Mage Cast

On this Final Fantasy podcast, @AncientLitDude and I discuss what is arguably the most important game to The Well-Red Mage as a concept. Final Fantasy (One) unfolds its depths to us with talk on job classes, early proto-RPGs and learning to read, the speedrunner and randomizer communities, FF series context and overview, the sticky point of grinding, the development of Final Fantasy and the legendary status of its title, Uematsu's body of work, comparing Uematsu and Mitsuda, the premise and story of the game, role-playing with blank avatars, telling a tale without character development, precedent in classic and ancient text, the Warriors of Light compared to later heroes and heroines in the franchise, silent protagonists, Final Fantasy as both science fiction and high fantasy, the Hero's Journey, the value of myth and beliefs in light of rationality, learning unity without unanimity in civil conversation on controversial subjects, a word on science vs scientism, the ancient idea of 4 elements, battl