Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call

I'll say this much - Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call was everything the first game was and then so much more. I mean, literally, every single song and character from the first game returns in this one. There were more characters to use and more songs to tap out and more modes to play and everything. They even pulled in all kinds of spin-off games like Tactics and Crystal Chronicles and even Mystic Quest. My gripe from my post on the first game, that Square had an unfortunate tendency to treat all of the Final Fantasy titles equally, no longer stands; fan favorites like VI and VII are very well-represented here, and that was just nice to see. Unfortunately, even though they threw tons more content into this game, the three specific songs I called out for being absent in the first game are in fact still absent here. It can't be a licensing issue, since Square must own all of their own Final Fantasy music, and it can't be that they're withholding these great songs for DLC, because they're nowhere to be seen among the DLC.

There's not much else to say here, except that the ten hours I spent on this game got me all worked up to play some more Final Fantasy games. The music and characters and moments in that series are just so damn good and memorable, by and large. Here's a link to an essay - or rather, one part of a several-page essay - that  takes a close look at all the characters in Final Fantasy VI and how their theme music fits them so well. The whole essay is worth a read, as it uses Final Fantasy VI as a case study for how to design a great game; even if you haven't played the game, the essay is full of interesting points and stats and charts and such. The whole website is worth exploring, as there are some great essays on other game design concepts featuring other games as examples.

Anyway, this little tapping game threw me into such a Final Fantasy kick that, in addition to jumping right into Final Fantasy XIII-2 this weekend, I also convinced Marissa to try her hand at Final Fantasy VII. Those of you who recall her Ocarina of Time post can probably only imagine what she has in store for her if she actually rides this forty-hour game out. I'm just glad I can experience one of my all time favorite games vicariously through her. I don't think I've touched the game in thirteen years. Imagine that!