Final Fantasy VI: Why the Hype? - SNESdrunk

EDIT: never thought in a million years this would get this many views. Thank you for stopping by.
One of the ten best Super Nintendo games ever made, but not as timeless as you'd think.
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[@halcyo]

The opera scene was vital to Celes' story arc- Her love for Locke (although I felt the developers downplayed it too much, maybe for 'younger players'), and her stepping out of her past life as a brainwashed Imperial General. Her suicide attempt later is the literal mirror to this scene, and it is probably the most emotional moment in gaming at the time it was released. She gave up because she had tasted freedom and love, and the (mistaken) realization that all of it was gone was just heartbreaking. And c'mon, that MELODY! In a weird way, Celes is really the central female character in the game. Terra kinda steps aside as the game progresses.

[@teizahui]

All the scene in the island with Cid... it's so touching and to be honest, no other videogame has ever made me feel again the same as in the moment I watched Celes jumping to what I thought was a certain death.

[@CobaltBlueMask]

You sound like someone who played it on an emulator or on ps years after it was actually current.🙄 And yeah I see this comment is 3 years old lol that wasn’t how the game was perceived or it’s reception in the early 90’s. Which is how most 40 year olds know when we read what people have to say about it today. That or when they call it ff 6. In 1992 99% of the population had no idea wtf was going on in Japan.

[@maybeitsyou1317]

@@CobaltBlueMask Congratulations. You want a cookie? What was the point of your post? A humble brag that your old? Weird flex but ok.

[@jamesmiller5331]

People are fucking weirdos. That's the real answer

[@jamesmiller5331]

And extra. Don't forget that they are extra.

[@chubbycatfish4573]

Still my favorite game of all time.

[@solidsnake8331]

Final fantasy vii was way better

[@mr.horseshoe2301]

Yup, it is the GOAT.

[@avalonjustin]

@@solidsnake8331 It's way better to you, not to us.

[@skeezer2217]

you missed the point of the opera scene, it's a pivotal moment for Celese, showing that she doesn't HAVE to be a warrior, she has a range of untapped talent, it gives her a peek at her potential of being more than a soldier, she changes after that scene and becomes more compassionate and focuses more on being a person instead of just a weapon, it's known as one of, if not the best, scenes for a reason

[@Shamboo79]

This ☝️

[@hello-cn5nh]

This channel truly sucks because all he does is bash on great games to seem "edgy"

[@towermoss]

Unfortunately they copy and pasted that arc for Terra.

[@nuance9000]

Originally she was conceived to be an agent sent by the Empire. This was hinted at... twice.

[@felixfranzen7318]

I guess you believe Contra III would be better too if it had an opera scene with Bill and Lance singing about how they want to get married and buy an elderberry farm instead of killing aliens.

[@mradamdust]

You haven't lived until you've revealed Shadow's backstory.

[@thealaskannomad6018]

True story, I honestly never knew Shadow lived after the bombing. Not until about a decade of playing the story when someone had said almost the exact same thing. "Story? You never got to know his story besides the rumors in the pub." "Wait, what? You never waited for him, did you?" "Whaaaaaaaaaa?!" Mind blown. His story is so epic, beautiful, dark, sad...take your pick.

[@anthonydelfino6171]

@PickingNamesSux I don't think anyone waited for him on their first playthrough, at least not in the 90s. Who was going to wait till there's 3 seconds left on the timer to see if he shows up? I didn't and missed out. Also side note, you can get some of his back story earlier, you can hire him in Kohlingen after the battle against the imerial forces in Narshe, if you do and sleep in the inns or Figaro Castle, you can get some of his dreams, but not all.

[@cherokeefit4248]

The one in the one hotel with the bar, it makes that in and off droning noise and watching him run off from that guy that appeared freaked me out 20 years after I first played it hahaha

[@hagamapama]

@@anthonydelfino6171 I didn't do it on the first play through, but the second time around I saw "Wait!" and realized what I might be waiting for, so I got Shadow after the first try.

[@2001mark]

The fullest RPG I've ever experienced. Outstanding characters & storylines. Masterful music on par with the finest cinematic soundtracks. Absolutely timeless & ageless.

[@willkillem737]

🥱

[@SheonEver]

Not a bad review, but like many people here I'm not sure I agree on a few points.. so being the internet I have to tell you. One is the huge cast; sure they're not all as developed, however the switching between multiple parties in dungeons was an actual interesting innovation which added to the gameplay, and for the final dungeon at least 12 were needed to facilitate that, then a secret one... and that sasquatch guy(ok, him I don't see any point to). Like most of the features I don't really feel like they were features for the sake of features; they were features added to improve gameplay and advance the genre. Two is, surprise surprise, the Opera; now I admit I certainly didn't have tears in my eyes, but it is an iconic scene from that video game generation. The two things I took from it were that Celes wasn't used to being feminine or expressive and the opera was a way she got to experience that role, and that her character in the opera is a prisoner who was longing for her beloved to save her while celes herself was a prisoner not long before, and was saved by someone she's now developing feelings for, and she's reflecting on that and her feelings. Sure nothing is explicit but that seems like a lot of similarities for it to be just coincidental. Three, I can't agree with your point about Cyan's backstory, I mean he lost everything that mattered to him and blamed himself for letting it happen. In most games he'd have been a little mopey for a bit and maybe vengeful but otherwise it wouldn't really be touched on again, whereas in ff6 we got to see more of his anguish on the train and then later it's actually eating away at him so bad he's slipping away, which just seems like a reasonable reaction to that kind of trauma.. then later he's dealing with being so closed off emotionally by corresponding with that woman; his development just seemed very grounded and human rather than archetypal to me.

[@SNESdrunk]

+Shion Kreth This is a good comment! Thanks

[@Lucasfghjsokfdkjheu]

+SNES drunk It kinda brings tears to my eyes everytime I see people who disagree but respect each other like this. Nice going guys.

[@Mrvitosound]

+Lucas Maciel there is still hope !

[@NickEnlowe]

+Shion Kreth Thank you so much. I'm so glad someone mentioned this about the opera scene. I'm surprised people actually believe this scene was thrown in for the sake of a tech demo, rather than appreciate how well it helps Celes grow as a character in the overarching plotline. Celes becomes the main character in 'Act 2' of the game, after all, and she may never have had the strength to do it without the iconic opera scene. At first I couldn't help but wonder if Celes herself WAS Maria, and performed under an alias to get away from the misery and death involved with being an Imperial General. But no, this scene was to help her change and grow as a person, to enjoy life and relate her struggles. --You hit the nail on the head, same with your other points. Thank you.

[@chaser5616]

I fount that opera is scene memoriable because of the song,i mean Man hearing it makes me go wow,the song also being played in some but memoriable event in this game thus making the song itself memorable.

[@avinashsukhwal834]

The reason the opera is so good is because of the character development between her and Locke. She isn't just singing for herself but also echoing his thoughs towards his feelings for her.

[@olimphus26]

Yeah nice head canon

[@1979JEric]

Exactly! I cringed so hard when I heard him say "There is no subtext and there is no reading between the lines"... Yeesh, missed the boat big time here...

[@ChamplainValleyRailSnapshots]

Yeah... I was sort of feeling he had overlooked something with the opera.

[@LockeNarshe]

@@olimphus26 Imagine thinking it's head canon because it went over your head, lol.

[@fenzelian]

Yeah it’s also because Celes never owned her own identity, because she was made as a weapon for the empire. So dressing in costume is sort of like putting on a new mask / trying a new identity - somebody who can be vulnerable and who can have a relationship based on caring rather than cruelty. And this turns out to be more authentic to her, even though it’s a costume. This is extended later with the fish sequence - when all the masks are stripped away and Celes chooses desperate compassion against all odds, even if she fails, because cruelty is pointless when the world is so cruel.

[@artemi7]

The Opera was clearly supposed to be some sort of (read between the lines) touching moment for Celes and Locke's relationship. In the events in the game, yes, it's a really random scene, but in line of the story it's kind of suppose to show their growing relationship at it's height so far. This is contrasted with the very next major story scene, in the Magitek Labs, where Locke is forced to reevaluate things, and Celes expects him to trust her.

[@Bramhallthefifth]

yeah he couldn't really say there was no "read between the lines" meaning, since they reused the aria's melody for celes's theme. there's a pretty superficial connection right there, and composers don't do stuff like that for no reason.

[@adimus25801]

The opera's story is also a reflection of Celes herself and what going on with her, being stuck between these two armies and her feelings of helplessness. You can see earlier in the game--especially when they first meet Celes that she is not trusted in the least, and is literally a damsel in distress from this until her hero comes to save her. And yeah...she's singing about Locke in that scene.

[@Tanooki88]

I still don't see how a lot of ppl don't make the vital connection between the Opera scene and the suicide attempt either.. The ascent to the balcony to throw her roses (Love), and then her climb up the cliff side to fling herself off the same way (Loss of Love). Like that actually brings me to tears every time i see it. it's almost like Romeo and Juliet as cliche as that may sound hahah but it is an OPERA

[@funkyjoebob6121]

thank you

[@CriBolouf]

I just found this video and was about to say many of the same things that are covered in here. The opera scene is a clinching moment in the development of Celes' character. There's at least 3 different layers of metaphor going on it in. Duty vs. Love. Loyalty vs. Moving On. and Humanity vs. Callousness. Celes' character is complex, yet understated through much of the game, because of her strong sense of duty and rejection of her human and feminine instincts. The opera scene serves as an outlet for her feelings while disguising them as mere performance. If this was not so, she would not so readily be able to create an intriguing character on stage. Her connection to the feelings of the character that form while studying the lines of the opera make her realize the depth of her own emotions, and the conflicts within. Art imitating life, as life imitates art and such.

[@wolfdreamer8113]

This is literally my favorite FF and the first one I ever beat.

[@phaseshifter3d455]

I actually liked Cyan's story. Remember, most of us played this as young gamers, so none of this was cliché to us (Though there aren't that many overused archetypes in the game)

[@WestwoodC21]

I agree. The sequences with the wounded soldier are some of the most memorable for me in gaming. Most games didn't quite show how characters deal with loss at the time, this was a very deep aspect of the story.

[@phaseshifter3d455]

@@WestwoodC21 Forme it was when Celes tried to nurse CId back to health on the lone island, and ,in my game, failed.

[@hagamapama]

@@phaseshifter3d455 That Cid scene lost a lot of power for me when I figured out how to game it and succeed every time

[@Kbtoy789]

His story was way too depressing lol... I guess it fit in with the narrative and tone, but goodness... There was like... Nothing good that happened to him, including in the WoR where he is pen-palling some chick posing as her dead husband. wtf? I just recently replayed this (probably the 10th time) in Pixel Remasters, and man did they just dive in full-force with destroying this man's life, and leaving it ruined.

[@hartia4584]

The opera scene was emotional because of Celes' character. She was developed to be a weapon so she never had time to do girly things :[ ...

[@truepremise2053]

I remember you from somewhere. Something about religion...

[@airnoiphongsavath8509]

Celes is cool too yea.

[@thehoff3189]

Good point. Also the whole scene is just another thing to do that break up the repetitive parts of RPG gameplay of the 90's. It was a welcome diversion

[@blahuhm6782]

YES! I was about the write the same thing. If you grew up never knowing romance or love, as Celes did, this opera part was super emotional. The fact they connect the theme of her attempt at suicide, throwing herself off the balcony at that beach, and now throwing the flowers off the balcony for her "love"... if you didn't make the connection the first time, it's understandable, but this was by far the most emotional part of the game for me. No, in isolation the opera scene can be seen as kinda random or hollow (but I still think it stands alone in goofyness) but connected with that earlier part, and even the hint of love between her and Locke, should at least give it more credit and heft.

[@derrickvictor8829]

I’ve gotten so frustrated at that opera scene. Granted, I was 8 the first time I played, so I certainly didn’t breath in the scene. I was just annoyed. Lol.

[@rara200284]

All their backstories is my favorite part of the game!

[@Evilriku13]

Lizard Queen the reason people like and symphaize with characters is first of all, what you wrote, and secondly: because they have characters, like real humans, where you which because of this, that they were real.

[@xCrossBite]

Agreed. I don't think we'd be as invested in the large assortment of characters if we DIDN'T get their backstories; And because we get to play through most of stories and they aren't just delivered in a cut-scene makes them so much more enjoyable and memorable.

[@Christopher-wg6ug]

@@xCrossBite exactly, a remake of this game in 2020 would be huge just because of character backstory playthrough. It would be an epic game.

[@zimzimzalabim]

@@Christopher-wg6ug I keep hoping that Square gives it a well deserved remake. FFVII was not that worthy of this much effort.

[@Tranman916]

Typical American who just want action and no plot and storylines

[@Pensive_Scarlet]

Honestly, I think the impact of the Opera scene comes from Nobuo Uematsu's magnificence. He took something that otherwise would have been forgettable, possibly even bothersome, and made it worth our time. It's not memorable so much because of its context in the greater narrative but more because of its own merits. But if you're wanting an emphasis on the context, it's there. It's one of the earliest examples I personally encountered of a story that shows an awareness of how stories interact with and impact our lives. By turning the Opera's music into a leitmotif for Celise and Lock, it evokes the timeless trend of "seeing yourself in fiction". It helps you identify with them by reminding you of your own experiences. You might not be a "star crossed lover" yourself, but odds are you're already identifying with one character (Tina/Terra for me) and you're relating that experience of identifying with fiction to the story's presentation of Lock's and Celise's identities compared to a fiction in their universe. Yeah, I grew up with this game. I'm talking key formative years. I could write an entire book about it, like the way people write huge nerd-gasm analyses of any given Shakespeare play. :x

[@phillosmaster393]

I was 15 years old and I used my first paycheck to finally buy myself an SNES and this game. It's a masterpiece, but it's always going to hold a special place in my heart for that very reason. The opera scene is a high point in the game because of what it means for Celes. The more I revisit that game the more I realize Celes was the best character in that roster. It comes at the high point of the story. Pretty much this is when everything is going best for our heroes in the world of balance. You get this uplifting interlude before everything starts going to shit again. Also it's great because it's paced very well cutting between the action and the scenes of the opera and because the music is fantastic. It all comes together to deliver one of the most memorable scene I can think of from one of my childhood video games.

[@Frejborg]

Well said. I was always fond of having Celes in my party. Her look, and strength, and her simple desire did take me. :)

[@cherokeefit4248]

Sabin, Edgar, Locke and Shadow.

[@tonberrymasta]

For me, the opera scene is so memorable because nothing even remotely like this had never been done in a console video game that I had played up to that point. The genius of it was the "fake vocals" when Celes starts singing for the first time. That detail alone blew me away as a kid.

[@TheCodik]

Exactly! The snes sang and my jaw dropped. Nothing has topped that moment in my gamer experience

[@AlwaysRight32]

Right!!! He's a fukn Goofy hating on it

[@eddiewarren6960]

Lots of folks believe that the scene is actually touching because it could be about Locke and how she feels about him

[@Devilman6066]

It's almost been twenty years since I picked up my first RPG, Final Fantasy VI. I still go back and listen to the music.

[@SNESdrunk]

Bonus content: if you listen closely, you'll realize that I actually like this game, a lot. But you have to listen CLOSELY. Funny how some people's emotional reasoning screws up their hearing so much, that they can't hear that I call this a friggin top 10 SNES game. Yeesh.

[@DonCDXX]

As a fan of FFVI, I commend your fairness. The story relevance of the opera scene was about the personality of Celes. She's a girl in denial of her aspects of femininity. Then she acts in a role of femininity on stage. Primarily it's form of self exposure from her perspective. Couple that with it being a romantic role for her right when her and Locke are starting to build feelings for each other. She's singing what effectively becomes their song. It's basically a nuanced part of the romance subplot between them, so if you weren't big on the love story part of it, then you probably just weren't empathizing with the character's psychological vulnerabilities and getting the same emotion as those who were into the budding romance subplot. But that's part of the beauty of FFVI, so much story that there's enough subplots to appeal to almost everyone.

[@bluegreen8484]

It's not a bad review, but I can tell you didn't play it when it first came out. Though to be honest your bad points make it come across like you missed the entire point of the game and why people love RPGs in the first place. If you ever get around to playing Trails in the Sky for PSP, I would recommend you just not do it. There would be way too much dialogue for you.

[@mitchmueller6006]

I agree that the Opera scene in and of itself isn't special. But what the Opera scene sets up is the suicide scene later on which is unparalleled in the history of video games. I think that FF VI is the greatest literary achievement in video games ever simply because of the incredible parsimony or interconnections of so many incredibly diverse features and narratives all centered around the common question: Is life worth living at all? No other video games deals so personally with such a deep philosophical question, at least none that I know of.

[@uggman9]

This game is top 3 on the SNES library, for sure. I had it and played the sh!t out of it and still love it to this day.

[@Leon-wf3xf]

SNES drunk by closely I understand. My favorite FF and personally I loved how you reviewed and put things straight up. I listened CLOSELY and I have to say, bravo ol boy. Damn good review of my favorite FF! To your review I say 10 out of 10!

[@akiro9635]

one where the villian actually succeded in his plans

[@akiro9635]

@Spit Dragon I just like the game cause it was well writen an planned out dont judge me like the others before you know something an dont know something bout someone

[@TranslatedAssumption]

Kefka > Thanos

[@trevorcarson5156]

Succeeded as much as sephiroth did.

[@akiro9635]

@@trevorcarson5156 sephiroth didnt destroy anything though

[@trevorcarson5156]

@@akiro9635 sure he did. Meteor made holy/life stream come out and fucked up most of the world. Maybe not his desired success but the world(for humans) is pretty fucked if my memory serves correct.

[@Red88Rex]

I've been a J-RPG player since about 1991 and FFVI to me is the entire package. It is a masterpiece. It is my favorite RPG and quite possibly my favorite game ever. Yes, some of that has to do with the stars in my eyes on that Christmas day in 1994 as I experienced it for the first time. But it holds up so well for me. The music is some of the best you will ever hear in a game. The pace is perfect, for battles and the story line. Not only are there so many characters, but they are deeply developed, and each one has their very own reason for wanting to take down the Empire - some more than others like Cayene or Terra. Terra, btw, is my favorite game character ever, as well. That was the first time I had seen not only a female lead, but an incredibly strong one! You feel the pain in each person's struggle. Boy, that sequence about Setzer's dead girlfriend... But of course, there's the apocalypse. And let's not forget they didn't just THREATEN it like in other games....it actually happened. Tragedies are simply the best in the way they get under your skin. It's very satisfying to recollect your allies and watch them obtain those personal victories! Not to mention the free reign you have in the World of Ruin - get as many or as little of them as you want, in mostly whatever order you prefer. Being made near the end of the SNES's lifespan, the graphics are seriously awesome. I personally love that it's set in in the mid to late 1800s, or the Second Industrial Revolution. I LOVE medieval RPGs and all but I also am quite fascinated with that era. Or am I, because I have been playing this game since I was 9?? Haha. Nowadays, things like the opera and Kefka's laugh seem dated. Okay, sure. But let me tell you...back then, we had NEVER seen anything like that. Not even imagined it. This game pushed the boundaries and drew new lines in the sand.

[@8bpianoplayer]

totally agreed. Been playing JRPGs since the late '80s and this is top 5, possibly #1 hands down. It's as complete as a JRPG gets, IMHO.

[@nitelite78]

Shame about the random battles though. Makes it unplayable for me.

[@themonkeyhand]

I agreed with you until I played Chronotrigger ;-)

[@brianoneil3891]

Red88Rex yes this is the greatest game of all time don't get me wrong Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 10 are good but nothing touches this I haven't played it in 20 years and I really want to play it now I played through the game so many times in 1994 and 1995 I think the game that got me off of this one was Chrono Trigger why I jumped on Chrono trigger i played it for like 6 months straight

[@Poppedcollar]

I also think people really take aspects of the game for granted since it's been spoiled to just about everyone who's played the game in the last 20 years. When this game first came out, people thought the floating continent was the last level. They were ready for a final boss fight, especially following the epic as fuck Atma Weapon fight. Then, boom. Kefka wins. The world is destroyed. The map changes, the gameplay changes.

[@StiffAftermath]

Role Playing Game = Story, Characters. This is something missing in current console JRPGs

[@lnsflare1]

Better not tell that to the Shin Megami Tensei series and spin-offs, or the Legend of Heroes series, or No no Kuni, or Folklore, or Fire Emblem, or Disgaea, or...

[@StiffAftermath]

Funny that you mention those games. I meant console JRPGs. Seems that some to most of these games are handheld JRPGs and they get it right. Especially (as of the last few years) the Dragon Quest series on DS.

[@ryanbruneau1197]

lnsflare1 Ni no Kuni is fucking amazing IMO

[@lnsflare1]

Gimpler Da Happenin All of those games have had pretty major releases on console during the PS3/WiiU era, though. And Hu Flung Dung, hell yeah.

[@xxxxmimi]

Gimpler Da Happenin yess..! todays RPG just arent the same. i still love the super nintendo RPGs

[@gopher3737]

Still my favorite game of all time. Just beat it on SNES classic, and it was as good as I remember it being

[@ProLaytonxPhoenix]

The many story arcs is what made this game so great and, you failed to mention how non-linear this game is in the second half. Which was something unheard of for an RPG at the time. 

[@scorpionsapprentice3248]

I think what it was is that the game begins on a linear approach outside of the "choose a scenario" and then the WoR section becomes an open world once you get the Falcon. FF5 followed this approach as well, but it was more limited.

[@BelatedGamer]

He should have mentioned the game opens up, yes, but that was hardly "unheard of" at the time. Even if we discount computer RPGs like Ultima, which were entirely non-linear from the very beginning, even the first Final Fantasy was very non-linear as early as just a few hours into the game if you know what you're doing.

[@klop4228]

I just wish the plot of the first half was actually resolved in the second. Also, Chrono Trigger did the same (later, I think), but they actually made all the plot make sense.

[@matabishippuden6965]

The second half of ff6 was a clusterfuck. I can't believe it's praised for having a million dungeons and no clear direction

[@ramonxr2623]

@@matabishippuden6965 The million dungeons and the open world aspect are easily the best part of the game, and it makes it more revolutionary and fun in most people's eyes, maybe it doesn't appeal to you.

[@jordansantiago1446]

The opera means so much because of where it sits in the main story line. It just happened after a point if intensity when your emotions were on edge, and it brought your emotions back into the same feeling you had when you started the game. That's why it's brilliant.

[@fafillionaire]

I've never seen a complaint of "They went too far making the game the best ever. It's already good enough, they should have never gone so far as to make it the best ever" ... interesting gripe to have. Almost like you know there is absolutely nothing wrong w/ this game so you had to make a problem up

[@SNESdrunk]

Not caring about some parts of the story = making up a problem?

[@7kurisu]

***** have to admit i haven't played this yet (about to), but i understand what you mean by "overwrought". i think its always going to be unpopular to point out a truism in the medium: games are seen (still, by most people) to be kids stuff, so sometimes developers go overboard in either A) raising the profile/status of games or B) pitching them at a wider audience/watering them down. some one had to tell it like it is. i believe that art is possible with video games, ive played some of them. but it can be patronising to telegraph something as art

[@SNESdrunk]

7kurisu "but it can be patronising to telegraph something as art" That's well put and pretty much nails how I felt about the story

[@Odbarc]

This is my favorite game of all time. My play throughs generally require of myself to aim for maximum stats via Esper level-ups (and I generally prefer Speed so that includes low-level-game until I've collected all the characters in the World of Ruin). In addition, steal from all the bosses and get the maximum amount of rare items. As such, Locke with maximum speed is best for stealing and is generally in my party as often as allowed. It was the first major purchase of my life to get this cartridge for the SNES (I paid $50, my older brother paid the other half plus the tax) so I could not have to rest this every week. My save file, I've managed to collect 252 items save for Cursed Shield and Ragnarok because they needed to be traded in for better items, Paladin Shield and Illumina. I forget what the last missing item is but it's probably Cursed Ring. Pros: The game rewards exploration, there's lots of hidden treasures, the story has the best villain of all time, and the game allows for it to be replayed with challenges implemented (by your own accord) like using a single character, beating the game at low levels, not allowing your party to learn Esper magic, ect. Cons: The battle system has many exploits that enable you to constantly dish out massive damage, bugs that let you instant-kill bosses, and is generally pretty easy once you get the hang of it. The final boss feels like one of the weakest in the series. 10/10

[@coffeebupper834]

It's one of the most magical, whimsical, and mysterious storybooks you could ever play. Like opening a most rare music box. A beautiful lustrous gem to behold forever. 😥😢😭🤧🥺

[@FOOJFOOJIYAMA]

Exactly how i felt playing this game decades ago.

[@Vscustomprinting]

*slow clap*

[@evilromulus3583]

Liking the video as a show of support and because I like your content; however, I don't agree with your point of view on this game. I still cared about the story of the later characters and would have liked even more story! There was no point when playing the game where I experienced what you are talking about "I want to interact more often than not." To me this game was one of the defining games that made you associate square with high quality RPG games and the story and characterization were huge parts of that.

[@johnwitulski18]

He insulted the holy FF3. Get him!

[@davemarx7856]

He called it FF3! Get him!

[@ant3x7]

Don't tease the octopus, kids!

[@rotaryskratch18]

John Witulski WHELK!! GET THEM!!!!

[@Loonaticx]

Fuck whelk, I'm gonna paint his portrait

[@bathoryaria4127]

You kind of look like Trey Parker.

[@MatthewHyatt]

To me, this is the best game ever created.

[@zrayburton]

Matthew Hyatt easily top game. I refused to get a PS because of how much I loved this one

[@Nebujin383]

This and Chrono Trigger, best on SNES and best in the Genre also.

[@Frejborg]

@@Nebujin383 Pretty much pinnacle of video gaming.. from a short-lived golden era that has been fading for years.

[@Rinavani]

I still prefer FF7, but this one is a close 2nd.

[@manuelnovo7691]

@@Nebujin383 If you like childish kawaii stuff, sure!!

[@jba2048]

I just have to throw in there because you neglected to mention one of the most innovative aspects of this game which is splitting your party up into multiple groups to progress through dungeons, which was something I absolutely loved and I don't think I ever saw happen again in a Final Fantasy game.

[@Cyzure]

Don't they literally do that in ff4? End game dungeon

[@16BitDungeon]

FF8 also does this. So They did it again.

[@Z3RO19]

The opera scene is a great character defining moment for Celes, who up to this point has been shown as stoic and maybe even a little bit apathetic. Celes is a character who has been bred for war since she was born. It doesn't matter what it is she's singing about here, it is the moment she realizes that she can be more than just a warrior, a magic fueled killing machine. It's what makes her different from Kefka. It's emotional because most people who play this game probably care for Celes as a character, and this is a big moment in her life. Not to mention the fact that the score is beautiful and sweeping and the whole presentation of the scene is really well done. Nobody cares about Maria and Draco, but people care about Celes, and this is one of her greatest scenes.

[@edmasterson4588]

if you were a kid in 94 this is badass. i didnt get it till 95. still my fav rpg what introduced the genre to me. i was used to seeing my friends play mario bros and stuff like that. at that age just having a somewhat compelling story was amazing.

[@ericandre5060]

I’m about 2 hours into the game at this point, and man the story and soundtrack is really cool so far. Some of the dialogue made me laugh out loud.

[@muhanc.a.9299]

SNES drunk AHEM! There's sand on my boots!

[@ant3x7]

This review is the pits!

[@baltakatei]

Son of a submariner!

[@esands36]

"EDGAR YOU PINHEAD! WHY DID YOU BUILD YOUR CASTLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT"!?

[@TywinLannister666]

@@esands36 Because, my guy, It moves, for.....reasons!

[@Johnny_Nitro]

The only thing missing was an Actual Submariner. If they really wanted to showcase the platform, we needed a controllable submarine.

[@gamerex9378]

Celes is singing about how she is waiting for the man she loves to come to her rescue and return to her side. Just before you go to the opera, when you first cross the mountain range with Edgar's castle. The small town you come across while heading south. In there you find that Locke has been preserving his lover's body with special flowers. Not just that but has employed people of her home village to make sure the flowers are changed out as to not allow her body to decompose even a little bit. This later comes full circle when he finally learns of the Phoenix's location in the second half of the game. But before that, if you have Celes with you. She shows a deep sadness to suddenly being 2nd string for Locke. Especially when he doesn't want to talk about it. To her, her love did save her life. And now she is just waiting for him. Very similar to the role she sings and plays in the opera scene.

[@kurisu7885]

Edgar's best attack is his chainsaw, where he dons a slasher mask when using it, and of course Sabin's train suplex.

[@spacecat6019]

Yup. I dont know about you, but I'm not about to fuck with someone that can suplex a damned ghost train.

[@aelechko]

I rocked the drill

[@anthonydelfino6171]

Train suplex is so iconic to the game... I'm actually surprised and disappointed that as a monk main in FFXIV, they didn't let me suplex the train as my limit break when they brought that fight into the game.

[@kurisu7885]

@@anthonydelfino6171 Yup, would have been a nice easter egg to find. At least Machinists get the multi-bow.

[@candmmi]

I absolutely LOVE this game. It is literally why I wanted a SNES. It is still to this day my favorite Final Fantasy! Gau is also my favorite character lol. I do agree with a lot of your criticisms but Final Fantasy has kind of always been like that ever since the beginning. Though Final Fantasy 10 is where it went all crazy cut scene. You say “I could just read a book” but that game says “go watch a movie”.

[@waywardpony]

"There's no read between the lines." Yes and no. It's interesting how much of a focus she is during the first half of the game. Literally for this scene she is just filling a role, but as the audience/player it might come across that Celes is longing to be something like an opera singer (not a General), but she's never been given the chance. The character in the Opera is longing for her lover. It's a slight parallel (and a stretch) but its also a fun scene that's well put-together.

[@HoneyICakes]

5 years late BUT SPOILERS* while I haven’t looked at the lines in a while I wanna say that one of the lines talks about not aging a day (similar to Rachel in that old guys basement) and the way the flowers fall is similar to the attempted suicide scene

[@fergalstackstreams]

@@HoneyICakes The fact that subtext like this went over SNES Drunk's head is proof that he is not the person to listen to if you want meaningful criticism of a game's story.

[@TimedRevolver]

I do find it odd that, in a genre known for story and character development, your issues with this game are those very things. You clearly like the game, but with that mindset, RPGs may not actually be a genre meant for you. That whole "If I wanted to read a book, I'd read a book." and "I prefer my games more interactive." perspective is pretty skewed. III/VI has plenty of gameplay. But, again, RPG. It's going to be story heavy. That's literally the point. There *ARE* RPGs that focus less on story, and those would likely be more your speed.

[@esands36]

FF III will always be my favourite RPG on the SNES.

[@lemonpulpmusic]

"If I wanted to read a book, I'd read a book". Maybe you shouldn't be playing RPGs :/

[@GadGades]

I agree but taking that further it's kinda ridiculous when people have that criticism. There are good ways for games to do it especially depending on the kind of game it is, like guardian legend and chrono cross, the ability to walk away is great.And sometimes choice. But it's like watching a tv show and everyone is talking too much and saying, if I wanted to hear people talk, I'd buy an audio book. Or if I wanted to know the story of harry potter or games of throne, I'd get the book ect. *or you can condense all media with story to "i'll read a book" At the time, text, and action were how videogames told stories, and both were utilized. When people take digs at games for that, they criticize the capability of the medium itself and say it's out of its place to tell intricate stories or have character. And I understand that it can go wrong if it keeps you in place or it's too long. Sometimes even then it's worth it. But people are confusing the problem, and if you want to hear the whole story sometimes multiple characters should talk without prompting if it makes sense, and walking out of it is sometimes out of the question or wouldn't make sense for the character or story.

[@holamoco]

That hasn't to anything with RPG. Sometimes a game can be too stretched out and tedious. It becomes boring, such as FF6 and FF8 did. Thats why FF7 is the best because it never gets boring, never.

[@GadGades]

I thought FF6 had a brisk pace? And changing stuff up. the way the game starts, the tone of running away from the empire, the light adventure tone of confronting them, and then the bleak POST APOCALYPSE basically, and then gathering your friends... I mean SEARCHING FOR FRIENDS. The game opens up then, almost free formed. And the last dungeon is crazy. Not saying other games don't do it but I think they changed it up a lot. Stumbling across the ghost train, or the mage tower(forgot the name) was all neat.

[@solblackguy]

A story still has to be good. Final Fantasy Tactics does what people pretend that VI did.

[@GadGades]

that's why everyone rememebers all those classic characters from FFT. Sarcasm aside, FF6 is an adventure story with great moments. It's just different. A good story is about whether there's something worthwhile in it, including just enjoyment. It's in a wizard of Oz, or Deltora Quest or Narnia or something,

[@tomhedlund4524]

I think you have missed the point of the emotional value of the game. By the time you reach opera scene, you have spent many hours developing your character, and your mind does more character development than the game itself. You sleep, you go to work patching sailors and Marines (I was a Navy Corpsman when the game was released) the next day, you imagine the back stories of your characters beyond what is provided in the game--and you develop a deep connection to them. When I played the opera scene in '94, Celes (in my imagination) used the moment to express feelings from her own life. There are basically two schools of acting, put simply--acting is imagination; acting is autobiography. Proponents in either camp will hotly debate with the other side, but when FF III SNES was released, I was in the autobiography camp (now that I have an MFA in Acting, I use whatever works for the character), so Celes was using the opera as a catharsis for her own life, in my mind at least, which gives the game a stronger emotional impact than what is explicitly given in the game. I created as much of the character as the devs did. You are a much younger reviewer who was not alive in '94 (or you were an infant or toddler), and you have the benefit of the multitude of technological and narrative advances that have been made in the years since. If you owned an SNES in '94, FF III was a pivotal moment in your life. Decades from now when someone is looking back at say, Fortnite and wondering why it was so popular, and not understanding the reasons because it's i.e., 2046, you may have something to say, if Fortnite is your game right now.

[@wizzardgame8343]

dude you nailed it perfect explanation

[@tomhedlund4524]

@@wizzardgame8343 That is very generous, thank you.

[@kevinbrown3380]

This game blew my mind! A fully realized work of art! His criticisms have some merit but also have been influenced by previous internet reviews. He doesnt seem to get to feel some of the vibes, thanks to all the hype.

[@michaelbenti5383]

agreed

[@harrizzaini7324]

Yup, I totally agree with you. His criticisms are just stupid, especially when he talked about the characters' backstories.

[@xxxxmimi]

final fantasy 6 is my favorite final fantasy series. storyline, music, character designs and skills... i disagree with the narrative, FF6 had one of the best storylines of all games.

[@GravityKnightFlying]

xxxxmimi agreed..... best in the series

[@klop4228]

I hate to disagree, but I hate that Celes and Locke never resolve anything. Like, we don't need them to _do_ anything, but there should have been a moment where all the plot set up in the first half was actually resolved.

[@klop4228]

@@gluegunassault2010 I'll give it that - it made characters that I care about. But still, that was one of the main plotlines (like, it's the B-plot), and I still feel like it should have been outright finished. Probably in no more than in a conversation, tbh. Just _something._ The main issue with Part II of FF6 is that it just doesn't really finish off anything that it starts, except Kefka. The game is a masterpiece in subtle storytelling - all sorts of videos will explain that - but it relies on the subtlety so much that it gets in the way of the main plot. The Locke/Celes thing wasn't introduced subtly (not that there weren't shades of subtlety in there) so why resolve it subtly? It's just unsatisfying. EDIT: There is a distinction between wanting a work of art/entertainment leaving you wanting more, and it leaving you wanting a compelete story. IX and X left me wanting more (though when I did play 'more' of X's world I was sorely disappointed), but I did feel that, even with their issues, those games had a complete story - so much so that they're probably my favourite too. On the other hand, I just don't feel like VI actually finished its plot. If you're going to be unsubtle about your exposition, at least have more than hints in your conclusion. The last cutscene was long enough! :P

[@rockk9753]

Yeah the storyline is freaking awesome

[@ryanb7110]

Ff7.

[@darkanimecommandersoto9992]

I think people say that they cry or get watery eyed at the opera scene because of the music. As you mentioned, the opera performance is just part of the plot to get the airship they need to get to the empire. Still, I love the opera scene. It was something new, something different.

[@bathoryaria4127]

Just started playing this and I've gotta say it's my absolute favorite since my obsession with 7 in the late 90's. I can't believe I over looked it for so long. I've been playing it on a homebrewed Wii, but I'm also playing the mobile version at the same time, which has better visuals, but lacks the SNES charm. Either way, great game, and the fucking music! Omg!

[@zimzimzalabim]

this is a great game, it still holds up, in my humble opinion. I honestly felt FF7 was a huge letdown for me, it was much more linear and I hated having a main character because I had gotten used to not having one with FF6. To me, Square traded in story and content for the sake of graphics and cutscenes. Glad you discovered it... it was not too late.

[@Vscustomprinting]

Ive been listening to the OST on KZbin for years.. learned to play some select riffs on guitar Great for working out to or getting work done

[@belartful]

the game was a hyperjump from FF IV (5 was skipped in the US). the graphics, music, story and gameplay were revolutionary. it was also the first FF for a lot of people (for me FFI was my first, but it wasn't a very attractive game compared to mario 3, so I didn't play it until way later when I started liking FF games). the hype is justified. also never played a game where there was so much emphasis put on character personalities. it's like a film.

[@harryfisher1272]

Celes was actually streaming her real feelings for Locke when she sung at the opera

[@teamhammerbros8466]

Harry Fisher which are completely absent prior to that point in the game? The only interaction they had was Celes unabashedly leaves the empire.

[@saysay7191]

Team Hammer Bros yeah, you def haven’t paid attention to the game

[@michaelbenti5383]

Yes I was looking for this comment. People just aren't really taking the story in if they don't draw this conclusion. FF6 Is perfect in my eyes. Naysayers begone!

[@teamhammerbros8466]

You can’t flip around a story to make it make sense, out of context. That just is not how storytelling is done.

[@Frejborg]

I don't think it's for Locke.. it's just to be a woman and to love and be loved.

[@reznor6507]

First time I ever had to quit watching a SNES Drunk review

[@neverends89]

So damn true

[@NotTheWheel]

I don't get what people got so upset about FF3 is one of my Favorite Final Fantasy games. His arguments are valid while at the same time not bias, he doesn't detract from what the game does good just mentioned some things where the game may have over extended itself. If this was an outright attack on the game for hating sake he could have just targeted the completely optional esper and weapon grinding like so many do.. none the less this was a fair review and retrospective on one of the best SNES titles ever made.

[@SNESdrunk]

Thank you for acknowledging that I actually, you know, LIKE THIS GAME. A LOT.

[@eltoncdb]

One of the most unforgettable moment for me is the Celes cliff scene, Cid died on me and she lost everything. I was shocked that a suicide scene is in a SNES game, play that first when it came out at 95 i was only 17. I don’t care much about Celes before, but after that her quest at searching her friends and restoring the world become some much more meaningful

[@QactisX]

I remember as a kid my brother renamed all the characters just slightly, like Cryan and Celery, really broke that emotional connection until I played it by myself and renamed the characters to people I really cared about, from that moment on I've always been a little disappointed that modern RPGs don't let you rename characters.

[@Sephiroth144]

Which I think is mostly because of voice acting... but yeah, I too miss the ability to rename characters.

[@LARRYLONGSTRETH]

I would play sometimes, naming them all after people close to me, and other times leaving their names untouched. Both were awesome.

[@crun1063]

rename everyone Turd Ferguson

[@Justforvisit]

@@Sephiroth144 Well, FF X HAD voice acting and you COULD rename Tidus, his name was never ever spoken out once aloud. Did anybody ever notice that? Nope? See, that's how you can cleverly, albeit, admittetly limited, "write around" this "problem"

[@Sephiroth144]

@@Justforvisit Oh, I'm well aware, (part of the reason people still have questions about the proper (vs better sounding) pronunciation of Tidus) But that only works for the main character- or any character who _weirdly_ never gets called by name.

[@neoasura]

Idk if you played this in 1994 when it first came out. But I did and it blew my mind with all the story telling. Keep in mind, we RPG lovers had very little options on the SNES at the time. I loved all the little "unnecessary" story points because it really fleshes out the world to me. But, its hard to say if it stood the test of time. If you played this ANY time after 1994, it just wouldn't have felt the same at all compared to other RPGs released after.

[@JoshoMeow]

I agree. He is looking at it with a 2019 mind and not one you would have had back then and that’s why it was even more amazing. All that extra stuff was more than anyone had ever experienced before.

[@BigCowProductions]

Intriguing... I find that the criticisms you have for FF6 are some of the main reasons why I would proselytize this game. The opera scene, for one, is far more important than you make it out to be. The whole fact about it being an aria to longing and love with Celes as the lead... That's deep on many different levels. Especially given her specific story. THEN Ultros decides to crash the event with the main guy promising more adventures when the opera ends. It's literally FF6 in a nutshell. Seriousness, love, loss, crazy turns, fun and a promise for adventure. The opera is a quintessential scene to the game. Not caring about Realm or Strago? What is wrong with you? I absolutely loved that there were 12+ characters and that it is so story-heavy. I think you should reevaluate your desire for JRPGs if you hold that notion of 'if I wanted a story like this I would read a book'. The whole reason I enjoy RPGs is that it is like I'm playing a book out. Other than the more misguided criticisms, it was a good review :)

[@danielperez-gonzalez877]

jvalex18 Perhaps take your own advice

[@LEXICON-DEVIL]

Wii-UUUU-Wii-UUUU ALERT GRAMMERRRR POELICE OPPROACHING WARNENG........WARNENG

[@rayjinflo]

I think emotional is the wrong way to describe the opera scene. It was definitely a moment that set the game apart story-wise, but there were a lot more emotions during the other parts.

[@skalibur000]

exactly, speaking of emotional moments cyan or shadow at the end...

[@paulmuaddib451]

Tough, but fair. TBH, it's my favorite game, of all time, but your criticisms are grounded and well articulated. And, let's be honest, especially on a 2nd or 3rd playthrough, totally true and valid.

[@Fnar79]

The opera scene is what it is because it proved what a good score, dramatic camera (screen?) work, and scenes that exist primarily for character development could do. Many of us who played this game when it released honestly pictured a live opera in our heads. It was a special moment where a game transported us completely out of what we were doing, and left a mark on us forever because for a lot of us, that's the first time a video game had ever done that. Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one with an SNES cart that has a 6 hour and change save just before the opera house that they've refused to save over.

[@chriskoschik391]

I think I that most of us feel emotional during the opera scene due to nostalgia. There was literally nothing like it when this game was released and the music is incredibly emotive. Add nostalgia and an incredibly written song and you have something very emotional

[@Ian-ky5hf]

Why does have to be nostalgia? Why can't it just be because it is an amazing scene?

[@ptr4410]

@@Ian-ky5hf its just okay without the nostalgia. I beat the game a week ago and didnt know this scene was considered such a masterpiece. I liked it but thats the extend of it.

[@briansmith8361]

STILL the best game EVER MADE! I eventually got a used copy around 1995, and it made one hell of an impression on me. At the time, I was already a hard core fan of Final Fantasy and RPGs in general and I still thought Final Fantasy IV (then known as II) was fantastic. And then I started playing this game, and holy shit! The story, memorable characters, graphics, soundtrack, etc, was like nothing I had ever experienced before. I could relate to some of the characters, I think I have a little bit of Locke and a little bit of Shadow in me. To me Final Fantasy VI and VII are very close, but for overall story and characters I have to give it to Final Fantasy VI. I wish SquareEnix would put the same kind of effort and quality into their newer Final Fantasy games. Perhaps I'm looking back at the 90's through rose colored glasses, but this game is still better to me than most of today's games.

[@RpgmaniacNo1]

Still the best Final Fantasy ever made. No one RPG shows interactions between characters so well. With Chrono Trigger, the best RPG, in the historical development of japanese role-playing games.

[@Imspammedout]

Your criticism of the opera wasn't horrible. You are making a valid point. But look at how Celes acts just prior to the opera scene, her nervous preparation, vulnerability. There's some support from Locke that she genuinely seems to appreciate. Then, she does the opera and it's beautiful, and the fact that she succeeds at something so different from what she is used to, and gets into the role has to be an emotional awakening for her, just as it was for me to realize I was giving a shit about getting an opera right, and not just to progress the story, but because I actually enjoyed it. Hope that helps.

[@slrdarien]

i would just replay this one over and over as a kid. It was like rewatching my favorite movie,

[@julienossola]

Despite I agree with you in most points, there is something about this its important to keep in mind. At that time, plots on videogames weren't similar to storytelling in"movies". Games started to incorporate narrative elements from movies not that long ago, and in 1994, they were thinking in a storyline that matches the concept of playing a game. Pacing in this time/style of media are defined by the way devs think in the past. The whole game is kinda like a play. The ending have all characters, each one, stand up in the center of the screen and speak their develoments outloud! This is totally like a theater play. He nature of the villain, cartunesque ish and totally (and only) evil, etc. The opera scene, for me, is like when the game tells you a feeling similar to what you were expected to feel, maybe watching a interactive play.

[@seanwilliams9529]

Your criticism of the opera scene seems unmerited, you complain because other people have praised it so much. It truly is amazing what Square was able to do with a SNES game.

[@SNESdrunk]

3:56 I explained in the video exactly why I didn't like the opera scene.

[@solblackguy]

SNES drunk is right. There's literally no emotional connection to that scene.

[@FTRnRhome]

Pfft yeah when I played through recently I really enjoyed this part of the game and loved the music and comedic moments but when the scene finished I scratched my head wondering where the emotion was. From everyone's reaction on the Internet I thought there would have been some love interest involved with the famous opera scene. But nope, just a fun side story on a wonderful adventure to an incredible classic snes rpg.

[@brandonwilliams6119]

Y'all just wait until Square decides to remake FF6 like they are doing with 7 and re-create the Opera scene, flesh it out and make it more engaging. As of right now it always impresses me how Square was able to do what they did for the SNES at the time and all it took was 1 Cartridge, not 12 Disks!

[@stokesa3122]

Personally, I feel like it was kind of a redemption moment for Celes. She was essentially used by the empire and had, to this point in her life, never engaged in anything even remotely like that before. She's resistant at first, but she ultimately sees it as the best course of action. It's a humanizing moment for someone who was genetically engineered and mentally manipulated into serving evil. At least that's how I see it. I might be reading too much in to it.

[@holynarwhale8729]

My biggest problem with this game is that I find the second half to be dull and tedious. For one, it takes so much time to level up one character to be strong enough to go against Kefka's palace, let alone 13 others. And I wasn't able to find a lot of places to be able to do this without it being straight up slow, which meant grinding in this one cave for 15+ hours. I had a set party that I was going to fight Kefka with, only to discover I need more than four people, which really forces me to be a complitionist. I didn't even finish this game, and I'm not touching it again. I'm not saying it's bad, just it is too long for me.

[@JohnDWJ]

The Opera was a prelude to her troubled relationship with Locke and moreover her inner conflict about where her loyalties were. I got that then. If anything it's more impressive that it holds up after all this time. You lost me a bit toward the end there. There are very few perfect games (in my opinion). This is one of them.

[@halcyo]

John Joyner SNESDRUNK needs to read this comment again. Exactly!

[@zxKAOS1]

I first got to "preview" this game 3 months before everyone else because I visited a cousin in Taiwan who was already battling the final boss in the Japanese version. I was impressed. One thing that stood out to me was... every character had their own theme song. It was nice touch!

[@jimbones5621]

6 has always been my favorite FF. Characters, music, artwork, story... game has it all.

[@ryanpellegrini1023]

As a kid i was a square/enix homer, and i wont apologize for that. So winning me over isnt a hard task. But what propelled this game into top 3 for me all time was that key moment when you beat Kefka on the floating island. Part of you thinks you beat the game, another part says no way there has to be more. But never in my wildest imagination was i prepared for the world to be destroyed, only to have to re adventure through a whole new landscape. To that date of release i had never seen anything like that as a kid. Replaying that game now on my SNES mini brings back so many memories. Still to this date my top 3 RPGs are 1. FF3 2. Chrono trigger and 3. (wild card) Suikoden . With all the great new systems coming out it still havent found an RPG with the same enjoyment as the classics

[@XiongGou]

“I’m the darkness, you’re the starlight.” This phrase sums up the importance of the opera scene. It is a critical character development point for Celes and her relationship with Locke. Celes at many points in the game including one of the most pivotal gives up hope and has no sense of self worth. Multiple times in the game the idea that hope is lost, the world is destroyed what is left worth living for? In fact these are the questions Kefka poses to the party at the very end of the game. The opera explores this dynamic between Celes - the darkness and Locke- the Starlight who is always there to reassure and give hope to a character who struggles to find it. The game touches on some very deep, emotional ideas and concepts and I think that is why the game has always been one of my favorites. Despair, hope, loss and love. These themes are what truly makes the game amazing, much of that has to do with each character and their personal journey in finding something to live for.

[@Frejborg]

Dang man, I might shed a tear! :)

[@SuperSneakySteve]

You don't get it because you were in diapers back in 1994. To those who lived it know this is the panicle of a generation. A timeless classic.

[@RayOfTruth]

There's also the fact that Terra is the cutest Final Fantasy girl. Edit: It is actually the glasses catgirl at the start of Final Fantasy XIV but no one remembers her so Terra it is.

[@EHonda-ds6ve]

Aeris > all

[@Frejborg]

Yeah I do love Terra!

[@fredspofford]

@@EHonda-ds6ve For some reason I've never found Aeris remotely adorable, cute or anything like that.

[@Kinaldio]

The story is supposed to be a major selling point of an RPG. I didn't feel it was overindulgent or long-winded just for the sake of padding or exhibition. Look at any of the Final Fantasy games from VI on, hell, after this they started to need multiple disks because they were so damn long (I know, the FMV's were mostly to blame). I respect your opinion, I just don't quite understand your complaints.

[@Crapcarp555]

Well, some of the criticism is well warranted here. As much as I love FF6 (it's my favorite FF, screw the FF7 fanboys), I'll be the first to admit it's got a lot of faults. That said, some criticisms are not quite so warranted. First off is the opera scene. Celes was a general of the empire who decides to leave, or messes up, or something, it's not clear what she does that lands her in a cell, and honestly the ambiguity works for her character. This is because it's in the past, and it doesn't matter to her anymore. What does matter is her new life and Locke. That song was essentially her love letter to him. Before, she had no hope, she didn't want to be rescued as she protested Locke rescuing her at first. But he did it anyway and she decided to begin a new life, to set herself apart from what she was literally bred to do. She was more than a dog of war, she could sing if she wanted to, or do anything with her life really, and Locke showed her that (why do you think she referred to herself as the darkness and him the stars in the song?). So the opera scene is very beautiful and not just self-indulgent and certainly not to show off. Cyan's backstory ain't over-the-top. People lose their loved ones in war all the time, and the phantom train bit afterwards was done well. It was silent and a rather plain goodbye, which is actually quite brilliant when you think about it. There was no melancholic tune playing or anything, no poetry or any other type of special words exchanged (things like a reference or an ironic saying, like "Ditto" in Ghost), it was a simple farewell and nothing more. This actually hits the tragedy home. Their deaths were sudden and meaningless, just a few more souls in the growing death pile. There would be no funeral, and he didn't have any real time to mourn them because of the conflict at hand. All he got was a simple goodbye, and that's quite sad when it sinks in. You did not just piss on General Leo... Okay bud, what you call a mere show-off is actually one of the greatest moments in gaming. I mean, far greater than Aeris's death in FF7. Here's why: The major theme in FF6 is individuality. Through Kefka, we see the empire as evil and corrupted, that nothing good can come of it. Then there's General Leo. He's honorable, cares for even the lowliest of grunts, and genuinely wants what's best for everyone. And he's not just some grunt or anything, he's a big dog, a mover and shaker. Hell, he outranks Kefka. So he drives home the theme of individuality by going against the standard of the empire being evil. Then he gets stabbed in the back, both figuratively and literally by Kefka. And that's just when you think the empire has changed for the better, slamming you hard in the gut. So yeah, while some of your criticisms are valid, some clearly aren't. One of 'em's downright insulting as well. Not cool, bro.

[@SNESdrunk]

+Epicarp RE: opera scene. A lot of people have made similar points, but nobody has offered specific examples of anything actually said or done in the scene that implies this. Just a lot of vague hindsight. I've only read a lot of people superimpose what they WANT it to mean. Also, I would recommend not taking it personally that some nobody on the internet doesn't like certain aspects of your favorite game. Life goes on.

[@FinalBaton]

Epicarp Dude that comment was awesome. I also love how the ghost train is a somber farewell, and follow up on Cyan. You know what I hate in rpg? When someone goes trough an incredibly traumatic event but it's never ever mentioned again in the game. Here we get a recall/follow up that's nuanced in tone, and that's welcomed.

[@Froge0]

This is probably one of the worst videos I've seen from you, but this is 6 years old. You've definitely improved a lot! You're a lot more nuanced these days.

[@Symphony85p]

BEST RPG EVERMADE PERIOD.

[@unmemorablehero]

mana beast eh....best ff game sure....but there is better...

[@leob4403]

dammit dan Chrono Trigger is far better

[@paperluigis2m371]

Leo B In the gameplay department perhaps, but not in music, story, characters, or scope. Chrono Trigger has better gameplay with it's super unique and innovative battle system, but Final Fantasy is a game programmed to make players emotionally invested. You always cared about most of the characters, because they were developed so dang well. Also, the soundtrack, in my opinion, is unparalleled by any other game. Chrono Triggers OST isn't even in the same league.

[@leob4403]

Paper Luigi Chrono Trigger is better in every department, the only one where FF6 comes close is the music, the gameplay in FF6 is simply dated

[@paperluigis2m371]

Leo B I agree with you on the gameplay, but I think FF6 definitely has a better soundtrack and story. But hey, it's your opinion and it's fine. I completely understand why many love Chrono Trigger. I do too.

[@Yamstarch]

Still the best FF. No questions or arguments. FF Hierarchy = VI > IX > IV > everything else

[@b1ackwa1tz2]

Opera side note: I believe they got the story of FFXV from the Opera scene.

[@jb111082]

I disagree. The FF6 opera scene was good. FFXV just sucked.

[@alessandromelito565]

@@jb111082 Well that doesn't mean anything. Pixel sucked but the short episode of futurama with living videogames attacking earth was good. A scene who was supposed to last 10 minutes expanded in a story often sucks.

[@PaulGaither]

FF6 is campy in all the right ways. The art, music, story and game play blew 10 year old me away, and nostalgia keeps me loving this game into my mid thirties as an all-time great. It is so cliche in ways that are not tired and cheesy. It has aged quite well and my fiance, who has only begun getting into RPGs over the last two years has loved every minute of it on our SNES mini.

[@getblunted4life]

I disagree with your opera critique. It's the fact that we see this person, who is far more of a soldier than anything else, get a moment to realize that there is more to her than being a soldier. I think you ultimately missed the point.

[@SNESdrunk]

getblunted4life Just my opinion but I don't think the game gets that across at all. I don't remember any dialog suggesting that.

[@ubernerrd]

It's called foreshadowing. The game shouldn't have to spoon feed you the idea that the Opera is an allegory for Celes' life.

[@SignOfTheTimes008]

I didn't feel it was foreshadowing her life either, but the scene was okay.

[@RetroBirdGaming]

I love your channel to death but come on dude. You just flat out missed the point. I think the insight provided by the comments section on this video might make your next play-through more enjoyable.

[@davemarx7856]

..."Ultima"-tely 😀 😀

[@Gusmed007]

I see where he’s coming from, but FF VI was the first time I experienced an epic story where you had a dozen+ smaller, but immensely emotional stories spread across a cast of characters that actually made you care deeply about each and every one of them. After that, when I played the loyalty missions of Mass Effect 2... or watch flashbacks for the characters in Lost or other tv shows... it always strikes a chord with me that makes me emotional remembering the once-in-a-lifetime story that Final Fantasy VI was for me. Not to mention one of the best plot twists in gaming.

[@leonreynolds77]

This is one of the truely great games. I love this game so much.

[@hapwn]

Fair enough. But lets not forget that this is one of the most memorable rpg's out there! So good infact.. after 2 decades, I'm still Fn excited to play this game!

[@calimangrower1590]

one of my favorites growing up wish i could go back🙁

[@Khardankov]

Others here have done a great job explaining why the opera scene is great. I didn't quite have tears in my eyes, but it was one of many times in this game where the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I do wonder - when was it that you first played this? Did you feel this way about the story when you first played? Because I can tell you that when I first played this game - after begging my dad to get it for me for Christmas for the months that passed from the second I started seeing the ads on TV (he kept calling it "Magic Mountain 19" to stir me up, which worked brilliantly - onya, dad) - I was hanging on every plot turn, every character's story, and not for a moment did I feel like any of it was gratuitous for the sake of it. As you note, it was an epic story across a huge world - two, actually - at a time when that had never been done (or at least not well.) Don't judge it by 2023, even though I think it holds up brilliantly. Judge it by 1994, and it is one of the greatest video games ever made. Top 10 on the SNES? That's like saying "Final Fantasy 7 was one of the top 50 games of 1997". You're selling this masterpiece short. One thing that blew my mind - I moved back to the country I was born, Australia, in 2009, and discovered that *FINAL FANTASY III NEVER CAME OUT HERE.* These poor fucking kids.

[@Huddy40]

Love the channel, but think you missed the boat on this one. Disagree with you a lot about this review especially the Opera scene. To each their own though, but as a person that considers story to be the most important part of a great game I really love FF 6. Think we just need to make sure that we don't confuse subjective things with objective things.

[@BigCowProductions]

This.

[@IrelandVonVicious]

I never got this big moment from the opera. The twins sacrificing themselves in the U.S. version of FF2 was that big moment.

[@Daxcheese555]

I find there's a very strong correlation between people who find Chrono Trigger (one of the)the best games ever made and those who find FFVI overrated or flawed. And sure enough when I check out your Chrono Trigger review its a beaming review :) I think theres a very good reason for this as well, apart from simple rivalry(either two of those games are considered the best RPG ever). Chrono Trigger is a very whimsical, gameplay-driven game with cardboard characters (apart from Frog and Magus) and a limited storyline. FFVI is highly story-driven with interesting characters while still maintaining a very open-ended gaming experience(second half is entirely optional). Naturally there would be a divide between those who favour a bit more substance in their RPG's story and those who wanna get the next cool attack or weapon/armour. So whereas a player like yourself would find Cyan's backstory over the top, I'd find it adding depth(and its a hell load more mature than the soap-ish JRPGs of FFVII onwards). Where you find the Opera Scene and all the extra features as just gimmicky add-ons, to me it feels like it is striving to be more than just a diversion like Tetris or gameplay-based games. It really is videogaming approaching an artistic ideal while still remaining true to the essence of what it is to be an interactive game and not just one cutscene after another.

[@randomrandom450]

+Daxcheese555 Chrono Trigger and FF6 has always been the 2 games that fought each others for my "best game of all times". I think FF6 is perfect and I think Chrono Trigger is perfect for different reasons.

[@wschippr1]

+moonorc Ya both games are among my favourites. I don't have a single favourite though and I can't see how people can pick just one.

[@Red88Rex]

+Daxcheese555 Well said.

[@IrelandVonVicious]

I disagree with almost every game this guy talks on. Not a Chrono Trigger fan. I like games with lots of spawns and grinding being a must. Prefer breath of fire one over the rest of the series and by number three I hated it. Final fantasy three was the best of the snes games made. Total polar opposites can barely stand listening to him. Dragon warrior 4 by far my favorite game of all time. Opera scene in FF3 was great.

[@nicomaturana497]

I tend to like heavy story-driven games, but I musy say I still find Chrono Trigger to be the best RPG of its time. It certainly doesn't have a storyline as convoluted as FFVI, but the way the plot develops is masterfully done. Whenever I play FFVI, and a lot of the FF games, I get the weird feeling that the story is being made on the spot, even though it obviously isn't. By the time I get to the end, everything has little to do with the begining, there's no spinal cord to tie everything together, and if there is one, it's a 10m reticulated python, with tons of unnecessary turns and you can't see the head until you are reaching the end. With Chrono Trigger I get a different feeling, even though the story takes some turns, there's a strong theme that holds everything together, which you can see from very early on. The game isn't as much about what's going to happen, but rather how's going to happen, and the amazing journey that comes with it. It's like the difference between The Lord of the Rings and A Song of Ice and Fire: While LOTR is a relatively simple, linear story, ASOIAF is convoluted, full of twists and betrayals, not to mention characters with a lot more depth. And yet Lord of the Rings is still the golden standard for epic fantasy, even though we all knew from the begining how it would end, even with its binary good versus evil conflict, because, much like Chrono Trigger, it's a masterfully told story about friendship and heroism. It doesn't surprise me that some people like FFVI better, as it's still an amazing game and has a different, darker vibe to it. But to imply that FFVI story is simply better is going too far. While there is value in the extra depth in both storyline and characters, that's not all there is to storytelling. A simple story can be just as good, and move you just as deeply as long as it's beautifuly told.

[@redjakOfficial]

I think most people have found memories of the opera scene mostly because of the music, but not only : It happens at a moment of the game that really picks up narration wise, where a lot of crazy stuff happens at the same time, and in the middle of that, a character we only knew as cold and introverted is forced to perform a beautifully composed aria in a 15min long mini opera. I get why some can get a teary eye there. I would argue that the number of characters, their background, and how they all evolve, helped to build a detailed, complex, and believable world with its politcs, mythology, and crepuscular atmosphere. It never fell flat or felt like padding to me (except the usual level grind). It makes you care about the world before tearing it down before you, and then makes you fight for what remains. The emotional charge of the score and art direction, the depth of the characters and villains personalities and subsories, the originality of the power and ability system, the steampunk setup : All that had never been seen or heard in a videogame before. It's the first game that made me see videogames as an art. It managed to make me really care about the people in it, their stories, outcomes and the world they live in, and yes, I cried, too. Even if it wasn't at the opera scene.

[@Cyzure]

It takes a massive amount of suspension of disbelief to think some random girl off the street can not only memorize a 15-minute aria in the matter of a day but to perform it at the level of a professional opera singer, it's just not happening in any universe

[@redjakOfficial]

@@Cyzure I've suspended way worse. Plus she's from a rich imperial background, who told you she isn't musically trained or has never sang before ?

[@TheDrewjameson]

Celes' opera lines are deepened by her burgeoning relationship with Locke.

[@blahuhm6782]

and her attempt at suicide on the cliff, which is presented in a the same way with the same music... if it wasn't deep enough before... ffs that takes the cake over aerith dieing, especially if you ever felt suicidal yourself...

[@ReMeDy_TV]

@@blahuhm6782 As a kid when FF3/FF6 first released, I never realized that connection. That's a great point and makes me want to replay the game now that I'm an adult to see what else I may have missed.

[@buttonman1831]

The soundtrack is what adds the emotional punch to many of the Final fantasy games.

[@cj694x2]

Coming up next: "The Statue of David: What Michaelangelo Could Have Done Better" followed by: "The Wheel: An Analysis of a Practical, but Flawed Design"

[@moisescorral8297]

cj694x2 This

[@wildwest1832]

I think text allows telling a much deeper and richer story and better interaction/more complex systems then any voiced game IMO. Even the best voiced game just loses depth. Its one of those things lost to time. it has benefits (more immersive) but its not just flat out better.

[@Ajaxxx]

I also disagree about the multiple characters just being there. The end scene was pretty awesome when it asks you to split up your team into 3 separate groups. I realized at that point I should've built up all my characters, not just my fav ones. It put an interesting spin on things and I hadn't seen a video game ever do that.

[@schwindsichtigaderechte5293]

IMO, you're looking at the significance of the opera scene in a too superficial way. First off, it's an important moment for Celes, as it is the first time in her life that she's working on something that isn't associated to war. And second, it's an important moment for the relationship between her and Locke, as Locke sees this different side of her for the first time too. That's why the love song has significance to the story. It's a subtle hint to a life Celes could have had and also a not so subtle nod to the beginnings of a romance between her and Locke. As for the length and the many characters, I get why some people don't get into that, some people just don't have the attention span. To me, that was what made this game so grand, especially because the people in your party didn't feel like Superheroes, they felt like people. Even in today's games, where you often have bigger open worlds, nothing ever felt so much like an actual world to me. As for the story, it's actually pin-point focused, the characters are always trying to stop the empire, i. e. to stop Kefka. But since the empire is a dynamic enemy with many different angles, the party often has to improvise or backtrack and try another way. That's what real life is like, you don't just accomplish one thing after the other until you die. The story of FFVI allows you to experience dead ends, desperate moves and even failure, but - and that's the important thing - you still push forward because after everything you've been through, you're still alive. Therefore, I think FFVI is the best FF in the entire series to date.

[@Skablergen]

I absolutely loved this game the first time I played it, but I haven't finished it again since. Something about it just doesn't grab me a second time.

[@mateobonavento3939]

I thought I was the only one who felt that way! I tried to play it again four or five times, but I didn't feel as inspired as in my several replays of FFIV and FFV (which I played after FFVI) and stopped playing. A real shame because I love the characters and this is one of the games I used to learn English but I can't help getting bored with it.

[@Peter_1986]

+Liam Monteith Try a "Fewest Steps Challenge", where you try to finish the game with the lowest possible Steps count. That's a pretty fun challenge, actually.

[@Nitroxity]

Personally this is me with most RPGs. Generally, the longer a game is, the longer it'll be until I come back for a second playthrough. Not shaming long games at all here, especially if they're genuinely long without any added fluff, it's just how I tend to operate with all types of media (aka you'll see me re-watch a movie much more than I would re-watch a show, unless it's something extremely important to me).

[@wagesofsinn3881]

The reason that the opera was touching was because of what the opera is about. Not the events leading up to the opera, or what the other characters are doing aside from the opera, but the opera itself. Yes, Celes is filling a roll, but so is every stage actor... ever. The opera is about a woman who is left waiting for her lover who was sent to fight this war. The war is lost and her castle is taken so he's being forced to wed the new ruler, but she never stops pining for her lover to return to her. That's what this entire song is about. She knows that she has to marry this invading king, but still loves the man that left for war. It's very heart felt and I'm surprised that you didn't get that at all.

[@davecam4863]

This is on my list of best games of all time.

[@amorasaki]

Good video. Hit the nail on the head about the slightly overbearing number of plot arcs going on all the time.