In addition to their personalities and backgrounds, VI Advance's characters sport unique capabilities. Each has a special ability that comes in handy under certain circumstances. Locke steals items and equipment from enemies. The inputs of Sabin's blitz techniques call to mind the special moves of a fighting game. Setzer's slot-based attack should seem oddly familiar to those that played Final Fantasy VII. Taking each character's personality and differing abilities into account, the combination of these two factors forms a strong bond between players and their fictional avatars.
Most of VI Advance's problems should come as no surprise to fans of the role-playing genre. The frequency of random battles grows frustrating, especially if replaying a section due to the party's demise. At times, it can be unclear where to go or what to do next. Shops merely indicate the power of an item relative to current equipment with either an up or a down arrow instead of providing specific numbers, which would aid in purchasing decisions. Also, the flat, pixelated nature of the overworld map sometimes makes navigation difficult, the tiny map in the left-hand corner practically useless.
Yet despite its traditional flaws, VI Advance marks a sharp improvement over its battle-driven predecessors. While still remaining true to the franchise and its roots, the game manages to supply both an intriguing story full of novel characters as well as a battle system full of character customization without getting bogged down by mindless combat. Undoubtedly the most character and story driven of all the Final Fantasy games released on the Game Boy Advance, Final Fantasy VI Advance also ends up one of the system's best role-playing experiences.
Final Score: 8 (out of 10)
Related Links:
Final Fantasy VI Advance [GBA] Game Guide
Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls [GBA] Game Guide
Final Fantasy III [DS] Game Guide
Reader Comments (0)