Still new to the Fediverse; if this type of thing isn't welcomed please let me know!

Having only played from VII onward, X being my first and favorite, I wasn't sure what to expect from the first entry in the series that was recently made available via the Pixel Remaster. This was the version I played and I realize that impacts the overall experience one has. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and it was rewarding to both finish/complete and simply to see where FF started from and further appreciate where they are, with FFXVI on the horizon. I'm going to break this down a bit, as I'm not a writer and otherwise tend to ramble.

!SPOILERS AHEAD!

**Story ** This was interesting as I did play quite a bit of Stranger of Paradise, as well as its DLC. I assumed they just took a number of creative liberties with SoP (and to be fair, they did), however the main plot points were mostly similar. That this world is in a cycle of Chaos/Garland and the 4 fiends terrorizing the world, and 4 randos just say "How about not?" and restore the crystals and beat baddies. I expected high fantasy and magic, I was NOT ready for timeloops and ?sky people? Space people? Side note, while the dialogue is usually intended to direct the player, I immensely enjoyed little nuggets you'd find in town. For example Lali-ho was started here! There was also a town I went to and two NPCs were talking about legs. I was confused and wrote it off as translation shenanigans until I met the mermaids and they mentioned at least one mermaid going up. The implication being then that the two NPCs before were former mermaids. How did they get their legs, I'm not sure but it's wonderful to think over as it was unexpected. Perhaps my expectations were too low, but I was happy to talk to every NPC just to see what there was, even if some dialogue repeated.

Gameplay/Battle I went with the classic Warrior/Thief/White Mage/Black Mage setup, although in hindsight I wish I had taken a Red Mage in place of the black mage as I had trouble balancing keeping the Black Mage alive while trying not to over-level. Although it feels if you're the type to try and find every little goodie in game by walking down each hallway, you're in the very LEAST going to stay a bit higher level than need be.

As someone who knew next to nothing about FFI prior to this, imagine my DELIGHT when I found out our little battle bois and girls could get an advanced class! And they look so grown! It was such a pleasant suprised, only made greater by the fact that you now can give some magics to your melee classes and advanced magics to your casters. That magic no one could learn before? Check it again! Funny to see this mechanic in its infancy here in FF1.

Dungeons in this game are mostly a test of endurance. You have the set number of times you can use a spell until you rest at an inn, or use a sleeping bag/tent/cottage in the overworld. You can use ethers however it's only one slot refilled per ether, and you can't purchase elixir or Hi-Ethers (aka Dry Ethers) at any point, and only some can be tediously grinded out. However this really wasn't an issue, as in late game you get free uses via "using" equipment in battle if needs be. The random battle weren't difficult, however you could get yourself in a pinch if being lazy in a boss (rest easy, my sweet Black Mage) and the final boss of the game is MUCH more difficult compared to any other content in the game. This was the only time I really felt like I had to buckle down.

Version Played So I played via the Pixel Remaster on Switch. I cannot express how much I appreciated some of the mechanics like No Encounters when you were just running back to a spot earlier in game where you don't want to waste time fighting enemies that don't give much gil or experience anymore. I didn't use it in dungeons, but I DID test it and it works. Auto Run is also bound to a face button, however I didn't bother with it much. Auto Battle is a NICE touch, as it will automatically have your characters repeat the last action they took. Chef's Kiss. I realize these mechs are viewed by some to be cheating, and that's totally fair. It's your game, play it however sparks joy. However, this is 2023. We believe in self-care and respect and I feel these mechanics are that. So use No Encounters to your delight, or the Gil and Experience Boost (which goes up to 4x). Want more of a challenge? You can also halve your experience gained or gil earned. I know some of you are out there!

**Jesus Christ Lady, Get To The Point ** Although you can feel the age in the game, the remaster REALLY mitigates that factor. Music is even rearranged! However switching to OG tracks and simulated CRT with original graphics are also a delight. As a Final Fantasy lover, it was amazing to see where it all came from, seeing the first foothold in the industry with themes and mechanics that were later refined and evolved. The FFXIV lover in me enjoyed seeing classics such as Matoya! Please, if you enjoy any FF and haven't picked this up, give it a try!

I plan on doing FFII next, and I might do something like this for that game as well. I'm not sure. But this game left an impression on me and I really wanted to share it with other video game lovers <3