I love RPGS. And I love RPGs because of one single franchise – Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy was my RPG gateway drug of choice, leading me to other classic RPGs like Chrono Trigger, Secrets of Evermore, Secrets of Mana, the Lunar series, and onto more present day ones like Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and the Knights of the Old Republic games. So imagine my surprise when Final Fantasy VI found its way into my review pile, because though I know it better as Final Fantasy III from the SNES, the same thing remains the same – it is still to me the best RPG of all time.

THE STORY SO FAR
The reason why Final Fantasy VI to me is the best RPG of all time is because of this right here – story. Of course, this is about where Final Fantasy became known for its wonderful, detailed characters, so it is no surprise one of their first character centric tales goes came out swinging. You've got Terra (a half human/half Esper girl), Locke (a thief), Sabin and Edgar (two twin brothers), Celes (a defunct Empire general), Cyan (a loyal knight), Shadow (a mysterious ninja), Setzer (the gambler), and that is but only a few of the characters who will join your party, because you've also got a moogle and sasquatch to join your team – just to name a few.

The thing about the characters is that though they start off as nothing more than cardboard cutouts (as all characters start whenever first introduced in a game, book, movie, whatever) by the end these are some of the most real people and will feel as if they are personal friends of yours or family members. You'll care about these people. When characters get separated and you have to choose whose story you want to follow first (the first time and really only time I can remember this mechanic being used) you'll feel bad that you can't follow them all at once and must choose. You'll get misty eyed hearing the opera in the game. And dang it, you'll fish and fish your little heart out to save that one character late in the game!

The main story is the usual group gathers together to save the world, but the plight of Terra as she learns about who she is and tries to stay sane in a world where everyone is wanting to use her for their own benefit, is quite moving and touching. The other big thing the game has going for it is Kefka – the villain of the game – who is as evil as could be, and goes down easily in my books as one of the best RPG villains of all-time, only getting some competition perhaps from Sephiroth. Kefka is pure evil from beginning to end, seeming at times thanks to his appearance as some mad clown, but he is really one of the top generals of the Empire. You will loathe Kefka, but that just means he is doing such a great job as the villain.

Yes, it is a long adventure, but you won't be bored at all, because you'll be so involved with the characters and stories that you'll regret you can't stay with these characters longer, and when your GBA or DS Lite dies because it ran out of power, you'll curse the battery gods you must wait until it is charged again to resume your journey.

GAMEPLAY
Final Fantasy VI is your typical RPG in regards to gameplay, as you'll walk around, experience the story, fight enemies, level up, take on bosses, and then move on through and continue the next segment in exactly the same way. However, there are some things done differently.

For instance, and I've already mentioned this, but usually in a RPG you amass your army of characters and they always stay with you, with you being able to switch them out to level them all equally or stick to your favorites. With Final Fantasy VI though many times you won't have all your party members at one time, as there are quite a few instances where characters will get separated from each other, and it will only be later, after you've played through everyone's scenarios, that you'll finally get the band back together again.

Another thing the game has going for it is Sabin's blitz techniques, which aren't that "ooh" and "aah" worthy now, but they were something back then. Basically, to use Sabin's blitz techniques, you have to input a command, much like a fighting game. To use Sabin's first blitz, for example, you select blitz, input the command, and then attack; the more powerful moves take harder commands, so there is a risk/reward system there, because if you pull it off, yeah for you, but if you fail you just wasted a move and you didn’t get to attack at all.

GRAPHICS
Since the game original appeared on the SNES, of course it is going to have that old nostalgia feel to it. If you are expecting graphics to blow you out of the water and knock the shoes off your feet, then this isn't the game. However, it still looks remarkably good for what it is, as there are some beautiful character creations, some epic moments rendered well in pixelation, and some simply monstrous looking bosses. It isn't pushing the boundaries of the GBA/DS Lite (depending on what you are playing it on) but it renders things just like I remember them from back in the day.

SOUND
Beyond story, Final Fantasy is perhaps best known for its music, which is in full effect here as well. You've got your traditional battle songs and win theme song, but the songs during the more reflective moments, such as when the emotions of the characters are running wild and you're really engaged in the moment, the songs are sometimes heartbreakingly beautiful. And one of the most popular Final Fantasy moments of all-time – the opera – is still so emotional and lovely (though it has been altered slightly) that you'll want to relive the moment for days and days.

IN CONCLUSION
I love Final Fantasy VI. Not only is it in my mind the best RPG of all time, but it is one of the best games of all time – period. If you are a Final Fantasy fan or RPG fan in general and you've never experience the joy of this game, then you owe it to yourself to buy this game immediately.

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