Yesterday I beat Final Fantasy 2, which means I’ve got two down in my quest to play all the major Final Fantasy games (barring the MMOs) in order. This is one of the games I haven’t played before, so it was all completely new to me. It was also a game that a lot of people gave me advance warning on because it’s so polarizing. Apparently FF2 is the game that will make or break a planned Final Fantasy marathon.

Well, I’m pleased to report that I actually quite enjoyed this game. It did have a couple of unconventional ideas and mechanics, which made the first hour or two probably the most difficult to get through, but once I got past that it was smooth sailing. I found this to be an immensely enjoyable RPG with a lot to offer in terms of being able to customize your party to fit your playstyle.

The last couple of dungeons– the Jade Portal and Pandemonium Castle– were deliciously difficult and had me worried that I was going to run out of the 99 ethers I’d brought along with me (not to mention all of the potions.) Every random encounter felt like a mini-boss. Running into a group of Abyss Worms was always utterly terrifying and yet so thoroughly delicious to struggle against. It was wonderful. And due to the unique way in which you “level” your characters in this game, I really felt like the final boss fight was the moment that I’d been training for this whole time. I loved it.

All in all I had an awful lot of fun with this game and I really do recommend pushing yourself through the first couple of hours and warming up to the playstyle if you’re looking for a solid and challenging oldschool RPG.

Now then: on to Final Fantasy 3! This is another game I haven’t played, so I’m excited to dig into this one!