PaigeFTW: World of Final Fantasy
It’s no coincidence that World of Final Fantasy made its debut in late October. Everyone knows the real prize is waiting to be unveiled Nov. 30. This light-hearted romp of an RPG is merely … a stopgap, as it were.
Still, as far as filler games go, this one isn’t bad.
World of Final Fantasy follows Square-Enix’s usual patterns of reintroducing familiar characters in a slightly different world. We follow two young, amnesiac Mirage Masters, Lann and Reynn, as they travel through the land of Grymoire in a quest to regain their lost memories — and capture every monster they see, a la Pokemon.
Of course, worlds are saved (kind of), enemies fought, familiar heroes rediscovered, etc. The game’s primary conceit of “stacking” battle parties is really a cosmetic reimagining of the usual “parties” that you find in any RPG (with minor tweaks). There’s quite a bit of strategy involved, but the game is pretty explicit about what you’ll need to do at any given time.
World of Final Fantasy moves slowly (I play every battle on perpetual fast forward), with characters patiently repeating dialogue should you chance to interrupt them during exploration. Said dialogue is charmingly punny and sharp, while also being intensely inane. At least the visuals are bright, cheerful and distinct — though most of all, they are cute.
Though obstinately intended for series veterans, who will be the only ones who can probably identify all of the many cameos and inside jokes sprinkled through the game, World of Final Fantasy feels like an RPG for children or first-time gamers, something lighter in tone for those not old enough to venture out with Noctis in Final Fantasy XV.
It’s frustratingly slow at times, but if you can endure the first three hours of careful tutorial, you’ll dig up an old-school throwback that contrasts nicely with the bold, brave future of the series.
