Since appearing in
Final Fantasy V, Faris has received positive reception, particularly as a female video game character. In a Japanese poll on players' favorite
Final Fantasy women, Faris ranked eighth, tied with
Garnet from
Final Fantasy IX. She is also regarded as the most memorable and interesting character in
Final Fantasy V by Heidi Kemp of
GamesRadar+, author Chris Kohler, and
IGN staff, the latter which identified her as the 11th best
Final Fantasy character. Marshall Lemon of
Escapist Magazine also regarded Faris highly among its cast, questioning why she does not have her own game.
Nintendojo staff described her as among the best female video game heroines due to her physical strength, valor, and defiance of stereotypes as a woman and princess. Shayera the Starsword of
RPGamer enjoyed her character archetype and noting her as an exception to a lack of cool female characters in
Final Fantasy. Chad Concelmo of
Destructoid praised Faris' outfit for being an interesting spin on pirate's garb and for being complex in a similar way to Faris. They took issue however with the raised collar and "too-high boots".
RPGamer writer Cassandra Ramos considered Faris one of her favorite characters, saying that her character development was subtle, but was nevertheless noticeable, making Faris a memorable character for her. She appreciated Faris' relationship with Syldra, as well as how she comes to accept both her life as a pirate and as a princess. In an observation of how
Final Fantasy V improved the surrounding franchise, Sarah Prado of
GameRant cited Faris specifically. In one aspect she drew attention to how the character introduced the concept of crossdressing to the franchise. In particular she noted that some of Faris' in-game outfits appeared masculine, a tone later shared by some outfit options provided for
Final Fantasy X-2s
Paine and
Final Fantasy XIIIs
Lightning. Moreso though Prado felt Faris helped pave the way for stronger female characters in the franchise, noting that while the series prior had strong women they were often portrayed as delicate and feminine. Faris on the other hand "is brash and tough" with "
tomboyish" aspects that were echoed by female characters in later
Final Fantasy titles that were portrayed as being "a little rough around the edges" than their fellow female party members. Jonathan Remoiville in the book
La Légende Final Fantasy IV & V praised Faris' journey of self discovery, and how her interactions with the party not only allowed her to open up but also display her bravery and resourcefulness. He further added that despite being a princess, her rejection of a luxury life of a princess but also preferring her traveling companions over her previous pirate life illustrated her evolution of character. He additionally noted the symbolism in her names, feeling they helped further illustrate her fighting spirit, while also showing the developers wanting to give her an "exotic side" in Remoiville's eyes. He further drew comparison between her artwork and in-game sprites; while the artwork portrayed her as a pirate, her sprites invoked imagery of a thief through the use of a bandana and bracelets. This coupled with the imagery of her name illustrated the two sides of her character to Remoiville: the warrior and the ruffian. He closed with describing her as "a colorful heroine, associated with many questions about the relationship to gender and self-acceptance", fitting with
Final Fantasy Vs adventurous spirit. Her
pirate accent in the
PlayStation release of Final Fantasy V was controversial for not matching the original Japanese dialogue. Writers Aaron Lakuszka, Jeremy Parish, and Joe Juba for
Nintendo World Report,
1UP.com, and
Game Informer respectively particularly appreciated the English version of
Final Fantasy V Advance for removing this aspect of her dialogue and found it one of its highlights. ==References==