 | First, remember that these games came out in the early 90s. They were for the Super Nintendo system and most people in the US never even saw the games. So for many, this is a new release, a "prequel" if you will for a series they love. |
Final Fantasy 5 is a typical adventure plot - gather up key items, save the world. It shines because it introduces a 'job system', where a single character can choose what sorts of skills they wish to learn. Your character can be a knight, monk, thief, types of mages, and more. There are spells and songs.
Final Fantasy 6 takes that great gameplaying base and then adds on an excellent plot. The world has gotten rid of magic and is now based on steam engines and technology. But danger has come to the world, and a magic user joins the fight to save it. The way in which the various characters react, and the way they learn and grow over time forms the basis for all of the great character development in the later games.
Yes, these were made for 16 bit systems. So the game play is made up of pixels shaped like characters wandering through a mostly 2-D world made up of green pixels (trees), blue pixels (water) and brown pixels (roads and mountains). Still, it's amazing how much nuance they can put into a character with excellent dialogue and subtle movements.
They've also added intro videos to both games that are amazingly good and well worth the purchase price. They give you a modern-day view of these pixel-based characters.
Well worth buying, especially if you're a fan of the later FF games! They're also a great introduction if you're playing Kingdom Hearts, so that you understand the base for many of the characters in it!
Final Fantasy V Screenshots
Final Fantasy VI Screenshots
Buy Final Fantasy Anthology at Amazon.com
Final Fantasy History and Timeline
Final Fantasy - A Game Comparison
Final Fantasy, Star Wars, Biggs and Wedge
