This anime is the closest thing you will find to play an old jrpg.

Every episode is a new fucking sidetask. Go to enter the storage? You need the key? Want the key? Go to kill this monster. Want to kill the mosnter? you need the sacred sword. Want the sacred sword? you need to...

It never fucking ends.

And the plan was "quickly go to not japan and deal with the emperor fast so they stop chasing raphtalia so we can prepare for the next raid"