Page 26 - Old School Gamer Magazine Issue #43 FREE Edition

like a deep, personal tragedy.
I lost track of how many times
I fell asleep with the music still playing softly in the background.
It lulled me into a dream where I was a part of the adventure, where
I was one of them, fighting for a world that somehow, at least for the moment, mattered to me more than my own. I can still see flashes of those memories when I close my eyes, the pixelated heroes standing victorious after a boss battle, the screen shimmering as spells were cast, and that heart-wrenching moment when one of my favorite characters sacrificed themselves for the greater good.
I finally reached the end, faced Zeromus, watched the story conclude, and learned what
happened to all of the friends I had encountered on my journey. I saw the world at peace, and it felt like the end of something immense. It was the weekend before I had to return to school, and as the credits rolled, I put down the controller, almost dazed. My body felt heavy, my mind tired. I trudged to my room, collapsed on my bed, and slept for sixteen hours straight. It was like my body was catching up on everything it had missed during that journey - every skipped meal, every lost hour of sleep. It felt like I'd been in that world for a year.
Even now, when I think back to that week, it’s a blur of magic, melodies, and emotion. Final Fantasy II enchanted me, transported me somewhere else entirely. It left an imprint on me that has never faded.
It wasn’t just a game; it was an experience, one that would forever mark that Spring Break as one of the best times of my life.
Final Fantasy VI might be my favorite game in the series, but nothing can quite compare to that first time, to the sheer immersion and wonder of being completely lost in a story that felt like it was made just for me.
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OLD SCHOOL GAMER MAGAZINE • ISSUE #43