Why does the last boss have this great influence on us? Because we have lived that narrative that has led us to it. Most Final Fantasy games start out as a relatively naive character with little knowledge outside of what the player can immediately see. When you first start the game, you are introduced to your Protagonist, be it Vann, Zidane, or Luneth, and a brief amount of backstory for them. We sympathize with what they do on a day-to-day basis, whether it be Squall’s SEED training or Cloud’s work as a mercenary. We learn that this is the norm for these characters and for the first hour or so nothing unusual happens as we learn the basics of the game.
Then something will go wrong for our protagonist. Something unexpected that breaks your stereotypical day and as players we are just as out of our league as the characters we just met. We pay attention to why this happened, and what we have to do to survive, or what needs to be corrected. We learn at exactly the same rate as the characters we play. Understand the same things and use the knowledge we acquire to progress. This simultaneous understanding of the plot draws us into the narrative and allows us to embrace it as if it were happening to us as players.
We’ve made it through the first few hours or so, discovering and learning alongside our player character, meeting allies who will help us accomplish our goals, and going through a number of smaller quests. We may already have our main objective, who to defeat or what task needs to be done, but it is out of our hands. Every time we load up the game, we experience another little section, maybe a dungeon that we need to go through, or a quest that opens up a new area. But during these missions our character never loses sight of his main goal, and neither do we as players. We understand that each smaller mission is part of our odyssey to defeat the Final Boss, another chapter in our character’s life, a necessary task that makes him stronger. Each step along the way allows the character to gain not only experience points and equipment, meaning he can face the ultimate threat on equal terms, but in narrative terms, allows him to understand the effects of his actions on the game. world.
Take any Final Fantasy character at the start of your adventure; now imagine that character facing off against their main Antagonist. Surely they could never win? Both in level and in equipment, but in terms of determination and constitution they would not be prepared. But as they venture through the story, they witness the evil of the antagonist firsthand, suffer the loss of friends, and face challenges that slowly increase in difficulty, allowing them to prepare for the final showdown. Now think of yourself as the player. At first, the first time you play the game you have no knowledge of the game’s systems, your character’s abilities, or any real motives behind your actions. But through the gradual progression mentioned above, you grow. You learn how magical items interact, when it’s best to use stat-boosting potions and gear, you run into characters you like only to see them killed and lost from your party. You begin to empathize with your characters’ long quest, but you also understand that the journey you’ve undertaken is making you stronger and ready to tackle the cause of the game’s problems. You and the character grow to have the same goal.
Beat the final boss.
It’s this synchronized way of thinking that means that when you’re facing Chaos, launching yourself after the Cloud of Darkness, or preparing to take down Braska’s Final Aeon, you know why you need to take them, and you know you’re strong enough to do it. that. The way the game develops your strength presents you with the ultimate challenge to prove it and the emotional commitment to defeat the cause of the fight and the unrest of the narrative world come together in the climactic battle, which means that you are on the edge, excited and nervous all right away.
All of this is what makes the final battle so impactful. But of course it’s not true for everyone, it may be that you haven’t saved for five hours before the final boss.
What makes potholes so great for you? Shoot in the comments below!
