Everything Is Final Fantasy

We dive into the complicated legacy of Barrett Wallace and begin to talk representation in FFVII. We also start to think about the consequences of the ecoterrorism and meet Tifa who hints at Cloud's past. 

We begin our conversation on Final Fantasy VII. Before we can get into the game, we have to take a look at everything surrounding it and set the stage for why this is one of the most-discussed video games of all time. Then, we have just enough time to break down its iconic intro.

We conclude our conversation on what Final Fantasy VI has to say about fascism, bigotry, oppression, and community responsibility before examining its wonderful cast of characters and personal questions one last time.

Drew tries to make the argument that with FFVI, Nobuo Uematsu crafted the greatest soundtrack of all time... in any medium.

Final Fantasy VI does so much of its world building through its music. On this episode we discuss the places, battle, and event music that comprise one of the greatest soundtracks in any medium ever.

We discuss the art and gameplay of FFVI with a specific focus on the role and history of Steampunk. Plus, we spend a lot more time opining on how best to remake this classic.  

We discuss the conclusion of Final Fantasy VI. How well does it work from a storytelling standpoint? Which character conclusions are perfect and which less so? And what can we learn with our final encounter with Kefka, God of Nihilism?  

On this episode, Gau faces rejection, Cyan faces his own demons, literally and figuratively, the team faces down a sasquatch, and Terra once again faces a moment of truth.

It's an emotional episode as Celes surprises us with a rare act of self-doubt before picking up the pieces and scouring the world for the Returners. We meet back up with Sabin and Edgar and learn about the history of Setzer and Daryl.

We dive into the climactic moment of Final Fantasy VI's second act as our heroes are face off against Kefka on the Floating Continent. 

Ira and Drew continue down the path of the Final Fantasy VI narrative. We learn about the history of the Esper world and get Terra's origin story. We discover the Sealed Gate and are forced to consider an uneasy peace with the empire.  

The Returners infiltrate the Empire and the capitol city of Vector. They learn about the pasts of Kefka and General Leo, behold some overt fascist symbolism, and bear witness to the horrors of the Magitek Research Facility.  

We discuss the Opera of Final Fantasy VI, how it helps to reinforce the themes of the overarching story, and why the music and moment have endured to this day.

We meet one of the greatest characters in franchise history, Celes Chere, and get introduced to a new element of Terra. Our heroes learn about a fateful coin flip and a long-lost love, and what an ancient war has to do with saving their friend.  

We follow Sabin down his path to reuniting with Shadow, meeting Cyan and eventually Gau, and traversing through Doma, the phantom forest and a ghost train; one of the best story arcs in Final Fantasy history.   

We are introduced to Edgar Roni Figaro, King of Figaro and relentless womanizer. We critique his character and debate his thematic purpose as Terra continues to search for herself while everyone races to use her as a weapon.

We begin Final Fantasy VI. This is the game that began our love of the series and it is nearly perfect in our eyes. Meet Terra, Locke, some moogles, and a truly magical steampunk world!

Ira and Drew wrap up their conversation on Chrono Trigger with a look at the biggest ideas and questions it presents. How gray can morality get on a long enough timeline? How fragile is civilization? And how great of a piece of art is Chrono Trigger especially when compared to the best of its genre and medium?

Ira and Drew discuss the event, battle, and scene music from Chrono Trigger. We take a listen to some of the most beloved video game pieces ever composed and try to offer some overall analysis of the entire soundtrack and its place among the greats.

Chrono Trigger has one of the best soundtracks of all time regardless of medium. We begin by listening to some CLASSIC character themes for Crono, Frog, Ayla, Magus, Robo, Schala and more. How do these themes add to the story and lore and why have they persevered through the years?

From the world-renowned stylings of Akira Toriyama to the still-engaging battle system and the innovative New Game Plus, we get into some of the most enduring elements of an all-time classic.  

Ira and Drew conclude the plot of Chrono Trigger. We learn of the tragedy of Schala and the surprising fate of Crono. Smaller side stories emerge as their own fascinating fables. And the final confrontation with Lavos brings a satisfying conclusion to the story while plenty of questions remain.  

We meet classic and beloved characters in Robo and Ayla, ponder what we can derive from the distant future and ancient past, learn about the Masamune, and discover the truth behind the man named Magus and his desire to summon the destroyer of the world, Lavos.

Chrono Trigger is quite simply one of the greatest games ever made. We begin our journey with this timeless classic, meet Crono, Lucca, and Marle and see right away why those who made CT are called the Dream Team.

Ira and Drew discuss the music of Final Fantasy V. Featuring a few standout classics from Dear Friends to Home Sweet Home to Battle on the Big Bridge, and some timeless melodies found in Music Box, Lenna's Theme, and Tenderness in the Air, is this one of Nobuo Uematsu's greatest achievements?