The year is 1998… After playing Vandal Hearts and Shining Force III, I long for more great tactical RPG experiences and discover Final Fantasy Tactics in an issue of EDGE magazine. I’m very much aware of Final Fantasy at this point. I’ve dabbled in FF7 and played some of the older games via emulator, but Tactics looks different. Not just because it’s a sub-genre of RPG but also because the visual theme is clearly a world away from the cyberpunk techno-future of Midgar and not even close to the mech-suited steampunk of FF6. It is a reminder for many, and a revelation for me, that Final Fantasy can be anything and, in this case, what it can be is a very down to earth fantasy setting so grounded that it could be mistaken for historical drama were it not for its wizards and Chocobos. I would find out, years later, that it was inspired by the War of the Roses, so that historical flavour makes total sense.
Tag Archives: Squaresoft
Final Fantasy Adventure – Mana in miniature
It’s that time of year again, when I choose a game to play while on holiday by the pool. This year, I was especially excited because my week away coincided with the release of The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom. But, for another year running, the sun thwarted my plans again, rendering the Nintendo Switch screen a little too dark to see. Last year I remedied the solar rays with the equally bright and summery Legend Of Nayuta: Boundless Trails, which turned out to be the perfect holiday game. This year, I opted for something distinctly less colourful.
Live A Live – An episodic odyssey
In the late Nineties when I got online for the first time and started discovering emulators, my eyes were opened wide to the joy of Super Nintendo RPGs. I’d sampled a couple here in the UK. Secret Of Mana was a revelation and stealth Final Fantasy release Mystic Quest: Legend was, er, another RPG we could buy. But in those early days of the net, I discovered a world of adventure. Proper Final Fantasy games, Chrono Trigger, Harvest Moon… It felt like an unending supply of amazing games. And that’s before I even got into fan translations…
Bahamut Lagoon – More Final Fantasy tactics than Final Fantasy Tactics
After discovering Shining Force III in 1998, it’s fair to say I fell in love with the strategy RPG genre, and tactical games in general. From Fire Emblem to Valkyria Chronicles, to XCOM and Vandal Hearts, I’ve spent the decades since exploring the genre across both exciting new releases and old school classics. One such game that’s eluded me until now is the intriguing, import-only Bahamut Lagoon.
Games From The Black Hole 