Final Fantasy 6/VI - Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy VI (6) (distributed as FF3 in North America) was the sixth game of the flagship Final Fantasy series, released in 1994 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and produced by Square (Later to become Square Enix). It was the first game of the series to be produced without series creator of the previous titles, (Final Fantasy I to Final Fantasy V) Hironobu Sakaguchi acting as a director. The role was taken on instead by Yoshinori Kitase and Hiroyuki Ito. It was later released on various platforms including iOS, Android, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance and Microsoft Windows, with subsequent versions including additional content and altered graphics.
Final Fantasy VI Plot
The story of Final Fantasy VI focuses on the struggle between The Gestahlian Empire, who wish to conquer the world, and The Returners, a rebel faction that opposes them. The game takes place in a steampunk-type fantasy world, where motifs such as opera and fine arts, and 19th century industrial imagery are common. The Empire has acquired great power through experimentation on captured espers, magical creatures of legend. The Returners seek magical power to match the Empire’s capabilities. Terra Branford proves essential for both sides to understand magic and espers, and an epic struggle ensues with her party, with the fate of the world in the balance.
Gameplay
Final Fantasy VI utilizes the combat system introduced in Final Fantasy IV, called the “Action Time Battle” system in which an action bar replenishes according to a speed statistic. When a character's action bar is filled, a player may carry out another action. This battle system would go on to be used in many subsequent games. The game also uses the traditional job system, whereby characters have jobs that can’t be changed, each having unique weaknesses and strengths.
Battles are randomly initiated during play. In battle, different commands require different intervals to execute. One may defend, flee (one character at a time), choose to fight, use magic, or use an item. This continues until all the monsters are defeated or flee, giving experience points, AP, Gil, and sometimes items. If defeated, you revert to your most recent save.
Play Modes
Final Fantasy VI has four modes of play: town and dungeon field maps, an overworld map, a battle screen, and a menu screen. The player directs characters throughout the world where enemies are randomly encountered and bosses defeated. Travel is achieved through aircraft, chocobo, or by foot.
From the menu screen a player can decide which characters will travel in the party, view/change equipment, view/change relics, the magic they learn, and settings of gameplay. The menu screen can also be used to track experience points and levels.
The story unfolds as the player traverses towns, dungeons, and various landscapes. Town people offer advice with some host equipment or items shops. Certain towns have sidequests. In dungeons, treasure chests can be looted containing rare items unavailable in most stores.
Characters
- Terra Branford- A girl raised and trained to be a powerful weapon for the Empire. (Tina in the Japanese version).
- Locke Cole- A "treasure hunter" who sympathizes with the rebels.
- Edgar Roni Figaro- Locke’s companion and the King of Figaro. He pledges loyalty to the Empire while covertly aiding the Returners.
- Sabin Rene Figaro- A brother of Edgar who fled the royal court to train in martial arts.
- Relm Arrowny- A girl that lives in Thamasa and loves painting.
- Strago Magus- An elder Blue Mage and Relm's adoptive grandfather. He is one of the last Magi.
- Mog- A moogle from the Narshe Mines.
- Umaro- A wild yeti living in the Narshe Mines who is only loyal to Mog.
- Gogo- A mysterious, fully shrouded master of the art of mimicry who agrees to lend support only when the party finds its way to the lair in the stomach of a giant monster.
- Cyan Garamonde- A knight of the kingdom of Doma.
- Shadow- A ninja mercenary that offers his services to the Returners and the Empire.
- Gau- A feral child that lived since infancy in the harsh environment of the Veldt.
- Celes Chere- A Magitek Knight and former general of the Empire that joins the Returners after being imprisoned for questioning imperial policies.
- Setzer Gabbiani- The inveterate gambler and womanizer who joins the Returners offering the use of his airship to transport the heroes around the world.
Development
Development of Final fantasy VI game began after the release of the fifth game and took roughly one year to complete. Due to a promotion to vice president of the company and other projects, Hironobu Sakaguchi could not be as heavily involved in production as he was in the preceding games. According to Yoshinori Kitase, the game was unprecedented in the way that many characters simultaneously took on “lead” roles, and maintaining and equilibrium between all of their histories and stories proved challenging.
Links
Square Enix Official
Director Kitase - FF6 Took 1 Year to Complete