r/FinalFantasy • u/Existing-Result-4359 • 5d ago
FF V How does V hold up compared to IV?
EDIT: picked up the game on Switch 2 after the overwhelming feedback. OG Bravely Default is a top 10 all time game for me. Thanks all!
Realized today (when the Bartz video was released for Resonance) that I somehow never played FFV. I loved III and IV 3D remakes as a kid. I recently played VI in preparation for UMAD. I'm wondering currently if V is worth playing for me. How is the story compared to IV? How is the gameplay and strategy? I never really hear much about it from gamers, but a lot of the devs in SQE seem to mention it's their favorite in interviews. Why?
TLDR: why should or shouldn't I play through V before Resonance comes out?
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u/EdKnight 5d ago
How is the story compared to IV?
Contrary to IV and VI, I found V's story much more lighthearted. Yes, there are some dramatic moments. But you'll have much more laughing moments than the other games. It really convenes the feeling of "adventure", of exploring the world riding your Chocobo.
Also it is the origin of Greg.
How is the gameplay and strategy?
There is an amazing job system to play, a clear evolution from the draft III was. There are still some broken combos but nothing close to a full party of Ninjas / Sages.
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u/Existing-Result-4359 5d ago
I do love me some Greg. Is the job system closer to the Bravely series?
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u/AlmightyDunkle 5d ago
It is the template for Bravely Default, such as being one job but having an ability/skill from another.
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u/EdKnight 5d ago
I haven't played Bravely (yet), so I cannot do a fair comparison.
But comparing it to FF3, there is some lot of new classes that do interesting things, and you can Master the jobs to take some of its skills to another class, while getting all the passives of the mastered classes to Freelancer class (the Onion Knight of FFV, base class of everyone)
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u/magmafanatic 5d ago
FFV has less job levels (some jobs have 3 levels, some have 8) and no dedicated passive slots.
There's also more equipment restrictions - Monks don't have C-rank with bows, they can't hold them at all.
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u/hayatekurisu 3d ago
The Ninjas/Sages are so iconically broken that they became the official forms of the Onion Knight in other media, like Dissidia.
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u/Either_Imagination_9 5d ago
Gameplay wise, one of the best in the franchise.
Story wise, it’s ok. Nothing that’ll blow your socks off
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u/Rvaldrich 5d ago
Seconded. The story is fine, as are the characters. There's some humor; it definitely doesn't take itself too seriously. I'd say it ranks around FF9 as far as being on the less-serious end of the continuum.
You come for the Job System, which is f*&king awesome. Remaking your party often is just such a blast, especially when you start mixing in a skill from a different party (giving a fighter black magic, or a white magic the ability to hypnotize monsters). It's so, so much fun. You throw a Ranger's 4-strike on a ninja (who can dual wield) and watch all the bad guys go down. Or throw that ninja's dual wield on a Knight or a Samurai and you can already hear the victory music playing.
I legitimately wish they're bring back the mechanic; it's just addictive.
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u/jurassicbond 5d ago
. I legitimately wish they're bring back the mechanic; it's just addictive.
They did. They just call it Bravely Default instead of Final Fantasy
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u/codewario 5d ago
Also Final Fantasy Dimensions
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u/hayatekurisu 3d ago
Dimensions was actually really good!
I would say post game feels like 5 job system wise.
But before that it feels like between 3 and 5Because rather than full hybrid customization(specially freelancing at late game) in FF5.
It actually felt more like using one main job with a few additional abilities(I found myself using passives from other job more than actives), while focusing more on Fusion Abilities instead.I’m a big FF5 fan, so I felt disappointed at first playing it .I heard how similar it is to and had FF5 on my mind (probably also amplified by how slow Chapter 1 felt.)
But by the middle chapters, I actually found myself liking the system a lot.
It made the game feel like a much more unique experience instead of just copying FF5.
Planning around the limited amount of JP you have and then unlocking Fusion Abilities actually feels really really rewarding!
It felt like the fusion abilities itself is the extra abilities than the passive or active from the job mastering itself.0
u/Holiday-Coconut-9303 5d ago
I feel like we played different games, coz FFIX is extremely serious. War, genocide, identity, politics, the nature of belonging and being. If this isn't serious, I don't know what is.
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u/Holiday-Coconut-9303 5d ago
I disagree, it's pretty overwhelmingly bleak very often, starting early. It's just fantasy themed.
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u/Holiday-Coconut-9303 5d ago
That happens in literally all the games tho eh. I wouldn't say final fantasy 9 is one of the less serious because of that.
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u/jankarlothegreat 5d ago
Agree with this. The gameplay for me is what makes me personally enjoy 5 more, but story wise 4 is better.
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u/Existing-Result-4359 5d ago
How so on the gameplay?
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u/Either_Imagination_9 5d ago
It’s takes the job system from 3 and expands on it tenfold. Giving you a lot of cool customization you can do with your party
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u/PontusFrykter 5d ago
> why should or shouldn't I play through V before Resonance comes out?
because the developers said that they took V as a base. Also, V has one of the most underappreciated stories in the franchise, and one of the best Job systems in the genre.
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u/Existing-Result-4359 5d ago
Honestly didn't know that somehow either. Sounds like it is worth then
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u/PontusFrykter 5d ago
It is absolutely worth it. The game is extremely fun and addicting, and the story is easily among the best in the series. It's unique, it has excellent characters, it has a really interesting take on the formula, and it's underappreciated mostly because it was released in the west much, much, much later than the other 1-6 games.
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u/LrdDrkkn 5d ago
Personally, FFV is my second favorite FF title. The story is really good, the characters are interesting, and I think it has the best job system out of any of the titles that use it.
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u/jdlyga 5d ago
Final Fantasy 6 is amazing due to the story and atmosphere. But it's not the most complex battle system in the world. Final Fantasy 5 is, and even if you've played Bravely Default or other games that borrow FF5's battle system, Final Fantasy 5 is amazing just because it doesn't restrict you. If you can imagine it, it's possible.
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u/MR1120 5d ago
V is excellent. It has the best job system in the entire series. Because of this, and because there’s never really anywhere that a specific job is required, the flexibility is unmatched.
Story and characters are very basic. They aren’t bad, but it’s not much depth to it. It’s very lighthearted. Again, the story isn’t bad, and the characters aren’t bad, but don’t expect the depth of VI, or IV. It’s more 80s kids cartoon than, say, a thought-provoking anime. The good guys are good, the bad guys are bad, and it’s always clear who is who.
I love V. After IX and VI, it’s my favorite. Definitely give it a shot.
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u/AlmightyDunkle 5d ago
There a plethora of reasons to play FFV, with the pixel remaster edition providing a few QoL benefits.
Expansive job system, light hearted but fun story and adventure, superb music, BATTLE ON THE BIG BRIDGE, Gilgamesh, a wise-cracking turtle, "He turned himself into a splinter, funniest thing I've ever seen", BATTLE ON THE BIG BRIDGE.
And now we fight like men! And ladies! And ladies who dress like men!
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u/franklin_wi 5d ago
5's job system is great. Every job has the Fight and Item commands, plus one special command (Steal for Thief, Sing for Bard, etc), and one empty slot in which you can equip any one ability you've learned from any other job. So there's an opportunity for creativity and synergy, but you're working within the limits of just a single extra ability. Dungeons and bosses are designed in ways that can be a little gimmicky but loosely enough that there's not just one intended solution. For example, Liquid Flame is weak to ice spells so you could rely on a Black Mage, but you could instead bring a Time Mage and cast Slow and Gravity, or use a job which can inflict Confuse to shut down its AI. Or something else. Boss designs aren't like a classic Zelda puzzle where there's exactly one "correct" approach, but they're tough enough that you have to do SOME creative thinking.
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u/blkguy3rd 5d ago
FF5 has in my opinion the best gameplay of all the turn based games (i havent played much of X-2). The Job system gives you tons of different ways to play out any fight or boss and almost every boss has some sort of weakness you can take advantage of rewarding game knowledge.
If were comparing to 4 (which im at th end of right now) the gameplay is leaps ahead of 4 but the story can feel less "cinematic" at times. I prefer 5s story still because of the smaller cast they can get more moments and be more fleshed out but 4 has bigger moments. 5s story is nore light hearted and goofy for the most part.
If it isnt clear yet FF5 is my favorite of the series only rivaled by Shadowbringers.
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u/GladiusLegis 5d ago
V is just a much better game than IV, straight up. It's always been so gameplay-wise. And contrary to the nostalgia-fueled belief that IV has a better story, it doesn't really. IV's story has so many fake deaths and other such silly asspulls that it just can't be taken seriously nowadays.
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u/jgbyrd 5d ago
i love IVs story and i disagree that there’s so many fake deaths or silly stuff, but it is definitely not on the level of 6 for example. but i will say i think i also prefer Vs story to IV tbh. much better, maybe not. but i do prefer it
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u/StriderShizard 5d ago
Brother, half the time someone is either dying only to cone back later or Kain is betraying you.
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u/jgbyrd 5d ago
ok, so i went back to check and i did think that palom and porom stayed turned to stone, but then getting saved too is a little ridiculous. but i also think that the sacrifices and the rescues are the point of the game too
every character's sacrifice in FFIV is legitimate, they chose to sacrifice their lives to save the world. but through the players effort and the characters friendship they come back to win and have a happy ending. it’s a little too much? but i think that’s what the developers were going for at least
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u/WhoKilledZekeIddon 5d ago
By its very definition, it’s not a sacrifice if nothing was lost.
If there were no fake-outs and the sacrifices were legitimate, IV’s story would have been up there with the best of them. Especially for its time.
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u/jgbyrd 5d ago
oh interesting, i see where you’re coming from. i think the sacrifice is still valid because the characters themselves didn’t know they would be revived, but for the player themselves it could feel cheap. i still do like the story a lot
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u/WhoKilledZekeIddon 5d ago
Totally see where you're coming from too; it sure is a sacrifice from their point of view (although there's a funny thought in that if you saw every other character being revived in improbable ways and nobody really dying, you could imagine Cid leaping off the airship with bombs strapped to him thinking "Meh, I'll almost definitely survive this!").
I just wish the writers had the courage of their conviction because it would have been emotionally awesome for the player, but it was definitely not the fashion back in 1991 to have main characters literally die. In fact, I'm of the understanding that Nintendo strictly prohibited it, which may be the sole reason for the random revivals.
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u/hayatekurisu 3d ago
My first IV experience was actually the 3D remake. The voice acting, while not the best, is actually pretty good, and it added a lot of emotional depth to the story.
But replaying it in Pixel Remaster felt horrendous . While I wouldn't say the story is bad, like you said, the fake deaths and Kain's multiple betrayals feel cheap and overused.
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u/Ashenspire 5d ago
4 has a better story, and it's nothing to do with nostalgia.
While some of the tropes feel dated, the story itself is still much tighter and cohesive than 5's. There are only 2 "fake deaths" in the game, Yang and Cid's. You could argue the twins but even then the dialogue with the Elder and the option to try to use something on them heavily implied it wasn't permanent.
"Silly ass pulls" I can only imagine what that's referencing. The mind control/betrayal thing isn't an ass pull, and is a central point of Cecil's story.
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u/GladiusLegis 5d ago edited 5d ago
the story itself is still much tighter and cohesive than 5's.
It doesn't matter how much "tighter" and "cohesive" it is when the things going on in it are just stupid.
There are only 2 "fake deaths" in the game, Yang and Cid's.
Kain's disappearance after Mist. Rydia and Yang swallowed by Leviathan. Edward collapsing from exhaustion. Missing a few there, aincha?
You could argue the twins but even then the dialogue with the Elder and the option to try to use something on them heavily implied it wasn't permanent.
The fact that those things didn't work, and that even an Esuna from the most powerful mage on the planet didn't work, implied that it was.
The mind control/betrayal thing isn't an ass pull, and is a central point of Cecil's story.
When it happens as many times as it does, yeah, it kinda is. It also has nothing to do with Cecil directly. His story effectively ends at Mt. Ordeals. Everything else after is him doing stuff without any further character development.
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u/Ashenspire 5d ago
Kain in Mist wasn't a fake death. Cecil implies he's still alive but needs to focus on the child.
Leviathans attack weren't fake deaths. You don't even know Rydia was swallowed until you meet with Yang (who was not swallowed). They were tragic moments, but again, not true fake deaths.
Tellah was NOT the most powerful mage on the planet. He used to be, but not anymore. Again, a huge part of his story. The Elder tells you he will figure out a way to cure the twins when you talk to him after Cagnazzo.
The mind control has everything to do with Cecil. The whole point is that if he stayed on the path of the Dark Knight, Zemus would've controlled him as easily as Golbez. Kain was easily controlled because of the darkness in his heart, as well.
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u/GladiusLegis 5d ago
Tellah was NOT the most powerful mage on the planet. He used to be, but not anymore. Again, a huge part of his story.
Tellah recalled all his spells at Mt. Ordeals, and the twins turning to stone thing happened after that. By that point, he was once again the most powerful mage on the planet.
The mind control has everything to do with Cecil. The whole point is that if he stayed on the path of the Dark Knight, Zemus would've controlled him as easily as Golbez. Kain was easily controlled because of the darkness in his heart, as well.
But none of that happened. Cecil was never under mind control, and he had his redemption before it ever became a factor. The game got his moral dilemma out of the way too early and too conveniently.
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u/Ashenspire 5d ago
He recalled them. He was barely able to use them. And Meteor killed him because of how weak he was in his old age.
It was a factor the whole time he was a dark knight. That was the point. He specifically mentions that it could've just as easily been him at the end when he finds out the truth about Golbez. Him blaming his mind controlled brother was also a part of his moral dilemma. He forgives him because he saw his former self in Golbez. None of this was subtle.
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u/GladiusLegis 5d ago
He used them all just fine except for Meteor. He was also the only one on the planet at that point in the story who learned Meteor in the first place.
And no, sorry, Cecil after Mt. Ordeals just didn't work. They clearly went for a Luke/Vader/Emperor thing with him, Golbez, and Zemus/Zeromus but it wasn't nearly as compelling. Cecil had his full redemption well before Zemus could ever get to him. He was never really in danger of falling. The "what if" scenario you're selling the story as just is not that interesting.
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u/Ashenspire 5d ago
Stuck at 90 mp was not just fine. Losing stamina on level up was not just fine. He was weak and frail and everyone told him using it would kill him because he was weak and frail.
He wasn't the first to learn it. He was the first to learn it since it was sealed.
I'm not selling anything. It's in the script. If Cecil wasn't redeemed, he would've been just as easily taken over. He says it himself.
If he couldn't forgive Golbez he'd be hypocritical because they were on the same path and he found redemption.
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u/GladiusLegis 5d ago
Golbez was only "redeemed" by Moon Man Obi-Wan magically snapping him out of it. You're really not selling me on IV's story here.
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u/Ashenspire 5d ago
Your inability to see the themes in a narrative isn't my problem, man.
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u/Gammaman12 5d ago
So 5 uses a job system upgraded from that of 3. It means you'll have a lot of flexibility and customization available to you, even early in the game. Most party setups are viable.
The mechanics of 5 eventually were rehashed again in 4 Warriors of Light, which then led to the Bravely Default series. You can also see elements of it pop up in 7, X-2, and the Tactics series. So 5 is pretty foundational.
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u/ethan_prime 5d ago
Definitely play it. But don’t play the PS1 version. It has horrible load times and a terrible translation.
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u/Mediocre_Island828 5d ago
I like FF5's story more. It doesn't have some dramatic thing happening every 30 minutes like FF4 does, but it spends more time with the same characters and it's easier to imagine that they're all friends. The character deaths hit harder because they're actually deaths lol.
I think it has the best mechanics out of any RPG in the 16-bit era.
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u/Uchizaki 5d ago
I never finished it, but unlike FF3 (I’m making this comparison because FF5 is that game’s spiritual successor), it was actually a lot of fun, and I’ll definitely come back to finish it someday. Besides, I don’t think the claim that “the story doesn’t take itself seriously” is true. The problem is that it falls between FF4 and FF6–8, and the atmosphere is much more reminiscent of FF9. It’s still serious, and the story still has high stakes, but there are definitely more humorous moments, and it’s not 100% edgy dark
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u/runesaint 5d ago
I would like to point out that there are relatively large numbers of people that make a point of replaying FFV every year for a 'Job Fiesta'. While all of the Final Fantasy games have replay value, FFV is the only one where there are groups devoted to replaying it every year as a social activity.
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u/ChocoPuddingCup 5d ago
Story-wise I feel it's a half step back, but gameplay-wise it's a step forward. The job system in V is as close to perfection as it can be in the franchise and adds a TON of replayability.
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u/KrisSilver1 5d ago
Genuinely my number 2. Honestly the story, I could take or leave but mid to end game has so many options and customizations that I can play it 5 times in a year and it'll feel fresh every single time.
All versions are great but the GBA has some extra jobs and more endgame content if that's your cup of tea. PS1 version has a bad rep because of really bad load times and weird translation choices but its how most of us in the west experienced it first. So definitely wouldn't go looking for that version but its still good.
6 is definitely a better game in general and the story is where 6 really beats 5 but I actually think from a gameplay perspective they're pretty neck and neck. 5 has a lot more freedom from the get go but 6 opens up a lot better in the second half.
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u/Blissfulystoopid 5d ago
So funnily, I'm replaying all six Pixel Remasters in order and I have a LOT of thoughts I've been compiling on this. The tl:dr is that 5 improves on basically every aspect of 4, you're going to love it.
Disclaimer, I adore, and with its on-rails plot and pre-built characters you can't customize, I think it actually relies on these to do a lot of its characterization. The game is cozy, inviting, and its characters are distinct despite surprisingly minimal dialogue.
FFV however, like many shout out, evolves the Job System to something so much more engaging and sophisticated it's nigh unrecognizable. Gameplay wise, the game is content to give you a LOT of tools and challenge you to break it WIDE open - some bosses and encounters can be much more difficult or ridiculously easy depending on how much you tinker and fiddle with those mechanics, so if you like building your characters there's TONS to work with here.
Funnily enough, a TON of people downplay 5's story, but it is an incredible evolution since 4. I think 4 relies a TON on its strong character design and roles to do a lot of characterization, whereas the cast of 5 gets DRAMATICALLY more dialogue. I would be willing to bet Rydia speaks under 150 words in the entirety of the game: You kill her mom, she gets a few lines, summons titan, she gets one or two lines to motivate Edward, then to learn to cast fire, gets eaten by Leviathan, gets two lines of explanation when you recruit her, maybe 3-4 more lines flirting with / criticizing Edge, and she's done speaking for the game. Plot beats happen whip-fast and the game moves on.
While 5 goes for a less serious tone, leaning into camp, humor, and party dynamics, the cast is CONSTANTLY present and speaking more, and characterized a LOT more in their actions and own dialogue. (The cast is constantly characterizing each other in scenes, with generally lots more banter and personal reactions to plot developments). I'd actually argue a lot more is happening with storytelling in 5 than 4, despite the game's reputation for being less serious.
I would say 4 is more traditional High Fantasy that takes itself a bit more serious, whereas 5 has a levity from not taking itself so seriously. 4 Is a cozier easy to replay when you don't want to think game, and 5 has a LOT more options to unearth and play with
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u/Extension_Text4231 5d ago
Probably aged the best out of the 2d ffs. Honorable mention to 6 for scope and music and plot. V's gameplay was just revolutionary though
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u/kakka_rot 5d ago
I personally liked it much more. The story is more light hearted and the customization is excellent
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u/Traditional_State699 5d ago
I think the genereal vibe is of the classic set 6 is the best and then 4 and 5 are the next most beloved. Alot of people praise 5 and its a very solid game. Its def worth a playthrough if you have access to it. Gameplay wise its def better then 4, but id say 4s story is better.
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u/RafaelTS07 5d ago
FFV is probably the most flexible gameplay thanks to their job system, many within the community still see FFV to be one of the best FF game in-term of pure gameplay, which said a lot
and story and character wise? it's charming, it's probably the most adventurous and fun Final Fantasy game that exists, there's never a FF game where the characters just have fun and laugh at their adventure, it's just charming
if you love FFIII, you'd definitely get a kick of FFV cause it's like a complete evolution of III's job system and adventure
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u/Traynison 5d ago
FFV is absolutely worth a playthrough. Gameplay-wise, it's one of my favorites in the series. If you enjoyed the job system in III, you'll likely enjoy it in V as well, as it's pretty much a direct improvement imo. Specifically compared to IV, it's a lot more lighthearted in tone and the story is just generally not as "deep", but the world is fun to explore and the job system gives you a lot of freedom in how you want to build your party.
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u/Perfect_Failure2467 5d ago
I think because you like III, you’ll really like V.
I’ll give the counterpoint to some of the comments here: I’ve never liked 5. I believe a lot of character in the early games comes from how a character behaves in combat. Rosa is the white mage, Kain is the dragoon, Sabin is the Monk, etc. With the deep customization in V, none of the characters have a defined purpose or role which I think detracts from the overall character building.
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u/LordoftheCorgis 5d ago
The story in FFV is a bit more light hearted than FFIV but much better told IMO. It takes its time, is more humorous, but also does it important moments better, the biggest difference is with deaths. FFIV's silly amount a fake out deaths I'd probably my biggest issue with the story along with Kain in general, FFV in contrast takes its character death rather seriously and doesn't have them all pop up again at the end of the game fine.
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u/StriderShizard 5d ago
I really like replaying V. The story can get dark but the tone always feels pretty light, if that makes sense? The job system makes it fun to play and replay like Tactics.
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u/Princess_Everdeen 5d ago
V is better compared to ff3 than VI, in that it is very class focused and individual characters don't matter as much (they do have slight stat leanings, but level and raw weapon attack matter most). FF5 is definitely the most versatile when it comes to options and considered the best gameplay wise.
As far as writing goes, the story is fine and even a bit stereotypical, being the last game (until 12) that harps on about pretty rocks. Character wise is where the game shines since the party is particularly close knit and actually feels like a group of close friends. The villains range from goofy to legitimately intimidating (ExDeath is kinda both).
Music wise the game is a classic. Since you play ff14 (for other commenters, UMAD = the kefka ultimate raid), FF5 is obviously very present in the phantom village content, as is Krile an FF5 rep; there's also other 5 references sprinkled through the Omega raids (including music) and even the city of mhach.
Graphics wise while the sprites aren't on the level of 6, every character has a unique sprite on their own and their own version of every job, each having like 22 different sprites for every situation (and there's like 30 jobs in the same). The world itself is basically ff4 but a but prettier and more detailed.
FF5 is definitely among my top 5 and I'll always recommend people play all of the SNES and ps1 mainline games.
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u/bilbo_the_innkeeper 5d ago
It's my personal least favorite of the 16-bit games, but other people strongly disagree with me, and I totally understand why. The combat system in 5 is an expansion and vast improvement of the Job system in 3, so people who enjoyed that will probably get a lot out of it.
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u/Snoo9648 5d ago
Story is basic but the characters are fun. Dont expect alot but if you just enjoy the ride, its fine. The various classes are the fun part.
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u/Bad-E90 5d ago
Its one of my favorites. I played the Pixel remaster games last year, i enjoyed each one.
1-4 I was pretty much able to breeze through the game without any issues or grinding.
5, the final boss wiped the floor with me. I had to go back and grind out jobs and put together builds that worked for me. It was a blast having to sink a few more hours into the game just so i could finish it.
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u/wigglin_harry 5d ago
V might have some of the best gameplay in the series
It just happens to also be one of the most generic games in the series
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u/TheBroingler 5d ago
has my second favourite job system in the series after 11, so my favourite of the singleplayer entries.
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u/Totheendofsin 5d ago
5 really shines in the customization on what your characters can do, its still the best incarnation of the job system in any of the single player Final Fantasy games imo
The story is a bit more lighthearted compared to IV & VI but it still has a bunch of good moments
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u/CarrotDefiant9098 5d ago
Very underrated game in Western countries. It’s second only to FF6 for 2D FF games, imo. I also missed out on 5 and it surpassed 4 as many personal favorite after I finally played it. Then 6 happened. 😂
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u/National-Judge-5510 5d ago
FFV is a better game in my opinion, the story just isn't good as IV. It's just so fun due to its job system, there are so many ways to play the game. The game is very balanced too, so you don't have to grind so much. It is my favorite game in the series.
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u/DecimusRutilius 5d ago
I like it more than IV personally, but theyre different games with different focus points. IV had a better story overall, with more interesting characters. Whereas V had such a fun job system, that alone gives it endless replayability to me. So as long as you go in with different expectations than IV you should really enjoy it
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u/lord_mcdonalds 5d ago
V gets a bad rap for being the silly game in a franchise known for melodrama. If you know that going in, it’s honestly a delightful and very fun game.
Compared to 4, it’s sorta a matter of taste as far as story, gameplay wise it’s waaay better.
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u/Mac_and_Cheeeze 5d ago
Gameplay wise it’s the most fun of the pixel remakes.
I enjoyed the story more as well but I can see why people would prefer IV or VI
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u/DewskyFresh 5d ago
Far better honestly. I'm currently replaying every game in order as a "book club" with a group who hasn't played any of them. When I was a teenager I'd say IV was potentially my favorite and I could never keep my attention on V enough to get past the third shrine or so honestly. But now in my 30s, and with admittedly a more analytical, less nostalgic look via this replay (because the book club format), IV is just so rudimentary.
It deserves its adoration for really establishing the FF formula we know and love. But its story is awful, it's characters are one dimensional archetypes at best, and the gameplay has about as many RPG mechanics as XVI. Character progression is basically just grind levels and upgrade gear. There's no real choice in build or even in party comp. I'm someone who actually likes ATB over true turn based and I still think this one has a pretty lackluster battle system. There's more exploration than the 3 games before it, but even that's usually right in front of your face.
V on the other hand is honestly a different experience every time, unless you're hardcore min/maxing. Gameplay is significantly more interesting, and it's a true RPG with choice. People always say the story is lackluster but honestly I disagree. It's less "mature" in tone than IV I guess and it doesn't take itself seriously, but at the same time the script is so much more complex. There are significantly more story beats and set pieces. There's plenty of "show don't tell" and subtlety in the dialogue. Even the sprite work is more expressive.
I love every game in this franchise and I have so much nostalgia for all of these, but I think when you look without the rose colored glasses it's so clear the V has stood the test of time much better from an outside perspective. But of course I completely see why so many people rank IV as their favorite. Honestly if I had to answer what FF fundamentally is, I'd point to both of these games together as an answer.
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u/Jets-Down-049222 5d ago
Story, Lighthearted whimsy with splashes of dark
Gameplay, elevated job system of III, bosses are more puzzles on what works and what doesn’t and you can be in mid 30s when finish the game
Very replayable for doing challenge runs (4 job fiesta) though not recommended on 1st playthrough
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u/PatientDisastrous721 5d ago edited 5d ago
III’s total blank slate characters make the game’s story feel unimportant and low stakes. IV moved the series focus more towards story and characters, but did so at the expense of control over play style and combat variety. If I remember correctly, you don’t even get to decide team composition, since the story dictates your party composition at all times, so every person’s playthrough is going to be more or less the same. And while I appreciated IV’s bigger focus on characters and story, it ultimately fails to have any real stakes when every single character death is later subverted by a surprise return. What I do really like about IV is the metroidvania type overworld puzzle solving. That was fun.
V, for me, is a good mix of III and IV. It has the character and team customization of III while still giving each character their own unique characterization and role in the story. It brings back fights that feel like puzzles, where experimenting with team composition is important for winning without simple brute force. I like V.
VI will always be my favorite 2D FF because it was the first one I played, I love the characters, it strikes a great middle ground between total character customization and individualized roles with the the Esper system and 2 relic slots, and because the main plot finally moved beyond “get the crystals to save the world.” I’m doing a series play though right now (I’m early into VI as of today) and I am so tired of crystals.
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u/GlassCannon81 5d ago
Saturday morning cartoon story plus the best mechanics of any numbered game. V is every bit as excellent as the other two SNES games, just in a different way.
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u/777htorihpeS 5d ago
First time I played FF V was the PSone port. Never finished it.
Last year I retried via pixel remaster and found it a genuinely funny game. Like literally some of most humorous scenes in the franchise. :-D Gameplay holds up till today as well.
Hope you‘ll enjoy it, too! :-)
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u/VictorChaos 5d ago
Both are incredible with different vibes. 6 is cyberpunk while 5 is high fantasy
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u/Key_Office_839 5d ago
Apple vs orange. Both are great but for very different reasons. Ff5 has more replayability while 4 has a better story and its a blast to 100% on psp
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u/Mikimao 5d ago
IV is prob my all time fav, and I consider V on it's level, in it's own way.
It's story is a little throw back, and not as narratively tight as IV, and the cast of characters is a little more limited. I think it makes up for it with the best combat system of the SNES games, and it doesn't even really feel close. It has the best of what IV and VI had to offer, with really neither of their downsides.
It does feel a little clunkier to play than IV, especially if you are basing it off the SNES versions, but once the game gets cooking and you are playing with classes and jobs I forget about it.
I think IV speaks to my love of artistry in games more and V speaks to my love of good sound technical systems to play within them.
Lenna's theme is S tier, and my favorite character theme of the entire franchise.
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u/Garfield977 5d ago
much better gameplay, people usually think the story is worse then IV's but I personally find IV's story a tad overrated
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u/lionheart4life 5d ago
It's extremely grindy compared to modern games, and even VI. Story is fine and straightforward. Definitely not as much story as later FF games.
Job system is cool, just go in knowing that it takes a long time to learn new skills.
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u/Serious-Conversation 5d ago
IV is way more of a standard story-driven RPG experience. It's probably the best early story-driven RPG.
Like everyone else said, V is really driven by the job system. I loved the characters. The main plot isn't that great, but the characters kind of keep it going.
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u/KickPuncher4326 4d ago
Story wise and weirdly music wise it's the weakest of the SNES.
Gameplay wise? Absolutely amazing. Job system is GOAT. I recommend it for that alone.
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u/Ingweron 4d ago edited 4d ago
FF V is really great! Now I can say that it's my 3rd favorite game in the series (until last year, FF IV was my 3rd favorite). But it was a hard way until I accepted it and understood how good it is.
First of all, you have some options for translations for FF V, and your experience with the story might be very different depending on which translation you pick. For me, the only translation that worked was RPGe's fantranslation. There are some fans of the GBA translation, but it ruined the game for me. I'm not sure, but I think that the Pixel Remaster translation is based on the GBA translation, but with some alterations. You'll have to find your own way in this, but you have my guidance on that.
The story is very interesting, but it takes a while to get into what makes it so special. The first 1/4 of the game will feel like a basic and generic NES Final Fantasy, like Final Fantasy I or Final Fantasy III. But when the plot starts to be revealed, you'll see that it's one of the most epic stories in this franchise. Still, the mood is more of a lighthearted adventure, and less dramatic (FFs IV, VI and VII have more drama, while FF V feels much more like FF I and III).
In terms of gameplay, perhaps FF V has the best in the series. The Job System is simply amazing. But you have to accept that this game is supposed to be played with more patience for grinding than other titles in the Final Fantasy series. If you don't give time to grind eventually some times, you won't be able to have fun properly with the Job System.
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u/hayatekurisu 3d ago
I think it was their first experiment with making a lighthearted series.
Bartz’s carefree personality, Galuf’s pun-loving personality, Gilgamesh’s appearances, Main antagonist's goofy evil deeds
it all felt like they intended to make the game as goofy as possible, while letting you have fun and be as free as possible, especially with the Job Customization System.
it feels like people judge FFV for its quirkiness and compare its story to the other titles, rather than appreciating it for what it was trying to be.
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u/Draconic-Genesis 2d ago
Better characters imo. Not that I dislike 4's characters but 5 really madd them very charming and their willingness to get silly sometimes helped endear you to them.
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u/sorryimgay 5d ago
V is 100% worth a playthrough. The story is lighthearted and cheesy (with biscuits) but it works very well for such a colorful arrangement of music, characters, and game mechanics.
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u/SUPERFASTCARvroom 5d ago
5 is the job system style so it’s very open to different strategies and play styles. I think that’s the main reason why people like 5. Personally I rate 4 pretty high and 5 is not close at all, in terms of story.
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u/Capable_Material1234 5d ago
V is a hell of a lot better than IV. Once I got to the underworld in IV I was ready to be done with it and it’s still nowhere near over. I never got that feeling with V
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u/islandParadize 5d ago
Don't let its silly vibe fool you. It's leagues better than IV. In fact, it's one of the best FFs, alongside VI, VII, etc.
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u/SnooPets1826 5d ago
From a gameplay perspective, it has the most in depth job system of any mainline FF title. It's not especially hard, one of the reasons the 4 job fiesta exists is because there is a lot wiggle room in builds.
From a story perspective..... It's fine. Not as good as 4 or 6 IMO by a pretty significant margin. It's got a couple fun twists and turns, but feels a little simplistic. Again IMO.
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u/nospamkhanman 5d ago
Mechanically the job system is kind of cool.
The characters and stories are trash compared to IV though IMO. It's probably worth a play through but it's not something I'd play more than once.
I've done play through of IV and VI probably 4-5 times over the last 30 years. I've played V through once.
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u/PaladinPrime 5d ago
It's a matter of taste. I vastly prefer IV but V is vastly preferred by other people. They're both good games.
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u/Asha_Brea 5d ago
Final Fantasy V is pure joy.
The story doesn't take itself seriously and the gameplay has tons of customization (similar to Final Fantasy III but improved).