This level of freedom was astonishing at the time. But the back half of the game opened things up, allowing you to complete objectives and dungeons in a nonlinear order. The linearity of the first half allows these characters to grow, to let you build connections with each one - an impressive feat considering there are roughly a dozen major players on your side. The first half introduces the cast, from the compelling starting protagonist, Terra Branford, to the rebel treasure hunter Locke Cole - all of whom want to take down the Empire. Perfectly paced, Final Fantasy VI achieved such high levels of narrative impact because of its setup. This is where high fantasy became the stuff of legend, and magic was replaced by scientific advances and the burgeoning technology from the Second Industrial Revolution. It featured a stellar cast of more than a dozen characters and ushered in the steampunk-style world design that would carry over to the PlayStation games in the late ’90s. Originally released in North America as Final Fantasy 3 (yes, it’s confusing), Final Fantasy 6 was the last 16-bit mainline entry. Far and away the best mainline Final Fantasy game, 1994’s Final Fantasy VI is an absolute triumph in every sense.

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