Box Art
Game: Final Fantasy V
First Released: December 13, 1992, Super Famicom
Developers: Square
Platforms: PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation Network, iOS, Android
Rated: E-10, for Language, Fantasy Violence, and Alcohol Reference
First Released: December 13, 1992, Super Famicom
Developers: Square
Platforms: PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation Network, iOS, Android
Rated: E-10, for Language, Fantasy Violence, and Alcohol Reference
How I Came To Play This Game
Castle Tycoon
I ordered the game online while I was still playing Final Fantasy III. I wanted to line up a few games from the series because I was doing a marathon of play throughs. After beating Final Fantasy IV, I started the game. However, I never made it very far because the save file kept going corrupt. I opened up the cartridge to find that it had a battery on the inside, used to store the save data. I figured it was out of power and tried to replace it, but the prongs were the cheapest I've ever seen and snapped like a twig. I did a little research and found out that my game was a pirated copy, the real ones don't have a battery-backed save file. I contacted the seller and got a refund and bought another one. After checking to make sure it was a real one, I started playing.
Story
Fight With Gilgamesh
Bartz Klauser, a lone wanderer who rides a chocobo named Boko, sees a meteor crash in the woods near Tycoon. He comes across a young woman under attack by goblins and rescues her. She is Lenna Charlotte Tycoon, who is looking for her father, the king. They discover an old man near the meteor who cannot remember anything except for his name: Galuf Doe. Lenna is on her way to the Wind Shrine where her father, the king of Tycoon, has gone to discover why the wind has ceased. Galuf, realizing he needs to go there as well (though he has no idea why), goes with her. Bartz continues on his way, but his chocobo forces him to return and rescue Lenna and Galuf from more goblins. The three decide to travel together to the Wind Shrine, but the path is blocked by the meteor crash, leaving water as the only route. Because there is no wind, there is no way to sail. Despite this, the trio observes a pirate ship pulling into a secluded harbor, and they attempt to steal it. The captain, Faris Scherwiz, captures them, but recognizes Lenna's pendant and decides to help them get to the Wind Shrine. In the Wind Shrine they find the crystal shattering and the four are branded as the Warriors of Light, tasked with protecting the world and its Crystals. The Crystal shards bestow the warriors with new powers and the four begin their journey to protect the Crystals of the world. Later, when the friends are stuck in the Ship Graveyard, while trying to change Faris's wet clothes, it is revealed that she is a woman. They find that the four elemental Crystals of Wind, Earth, Fire and Water, are the seal binding Exdeath, a powerful warlock who tried to take over the world years before. Each Crystal is being used to improve people's living, effectively draining them of their power. Despite the party's best efforts the Crystals are destroyed one by one, but each time this happens the Crystal shards bestow the warriors with new powers. In their attempt to save the last crystal, they meet Krile Mayer Baldesion, Galuf's granddaughter, who helps Galuf regain his lost memories. As the final crystal is destroyed Exdeath is freed from his seal and goes to Galuf's home world. Galuf and Krile follow him, but will not let Bartz, Lenna and Faris travel with them, because if they do so, they would never be able to return. Bartz, Lenna and Faris find a way to Galuf's world and when the party arrives, Exdeath is already wreaking havoc, battling Galuf's armies on the Big Bridge and Bartz, Lenna and Galuf sneaks into Exdeath's Castle to save them, defeating Gilgamesh, one of Exdeath's lieutenants, in the process. The warriors are blown to a distant continent when Exdeath erects a barrier around his castle during the group's escape. After the group make their way back to Castle of Bal it is revealed Galuf is a king. They are advised to see a sage named Ghido, but Exdeath sinks the sage's island into the ocean. The warriors join up with one of Galuf's companions and former Warrior of Dawn, Xezat Matias Surgate, who is leading a fleet against Exdeath. They infiltrate one of the towers powering the barrier around Exdeath's castle, and Xezat sacrifices his life to help them accomplish this. The warriors enter the castle, but find it sealed and learn of Exdeath looking for something in the Great Forest of Moore. They reach the Master Tree and dispel the seals, but Exdeath reveals the party has released the world's Crystals and claims their power and devastates the group. Krile intervenes, but Exdeath holds her in a ring of fire. Galuf breaks his Crystal, saves Krile and fights Exdeath until he collapses. Exdeath retreats and Galuf dies of his wounds, despite the party's efforts to save him. Krile joins the party in Galuf's place and inherits his title as a Warrior of Light. The party enters Exdeath's castle and defeats him, but the three remaining Crystals shatter and the two worlds merge together. They learn Exdeath seeks the power of the Void, which had been sealed in the Interdimensional Rift, and was kept sealed by dividing the worlds. Exdeath acquires this power, and uses it across the world, consuming entire towns. Lenna is caught in the Void when Castle Tycoon is swallowed. Ghido proposes the party collect the four stone tablets to unseal the twelve legendary weapons used against Enuo, a being that sought to use the Void a thousand years earlier. The party seeks out the slabs and breaks the seals on the weapons. Exdeath sends monsters sealed inside the Interdimensional Rift, called the Demons of the Rift, after them. The first Demon, Melusine, possesses Lenna, but is forced out when Tycoon Castle's Hiryuu arrives. The party eventually enters the Interdimensional Rift, where Exdeath has acquired the power of the Void, and shows his true form - that of a tree. The party survives the Void with help from the Warriors of Dawn and King Tycoon, and battle Exdeath. Exdeath is overwhelmed by the Void and becomes Neo Exdeath, intent on destroying everything, even himself, but the party defeat him. At Exdeath's defeat all the towns swallowed in the Void are restored and the Crystals again manifest in the elemental shrines. The ending varies based on how many people are alive at Neo Exdeath's defeat. Cid receives a letter from a member of the party talking about the future. If everyone survived, Krile will visit the Master Tree, and mourn for her grandfather, until the others cheer her up and remind her of her duty to protect the Crystals. If anyone in the group died during the battle, they will be unable to return home. The survivor, or survivors, will visit the Master Tree, and find that those lost in the battle have returned to life and the Light Warriors embark to protect the Crystals once more.
Pros And Cons
Story
Admantite Charge
The story didn't sit as well as Final Fantasy IV, but it was still way better than Final Fantasy II. This game also had a really good bad guy. He really seemed like a jerk and made you want to kill him yourself. Also, the split world idea was pretty cool as well. It was interesting to see two worlds and then see them both combined together.
Characters
Player Characters
The characters once again are very interesting and each have their own story. Gilgamesh was an interesting character because at first he was a villain, but than he started to sympathize with the heroes, and even teamed up with them once to fight a boss.
Gameplay
Level 5 Death
The gameplay remains largely unchanged from the previous installments to the series. The Active Time Bar is still there, however it moves in a more jerky fashion than it did in Final Fantasy IV. I will never forget the strategies that I used to beat Omega and Shinryu.
Graphics
3D Airship View
The graphics look like they haven't been improved at all. They are still on the Super Nintendo so they look 16-bit. However, one interesting thing that they started doing is cutscenes in Mode 7. Mode 7 is the style in which it looks like your moving forward and backward instead of up and down. They showed off some cool effects during those cutscenes, especially the P.O.V. shots from the meteors crashing into the planet.
Music
The music wasn't as satisfying as it was in Final Fantasy IV. However, I still liked the Battle Theme, Victory Theme, Fanfare, and the Chocobo music.
Releases
Anthology Box Art
Final Fantasy V was originally released for the Super Famicom in Japan on December 13, 1992. It wasn't released in the United States until Final Fantasy Anthology was released which included both V and VI. The Anthology version had CGI cutscenes and many other bonus additions. This version has also been released on the Playstation Network. It was also released for the Gameboy Advance. This version had updated graphics and sound as well as some bonus features.
My Version's Extras
I have the Gameboy Advance version which includes a new optional dungeon called the Sealed Temple. It contains the strongest superbosses including Enuo, Neo Shinryu, and Omega MK.II the later two which I still haven't beaten. The Sealed Temple is very large and seems more like a maze since the paths have no rhyme or reason. The Sealed Temple gives hours of fun to all who enter it. After beating the Sealed Temple, an area called Cloister of the Dead in opened. There you can fight all the bosses from the games story in a row to test your strength.
My Rating
I give this game a 10/10. The Job Class system from Final Fantasy III returned, and the story stayed deep and interesting. Also, the Ability system for leveling up jobs was put in giving more customization to a players party. I really enjoyed mixing and matching abilities.