Everything Is Final Fantasy

First, we have to give credit to the incredible talent that turned Yoshitaka Amano art into gorgeous pixels, Kazuko Shibuya. Then we dive into one of the best and most customizable JRPG systems in history.

We take a look at the character archetypes for Krile and ExDeath and defeat the odd villain in the final battle. The conversation then moves to the ultimate legacy of a game that is brimming with charm and has scores of fans but is still not considered (by consensus) among the best in the franchise.

We continue our conversation on Final Fantasy V. The ties to the rest of the franchise grow deeper and more interesting, the plot of ExDeath is revealed, and noble sacrifices are made including the death of a beloved main character.

We start on the plot, themes, and characters of Final Fantasy V. In a brighter story with a bit more humor, whimsy, and color, we are introduced to Bartz, Lenna, Galuf, and Faris and once again set out on a magical adventure to understand the power of the crystals and uncover a deeper plot at work.

We review the history, impact, and legacy of Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest. A lost game in the series, it has an awesome soundtrack but mostly did not hit with fans.

Ira and Drew rank their Top 10 Cids. Plus, what makes a great Cid? Why did the Final Fantasy creators decide that they needed this type of character? What does he represent? And must there be a Cid?

We review the impact and legacy of Final Fantasy IV as a piece of art. We examine the big themes and characters one last time then dive into it's social commentary, industry impact, craft, and discuss how it stacks up with other Final Fantasy games.

From the stellar battle music to the unmistakable Celtic influence, to enduring character themes and a first foray into electronic/industrial tones, this soundtrack from Nobuo Uematsu stands as a masterpiece 27 years after it's release. W/ excerpts from Celtic Moon.

The invention of the active time battle system is one of the more intriguing moments in franchise history while almost all of the FFIV character designs have stood the test of time. We embark on a space whale and journey through a world of watercolor and ephemeral melancholy.

Our heroes go to the moon, uncover an alien plot, discover deep family ties, and bring the world together in climactic triumph. The discussion turns to the merits of speculative fiction, the strength of the themes embodied by the characters and events of the story, and what the adventures of Cecil, Kain, Rosa and the gang can tell us about who we are.

Final Fantasy IV continues as our characters begin to make heroic sacrifices, none more heartbreaking than Palom & Porom. Plus Rydia becomes one of the best characters in franchise history. 

We begin Final Fantasy IV which introduces us to the twin moons, global themes, an expansive new Celtic-inspired world and soundtrack and loveable cast. We meet Rosa, Kain, Cid, and Rydia, and witness a great FF moment when Cecil, the dark knight, becomes a paladin. 

Ira and Drew explore the many remakes, compilations, spinoffs, and adaptations of the Final Fantasy series. There are some treasured greats in Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy Tactics... and some less celebrated games like All The Bravest. Has Final Fantasy XV set a disturbing trend or is it blazing the trail for an innovative new way to tell stories? Is the Compilation of FFVII a cynical cash gra...

Is there merit in using cynicism or is it inherently mutually exclusive to criticism? From a famous laughing scene to dramatic reactions each time the games shifted tone or aesthetic, we look at a myriad of ways in which "contempt prior to investigation" acted as a shield to experiencing excellence in the arts.

Another lost game in the franchise, we talk about the difficulties of a game that has no definition version but still had a massive impact on the franchise. Of course, we couldn't talk about this game without getting into the job system. Then we dive into some of Nobuo Uematsu's best individual compositions and look into the deeper meaning behind its social commentary.

We meet Desch, Doga, Unei, and face off against the almighty Xande. We come across Moogles for the first time and need more than a few airships to get to the end. Inside a bit of a jumbled experience thanks to differing versions, we find a heart-warming tale about the preciousness of mortality and an important balance between light and darkness.

Final Fantasy puts its unique spin on the ancient history of folktales about gods and monsters. Cross-cultural myths and legends inform the role of these deity-like creatures. From nothing more than fancy magic spells to integral characters in sweeping stories, Ifrit and Shiva, Ramuh and Titan, Bahamut and Carbunkle, Odin and Alexander shape the cosmology of Final Fantasy.

We talk about the various job/class systems of Final Fantasy with focus on FFIII, FFV, FF Tactics, FF Tactics Advance, FFXIII, and FFXIV.  

Nobuo Uematsu crafts a few more masterpieces, the art stagnates a bit, and Final Fantasy II introduces an incredibly interesting game play system... that the franchise never touched again.

FFII has some issues in hindsight but was still vitally important to the franchise for introducing staples like Chocobos and Cid and perhaps the most important one of all - the principle that each new game have a new world, story, and cast of characters. 

Drawing from Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Studio Ghibli and a few others, we talk about how the Empire vs. Rebels trope is used in Final Fantasy. The Dark Knight, the Super Weapon, the Turncoat, Industry vs. Nature, Pluralism vs. Individualism and the question of whether or not conquest alone makes an empire nefarious or if true evil lies in something else.

The brothers Creasman explain their preferences in evaluating art, looking at how this podcast will be different from retroactive reviews of video games. Then we apply that rubric to the first Final Fantasy.

We begin our ongoing celebrations of Nobuo Uematsu and Yoshitaka Amano as the art and music of Final Fantasy take us to entirely new worlds and introduce us to classic beloved characters. 

We conclude the OG Final Fantasy and dive into a philosophical debate about time loops and the nature of free will. 

The first Final Fantasy game sets the stage by introducing us to the crystals (orbs) Garland, Matoya, Chaos, and the Warriors of Light.