I played the original on the NES mini. The best way I can describe it, it is like playing D&D with your friends for the first time. No one knows the rules so you ignore some mechanics, fudge the numbers in others(regular attacks deal way to much damage) and don't understand most spells. With that mindset it's a great time! My favorite out of the first three.
It's my favourite out of the whole series, so much so that when I ran my very first D&D campaign, I used FF1 as the setting! My players have forever changed my perception of the game with the story they've told through it.
Nice video! Btw spell slots in D&D was introduced in 3rd edition, 2000. When FF1 was made, the latest editions were Mentzer Basic and Advanced 1st ed, which don’t use spell slots. FF1’s spell slots were taken from Wizardry, which were then “taken back” by D&D full circle =))
7:15 Uematsu’s importance is legendary. Not just to final fantasy but to video games in general. His music can be felt in **every** game in some way, to date. Final Fantasy 1 proved to the world that a game can be more than just an arcade thing with a simple narrative. It was deep and sprawling. But it was silent. The music told you how to feel. It spoke for the series that resonated through decades to come. And as Uematsu reaches his twilight years- Soken seems to be the one who is going to take on his mantle. Uematsu has reached a level attained by few. Names who will be spoken hundreds of years from now like Mozart and a Beethoven and Bach. You could make an hours long video alone going over how important that man is to video game music let alone music in general and still only be able to cover a fraction of his work. That man deserves all the good that comes to him. He has made a soundtrack that I have had with me since I picked the series up in 98 when I was 10 with FFVII on the PSOne on Christmas Day.
As someone who's never been super passionate about this series with only a few exceptions (like Final Fantasy Tactics), it's interesting to see a series like this from the perspective of a more devoted fan. given your health issues i hope this isn't taking too much of a toll on you. Take care of yourself.
nice to see a non-LP video from you again. The wait was worth it. This is really the most in depth look at the game I really remember, with a lot of stuff I didn't even know or had forgotten about entirely. It's really obvious a lot of passion, work, and research went into it. Fantastic.
The algorithm recommended your FFIV video to me and as soon as I finished it I went back and watched the first three, really excellent overviews and analyses. Looking forward to the FFV video whenever it drops!
Hey, just wanted to let you know how happy I am to find an analysis youtuber with as high production value and calming voice as you have. Gonna binge all these final fantasy videos while I'm stuck inside from the absolutely massive amount of snow that just got dumped on us!
Dude, have been watching your FF videos this week and i fell in love with how detailed your work is. I can feel the passion you have for the franchise is as great as mine is and this is so good to know. Can't wait for the other videos on the other games. Thank you! :D
I played the original Final Fantasy with my dad and brother when it first came out for the NES. Once I discovered emulators I play it at least once every year. I'm actually in the middle of a run right now.
thank you, that's so kind of you :) i'm really glad to hear positive feedback there! i wasn't sure if the linguistic would fall flat or not, or not be that interesting, so i'm chuffed to hear you liked that.
the dawn of souls version of FF1 was my introduction to the series. when i was a kid, my only standards were i wanted a world trotting adventure slaying monsters and experiencing a plethora of dungeon environments/aesthetics. this game did just that for me. the pure and classic rpg experience.
Really well constructed, produced, and delivered. I really hope you maintain the motivation to see this series through because I will gladly sit through 15 hours of these. Well done, sir.
I never leave comments on videos, but I would be incomplete in life if I didn't say how excited I am to see the rest of this series. I'm sadly playing through every game for the first time so I can't binge the 4 out now, but your essays are so incredible that I simply have to finish the games solely to watch. Genuinely thank you so much. You're an amazing talent 👏
I don't know if this has been mentioned by other commenters already, but the change of "Marilith" to "Kary" could be in bane of localizators even to this day - character (and sometimes byte) limits. RAM space is always limited (even on super-modern consoles) and developers might be able to accommodate only rather short names due to that. This is also the reason behind such naming changes in FF6 like "Kayenne" to "Cyan". (Tina/Terra and Mash/Sabin are a whole different beast though.)
That’s so amazing to grow up on FF 8, 9 and 10. I was a teenager when FF 6 released (and my obsession began). What’s great is that we both love it the same.
I would have loved to play FF6 on release. I got to play it at my aunts house in 2010 she had no internet and I couldn’t bring a game system so I used to pretend I was playing it on release to feel better lol little did I know I would end up wanting to take the SNES home
My love for FF began when I was in my early 40s and played FF7 for the first time. What an epic adventure! Then came 8, and the wonderful cutscene as Squall & co go to Dollet, it's still my favourite cutscene of the entire series - and the awesome music! Then I went backwards, discovering the amazing stories, which had so much depth. And, finally, FFI and the beginning of so much of the elements that I loved. Now I'm looking forward to 16, and discovering all the elements of the earlier games updated for 2023. But FFI is the graddaddy of them all!
The original Final Fantasy holds a special place for me and yours was the greatest analysis and retrospective I have ever watched. Thank you for such an excellent, articulate, and thoughtful look at one of my all-time favorites!
i'm going through the whole series, playing the games i missed. watching these vids once i'm done with a game! just finished this one. was cool to see how it all started. that final boss was a nightmare
Just found you and glad I did. I've been a huge FF fan since it came out in 89. My favorite being VI, I love your analysis and had always wanted to do something like this and I'm glad you did. I started listening in my journey to Platinum all the Pixel Remasters on PS5. Great analysis.
You made a whole documentary from one single game... and to be honest.. I started watching thinking I would face a Final Fantasy (series) analysis.. but I was really surprised with the quality of your material. Great content... hope there are more! And pls, keep your pace and clearly way of speaking.. for a non native english speaker, it helps us a lot! Congrats and tks!
hey, thank you so much! that's great to hear. i'm in the process of making the FFII video, so another one is definitely coming! also, i'm really glad to hear that - i worry about how understandable i am to non-native english speakers (which is partly why i have the subtitles available), so it's a relief to know that what i'm doing now is okay. :)
This was an amazing video, perfectly put together, with great editing, I loved it. The fact that you took your time to check and explain the Japanese side of things and the localization is just the cherry on top. Thank you. I really cannot wait for your take on the other FF games.
that is super nice of you to say! i always feel like the editing is a bit sub-par so i'm especially pleased to hear that you enjoyed it :D hopefully it won't be too long until the FFII video, so see you then!
I've recently subscribed because you're Final Fantasy series analysis came up. I absolutely love the series too and watching made me so happy! I can see the amount of effort you put into this so know that even so long after posting, people are still consuming and loving your content! You've gained a fan and I hope you continue to cover the series 😁
I recently got the platinum for this game on the pixel remaster on PS5 (which I think is definitely a great version of the game, doesn't have any extra content but does have the bug fixes future versions came with). I really like it. It's basically the turn based RPG genre at its most barebones. I really love how the early Final Fantasies emphasized proper resource management (when do use healing spells, when do you use potions). I will say I much prefer MP over spell charge systems.
Just discovered this channel, can't wait to see every episode of FF! Marilith's naming thing is hilarious and a bit of trivia I didn't know. Dawn of Souls is my definitive 1 and 2. Shoutout to everyone still doing the 11 Challenge and Frog Spell Challenge!
This video is fantastic. The research and care given to every element is truly impressive. Learning things from the actual language and translation was mind-blowing. I plan to watch each of these
I’m so happy to have found this channel. I adore Final Fantasy and I’m glad to find a TH-camr that loves the series as much as I do. I’ve had Prelude as a ringtone on my phone for years.
i love that you really talk about the mechanics and the ideas behind them. i always think thats the most interesting thing about rpgs along with the stories
Loved this video! I always knew the first game was extremely influential for the series but mostly assumed it was a shallow experiment that would eventually be refined by later games, so it’s very entertaining to see such a close look at it. I’m really excited for the next video in the series! Keep it up, your videos are excellent :)
For all its simplicity FF 1 is actually one of the most replayable of the games for me. One factor is of course its short length, but the biggest reason to replay is the wonderful music...! 🙂
Final Fantasy 1 might be my favorite game. I adore it and all it has to offer, so it's always nice to see a good analysis video on it. This video took an approach that I think is different than most videos I've seen on this game and it was excellent. I look forward to watching your other videos on the Final Fantasy series, especially since you really set them up well with how you analyzed this game.
Just found your channel and have been craving an in depth look at the Final Fantasy series. Great stuff so far and can't wait to see more of these in the future.
Thanks for this amazing work! Just subscribed... I'm a newcomer to the FF series and I'm absolutely obsessed at the moment. Thanks again and I hope all is well!
Great to see you back with an analysis video! :) Your hard work and love for this game series really shines through in this. I enjoy the snippets of interviews with the developers throughout the video. I always think it's interesting to know about their intent and vision of the game. The parts on translation and linguistics are a fun addition as well! Overall a really enjoyable and educational video :D
My first FF game was IV/2 in 1992ish. So glad to see the beauty of these games has all not been forgotten with the newer incarnations. I think the setup of the original FFI NES perfectly captures the subtle darkness of the world. I still prefer that one even when I’m up to my neck in half-dead in the Ice Cave. You get so powerful if you use the giants peninsula…ahem I mean if you grind for hours and hours (never found that out til later)
Great video! It's probably the most extensive look I've ever seen on this game. Also I found the parts about translation issues very interesting, I didn't know most of what you talked about. I hope we'll get to see the other games too!(This obviously took a large amount of time and effort to make, so take it easy if you can now!)
thank you, that's very kind of you! really appreciate that. assuming all goes to plan, the other games will be coming too :) with a few other shorter videos here and there so that it's not all just hour-long videos about Final Fantasy :P
Great video. I just want to say that the narrative of Final Fantasy while basic is one of my favorites. I look at it as four heroes come together and grow throughout their journey only for the time loop to be broken and the four heroes never meeting making it so that you are the only one who remembers the journey they went on. God I want a remake.
Great video man! These last few months I've been marathoning all the FFs that I previously haven't played. It's been a great time but my memory of some of the earlier titles have been a little blurry since they share a lot in common. It was nice seeing a long-form analysis to refresh my memory and remember all the good times I've had. Looking forward to seeing more of these!
This is one of two games my grandma bought for me when I was in kindergarten. Little did she know that I would then go on to keep playing so many of em so many years later.
Now that I watch this in such a short time frame, I kinda regret not being able to meet the sky dynasty at it's peak or the water temple at the surface when u travel back in time. And love the video, thank you for it^^
I always loot all that treasure from the second floor of the volcano and then leave and heal up outside. THEN take the quick path down. And I like to go the Castle of Ordeals first so I can get the healing staff and Zeus gauntlets. Both make the volcano much easier. Just have your white mage use the heal staff every turn from now on. It won't quite keep up with the damage your party takes, but it'll do most of the heavy lifting.
This video was so interesting! Your passion was audible throughout this whole video, it was great. As someone who only a few months ago played the og VII, and loved it so much that I beat X a few days ago and am now gonna play at least VIII and IX as well, I loved hearing about the small things that were the foundations of the series as a whole (the music sections were especially interesting!) Hearing your take on things was also great. I don't mean to add any pressure, please take breaks and stay healthy, but I cannot wait to see the rest of this series :D
thank you so much! i'm glad you enjoyed it. so pleased to hear you just beat X, that's my all-time favourite :) oh that's great to hear too! the music only gets better through the series so that's gonna be exciting. thank you again :)
Fanfare gives me a dopamine rush so when I’m sad I play a FF game. Typically 10, 12, or 15... sometimes 14 too! But now I think I should actually play the original FF on my NES
me too for sure - the amount of times i've played the first two or so hours of FFVIII/X for that exact purpose is ridiculous, so i totally get where you're coming from! i hope you enjoy it if you do :)
I've never really played an FF game, and I've only just recently become intrigued by FF14, but I'm really excited to watch all these videos! I feel like there's so much dense lore that feels a bit out of reach from me right now with all the years of games building on top of one another, so maybe going back to the very beginning will help ease me into things!
I think it is good to mention that the Time Loop story in Final Fantasy 1 set up a trope within the whole series. Games like Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy Type-0 focus heavily on this Time Loop story and how the player witnesses the shattering of these cycles. Other games look at how man can topple Gods, or a small Rebellion against an Empire. Many Final Fantasy games do this, and they always start us in the middle of the timeline. It is the final fantasy, where the story in this fantastical world comes to an end. Anyway, thank you so much for the analysis. I've seen the FF2 one earlier and these are some of the best looks at the series I have ever seen.
I watched your 4 analysis yesterday and was brought here automatically tonight. Congratulations, you have a new subscriber and I look forward to my favourite in the FF series, VI/6.
I'm a big fan of the Final Fantasy series as well (my favorite franchise also)! I'm probably dating myself here, but I remember playing it for the first time on my NES when I was a kid, and was blown away by the amount of content it had (for a NES game, it's quite a lot)! I enjoyed watching this video a lot and you're spot on with everything. I'm going to watch your FFII video now, keep up the great work! :-D
I already watched your FFII video first (it popped up in my recommended). Now I’ve decided to watch this one. I’m super excited to see you talk about all the other games. I’m a sucker for analytical FF videos.
You, sir, get a sub before I've seen even a second of your content. You make videos on things I care about. They are meaty, long-form videos. And they are being made by what appears to be a very dedicated individual. I just know I am going to love this channel
As a series vet who's been playing these games since the 90s (the first one I purchased was also FFVIII) it really resonated with me when you said it's really hard to describe how much this series means to you. It sounds ridiculous, but that question would literally take me several hours to answer. I've recently started playing the pixel remasters in anticipation of XVI and I'll be watching this series as I complete each game. Excited to move on to your FF2 analysis before I start playing FF3 (which will be my first experience with the game period) later today. Incredible content, really excited to see how this series develops. And if you're anything like me... I wish you all the luck on the world trying to encapsulate your feelings on FFXIV when the time comes 😂
What an amazing content creator you are ... and an even more amazing person for truly knowing FF's worth and vocalizing the thoughts of millions of people that hold it as one of the most important things in their lives ! Keep up this amazing work, truly an asset to the whole video game industry. Even more people will be appreciating it in the near future!
Excellent production Sir! I have been playing Final fantasy since it came out here in the US in 1990. Final fantasy 3 or 6 is. My favorite but this game hold alot of memories for me. Thank you Sir
This was well worth the wait, Alastair. Incredibly well-researched and delivered, educational, and a joy to watch. Thanks a lot for your work, and can't wait for whatever is coming next! PS: I'm still not over the fact that XIV's Mt. Gulg didn't use the theme.
hey, thank you! that's so kind of you to say. and for sure, we're in the same page there - the music in Shadowbringers is phenomenal, but i was a bit disappointed that they used the name but not the music :(
Awesome job on this, definitely the best analysis of this game I’ve seen. Subscribed for sure. It’s really interesting to hear about the translation of the game because that is something I know very little about.
The 'Prelude' opens up with a Cmaj7 arpeggio, moving up and down. It's one of the most basic and 'purest' music statement someone could make. That's probably why Uematsu hit on it right away, and also why it's so evocative. It is basically homebase for all of Western music.....so it makes a perfect homebase for a game series.
I have many pleasant memories of this game. I wasn't allowed to touch it for the longest time, mainly because my mom's boyfriend at the time was playing through and trying to beat the game. Eventually he did succeed and I was able to start a game of my own. But even before then I was hooked. Everything was gripping, from the music, the graphics and heck, even the tropey story. This was groundbreaking stuff for its time. I had never played anything like it, even when we played Dragon Quest (nee Warrior) I and II, they didn't hook me the way Final Fantasy I ended up doing. Dragon Quest wouldn't sink its hooks into me until years later when I feel it finally came into its own, whereas from day one, Final Fantasy was my gold standard for RPGs. Both franchises evolved in completely different directions too. All I can say is, you did wonderful in explaining what made FF1 a cornerstone game of not just the franchise, but also of the RPG genre as a whole. Yes, the plot line is tropey as hell, but for its time it was groundbreaking. You even brought up that the series always had some sci-fi elemts to it, though in FF1's case? They didn't show up until close to the end. Then there was the plot twist where you have to travel 2000 years to the past to defeat Chaos. You really did do a bang up job explaining things not just for newcomers but also for an old hat like me who reminisces about these good old days when I was a kid and the only things I had to worry about were homework, what's for dinner and bed time. I'm glad I watched, this was thoroughly enjoyable. I encourage you to keep it up.
Man, you deserve SO MANY MORE subscribers. Outstanding work, thank you so much for making this! Also, your channel made me click the bell for the very first time haha
Thanks for this, this is a really interesting watch. This feels like the perfect time for me to have found this series, I'm currently playing through the FF series back to back, I started in July last year with this game, and I'm currently about 2/3 through XII, having slipped sequels, spin offs and mmos (so no collection of VII, no X-2 and no XI). I first played FFVII in 1997 when I was 8, and having played most of the games since it's always been a goal of mine to play through the entire series back to back. I've tried a few times but have fallen off around V. Having got as far as XII, I think I might actually make it this time.
Thank you very much for this video, let alone it was very interesting since my ff journey started from 7, stranger of paradise makes a lot more sense now
I've never heard that Aether/Void angle in relation to FFI before. Considering what Void becomes later on in the series it almost feels like set up, I like it.
I've only recently begun trying out ff in my adult years. I've played through 1-3 completely and most of 4 since 2024 started. They're all really great. Something about 1 just still sticks with me the best so far. I can't put my finger on it. I played the NES version first on a CRT TV which may have something to do with it. It is just so charming on the old hardware and the glow of the TV. I played it again on the GBA version and it was still so simple and addictive. I adore it.
Excellent video! I love your emphasis of language, and translation in this video. I'm very excited to see the rest of this series. Happy to have subbed :)
The wait is over! At least for right now! First off, it's interesting how different "video game analysists" (?) have such different styles. What surprised me is how deep you look into the name and translation of the first town and certain phrases throughout the game relative to the length of the video, I like it. Furthermore, and don't take this the wrong way, you jump all over the place in terms of explaining the story in order, as a viewer I really feel your passion for the series, like you are so excited to talk about Final Fantasy, you want to talk about everything at once :D Personally, I find "I, Garland, will knock you all down!!" to be the perfect example of "epic dialogue" which is nowadays so common you don't really think about it too hard. But being the sucker for this sort of grandeur, I would've immediately fallen in love with the series^^ I've only played about 2 hours of FF1, but it's amazing how rich the game is in things you find in later games and how much exists in ith that I would've never guessed, like the whole time travel thingy. Should continue it sometime. And might as well play through 2-8 while I'm at it, be it only to enjoy future FF analysis videos even more. Great job man
Concerning the Patreon: I am yet a student and as such don't really have any income to speak of. I probably will donate a little something since I really want to support you, but well. Not more than a little something, but hopefully it helps ;)
hey, good to hear from you man! hoffe es geht dir gut :) i think it's just personal preferences making their way in really that leads to how i make the videos - outside of games and FF in particular, two of my biggest interests are language and mythology, so it's just like i'm getting an excuse to talk about them but make it about the game. also really don't worry about the Patreon - i truly appreciate the kindness but there is absolutely no obligation for you to go out of your way!
You definitely deserve more subs, mate! I could listen to you for literal hours. My first ff was also ff8! And i was also initially jist blown away by the opening cg scene and liberi fatali playing. It sounds a lot like my favorite classical composer, carl orff, and this i was instantly in love. (Also the theme of final fantasy still makes me tear up within the first few notes so no, you're not alone in feeling that this track is super special :D)
I'd guess they're saying something like "Can... You... Understand... Us?" Or some iteration of something that shows their attempt to communicate with you.
aye, you're probably right! that wouldn't surprise me. what was really bothering me was if there was any particular reason behind the specific sounds they picked, i.e. if 'lu...' was just an arbitrary choice or not, and could have actually been any pair of letters.
@@Ludiscere my guess would be the additional words were added to indicate them talking slower, as only 2 syllables may sounds more like they were saying only one word.
FF1 was hard to find when it first came out. My home town had 2 retailers that sold games and neither would carry it because people didn't think it would sell. I went to school with a kid whose mom owned a craft and curio shop and she had a relationship with a distributor so she could get cheap games for her son so she was able to order it. It was the most expensive NES game at the time but it was worth every penny. I have played completely through so many times I have completely lost count and I still re-play it once or twice a year. When you mentioned ultimate weapons with regard to the flying castle, I was hoping you were going to mention Warmech.
Thank you for the excellent overview of the first game. The old RPG mechanics are honestly a bit too prickly for my tastes, so this video was exactly what I needed for context while playing Stranger of Paradise
I played the original on the NES mini. The best way I can describe it, it is like playing D&D with your friends for the first time. No one knows the rules so you ignore some mechanics, fudge the numbers in others(regular attacks deal way to much damage) and don't understand most spells. With that mindset it's a great time! My favorite out of the first three.
It's my favourite out of the whole series, so much so that when I ran my very first D&D campaign, I used FF1 as the setting!
My players have forever changed my perception of the game with the story they've told through it.
Funny enough a lot of the game was taken from one of the D&D campaigns
Nice video! Btw spell slots in D&D was introduced in 3rd edition, 2000. When FF1 was made, the latest editions were Mentzer Basic and Advanced 1st ed, which don’t use spell slots. FF1’s spell slots were taken from Wizardry, which were then “taken back” by D&D full circle =))
7:15
Uematsu’s importance is legendary. Not just to final fantasy but to video games in general.
His music can be felt in **every** game in some way, to date. Final Fantasy 1 proved to the world that a game can be more than just an arcade thing with a simple narrative. It was deep and sprawling. But it was silent.
The music told you how to feel. It spoke for the series that resonated through decades to come. And as Uematsu reaches his twilight years- Soken seems to be the one who is going to take on his mantle.
Uematsu has reached a level attained by few. Names who will be spoken hundreds of years from now like Mozart and a Beethoven and Bach.
You could make an hours long video alone going over how important that man is to video game music let alone music in general and still only be able to cover a fraction of his work.
That man deserves all the good that comes to him. He has made a soundtrack that I have had with me since I picked the series up in 98 when I was 10 with FFVII on the PSOne on Christmas Day.
As someone who's never been super passionate about this series with only a few exceptions (like Final Fantasy Tactics), it's interesting to see a series like this from the perspective of a more devoted fan.
given your health issues i hope this isn't taking too much of a toll on you. Take care of yourself.
thank you - i'll be doing my best to look after myself! appreciate the support :)
nice to see a non-LP video from you again. The wait was worth it. This is really the most in depth look at the game I really remember, with a lot of stuff I didn't even know or had forgotten about entirely. It's really obvious a lot of passion, work, and research went into it. Fantastic.
this is really kind of you, thank you so so much. means a lot :)
The algorithm recommended your FFIV video to me and as soon as I finished it I went back and watched the first three, really excellent overviews and analyses. Looking forward to the FFV video whenever it drops!
Hey, just wanted to let you know how happy I am to find an analysis youtuber with as high production value and calming voice as you have. Gonna binge all these final fantasy videos while I'm stuck inside from the absolutely massive amount of snow that just got dumped on us!
Hope the snow clears soon.
51:39 that music in the background was the end music and is a slowed version of the village sound. So memorable 😌❤️
The Prelude on the opening screen is just absolutely magical. ❤️❤️❤️
the prelude was used in Dissidia, everytime i played the game, i'm always stuck on the menu screen just to listen to this.
Dude, have been watching your FF videos this week and i fell in love with how detailed your work is. I can feel the passion you have for the franchise is as great as mine is and this is so good to know. Can't wait for the other videos on the other games. Thank you! :D
I played the original Final Fantasy with my dad and brother when it first came out for the NES. Once I discovered emulators I play it at least once every year. I'm actually in the middle of a run right now.
I don't do one every year, but I've played it on and off since I was 12, I'm playing it again rn as well. It's a classic
What a great way to explain things. The passion is noticeable. Thanks and best of luck!
This video convinced me to finally pick up a Final Fantasy game. Thanks, man.
Yay, I was looking forward to this! :) I really enjoyed the localisation analysis, I've always found those so interesting.
thank you, that's so kind of you :) i'm really glad to hear positive feedback there! i wasn't sure if the linguistic would fall flat or not, or not be that interesting, so i'm chuffed to hear you liked that.
the dawn of souls version of FF1 was my introduction to the series. when i was a kid, my only standards were i wanted a world trotting adventure slaying monsters and experiencing a plethora of dungeon environments/aesthetics. this game did just that for me. the pure and classic rpg experience.
Really well constructed, produced, and delivered. I really hope you maintain the motivation to see this series through because I will gladly sit through 15 hours of these. Well done, sir.
hey, super nice of you to say so :)
i'm working on FFII at the moment, so i'll do my best!
I never leave comments on videos, but I would be incomplete in life if I didn't say how excited I am to see the rest of this series. I'm sadly playing through every game for the first time so I can't binge the 4 out now, but your essays are so incredible that I simply have to finish the games solely to watch.
Genuinely thank you so much. You're an amazing talent 👏
I don't know if this has been mentioned by other commenters already, but the change of "Marilith" to "Kary" could be in bane of localizators even to this day - character (and sometimes byte) limits. RAM space is always limited (even on super-modern consoles) and developers might be able to accommodate only rather short names due to that. This is also the reason behind such naming changes in FF6 like "Kayenne" to "Cyan". (Tina/Terra and Mash/Sabin are a whole different beast though.)
That’s so amazing to grow up on FF 8, 9 and 10. I was a teenager when FF 6 released (and my obsession began). What’s great is that we both love it the same.
I would have loved to play FF6 on release. I got to play it at my aunts house in 2010 she had no internet and I couldn’t bring a game system so I used to pretend I was playing it on release to feel better lol little did I know I would end up wanting to take the SNES home
@@TheFloodFourm :D 👏
My love for FF began when I was in my early 40s and played FF7 for the first time. What an epic adventure! Then came 8, and the wonderful cutscene as Squall & co go to Dollet, it's still my favourite cutscene of the entire series - and the awesome music! Then I went backwards, discovering the amazing stories, which had so much depth. And, finally, FFI and the beginning of so much of the elements that I loved. Now I'm looking forward to 16, and discovering all the elements of the earlier games updated for 2023. But FFI is the graddaddy of them all!
There is actually a trick to the teleport maze in the Castle of Ordeals, the southern most pillar in each section is always the correct one forward.
This video is absolutely incredible! Loved pretty much about everything!
This series is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!
The original Final Fantasy holds a special place for me and yours was the greatest analysis and retrospective I have ever watched. Thank you for such an excellent, articulate, and thoughtful look at one of my all-time favorites!
i'm going through the whole series, playing the games i missed. watching these vids once i'm done with a game! just finished this one. was cool to see how it all started. that final boss was a nightmare
Just found you and glad I did. I've been a huge FF fan since it came out in 89. My favorite being VI, I love your analysis and had always wanted to do something like this and I'm glad you did. I started listening in my journey to Platinum all the Pixel Remasters on PS5. Great analysis.
FFVI open world music as the opening...yeah, right in the feels. VI was my first and always has a special place in my heart
You made a whole documentary from one single game... and to be honest.. I started watching thinking I would face a Final Fantasy (series) analysis.. but I was really surprised with the quality of your material. Great content... hope there are more! And pls, keep your pace and clearly way of speaking.. for a non native english speaker, it helps us a lot! Congrats and tks!
hey, thank you so much! that's great to hear. i'm in the process of making the FFII video, so another one is definitely coming! also, i'm really glad to hear that - i worry about how understandable i am to non-native english speakers (which is partly why i have the subtitles available), so it's a relief to know that what i'm doing now is okay. :)
This was an amazing video, perfectly put together, with great editing, I loved it. The fact that you took your time to check and explain the Japanese side of things and the localization is just the cherry on top. Thank you. I really cannot wait for your take on the other FF games.
that is super nice of you to say! i always feel like the editing is a bit sub-par so i'm especially pleased to hear that you enjoyed it :D hopefully it won't be too long until the FFII video, so see you then!
I've recently subscribed because you're Final Fantasy series analysis came up. I absolutely love the series too and watching made me so happy! I can see the amount of effort you put into this so know that even so long after posting, people are still consuming and loving your content! You've gained a fan and I hope you continue to cover the series 😁
I recently got the platinum for this game on the pixel remaster on PS5 (which I think is definitely a great version of the game, doesn't have any extra content but does have the bug fixes future versions came with). I really like it. It's basically the turn based RPG genre at its most barebones. I really love how the early Final Fantasies emphasized proper resource management (when do use healing spells, when do you use potions).
I will say I much prefer MP over spell charge systems.
Just discovered this channel, can't wait to see every episode of FF! Marilith's naming thing is hilarious and a bit of trivia I didn't know. Dawn of Souls is my definitive 1 and 2. Shoutout to everyone still doing the 11 Challenge and Frog Spell Challenge!
This video is fantastic. The research and care given to every element is truly impressive. Learning things from the actual language and translation was mind-blowing. I plan to watch each of these
I’m so happy to have found this channel. I adore Final Fantasy and I’m glad to find a TH-camr that loves the series as much as I do. I’ve had Prelude as a ringtone on my phone for years.
Fuckin’ thank you for your labor of love! I can’t wait to watch every single FF video you make.
As someone who's a fan of dnd and dragon quest this was super interesting! Thanks for putting all the work in, you did do us proud
i love that you really talk about the mechanics and the ideas behind them. i always think thats the most interesting thing about rpgs along with the stories
Loved this video! I always knew the first game was extremely influential for the series but mostly assumed it was a shallow experiment that would eventually be refined by later games, so it’s very entertaining to see such a close look at it. I’m really excited for the next video in the series! Keep it up, your videos are excellent :)
wow, thank you! i really appreciate that. i'm making progress on the FFII video as we speak, so keep your eyes peeled!
For all its simplicity FF 1 is actually one of the most replayable of the games for me. One factor is of course its short length, but the biggest reason to replay is the wonderful music...! 🙂
Final Fantasy 1 might be my favorite game. I adore it and all it has to offer, so it's always nice to see a good analysis video on it. This video took an approach that I think is different than most videos I've seen on this game and it was excellent. I look forward to watching your other videos on the Final Fantasy series, especially since you really set them up well with how you analyzed this game.
Just found your channel and have been craving an in depth look at the Final Fantasy series. Great stuff so far and can't wait to see more of these in the future.
much appreciated mate, thank you! work on the FFII video is underway :)
Thanks for this amazing work! Just subscribed... I'm a newcomer to the FF series and I'm absolutely obsessed at the moment. Thanks again and I hope all is well!
Oh snap, a fellow Black Mage!
nice to meet someone else with such impeccable taste :)
Great to see you back with an analysis video! :) Your hard work and love for this game series really shines through in this.
I enjoy the snippets of interviews with the developers throughout the video. I always think it's interesting to know about their intent and vision of the game. The parts on translation and linguistics are a fun addition as well! Overall a really enjoyable and educational video :D
hey, thank you! i'm really glad you enjoyed it :)
My first FF game was IV/2 in 1992ish. So glad to see the beauty of these games has all not been forgotten with the newer incarnations. I think the setup of the original FFI NES perfectly captures the subtle darkness of the world. I still prefer that one even when I’m up to my neck in half-dead in the Ice Cave. You get so powerful if you use the giants peninsula…ahem I mean if you grind for hours and hours (never found that out til later)
The time loop twist blew my tiny brain when I encountered it so many years ago.
Great video!
Great video! It's probably the most extensive look I've ever seen on this game. Also I found the parts about translation issues very interesting, I didn't know most of what you talked about. I hope we'll get to see the other games too!(This obviously took a large amount of time and effort to make, so take it easy if you can now!)
thank you, that's very kind of you! really appreciate that. assuming all goes to plan, the other games will be coming too :) with a few other shorter videos here and there so that it's not all just hour-long videos about Final Fantasy :P
Absolutely loved this video. So glad I found you on TH-cam. Can’t wait to check out the others in the series!
Great video. I just want to say that the narrative of Final Fantasy while basic is one of my favorites. I look at it as four heroes come together and grow throughout their journey only for the time loop to be broken and the four heroes never meeting making it so that you are the only one who remembers the journey they went on. God I want a remake.
Great video man! These last few months I've been marathoning all the FFs that I previously haven't played. It's been a great time but my memory of some of the earlier titles have been a little blurry since they share a lot in common. It was nice seeing a long-form analysis to refresh my memory and remember all the good times I've had. Looking forward to seeing more of these!
This is one of two games my grandma bought for me when I was in kindergarten. Little did she know that I would then go on to keep playing so many of em so many years later.
Now that I watch this in such a short time frame, I kinda regret not being able to meet the sky dynasty at it's peak or the water temple at the surface when u travel back in time. And love the video, thank you for it^^
Just finished FF1 for the first time and came to youtube to find what turns out to be EXACTLY this video, excellent work.
As somebody who has watched many documentaries on FF1 yours in thus far the most respectful and analytical so far.
This is great dude, hope you keep up the video essays they're great to watch
thanks mate, really appreciate that! will do :)
I always loot all that treasure from the second floor of the volcano and then leave and heal up outside.
THEN take the quick path down.
And I like to go the Castle of Ordeals first so I can get the healing staff and Zeus gauntlets.
Both make the volcano much easier. Just have your white mage use the heal staff every turn from now on.
It won't quite keep up with the damage your party takes, but it'll do most of the heavy lifting.
15:36 you’re not wrong. The main theme got me all emotional hearing you talk about it the same way I feel about it. Like. Tears in my eyes. Heck.
This video was so interesting! Your passion was audible throughout this whole video, it was great. As someone who only a few months ago played the og VII, and loved it so much that I beat X a few days ago and am now gonna play at least VIII and IX as well, I loved hearing about the small things that were the foundations of the series as a whole (the music sections were especially interesting!)
Hearing your take on things was also great. I don't mean to add any pressure, please take breaks and stay healthy, but I cannot wait to see the rest of this series :D
thank you so much! i'm glad you enjoyed it. so pleased to hear you just beat X, that's my all-time favourite :) oh that's great to hear too! the music only gets better through the series so that's gonna be exciting.
thank you again :)
this video is so good! it deserves much more attention!
Fanfare gives me a dopamine rush so when I’m sad I play a FF game. Typically 10, 12, or 15... sometimes 14 too! But now I think I should actually play the original FF on my NES
me too for sure - the amount of times i've played the first two or so hours of FFVIII/X for that exact purpose is ridiculous, so i totally get where you're coming from! i hope you enjoy it if you do :)
I've never really played an FF game, and I've only just recently become intrigued by FF14, but I'm really excited to watch all these videos! I feel like there's so much dense lore that feels a bit out of reach from me right now with all the years of games building on top of one another, so maybe going back to the very beginning will help ease me into things!
I think it is good to mention that the Time Loop story in Final Fantasy 1 set up a trope within the whole series.
Games like Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy Type-0 focus heavily on this Time Loop story and how the player witnesses the shattering of these cycles.
Other games look at how man can topple Gods, or a small Rebellion against an Empire.
Many Final Fantasy games do this, and they always start us in the middle of the timeline. It is the final fantasy, where the story in this fantastical world comes to an end.
Anyway, thank you so much for the analysis. I've seen the FF2 one earlier and these are some of the best looks at the series I have ever seen.
These two series analysis vids you've got up already are great! Keen to see more when you're able!
I needed this today. Sometimes I feel isolated in loving these games so so much. Thanks for your work :)
I watched your 4 analysis yesterday and was brought here automatically tonight. Congratulations, you have a new subscriber and I look forward to my favourite in the FF series, VI/6.
I'm a big fan of the Final Fantasy series as well (my favorite franchise also)! I'm probably dating myself here, but I remember playing it for the first time on my NES when I was a kid, and was blown away by the amount of content it had (for a NES game, it's quite a lot)! I enjoyed watching this video a lot and you're spot on with everything. I'm going to watch your FFII video now, keep up the great work! :-D
My first final fantasy game! Played back 7-8 years ago in nes emulator in my pc
I already watched your FFII video first (it popped up in my recommended). Now I’ve decided to watch this one. I’m super excited to see you talk about all the other games. I’m a sucker for analytical FF videos.
Your videos are criminally underviewed
You, sir, get a sub before I've seen even a second of your content. You make videos on things I care about. They are meaty, long-form videos. And they are being made by what appears to be a very dedicated individual. I just know I am going to love this channel
If you want a good version of the first game I suggest the pixel remaster. The touch up and QOL changed are amazing.
These videos are fantastic. Keep up the great work. I can't wait to tell others about this series!!
As a series vet who's been playing these games since the 90s (the first one I purchased was also FFVIII) it really resonated with me when you said it's really hard to describe how much this series means to you. It sounds ridiculous, but that question would literally take me several hours to answer.
I've recently started playing the pixel remasters in anticipation of XVI and I'll be watching this series as I complete each game. Excited to move on to your FF2 analysis before I start playing FF3 (which will be my first experience with the game period) later today. Incredible content, really excited to see how this series develops.
And if you're anything like me... I wish you all the luck on the world trying to encapsulate your feelings on FFXIV when the time comes 😂
this is the first video i see from your channel and what a great job! Looking forward to see all the videos now!!
What an amazing content creator you are ... and an even more amazing person for truly knowing FF's worth and vocalizing the thoughts of millions of people that hold it as one of the most important things in their lives ! Keep up this amazing work, truly an asset to the whole video game industry. Even more people will be appreciating it in the near future!
Excellent production Sir! I have been playing Final fantasy since it came out here in the US in 1990. Final fantasy 3 or 6 is. My favorite but this game hold alot of memories for me. Thank you Sir
This was well worth the wait, Alastair. Incredibly well-researched and delivered, educational, and a joy to watch. Thanks a lot for your work, and can't wait for whatever is coming next!
PS: I'm still not over the fact that XIV's Mt. Gulg didn't use the theme.
hey, thank you! that's so kind of you to say. and for sure, we're in the same page there - the music in Shadowbringers is phenomenal, but i was a bit disappointed that they used the name but not the music :(
Awesome job on this, definitely the best analysis of this game I’ve seen. Subscribed for sure. It’s really interesting to hear about the translation of the game because that is something I know very little about.
Excited for more analysis. Amazing work!
hey, thanks so much!
The 'Prelude' opens up with a Cmaj7 arpeggio, moving up and down. It's one of the most basic and 'purest' music statement someone could make. That's probably why Uematsu hit on it right away, and also why it's so evocative. It is basically homebase for all of Western music.....so it makes a perfect homebase for a game series.
I have many pleasant memories of this game. I wasn't allowed to touch it for the longest time, mainly because my mom's boyfriend at the time was playing through and trying to beat the game. Eventually he did succeed and I was able to start a game of my own.
But even before then I was hooked. Everything was gripping, from the music, the graphics and heck, even the tropey story. This was groundbreaking stuff for its time. I had never played anything like it, even when we played Dragon Quest (nee Warrior) I and II, they didn't hook me the way Final Fantasy I ended up doing.
Dragon Quest wouldn't sink its hooks into me until years later when I feel it finally came into its own, whereas from day one, Final Fantasy was my gold standard for RPGs. Both franchises evolved in completely different directions too.
All I can say is, you did wonderful in explaining what made FF1 a cornerstone game of not just the franchise, but also of the RPG genre as a whole. Yes, the plot line is tropey as hell, but for its time it was groundbreaking. You even brought up that the series always had some sci-fi elemts to it, though in FF1's case? They didn't show up until close to the end. Then there was the plot twist where you have to travel 2000 years to the past to defeat Chaos.
You really did do a bang up job explaining things not just for newcomers but also for an old hat like me who reminisces about these good old days when I was a kid and the only things I had to worry about were homework, what's for dinner and bed time. I'm glad I watched, this was thoroughly enjoyable. I encourage you to keep it up.
This was a great analysis, thanks and I look forward to more and following your channel.
Man, you deserve SO MANY MORE subscribers. Outstanding work, thank you so much for making this! Also, your channel made me click the bell for the very first time haha
Thanks for this, this is a really interesting watch. This feels like the perfect time for me to have found this series, I'm currently playing through the FF series back to back, I started in July last year with this game, and I'm currently about 2/3 through XII, having slipped sequels, spin offs and mmos (so no collection of VII, no X-2 and no XI). I first played FFVII in 1997 when I was 8, and having played most of the games since it's always been a goal of mine to play through the entire series back to back. I've tried a few times but have fallen off around V. Having got as far as XII, I think I might actually make it this time.
Thank you very much for this video, let alone it was very interesting since my ff journey started from 7, stranger of paradise makes a lot more sense now
I've never heard that Aether/Void angle in relation to FFI before. Considering what Void becomes later on in the series it almost feels like set up, I like it.
I've only recently begun trying out ff in my adult years. I've played through 1-3 completely and most of 4 since 2024 started. They're all really great. Something about 1 just still sticks with me the best so far. I can't put my finger on it. I played the NES version first on a CRT TV which may have something to do with it. It is just so charming on the old hardware and the glow of the TV. I played it again on the GBA version and it was still so simple and addictive. I adore it.
Your final fantasy retrospective series made me subscribe to your channel. I cannot wait for the rest I love them!!!
Excellent video! I love your emphasis of language, and translation in this video. I'm very excited to see the rest of this series. Happy to have subbed :)
Thanks for the awesome analysis of some of my all time favorite games! I was hoping you’d mention warmech!
I loved this video, I’m going to watch the others and hope you make some more surrounding the later titles VII, VIII and VIIII
Just found your channel. Loving the calm vibes and the good content.
All music in ff1 are so nostalgic ❤️❤️
great video! Thank you very much. Wishing you the best for your medical condition, and alleviation of any pain you live with. Stay Light Warrior.
The wait is over! At least for right now!
First off, it's interesting how different "video game analysists" (?) have such different styles. What surprised me is how deep you look into the name and translation of the first town and certain phrases throughout the game relative to the length of the video, I like it. Furthermore, and don't take this the wrong way, you jump all over the place in terms of explaining the story in order, as a viewer I really feel your passion for the series, like you are so excited to talk about Final Fantasy, you want to talk about everything at once :D
Personally, I find "I, Garland, will knock you all down!!" to be the perfect example of "epic dialogue" which is nowadays so common you don't really think about it too hard. But being the sucker for this sort of grandeur, I would've immediately fallen in love with the series^^
I've only played about 2 hours of FF1, but it's amazing how rich the game is in things you find in later games and how much exists in ith that I would've never guessed, like the whole time travel thingy. Should continue it sometime. And might as well play through 2-8 while I'm at it, be it only to enjoy future FF analysis videos even more. Great job man
Concerning the Patreon: I am yet a student and as such don't really have any income to speak of. I probably will donate a little something since I really want to support you, but well. Not more than a little something, but hopefully it helps ;)
hey, good to hear from you man! hoffe es geht dir gut :)
i think it's just personal preferences making their way in really that leads to how i make the videos - outside of games and FF in particular, two of my biggest interests are language and mythology, so it's just like i'm getting an excuse to talk about them but make it about the game.
also really don't worry about the Patreon - i truly appreciate the kindness but there is absolutely no obligation for you to go out of your way!
You definitely deserve more subs, mate! I could listen to you for literal hours. My first ff was also ff8! And i was also initially jist blown away by the opening cg scene and liberi fatali playing. It sounds a lot like my favorite classical composer, carl orff, and this i was instantly in love. (Also the theme of final fantasy still makes me tear up within the first few notes so no, you're not alone in feeling that this track is super special :D)
such a amazing analysis♥️
hype for more FF content ! 😍
thank you so much!
I'd guess they're saying something like
"Can... You... Understand... Us?"
Or some iteration of something that shows their attempt to communicate with you.
aye, you're probably right! that wouldn't surprise me. what was really bothering me was if there was any particular reason behind the specific sounds they picked, i.e. if 'lu...' was just an arbitrary choice or not, and could have actually been any pair of letters.
@@Ludiscere my guess would be the additional words were added to indicate them talking slower, as only 2 syllables may sounds more like they were saying only one word.
"lu" could be referring to "lufenian", where they're trying to ask something along the lines of, "do you understand lufenien?"
FF1 was hard to find when it first came out. My home town had 2 retailers that sold games and neither would carry it because people didn't think it would sell. I went to school with a kid whose mom owned a craft and curio shop and she had a relationship with a distributor so she could get cheap games for her son so she was able to order it. It was the most expensive NES game at the time but it was worth every penny. I have played completely through so many times I have completely lost count and I still re-play it once or twice a year.
When you mentioned ultimate weapons with regard to the flying castle, I was hoping you were going to mention Warmech.
Thank you for the excellent overview of the first game. The old RPG mechanics are honestly a bit too prickly for my tastes, so this video was exactly what I needed for context while playing Stranger of Paradise