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.
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.
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 =))
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.
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!
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, 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.
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
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.
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!
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!
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. :)
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 👏
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'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 😁
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.
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
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.)
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 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.
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.
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 :)
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
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
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
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 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
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.
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 :)
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!
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
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
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
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 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.
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.
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 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 :)
I watched your xenoblade 2 video earliet today and I found it to be one of the most thought out video essays (of which there are just too many in youtube) I've seen and I instantly jumped into your channel to see what else you've made. Really high quality stuff. I really believe you deserve so many more subscribers, and I'm sure they'll come if you keep making such great videos :^)
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 :(
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.
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^^
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!
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 😂
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)
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...! 🙂
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.
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'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!
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
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)
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.
just finished the ffiv vid and going back through the whole series. the algorithm dropped a gem of a channel on me and i cant wait to see what else you do. take care my guy, these games are long and your level of research makes me worry that you'll get burnout
Amazing review of this game! I’m currently on my first marathon of all the Final Fantasy games! I just wrapped up FF2 and am on the Soul of Rebirth part rn. The first game I feel is so much better and even though it’s basic, I think it’s a wonderful experience (until the end of the PSP version) 🤣
Just found this channel and almost instantly subbed. Very well done video I cant believe you dont have more subs/views! Keep up the great work and subbed well earned sir :)
Wonderful video! I actually really wanted to play through the series before Final Fantasy 7 Remake, lol I failed at that, but this video inspired me to still try and go through it! I've been in love with the series for most of my life, I played Final Fantasy 8 when I was like 6 or 7 and even though many many parts went over my head I fell in love with the series. I definitely have to check out the 2D era, never played 2-5.
it seems we had a similar childhood haha! that sounds like a plan - if you didn't mind playing them out of order, i would recommend starting with IV, it's probably the best middle ground between what you know FF to be and what it used to be, should make the transition into playing the other earlier games a bit easier. thank you for watching my friend :)
Uf, you have decided to undertake an massive series. But I’m looking forward to it and what insights you might give about the series. I have a lot of confidence it will be great! Best regards :) Thanks for the video.
no kidding! it's a huge undertaking, and the videos will most likely get longer from IV onwards, but i love the series and i think it'll be worth it :) thank you so much for watching!
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
hey, thank you! that's super kind of you. haha, i'm looking forward to getting to VI, if not a bit apprehensive cause it's gonna be tough to do it justice!
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.
Ok. You got me to click not because I am deeply interested in an analysis of the original Final Fantasy but out of sheer curiosity on how you managed to get an hour of content analyzing it. EDIT: Good video. It didn't feel like an hour long. It was well paced, everything flowed into itself, and I felt I learned a little about a game I'd played at least a dozen times.
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
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.
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 =))
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 :)
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.
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 :)
51:39 that music in the background was the end music and is a slowed version of the village sound. So memorable 😌❤️
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.
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
What a great way to explain things. The passion is noticeable. Thanks and best of luck!
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.
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!
This video is absolutely incredible! Loved pretty much about everything!
This series is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!
This video convinced me to finally pick up a Final Fantasy game. Thanks, man.
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!
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!
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. :)
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 👏
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'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 😁
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.
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
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.)
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!
Fuckin’ thank you for your labor of love! I can’t wait to watch every single FF video you make.
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.
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.
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
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!
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 :)
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 👏
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 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.
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
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!
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.
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.
this video is so good! it deserves much more attention!
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!
Your videos are criminally underviewed
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
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 :)
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 is great dude, hope you keep up the video essays they're great to watch
thanks mate, really appreciate that! will do :)
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
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 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!
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
Your final fantasy retrospective series made me subscribe to your channel. I cannot wait for the rest I love them!!!
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.
The time loop twist blew my tiny brain when I encountered it so many years ago.
Great video!
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
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
Excited for more analysis. Amazing work!
hey, thanks so much!
These two series analysis vids you've got up already are great! Keen to see more when you're able!
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
These videos are fantastic. Keep up the great work. I can't wait to tell others about this series!!
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.
this is the first video i see from your channel and what a great job! Looking forward to see all the videos now!!
I needed this today. Sometimes I feel isolated in loving these games so so much. Thanks for your work :)
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.
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 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 :)
Just found your channel. Loving the calm vibes and the good content.
I watched your xenoblade 2 video earliet today and I found it to be one of the most thought out video essays (of which there are just too many in youtube) I've seen and I instantly jumped into your channel to see what else you've made. Really high quality stuff. I really believe you deserve so many more subscribers, and I'm sure they'll come if you keep making such great videos :^)
really appreciate this man, thank you!
Oh snap, a fellow Black Mage!
nice to meet someone else with such impeccable taste :)
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 :(
As somebody who has watched many documentaries on FF1 yours in thus far the most respectful and analytical so far.
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.
This was a great analysis, thanks and I look forward to more and following your channel.
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^^
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!
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 😂
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!
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...! 🙂
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.
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'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!
If you want a good version of the first game I suggest the pixel remaster. The touch up and QOL changed are amazing.
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
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)
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.
Just finished FF1 for the first time and came to youtube to find what turns out to be EXACTLY this video, excellent work.
just finished the ffiv vid and going back through the whole series. the algorithm dropped a gem of a channel on me and i cant wait to see what else you do. take care my guy, these games are long and your level of research makes me worry that you'll get burnout
Thanks for the awesome analysis of some of my all time favorite games! I was hoping you’d mention warmech!
Amazing review of this game! I’m currently on my first marathon of all the Final Fantasy games! I just wrapped up FF2 and am on the Soul of Rebirth part rn. The first game I feel is so much better and even though it’s basic, I think it’s a wonderful experience (until the end of the PSP version) 🤣
Just found this channel and almost instantly subbed. Very well done video I cant believe you dont have more subs/views! Keep up the great work and subbed well earned sir :)
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
Wonderful video! I actually really wanted to play through the series before Final Fantasy 7 Remake, lol I failed at that, but this video inspired me to still try and go through it! I've been in love with the series for most of my life, I played Final Fantasy 8 when I was like 6 or 7 and even though many many parts went over my head I fell in love with the series. I definitely have to check out the 2D era, never played 2-5.
it seems we had a similar childhood haha! that sounds like a plan - if you didn't mind playing them out of order, i would recommend starting with IV, it's probably the best middle ground between what you know FF to be and what it used to be, should make the transition into playing the other earlier games a bit easier. thank you for watching my friend :)
Uf, you have decided to undertake an massive series. But I’m looking forward to it and what insights you might give about the series. I have a lot of confidence it will be great! Best regards :) Thanks for the video.
no kidding! it's a huge undertaking, and the videos will most likely get longer from IV onwards, but i love the series and i think it'll be worth it :) thank you so much for watching!
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
this was so great, and i can't wait for the rest of this series (esp 6, which is the best one don't @ me)
hey, thank you! that's super kind of you. haha, i'm looking forward to getting to VI, if not a bit apprehensive cause it's gonna be tough to do it justice!
Going through 6 now. The magitech vibe and characters are unparalleled
I only just found your videos, Ludiscere. Please continue making Final Fantasy videos
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.
Ok. You got me to click not because I am deeply interested in an analysis of the original Final Fantasy but out of sheer curiosity on how you managed to get an hour of content analyzing it.
EDIT: Good video. It didn't feel like an hour long. It was well paced, everything flowed into itself, and I felt I learned a little about a game I'd played at least a dozen times.
Just found this series! Can't wait for the other parts, however long it takes you to make them! Hope all is well.
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.
All music in ff1 are so nostalgic ❤️❤️