Completion time: 47:00:00

Final Fantasy VI is a game that means a lot to me in many ways. I’ve beaten the game more times than any other RPG, with Suikoden perhaps a close second. It was perhaps the second RPG I can clearly remember playing, with the first being the NES original. The characters have always meant a lot to me. The music is still a top three greatest OST of all-time for gaming. The battle system is immaculate, with a handful of ways to exploit thing, whether it’s bugs or legitimate methods. Out of all the times I’ve beaten FFVI, I’ve only completed the PS1 and GBA versions once each. While the GBA version was fine and all, the soundtrack changes were too drastic for my tastes. The PS1 version however? Painful.

The problem is the overabundance of load times. When you encounter an enemy on the SNES version, you usually are able to play the battle maybe 2-4 seconds after you first initiated it. Exiting a fight took even less time to reach the movement phase. On the PS1 though, there’s an initial and elongated triggering of battle, which takes 5+ seconds before you even get whisked away to the actual battle its self. The nature of FFVI is fighting battle after battle, especially if you are Lore or Rage farming in the Veldt; you’re consistently enter and exiting battles. For this version, the load times add up, and they extend the playthrough considerably. Is this a tipping point? It isn’t, however it’s extremely obnoxious to deal with, although I got used to it for the most part. There’s also a lot more slowdown in general. My personal favorites is watching Meteor go off. Its sound effect completes even before half the spell animation has taken place.

Beyond the aforementioned, it’s still one of the greatest video games ever created – it’s just a garbage port. Even still, it’s worth playing if it’s the only way you can get access to this amazing game, for whatever bizarre reason. From its memorable soundtrack, to its charming cast of characters, Final Fantasy VI is a top three JRPG of all-time for me, with only Suikoden superseding it, and Yakuza Like A Dragon following it. Even if JRPG’s are not your jam, there’s something endearing and lovable about FFVI. Unlike the FF to follow, it’s not a divisive game, and is one that will forever stand the test of time. If this didn’t have the loading and slowdown issues, this would be an easy 10, but nevertheless, garbage port of one of my all-time favorite games is my favorite game thus far of this project. If you want to see me gush over this masterpiece, here’s a bit I wrote where I call it my 5th all-time favorite game.

Rating: 9

Twitch VOD:
Part 1/6: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/982333499
Part 2/6: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/983595072
Part 3/6: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/987053777
Part 4/6: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/988230456
Part 5/6: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/989397944
Part 6/6: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/991896968

YouTube video: