The Game Plan 01.11.08: Games I'd Like to See -- Final Fantasy VI Remake

Posted by James McGee on 01.11.2008

This week, I call for a remake of my all-time favorite game from the SNES era

I am a geek with many hobbies. I read, I play video games, I watch movies, I occasionally tinker around with writing fiction…With so many different pastimes, it's hard to pin down one word to describe all the things that interest me. But after mulling it over for quite a while, I think I can safely say that all of my hobbies really come down to one thing: storytelling. An appreciation for the art of a well-told story probably defines what I'm all about better than anything else. When I was a child, my parents read to me constantly. When I learned to read myself, my appetite for books only became more voracious. All the while, I was also being bombarded with movies—everything from the standard Disney kiddie-fodder to the classics of American cinema (I was probably watching Singin' in the Rain and Gone With the Wind before I could talk). Virtually my entire life has been a search for new ways to experience stories. My journey has brought me from books and movies to comics, music, theater and, of course, video games.

Even the most fervent defender of the artistic merit of video games will admit that the medium didn't begin as a storytelling powerhouse. Early examples emphasized the "game" aspect, and really were more about offering players a diversion than crafting an expansive tale. While those humble beginnings deserve respect (and never let it be said that they don't have a place in this jaded, modern world), times have changed, and games are now just as much a venue for storytelling as books, movies, or anything else.

For me, the game that first proved the medium's potential in that regard was Final Fantasy VI. Sure, Final Fantasy VII gets most of the attention, and you can't deny it was an important milestone for both the series and games as a whole. But for my money, nothing will ever be able to duplicate the sheer glory of number VI. That's why, in this "remix edition" of Games I'd Like to See, I'm calling for Square Enix to stop churning out all the FFVII spin-offs and put to bed the ever-present rumors of that game's impending remake. Instead, give the game that paved the way for Final Fantasy's modern incarnations some proper respect. I'm James McGee, and here's The Game Plan.


The graphics may be tiny and pixilated, but the story is still epic and moving

I discovered Final Fantasy VI almost by accident. A friend lent me Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest—the much-hated "introductory RPG" for the Super Nintendo. Critics have been unkind to it over the years, but that one holds a special place in my heart (Jordan Williams can back me up in the Mystic Quest love department). A few months later, I was looking for rentals and noticed Final Fantasy III (as number VI was first numbered in America) on the rack. "Final Fantasy," I thought. "I remember that name. Maybe I'll give that a look-see." I can honestly say that, from the moment I first fired the game up, I was awe-struck. The image of Terra and two soldiers stomping through the snow in Magitek armor on their way to destroy the town of Narshe—all while Nobuo Uematsu's haunting score plays over the credits—is still vivid to this day. Over a fevered weekend of play, I discovered a game that fed my wonder with each passing moment. The story is filled with lively, fully-realized characters that—in the tradition of great literature—come to feel like old friends. Very few tales have ever deserved the label "epic" more than FFVI. There is betrayal, redemption, exploration, self-discovery, love, comedy—and at the point where most movies would reach the ultimate climax, this thing is just getting started. I spent dozens of hours with this game, and in the end, I still didn't want it to be over. And if memory serves me, the moment the end credits finished, I started the journey all over again. If that isn't the mark of a great story, I don't know what is.

So if the original game was so great, why bother with a remake? Well, it's almost as if Final Fantasy VI was too good for its time. You could almost feel the Super Nintendo groaning beneath the weight of this incredibly ambitious title. The game's lasting impression proves that great artists do not let the limitations of technology hinder their talent. But imagine if they had modern tools to work with. If Uematsu's compositions could evoke such emotion in the simple bleeps and bloops of the time, how powerful would a full orchestra sound? With operatic performances playing such a central role in portions of the game, FFVI begs for a fully realized score. If the simple, text-heavy moments of exposition were so moving, imagine these scenes as fully rendered CG-movies, dubbed with quality voice talent. The already-endearing characters would also receive a boost from new game techniques. Terra's confusion would be all the more heartbreaking, Kefka (easily one of the greatest video-game villains of all time) would be even more frighteningly insane, and Ultros—a giant purple octopus—would be even funnier and more absurd with great visuals and voice to complete the package. Playing the game today, FFVI still makes an impact. It may not need the unparalleled production values the series has become known for, but it certainly deserves them.


I'd like the new Final Fantasy VI to resemble this shot of FFXII (but with English text, obviously)

Gameplay might be the biggest area for improvement with this near-flawless title. I know full well that I'm treading some very volatile ground with RPG fanatics, so bear with me. Traditionally, Final Fantasy games have used the turn-based battle system and "random encounters" with enemies. Basically, you're walking around the game-world, minding your own business, when you run into an invisible enemy. You're taken to a separate battle screen where everyone takes turns attacking, healing, what have you, just like in a pen-and-paper RPG. This system is tried, true, and very effective for the type of games involved. It can also get a little tedious, even for the most devout player. Final Fantasy XII introduced a new system that allowed players to actually see enemies (and avoid them, if they choose). Players still issue commands in battle, but they can also set characters to run on auto-pilot to some degree, and the whole thing takes on a much more "real-time" pacing (even if it still isn't strictly as fast-paced and twitchy as straight-up action games). Some people think this new system was a great shot in the arm for the series, while purist loath it passionately. I don't have a problem with the turn-based system (everything to its purpose, after all), but I admit that it is starting to show its age, as many RPG have found more compelling ways of dealing with combat. And I'll go on record that I danced a jig at the death of random encounters. Plus, the new system means less interruption in the flow of the game—no more transporting from the map to a stylish battle screen and back again. Implementing these new gameplay mechanics would make for a more immersive experience, and would be just another step towards giving Final Fantasy VI the modern shine it deserves.

Final Fantasy VI has seen a couple of re-releases on the PlayStation and Game Boy Advanced, both of which offered some minor enhancements here and there. However, what I'm interested in is a full-blown, spare-no-expense remake. The chances of it happening are unlikely, considering Square has shown little interest in doing all-out remakes and, if they should choose to do one, fans at large seem to be clamoring for Final Fantasy VII. Again, you can't take anything away from that one—it brought the series into the third dimension and changed it from a niche franchise into a mainstream powerhouse. However, number VIlaid the groundwork for everything that came after, and it remains one of the most beautiful, memorable games I've ever played. Maybe it's just my own sentimental attachment talking, but I'd like to think there are other people that would like to see a true classic reintroduced to a modern audience with proper respect, instead of having to always live in the shadow of its more flashy and famous successor. After all, a good story is always worth revisiting.