The Narrative Genius of Final Fantasy VI | Writing a JRPG

In this episode we make a case study of the narrative design of Final Fantasy VI, and the distinctions of story-telling in game design such as structure, pace, character arcs and how these can work harmoniously with game mechanics to deliver an elevated player experience.
Related game discourses in this series:
Top 3 Final Fantasy introductions - • TOP 3 Final Fantasy In...
Top 5 Final Fantasy villains - • TOP 5 Final Fantasy Vi...
Are Old Final Fantasy games worth playing - • Are Old Final Fantasy ...
The legacy of Final Fantasy music - • The Music of Final Fan...
What is Final Fantasy - • What is Final Fantasy?...
Final Fantasy VI Retrospective Review - • Final Fantasy VI Retro...
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In this Final Fantasy VI Retrospective Analysis we consider:
- Game design and story writing for the JRPG
- Who's the hero? Writing an ensemble cast story and how this succeeds structurally in Final Fantasy VI
- How FFVI themes are delivered through story and gameplay
- The role of Kefka Palazzo as villain and prominent character throughout
- The differences between Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI
- The legacy of Final Fantasy VI and its influence on Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 8 and future JRPGs in the series
Thanks for watching these Game Discourses on Alleyway Jack
#FinalFantasy #Summons #AlleywayJack

[@AlleywayJack]

Thanks for watching! Here's some other places you can find me: - Game Discourses: gamediscourses.com/ - Twitter: twitter.com/thealleywayjack - Instagram: instagram.com/thealleywayjack/ If you'd like to support the channel further: - Patreon: www.patreon.com/gamediscourses - Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/gamediscourses

[@tiagocosmos]

FFVI will always be my favorite of the SNES games. my overall favorite in the series is actually FFIX, but FFVI holds a special place in my heart.

[@davidsabillon5182]

X is the GOAT.

[@akiinmoonlight79]

FF6 will forever be a timeless masterpiece ❤

[@akiinmoonlight79]

@Duke E *overrated in your opinion

[@eyes2shatter559]

It's always a toss up for me between FF6 and FF9 for best (story) in the series.

[@Luca-bel]

Ahh, I wanna watch but, I’ve never played or beaten 6 ( I listen to the ost like crazy tho) and don’t want to spoil the game. Really need to get this off my backlog lol

[@pr00de]

Great points here. I wanted to add some ideas about Kefka, since I think he's a great villain -- just the right villain for this game too. A lot of fans ding this game for not having an elaborate backstory for Kefka (unlike Sephiroth) but he doesn't need one. To me, this game is about finding meaning in life and trying to hang onto that meaning as life does its utmost to destroy what means most to you. Kefka is the void -- 4 chan poster as apocalyptic demiurge. Nothing matters to him, and nothing ever will. The prospect of finding meaning through connection with others or love or whatever else is a joke to him. Does it matter what made him that way? If you tried to understand and empathize with him, he'd probably just call you gay. His nihilism isn't contingent on individual psychology or ubringing or anything like that. He doesn't feel that nothing matters because his father was mean to him. He feels that nothing matters because it doesn't. And who can't sometimes say he's right? Maybe nothing does really matter. I'd rather not live my life that way, though. 6 has always been my favorite, but as the world grows bleaker and bleaker this game has really kept me warm. Maybe we really are doomed, that no one is going to stop climate change and the worst thoughts that keep you awake at 3 in the morning are all going to come true. Then what?

[@AlleywayJack]

Good shout. Agree Kefka doesn't warrant backstory as he is more an embodiment of a worldview than anything else - the void is a good term! - I think viewed that way the distinction between him and the protagonists, and what the protagonists ultimately fight for - is that much clearer. I recall him stating something like that right near the end, that he doesn't get why they're fighting - quite a telling bit of dialogue

[@LockeNarshe]

A most cultured video title if I've ever seen one. Always going to be my favorite of all-time!

[@typho6279]

This game never quite hooked me, but I did enjoy letting Celes spam Kefka with 9999's with Master's Scroll

[@ghaleon1103]

Always great to see a new video about my favorite FF. I'm glad I found your channel. I'm gonna watch your FFVI retrospective after this. Liked, subscribed, commenting for the algorithm

[@AlleywayJack]

Thanks so much. I hope you enjoy the other FFVI review when you get around to it :)

[@supremeoverlorde2109]

Final Fantasy VI really does have some of the best storytelling in the series, I think. It's even more impressive when you consider the time as well as the technological limitations in the 90s. I'm typically a big sucker for villains with more complex motives and origins, like Sephiroth or Ardyn for example, but Kefka is still one of my favorite antagonists. He's entertaining to watch, but also terrifying, because there's simply no reasoning with him. He's so far removed from humanity that he doesn't care about anyone or anything, and just genuinely enjoys bringing suffering and death. And something about the way that's presented --- the sheer feeling of hopelessness and terror that his character and his actions evoke for both the heroes and the player --- works really well. In general I'm not as attached to the main cast of FFVI as a whole as I am to the casts some of the other games. But the stories of a few characters like Terra, Cyan, and Sabin and Edgar do stick out to me in particular.

[@AkaiAzul]

Something I'd like to point out about Kefka is his nihilism. To him, the universal joke is life bowing to power to live longer when its all meaningless when life eventually has to end. From the beginning to the end, we perpetually see this from.

[@Joshhow]

Final Fantasy VI is very special to me. It wasn't my first RPG ( that honor goes to Dragon Warrior aka Dragon Quest ) but it was the first story driven RPG that I played. It was the first RPG that made me care about its cast of characters. It was the first game where I wasn't fighting Kefka because that is what you had to do but instead fighting Kefka because I cared about that world and hated what he did to it. This was the game that I rented so often from the movie store that when they stopped renting them out I was given first dibs on buying it. I can't even properly convey exactly what this game means to me so I think I'll just end this comment with what I've already said as I can't find words to express the rest.

[@TurnOntheBrightLights.]

I wanna watch this, but I haven't played and completed FF6 yet; I'm afraid of spoilers. Heh :)

[@AlleywayJack]

There are spoilers in most things I discussed around FF6! But if you like the Final Fantasy games and particularly the ensemble titles like FF9 I'd really recommend giving FF6 a go :)

[@nairbdelrey1561]

FF6 out of all of them it deserves a Remake

[@Charlestouchdown]

Is that how you pronounce Gau's name? I always said "Gow" lol

[@LockeNarshe]

I've always said "Gow", too, like I was about to say, "Gah" and then I stepped on a leggo.

[@AlleywayJack]

I have a long history of pronouncing FF character names terribly until people point it out, so I'm going to assume you're right :)

[@Acerthorn]

Hello! Fellow small KZbinr here! Of your videos that I have watched so far, I honestly find your opinions of the Final Fantasy games to be the complete opposite of my own! Tell me: Would you be interested in doing a civilized livestream debate with me on these games, where we respectfully and civilly exchange our viewpoints and argue our cases for our viewpoints?

[@shattering2eyes368]

As a fan of both channels, I would greatly enjoy a collaborative effort of this kind, for what it's worth.

[@Acerthorn]

@@shattering2eyes368 Hear that, Allyeway Jack! Let's give our fans what they want!

[@AlleywayJack]

I haven't done any collabs before but it's an interesting idea, I'll definitely check out your work and keep it in mind after my current schedule of episodes.

[@Acerthorn]

@@AlleywayJack So how soon can I expect a response from you?

[@Acerthorn]

@@AlleywayJack If you want to see my work, here are my Final Fantasy Retrospectives: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqjIeZaqdr2keMk Meanwhile, here are my livestream debates, the kind which you would be engaging in: kzbin.info/aero/PLpL3n7W6QqgCHnNhZNadp-OC9Y53Ocn-7

[@evanwoodham6296]

I found the game's narrative to be surprisingly weak and unserious. Thw great moments, like the opera scene, were dampened by tentacle monster. Ff7 was leagues above in storytelling. This video is nice in showing the beginnings of how they started really pulling thematic storytelling together.

[@AlleywayJack]

It's funny you mention that and I did point it out discussing Ultros in my original review. Final Fantasy's always have comic relief whether it's the dancing girls of FF4, or Cloud wearing a dress in FF7, but FF6 introduced Ultros at some really dramatic segments e.g. Opera scene and Warring Triad scene, which really juxtapose with the severity of the moment... and I have found opinions split on that, some found it jarring and hated Ultros, others found it amusing. FF7 was great in how it balanced comic relief with a severe story - and things like seeing Hojo sunbathing on a beach, or Cloud dressing-up for Don Corneo's mansion was far removed from any of the 'serious' story elements like Cloud's arc, Sephiroth, Jenova etc - so yeah it was great!

[@evanwoodham6296]

@@AlleywayJack FF7, like firefly made camp non-essential to the story. I think that's what made it not detract. In contrast, the camp in FF6 is center stage.

[@pr00de]

FF7 is way more complicated than it needs to be. 6 is just the right length. Subsequent games became increasingly bloated.

[@evanwoodham6296]

@@pr00de IMO ff7 has great balance between depth and pacing. The first act has a thriller's pacing but still manages to slow it down for really complex dialogue scenes. The scenes in the lifestream are likewise a really nice counterpoint to the meteor plot.

[@pr00de]

@@evanwoodham6296 It's just bloated, imo. There are some nice moments, but it's just complication for its own sake.