Final Fantasy VI (or III if you grew up with the US SNES version) is one of those RPGs that just sticks with you. Right from the opening, with that eerie Magitek armor march through the snow, you know you're in for something special. The world feels alive in a way few 16-bit games managed—characters have real arcs, the villain is legit terrifying, and the soundtrack? Uematsu at his absolute best.

What I love is how it plays with expectations. You think it's a standard fantasy romp, then suddenly you're in a steampunk city with opera singers and gamblers. The party system is wild too—you'll recruit everyone from a runaway princess to a yeti, and they all bring something unique to battles. That moment when the world actually changes halfway through? Still gives me chills.

Sure, the ATB combat shows its age a bit now, but the story and characters more than make up for it. Also, Shadow's dog is the best party member and I will fight anyone who disagrees.