Video Game History Month: The SNES Is The Best System Ever (Part 2) -- The RPGs

Written By: Tyler

In the previous installment of "The SNES Is The Best System Ever," I talked a little bit about the more technical aspects of the system, and discussed briefly why it's the best system ever. But now it's time to get down and dirty and start talking about what makes any system a success: the games (or in the case of the Wii -- a gimmick followed by Wii Sports).

The SNES has a lot of great games, and I'm not going to be able to cover every single game but I would like to drop dime on some of my personal favourites. To do this, I figure it will be more efficient to group the games into genres and write a few posts instead of just having one massive article that nobody will ever finish. Since I'm a role-playing game fan at heart, I reckon that the RPGs are a good place to start. I'm not going to talk about every single RPG on the SNES, but I will select a decent collection of them. So let's begin this party with some big-ass letters.


The RPGS

Final Fantasy 3/6 - Final Fantasy 6 (3 in North America for a long time) is probably the best Final Fantasy ever. It had a large cast of characters, but most of them were actually memorable. I can only think of a couple that weren't, and to be honest, they were optional characters anyway. FF6 managed to be incredibly dark and surprising, with excellent gameplay. It always amazes me that the villain basically "won" halfway through the game when Kefka destroys the world. Sure, you beat him in the long run, but he's also messed up everything at that point and it'll be a long time before they can rebuild society.

I once borrowed this game from a friend, and I ended up losing it... though to this day I feel like my mom misplaced it or something else happened. Regardless, it seemed to have disappeared. To pay my friend back, I gave him one of my games, and for the longest time I felt like he was getting a better deal out of things anyway. I'm not entirely sure I feel that way anymore, but the next game in the list is said game and it's a testament to how good both games are that I'm conflicted about which is actually better.


Chrono Trigger - One of the greatest RPGs of all-time. It is a story of time travel with very memorable music and characters. At the time it was a small but wonderful detail that added to the immersion, but I was impressed by how you just whipped out your weapons and scrapped on-site. Not many games afterward actually did this.

I spent a lot of time playing this as a kid, and if you haven't played it you should... you owe yourself that much.


Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars - The marriage of two of the most influential companies in my life at that point: Squaresoft and Nintendo. Yes I know that Square developed games on the Nintendo platform before, but they literally took Mario characters -- along with creating some of their own -- and made an awesome RPG out of them. The battle system was still turn-based but due to the nature of timing your attacks, it added another dimension to it.

Super Mario RPG still has a line that I use to this day on occasion, "Are you leaking, my dear?"


Final Fantasy 2/4 - Though it's kinda sorta lightweight compared to the absolute monster that came afterward, Final Fantasy 4 (again, Final Fantasy 2 for a long time in North America) is still a completely solid entry in the Final Fantasy series, with incredible music and a lot of human sacrifice -- if only they hadn't ruined that at the end. There's actually a lot of emotion present throughout the game because of how much each and every character goes through. There are twins turning themselves to stone, love triangles, friend betrayals, Cid jumping down a massive hole, etc.

To this day, Kain is a favourite Final Fantasy character for me, and he brought about my love of Dragoons. Even in Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, I got giddy once I did my first "Jump" attack.


Final Fantasy 5 - This is a Final Fantasy that didn't touch down on North American soil until later on, unless you had an emulator because a bunch of Gods translated it. I don't go to this one for the story or the characters, but it had a pretty boss job system that encouraged replay.


Secret of Mana - Secret of Mana, what can I say about you? I spent many hours playing you by myself in a dark room with romantic music on and with friends. Outside of the fact that maybe the ring system is a little outdated -- it's not a bad system, but in magic heavy battles it's annoying being the guy who isn't casting magic -- it's one of the best RPGs ever and just an amazing game to play with a friend.

Seiken Densetsu 3 - This is the sequel to Secret of Mana, and it wasn't released here in North America. Luckily, like Final Fantasy 5, it was translated by some fine people and I was able to play it. Technically it's probably a better game than Secret of Mana because it offers more of everything, like multiple characters and classes to choose from with more plotlines to play, and enhances the experience while retaining the core gameplay. I usually say I prefer Secret of Mana due to the amount of time I spent with it but SD3 is awesome too.

Secret of Evermore - It's not Secret of Mana, which was a disappointment for some, but it had its own flair, style and gameplay mechanics that made it its own game. The story was more out there and Sci-Fi, which I think was actually more interesting than Secret of Mana, but it is a lesser game as a whole. Regardless, I'm not saying it's a bad game... it's just lesser compared to an RPG that's one of the best of all time. That's hardly even a criticism.


Earthbound - My brother told me that a nerd at Comic-Con said that Earthbound is "too mainstream." I remember a time when nobody knew it. I remember going to rent it and getting that massive instruction manual/strategy guide that is still the best instruction manual I've ever seen. I remember playing Earthbound for hours on end as a kid, being amazed by the humour, characters and music. Years down the road I remember digging deeper into the story and being impressed by how clever the game actually was.

What I'm trying to say is that as a kid I appreciated Earthbound on a base level. As an adult I appreciate Earthbound as a complete experience, as a classic of the genre, a deconstruction of the RPG and North American culture... and possibly a story about abortion.

Basically, screw you random nerd.


Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals - The first Lufia game is a classic too, but I want to group the two games together. I'm a huge Lufia "mark," to use a pro-wrestling term. Lufia 2 is a prequel, and the ending is literally spoiled within the first twenty minutes of the first game, but that didn't matter because it was one of the most heart-wrenching sacrifices in the history of gaming.

Aside from that, Lufia 2 took the elements of the first game and added things like Capsule Monsters, enemies you could see on-screen and... puzzles? Normally I don't really want puzzles in my RPG, but Lufia 2 is okay by me.


Shadowrun - Some people say that the Shadowrun on Genesis is actually better, but I never got to play it. Shadowrun kind of creeps me out to this day, and I can't really understand why. It's a dark, cyberpunk world where within the first half hour you've scared people so bad they left the room and won't open the door, talked to an ugly dude about you getting "geeked" and talked to a dog in an alley. Awesome.

We never got another Shadowrun that could match up to this one, but Shadowrun Returns came close.


Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen - Top 5 RPG of all-time for me. This, FF6, FF7, Parasite Eve and Chrono Trigger tend to be the RPGs I fall back on, which Earthbound as an honourable mention (depending on my mood, really, because you can rotate any of these and I'll be happy, with Parasite Eve being the only game that is always number one). Ogre Battle 64 was a worthy successor, but nothing has compared to the original SNES one. This amazing strategy RPG has incredible replay value because a) it's hard as hell to not be a bad guy, and b) the customization of your army encourages this kind-of thing. There are also secrets I've never even found.

This is a game that we need to see another sequel of. Right now.


Dragon View - This is probably one of the RPGs on the list that don't get nearly enough recognition. It was a sequel to Drakkhen, which itself was a decent take on the computer RPG, but didn't wow me in any significant way. The dungeons are in a side view and the game becomes an Action RPG, and I'll never forget the scene where you walk into a room and Giza beats the everliving piss out of you.


Super Ninja Boy - Super Ninja Boy is another game that doesn't get any recognition. It's not that the story is incredible, but it's actually a completely solid two-player RPG with a battle system that was rarely seen back in the day -- you could actually run around freely in the battle screen, jump, punch and throw enemies into holes that for some reason are in the ground. It doesn't seem like much now, but it was a big deal then, and when I played this game again years ago I still really dug it (outside of how many random encounters there were).


Uncharted Waters 2: New Horizons - Just today my older brother (he loves when I mention him, and I know he reads this so I will keep doing it) said, "It's the first open world game I ever remember playing." I never thought of it that way but he could be right. Uncharted Waters 2 is a game where you pick one of, I believe, four characters (though I could be wrong), and they all have their own goals to accomplish. I remember that one guy has to map the world.

From there, it's a bit of an odd mixture. It's part strategy game, part simulation, but websites seem to classify it as an RPG so I had to mention it too. It's just out of my Top 5 RPGs of all-time, but it's very close and I do adore it more than my unborn children.

You sail the world, getting in ship battles, and I was always particularly intrigued by the one-on-one sword duels you could get into. Uncharted Waters 2 is actually one of the games that most influenced what I did outside. If you don't want to hear about younger me, then skip down, but I would go outside on my deck with a friend and basically  just re-enact the game. I would pretend that the deck was my ship, I'd create a fleet and attack other fleets, while creating my own story. So thank you Uncharted Waters 2 for impacting both my indoors activities and my outdoor activities too. Damn it I'm such a nerd.


The Others

There were other solid RPGs like Illusion of Gaia, Lagoon, Brain Lord, Breath of Fire 2, 7th Saga, Inindo: Way of the Ninja, Live A Live and Equinox as well. All of those are great in their own ways, and I'm not discussing them simply because I was trying to keep it to my all-time favourite RPGs on the SNES... but then I cheated and threw out these honourable mentions because I feel like it's a disservice to gaming if I don't mention them.


But Wait, There's More

However, my journey with SNES RPGs is not over, as their are two games in particular on deck that I intend to play someday. These were originally not released in North America and I can't read Japanese (well I can, just not successfully), but due to people being awesome and the internet, I will now be able to play them.

Star Ocean - I remember reading about this in, I believe, the same magazine that I originally read about Final Fantasy 7. I always waited for it and it never came. It's since been re-released for, I believe, the PSP, and I intend to eventually get it and finally play the game. I love love love Star Ocean: The Second Story, so I can't wait to play this one.

Terranigma - This is a game I never knew about until I got the internet, and I still haven't played it because all these new games keep coming out. I hear Terranigma has an awesome story, and from what I've heard of the soundtrack, that is great too. Eventually I shall sink my teeth into this and Star Ocean.




So there you have it people. Did I miss any SNES RPGs that you absolutely adore? Let me know in the comments below or tweet me @ArtBathednCrime. I'd love to hear about your own SNES experiences, and stay tuned for next time when I give you Part 3... though I'm not sure what genres I will be tackling next.

Fly Through The Air Like You Just Don't Care -- A Child of Light Review

Written By: Tyler
Platform Played On: PC

 

See 10 minutes of gameplay here: http://youtu.be/70Kkn2YOAt0


Rating: 8.5/10
Verdict: Child of Light does a few intriguing things with the format, and is an incredibly polished, beautiful game, but it doesn't stand among the best JRPGs in the world. It's only $15 though, and it could cost a little more and I still wouldn't feel ripped off.


Child of Light is an interesting gamble for Ubisoft. They are known recently for violent, expansive, open-world/sandbox games, and indeed, their next game in May is the much anticipated/eater of worlds Watch Dogs. Child of Light is a Japanese RPG made by North Americans, and it has slipped into existence a mere month before Watch Dogs gets released into the wild. It's very cool to see a company like Ubisoft release a smaller passion project before a big release, and it's especially cool that it's a genre that has fallen off the radar a bit over the years. But is it any good?

In a nutshell -- yes, Child of Light is good. Great even, but not a classic. It will not stand amongst the best JRPGs in video game history, but if there is any justice in the world then it should be remembered as a completely solid side-scrolling, turn-based RPG that does a few neat things with the genre.

You play as Aurora, a sick little Austrian girl who drifts asleep and wakes up in a foreign, fantastical land -- Lemuria. She is trying to get home. Whether it's real or a dream isn't apparent at the beginning, and you mean an odd bunch of characters through the ten hours or so that you adventure through the world.

The plot is interesting and emotional, while being told entirely through poetry. This is an awesome stylistic choice, because how often do we get to see a game where everyone talks in rhyme? Unfortunately some of the dialogue is timed and this can be problematic because of the nature of it -- it's lyrical, so it may take a moment to fully comprehend and the game doesn't always give you the time to understand it.

It's hard to talk about the game without acknowledging the visuals. The hand drawn/painted art style is beautiful and makes it very easy to drift into this wonderful fairy tale. Look in the background and there is plenty going on, or look around you and see how fully realized the entire area is. This game oozes atmosphere on all fronts, and it's an early candidate for visuals of the year.

In fact, I am going to go out on a limb and say that I think the primary focus of the game is creating a rich, awe-inspiring yet believable world. This extends to the music. The music doesn't stand out like some games, but it's solid and always there to compliment the visuals wonderfully with its usage of a lot of strings. It sounds like it belongs in a fairy tale, as opposed to in a big Hollywood movie like a lot of games these days go for.

The JRPG is known for turn-based combat, and Ubisoft has decided to bring that back. However, they didn't bring it back in a bland, unoriginal way. There are a couple ideas here that progress the genre. There is a timeline on the bottom of the screen and you can see who is going to get to attack next. Some enemies/characters are faster so they will move along the line more quickly. You can use spells to decrease or increase speed, and it becomes a battle to see who can get there first. You could just hammer it out and get through the game because it's not that hard, but there are a couple elements to the combat that encourage you to use strategy.

Your blue firefly companion can slow down enemies. He has an energy bar and if you click and hold down the mouse button on an enemy, they move slower along the timeline. You can also use him to heal yourself. This allows you to get a bit of an advantage on enemies, or at least somewhat level the playing field if they're faster than you.

He also ties into the two-player mode, and while I haven't played it, I can't imagine it's that much fun. He has a few ways in which he helps, like in combat. But you also use him to reach items, solve easy puzzles (I'm notoriously stupid and had no issues), stun enemies -- since they can be seen on the "world map" you can go behind them and get a sneak attack -- and collect healing. The multiplayer just seemed tacked on and unnecessary to me.

There is also importance in going first beyond the obvious reason of just attacking the enemy. You can actually interrupt enemy attacks if you've timed it right, which sets them back on the line. What this means is that you could essentially go an entire battle without getting hit if you plan accordingly and things work out well. Like I said, you don't really need to put this much thought into the combat, but the options are there and it's much more rewarding if you do.

In battle you can also switch your characters on the fly, allowing you to utilize any and all characters since they all have their pros and cons. Some are best at healing, some can caste haste, some are brutes, etc. I always enjoyed this aspect in Final Fantasy X, and it's nice to see it employed again.

There is another way in which the game is like Final Fantasy X, and that's in how you level up. Child of Light essentially has a Sphere Grid, only it's more of a Sphere Grid-lite. There are a couple different ways you can go, but in my experience there's really only one way I wanted to go, except for with a character or two.

You can unlock new abilities, or upgrade your statistics like strength or magic defense. You level up at least every second fight (I'm not kidding), and while that might sound cool, due to the limited nature of level progression, it's not really all it's cracked up to be. There isn't really a sense of accomplishment after you've put a few hours in because you level up so quickly. I get what they're doing by constantly offering growth, but sometimes less is more.

Regardless, due to the fact that you ultimately have a choice with how your character progresses, and the fact that there's a crafting system -- there is a decent amount of depth here. The Oculi crafting system is simplistic and straight-forward, but it does pay to experiment a little bit to see how all your gems can benefit you. In this case, despite how minimalist it is, it's better to have it than not because it adds to the experience.

At the beginning of the game you walk and jump, and it's slow going, but in roughly an hour or less you can suddenly fly. Yes, you can fly... with no limitations except for the map ending. There is no energy bar to prevent you and you never have to walk again. This may seem like a simple thing, but it gives the game a more open feel and it's just beyond cool to be able to take flight whenever you see fit, and travel wherever you damn please (within reason). The game doesn't force feed you where to go, or how to do anything, so you can get disoriented pretty quickly if you're not paying attention, but there's a tip section when you pause that poetically tells you where to go.


Despite how technically sound it is in a lot of ways, it didn't grab me like the best RPGs do. I still really dug it and was into it, but favourite games have a way of burrowing their way into your heart, leaving you with this feeling of amazement (depending on who you are, this is either starting to sound erotic or romantic).

Child of Light is a polished JRPG-lite in a few ways, but in other ways it is near the top of its class (such as the visuals). It's not a long game, and anybody looking for a serious challenge should look elsewhere, but it's also only $15 so you definitely get your money worth. 

Video Game History Month -- What Brought Me To The Dance

Written By: Tyler

For those who don't know, Gamespot has designated May "Video Game History Month." I figure this is a good reason to do my own series of articles over the past month to discuss the history of video games. This article is a little bit more personal than what I'd usually do -- this is about where I started in the wonderful(ly expensive) world of gaming. I don't know how long this article will be, and while most of the articles will just be about specific games or systems, I think this is a good place to start.


My origin story is not that uncommon amongst "older" gamers -- the Nintendo Entertainment System. Before I even knew what I was doing, I was playing games. I would just grab a controller and press buttons. My older brother had an NES, and as far as I can remember, the first games I ever played were Duck Hunt, Super Mario Bros. 1 and 3, and Final Fantasy.

While I can never say that I was around for the true beginning of video gaming, I can honestly declare that I was born the same year that the NES first hit North American soils. The NES may be third generation, but it's arguably the greatest innovation within the industry because the NES helped video games crawl out of the dark and into the light of the public. Yes, people were playing games before the NES, but the NES symbolized new blood, new life. For years people would ask, "Do you play Nintendo?" rather than, "Do you play video games?" Nintendo etched its way into the conscious of the public, and video game history, and it all started with the NES.

Though I obviously didn't start playing right when I was born, I can say I've been playing games most of my life... and I'm pushing 30. Like I said above, I started with some of the biggest names in gaming. I remember using the gun to play Duck Hunt, and I remember trying to shoot that stupid dog (to no success). I remember running through the levels in the first Super Mario Bros. while being amazed. Though both of those games were essential to developing my admiration for games, it wasn't until Super Mario Bros. 3 and Final Fantasy that I found the first couple games that I ended up truly loving, with the latter opening up an entire genre that to this day is still my favourite -- the role-playing game.

I would go over into my brothers room, much to his chagrin, early in the morning and turn on Super Mario Bros. 3. The family would get annoyed, but I must have thought I was sneaky or something because I'd keep doing it. Maybe this time I won't get caught? I don't know, maybe I was just a badass. I would even dream of playing the game. Mario 3 was such an evolution of the first that it remains one of my favourites in the classic series to this day. It was an expertly crafted, masterpiece of game design, and even today it showing up on the Virtual Console (finally) is a huge deal to a lot of people.

Final Fantasy was a little too complex at first. It wasn't as easy as just running and jumping. You chose character classes, went on adventures, leveled up and paid attention to the -- admittedly shallow -- plot. Battles were turn-based, and to a young kid the game was pretty difficult.

I'm sure this made my brother happy, but I enjoyed the fighting in Final Fantasy. I would gladly grind for him, because it was a joy for me  to enter those attack commands and see what happened. It wasn't until later that I understood what the RPG genre entailed, but once the SNES came around, I was fully entrenched in the rich worlds that were created. Final Fantasy 2/4, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 3/6, Earthbound, Secret of Mana, Secret of Evermore, the list goes on. I enjoy most of those more than I do the original Final Fantasy, but I can't deny the importance of the original because despite the fact it was supposed to literally be the final fantasy, it ended up being more than that to me and a lot of kids/teenagers. For me it was not the end; it was the beginning.

Much like the Nintendo Entertainment System.

On The Podcast Episode 5 - Vladimir Putin Is Pac-Man

 
It's Friday so that means a lot of people with decent jobs are in their last work day of the week. Why not celebrate that fact by listening to a podcast starring your favourite Jacob and Tyler?

We talk Vladimir Putin, games, more games, video game music, and we even tell some stories about our lives. Don't miss this um, action-packed extravaganza.


Youtube: http://youtu.be/XYuvp6MKjCY

Listen Here:
Download MP3: https://archive.org/details/onthepodcast5

March - National Women’s History Month: Let's Celebrate The Wimminz

Written By: Tyler

            Every month I’m picking something that the month commemorates and I’m doing a little list in celebration/honour of that. This month I’ll be praising women and some of my favourite video game characters of all time. Unlike black people (check last month), women aren’t underrepresented and though a lot are over-sexualized, there are still a lot of strong, well-written girl characters. It's National Women's History Month so let's take a look at some of the women who have made games what they are.

                I picked fifteen because it’s a nice number for this kind of thing. So let’s do this thing.

Samus Aran From Metroid

                It’s impossible not to start this list off with probably the greatest female video game character of all time – Samus Aran. What’s funny about her is that back in the Dark Ages, you wouldn’t know she’s a girl until you die due to the fact she is wearing a beastly Power Suit. Back then it was a huge deal, like, “whoa, I’m playing as a hot chick?” Yes, we thought that. Don’t let any older gamer tell you otherwise.

                Samus doesn’t really emote very often, except for in the ill-fated Metroid: Other M (which I actually loved), but she does talk when briefing the gamers on what she has done in her career as an Intergalactic Bounty Hunter. Mostly she’s a strong and silent type, and she’s one of the most classic Bounty Hunters in all of fiction.

The Boss from Metal Gear Solid 3

                I mentioned her in January (National Mentor Month), but she is such a powerful, influential character that she needs to be included again. When she’s on screen she’s shown as strong yet feminine, smart and exceptionally talented. She is important, loyal and brave. She has a tremendous impact on Big Boss (Naked Snake in this game), who is arguably the most important character in the entire series considering even Solid Snake is just a clone of him. Without Big Boss, there is no Snake, without The Boss, there is no Big Boss.

Princess Toadstool/Peach from Mario Games

                Princess Toadstool isn’t really a great example of a powerful female video game character. She falls strictly in the “damsel in distress” archetype, but it’s hard to deny that she’s an iconic character considering she’s a big piece of probably the most famous video game series of all time – Super Mario.

Joanna Dark from Perfect Dark

                Joanna Dark had the unfortunate problem of being in the Rare shooter that came after the legendary Goldeneye 64 so she had to compete with Bond. No, she’s not James Bond, but she’s also not the type of girl that would become infatuated with Bond… in fact, it’s more likely that she’d kick his ass. Perfect Dark is one of the best shooters of all time, and Joanna Dark is the main character of it.

Juliet Starling from Lollipop Chainsaw

                I love Lollipop Chainsaw. I think it’s an underrated and fun game. I don’t think Juliet is a well-written character that redefines the role of the female in games. She’s a ditsy cheerleader who wears her boyfriend’s head on her belt. But don’t get it twisted… as sexy and as ditsy as she is, she’s a tough, ass-kicking woman. Women can complain but I’m a man and it’s hard not to be into Juliet.

Aeris Gainsborough from Final Fantasy 7

                Aeris is one of the first people you see in Final Fantasy 7. She isn’t in the whole game because, y’know spoilers, she dies (bet you didn’t know that). Her death is felt throughout the rest of the game and she’s probably the most important character in the game. It’s a shame she dies though because she’s a classic healer and her final limit break is the shit.

Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy 7

                Tifa is also awesome. Final Fantasy 7 has two great female characters, and they both love Cloud. Tifa is my favourite to play as and she’s one of my core members in my team. She is a caring, loyal woman with… big bazookas. But of course that’s not all there is to a woman. Heh.

Celes from Final Fantasy 3/6

                Celes is one of my favourite Final Fantasy characters ever. She is the one who gets the honour of getting equipped with the Genji Glove. When you see her she’s in a bad way, and my buddy and I have made the argument that she was raped, but nothing stops her and she shows just how tough she is throughout the rest of the game. She might even be the most developed because when the shit hits the fan and Kefka destroys the world, who do you play as first in the World of Ruin? That’s right – Celes.

Terra from Final Fantasy 3/6

                I think Celes becomes the main character, ultimately, but Terra starts the game and has an interesting, conflict filled character arc herself. I mean, she’s an Esper. That’s pretty awesome in itself and that’s reason enough that she’s a memorable female video game character.

Chun-Li from Street Fighter

                Chun-Li is the most iconic female character in arguably the most legendary fighting game series. Yes, she’s a little over-sexualized like a lot of girls, but she has a great move set and she kicks serious ass. You don’t really go to a fighting game, generally, for characters who are extremely developed anyway.

Aya Brea from Parasite Eve

                The definition of a real woman. She’s sexy, dedicated, conquers her fears and kicks ass. She is on a date, the room catches on fire, everyone is screaming and burning to death and she pulls out her gun and goes and challenges Parasite Eve. From then on, you are treated to what I think is the greatest RPG of all time, and it’s all told through the eyes of probably my all-time favourite female video game character.

Lara Croft from Tomb Raider

                I’m not really a Tomb Raider guy, but I couldn’t make this list without putting Lara on it. This is probably the only case of me doing that. It’s Lara Croft – love her or hate her, people know her… and her tits. It sounds shallow but that’s the reality. It’s hard to deny that she was basically a sex icon for guys who are into video games a little too much, but lately she has been rebranded as a more complex character.

Zelda from Legend of Zelda

                Actually, I’m not a Zelda guy either so there are two choices on here that I’m putting in just because of how big they are in the industry. I mean, it’s Zelda, although the circumstances are a little strange. For years people thought Link was Zelda. Some people still do. But regardless, her name is in the title and Link only gets that privilege in a few games.

Ellie from The Last of Us

                Though she’s more of a one-off character, it’s hard to argue her importance in The Last of Us. She is the person who makes Joel human again, she is the central focal point for the entire game. She is the reason you are making tough choices. The Last of Us doesn’t have a deep plot and it’s a tale that’s been told a lot, but the growth of Joel and Ellie is something special within video games.

Elizabeth from Bioshock: Infinite

                Elizabeth has an Ellie thing going on, though it’s a different situation. She isn’t technically the main character, but a lot that goes on is because of her. You are trying to save her after all, but she’s not a damsel in distress really. I mean, she kind of is, but there’s more to her than that and as the game goes on you see that.

Disagree, agree? Let me know in the comments below who you would put in this list. Or message me on Twitter @ArtBathednCrime. Thanks for reading and keep coming back to this blog because I actually write other articles too! I know!

Top Ten Tuesday -- Top 10 Playable Final Fantasy Characters From "The Greatest Generation" (FF6 through FF9)

Written by: Justin

Yooooooo! It's my first contribution to "On The Gamely", son!

Just to self-promote, here's who I am: I'm Justin, BridgewatersFinest on YouTube, BlockBuster_Guy on Twitter, and I run the world-famous "Resident Movie-(Love)er" blog -- yet another blog to which Tyler, your beloved blogmaster, contributes to.

Tyler has been up my butt for months about writing for On The Gamely (and up my butt for years prior, dating back to our carefree youth... but I digress), so I finally took the opportunity presented to me to toss out a top ten list -- which both Tyler and I will tell you, are one of our favorite things to do.

I also love RPG's. More specifically, I love Final Fantasy. And as a lover of Final Fantasy, it pains me somewhat to see what Final Fantasy has become versus what it USED to be. God, that makes me sound/feel old. To me, Final Fantasy has been subject to multiple generations -- the early years, up to entry 5, where it found its legs; these past few years and entries have arguably been the post-grad years, where it struggles to keep its identity in an ever-changing world; but the era in which I choose to address are those rebellious late-teenage-to-early-twenties years, the "Attitude Era" of Final Fantasy (for all you wrestling fans out there), which encompass Final Fantasy VI (1994) through Final Fantasy IX (2000). I prefer to dub this generation, "The Greatest Generation", in which I feel you find the best games, the best stories, and the best characters the series has to offer.

It is with this timeline in mind that I present to you...

JUSTIN'S TOP TEN (PLAYABLE) FINAL FANTASY CHARACTERS FROM “THE GREATEST GENERATION”

Let's start by first acknowledging three characters that did not quite make the list: FF8's Quistis Trepe, FF9's Garnet Til Alexandros XVII, and FF7's Nanaki. All characters that I love, but not quite enough to put them on the list. Aight, let's get started!

#10 ::: Seifer Almsay (FF8) – Seifer is a classmate & rival of Squall Leonhart, and later on in the game, a multi-meeting boss character. Short-tempered and attention-seeking, Seifer’s storyline is that of “being second-best” to Squall (in multiple ways), eventually becoming brainwashed as Edea/Ultimicia’s “knight”. Seifer plays almost identically to Squall, wielding a similar gunblade. Where I think Seifer sets himself apart from Squall (and every other playable in FF8) is the passion he displays in his character and story. Like Vegeta in “DragonBall Z”, he always considers himself the elite, willing to go anywhere and do anything to prove it, and his interesting point of view (that being, Squall and the others being the evil villains, and himself being the hero) pushes him past the rest of the game’s cast.

#9 ::: Aerith Gainsborough (FF7) – Everybody knows Aerith’s story: a flower merchant in Midgar, later revealed to be the last surviving Ancient (Cetra) and the supposed key to the discovery of “The Promised Land”, has a chance meeting with Cloud and forces him to be her “bodyguard” as protection against Shinra and the Turks. She plays as a support character, specializing in healing and buffing rather than offense. Aerith has arguably the most memorable death in video game history, and the mystery surrounding her character, her relationship with Cloud, and her own personal journey of self-discovery make her a fan favorite. Ultimately, she ends up directly playing a key role in Gaia’s fate, but in my opinion, she lacks the in-game longevity and playability to be considered the game’s best character.

#8 ::: Vincent Valentine (FF7) – Vincent is the only optional character to make the list. A former Turk member, he seeks vengeance on Professor Hojo for the genetic experimentation that was forced upon him and the love of his life. Vincent’s playability is hindered by a functionally-frustrating Limit Break, transforming him into various creatures due to the Jenova cells in his body. While the creatures can be helpful, they can also hamper the team during crucial battles. Much of Vincent’s story is shrouded in mystery in the game itself, but is fleshed out in subsequent games, and the story of love, loss, guilt, agelessness and revenge is some of the best storytelling Final Fantasy has to offer, overcoming the functional shortcomings of the character.

#7 ::: Celes Chere (FF6) – Celes is a former Empire general, genetically infused with magic to become a Magitek Knight, and is rescued by Locke after she is imprisoned for protesting the water poisoning at Doma. Celes is a popular Genji Glove choice with me, giving her the ability to dual-wield weapons in addition to her strong magic abilities. Aside from a personal theory about whether Celes was raped during her incarceration (hint: we believe she was), where she becomes most interesting is in the game’s second half, the World of Ruin. She is the first playable character after the party is separated, is constantly being pulled in two directions between party loyalty and her past with the Empire, and her attempt to save Cid’s life and subsequent suicide attempt make for compelling storytelling.

#6 ::: Terra Branford (FF6) – Terra is the daughter of a human and an Esper, enslaved by the Empire and exploited for her inherent magical abilities. She is the first character to be introduced in the game, and is liberated from the Empire by rebels in Narshe.  Terra’s story is integral to the game’s first half, as she helps facilitate the Returners’ alliance with the Espers to decimate the Empire. What I love about Terra’s story is how it transforms from a fairly-straightforward revenge mantra after learning of her past, to the more noble quest of making the world safe for children during the World of Ruin. Terra is constantly cited as a critical and fan favorite.

#5 ::: Sabin Figaro (FF6) – Sabin is a rogue warrior, the younger brother of the king of Figaro, Edgar. Sabin wins a rigged coin toss against his brother for the right to refuse their father’s throne, and instead seeks the man thought to be the killer of his trainer, Duncan. While his story may not be of the same quality as some other characters, his high abilities land him highly on the list. Sabin is another popular Genji Glove choice for me, due to his physical attack power, but Sabin is an all-around beast and that’s why I really like him. He is always on my team whenever available, and boasts the versatility to be either your top warrior or top magic user.

#4 ::: Vivi Ornitier (FF9) – Vivi is a black mage, who meets Zidane in Alexandria upon travelling there to take in a performance of “I Want To Be Your Canary”, joining Zidane to save Princess Garnet from being trapped in the Evil Forest. As he grows more comfortable with his magical abilities, he learns the dark truth behind his origins, and the true purpose of the Black Mages. Vivi is one of the most sympathetic characters in Final Fantasy’s storied history. His story and character have immense depth, while bringing to the table a child-like demeanor that has endeared him to fans for years. Vivi’s story is a wonderful story of redemption and of rising above the pain of the past to find a higher purpose, and Vivi’s very existence as a black mage is a wonderful compliment to the throwback nature of the game itself.

#3 ::: Tifa Lockhart (FF7) – Tifa is the owner of the 7^th Heaven bar in the Sector 7 slums in Midgar, and is a primary member of the eco-terrorist resistance group AVALANCHE. A childhood friend of Cloud’s from Nibelheim, they reunite when AVALANCHE recruits Cloud to assist in the attacks on several Shinra Mako reactors, eventually accompanying him in his desperate search for Sephiroth. Tifa can be described as a female version of Sabin, fighting primarily with her fists, having been trained in martial arts by Zangan in her hometown. In my opinion, Tifa is not only the greatest female Final Fantasy character, she ranks among the greatest female video game characters period, both in terms of playability within the game and of storyline. She struggles with her clear and present affections for Cloud and her duty to him as a friend, while at the same time acting as a mother figure to Barrett’s daughter Marlene, and an emotional and structural support for the AVALANCHE group in the wake of Sector 7’s destruction, and the death of Aerith. She displays strength, caring, beauty and determination, and represents everything that a Final Fantasy character should be.

#2 ::: Shadow (FF6) – Shadow is a mysterious assassin and mercenary-for-hire, who bounces back and forth between his allegiances during the first half of the game. Shadow is always accompanied by Interceptor, his attack dog. He attacks from a distance, and does damage by any means necessary, often throwing unused inventory weapons at enemies for big damage. Shadow has arguably the most interesting story in FF6. You never know when or where he might show up (often just when you’ve forgotten about him), and your skill level as a player literally decides whether Shadow lives into the World of Ruin, or dies on the Floating Continent. You only ever learn about him by USING him in the game, and only then through dream sequences, learning about his past as a train robber, his inability to grant his partner’s death wish, his fathering of Relm in Thamasa, living with the guilt of his past and ultimately allowing himself to die in Kefka’s tower at the game’s end. Based on story and player experience, Shadow is the perfect character.

#1 ::: Cloud Strife (FF7) – Cloud begins his story as a mercenary and an EX-Soldier First Class, who joins the AVALANCHE group to counteract Shinra’s use of Mako energy. His primary motivation, however, soon becomes his rivalry with former comrade Sephiroth, being drawn to find him, to gain revenge for the destruction of his hometown, and to learn more about the moments in his past that he either cannot remember, or which differ from the accounts of Tifa and others. Despite the possibility of FF6’s Shadow being an objectively “better” character, Cloud has an iconic status that sits him atop this list. Ignoring for a moment that he is arguably the best character in the game from a playability standpoint, Cloud’s story is highly-charged and emotional. Cloud’s is a story of a man so confident in his own abilities and history, being fractured and broken apart through a series of lies, false memories, and personal tragedies. In the end, Cloud survives on nothing but personal strength and the love of those closest to him, accepting and overcoming his past and standing up to a foe who claims himself a God. FF7 is admittedly my favorite game of all-time, so this ranking is subject to claims of bias; however, I genuinely feel as though Cloud is the greatest character in the history of the franchise.