FINAL FANTASY III

If it looks like a copy paste job from my FF1 PR review, that's because initially it was. For my first hour in, it felt like a rehash of FF1's story, but as I kept playing I recognized that I was wrong, and I was looking at it the wrong way. Let me tell you a bit about it. Final Fantasy 3 Pixel Remaster AKA FF3 PR is a good next entry to the Final Fantasy series, and fleshes out every part of what made the previous two titles so good. JRPGs continue to evolve from this point forward, as your very action starts to matter more and more, and specializations become more varied. FF3 PR, even decades later, still reflect this passage of time through the return of the EXP system absent in FF2 PR, a better job system, as well as a better story. If you're looking for the in-depth systems that you may be familiar with in future games, or any semblance of real-time combat, FF3 PR is a step closer to these systems. But, not yet- the legacy turn-based system is still present, a somewhat-basic and unexplained job system is your only way to experiment team synergy + gameplay, and stat growth is minimal at best compared to FF1 PR and FF2 PR. Yet with all that said, these systems are still big step-ups from the previous games (minus the ability to use literally everything in your inventory even if you're the wrong job. Love that quirk about FF1 PR). What FF3 PR still offers is a true classic JRPG experience, complete with a globe-trotting adventure and a still simple rollercoaster story that will send you to many locations. In addition, expanding upon FF2 PR is the presence of personalities tied to the world, with trickles of emergent gameplay and world-affecting events. You will battle monsters of many features, and bosses of many proportions; it is up to you on how to tackle your current objectives as you continue your search for the crystals, and complete the fated quest to save the world. A 7.5/10 since there are more gameplay options in general, and traversal has become more linked to the story than ever. A big bump to the score actually comes from FF3 PR's OST, both OG and the new arrangement. As I've mentioned in the beginning, I was viewing FF3 PR from the lense of a sequel remake, and instead I should be looking at it as a re-imagining of FF1 PR. Now that I've viewed the game as itself and not as a sequel or replacement, if I had played this much earlier Ihe rating definitely would breach the 8s. Even saying that, I believe FF3 PR is a good start to the series, though I understand if you still desire a more engaging turn-based system. Fortunately there is still a growing amount of JRPG options available, and FF3 PR is only a game you would play if you're solely interested in playing the entire series.