Either the worst or most fun of the SNES era Final Fantasy series,
opinions vary widely. The game was designed as a Final Fantasy for
Americans, dumbed down as Square's worries that American gamers couldn't
handle the complexities of a typical RPG increased. The game went
on to receive and worldwide release and something of a cult following.
STORYLINE
For centuries the Focus Tower had stood at the very heart of the
World. It had been a center for trade and knowledge, and the people of
the World had met there to peacefully settle their differences. But on
one warm summer day, the Tower was suddenly transformed into a symbol of
the purest evil. For on that day, powerful monsters battled their way
into the Tower, stole the four Crystals of the Earth, and then took off
with the magical Coins that had kept the Tower's doors unlocked.
With the Tower doors sealed behind them, the monsters relaxed their
guard and turned their attention to the Crystals. As they basked in the
radiant glow of the Crystals, the monsters grew stronger and meaner and
even more wicked. The more light the monsters consumed, the more the
World was drained of its warmth and color. Tremors soon shook the land.
The sky grew cloudy and dark. The seasons went berserk. Monsters
appeared everywhere and terrorized the people. The World was thrown into
total chaos. Something had to be done...
PROLOGUE
Enter Benjamin. Benjamin was the most normal youngster you could
imagine. Like most responsible villagers of his age, he arose at the
crack of dawn to take his family's livestock to the upper meadow to
graze. Other kids teased him because he read while tending his heard,
and because a village Elder had taken him in as a promising student.
Although Benjamin seemed mature beyond his years, he still dreamed of
being more than he was - faster, stronger and more daring. Little did he
know his wishes were about to be fulfilled the hard way...