How the greatest Japanese RPGs of the '90s came to the West

The transformation began with some of Square's most beloved 16-bit games like "Final Fantasy VI" and "Chrono Trigger." These localizations by Ted Woolsey were, if not particularly sophisticated, at least quirky and eclectic, leading him to become a bit of a legend among JRPG fans. For "Final Fantasy VII," however, Square moved on from Woolsey and brought in Michael Baskett -- a film-subtitling translator. Despite smashing genre sales records in the West and earning rave reviews, "Final Fantasy VII" was dragged down by a localization that, even at the time, felt woefully inadequate. Baskett's translation was clinical, sometimes unreadable, and literal to the point of hurting the narrative.