I forgot to mention Patreon in the video and I did say I would try to promote it more from now on... so I'm mentioning it here. If you want to support me you can - www.patreon.com/NeverKnowsBestUA-cam That's it, that's all I had to say. Thanks!
I just hope you know this just became my favorite day of the week. Specially because that’s how long it’ll take me to watch it all. Thank you NeverKnowsBest you really are always the best
The fact that you keep uploading and getting back up despite how much UA-cam beats you down is respectable. I'm glad you haven't quit because you make some of the best content on UA-cam.
NKB, you are a fucking MADMAN! I can't wait to watch this whole thing on the weekend, while sipping on a cold brew. I've been a Final Fantasy fan since FF7 (original). Thank you for making this video. Cheers mate!
Once I graduate and get a job with a stable income, you're going to be the first UA-camr whose Patreon I'm going to prioritize to support. Hopefully you're still doing this or something greater by then.
The Final Fantasy series might be the most mass appealing series ever created while simultaneously being the most niche. Every game is different and resonates differently with different people, and because of that I think everyone has something called Final Fantasy that they like, while also having something called Final Fantasy they have no interest in. I'd be fascinated to see correlation between how much an individual enjoys each Final Fantasy game and the variety of genres of stories or music they enjoy
Patterns of Blessing Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. -Psalm 23:6 As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6) In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years. As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives. Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before. We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20) Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (Romans 2:4) Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy. And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination. That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective. When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3) Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
This is a really good point. Final Fantasy has always occupied a weird place in the gaming pantheon, imo. They (at least at the time of the earlier games' release) straddled a fine line between being "nerdy D&D RPG" while still remaining approachable enough for mass audiences.
Nobody else’s production, music, and narration comes close to what you do. I watch every single video. Please continue to put out this content. You are a masterclass
@@WonOneWun I've listened to all his stuff while driving to work, walking dogs, and while doing chores. Not gonna lie though, when I need a voice to talk me to sleep, my go to is his videos that I've already listened to before.
Killer phrasing in the closing comment, "find it a little disappointing how many people are so quick to praise the FF games from their childhood, yet so quick to dismiss those from someone else's".
@@razmatazz9310 I think the point is more that if you take them for what they are rather than what you want them to be, each entry has likable qualities and could be magic to experience
Patterns of Blessing Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. -Psalm 23:6 As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6) In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years. As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives. Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before. We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20) Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (Romans 2:4) Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy. And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination. That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective. When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3) Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
(Hopefully won't get crucified for airing an opinion on this franchise) but, speaking as a more casual FF fan, FF VIII always struck me as one of the more undervalued installments in the series.
VII to VIII was easily the biggest graphical jump in the series, _DESPITE_ being on the same platform. You can see how Square graphics team evolved when you see the prerendered cutscenes from the PS1 version of Origins and IV and compare them to ones in IV's re-release done around the same time. In later editions they just scrapped the embarrassing FMVs they trained on and IV has a newer intro movie. I assume backgrounds with their mix of matte paintovers and 3D renders were done by more or less the same teams that went over Full Motion Video, and it kinda shows how GOOD those are in VIII especially after VII somehow kept LEGO models even in half the prerendered stuff (curiously doing a few cutscenes like getting onto a bike and whatever was used in promo trailers half-decently). FF8 is where Square got consistently solid, graphically.
Some days, you wake up, and a gift you were not expecting is dropped into your feed. I feel like I just had a surprise birthday gift delivered. Friend, your work is a true treasure. Thank you very much for such excellent content!
1:48:55 This chart is impressively spot on. When you started off the discussion on how the early games changed as they were released I thought you were going to go down the route of "one title focuses on story, the next title focuses on the battle system, then the next title focuses on story again" etc etc. But your chart here is so spot on and nails the eras very very well. And god damn the golden era was such an amazing time. Truly loved growing up when these games were coming out. Even better, back then a new FF would drop about every year and a half or so. Good times.
Amazing chart, the only major thing it's missing is character designs. You can easily see how Amano's designs were changed because of limited palettes and resolutions, in some ways improved (not everyone is blonde), but other times messed up (FF1 and FF2 hero sprites look the same). Then Nomura has his sameface black-haired women and everyone having tons of zippers and buttons... also characters following the fashion trends, I mean Tidus is wearing overalls with cargo shorts FFS! And I don't really know who made the designs from later, 13 looked like a fashion show with models skipping leg day... and then there's Ivalice games that have their own designs from a world of tan strawberry blonds.
I was born in 98 so I didn't even grow up with early Final Fantasy and games like it. but even in the ps2 days I remember collecting game manuals that had actual value and information with the games. kids these days will never get to experience stuff like this anymore
So glad you’re still doing these videos despite the issues with YT monetising. Your video essays are my favourite on here and you deserve more attention. Hope you never stop!
Wow.. I was enthralled the entire 6 hours. Incredible audio mixing, music selection, writing and narration. That conclusion was brilliantly crafted and delivered. Thanks for creating this gem 🤙
The fact you can make a 6 hour video and keep up the quality through out the whole video is insane. You are my favorite channel on youtube. I just want you to know how much we appreciate your work.
When I stumbled upon this video on my feed I thought: “This sounds like something I’d be interested in but there’s no way I’m buckling up for a nearly six hour video.” However, it kept popping up so I thought I’d give it a whirl, if anything to have play in the background while running dailies in FFXIV…I am so extremely glad I did. I, like many people, absolutely fell in love with FF in 1997 when FF7 came out (my first FF game). I’ll never forget the feeling I got from it. How I thought about it every moment of my day, I would bring the player’s guide to school to read during lunch, draw the characters, hurry home to return to the world, and stay up far later than I should have (or was allowed to). I’d set the controller down and just listen to the music sometimes. It marked an ongoing obsession with the series for me that has spanned into my mid-30’s. I remember how special the days were when a new FF game would release and I’d drop everything I was doing to pick up a copy. Magical Christmases when FF8 and FF9 were my favorite gifts. How I bought a PS2 JUST to play FFX. How I cut class when FF12 released so I could pick up my collectors edition and play all day. How I took time off from work when FF13 dropped so I could pull all nighters. Now that I have a career, a wife, and a family my video game days are not quite as flexible but I always make time to play the latest FF. My best friend recently passed away (almost a year ago to this date). I entered a deep grief-driven depression where I picked up a lot of unhealthy habits. One of those was videogame binges which I used to cope. And I, just like you, played through all 16 FF games sequentially within the last year (including the MMO’s) as a sort of escapism I guess. Doing so brought me back to a time where I felt the most enchanted with the world I suppose. However, I recently wrote an essay on my experiences revisiting these games and my thoughts on each - many of my thoughts echoing yours. By the end of the video where you say how FF means different things to different people and how significant it is to people’s lives it almost brought me to tears. Thank you for this, but more importantly thank you to FF for making our lives so much more magical. There simply isn’t a series that has had the same everlasting effects.
Your comment completely encapsulates everything a video game or video game franchise can mean to someone. I am sorry for your loss and hope that you are able to live with it more peacefully now, but thank you for sharing and putting into words how a lot of people feel about different games i’m sure.
"Lightning lost her sister, Hope lost his mom, Snow lost his fiancee, Vanille lost several brain cells..." Goddamn, that burn was delivered so smoothly.
This is like book of historical events written by someone who lived during this time period. I just imagine someone in the future stumbling onto this, getting hooked and learning more about an important part of gaming history.
My biggest issue with most critique videos is that they tend to be overly negative and make people who enjoyed the thing the video is about feel stupid. I really love this video because all of the critique is valid without making each game feel like a joke. A lot of youtubers struggle with that so i genuinely appreciate you and your content haha
I seriously admire you man. You have such an incredible level of dedication to putting out quality work. I can't imagine the level of discipline and work that goes into putting these together but every video you release brings me a lot of joy. I am very grateful you chose to continue making videos.
I'm so glad you keep making videos, despite what you've been through the past months. And not just any videos, but ones that take so much effort. You're an amazing creator and I appreciate your work immensely! That being said, please don't overwork yourself. When I saw how long this video is gonna be, I got a bit worried for you 😅
This video is a masterpiece. The older I get, the more I love every single game in the series, and I haven't even gotten around to playing half of them yet.
I started my entire FF games playthrough one month ago. I can say that all games have their own charm and deserve to be liked by their respective fandom. I only made it up to 8 so far but from the ones I played I can say that the ones I'd definitely play over and over again are VI and VII. Though I will give IV another try now that I've found out how to speed up the game XD.
@@pandaman1331You made it through 8 games in a month?!?! You and I are a different breed, haha. I only game for about a week or two out of the month, but I STILL haven't been able to finish Baldur's Gate 3 since it was released on PS5, hahahaha. That's not a bad thing, by the way. I think I would rather have a sprawling epic that contains some of the most thrilling and emotional storytelling and world building ever across hundreds of hours than shorter games. But everyone has their own tastes! It's also why I prefer TV shows over movies. Have you finished the entire series yet or are you still working on it?
@@Tcrror As I wrote, I only made it up to 8. But I already played 7 several times before. My love for 7 is why I decided to play through all of them to begin with. I played up to X now. But the thing is, I finished only two of those games. Only 1 and 6. I dropped the other games after 2 - 4 hours. I just can't bothered to finish a game that doesn't thiroughly entertain me. Because my backlog still contains 20 games and I generally think playing games you don't enjoy is a waste of time. I could play something I like instead. I also skipped 5, which I'm currently playing. And I definitely love it. So by the time I wrote you I played 7 games. 50 hours for 6, 10 hours for 1 and let's say an average of 3 hours for the other 5 games. That makes let's say 75 hours for all games in one month. So on average, I played 2,5 hours per day. But I definitely binged a lot in weekends. Still not a small amount of playtime but within reason. But I'm not gonna lie or make excuses. I can binge play a lot during weekends and vacations. I guess my joy for games hasn't decreased in my 30s. I also finished Ys 8 last month. Another game I loved.
@@Tcrror PS: I am basically done with the FF games. Currently playing 5, which I strongly recommend alongside 6 and 7. I have no Interest in anything beyond X to be honest. Besides XVI, which I will get once it's released on steam. I also have Crisis Core Reunion, FF7 Remake and FF7 Rebirth on my wishlist.
@@Tcrror My original comment was deleted for some reason. In short. I only finished 1 with 10 hours and 6 within 50 hours. I skipped 5, which I'm currently playing. I only played the Rest for 2 - 3 hours and didn't finish them because they weren't entertaining enough. I also played 7 several times already. It was my first FF game ever and the reason I tried the others in the first place. So that makes 50 hours for 6, 10 hours for 1 and let's say 3 hours for the other 4 games. That makes 72 hours in one month. So around 2,5 hours per day. Not a small amount of playtime but still within reason. I sure did binge quite a lot on weekends. Not gonna lie, I can binge a lot on weekends and vacations. Guess I still love games just as much in my 30s 😅.
Patterns of Blessing Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. -Psalm 23:6 As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6) In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years. As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives. Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before. We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20) Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (Romans 2:4) Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy. And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination. That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective. When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3) Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
Simply phenomenal. Thank you very kindly for all of you effort, it is truly an inspiration. Love to know more about Final Fantasy. Have a wonderful day everyone! Thanks for the vid.
Holy moly is this video the final boss of UA-cam?? I've played and beaten all FF's (except 1 and 13), and consider myself quite informed on the subject, so this marathon down memory lane is a welcome one. And I fully agree, FF5 is incredibly underrated and easily the best of the early installments.
Another masterpiece gets uploaded to UA-cam! I can't believe you almost stopped doing these videos, UA-cam and Gaming would have lost one of the best in the business.
- posted 14 hours ago - commented 14 hours ago - 5 hour video - “another masterpiece” Either you’re a patreon member or you’re talking out of your ass to get a heart on your comment
@@harrylane4dude, who honestly gives a shit? NKB is one of the most humble, down to earth youtubers I've conversed with and deserves every bit of praise he gets for these videos. Why go through someone's history on such a comment? Who hurt you? Lmao, SAD
@@harrylane4 Or, I have watched this person's content for a long time now and that was a statement on overall video quality that he produce's rather than this specific one. So having watched the video fully now, yup, statement still stands was another masterpiece of quality from NKB. Something tells me you have absolutely nothing to worry about in your day to day life if you're policing peoples comments on UA-cam.
It blows my mind that you are not THE most well known video game critique channel in existence. You are equally, if not more, professional than the top brass in all of UA-cam. From your Lovecraftian love letter, to the entire history of gaming, to this gem 💎 of a masterpiece. It’s all so well put together. You deserve more.
Patterns of Blessing Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. -Psalm 23:6 As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6) In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years. As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives. Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before. We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20) Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (Romans 2:4) Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy. And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination. That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective. When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3) Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
Well, the fact that he thinks grinding is a positive is going to tip off most gamers that he's an idiot, and people don't tend to give much credibility to idiots.
@@sendAJtospace Buddy, you are defending one of the worst and least popular trends in RPGs. You are not on the winning side here, and you're not going to magically change the minds of that many people, no matter how much you glorify your awful taste.
3:29:28 This is probably my favorite moment in any of NeverKnowsBest's videos, you can truly feel that he meant what he said and after hours of serious talking it was so much fun encountering this gem!
That ending was fantastic. Thank you for making this, truly. As a lifelong FF fan, the ending really hit me hard. I always thought 7 was highly overrated, thought 9 was the best, and despised 15 for many years for its numerous flaws. But you’re right, each FF is someone’s first. And that’s what makes it magical as a series. We all play each FF on the same footing, completely fresh in a new world, yet it’s our baggage that we bring with us. Maybe it was never meant to be called Final Fantasy, maybe that story of it being the last ditch effort is false, but it is the true last fantasy of creativity in a series in the industry. No other dates to take such risks, earnestly tries to swing for the fences in an entirely new way each time. A pillar of gaming that’s often not credited enough.
IMO 9 was the best, at at the least the best of the non 2d entries, personally I still think FFT takes that title. I was pretty bummed he didn't mention the amazing soundtrack of 9. For anyone that hasn't played 9, the steam version combined with the moguri mod is easily the best way to play it, stay away from the android version lol.
There's something to like in each FF game. Personally. I love FF9, FF10, FF4, FF6. I always go back and fourth but I think FF9 my favorite overall. FF13 and FF15 are my least favorite out of the series any though there is some good in them. Still sorting how I feel about FF16.
I sometimes try to figure out what is wrong with myself, because I have always liked 13 so much... lol. I just do... I was born in 81. Grew up playing them right from the beginning..
You are a treasure. The care and dedication you put into the research and editing (making sure you're always showing relevant footage to your topic) and your A+++ voice set you way apart from even my other favorite creators. Please keep up the amazing work.
Hey Never, just wanted to explain one side of why so many resonate strongly with FFX’s emotional side of the story. While it is heavy handed, it’s very easy for people (like myself) with terrible parents to identify with someone like Tidus. I’ll try be brief. Me and my half sister have different dads. She used to think that her experience not really ever knowing her dad was worse than mine, but it’s not the case. My father lived no more than a 15 minute walk from where my mother did, but I never felt like his son. He was either catering to his wife, her kids, or foster and an adopted kid. I don’t resent them anymore, but I never had a father figure thanks to that. So I resent him deeply, and despite being 31 he has never treated me as my own person, an adult, a capable member of society. All things I succeed at he cannot help but try claim some responsibility for. He just can’t congratulate or just leave a thing be, because he *wants* to be a good parent, he just lacks the ability. Much of the Tidus and Jecht relationship resonates because of this. And I would say Yuna and Braska’s does for many as well, the child desperately trying to live up to their parents legacy and never feeling like an individual in their own right, just an extension of that parent’s accomplishment. All that being said looking back, I can agree FFX can certainly overdo it, but there are quieter moments within as well. As always your videos are fantastic and this inspired me to pick up and play FF7 finally, so thanks dude.
Makes sense. I think that Never is one of those people who are put off by stories that are too obviously trying to make them feel a certain way. My girlfriend is similar. When people like this start feeling that the story is "manipulating" them emotionally, it becomes hard for them to suspend the disbelief and immerse themselves in the emotional moments.
@@SMJSmoK Well it's not like FF16 is not trying to manipulate you constantly with its epic Kaiju battles. Which otherwise to me for example feels shallow as its creates a huge gap of what you see and what you actually do. I rather think he feels attracted by different things but is far from immune to such manipulations as in the end I believe that is what it boils down to in cinematics, making you feel a certain way. Some things just work better in certain instance to some people.
i have never played any final fantasy game but watched this video in one sitting and now in the end i have some tears in my eyes. thank you for making so great, engaging and emotialy honest videos.
I’ve always loved Final Fantasy. 10 was my first and the thing that drew me in the most was that each was incredibly unique to themselves. Despite sequels, remakes, and remasters, each time I play one of these games it gives me an experience I just couldn’t get from each within their own franchise. Thank you for making this video. It must have been incredibly taxing and difficult to finish. Just know your work is appreciated by many and I’ll personally revisit this video frequently until I’m capable of doing my own series playthrough.
Btw you should try the Tales of Series you are going to have a very good time and Tales of Symphonia story plays very familiar from FFX expect gameplay though
Patterns of Blessing Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. -Psalm 23:6 As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6) In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years. As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives. Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before. We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20) Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (Romans 2:4) Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy. And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination. That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective. When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3) Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
"I find it a little disappointing how many people are so quick to praise the games from their childhood yet so quick to dismiss those from someone elses". Wow, Mr. Never. Just wow. This is the best thing I've ever heard from any video game essay. You are truly a master of your craft. Thank you for the inspiration!
This channel has some of the best media analysis I've encountered. It's not just my favorite gaming channel but my favorite UA-cam channel overall. Great job!
Damn dude. I've binged a bunch of your content recently but this one knocked it out of the park. Love your videos and your take on gaming. A voice of reason in a sea of extremism. Thank you for making what you make.
I would really really love to see you do a Zelda series retrospective. The radical shake-ups the games can have in tone and presentation, the series' changing emphases over time, and your own outstanding production and unique perspective on what's valuable in game design would make for something really neat to watch.
I was just thinking as I watched this video that Bravely Default feels like a copy of the original game (minus auto-targeting) specifically regarding grinding vs knowing when to run. I just started playing both series recently.
Grandia has auto-target but battles are dynamic enough (because of movement, chain combos and cancel system, as well as time running on a grid you can see) that it solved that problem WAY back. Problem is, Square had an allergy to good combat systems for years until FF13, and (IMO useless) ATB really ruined things for more involved combat. FFX finally get rid of that and made turn based the proper way but IIRC it was 13 that actually had hitboxes and enemy locations matter. New ones do it too I AFAIK, tho I haven't played those yet.
Wow truly impressive video, can't imagine how much time it took to write and edit this entire retrospective. Kudos to you, I hope this video gets millions of views!
I will never love a video game more than I love FF 8, as a lonely kid with no friends and abusive parents, I resonated with Squall so much, I fell in love with everything about it, I still remember being a young high school kid, balling my eyes out when I finally finished 8 and realised I was saying goodbye to what felt like the only real friends I had ever made in my life, even now at 34 watching something on 8 gives me a lump in my throat.
I can relate. The whole game had a lot of teenage angst vibes that I was really digging. Never expected a game of all things to be something that dives into the same fears and concerns in life that I never dared to voice amongst friends and family. After replaying the game recently I have to admit that the game is extremely weak and rushed in many aspects, but whenever I hear the Balamb Garden theme again my heart just explodes. It was a game that showed me I'm not alone with my fears, and at the same time felt so peaceful and inviting that I just got lost in it, even if it's just running through Balamb Garden and read every single line of dialogue from random NPCs enjoying the atmosphere.
@@Some_Guy_87I'm right there with you. Some aspects of this game are so well designed that it overcomes some extremely glaring flaws that would most likely destroy other games.
This was a beautiful look back at the franchise and you showed the good, the bad, and the ugly, but also reminded me, and many others, why Final Fantasy is one of, if not the best, video game franchise. The variety in gameplay, story, music, and worlds make each game a unique and fun experience and I am glad to have been able to play most of them, my exceptions being 7-9. I sincerely thank you for making this retrospect and I look forward to many years to come of more Final Fantasy.
I agree, and wanted to add the speculation that I think Uematsu was going all-out in an attempt to out-do himself after the runaway success of 7. FF8 has many of his best (and most experimental) tracks in the whole series. The "dueling leitmotifs" of Eyes on Me & Liberi Fatali/Succession of Witches was really impressive to me when I first played 8.
What a great day for another legendary retrospective video by the great NeverKnowsBest. Thank you for all the wonderful sleeps your videos have given me recently. Bravo! 2:27:20 Well whaddya know pimps, hell nah FFVII ain't got no stinkin' budget cuts YESSIR!
I really like your conclusion that what makes Final Fantasy “Final Fantasy” is it’s originality. Each FF being different from each other IS what makes the series what it is, and what makes it different than series like Dragon Quest. It might be why I gravitate towards the FF franchise, because I really value new and different experiences. No, they don’t always land 100% but when they hit, they really hit. Great video!
Am I really going to watch an over 5 hour video about a game series I've been playing for over 30 years and already know a buttload of info on? Yes. Yes I am. Excellent work sir.
Patterns of Blessing Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. -Psalm 23:6 As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6) In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years. As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives. Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before. We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20) Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (Romans 2:4) Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy. And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination. That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective. When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3) Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
My favorite franchise of all time. Final Fantasy I on GBA and VII on PC has shaped my entire taste in games. I can already tell this will be a great video.
As someone who has been playing final fantasy games since childhood, thank you for making these videos. There is just something beautiful about knowing people also have the same interests as you.
So it’s taken me a week to work through the entire video due to other commitments and keeping having to watch it sparingly but sir - I tip my hat to you, what an incredible video you have created here. Beautifully edited, produced and voiced. Just amazing, I was entertained throughout! I love FF and have done since I was a kid and this entire video just made me feel happy and a huge nostalgic blast! Well done my friend
The term "Professional Translator" didn't age very well, now that we know what we know about translators and how the "professionals" are just completely ruining the source material.
Excellent thumbnail. Just seeing all of those FF Logos made by Amano together in one place just brings an amazing sense of nostalgia. Despite its ups and downs over the years, I'm happy to grow up with this wonderful series. 1:47:03 Excellent breakdown. Personally I do think that we have been in the experimental/modern era for long enough. I honestly just want to see another FFV where it mostly focused on refining what FIII regarding the job system and made it significantly better. Imagine a gambit system for the AI in FFXVI for example. 1:49:07 I've never thought of each game in this series as members of a very complicated family tree but somehow, it all makes sense now that it's layed out like this. 😂
Wow, you really outdid yourself this time. I've watched your videos for a while now and enjoyed them, but this felt like the apex of all those that came before. Here's to more great videos and let your talent shine on!
I have never played a FF game (was always curious about a few of them but just never had the time or the system) but was randomly thinking about the franchise and wondered about the legacy/history and stories and found this video. This is superb and exactly what I was looking for and will certainly follow up with some Wikipedia deep dives as well as all of this is so fascinating.
If you, or anyone, decide to start the series after watching this, I strongly recommend 4. It's linear and not too overwhelming (compared to 6 or 7 having too much secrets). OR play any modern ones then go back to 4, or even 1 (any version is good, personally loved Origins on PS1 for keeping the D&D style spell system).
Out of every video, think piece, and channel, even final fantasy union, this is the best analysis video I’ve ever seen so far on FF. I’m only an hour in and every word and detail makes me want to sit through the full 5 + hours
God I’m gonna be able to sleep for 2 weeks thank you so much, how I watch your videos is I watch them at night and dose off to them, and just skip 30 minutes into the video. It’s actually like a bedtime story, and it’s an enthralling real tale. Thank you.
Throughout the video I was trying to find the words to describe your work, the general feeling I've had each time I go through a video like this, even more so as you surpass yourself each time, and I think I found it : your work is important. The depth, care and honesty you put into it really is unique and a rare showing of deep respect for an artform, and therefore its artists, that really makes your analysis even more compelling. It's important for the artisans to be seen and for the gamers to be transported back to what made them fall in love with the medium. And for that I thank you :)
This video deserves more credit than it’s received. Anything biased is advised, opinions are stated without offense, and there are a few opinions I disagree with, but they’re a “I respectfully disagree to this notion” and not “the entire video is off the rails”. I know a lot who should see this won’t due to its size but it’s worth watching piece by piece. You don’t need my recommendations… but I’d recommend cutting this video into 16 pieces, just to reach its audience it should and not for “I wanna make money” reasons. All in all: a must watch for any Final Fantasy fan, RPG fans etc…
I think Final Fantasy has had more of an impact on my life than any other piece of media. In fact, the music alone has had a profound influence on my tastes.
Same. I remember FF6 and Terra herself was my first videogame I actually resonated with a flawed female protagonist when I was 8-10 years old, changing my perspective of how I view female protagonist or female side characters to be well-written or poorly written to who I am today;) I also love the soundtrack, and I used to hate orchestral soundtracks in other games that don't me feel immersed in my profound taste, but FF definitely has one of my favorite orchestral soundtracks in all of gaming🥰 I even somehow burst into tear over the orchestra version of Prelude! The "MAIN flipping MENU" theme of FF1!😭 I don't know why, it makes me feel at... peace. And. Love. Despite how hopelessly empty and lonely I feel irl. Yet. I still move toward the looming light as far as I'm influenced by this theme. It's so nice talking to you about Final Fantasy.
Easily the best 5+ hours I've spent watching something in a long long while. Well constructed, great information, and actually made me, someone who played FF1 2 days after it released in NA and every game since, to step back and think about each game again. Maybe they weren't so bad as I remember....except 13, the only one I couldn't finish.
Patterns of Blessing Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. -Psalm 23:6 As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6) In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years. As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives. Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before. We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20) Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (Romans 2:4) Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy. And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination. That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective. When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3) Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
Beautifully done! Wow, that was worth every minute. Thank you, from someone who first played Final Fantasy in 1990 (***I previously said 1987, but that was when it was released in Japan. I played the North American release in 1990 when it came out***).
Playing the original in 1987? Wow. That was before… you know, it was really a big thing. If you played it in the US when it first released back in 1987, what did people think about it back then? What did America think about it? I’ve always wondered what some normal kid back in the 80s thought seeing and playing final fantasy for the first time. I rarely see mainstream views for such a thing if you know what I mean.
@@faheemabbas3965 I meant to say 1990, not 1987 (which was the Japanese release). It's all a blur at this point in my 41 year old brain, lol. I can't be too sure of the overall response across the country since I was just 8 years old, but at that time me and my brothers were obsessed with Dragon Warrior (aka Dragon Quest) and were looking for more of the same to add to our relatively small NES game collection - we had an Atari before that but no good RPGs that I recall. My older brothers played a little D&D with friends too, so I think within that community these types of video games (DW, FF, and other console RPGs) were highly anticipated. I don't recall seeing any ads for FF on TV or anything. My brother had a subscription to Nintendo Power magazine though, and I think we may have first heard about it there. We definitely dove right into the Nintendo Power guide for the game when that became available, and were able to finally fight and defeat Warmech that way! When we played FF for the first time, the music drew me in immediately - I remember the songs ALWAYS being stuck in my head, and I would regularly hum them around the house whether it was the battle, opening screen, or some of the classic dungeon music. The game seemed less grindy than DW and way more polished in presentation, and having a party you built was super cool. We would name the characters after ourselves and shared a save game so we could take turns playing/watching each other play. In that fashion we actually beat it rather quickly. We then immediately played and beat it again with a different character class combination. It was the best game we had ever played up to that point, and made us all lifelong fans of the series from then on. FF 6 has my favorite story of any JRPG I have ever played to this day. We did end up playing some of the DW sequels, but never got as into it as we were into FF. They added multiple party members and battles against more than 1 monster at a time beginning in DW II, which was cool, but I don't think I ever played anything past DW III.
I haven't watched the video any further yet, but I just have to leave a big thank you here for the FFII appreciation. I actually started this series with FFI and II on the PSP, and to me, II just seemed so much more ambitious in it's storytelling, world design, characters and even how the admittedly flawed progression system worked, and so I always preferred it over the first (and third) game and it holds quite a bit of nostalgia for me. And while I wouldn't say that it really stands a chance in comparison to later entries, it still pains me to see everyone constantly giving it a hard time without even giving it a serious try. So yeah, great work as always, keep it up.
Finally finished it. Wow. This was such a great video and you put so much depth into playing and reviewing all aspects of each game. It truly goes down in the best YT vids of all time in my book. Well done.
I'm glad for the parts you highlighted well about FF11, but its a shame you never experienced the full complete story that came together with the expansions. By the end, it was one of the best story wise in the series for me.
This is possibly my favorite piece of gaming criticism ever. You treat it as a worthy art form with its own unique merits and strengths, never morally condescending about its content, evaluating every new entry on its own terms, and grappling with the totality of it and what it means within its medium and for the people who emotionally gravitate towards it. This transcends the typical reductive and forced melodramatic nature of a lot of modern video essay style content. Bravo man.
This video is beautiful, thank you for your work. And you're right, it's something I will always love about this series, there genuinely is nothing else like it out there, and to be so long running and willing to do new things with every entry, regardless if they turn out well or not, is something that should be respected so damn highly.
FF6 is my alltime favorite video game. Still the best soundtrack I’ve yet to hear in a video game. To this day I beat it every year or two on my same old SNES, same old cartridge, and a CRT television I bought at a yard sale 10 years ago. Gives me chills every time I play it.
Mine, too. Some FF have come close but never really matched it, for me. The soundtrack and overall score is incredibly strong. The composer has said in some interviews that these were his favourite to work on, and in other interviews he has said 9. I think the criticism about dungeons being too many caves is fair, although this is the first time I’ve heard that particular criticism, and had never really noticed it until he pointed it out. I think the dungeons are actually pretty well designed, and much preferred them to 4s, so that’s where I disagree. There are lots of secrets in each one, varied layouts and hidden paths. I wouldn’t say the combat is poor, just that FF5 had more depth and customisation. I always prefer having set abilities and fixed classes that distinguish characters and make them more unique, but I accept this is just my personal preference. I think Octopath Traveler 2 draws on elements from FF4,5,6 and 10 to make the best turn based combat I’ve seen. I liked that 9 returned to lots of the things I loved about 6 (probably why it’s my second favourite). For a 30 year old game it’s had enduring popularity despite having a smaller install base before FF7 made the genre mainstream. I’ve seen people enjoy it and write positive reviews even today. For about 20 years in the west it was usually the top FF in many lists. It’s dropped off in recent recent lists, though, so maybe age is finally catching up with it. Though even today, it usually makes the top 3 in both the west and Japan. In the largest national vote in Japan in 2021 it was ranked 3rd behind 7 and 10. That shows that although many of its unique points are no longer unique, it’s quality continues to shine through. Many at Square have continued to ask for a remake according to a recent interview, but it would be a huge undertaking, so I can see why they are hesitant. Anyway, sorry for the long reply and going way off on a long tangent, but it’s always good to see someone else who loves this game, and these thoughts all came up.
Get ready to buy a battery and some spare capacitors and get your soldering hand ready. Had to repair mine as were getting towards the physical life cycle of the hardware.
Same. I remember watching my brother playing through FF6 on the gameboy advance emulator and Terra was my first ever female protagonist that I resonate the most when I was 10 years old. Good times;) Several years later to where I am now, FF16 is what got me back to the series for its cinematics and storytelling that piqued my interest as an Eighteen year old^^
Congrat to you for still having a functional SNES and cartridges lol. Even though these generations of consoles sure we're more solid and made to last than whatever came after.
Can’t say anything that hasn’t already been said more articulately. Thanks for creating these with so much effort and for giving our tired minds and souls something to relax to.
I loved every second of this video! Watched it in 2 days! 😄 I'll make it short. Dude.. thank you for this masterpiece full of passion!! You are amazing!
Patterns of Blessing Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. -Psalm 23:6 As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6) In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years. As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives. Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before. We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20) Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (Romans 2:4) Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy. And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination. That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective. When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3) Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
Final Fantasy VII was far from the first game I played, but it’s probably the reason why I still play them as an adult 🥰 also I’m going to say congratulations on this amazing work before I’ve watched it…I know it will be good ☺️
So, @NeverKnowsBest, you've actually played 16 massive games thoroughly in a row - to make this 6-hour video? That's impressive, man. Hats off. It took me quite a while to watch it until the end - but now I can proudly say: "I did it". Just as I imagine you could have said, when finished this gigantic work. It was worth every minute.
Incredible work. For the FF8 part I think the reason we never hear the thoughts of the other characters was to connect more to Squall, at least that's how I saw it. He was insecure, constantly wondering if the others could see through him tough guy persona. I think we have all been there, people saying one think and us thinking the opposite. But FF9's version was better, to give players the option.
Stumbled upon this in my feed. Watched out of morbid curiosity and ready to vent about different games. 6 hours later I left with an absolute love and respect for each game in the franchise (including 13). Bravo.
I forgot to mention Patreon in the video and I did say I would try to promote it more from now on... so I'm mentioning it here. If you want to support me you can - www.patreon.com/NeverKnowsBestUA-cam
That's it, that's all I had to say. Thanks!
And thank *you* for all your work!
I just hope you know this just became my favorite day of the week. Specially because that’s how long it’ll take me to watch it all. Thank you NeverKnowsBest you really are always the best
The fact that you keep uploading and getting back up despite how much UA-cam beats you down is respectable. I'm glad you haven't quit because you make some of the best content on UA-cam.
NKB, you are a fucking MADMAN! I can't wait to watch this whole thing on the weekend, while sipping on a cold brew. I've been a Final Fantasy fan since FF7 (original). Thank you for making this video. Cheers mate!
Once I graduate and get a job with a stable income, you're going to be the first UA-camr whose Patreon I'm going to prioritize to support. Hopefully you're still doing this or something greater by then.
The Final Fantasy series might be the most mass appealing series ever created while simultaneously being the most niche. Every game is different and resonates differently with different people, and because of that I think everyone has something called Final Fantasy that they like, while also having something called Final Fantasy they have no interest in. I'd be fascinated to see correlation between how much an individual enjoys each Final Fantasy game and the variety of genres of stories or music they enjoy
Patterns of Blessing
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
-Psalm 23:6
As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever”
(Psalm 23:6)
In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years.
As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives.
Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before.
We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good”
(Genesis 50:20)
Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
(Romans 2:4)
Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy.
And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination.
That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective.
When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3)
Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
@@faith9505 uh what does any of this have to do with Final Fantasy?
@@faith9505bore off mate
@@faith9505I thought these spam posts only existed on social media 😒
This is a really good point. Final Fantasy has always occupied a weird place in the gaming pantheon, imo. They (at least at the time of the earlier games' release) straddled a fine line between being "nerdy D&D RPG" while still remaining approachable enough for mass audiences.
Nobody else’s production, music, and narration comes close to what you do. I watch every single video. Please continue to put out this content. You are a masterclass
FR
his narration puts me to sleep lol
@@WonOneWun I've listened to all his stuff while driving to work, walking dogs, and while doing chores. Not gonna lie though, when I need a voice to talk me to sleep, my go to is his videos that I've already listened to before.
@@WonOneWun Also not much substance in his commentary.
Leagues above other video essayists
Killer phrasing in the closing comment, "find it a little disappointing how many people are so quick to praise the FF games from their childhood, yet so quick to dismiss those from someone else's".
Amazing for you to take such a negative from a full almost 6 hour project.
Why would I care about someone else liking a game that I find shitty? Why should that change my opinion in any way?
@@razmatazz9310 I think the point is more that if you take them for what they are rather than what you want them to be, each entry has likable qualities and could be magic to experience
@@Lys_sei That just sounds like Hippie talk.
@@karthisplays How did you manage to make it negative. OP is praising his closing comment 🤡
You weren’t kidding about how beautiful the pre rendered backgrounds were in 8, absolutely stunning
Patterns of Blessing
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
-Psalm 23:6
As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever”
(Psalm 23:6)
In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years.
As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives.
Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before.
We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good”
(Genesis 50:20)
Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
(Romans 2:4)
Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy.
And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination.
That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective.
When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3)
Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
The animated backgrounds are even more crazy (train mission, attack on the garden).
(Hopefully won't get crucified for airing an opinion on this franchise) but, speaking as a more casual FF fan, FF VIII always struck me as one of the more undervalued installments in the series.
@@DsaGoodies It is 100%. One of my favs. for sure when it comes to characters and story!
VII to VIII was easily the biggest graphical jump in the series, _DESPITE_ being on the same platform. You can see how Square graphics team evolved when you see the prerendered cutscenes from the PS1 version of Origins and IV and compare them to ones in IV's re-release done around the same time. In later editions they just scrapped the embarrassing FMVs they trained on and IV has a newer intro movie.
I assume backgrounds with their mix of matte paintovers and 3D renders were done by more or less the same teams that went over Full Motion Video, and it kinda shows how GOOD those are in VIII especially after VII somehow kept LEGO models even in half the prerendered stuff (curiously doing a few cutscenes like getting onto a bike and whatever was used in promo trailers half-decently).
FF8 is where Square got consistently solid, graphically.
Some days, you wake up, and a gift you were not expecting is dropped into your feed. I feel like I just had a surprise birthday gift delivered. Friend, your work is a true treasure. Thank you very much for such excellent content!
1:48:55 This chart is impressively spot on. When you started off the discussion on how the early games changed as they were released I thought you were going to go down the route of "one title focuses on story, the next title focuses on the battle system, then the next title focuses on story again" etc etc. But your chart here is so spot on and nails the eras very very well. And god damn the golden era was such an amazing time. Truly loved growing up when these games were coming out. Even better, back then a new FF would drop about every year and a half or so. Good times.
Amazing chart, the only major thing it's missing is character designs. You can easily see how Amano's designs were changed because of limited palettes and resolutions, in some ways improved (not everyone is blonde), but other times messed up (FF1 and FF2 hero sprites look the same). Then Nomura has his sameface black-haired women and everyone having tons of zippers and buttons... also characters following the fashion trends, I mean Tidus is wearing overalls with cargo shorts FFS! And I don't really know who made the designs from later, 13 looked like a fashion show with models skipping leg day... and then there's Ivalice games that have their own designs from a world of tan strawberry blonds.
You are a credit to society, sir. Bloody love these videos.
Unfortunately, the true credit should go to the creators of these games. Not to the youtube critics who can't create
A lot of stupid arguments in this video. Like saying it's ok for Final Fantasy 16 to take influence from the worst game of thrones season
@@frogglen6350 Get a grip 😂
@@frogglen6350 wind ye neck in
I was born in 98 so I didn't even grow up with early Final Fantasy and games like it. but even in the ps2 days I remember collecting game manuals that had actual value and information with the games. kids these days will never get to experience stuff like this anymore
So glad you’re still doing these videos despite the issues with YT monetising. Your video essays are my favourite on here and you deserve more attention. Hope you never stop!
I hit “I’m feeling lucky” and got transported to a 5+ hour final fantasy video…. Ok I’m in, let’s do this
Wow.. I was enthralled the entire 6 hours. Incredible audio mixing, music selection, writing and narration. That conclusion was brilliantly crafted and delivered. Thanks for creating this gem 🤙
5hrs 39mins 11secs ❤😂
@@maraxussrafhael So 21 minutes away from being 6 hours... Might as well be 6 hours..
The fact you can make a 6 hour video and keep up the quality through out the whole video is insane. You are my favorite channel on youtube. I just want you to know how much we appreciate your work.
When I stumbled upon this video on my feed I thought: “This sounds like something I’d be interested in but there’s no way I’m buckling up for a nearly six hour video.” However, it kept popping up so I thought I’d give it a whirl, if anything to have play in the background while running dailies in FFXIV…I am so extremely glad I did. I, like many people, absolutely fell in love with FF in 1997 when FF7 came out (my first FF game). I’ll never forget the feeling I got from it. How I thought about it every moment of my day, I would bring the player’s guide to school to read during lunch, draw the characters, hurry home to return to the world, and stay up far later than I should have (or was allowed to). I’d set the controller down and just listen to the music sometimes. It marked an ongoing obsession with the series for me that has spanned into my mid-30’s. I remember how special the days were when a new FF game would release and I’d drop everything I was doing to pick up a copy. Magical Christmases when FF8 and FF9 were my favorite gifts. How I bought a PS2 JUST to play FFX. How I cut class when FF12 released so I could pick up my collectors edition and play all day. How I took time off from work when FF13 dropped so I could pull all nighters. Now that I have a career, a wife, and a family my video game days are not quite as flexible but I always make time to play the latest FF. My best friend recently passed away (almost a year ago to this date). I entered a deep grief-driven depression where I picked up a lot of unhealthy habits. One of those was videogame binges which I used to cope. And I, just like you, played through all 16 FF games sequentially within the last year (including the MMO’s) as a sort of escapism I guess. Doing so brought me back to a time where I felt the most enchanted with the world I suppose. However, I recently wrote an essay on my experiences revisiting these games and my thoughts on each - many of my thoughts echoing yours. By the end of the video where you say how FF means different things to different people and how significant it is to people’s lives it almost brought me to tears. Thank you for this, but more importantly thank you to FF for making our lives so much more magical. There simply isn’t a series that has had the same everlasting effects.
that was heartwarming to read, peace brother
I enjoyed reading your post. I've struggled to get into FF but I enjoyed all 5+ hrs of this video. I think I want to play FF IX now. Cheers
❤
Your comment completely encapsulates everything a video game or video game franchise can mean to someone. I am sorry for your loss and hope that you are able to live with it more peacefully now, but thank you for sharing and putting into words how a lot of people feel about different games i’m sure.
I pray youtube allows this video to succeed as I'm sure it deserves!
tinder date told me i get to pick the movie:
well, if they like it, that's a match
Great pick
Hope you smashed that night.
😂😂 👏👏👏
watch it at 1.5 and tell her it's the extended version
Man I loved the pre-rendered backgrounds in 8. The ones in 8 as well as the ones in Parasite Eve were seriously mind-blowing when you first saw them.
"Lightning lost her sister, Hope lost his mom, Snow lost his fiancee, Vanille lost several brain cells..." Goddamn, that burn was delivered so smoothly.
This is like book of historical events written by someone who lived during this time period. I just imagine someone in the future stumbling onto this, getting hooked and learning more about an important part of gaming history.
My biggest issue with most critique videos is that they tend to be overly negative and make people who enjoyed the thing the video is about feel stupid. I really love this video because all of the critique is valid without making each game feel like a joke. A lot of youtubers struggle with that so i genuinely appreciate you and your content haha
I seriously admire you man. You have such an incredible level of dedication to putting out quality work. I can't imagine the level of discipline and work that goes into putting these together but every video you release brings me a lot of joy. I am very grateful you chose to continue making videos.
I'm so glad you keep making videos, despite what you've been through the past months. And not just any videos, but ones that take so much effort. You're an amazing creator and I appreciate your work immensely! That being said, please don't overwork yourself. When I saw how long this video is gonna be, I got a bit worried for you 😅
he's a grown ass man homie u worry abt urself
@@housemana Grown ass men are not immune to burnout.
@@housemanathings are tough these days. Nothing wrong with support for each other.
This video is a masterpiece. The older I get, the more I love every single game in the series, and I haven't even gotten around to playing half of them yet.
I started my entire FF games playthrough one month ago. I can say that all games have their own charm and deserve to be liked by their respective fandom. I only made it up to 8 so far but from the ones I played I can say that the ones I'd definitely play over and over again are VI and VII. Though I will give IV another try now that I've found out how to speed up the game XD.
@@pandaman1331You made it through 8 games in a month?!?! You and I are a different breed, haha. I only game for about a week or two out of the month, but I STILL haven't been able to finish Baldur's Gate 3 since it was released on PS5, hahahaha. That's not a bad thing, by the way. I think I would rather have a sprawling epic that contains some of the most thrilling and emotional storytelling and world building ever across hundreds of hours than shorter games. But everyone has their own tastes!
It's also why I prefer TV shows over movies.
Have you finished the entire series yet or are you still working on it?
@@Tcrror As I wrote, I only made it up to 8. But I already played 7 several times before. My love for 7 is why I decided to play through all of them to begin with. I played up to X now. But the thing is, I finished only two of those games. Only 1 and 6. I dropped the other games after 2 - 4 hours. I just can't bothered to finish a game that doesn't thiroughly entertain me. Because my backlog still contains 20 games and I generally think playing games you don't enjoy is a waste of time. I could play something I like instead. I also skipped 5, which I'm currently playing. And I definitely love it. So by the time I wrote you I played 7 games. 50 hours for 6, 10 hours for 1 and let's say an average of 3 hours for the other 5 games. That makes let's say 75 hours for all games in one month. So on average, I played 2,5 hours per day. But I definitely binged a lot in weekends. Still not a small amount of playtime but within reason. But I'm not gonna lie or make excuses. I can binge play a lot during weekends and vacations. I guess my joy for games hasn't decreased in my 30s. I also finished Ys 8 last month. Another game I loved.
@@Tcrror PS: I am basically done with the FF games. Currently playing 5, which I strongly recommend alongside 6 and 7. I have no Interest in anything beyond X to be honest. Besides XVI, which I will get once it's released on steam. I also have Crisis Core Reunion, FF7 Remake and FF7 Rebirth on my wishlist.
@@Tcrror My original comment was deleted for some reason. In short. I only finished 1 with 10 hours and 6 within 50 hours. I skipped 5, which I'm currently playing. I only played the Rest for 2 - 3 hours and didn't finish them because they weren't entertaining enough. I also played 7 several times already. It was my first FF game ever and the reason I tried the others in the first place.
So that makes 50 hours for 6, 10 hours for 1 and let's say 3 hours for the other 4 games. That makes 72 hours in one month. So around 2,5 hours per day. Not a small amount of playtime but still within reason. I sure did binge quite a lot on weekends. Not gonna lie, I can binge a lot on weekends and vacations. Guess I still love games just as much in my 30s 😅.
This video is one of the true treasures to be found on UA-cam. An incredible piece of work 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Patterns of Blessing
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
-Psalm 23:6
As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever”
(Psalm 23:6)
In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years.
As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives.
Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before.
We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good”
(Genesis 50:20)
Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
(Romans 2:4)
Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy.
And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination.
That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective.
When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3)
Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
Simply phenomenal. Thank you very kindly for all of you effort, it is truly an inspiration. Love to know more about Final Fantasy. Have a wonderful day everyone! Thanks for the vid.
Holy moly is this video the final boss of UA-cam?? I've played and beaten all FF's (except 1 and 13), and consider myself quite informed on the subject, so this marathon down memory lane is a welcome one. And I fully agree, FF5 is incredibly underrated and easily the best of the early installments.
Another masterpiece gets uploaded to UA-cam! I can't believe you almost stopped doing these videos, UA-cam and Gaming would have lost one of the best in the business.
I was genuinely upset there was a chance NKB would quit. By far the best game critiques and analysis.
- posted 14 hours ago
- commented 14 hours ago
- 5 hour video
- “another masterpiece”
Either you’re a patreon member or you’re talking out of your ass to get a heart on your comment
@@harrylane4dude, who honestly gives a shit? NKB is one of the most humble, down to earth youtubers I've conversed with and deserves every bit of praise he gets for these videos. Why go through someone's history on such a comment? Who hurt you? Lmao, SAD
@@harrylane4 Or, I have watched this person's content for a long time now and that was a statement on overall video quality that he produce's rather than this specific one.
So having watched the video fully now, yup, statement still stands was another masterpiece of quality from NKB.
Something tells me you have absolutely nothing to worry about in your day to day life if you're policing peoples comments on UA-cam.
@@Funko777
nope. His take on Elden Ring is terrible. The fact that he enjoys final fantasy 16 makes this vlboring video ever worse!
It blows my mind that you are not THE most well known video game critique channel in existence. You are equally, if not more, professional than the top brass in all of UA-cam. From your Lovecraftian love letter, to the entire history of gaming, to this gem 💎 of a masterpiece. It’s all so well put together. You deserve more.
Patterns of Blessing
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
-Psalm 23:6
As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever”
(Psalm 23:6)
In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years.
As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives.
Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before.
We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good”
(Genesis 50:20)
Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
(Romans 2:4)
Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy.
And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination.
That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective.
When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3)
Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
Well, the fact that he thinks grinding is a positive is going to tip off most gamers that he's an idiot, and people don't tend to give much credibility to idiots.
@@mattpace1026 It’s a good thing that those people happen to be the actual idiots whose credibility we can all do just fine without.
@@sendAJtospace Buddy, you are defending one of the worst and least popular trends in RPGs. You are not on the winning side here, and you're not going to magically change the minds of that many people, no matter how much you glorify your awful taste.
@@mattpace1026Who in the world play Final Fantasy games and don't expect to grind? Its like playing Pokemon games without expecting to catch Pokemon.
3:29:28 This is probably my favorite moment in any of NeverKnowsBest's videos, you can truly feel that he meant what he said and after hours of serious talking it was so much fun encountering this gem!
the ff13 part was hilarious too
Omg! I cannot believe I was watching all your videos again for the third time and you came back with this! 🧡
I also very much appreciate the Squall-appreciation. I very much agree with your analysis of him especially with his age in his role
So glad to hear someone else who adores pre-rendered backgrounds. I miss them, so god damn much. There's just nothing like 'em.
They're interesting, but it also limits camera freedom.
That ending was fantastic. Thank you for making this, truly. As a lifelong FF fan, the ending really hit me hard. I always thought 7 was highly overrated, thought 9 was the best, and despised 15 for many years for its numerous flaws. But you’re right, each FF is someone’s first. And that’s what makes it magical as a series. We all play each FF on the same footing, completely fresh in a new world, yet it’s our baggage that we bring with us. Maybe it was never meant to be called Final Fantasy, maybe that story of it being the last ditch effort is false, but it is the true last fantasy of creativity in a series in the industry. No other dates to take such risks, earnestly tries to swing for the fences in an entirely new way each time. A pillar of gaming that’s often not credited enough.
IMO 9 was the best, at at the least the best of the non 2d entries, personally I still think FFT takes that title. I was pretty bummed he didn't mention the amazing soundtrack of 9. For anyone that hasn't played 9, the steam version combined with the moguri mod is easily the best way to play it, stay away from the android version lol.
I love 7, but I think we all know 13 and 15 were trash
There's something to like in each FF game. Personally. I love FF9, FF10, FF4, FF6. I always go back and fourth but I think FF9 my favorite overall. FF13 and FF15 are my least favorite out of the series any though there is some good in them. Still sorting how I feel about FF16.
i liked 13 though, the battle system was so fun. Especially in the late game@@WilloftheFans
I sometimes try to figure out what is wrong with myself, because I have always liked 13 so much... lol. I just do... I was born in 81. Grew up playing them right from the beginning..
You are a treasure. The care and dedication you put into the research and editing (making sure you're always showing relevant footage to your topic) and your A+++ voice set you way apart from even my other favorite creators. Please keep up the amazing work.
This video is a masterpiece mate, I couldn't leave without saying how awesome it is.
Hey Never, just wanted to explain one side of why so many resonate strongly with FFX’s emotional side of the story.
While it is heavy handed, it’s very easy for people (like myself) with terrible parents to identify with someone like Tidus.
I’ll try be brief. Me and my half sister have different dads. She used to think that her experience not really ever knowing her dad was worse than mine, but it’s not the case. My father lived no more than a 15 minute walk from where my mother did, but I never felt like his son. He was either catering to his wife, her kids, or foster and an adopted kid.
I don’t resent them anymore, but I never had a father figure thanks to that.
So I resent him deeply, and despite being 31 he has never treated me as my own person, an adult, a capable member of society. All things I succeed at he cannot help but try claim some responsibility for. He just can’t congratulate or just leave a thing be, because he *wants* to be a good parent, he just lacks the ability.
Much of the Tidus and Jecht relationship resonates because of this.
And I would say Yuna and Braska’s does for many as well, the child desperately trying to live up to their parents legacy and never feeling like an individual in their own right, just an extension of that parent’s accomplishment.
All that being said looking back, I can agree FFX can certainly overdo it, but there are quieter moments within as well.
As always your videos are fantastic and this inspired me to pick up and play FF7 finally, so thanks dude.
Makes sense. I think that Never is one of those people who are put off by stories that are too obviously trying to make them feel a certain way. My girlfriend is similar. When people like this start feeling that the story is "manipulating" them emotionally, it becomes hard for them to suspend the disbelief and immerse themselves in the emotional moments.
@@SMJSmoK Well it's not like FF16 is not trying to manipulate you constantly with its epic Kaiju battles. Which otherwise to me for example feels shallow as its creates a huge gap of what you see and what you actually do.
I rather think he feels attracted by different things but is far from immune to such manipulations as in the end I believe that is what it boils down to in cinematics, making you feel a certain way. Some things just work better in certain instance to some people.
Mine is simpler, long story short, my single dad was a football player who got drunk every night.
You should also make something like this for the significant Final Fantasy spin-offs, but Tactics, Type-0 and Stranger of Paradise
I just counted and there’s 19 spinoffs to the main series off the top of my head 😂 thankfully they’re usually much shorter experiences
i have never played any final fantasy game but watched this video in one sitting and now in the end i have some tears in my eyes.
thank you for making so great, engaging and emotialy honest videos.
The chart at 1:48:50 is probably the most accurate thing I've ever seen on the internet. Kudos
it should be pinned for all discussions where people wonder which FF to play!
Almost 6 hours about one of my favourite series from one of my favourite people on YT? Thank you! :D
Bro, that ending though. This was an amazing retrospective! Thank you so much for your time and dedication you put into creating this masterpiece.
This is an incredible video. The sheer amount of design and experimentation over FF's history is staggering.
I’ve always loved Final Fantasy. 10 was my first and the thing that drew me in the most was that each was incredibly unique to themselves. Despite sequels, remakes, and remasters, each time I play one of these games it gives me an experience I just couldn’t get from each within their own franchise.
Thank you for making this video. It must have been incredibly taxing and difficult to finish. Just know your work is appreciated by many and I’ll personally revisit this video frequently until I’m capable of doing my own series playthrough.
Btw you should try the Tales of Series you are going to have a very good time and Tales of Symphonia story plays very familiar from FFX expect gameplay though
@@mikeehrmantraut1899 I finished Tales of Arise last year and it was incredible. I even named my FFXIV character after one of the party members :)
Patterns of Blessing
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
-Psalm 23:6
As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever”
(Psalm 23:6)
In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years.
As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives.
Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before.
We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good”
(Genesis 50:20)
Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
(Romans 2:4)
Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy.
And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination.
That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective.
When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3)
Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
@@faith9505 Get help friendo 🫡
"I find it a little disappointing how many people are so quick to praise the games from their childhood yet so quick to dismiss those from someone elses". Wow, Mr. Never. Just wow. This is the best thing I've ever heard from any video game essay. You are truly a master of your craft. Thank you for the inspiration!
This channel has some of the best media analysis I've encountered. It's not just my favorite gaming channel but my favorite UA-cam channel overall. Great job!
Took me 3 days to finish watching the video and it's 100% worth the time. Amazing content as ever.
Damn dude. I've binged a bunch of your content recently but this one knocked it out of the park. Love your videos and your take on gaming. A voice of reason in a sea of extremism. Thank you for making what you make.
WE'RE EATING GOOD TONIGHT BOYS
lololol
:DDD
HELL YEAH
I would really really love to see you do a Zelda series retrospective. The radical shake-ups the games can have in tone and presentation, the series' changing emphases over time, and your own outstanding production and unique perspective on what's valuable in game design would make for something really neat to watch.
Oh that would be amazing.
Zelda and final fantasy have a lot in common in terms of divisiveness within the fanbase, so I can see him doing a video on it.
I feel like the Bravely Default Series made the combat system so interesting and complex that auto targeting no longer trivializes the average battle.
I was just thinking as I watched this video that Bravely Default feels like a copy of the original game (minus auto-targeting) specifically regarding grinding vs knowing when to run. I just started playing both series recently.
Grandia has auto-target but battles are dynamic enough (because of movement, chain combos and cancel system, as well as time running on a grid you can see) that it solved that problem WAY back. Problem is, Square had an allergy to good combat systems for years until FF13, and (IMO useless) ATB really ruined things for more involved combat. FFX finally get rid of that and made turn based the proper way but IIRC it was 13 that actually had hitboxes and enemy locations matter. New ones do it too I AFAIK, tho I haven't played those yet.
@@KasumiRINAThanks for the recommendation, will check Grandia out!
Choosing the target was important in some dragon quest games too.
Wow truly impressive video, can't imagine how much time it took to write and edit this entire retrospective. Kudos to you, I hope this video gets millions of views!
I will never love a video game more than I love FF 8, as a lonely kid with no friends and abusive parents, I resonated with Squall so much, I fell in love with everything about it, I still remember being a young high school kid, balling my eyes out when I finally finished 8 and realised I was saying goodbye to what felt like the only real friends I had ever made in my life, even now at 34 watching something on 8 gives me a lump in my throat.
I can relate. The whole game had a lot of teenage angst vibes that I was really digging. Never expected a game of all things to be something that dives into the same fears and concerns in life that I never dared to voice amongst friends and family. After replaying the game recently I have to admit that the game is extremely weak and rushed in many aspects, but whenever I hear the Balamb Garden theme again my heart just explodes. It was a game that showed me I'm not alone with my fears, and at the same time felt so peaceful and inviting that I just got lost in it, even if it's just running through Balamb Garden and read every single line of dialogue from random NPCs enjoying the atmosphere.
I'm sorry, you had such a hard childhood. I hope, life is better for you, now. Thanks for sharing a part of your story. Take care.
While not my favorite in the series I do love the game and is my vote for most under rated FF game. I also related to the main character as well.
@@Some_Guy_87I'm right there with you. Some aspects of this game are so well designed that it overcomes some extremely glaring flaws that would most likely destroy other games.
This was a beautiful look back at the franchise and you showed the good, the bad, and the ugly, but also reminded me, and many others, why Final Fantasy is one of, if not the best, video game franchise. The variety in gameplay, story, music, and worlds make each game a unique and fun experience and I am glad to have been able to play most of them, my exceptions being 7-9. I sincerely thank you for making this retrospect and I look forward to many years to come of more Final Fantasy.
You raise the bar for video essays. Absolutely love your work!
Despite it’s many flaws, FF8 had some of the most amazing bangers in the history of video game soundtracks
Best generic boss theme in the franchise
Well FF Series is not the only one who has banger ost the Tales of Series does too
@@mikeehrmantraut1899 Motoi Sakuraba and Nobuo Uematsu are giants of Videogame soundtracks.
I agree, and wanted to add the speculation that I think Uematsu was going all-out in an attempt to out-do himself after the runaway success of 7.
FF8 has many of his best (and most experimental) tracks in the whole series.
The "dueling leitmotifs" of Eyes on Me & Liberi Fatali/Succession of Witches was really impressive to me when I first played 8.
Watched this all the way through and regret none of it. Would watch it through again.
What a great day for another legendary retrospective video by the great NeverKnowsBest. Thank you for all the wonderful sleeps your videos have given me recently. Bravo!
2:27:20
Well whaddya know pimps, hell nah FFVII ain't got no stinkin' budget cuts
YESSIR!
The strength and dedication it must have taken to continue this path after being knocked down so hard cannot be overstated.
Final Fantasy VIII was the game that got me into gaming as a whole. It holds a special place in my heart because of that.
I really like your conclusion that what makes Final Fantasy “Final Fantasy” is it’s originality. Each FF being different from each other IS what makes the series what it is, and what makes it different than series like Dragon Quest. It might be why I gravitate towards the FF franchise, because I really value new and different experiences. No, they don’t always land 100% but when they hit, they really hit. Great video!
Am I really going to watch an over 5 hour video about a game series I've been playing for over 30 years and already know a buttload of info on?
Yes. Yes I am. Excellent work sir.
Am I really going to watch an over 5 hour video about a game series I haven't played a single entry in?
Yes. Yes I am.
Patterns of Blessing
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
-Psalm 23:6
As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever”
(Psalm 23:6)
In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years.
As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives.
Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before.
We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good”
(Genesis 50:20)
Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
(Romans 2:4)
Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy.
And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination.
That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective.
When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3)
Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
My favorite franchise of all time. Final Fantasy I on GBA and VII on PC has shaped my entire taste in games. I can already tell this will be a great video.
Great stuff. Strong ending. We’ll written, edited, and voiced. This may be one of your best yet.
Extremely incredible and meaningful work. Those 6 hours felt like a breeze. Been watching for years and it's always a treat. Much thanks.
As someone who has been playing final fantasy games since childhood, thank you for making these videos. There is just something beautiful about knowing people also have the same interests as you.
So it’s taken me a week to work through the entire video due to other commitments and keeping having to watch it sparingly but sir - I tip my hat to you, what an incredible video you have created here. Beautifully edited, produced and voiced. Just amazing, I was entertained throughout! I love FF and have done since I was a kid and this entire video just made me feel happy and a huge nostalgic blast! Well done my friend
What a joy to see such a deep dive into one of my most cherished series.
This is such a phenomenal video, & that last 10 minute analysis was supreme. Thanks for making it
The term "Professional Translator" didn't age very well, now that we know what we know about translators and how the "professionals" are just completely ruining the source material.
Excellent thumbnail. Just seeing all of those FF Logos made by Amano together in one place just brings an amazing sense of nostalgia. Despite its ups and downs over the years, I'm happy to grow up with this wonderful series.
1:47:03 Excellent breakdown. Personally I do think that we have been in the experimental/modern era for long enough. I honestly just want to see another FFV where it mostly focused on refining what FIII regarding the job system and made it significantly better. Imagine a gambit system for the AI in FFXVI for example.
1:49:07 I've never thought of each game in this series as members of a very complicated family tree but somehow, it all makes sense now that it's layed out like this. 😂
Wow, you really outdid yourself this time. I've watched your videos for a while now and enjoyed them, but this felt like the apex of all those that came before. Here's to more great videos and let your talent shine on!
I have never played a FF game (was always curious about a few of them but just never had the time or the system) but was randomly thinking about the franchise and wondered about the legacy/history and stories and found this video. This is superb and exactly what I was looking for and will certainly follow up with some Wikipedia deep dives as well as all of this is so fascinating.
Did you end up playing any of them?
If you, or anyone, decide to start the series after watching this, I strongly recommend 4. It's linear and not too overwhelming (compared to 6 or 7 having too much secrets). OR play any modern ones then go back to 4, or even 1 (any version is good, personally loved Origins on PS1 for keeping the D&D style spell system).
Happy to see you still fighting against this daft world and sharing your thoughts and insights with us
This is amazing, I was honestly hoping for a FF series analysis by you, there’s just a good quality to your work and I appreciate it
Yep, his FFXIV video is one of my favorite videos on this whole site.
Out of every video, think piece, and channel, even final fantasy union, this is the best analysis video I’ve ever seen so far on FF. I’m only an hour in and every word and detail makes me want to sit through the full 5 + hours
God I’m gonna be able to sleep for 2 weeks thank you so much, how I watch your videos is I watch them at night and dose off to them, and just skip 30 minutes into the video. It’s actually like a bedtime story, and it’s an enthralling real tale. Thank you.
Haha same. Its very relaxing, listening and eventually falling asleep. Then catching up what was missed the next day.
Wake up babe, new NeverKnowsBest video just released!
Before blissful sleep to his Soothing Tones
I never thought I could watch a 5 hours long video about FF. Now it's done and it was very interesting, thanks for your amazing work and dedication
Throughout the video I was trying to find the words to describe your work, the general feeling I've had each time I go through a video like this, even more so as you surpass yourself each time, and I think I found it : your work is important. The depth, care and honesty you put into it really is unique and a rare showing of deep respect for an artform, and therefore its artists, that really makes your analysis even more compelling. It's important for the artisans to be seen and for the gamers to be transported back to what made them fall in love with the medium.
And for that I thank you :)
this gonna explode in a couple weeks, do your thing algorithm
imma watch it later tbh
This video deserves more credit than it’s received. Anything biased is advised, opinions are stated without offense, and there are a few opinions I disagree with, but they’re a “I respectfully disagree to this notion” and not “the entire video is off the rails”.
I know a lot who should see this won’t due to its size but it’s worth watching piece by piece.
You don’t need my recommendations… but I’d recommend cutting this video into 16 pieces, just to reach its audience it should and not for “I wanna make money” reasons. All in all: a must watch for any Final Fantasy fan, RPG fans etc…
Listening to this while playing FFXIV. You sir, are truly a gift.
I think Final Fantasy has had more of an impact on my life than any other piece of media. In fact, the music alone has had a profound influence on my tastes.
Same. I remember FF6 and Terra herself was my first videogame I actually resonated with a flawed female protagonist when I was 8-10 years old, changing my perspective of how I view female protagonist or female side characters to be well-written or poorly written to who I am today;)
I also love the soundtrack, and I used to hate orchestral soundtracks in other games that don't me feel immersed in my profound taste, but FF definitely has one of my favorite orchestral soundtracks in all of gaming🥰
I even somehow burst into tear over the orchestra version of Prelude! The "MAIN flipping MENU" theme of FF1!😭
I don't know why, it makes me feel at... peace. And. Love. Despite how hopelessly empty and lonely I feel irl. Yet. I still move toward the looming light as far as I'm influenced by this theme.
It's so nice talking to you about Final Fantasy.
Easily the best 5+ hours I've spent watching something in a long long while. Well constructed, great information, and actually made me, someone who played FF1 2 days after it released in NA and every game since, to step back and think about each game again. Maybe they weren't so bad as I remember....except 13, the only one I couldn't finish.
Patterns of Blessing
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
-Psalm 23:6
As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever”
(Psalm 23:6)
In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years.
As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives.
Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before.
We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good”
(Genesis 50:20)
Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
(Romans 2:4)
Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy.
And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination.
That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective.
When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3)
Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
Beautifully done! Wow, that was worth every minute. Thank you, from someone who first played Final Fantasy in 1990 (***I previously said 1987, but that was when it was released in Japan. I played the North American release in 1990 when it came out***).
Playing the original in 1987? Wow.
That was before… you know, it was really a big thing.
If you played it in the US when it first released back in 1987, what did people think about it back then? What did America think about it? I’ve always wondered what some normal kid back in the 80s thought seeing and playing final fantasy for the first time.
I rarely see mainstream views for such a thing if you know what I mean.
@@faheemabbas3965 I meant to say 1990, not 1987 (which was the Japanese release). It's all a blur at this point in my 41 year old brain, lol.
I can't be too sure of the overall response across the country since I was just 8 years old, but at that time me and my brothers were obsessed with Dragon Warrior (aka Dragon Quest) and were looking for more of the same to add to our relatively small NES game collection - we had an Atari before that but no good RPGs that I recall. My older brothers played a little D&D with friends too, so I think within that community these types of video games (DW, FF, and other console RPGs) were highly anticipated. I don't recall seeing any ads for FF on TV or anything. My brother had a subscription to Nintendo Power magazine though, and I think we may have first heard about it there. We definitely dove right into the Nintendo Power guide for the game when that became available, and were able to finally fight and defeat Warmech that way!
When we played FF for the first time, the music drew me in immediately - I remember the songs ALWAYS being stuck in my head, and I would regularly hum them around the house whether it was the battle, opening screen, or some of the classic dungeon music. The game seemed less grindy than DW and way more polished in presentation, and having a party you built was super cool. We would name the characters after ourselves and shared a save game so we could take turns playing/watching each other play. In that fashion we actually beat it rather quickly. We then immediately played and beat it again with a different character class combination.
It was the best game we had ever played up to that point, and made us all lifelong fans of the series from then on. FF 6 has my favorite story of any JRPG I have ever played to this day. We did end up playing some of the DW sequels, but never got as into it as we were into FF. They added multiple party members and battles against more than 1 monster at a time beginning in DW II, which was cool, but I don't think I ever played anything past DW III.
I haven't watched the video any further yet, but I just have to leave a big thank you here for the FFII appreciation. I actually started this series with FFI and II on the PSP, and to me, II just seemed so much more ambitious in it's storytelling, world design, characters and even how the admittedly flawed progression system worked, and so I always preferred it over the first (and third) game and it holds quite a bit of nostalgia for me. And while I wouldn't say that it really stands a chance in comparison to later entries, it still pains me to see everyone constantly giving it a hard time without even giving it a serious try. So yeah, great work as always, keep it up.
Finally finished it. Wow. This was such a great video and you put so much depth into playing and reviewing all aspects of each game. It truly goes down in the best YT vids of all time in my book. Well done.
I'm glad for the parts you highlighted well about FF11, but its a shame you never experienced the full complete story that came together with the expansions. By the end, it was one of the best story wise in the series for me.
This is possibly my favorite piece of gaming criticism ever. You treat it as a worthy art form with its own unique merits and strengths, never morally condescending about its content, evaluating every new entry on its own terms, and grappling with the totality of it and what it means within its medium and for the people who emotionally gravitate towards it. This transcends the typical reductive and forced melodramatic nature of a lot of modern video essay style content. Bravo man.
This video is beautiful, thank you for your work.
And you're right, it's something I will always love about this series, there genuinely is nothing else like it out there, and to be so long running and willing to do new things with every entry, regardless if they turn out well or not, is something that should be respected so damn highly.
MAN, you're up after taking such a huge hit, and with a 5-hour video, no less!? Holy shit, my respect. I'm watching this with conviction.
FF6 is my alltime favorite video game. Still the best soundtrack I’ve yet to hear in a video game. To this day I beat it every year or two on my same old SNES, same old cartridge, and a CRT television I bought at a yard sale 10 years ago. Gives me chills every time I play it.
Mine, too. Some FF have come close but never really matched it, for me. The soundtrack and overall score is incredibly strong. The composer has said in some interviews that these were his favourite to work on, and in other interviews he has said 9.
I think the criticism about dungeons being too many caves is fair, although this is the first time I’ve heard that particular criticism, and had never really noticed it until he pointed it out.
I think the dungeons are actually pretty well designed, and much preferred them to 4s, so that’s where I disagree. There are lots of secrets in each one, varied layouts and hidden paths.
I wouldn’t say the combat is poor, just that FF5 had more depth and customisation. I always prefer having set abilities and fixed classes that distinguish characters and make them more unique, but I accept this is just my personal preference. I think Octopath Traveler 2 draws on elements from FF4,5,6 and 10 to make the best turn based combat I’ve seen.
I liked that 9 returned to lots of the things I loved about 6 (probably why it’s my second favourite).
For a 30 year old game it’s had enduring popularity despite having a smaller install base before FF7 made the genre mainstream. I’ve seen people enjoy it and write positive reviews even today.
For about 20 years in the west it was usually the top FF in many lists. It’s dropped off in recent recent lists, though, so maybe age is finally catching up with it.
Though even today, it usually makes the top 3 in both the west and Japan. In the largest national vote in Japan in 2021 it was ranked 3rd behind 7 and 10. That shows that although many of its unique points are no longer unique, it’s quality continues to shine through.
Many at Square have continued to ask for a remake according to a recent interview, but it would be a huge undertaking, so I can see why they are hesitant.
Anyway, sorry for the long reply and going way off on a long tangent, but it’s always good to see someone else who loves this game, and these thoughts all came up.
it's the best soundtrack but you haven't heard it yet?
Get ready to buy a battery and some spare capacitors and get your soldering hand ready. Had to repair mine as were getting towards the physical life cycle of the hardware.
Same. I remember watching my brother playing through FF6 on the gameboy advance emulator and Terra was my first ever female protagonist that I resonate the most when I was 10 years old. Good times;)
Several years later to where I am now, FF16 is what got me back to the series for its cinematics and storytelling that piqued my interest as an Eighteen year old^^
Congrat to you for still having a functional SNES and cartridges lol. Even though these generations of consoles sure we're more solid and made to last than whatever came after.
Can’t say anything that hasn’t already been said more articulately. Thanks for creating these with so much effort and for giving our tired minds and souls something to relax to.
I loved every second of this video! Watched it in 2 days! 😄
I'll make it short. Dude.. thank you for this masterpiece full of passion!! You are amazing!
Patterns of Blessing
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
-Psalm 23:6
As he wrote the words of Psalm 23, David was able to look back on his life and say, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever”
(Psalm 23:6)
In the same way, as we look back on our lives as Christians, we are able see a pattern of God’s blessing over the years.
As the results of sin catch up with those who have had no time for God, we find that God’s goodness and unfailing love have followed us all the days of our lives.
Of course, when we’re going through certain situations, we might not be able to see God’s goodness or mercy. We might even question Him on occasion. But as we look backward, we’re able to see God’s hand in a way that we perhaps could not see it before.
We see this illustrated in the tumultuous life of young Joseph, who had so many setbacks. Yet so many wonderful things happened in his life. And in the end, he said to his brothers who betrayed him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good”
(Genesis 50:20)
Even if you have wandered from God, He will put goodness and mercy on your trail. The Bible says, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
(Romans 2:4)
Maybe you haven’t walked as closely with the Lord as you ought to, and you’re not happy doing what you’re doing. Come back to the Shepherd. He loves you and will welcome you with His goodness and mercy.
And really, it’s the greatest life there is. Even if there wasn’t a Heaven, the Christian life on earth alone is better than anything this world has to offer. But there is a Heaven. And it isn’t an afterthought or a fringe benefit. It’s our ultimate destination.
That is why we can say with David, “And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” It is certain. Nothing is going to change that. And it has a way of putting everything else in perspective.
When the disciples were discouraged, stressed out, and afraid for their future, Jesus told them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3)
Jesus is coming again. It may be in our lifetime. It could even be today. And ultimately as Christians, we all are going to go to Heaven. That is our great hope
Final Fantasy VII was far from the first game I played, but it’s probably the reason why I still play them as an adult 🥰 also I’m going to say congratulations on this amazing work before I’ve watched it…I know it will be good ☺️
I've never played a single Final Fantasy game, but this completely gripped me and makes me want to try all of them. Thanks.
So, @NeverKnowsBest, you've actually played 16 massive games thoroughly in a row - to make this 6-hour video? That's impressive, man. Hats off. It took me quite a while to watch it until the end - but now I can proudly say: "I did it". Just as I imagine you could have said, when finished this gigantic work. It was worth every minute.
This video was awesome! Thanks a lot ☕😉
Amazing work! You have done the entire series an honor by experiencing, analyzing, then archiving your time with it
The lord has returned
Incredible work. For the FF8 part I think the reason we never hear the thoughts of the other characters was to connect more to Squall, at least that's how I saw it. He was insecure, constantly wondering if the others could see through him tough guy persona. I think we have all been there, people saying one think and us thinking the opposite. But FF9's version was better, to give players the option.
Stumbled upon this in my feed. Watched out of morbid curiosity and ready to vent about different games. 6 hours later I left with an absolute love and respect for each game in the franchise (including 13). Bravo.