8/10
Great highs, disappointing lows the video game. The OST, boss fights and world-building are really good however the characterisation, combat and side-quests (especially in the second-half of the game) feel lacking and never really manage to live up to when you do fight bosses in climactic moments. The game is consequently very jarring as one minute you will be fighting Bahamut in space, and the next you’ll be helping settle an argument in a village - it feels inconsequential and the lack of invested interest in a lot of the sidequest characters doesn’t help. As for the main characters: I love Clive, I think he is one of the best protagonists in the FF series and definitely one of the best we’ve had for a while but, Joshua, Cid and Jill who are all basically party meme bees feel under-cooked. Take for instance Jill, her mission to the Iron Kingdom felt like a nothing-burger to me, I had no vested interest there because they never showed me what happened to her, she only vaguely talked about it being an awful place. Moreover, throughout the story she never really develops - she isn’t awful just very bland and stays pretty static and in the background which is pretty crazy considering she’s a main and probably the part member most in the game. Joshua and Cid have their problems too but some of these can be excused because they do have actually quite a few emotional moments in the game and are in it much less, especially as party members.
Great highs, disappointing lows the video game. The OST, boss fights and world-building are really good however the characterisation, combat and side-quests (especially in the second-half of the game) feel lacking and never really manage to live up to when you do fight bosses in climactic moments. The game is consequently very jarring as one minute you will be fighting Bahamut in space, and the next you’ll be helping settle an argument in a village - it feels inconsequential and the lack of invested interest in a lot of the sidequest characters doesn’t help. As for the main characters: I love Clive, I think he is one of the best protagonists in the FF series and definitely one of the best we’ve had for a while but, Joshua, Cid and Jill who are all basically party meme bees feel under-cooked. Take for instance Jill, her mission to the Iron Kingdom felt like a nothing-burger to me, I had no vested interest there because they never showed me what happened to her, she only vaguely talked about it being an awful place. Moreover, throughout the story she never really develops - she isn’t awful just very bland and stays pretty static and in the background which is pretty crazy considering she’s a main and probably the part member most in the game. Joshua and Cid have their problems too but some of these can be excused because they do have actually quite a few emotional moments in the game and are in it much less, especially as party members.