nobuo Uematsu, composer for the majority of "Final Fantasy" games, did amazing things with MIDI music files back in the mid 1990s. Players will hear the traditional epic pieces along with ragtime piano numbers and even an opera scene with synthesized voices. One nice feature of this port is the inclusion of a "Music Box" that allows players to playback all the songs at their leisure. Considering that this is one of the first role-playing games to give attention to its soundtrack, this is a welcome addition.
"FFVI" Advance also features a new dungeon at the end of the game and a bestiary that offers comprehensive stats on every enemy and boss that the player battles throughout the game. These additions will not make or break the purchase but are nice touches nonetheless.
Unfortunately, not all changes are welcome, especially for gamers looking to buy out of the antiquated nostalgia. The dialogue script for the game has been retranslated, attempting to offer a more authentic translation of the Japanese script. While a lot of the classic lines have remained unchanged, there are many arbitrary text changes to equipment, spells and lines that really have no significance to the plot. It's almost as if the developer tinkered around with the script just so it could market the game as "retranslated." In addition, a lot of the music and sounds have subtly changed due to the difference in sound translation that the GBA offers compared to the SNES. It doesn't detract much from the experience, but it's worth noting.
"FFVI" is a must-have for any classic RPG fan. The epic story, soundtrack and classic gameplay will provide hours of enjoyment. While some of the nostalgia is tarnished by some of the changes made, it should still offer enough to bring back good memories.
