In this third episode of Tea With Bahamut, we dive into Final Fantasy II—the game that dared to be different. We start by looking at the production history: how Square took a risk by abandoning the formula of the first game to tell a more ambitious, story-driven tale of rebellion, loss, and hope.

Then we journey through the world of Final Fantasy II itself, following Firion and his companions as they battle against the evil Palamecian Empire. We explore the themes of sacrifice, friendship, and perseverance that set this entry apart from its predecessor—and from many RPGs of its time. Along the way, we discuss how Final Fantasy II introduced ideas that would shape the series for years to come, from its tragic storytelling to its keyword-based dialogue system.

Was Final Fantasy II ahead of its time? Or was it an ambitious experiment that stumbled? Grab a cup of tea and join us as we break down one of the most unusual—and influential—chapters in Final Fantasy history.

In this second cup of Tea With Bahamut, we explore the creative legacy sparked by Final Fantasy I—not from Square Enix, but from the fans. This episode is all about the spin-offs, tributes, and retellings inspired by the game that started it all.

We dive into a manga adaptation that breathes new life into the story, revisit the hilarious and nostalgic 8-Bit Theater webcomic that parodied and celebrated the original adventure, and break down the YouTube gem Final Fantasy I in a Nutshell. Along the way, we reflect on how fans around the world took the skeletal plot and pixelated world of FF1 and transformed it into something bigger—filling in gaps, expanding the lore, and making it their own.

Why does this game still inspire stories decades later? What does it say about the power of a simple RPG from 1987? Pour yourself some tea and join us as we discuss the creative echoes of Final Fantasy I.

In this first episode of Tea With Bahamut, we journey back to where it all began—Final Fantasy 1. We discuss the game’s simple yet iconic story, its groundbreaking mechanics, and how it laid the foundation for one of gaming’s most legendary franchises.

From the Warriors of Light setting out to restore balance to the world to the classic turn-based combat and brutal difficulty, we share our thoughts on what still holds up today and what feels like a relic of the past. We also dive into the music, pixel art, and the vision of Hironobu Sakaguchi, exploring how this small project on the NES became the start of something much bigger.

Was Final Fantasy 1 fun to play today? Does it still have its magic? Grab a cup of tea and join us as we break it all down!