Final Fantasy III (SNES)

For the classical SuperFamicom (SNES) Roleplaying games, and for the RPGs in general, years after its publication, Final Fantasy VI (known as FF III in the English-speaking countries) reamains a strong reference. Brought up by Squaresoft, at the climax of their greatness, the game outshines many other released after it (in particuliar, FF VII and VIII).

The system is the latest version of the classical schema that became the basis for many other RPGs (like the Lufia or Breath of Fire series): level and experience based evolution, magical powers using mps, individual skills, a central menu and random encounter for fights. It has been used and reproduced so many times that it's completely intuitive. The gameplay and controls are just nice, and, this being a SNES game, it has no loading times.

The plot is very researched, and is probably the most achieved FF story for the time being. The intricate relations between magic powers and destruction are very well built, and the characters have been carefully designed for an almost immediate identification (the fourteen of them). The personnality of the Emperor, and the madness of Kefka, look like they've been produced by philosophers and psychiatry students rather than videogame creators, and the story on the whole outstands many good game, movie our novel plots.

On the graphics hand, the 2D scenes are simply perfect. The atmosphere succeed in touching the player, and towns, dungeons or outside graphics are very crisp and detailed. The specials effects are amazing for SNES, a reminder that Square knows what to do with workstations for any support, and real-time distortions and transparency are nicely used.

For the sound... the effects are quite good, if not unforgettable, and the music is some of Nubuo Uematsu's best. It deserves a separate review for itself. One can regret the leak of a refreshing theme amidst so many heavenly-blessed songs (like FF V's *Ahead on our Way*), but you can't have everything.

There are many twists in the plots, secrets, and some subquests that ensure a quite good longevity, and a very high replay value. I recommend this game to anyone who hasn't already finished it.