A good remill should give back to an old game its new appearance. Final Fantasy VI, the last of the Pixel Remaster series of Square Enix, succeeds in a way that. On the one hand, much of what I saw is new and improved. Still, it always looks exactly like the game I grew up playing. It turns out that when it comes to remasters, less it’s more.
To be fair, “less it’s more” has been the guideline of the Pixel Remaster series. At first glance, I did not see anything different at all. Was not it the same game they released in 1994? Not quite, as I quickly discovered. For starters, all sprites have been redesigned. Terra, Locke, Edgar and all the band have a cleaner and more colorful design. It’s a subtle change, but I was always caught off guard when I finally understood. The enemy art is more or less the same (as far as I know), but it’s the perfection with which you do not need to play.
Other changes are more obvious if you have played the original version of Final Fantasy VI. Combat effects such as explosions, shelves and healing lights have all been cleaned and polished. As a result, the fighting seems more exciting, more modern. Developers also added some 3D sequences in some places. I do not pretend to understand their reasoning, but I approve. Why the journey in Mine cart? Why the opera? Do not get me wrong, the sections are superb! I just do not understand what motivated their decisions. In fact, let’s go back for a moment to the opera.
Final Fantasy VI is famous for many things, but the section of the opera is always at the top of the list. This is where every modification of the Pixel Remaster version comes together. The music has been redesigned, sprites are cleaner and graphics are improved. Hell, there are even true vocal performances now! As I have always loved this sequence for its ambitious scope, there is now a real emotional impact. I was crying ! If part of the game justifies this remill, it is the sequence of the opera.
In fact, all the music is simply amazing in this version of the game. The old lunch trails have been completely reorganized. Simple and catchy tunes were impregnated with complete instruments and orchestral power. The result is that well-loved memories are new again. Finally, your fuzzy nostalgia is reinforced by a score that corresponds to your feelings of bursting. It’s Final Fantasy VI as you remember, as it was registered in your childhood. In addition, there is a music player. Which means that these tracks are there every time you need it, AKA all the time.
Beyond aesthetic changes, there are some essential quality of life patches in this new version. Some mini-games have added seizure prompts, as well as Sabin Blitz attacks. The Blitz upgrade alone is very convenient. I hated hitting these movements at the time. You had no idea if you did it well until it’s too late. Now, Sabin is one of my favorite characters. Indispensable too? The automatic combat system. All it does is to repeat your last movements for each character, but it makes a huge difference. You can configure your combat policy before switching to the upper level or customize it for different dungeons. Not only that, but the actual battles take place slightly faster on the cruise control. It’s a huge help!
Of course, battles could be even faster. Other Final Fantasy remasters allow you to change combat speeds and meetings at will. The absence of said functionality is strongly felt, but in no case a decisive factor. I’m not a fan of the chosen text font. If you opt for a classic aesthetic at the pixel near, why not keep the old pixelized police? Fortunately, there are mods that allow you to correct this problem quite easily. Finally, I noticed a small entrance offset. It only appeared in rare occasions, as when you do Alt + Tab in and out of the game. As long as you do not constantly check a step by step, you should be ready to leave.
I do not need a lot of justification to revisit Final Fantasy VI. If you are a Final Fantasy fan, it’s grade A, high-end stuff. Full of strange mini games, memorable characters and a captivating story, VI is an excellent RPG. If you never played before, you would be an absolute fool to let that. Even if you have already bought it several times, I still recommend the game. Square Enix tried to make the final version of this game, and I would say they have more or less successful.