This game and Dragon Quest 1 being my first introductions to JRPGs that weren't Mario or Pokémon might have ruined my impressions about the entire genre for the longest time.

I've played this on both the PSP and the NES versions, and neither of them are really satisfactory. The whole adventure feels pointless when there's a plot, but virtually zero storytelling; given how stat buffs and statuses are so unexplained (did trying to cast a Slow spell on the enemy even work? does Blind even do anything?), I feel like magic just devolves into spamming elemental attacks and healing, especially in the NES version where spell charges are so much more limited, and I'm starting to realize I really don't like it when RPGs are just about beating each other up indiscriminately until one side dies.

I'd say I respect the targeting system in the original, but I feel like it was a start of a decent idea that the genre and game design just wasn't ready for at the time. In getting rid of it, I think the PSP version also gets rid of the only interesting thing about Final Fantasy 1, and, that's a shame.

Also, tiles that always trigger boss encounters EVERY TIME you step on them? Who thought that was a good idea?