FinalFantasyOne

Final Fantasy One -- the game with the FourWhiteMageChallenge. This game started off the FinalFantasy series (as the name would suggest). The thing I like most is the ability to choose your own party composition at the very beginning of the game, so you can do things like the above-mentioned FourWhiteMageChallenge. However, since most of the more powerful items are dungeon-only, and the monsters don't drop items like in later FinalFantasys, you really are better off choosing a mixed party. This doesn't mean that choosing four of the same character type isn't fun, though.

On the other hand, the main disadvantage to this method is that, since the player determines the party composition, there is no character development. Zip. Zilch. Nada. So the focus is on the plot, which isn't bad. Except that there's no dialogue to advance it, just people who spit out one-liners. / And what the hell is "oxyale", anyway?

Update (2003): Square has re-released this game as "Final Fantasy Origins" for the PlayStation. They also improved the graphics and sound (it looks more like an SNES game now) and completely re-worked the menu and equipping interface so that it doesn't suck ass.

That's because Final Fantasy Origins is a PlayStation port of the WonderSwan? re-releases of the games.

Yeah, but not many people on this side of the Pacific have one of those

Overall, I have played this FinalFantasy more than any other (although, to be honest I should admit that I haven't yet finished FinalFantasyTwo, FinalFantasyThree, or FinalFantasyFive, and I haven't played FinalFantasySeven or beyond because of my lack of a PlayStation. That should change this summer, though.) -- AlexWilkins

In the spirit of the FourWhiteMageChallenge, EvilSouthie has compiled a list of slogans for the various "four of one class" parties.

• Four Fighters- "Help, I've found some armor and I can't pick it up!"
• Four Black belts- "Money? Equipment? What's that used for?" CURE potions...
• Four Thieves- "We might not have the best attack, defense, or magic, but dang, we sure can run away."
• Four White mages- "Heal, heal, heal, heal, heal, heal, attack, heal, heal, heal, heal..."

''Actually, it really is more like INVS, pain, INVS, pain, INVS, pain, INVS, miss, HEAL, miss, HEAL, dodge, miss, dodge, miss, dodge, miss, dodge, moss, Ah screw it. <leaves a book on the attack key>

• Four Black mages- "Die! Die! Wither and fry! No, no, not us, them! Damn it, stop dying, black mages! Stupid low defense..."

This one is as appropriate for black belts, since they have even lower defenses. At least mages can wear gloves...

• Four Red mages- "Okay, you'll be the fighter, you'll be the white mage, you'll be the black mage..."

Also, if you want to inject personality into your FF1 games, visit [8-Bit Theater].

I've recently been playing through FF1 with 2 Thieves and 2 Black Mages (now Ninja and Black Wizards.) Basically, I run away from everything and then blow up the bosses using elemental magic. It's the perfect party for lazy and impatient gamers, such as myself, who hate random encounters and level building. (I will undoubtedly have serious problems with Chaos, though...) - IanTullis

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VideoGame