Fight, Magic, Items

The History of Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and the Rise of Japanese RPGs in the West

De: Aidan Moher

Narrado por: Eric Michael Summerer

The Japanese roleplaying game (JRPG) genre is one that is known for bold, unforgettable characters; rich stories; and some of the most iconic and beloved games in the industry. Inspired by early Western RPGs and introducing technology and artistic styles that pushed the boundaries of what video games could be, this genre is responsible for creating some of the most complex, bold, and beloved games in history. In Fight, Magic, Items, Aidan Moher guides listeners through the history of JRPGs, exploring the technical challenges, distinct narrative and artistic visions, and creative rivalries that fueled the creation of countless iconic games and their quest to become the best.

Moher immerses listeners in the world of JRPGs, following the interconnected history through the lens of their creators and their stories full of hope and risk, from the tiny teams that built the foundations of the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises; Reiko Kodama pushing boundaries with Phantasy Star; the team up between Horii and Sakaguchi to create Chrono Trigger; or the mashup of Disney with Final Fantasy in Kingdom Hearts. Filled with firsthand interviews and behind-the-scenes looks into the development, reception, and influence of JRPGs, this book captures the evolution of the genre and why it continues to grab us, decades after those first iconic pixelated games released.

©2022 Aidan Moher (P)2023 Tantor

Good storytelling marred by unwanted spoilers

While this book is clearly well researched and well written, I found the experience frustrating due to the frequent, unflagged spoilers from classic JRPGs I haven’t yet played. While listening to the audiobook, I had major plot points spoiled for me, including FFVI’s mid-game twist, Xenogears’ post-credit scene, and a subversive gameplay mechanic in Nier: Automata. The only spoiler warning provided was for FFVII’s mid-game twist, which made the lack of caution elsewhere feel inconsistent and careless.

As a result, I often felt disrespected as a reader, since the author never seemed to ask the question: “Could this be a spoiler for someone?” This approach forced me to skip any chapters covering games I haven’t yet experienced, out of fear of further spoilers. While the analysis itself is strong, the handling of spoilers significantly diminished my enjoyment of the book.

Quick, snappy history of the JRPG genre

Good:
- Technical knowledge of console hardware and the relationship between business and art
- Focused on tentpoles of genre (Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest) and is in depth with the related genre.
- Efficient descriptions of individual games to get readers enticed to play them.
- Comprehensive history of the genre as it was popular.

Bad:
- While focus on business practices is strong at the beginning, tapers off towards modern era
- Not much speculation on hardware history when looking at JRPG MMOs
- Not enough history on how JRPGs changed as Japanese culture changed over the years.

what's with the random games and descriptions

the narrator will begin a chapter about Gameboy and then randomly, mid paragraph, start talking about a completely unrelated game like Genshin impact. It throws off the pace greatly.

A walk down memory lane.

This is an amazing book about the past and present of some of the biggest juggernauts of gaming. It side notes some of the revolutionary smaller games and is a love letter to classics and to what could be next for role playing games.

Great 1st person perspective on the "RPG" genre as a whole

While this book could have had the second title of "my life growing up as a final fantasy fan and couldn't have enough of the stuff like it". It does cover a broad strokes perspective of growing alongside the RPG genre as a whole. I really liked how it didn't just focus on LITERAL jrpgs and included the mentality of what constitutes a JRPG (Zelda totally does come at me) but also includes impacts spread wide in the gaming history JRPGS have on fans and the industry.

super good super cool.

Great recap of JRPG evolution

I have always loved JRPG’s, but I never knew much about the history of them or how they had evolved over time. There are things that I noticed to some degree, but had never thought about and this book was able to voice those thoughts in a way that made me truly see these changes in a new light.

For JRPG Fans & Those Curious About Them

A nice history of JRPGs and the series that defined the genre. There is some nice behind the scenes information detailed as well as commonly known facts.

As someone who works in video games…

This was a thoughtful, well researched, and well paced book. The author covered A TON of material and did so with great fluidity.

History of a deep interest.

Great history and stories used to create the image or thread of time down from the beginnings of JRPGs to more modern take.

Although enjoyed much, there were certain chosen minor stories which threw me out of the story of this book.

I recommend highly, just cautious of the use of certain decisions made in writing.

Excellent history of the JRPG genre

Fight, Magic, Items is an excellent history of the JRPG genre, taking the listener on a journey from the crude but memorable Dungeons and Dragons simulators of early computers through to the present. If you're an old school hardcore gamer or someone who just picked up their first Final Fantasy, this is for you. I came away with a few titles I have never played that I want to check out now both old and new. I wonder if I can get anywhere in the original Wizardry...

the narration is clear and very good.