This game is good. Very good in fact. Taking what worked from the first 3 games and stitching it together to make a cohesive narrative with a new and exciting battle system makes this game a groundbreaking achievement. In particular, the ATB system was revolutionary, making a kinetic and action-oriented RPG system that influenced several different games going forward. This is truly an iconic game that deserves to be recognized.
With all that said though, when compared to its contemporaries it is inferior in every way. Graphically the Overworld looks like a slightly better NES game, in battle the monster designs are great but the backgrounds are plain with few exceptions. The music, as always, shines brightly thanks to the seasoned composers they had at Squaresoft.
The story is somehow both dense and light at the same time. The throughline of this game is strong and the characterization is done extremely well, yet they don't give enough time to flesh out each scene. It's almost like the team had to work within a limited time frame. This is my biggest sticking point, and it truly is a "me thing" but this bothers me to no end. This is a game that deserves to have an expanded plot, and thankfully later renditions to work on that.
Finally, while the ATB system is revolutionary, it is still the first iteration of this system and therefore has some kinks to work out of it. Not having any meter to tell when your character can fight is very annoying, as is not being able to change your party. These things make this game a bit less bearable for me to come back to, though later versions of this game rectify it.
Despite all I have said, this is a fantastic game. It is extremely interesting and a welcome addition to the series. I just believe that it needed a bit more time to cook.
With all that said though, when compared to its contemporaries it is inferior in every way. Graphically the Overworld looks like a slightly better NES game, in battle the monster designs are great but the backgrounds are plain with few exceptions. The music, as always, shines brightly thanks to the seasoned composers they had at Squaresoft.
The story is somehow both dense and light at the same time. The throughline of this game is strong and the characterization is done extremely well, yet they don't give enough time to flesh out each scene. It's almost like the team had to work within a limited time frame. This is my biggest sticking point, and it truly is a "me thing" but this bothers me to no end. This is a game that deserves to have an expanded plot, and thankfully later renditions to work on that.
Finally, while the ATB system is revolutionary, it is still the first iteration of this system and therefore has some kinks to work out of it. Not having any meter to tell when your character can fight is very annoying, as is not being able to change your party. These things make this game a bit less bearable for me to come back to, though later versions of this game rectify it.
Despite all I have said, this is a fantastic game. It is extremely interesting and a welcome addition to the series. I just believe that it needed a bit more time to cook.