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Just FF6 alone is worth it. It is TIMELESS

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 08, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I had always wondered about replaying this game even a few years after I had sold it. That I read that they were coming out with a FF anothology that would have FF6(originally FF3) on it and I was in awe. I knew how to spend my store credit after that.

FF3/FF6 is what got me into the FF series to begin with, though I had plyed some of the Phantasy Star games proir to that(which are good as well but this is no PS review so I will not trail off from the subject). I first played FF3 in the summer and fall of 1995 when I was 12, almost 13. Nothing about the game let me down. The battles, graphics, colors, story, characters and music score made me almost possesed by this game. So, hearing about its revival on the PS with some new Cinematic features in the Fall of 1999 only got me interested in it again after years away from it.

So what if the graphics are not up to the PS standards. The original sound and graphics give to the the nostalgia value and make you feel like you travelled back in time to the game's original release era. The colors are still lush and worth looking at as they are variied but never clash or look pasty next to each other. The enemies in the fight scenes look good and are quite detailed with their textures. The way the backdrop switches colors when you cast powerful spells is another thing that makes the colors all the more vivid. There are lots of bright color but there are good shares of dull colors as well to make a nice contrast.

The music is some of the best for a video game. My favorite tunes are the boss fights(you first hear it when fighting the whelk), the overworld in the first half as well as the second half(after you aquire the falcon airship), and the ending battles at the end of the game. These last song are classically inspred bits that will make you want to grab a keyboard and start playing your own pieces. Even when I got into melodic death metal and syomphonic black metal about a month after buying this game(see some of my other reviews if you do not know about these underground genres) the score to this game still did much for me. If you like this game's music you should check out these metal subgenres.

The story and characters are another thing to aknowledge. The plot is held in a world that is recovering from an apocalyptic war and is rediscovering some of the technology that was lost in the chaos, while a greedy empire is trying to conquer the world and is risking yet another same type of war to occour. While there really is no "main" character like there is in some later FF games, the story does focus much around Terra, the young woman who is powerful but unsure of her existance in the human world. I do wish that the beast-boy Gau had abit mmore prominace in the story and some character development. His unfamiliarity with civilzation and his fragmented speech made him a humorous favorite. RPG's have always had females as important characters, and while this game only has three, they are still vital to the story(at least the older two are. Young Relm becomes little more than an accesory at times).Having strong women in gae stories who are imprortant to the plot is always a good thing. And the insane Kefka whose goofy looks don't water down his cruelty is one guy you will want to beat ASAP. The way he kills his own Emperor right before tearing the world's land masses apart shows that he will not stop at anything.

I have not bothered to play FF5 yet a I have not really had a reaon to. My brother tried it out and said it was sort of a waste of time. Still, FF6 is what makes this package so great. The epic storyline, good score, killer graphics and colors, and characters makes this something that any one remotely into RPG's will enjoy. You might like it even if you do not lik RPG's per se. I myself also have a liking for shooters(Doom, Quake) and action games(Syphon Filter, Resident Evil, GTA). I do wish FF6 had a bit more of the modern stuff in it(firearms, vehicles, huge cities) and combined it with the ancient stuff. FF7 is what perfectly mended technology with mythology, and the Phantasy Star games do this quite easily as well. But this does not bring down the game in any way for me. Having played FF7 and FF9 as well as this, I must say that I have gone back to play this more often that the others.

It is always good to have old games released on updated formats. I have heard that some of the Phantasy Star games are going to be re-released as well. Than there will be the ultamate RPG collection.

An Unknown and a Classic...both Great

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: January 30, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I wish there was more re-releasing old, classic games for new systems. I suppose some might see it as the companies just trying to squeeze more money from old games, but I love being able to play these games on new systems, and the addition of new features is always fun to experience.
As far as collections go, this is a very good one. Final Fantasy 6, originally 3, is a classic game, and considered by some to be the best FF ever. I can't say I think it's the best, but it is definitely an exceptional game that was even more remarkable when it was first released. It does already seem dated in many ways. At the same time, this is the final game in the series where you can experience the classic, 2D FF that many fans of the series have grown up with.
This game does have an excellent cast of characters, and one of the better storylines in the series. The espers, the first real summon monsters, are really cool, and theres somewhere around 30 of them, much more than any other game, which I like. Each character has unique abilities and weapons, which makes for great variety. A very fun old school RPG.
The graphics were amazing at the time, but already seem pretty dated. The sound as well. The music that was written for the game is some of Uematso's best, but the sound capabilities of the SNES are just too dated. If they improved anything, I wish they would have improved sound quality a bit. Also, the CG scenes they added were disappointing to me. They weren't that badly done, but I thought that they would be peppered throughout the game at the appropriate spots, which they weren't. They were only at the beginning and end, which I find disappointing. I guess they wanted the actual experience of playing the game to be identical to how it was on the SNES. I wouldn't have minded some small improvements, personally. Overall, they did a good job.
FF 5 was a real surprise, and it was great to play a brand new old style FF, never before released in the US. Lots of the reviews on Amazon say that it is really a sub-par game. I have to say I strongly disagree...I think its a great FF game. If you enjoyed FF 4 and 6, I think you'll definitely like 5. The graphics and sound are similar to FF 4. The gameplay is what makes the game so good though. You can switch your characters between the variety of job classes like in FF Tactics or FF X-2, and learn a large variety of different skills, then mix and match them. It's a very primitive form of the job class system, sure, but it's still really cool, considering the age of the game. I also really enjoyed the story of the game...it was about as good as FF 4. Theres a part where you're navigating through a graveyard of pirate ships infested with ghosts and zombies that is totally classic. I would definitely recommend giving FF 5 a chance. It is old and outdated, but definitely lives up to the quality of the FF series.
Now, a quick word about the music disc...it's pathetic. An absolute waste of time. If anyone could actually listen to that disc and get into the music on it, I'd say you have serious issues. It's tinny SNES sound, taken directly from the games. I can't imagine it would have been too much work to throw some real orchestrated versions (they are available in Japan) of the songs on here...that would have been great. Furthermore, they chose a bunch of the worst songs to include on the disc and left out many of the best. Terrible.
But, you won't be buying this collection for the music disc. The games are what matters, and they are quality, faithful ports of the originals. Highly recommended for people who want to walk down memory lane with some great old games.

There are much better versions of these games out there...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: August 25, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Yes, you could buy this collection of FF 5 and 6, or you could buy the gameboy advance versions. I owned this for ps1 and the load times going fromt the overworld to the status menu put me to sleep. I really do like these two games, but they play so much better on the GBA than the PS1. Unless you can't find a gba, gba sp, gb micro, or even a gb player addon for a gamecube, then i'd say buy this. If there's one thing i can't stand, it's a good cartridge game being ported to a system that makes the experience dull and boring.

Final Fantasy Reveiw

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: October 05, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Final Fantasy, is, has, and always will be the best RPG for any game system, and this (Final Fantasy Anthology) sets the standards for all of them. Final Fantasy 6 is the best Final Fantasy yet, and although, the graphics may seem "Outdated" they are still extremly cool. The music on FF6 is also extremely cool, you will not be able to get it out of your head! The battle graphics are VERY cool, and it just gets you hooked. The "Espers" (Summon Gods) are extremely easy to use, and alot easier than FF7, or 8. Also, anyone with an esper equipped on them, (And everyone in your party CAN have one!) they can learn magic! This game also has amazing plot to it, it will be drama at one point, and you will be chortling at something funny in it one minute later. (Well, that is, if you get half the jokes....) Anyway, Final Fantasy 6 is one of the best games in the whole world. As for FF5, I dont really have an opinion for that, I was playing it, and thinking, "Man! This really ...! Why aren't I playing FF6?" and thats exactly how I feel. FF5 has poor graphic, poor story, horrible music, ...

Another beautiful gem by Squaresoft

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: December 01, 2000
Author: Amazon User

The guys over at Squaresoft have done it again. Final Fantasy Anthologies combines one of the best RPG's ever made, Final Fantasy VI, with one of the less popular games of the series, Final Fantasy V. If you have ever played Final Fantasy III for the Super Nintendo, it is the same thing as FF-VI (FF-VI is the Japanese title, the US title is FF-III). FF-VI has got to have the best story line out of the series so far, with FF-VII being it's only match! (although, I have not yet played FF-IX) If you have ever played Final Fantasy VI on the SNES or emulated, you will love what Square has done to the title. There are now FMV's (cut-scene movies), which makes it look a LOT better. They also updated the graphics a little, and cleaned the sound up. In all, well... They really did it this time!

Final Fantasy IV, though... Was never very good. It is a decent game for the series, and has a very good play style (job changing can be usfuil in some play situations). They also cleaned up this game, but FF-VI puts it to shame. Even if you do not play games very often, or are just a fan of the series, GET THE GAME! ....

Who wants to wait for Final Fantasy X? (yeah, right...)

The Greatest Game ever Made...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: December 16, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I'm sure many people will read the title of my review and wonder what I've been smoking. But who cares. FFVI is the greatest game of all time. The story makes even FFVII pale, and in saying that, will not even comment on how it compares to 8. The musical score is awesome. Composer Nobuo Uematsu really out-did himself. Not to mention what really makes this game great...The Villian! Kefka is way cooler than any villian I've ever seen. Sephiroth was cool, but Kefka was better. I mean hey, he has the laugh. There's also a wide variety of intresting characters. Most unlike many RPG's of late. The only characters with really shallow storylines are GoGo and Umaro. But they're extra characters anyway. This game is pure magic. Though it is not packed with graphics fans of today will appreciate, the story it tells is not dulled. But let us remember graphics do not a game make. And flashy 3-d graphics fade into memory...but an epic lasts a lifetime.

A Great Collection for a Great Price!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: February 27, 2001
Author: Amazon User

When Final Fantasy VI first came out in the US, I was excited as excited can be. It was an incredible game, by anyone's standards. But it cost 70 dollars. Here, we have the opportunity to buy this as well as the never-released before in the US Final Fantasy V, along with bonus features, for 40 dollars!

The games certainly lack the graphical polish of the games of today. But that is irrelevant - they offer great gameplay, great music, and most importantly, great stories. It is rather obvious that FF 6 is the more sophisticated of the two games, but FF 5 has its own charms. In particular, anyone who has played Final Fantasy Tactics will recognize the job system.

FF 6 represented a new path for Square in the RPG department. There was a focus on more mature themes and, unlike most other RPGs, there was no main character. Their stories interwove wonderfully and seeing how the characters related to each other was one of the highlights of the game. The gameplay is solid - each character offers their own distinct traits for use during combat, unlike the later FFs (i.e., 7 and 8) and there is an incredible amount of stuff to do in this game. The music is also considered by many to be the best of the FF series.

FF 5 was also a great game. While it lacked the in-depth characters and the complexity of the next FF, it does excel in all those areas nevertheless. Plus this game has Gilgamesh. It's worth playing just to see Gilgamesh.

The bonus materials included on the discs are also excellent. There wasn't much for FF5, except for the introductory CG sequence (and maybe the ending, I'm not sure). As for FF6, they added a section where you can see dozens of pieces of artwork for the remake of the game, as well as convenient tables of skills and monsters in the game.

The additional music CD isn't great, but it doesn't detract from the quality of the set at all. If you're one of those that got started on the Final Fantasy series through 7 or 8, be sure to check this set out. It's top notch.

Awesome

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: June 19, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Out of all the games I have ever played, nothing even comes close to FF5's plot. It is just.. awesome

Pitfalls of CD format don't keep a good game down...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: January 27, 2002
Author: Amazon User

The major con is the almost unbearable loading time of the menu screens and saving, both of which were disturbingly faster on the old Super Nintendo (or at least it seems to my mind). Battle load times are also a bit on the long side, and since you'll be battling enormous hordes of monsters plan to spend a lot of time watching that pretty fade over and over and over again.

On the pro side, this game includes some extra features that are amusing. Nothing spectacular, mind you - just stuff you can look at once you're done with the game. Also, there are full motion videos (beware: low quality ahead, unfortunately). The mere fact that your dusty old SNES cartridge probably doesn't work anymore is probably the main pro: You can play this on your Playstation or, if thats broken too, on your Playstation 2!

Now, I should note one important thing: In my humble opinion, Final Fantasy V is Square's worst game on the Super Nintendo. Both IV and VI are superior in graphics, sound and gameplay. The one advantage V has is its unique class system, which is obviously a precursor to that in Final Fantasy Tactics and makes the game much more enjoyable than it otherwise would be. The sound track is, quite frankly, atrocious. The battle music is so bad and repetitive you will probably want to keep your volume turned down low or even muted. I'm a huge fan of the music in IV and VI - I even tried to order the CD's when I bought the games - but this is just downright awful. Plot is reasonable, as is game length, fortuantely - two redeeming factors that make the music somewhat excusable.

Bottom line: 4 out of 5 stars because of Final Fantasy V and horrid load times for absolutely everything. Buy this package to play through FF VI again with movies and extra features on a modern platform. Don't buy it to play Final Fantasy V, because you'll be disappointed if you've played ANY of the other games after IV (!). If you've got a decent PC and an emulator, you should strongly consider looking at V before you purchase this title, if that is your main motivation for doing so. Also, if you started the series with FF VII you might not find this to be as enjoyable an experience after being spoiled by the graphics in later installments. Fans of VI looking to replay the game should definately have a look, but don't expect to see anything you haven't seen before (Mr. Thou is waiting for you, just go buy it, you know you want to!).

Before Aeons, Seed and sweet looking FMVs

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: April 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Final Fantasy VI is my favorite game ever. I bring this up only to show the very high standards I had for final fantasy anthology. And for the most part it really did not disappoint.

Final Fantasy V was a previously unrealeased game to the US. Many of the people downloaded a fan traslated rom off the internet so it's not really the newest territory. But it is a really fun challenging game. FFV takes the job system previosly introduced in FFIII (which far fewer people have played.) and gives you a lot of customizing options to mess around with. the graphics, music are all unchanged from about a decade ago, so they aren't really too shiny anymore, but I am one of those people that dig the retro. Unfortunelty the translation carries on the retro feel. FFV was retranslated by square specifically for this package and yet the dialoug is laughable and corny. Even to the standards of yesterday FFV still would have seemed cheesy compared to what was out their at the time. But the game still has enough of it's own personality to shine through the bad dialog

FFVI remains virtually unchanged from it's super nintendo days excluding the added new fangled CG opening, ending and opera scene and I really still love this game's charm. While their aren't nearly as many customizing options to choose from each charecter is just so unique that combat is just a good time and you'll have you're own quirky little team. The graphics and music are from the bygone days but are signifcantly improved from the earlier entries in the series. Colors are toned down some giving the FFVI a less bold and more elegant look. Back then the music stuck in my head and even synthesized these are some great tunes that I love to listen to. The extras are intresting if unmemorable spareing the opera scene

Rounding out the package is a music CD presenting some of the games most memorable tunes and A few of my favorites were on here.

What does bog this release down are some truly horrible loading times that really could have been shortened since their length surpasses some newer games. Some other mistakes include spelling errors for FFIV that I remember not being there before, and there are also a few glitches that I came across where twice my game froze. annoying but not crippling, These are the versions of FFV and IV that I will be playing until fate smiles and updates both games with the available technolgy.

If you remember these games fondly as I do then this is a package you must own. If you came in to Final Fantasy late you may want to try renting or borrowing. For those who can get over fancy schmancy graphics and apreciate real challeging fun games, Welcome to two of the greatest.

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