Final Fantasy 5is one of the many mainline entries in a series that most fans are quite familiar with. The game came right after the story-drivenFinal Fantasy 4, which was a great title and integrated a genuinely captivating story while also integrating certain themes of this narrative along with the gameplay as well.
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WhileFinal Fantasy 5lacks any of this narrative cohesion, it more than makes up for it with a whole host of unique and exciting features that many players love to this day. In fact, some people can argue that there are certain thingsFinal Fantasy 5does that are still better than the other games in the series, and the most notable examples of the same are mentioned below.
5The Use Of Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh is one of the most iconic characters inFinal Fantasy. Regardless of whether he appears as a Summon or a boss, there’s no denying that his presence wowsFinal Fantasyfans quite a bit. However, the popularity that Gilgamesh has enjoyed stems from his appearance inFinal Fantasy 5, where he serves as the endearing lackey of Exdeath who is pretty goofy and contributes to a ton of laughs in the series.
While some people may assume thatthis turns Gilgamesh into a source of hilarity, this notion couldn’t be further from the truth. The majority ofFinal Fantasy 5’s highlights come when this character is involved in the proceedings, with every battle against him being a nail-biting affair. Watching him fight back against the tyranny of his master is easily one of the most satisfying moments in the entire game and cements Gilgamesh’s reputation as the best character in the game.
4An Amazing Job System
Thejob system ofFinal Fantasy 5is truly in a class of its own. Players initially start out as pretty basic characters before finally saving the Crystals and getting access to a litany of powerful and unique jobs to aid their party. These jobs range from the usual Black Mage to the unique Mime, which is easily one of the best jobs inFinal Fantasyif players know what they’re doing.
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This job system is easily the best part of the game by a country mile, and no otherFinal Fantasygame has come close to replicating the success of such a malleable and engaging job system. WhileFinal Fantasy 10-2tried to emulate the success of this title, it’s still nowhere near as close to emulating the freedom afforded by this game.
3Unwavering Focus On Gameplay
Most people associateFinal Fantasygames with mind-blowing stories and massive plot twists that cause people to get very invested. Games likeFinal Fantasy 7and10have become fan favorites because they feature an amazing story that players still remember to this day. So, it’s easy to see why many people were initially disappointed thatFinal Fantasy 5’s story is anything but notable…but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
In fact, many fans of the game feel like the story intentionally took a back seat so that the job system could be improved. Along with this, the title improved its gameplay in several ways, leading to the combat system being revamped as well. While there’s no denying that later titles in the series ended up improving on the gameplay quite a bit, no other mainlineFinal Fantasygame has ever made their games strictly about the gameplay and succeeded in this approach!
2A No-Nonsense Antagonist
Characters like Sephiroth and Kefka come to mind when players talk aboutthe best villains inFinal Fantasyhistory. Both these characters are absolutely crazy and go out of their way to make the lives of everyone around them miserable, threatening the existence of the world itself through their nefarious actions. However, there’s no denying that these antagonists get a ton of time to shine in the limelight, and it’s impossible to not know the backgrounds of these characters and why they’re so unabashedly evil in the first place.
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Meanwhile, Exdeath is an incredibly evil entity borne from an evil-sealing tree, hell-bent on gaining the power of the Crystals and reducing the world to a state of nothingness. Not a lot needs to be known about this character, yet he always steals the show whenever he makes his presence felt. There is no sympathy afforded to this character, and players will develop a deep-rooted hatred of this villain when he constantly berates Gilgamesh and ruthlessly kills Galuf without a single care in the world.
1An Emphasis On Comedy
It’s pretty clear at this point thatFinal Fantasy 5placed the story on the back burnerto focus more on other elements of the game. However, this doesn’t mean that they skimped out on the writing in the slightest, with many moments inFinal Fantasy 5being especially hilarious and iconic in their own right.
Despite the high stakes of the narrative — as is the case with mostFinal Fantasygames — the game doesn’t shy away from taking a lighter tone, incorporating a ton of humor, and being a joyride in every way. Sure, other games also have their fair share of comedic moments…but none of them do it as unapologetically asFinal Fantasy 5.
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