Final Fantasy V (english translation) Review by: Astynax27 - 8/10
Final Fantasy V ReviewOverall:Final Fantasy is a series known for its innovation, memorable characters, enjoyable music, and over-use of amnesia as a
plot device – and Final Fantasy V for the SNES is no exception.The story takes place on your typical fantasy world (dragons, pirates, and pre-gun powder weaponry abound). The first character (can’t really call him the main) is a traveler with a basic but
existent back. This is an improvement (in my opinion) over the typical “four mysterious Light Warriors arrive in town one day.”He quickly meets up with the other characters in the game and they, in turn, try to solve the mystery of the meteors and the crystals. The game takes some unpredictable turns, remains relatively consistent throughout (i.e. no gaping plot holes), and has funny bad guys that make the work fun.
Graphics: The graphics are good. It’s an SNES game, so there’s not a lot of range to this sort of thing.The over-world map is easy to navigate, Monsters are well drawn, and character animations during battle are great (for back then).
Sound: One of the best things about all Final Fantasy games is the music. The music in FF V is enjoyable, tolerable for long hours of
grinding, and matched well with the mood/storyline.
Addictiveness: The answer to this depends not on the plot of the game itself, but on the job system. Jobs were first introduced in FF III,
and were then developed for FFV. Jobs allow players to tailor their warriors based on specific skills. This, in turn, makes for multiple ways to play the game and gives people a reason to grind. That having been said, many of these jobs are clearly inferior to other options, so whether or not the game is “addictive” depends on the player’s desire to try and build all job options. Unlike later games (i.e. FF VII) there are no side games.
Story: The story is very good! It has unpredictable turns, interesting side-stories, and it works to create a very likable world.
Granted… they need to stop using memory loss as an excuse. Due to my strong policy against spoilers, I don’t write a lot about game stories. I will say it’s a good story and it’s worth playing. I would say IV and VI are better, however.
Depth: There’s a lot to be found in the main story, but the game is lacking in side games, etc. If the job system is fully developed, then there is an option to do more – but again, this is a matter of interest vs. need.
Difficulty: This depends entirely on grinding and job utilization. If the player is willing to do the grinding required to gain power and skills, the game can be beaten with relative ease. If however, you simply wish to play through with minimal grinding, you'll have a difficult time.
Lastly: When the game starts, none of the characters have jobs. There is a “base” job. One of the most over-looked and powerful jobs in
the game. After other jobs are developed, the “base” option and the “mimic” job are best.
Graphics
9 Sound
9 Addictive
7 Depth
7 Story
9 Difficulty
6