FF Union 237: A Crazy Final Fantasy Year In Review

·46 min·4 clips

How did Daryl manage to play and review Final Fantasy 7 Remake while locked down with kids and a full-time job?

In episode 237 of Final Fantasy Union, hosts Daryl and Lauren reflect on a chaotic year for the franchise. They begin by thanking listeners and Patreon supporters, noting a 20% increase in listens. The review is structured around three key events: Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Crystal Chronicles Remastered, and Final Fantasy 16. Daryl shares personal anecdotes about playing FF7 Remake amid lockdown, juggling childcare and work to complete a review that later faced spoiler accusations and YouTube shadow-banning, leading to a re-upload. The hosts express frustration over the negativity and its impact on their video's performance. They then critique Crystal Chronicles Remastered for its lack of couch co-op, region-locked multiplayer, and progression issues, questioning Square Enix's approach to remasters. The discussion shifts to Final Fantasy 16, with rumors about its delayed announcement due to underwhelming graphics and Yoshida's commitment to avoiding misleading trailers. Daryl and Lauren analyze the potential risks to Square Enix's brand and the importance of storytelling over graphics. They also touch on Square Enix's tendency to overcomplicate remakes, using the PSP version of Final Fantasy 4 as a positive example. Throughout, the hosts blend personal experiences with broader critiques of Square Enix's decisions, ending with hopes for a better 2021 and community engagement over the holidays.

As heard by us

A year-end Final Fantasy catch-up where Part Two remains the question shaping the conversation.

Final Fantasy Union closes the year in a loose, companionable mode, using a turbulent run for the series as a way into bigger questions about Final Fantasy XVI and the ending of Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a year-end Final Fantasy catch-up that lingers on where VII Remake could go next.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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