Cool things about FFVI, pt. 1

So, there are a lot of cool things about FFVI.   Compared to its predecessors, this is a pretty damn story driven game.   I mean, there are times where you can't go two minutes without unearthing some sort of delicious pre-CGI rendering cutscene. It's especially nice for people like me, who are used to the era of 'you must visit every single town and talk to every single person multiple times in order to figure out what to do next.'.  This?  Not so much a problem in FFVI.  The story drives itself very well, and you could go through much of the game and not be at a loss to your next objective. But -- if you're a fan of backstory and exposition?  You can learn a surprising amount by just walking into town.   For example -- visit Locke's hometown?  You're treated to a sepia-toned montage of his first true love.  Take Sabin back to Figaro with Edgar?  You get the story of why Sabin left to become a steroid-addled gym jockey with a heart of gold.   (For those who don't know -- their dear old dad kicked it, and wanted them both to lead Figaro into the next generation of greatness.   Sabin wanted only to go out and work to avenge the death of Daddy by righting all wrongs.   Edgar suggested settling it with a coin flip -- heads he goes to lead his life, tails he stays and becomes King.)  It's heartwarming, is what it is.   In fact, I'd wager that most people don't see a quarter of the dialogue in the game during their first walkthroughs.    So much of the inner content is based upon not only where you go, but when and with whom.

Here's a good tip if you want to design a game.  Sepia = nostalgia.

 

See also -- Sabin/Edgar backstory

Even if you aren't thorough -- the game is very heavily plot driven.   A lot of seemingly innocent scenes, though, gain extra meaning when you visit them with the right people.     Like this scene where Celes hustles Setzer out of his airship by offering her pristine vee up on the betting table.   Heads?  The airship is ours.  Tails?  Mine is yours. As you can see, I took Gau and Sabin (Locke and Celes are mandatory for this point in the game).   If, instead, I had taken Sabin and Edgar, there would be additional dialogue in this scene.   Sabin will say:  "That coin...?  BIG BROTHER!!! Don't tell me...".   This ties back into the Figaro story mentioned above. It's a tremendous attention to detail, I think.   Even minor, non-party characters have plot.   From Duane and Katrin, with their blossoming romance, to the poor sick soldier in Mobliz and his love Lola. This isn't to say that the other Final Fantasies have failed in their mission to tell a good story.... but FFVI, I think, is where they perfected it to an art form.