LINKS
There's some really good writing about Final Fantasy V out there on the web. I'm going to share some of it here.
Final Fantasy V's Job System is Amazing, But its Story and Worldbuilding are its Soul | RPG Site
Author: James Galizo
I'm not the only person out here making the case that FFV has a lot more to offer than Jobs. James places emphasis on the game's attention to pace and mood, which mark a thoughtful departure from the more breakneck gloom and doom that defined II and IV. James highlights that many of V's most pivotal character development beats are tucked away in optional areas.
Anatomy of a Run: Examining the Final Fantasy V Four Job Fiesta | Jeremy Signor's Games Initiative
Author: Jeremy Signor
Jeremy, ever the thoughtful speedrunning and kaizo critic, details his experience trying out the famed Four Job Fiesta, a challenge run that limits the player to four Jobs--one per party member--for the duration of the game. I've never actually attempted the Fiesta myself, so for me it's especialy valuable to read Jeremy's thoughts on how this set of house rules continues to expand the possibility space of FFV's mechanics in new directions not anticipated by the original developers.
Sailing the Queer Seas: Final Fantasy V, Faris, and Gender | First Person Scholar
Author: Arhys Hiraeth
I actually had the opportunity to edit this piece back when I worked for First Person Scholar, so it's been on my mind since before it was published and it directly informs my own writings on the game. Arhys focuses on Faris as a rare sliver of representation, drawing a line from their time playing FFV Advance as a child and gradually figuring out their own relationship to genderqueerness in general and trans masculinity in particular. Faris is Faris!
Final Fantasy V Reminds Me Of What I Loved About The Series | Kotaku
Author: Peter Tieryas
Peter offers a novel vantage point on FFV, having only played it recently at the time of writing after skipping it for many years. What ensues is a thoughtful and incisive meditation on the greater intimacy the game accomplishes with its smaller cast, intergenerational traumas, and ecocritical themes.
