In terms of storytelling, the original Final Fantasy is a very basic (and relatively short) RPG. However, its no-nonsense adventuring still holds a certain charm. There are four heroes standing against the end of the world, with light versus dark, good versus evil.
Although that’s a problem, this incarnation of Square Enix’s beloved series is all about the journey: traveling across the world map, fighting through dungeons, and discovering yet another cosy little town. Even if you struggle to keep your attention here in 2023, it’s good for a relaxed, turn-your-brain-off-and-grin playthrough.
It’s also got basic combat, but that’s where many of the mainstay mechanics came from. As opposed to the trademark Active Time Battle (ATB) system, which appeared later, battles are actually turn-based, but your character’s class determines what commands you can use, from standard weapon attacks to magical spells.
It is true that character classes are an important part of Final Fantasy. Immediately after starting the game, you create your own four-man party with classes that you can assign. In the case that you’re looking to finish challenge runs, or something similar, you’ll have some fun team combinations. Final Fantasy has some decent replay value because of its straightforward structure — and because it’s only about 20 hours long.
This re-release features boosts (called “boosts”) for experience points and money (up to four times), which, when enabled, eliminate the need to grind. A breezy RPG just got even more breezy.
While Final Fantasy is so basic in its execution, it still remains a strong RPG with a strong sense of adventure.
Pros:
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Sense of adventure.
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Making a party.
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Perfect length, fast pace.
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The boosts are fantastic.
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Music for a classic.
Cons:
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A fictional story.
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Storytelling is lacking.
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Design of some dungeons.
My score for this game is 7 over 10.