RPG Discussion (Formerly; Earthbound or Chrono Trigger?)

[TomGuycott]

I see a lot of you criticizing FF6 for being more of the same, and I'm one of those people who loves FF6 and I'd disagree with you to the grave about why you're positively wrong (in my opinion), but that's not why I'm here right now. There's something that a lot of you don't seem to put into the same perspective that I do, probably because of my age and US residence, and that's the order that these games were introduced to me and many other people.

1990: Release of Final Fantasy in North America on the NES
1991: Release of Final Fantasy IV, relabeled Final Fantasy II in North America on the SNES
1994: Release of Final Fantasy VI, relabeled as Final Fantasy III in North America on the SNES

So for me, it was simple swords and sorcery RPG, to more advanced swords and sorcery RPG with a more colorful cast, better graphics, and a more in-depth storyline where characters get killed off, and then finally an awesome, best graphics out of the three steampunk storyline filled with gritty, yet at the same time colorful characters trying to stop a war between machine-toting man and magic wielding beast.

Here's the reason I like VI the most in concise terms:

-Enormous playable cast
-Steampunk magic-technology
-Darker story elements (See poisoning of Doma)
-Awesome character abilities (RAGE!)
-Menagerie of summoned beasts
-Kefka
-Original and best Ultima Weapon
-Multi-party Dungeons
-Shadow
-Ability to lose characters based on your actions (Both NPC and Playable)
-Ultros
-Magi-tek Armor
-The world ends and you have to keep going
-Linear JRPG becomes less linear, western style RPG
-Searching the world for your lost comrades
-Optional, difficult boss battles
-Hidden characters

I got the most value out of Final Fantasy VI than I did out of any other game, and I still love playing it. In fact, the only SNES RPG that held a candle to it was Chrono Trigger.

Hey, didn't this thread used to be about Earthbound and Chrono Trigger? You guys remember that? Those were the days.