Tim Rogers' in-depth video series on the translation of Final Fantasy is now complete and I really enjoyed it kotaku.com

I thoroughly enjoyed the video series having played the game to half completion as a kid. I have been thinking of revisiting FF7 and finishing it but now, thanks to Tim's video series, I feel no need to do so anymore. Now I know what the game is about, what's so special about Aeris' death and so on.

The series is six hour long and if you're interested in the topic even vaguely, I would recommend it whole-heartedly, no matter if you're interested the special problems of Japanese translations, video game localization, JRPG history, Final Fantasy or just understanding the story better. There are also plentiful anecdotes about Tim's life which I totally enjoyed and a livestream episode with good chat.

If you've never played the game before and you're wondering whether to watch the series or play the game in English first, I'd honestly recommend the videos. After you've seen it, you can understand what nuance went missing in the translation and the game should be a more comprehensible experience. I don't think spoilers matter in comparison.

The series is one of my favorite YouTube series of all time. It's an uniquely deep foray into a game. It's fun precisely because it takes its subject matter seriously without being fannish. The game is, according to Tim, kindergarten Dostoevsky, but in a world where games tend to be kindergarten Spielbergs, he'll take it.