Final Fantasy 4 really changed the way the RPG was made, but the genre itself was just a niche market, inaccessible for the common, every day gamer that was used more to jumping on turtles as an Italian plumber than to reading an epic story starring a Dark Knight with a troubled past. People wanted to play for fun, and when you get down to it, that's what video games are for. So, what's a game company to do? Make a game about death, loss, despair, with a genocidal monster clown and starring a cast of varied characters that have suffered soul crushing losses? Actually, Squaresoft simply made a game that was considerably lighter, softer, easier and simpler than their previous game. They made Final Fantasy 5.
Cute artwork, isn't it?
Due to health reasons, I am afraid a plot summary would take far too much out of me, so instead, here's a link to another site that summarizes the plot well enough. Please read this first: http://www.ffcompendium.com/h/ff5story.shtml
Final Fantasy 5's story is often criticized for being a cliche, and honestly, that's kind of missing the point. I would not call it original, but I would also not call it trite. The story is, well, rather basic, especially compared to how daring Final Fantasy 3 and 4 were: The embodiment of evil wants to destroy the world, and it's up to an adventurer, a princess, a pirate captain, and a wise old man from Outer Space to save it. Yawn, been there, done that. But here is where I play Devil's Advocate for the game: it's not the story, it's how the story is told.
The tone of the story is comical, except for when it needs to be serious, and when it needs to be, the story is very serious indeed. An example is in how Galuf dies. The game lets you play as Galuf in a battle against Exdeath, and you can't lose. Exdeath drops Galuf's health to zero in one hit, but he doesn't die! He just keeps going, and going! And when the battle is finally over, poof, Galuf drops to the ground, exhausted, and dies. When I first saw this scene, I was shocked, I did not expect something like this at all.
There are also several scenes that really tug at the heartstrings. One of these is how Bartz' mother, Stella, died when he was a child. Another scene is Lena's memory of how she could not heal her mother from her incurable disease without killing the last dragon in the world. The dragon's tongue could have been used to heal her, but the King of Tycoon stopped her, telling her that you can't take one life to save another.
And yet, the game isn't afraid to have fun with itself! The wisest creature in the world is...a talking turtle that throws insults like they were candy. Characters often say very funny things as well, and that's not even getting into how they react to certain things, like Bartz' reaction to seeing Faris sound asleep (blushing, with a heart swelling above him) or Galuf's revelation that he's from another world (The other three party members jump up in shock, eyes all wide like a Bugs Bunny cartoon).
Bartz is your typical adventure hero. A good part of Bartz' appeal is that what you see is what you get: you see him as this reliable, happy, courageous guy who'd give you the shirt off his back if you asked him for it. And yet, if you looked beneath his surface, that's exactly what you'd find. Does that make him shallow? No, Bartz is someone with a history, and not a happy one either: his parents are dead, after all. And yet, he is free from all angst, he's a dashing ladies' man, and people just like him! He's great with kids, animals, knows his way around the road, and never says no to an adventure. Some call him shallow, but I call him authentic. Bartz is proof that you don't need angst to be a hero, a message few take seriously, I'm sad to say.
Lenna is a proud continuation of Final Fantasy's tradition of having strong, well rounded female characters. She is brave, independent, and yet there is a loving tenderness to her. She is not the typical rebellious princess, like Disney's Ariel, she knows she has things to do, and one of those just happens to be saving the world. Altruistic to a fault, Lenna is an awe inspiring woman, a real case of silk hiding steel. Beneath this sweet, polite, ideal princess is a woman who is ready, willing and able to take up arms to save the world from the literal embodiment of evil.
Faris is a determined, commanding, slightly selfish, somewhat reckless, courageous, and brash pirate captain. She's a woman living in a man's world, commanding and earning the respect of what is otherwise a lawless bunch of trouble makers. Faris is also loyal, the woman you KNOW would never leave you or abandon you when the going got rough, who'd never drop her sword because one would have to pry it from her cold, dead hands. And yet, she is also the woman who loves her little sister, cares for her friends, worries for her crew, and though she'd never say it out loud, yearns for the parents she forgot long ago. Beneath this brash, ruthless pirate is a lost girl who keeps the ones she loves as close as possible.
Galuf is an old man from another world, who came to this world to save it from the evil Exdeath. A man who lost his memory at the start of the game, Galuf still gives it his all to save the world from evil, and never leaves a friend behind. A man of jokes and bad puns, Galuf is also a true leader, never placing anyone in needless danger if he can avoid it. Galuf is also the kind of man who goes front and center whenever his forces, or his friends, are facing any danger. In his finest moment, Galuf gives his very life to save his friends from the wrath of Exdeath, passing his powers to his pride and joy, the young Krile, his granddaughter. Beneath this fatherly man is an old soldier, with decades worth of battlefield experience and wisdom.
The last character to join the party, Krile is Galuf's granddaughter. Always optimistic, Krile keeps the party's spirits up when they face their hardest trials. Though much loved by her grandfather, Krile is a lonely girl, often making friends with animals, like the Moogles and the dragon. However, she does not hesitate to take up her grandfather's legacy. Beneath her youth and optimism lays the foundations of a true hero.
There are many who call Exdeath a cliche villain. I'd like to say, yeah, there's a lot of things about him that are just plain unoriginal. He's the embodiment of evil (yawn) bent on destroying the world (seen it), by destroying the Crystals that hold the world together (So, like the Elemental Fiends of FF1). There's simply not a lot to Exdeath; what you see is what you get. His back story is very simple (he's basically a tree that turned evil and magical because some geniuses locked away thousands of evil souls in it.) And his motivation can best be summed up in two words: because evil. And yet, I can't help but like him. He might not be a deep, or interesting villain, but he's damn effective. He's always one step ahead of the heroes, and they always either arrive much too late to stop him, or arrive just in time to watch his latest plan unfold. Plus, it must be said: through most of the game, Exdeath is always winning! Exdeath plans on destroying the crystals, and that's what he does! Exdeath plans on opening the Void, and that's what he does! He actually manages to destroy many cities with the Void, including Lena's home castle, and Bartz' hometown! The party actually has to travel to the Void itself to deal with him, and only barely manage to defeat him! He's not original, he's not deep, but he's damn effective as a villain.
Final Fantasy 5's story is often criticized for being a cliche, and honestly, that's kind of missing the point. I would not call it original, but I would also not call it trite. The story is, well, rather basic, especially compared to how daring Final Fantasy 3 and 4 were: The embodiment of evil wants to destroy the world, and it's up to an adventurer, a princess, a pirate captain, and a wise old man from Outer Space to save it. Yawn, been there, done that. But here is where I play Devil's Advocate for the game: it's not the story, it's how the story is told.
The tone of the story is comical, except for when it needs to be serious, and when it needs to be, the story is very serious indeed. An example is in how Galuf dies. The game lets you play as Galuf in a battle against Exdeath, and you can't lose. Exdeath drops Galuf's health to zero in one hit, but he doesn't die! He just keeps going, and going! And when the battle is finally over, poof, Galuf drops to the ground, exhausted, and dies. When I first saw this scene, I was shocked, I did not expect something like this at all.
There are also several scenes that really tug at the heartstrings. One of these is how Bartz' mother, Stella, died when he was a child. Another scene is Lena's memory of how she could not heal her mother from her incurable disease without killing the last dragon in the world. The dragon's tongue could have been used to heal her, but the King of Tycoon stopped her, telling her that you can't take one life to save another.
And yet, the game isn't afraid to have fun with itself! The wisest creature in the world is...a talking turtle that throws insults like they were candy. Characters often say very funny things as well, and that's not even getting into how they react to certain things, like Bartz' reaction to seeing Faris sound asleep (blushing, with a heart swelling above him) or Galuf's revelation that he's from another world (The other three party members jump up in shock, eyes all wide like a Bugs Bunny cartoon).
One dictionary search later, a translation: "Let her go, you crazy, ugly delinquent!". Final Fantasy-Improving our vocabularies!
Written like a good 80's action cartoon
Yes, this is authentic dialogue from the game.
The game is also not without depth. One of the major themes of the game is Family, and each of the heroes is defined and shaped by their familial relationships. Bartz travels the world because his father, before he passed away, begged him to. Lenna sets out on her adventure to find her father, and in fact for the first third of the game, it is this mission that motivates her the most. Faris is a woman who had been lost and separated from her family, and so she grew up with pirates, who raised her like their own, and yet she never truly lost that special connection to her blood family, especially her sister, Lenna. Galuf is completely attached to his granddaughter, Krile, and does everything he can to protect her. Krile, in her part, loves Galuf dearly, and when she is given his powers after he passes away, she strives to not only live up to his legacy, but to make him proud as well. Family is also explored in the grandfather-grandson relationship between Cid, the world's greatest engineering genius, and Mid, his scholarly grandson. Cid and Mid, when they put their know-how together, can solve any problem, no matter how big or small. Their combined efforts played no small part in defeating Exdeath.
Another major theme to the game is Legacy. Three of our five heroes, and even our villain, are heirs to a legacy that they choose to keep alive. Bartz is the legacy of the hero Dorgan, a man who fought off Exdeath many years ago and helped seal him in his tree. Lena is the heir to the throne of Tycoon, and so she fights to save not just her kingdom, but the world as well. Krile is Galuf's living legacy, and she inherits not only his throne, but his powers as well. And Exdeath? He takes over the evil wizard Enuo's legacy: the Void. Exdeath seeks to finish what Enuo started: destroy the world with the power of the Void.
I'd like to analyze the characters now:
Bartz is your typical adventure hero. A good part of Bartz' appeal is that what you see is what you get: you see him as this reliable, happy, courageous guy who'd give you the shirt off his back if you asked him for it. And yet, if you looked beneath his surface, that's exactly what you'd find. Does that make him shallow? No, Bartz is someone with a history, and not a happy one either: his parents are dead, after all. And yet, he is free from all angst, he's a dashing ladies' man, and people just like him! He's great with kids, animals, knows his way around the road, and never says no to an adventure. Some call him shallow, but I call him authentic. Bartz is proof that you don't need angst to be a hero, a message few take seriously, I'm sad to say.Lenna is a proud continuation of Final Fantasy's tradition of having strong, well rounded female characters. She is brave, independent, and yet there is a loving tenderness to her. She is not the typical rebellious princess, like Disney's Ariel, she knows she has things to do, and one of those just happens to be saving the world. Altruistic to a fault, Lenna is an awe inspiring woman, a real case of silk hiding steel. Beneath this sweet, polite, ideal princess is a woman who is ready, willing and able to take up arms to save the world from the literal embodiment of evil. Faris is a determined, commanding, slightly selfish, somewhat reckless, courageous, and brash pirate captain. She's a woman living in a man's world, commanding and earning the respect of what is otherwise a lawless bunch of trouble makers. Faris is also loyal, the woman you KNOW would never leave you or abandon you when the going got rough, who'd never drop her sword because one would have to pry it from her cold, dead hands. And yet, she is also the woman who loves her little sister, cares for her friends, worries for her crew, and though she'd never say it out loud, yearns for the parents she forgot long ago. Beneath this brash, ruthless pirate is a lost girl who keeps the ones she loves as close as possible. Galuf is an old man from another world, who came to this world to save it from the evil Exdeath. A man who lost his memory at the start of the game, Galuf still gives it his all to save the world from evil, and never leaves a friend behind. A man of jokes and bad puns, Galuf is also a true leader, never placing anyone in needless danger if he can avoid it. Galuf is also the kind of man who goes front and center whenever his forces, or his friends, are facing any danger. In his finest moment, Galuf gives his very life to save his friends from the wrath of Exdeath, passing his powers to his pride and joy, the young Krile, his granddaughter. Beneath this fatherly man is an old soldier, with decades worth of battlefield experience and wisdom. The last character to join the party, Krile is Galuf's granddaughter. Always optimistic, Krile keeps the party's spirits up when they face their hardest trials. Though much loved by her grandfather, Krile is a lonely girl, often making friends with animals, like the Moogles and the dragon. However, she does not hesitate to take up her grandfather's legacy. Beneath her youth and optimism lays the foundations of a true hero.There are many who call Exdeath a cliche villain. I'd like to say, yeah, there's a lot of things about him that are just plain unoriginal. He's the embodiment of evil (yawn) bent on destroying the world (seen it), by destroying the Crystals that hold the world together (So, like the Elemental Fiends of FF1). There's simply not a lot to Exdeath; what you see is what you get. His back story is very simple (he's basically a tree that turned evil and magical because some geniuses locked away thousands of evil souls in it.) And his motivation can best be summed up in two words: because evil. And yet, I can't help but like him. He might not be a deep, or interesting villain, but he's damn effective. He's always one step ahead of the heroes, and they always either arrive much too late to stop him, or arrive just in time to watch his latest plan unfold. Plus, it must be said: through most of the game, Exdeath is always winning! Exdeath plans on destroying the crystals, and that's what he does! Exdeath plans on opening the Void, and that's what he does! He actually manages to destroy many cities with the Void, including Lena's home castle, and Bartz' hometown! The party actually has to travel to the Void itself to deal with him, and only barely manage to defeat him! He's not original, he's not deep, but he's damn effective as a villain.
Final Fantasy 5 is not as beloved as Final Fantasy 4 for many reasons, but the biggest reason may well be the fact that, while FF4 tried to push the envelope, FF5 was fine being itself, focusing more on gameplay than story. An interesting comparison arises; while FF4 was what Final Fantasy 2 wanted to be, FF5 is what Final Fantasy 3 could have been with a stronger system and more balance between character classes. What I mean to say is, Final Fantasy 4 borrows a lot from what made Final Fantasy 2 so good (an original story) and improved on it substantially. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy 5 borrows from what made Final Fantasy 3 so good (a lot of variety between character classes) and added more to allow character balance, such as: taking out classes that simply outranked others, adding the Red Mage's ability to cast two spells at once, and taking out the 'useless' character classes from FF3, like the Scholar (that did next to nothing but check how much health the enemy had and attack with a book) or the Viking (a warrior that was less accurate than the Knight, and equipped axes and hammers instead of swords, yet was otherwise not that different from the Knight), and adding in classes like the Chemist (doubles the effectiveness of items and can mix them together for potent effects) and the Berserker (an uncontrollable warrior who deals massive damage with its attacks).
Final Fantasy 5 is a great RPG that's super fun, easy to get into, easy to understand, yet hard to put down. This is actually one of my favorite Final Fantasies, if not one of my favorite video games ever. So, why doesn't it get more love? Well, I think it's because, not only did it have the bad luck of having to live up to a game changer like Final Fantasy 4, but it also had to deal with being surpassed by its successor. Tune in next time, when we look at that modern classic, Final Fantasy 6.
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