Sometimes it’s not a bad thing that you’re getting older. When this title of Final Fantasy came out, I was still crawling around in diapers. As I mentioned in my previous review, I was thrilled about the remakes of these titles. I have tried picking them up so often but never got very far into them (< pre-Final Fantasy 7) since they have a high learning curve. Luckily, I’m getting older and more used to the JRPGs of the old. So let’s dive into the first of three reviews of the Final Fantasy IV till VI (I’m doing them all separately, if you want to read about the other three, check out the ones my colleague Michiel did right here). My Final Fantasy IV review can be found right here – but you’re here to check out Final Fantasy V, so let’s Chocobo in.
Pixel Remaster
Oke, these titles are upgraded and remastered versions of the original, complete with new audio and graphics; a true 2D pixel remaster! This makes the game a feast for the eyes since the game looks stunning. If someone told me that they made this game in 2022, I would have believed them – that good. So, for those unfamiliar with Final Fantasy, let’s do a bit of background first. One millennium before the main story’s events, a powerful mage named Enuo imperiled the world using the power of an evil entity called the “Void.” The people retaliated by using twelve legendary weapons to defeat Enuo; however, the Void itself could not be destroyed. Consequently, the people split the world’s four elemental Crystals into two sets, effectively creating two worlds. The Void then became sealed in a dimensional cleft between the two worlds.
Nearly a thousand years passed without incident, and both worlds prospered due to the powers of their Crystals of Wind, Water, Fire, and Earth. New kingdoms and towns flourished, and travel by ship acted as a critical means of commerce and communication. However, a sinister force was stirring in the second world—ever since the Void incident, malicious demons had been sealed inside a tree in the Great Forest of Moore. The corrupted amalgamation of spirits emerged as Exdeath, the game’s primary antagonist. When Exdeath attempted to claim the world for himself, a group of heroes called the “Four Warriors of Dawn” (Galuf, Xezat, Dorgann, and Kelger) sealed him within the first world using its Crystals, and peace returned for another thirty years.
Final Fantasy V – Story
Final Fantasy V begins on a day when the world’s wind currents start to slow and stale. Deeply troubled by this occurrence, the king of Tycoon makes ready to travel to the Wind Shrine on the back of his drake, quelling his daughter’s worries, Princess Lenna. However, upon arriving at the Shrine, the king witnesses the Wind Crystal shattering before his eyes.
Meanwhile, a young traveler named Bartz, resting in the woods near Tycoon, witnesses a meteorite plunge to the planet’s surface just outside the castle. Bartz promptly investigates, discovering Lenna lying unconscious from the attack. After rescuing her, they find an older man in the debris with partial amnesia named Galuf. Lenna explains that she had been on her way to the Wind Shrine after her father. Galuf suddenly recalls that it was his original destination, opting to accompany her. Though the trio part ways, Bartz soon reencounters Lenna and Galuf assaulted by monsters in a quaking valley. The three travel together, finding all land routes blockaded by the upheavals caused by the meteorite’s fall. Exploring a cavern, they encounter a den of pirates and their leader, Faris. With the help of the pirate captain, the group makes its way to the Wind Shrine to discover the shattered Crystal but no sign of the missing king. However, the shards react to their presence, and an image of the Tycoon appears, explaining that they must protect those Crystals that remain. I don’t want to spoil too much of the story since I like those new to FFV to experience the game on their own (it’s worth it).
Characters
Final Fantasy V features five player characters, though only four are playable at a given time. Bartz Klauser is a traveling adventurer who becomes involved in the story when he investigates the site of a meteorite strike. Lenna Charlotte Tycoon is a princess of Tycoon who follows her father to explore the Wind Shrine’s Crystal. Early on, Bartz finds her unconscious and saves her from goblins. Galuf Doe is a mysterious older man discovered unconscious near the meteorite with a case of amnesia. Faris Scherwiz is a pirate captain who captures Bartz, Lenna, and Galuf when they try to steal her ship; she is revealed to be Sarisa Scherwill Tycoon in disguise. Finally, Krile Mayer Baldesion is the granddaughter of Galuf, who journeys with him to the planet and receives his abilities upon his eventual death.
Most of the main characters were involved with or related to the original Four Warriors of Dawn, such as Dorgann Klauser (Bartz’s father), Kelger Vlondett, and Xezat Matias Surgate; Galuf was the fourth warrior. The game also contains several supporting characters, including engineer Cid Previa, his grandson Mid Previa, and turtle sage Ghido. In addition, one of Exdeath’s henchmen, Gilgamesh, is a recurring mini-boss in the second half of the game.
Job System
The main feature of the gameplay of Final Fantasy V is the Job System. Players can freely select jobs (also called “classes”) for their characters to master, allowing each character to gain special abilities and potentially master all 22 jobs. Each character begins with only the “Freelancer” class; players must acquire crystal shards to access new positions. This system is an improved version of the one in Final Fantasy III; several older jobs were either reused or revamped for Final Fantasy V, such as the Black Mage and Thief. The game also introduces several classes to the series, including the Blue Mage, Time Mage, and Mime. Each of these classes has been featured in numerous Final Fantasy installments since. Once the player gains access to the job system, characters begin to earn a separate form of experience—Ability Points—in conjunction with regular experience points. Characters gain job levels after accumulating AP; as with normal levels, the required amount of experience increases after each job level. AP and job levels do not transfer from class to class. Instead, as job levels increase, new skills become available for the character to use in a new form of customization; characters learn job-specific abilities that may be transferred to a new job.
For example, a character with the Knight job who has earned job levels as a Black Mage may set Black Magic as a secondary command, enabling Black Mage and Knight abilities in battle. These abilities vary; while some serve as special commands in battle, others may be innate to the class or activated automatically when conditions are met, such as the Thief’s “Caution” skill, which prevents rear attacks from enemies. This system allows for deeper customization of characters. I love to play like mages and thieves, but I know that they aren’t the strongest characters in the Final Fantasy universe, so I failed back in the day. Luckily there are pretty comprehensive character guides online, so they helped me with this playthrough. Unfortunately, like most Final Fantasy games, there isn’t that much of a guide on where to go – so if you’re stuck, don’t be shy and look up some directions online (I did as well).
Conclusion
So, to conclude! Final Fantasy V lives up to its legacy and offers both returning and new players a challenge since the game does not help you point out where to go next. Like the other Final Fantasy title I did, the remastered graphics look fantastic and combined with the minimap, small icons on the map helping with certain aspects, and the musical score, we got a great game. The grind still is real but never gets too extensive since the pacing of Final Fantasy V is even for a JRPG-sucker like me doable. I loved the job system, and it felt like a great addition and upgrade from Final Fantasy III. I’ll be playing a lot of Final Fantasy V, even after you finish reading this review – but I’ll dive into part VI next, so you can keep on reading reviews about the remasters. Till next time!
