What 3D means to Final Fantasy

by Aaron Judd 

Are 2D games disappearing?

It certainly seems that way. Even such unmistakable 2D ventures such as Castlevania and Megaman are now forfeiting their traditional appearance in favor of the polygonal, origami look, and last year's eruption of these games spearheaded by Super Mario 64, Tomb Raider, and Crash Bandicoot seems to spell a grisly, abrupt end to the simple hop-and-bop days.

About a year ago, I first heard that there was going to be a new Final Fantasy game from Squaresoft. Eager to find information about the promising speculation, I soon found out it was to be designed in fully polygonal graphics and was (gasp!) coming out for the Sony Playstation.

Immediately, I was dismayed. I delighted in the earlier FF games, the beauty of the artwork and contrasting simplistic tranquility of the animation and the glorious background. The entire experience of playing those games was unique. I thought that 3D games relied fully on the action itself, the movement of the characters. I simply thought Final Fantasy did not need this sort of update, this scramble to modernize as so many other games had.

I was wrong, and wrong to fear. Final Fantasy VII proves superbly that polygonal games can imbue aesthetic brilliance to complement their visceral awe. The lush backgrounds are scintillating and work in concert with previous games, but take on a highly original tone of Victorian cosmopolitanism that is fresh and invigorating. The characters are, admittedly, polygonal through and through, but I quickly recalled that the earlier characters were tiny, almost plastic. It was entirely their mannerisms and speech that spun their rich personages.

There was a beautiful moment in FFIV where Cecil, after ravaging the council of Mysidia and seizing their valuable crystal, pauses as he leaves. There is a moment - a split-second - there where hesitation crosses our minds and we can almost feel Cecil actually thinking. It's as if everything catches up with us, and we feel the ruminations of this tiny rectangular character on the screen.

3D graphics could never improve that moment, but they can serve a very important purpose in the game. By enhancing our visual experience, they complement our involvement with the characters, the intrigue, and the spectacle. It was nearly impossible and certainly unexpected, but 3D graphics have indeed found a niche in Squaresoft's continuing saga.