Recent reviews by Larriet

This game is actually a lot more fun than I was led to believe. Set your expectations correctly, and there's a lot of fun to be had here. Combat exists not just as on obstacle but as a puzzle for you to optimize like Devil May Cry; levels aren't there to be explored but mainly as setpieces leading you to the next piece of gameplay or story like Uncharted. It's a very oddball RPG.

However, the streamlining makes it really easy to get into, especially if you don't have a lot of time to sit down and play for long sessions. If you can remember what a Fal'Cie and a l'Cie is, the story is actually very easy to follow--it might actually be simple to a fault. However, the characters have nice chemistry, and it's great seeing them come together, especially since they really don't get along at all at the beginning. The combat is deep and interesting; although it opens up rather slowly, there is a lot of complexity and depth to it, so the slow progression helps you keep track of what abilities each character has unlocked. Keeping track of dozens of them, especially when they overlap between characters, can be tough if you get them all at once. If you enjoy the combat, there are a LOT of missions to play once you're done with the game; the DMC comparison is apt here, as the game keeps track of your rating for each mission and encourages you to come back later to get a perfect score on each one. In fact, the reward for the very final mission is an item that is meant to make it easier to get 5 star ratings! The joy of this game is not in winning a fight, but in perfecting it. But these fights are largely optional, so you can enjoy the story simply on its own.

The visuals and music are gorgeous; they're a highlight for the original console it was released on and for the franchise it's a part of. It is less so impressive graphical fidelity and moreso extremely thoughtful art direction. Certain locations are breathtaking just to look at--places like the Sunleth Waterscape, Nautilus, and Orphan's Cradle are some of the highlights.

It's a game that offers a lot of hidden depth. The largest themes are fighting against fate, creating something that goes against your legacy, and learning to trust others. It's framed with this large ideas, but it's always pretty down to earth. I'm left feeling excited about what comes next!

Very cute and a nice pastiche of an older time, when Flash games were so common on the web. The humor isn't always great but has a certain charm, with some genuine laughs here and there.

In a lot of ways, this game feels like it could do a lot more than it does. It is noticeably a limited game, given its origins, but the expansions in this version (unique player characters and their relationships to others) are nice, albeit very brief. There is a small joy in seeing how each character dresses differently even when performing the same job. I do wish the character animation was a bit more interesting, though.

The highlight of this version is the music; a bit bombastic without much thought put into the mixing, but the strong compositions of the original game have been brought out beautifully in this one. The mood of any given location or battle always feels appropriate.

In terms of gameplay, it is largely a retread of Final Fantasy I: combat plays out similarly, using an extremely traditional turn-based system where all characters perform actions in sequence depending on their speed. The standout feature is the job system: there are dozens of jobs, and most feel satisfying to use, but keep in mind that your party will need to be properly balanced. Not just any four jobs will do! There are a couple moments where the game nearly requires you to utilize certain jobs, and instead of feeling annoying, it may have actually been nice if there were more times the player was encouraged to try new things. Of particular interest are unique jobs like the Bard, Geomancer, and Evoker, but even jobs focused on physical attacks feel slightly more distinct than you'd expect.

The story of Light and Dark is surprisingly thoughtful, but again, very brief.

Final Fantasy XII is a game with a tight-knit cast of characters, but outside of plot and political intrigue, there isn't a whole lot to be seen with who they are. The main theme of the story is freedom: freedom from literal or metaphorical shackles. Freedom from the past, freedom to make our own choices. Often there is a tension between conflict and compassion, and it resolves beautifully by the end. It is more mature, but perhaps less focused on character and personality.

The gambit system makes traversing a joy, as it never feels like the game is too hard given that you know what you're doing. Noticing a character doing something horribly wrong and realizing I need to change my gambits, either for the immediate situation or permanently, was a lot of fun. Failures can be devastating, but understanding the system better over time is incredibly rewarding.

Aesthetically, the game stands out from other games in the series. Characters are textured in a way to mimic painting, though most of the game is going for a realistic art style. As there is no "battle screen" in this game, overworld music needs to hit a balance where it feels appropriate for travel and combat simultaneously. It creates some unique tracks that have highs, lows, key-changes, and sudden shifts in rhythm that sound like a mix of classical music and an old RTS. Cinematically, the game is incredibly vibrant; a major highlight being scenes at the Empire early in the game, which are awash in lurid orange light.

Final Fantasy X Review:
With intriguing character progression and a battle system to highly encourages utilizing every character's unique attributes to the fullest, this game has a lot to offer for fans of the genre.
The game has a gorgeous world and absolutely beautiful music; the original soundtrack is wonderfully composed, but the orchestrated tracks truly steal the show and heighten nearly every moment of the game, whether it's quiet dialogue scenes, energetic fights, or fun locations to traverse.
The world of the game is pulled together by strong central themes which impact each character in different ways, and it's really interesting seeing how the cast interact with one another. Much of the character development is conveyed through small, inconsequential moments, in a way that feels very true to life. I'm still not over Kimahri and Yuna's history together (what a sweet guy!!!).
The characters are brought to life by one of the most interesting casts of actors I've heard in a video game. If you grew up in the early 2000s, you'll likely recognize a lot of these voices from various cartoons of the time--it's certainly an experience. I did a full double-take upon hearing Tara Strong the first time, doing one of her earliest and most typical voices.

The themes of finding true hope, without opiates or consolation, was truly inspiring. Tidus and Yuna are inspiring characters.

Final Fantasy X-2 Review
To be written

This game has such beautiful art; the characters are all immediately likable from design alone. The writing makes it a perfect way to spend a game night with a couple friends.

It's a very simple but extremely fun game, with endless possibilities in terms of how it can play out. If you have friends to play with, it's a perfect party game!