Finally
I've sat on playing every numbered Final Fantasy game in order for a while now. I'm sure it's one of those things JRPG fans always promise themselves and never get around to... but as of today, I've finished FF1 Pixel Remaster!
Other than FFXIV, this is my first time rolling credits on a Final Fantasy game... and even then, FFXIV is a very different kind of game. I've picked up a number of Final Fantasy games over the years, but believe it or not, Kingdom Hearts was actually my first entry to the series. Having a better appreciation for 14 and KH are my big motivators for taking on this project.
The original Final Fantasy is fairly short. I clocked in at about 20 hours, and only then because I was trying to 100% the game. In the Pixel Remaster edition, you have the option to listen to the original music or a re-orchestration. I decided to stick to the original, as I have a love for chiptune music :) The story telling is fairly sparse, with fascinating localization choices (Princess Sarah?), but overall it's an enjoyable tale. I wasn't expecting the timeloop twist, but I suppose that's what made this the final Fantasy.
What I really loved about this game? It rarely felt like anything was being handed to me. I was not being railroaded. I had to take time to sniff out rumors. There was no way to know if an NPC was giving you flavor text or an actual hint. No big glowing quest boxes, no map markers. And while I would have liked fast travel, it was nice to have the option to turn encounters off in lieu of that.
I ended up going with a warrior/thief/ white mage/black mage party composition. No idea if this was the meta - I wasn't letting myself look things up - but it worked pretty well for me. As far as regrets go, I wish I hadn't sold off so much equipment. I wasn't until I had sold some rare items that I realized they all had secondary uses as in battle items! That's a really cool way to make out-leveled gear stay relevant, and I hope to see more of that when I pick up FF2!
I ultimately did not hit 100%... because I could not get the dang Warmachina to spawn! Maybe some other time I will go grind for that, but right now, I'm excited to move onto the next game in the franchise.
Hope you're well!
-AL