Summary
For nearly forty years,theFinal Fantasyfranchise hasbeen responsible for some of the industry’s most celebrated and influential JRPGs. The combination of rich, complex mythology with both turn-based and real-time battles has been a slam-dunk since the series debuted in 1987. One of the many reasons for that success has been Square-Enix’s ability to create compelling worlds and systems that improve as players progress.
Many ofFinal Fantasy’sbest games are ones that have seen an escalation in the story, the expanding world, and increased threat levels. The further into an adventure that players find themselves, the more intrigue and chaos they find themselves in the middle of. The series has always had the incredible ability to merge its distinct flavors of traditional fantasy and science fiction with engaging combat systems. These games have been ranked based on their stories, escalation in combat and stakes, as well as the expansion of their own self-contained mythology.
Final Fantasy Type-0was one of the last games in the Fabula Nova Crystallis subseries, which has been dormant sinceFF15launched in 2016. This fascinatingFinal Fantasyspin-off series ties back into the franchise’s origins, with a focus on crystals as the baseline of its mythology.Type-0made excellent use of that to inform its world and characters. With its fast-paced action combat system andcharming cast of characters,Final Fantasy Type-0is still one of the franchise’s most fascinating entries.
Taking place in the land of Orience,Final Fantasy Type-0is also one of the darkest games in the franchise, opening with a dead Chocobo and a bloodied soldier. It introduces its fast and furious combat system in tandem with its characters, with each one complimenting the other as the game progresses. Each new student introduced pushes the narrative forward, as its complex tale of political maneuvering and interpersonal relationships are a delight to watch unfold. The combat also improves over time. Adding more party members and taking part in the game’s real-time strategy-style skirmishes brings a sense of variety that is unique toType-0.
Final Fantasy 12takes placein the kingdom of Ivalice. This setting was first introduced on the PS1 withTactics, and has become one of the franchise’s most popular locations. WithFF12, Square made Ivalice the focus of a mainline entry for the first time. The game explores a world rife with political drama and conspiracies, and features a remarkable real-time combat system that would go on to influence the franchise in significant ways.Final Fantasy 12has become one of the most important entries in the history of the series.
After they leave the charming city of Rabanaste, the party finds themselves on one of the most epic, legendary journeys in the franchise. Its complicated tale of betrayal and loyalty is phenomenal, and only gets better as more characters are introduced, and the stakes begin to rise. The complexity of the battle system also starts to come into better focus once players get deeper in, as the flexibility and customization ofFF12pushes the pace of the game brilliantly. Becoming involved in its thrilling story, exciting combat system, and deep mythology is what allowsFinal Fantasy 12to get better and better as it goes on.
Final Fantasy 13marked the beginning of the Fabula Nova Crystallis subseries, which Square-Enix used to tap into the origin of the franchise with crystals as the focus of the mythology. What would become a series of games starring a stoicsword fighter named Lightningfirst launched in 2009, and was the primaryFinal Fantasystory for nearly five years. However, the first entry still managed to stand out as the best in the trilogy.
Final Fantasy 13takes a bit of time to get moving. It carefully maneuvers chess pieces around in the first 2–3 hours to set up its stakes and establish what is still one of the best parties in the franchise. But once the player reaches chapter three, the story starts to open up and combat comes into its own.Final Fantasy 13finds its footing rather quickly after that. The interactions between the party members become much deeper and more engaging, and the complexity of the combat starts to show off in full force.
After deciding to split the remake ofFinal Fantasy 7into a trilogy, it was exciting to think about where Square-Enix would take the second chapter, and they didn’t disappoint. Released four years after the first chapter,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthchronicles the party’s fateful journey from Kalm to the Forgotten Capital and spends a considerable amount of time re-establishing where everyone is and what’s at stake.
It was a good decision, especially for people who came intoRebirthcold. But once the party departs Kalm, it becomes a non-stop thrill ride full of drama, betrayal, and poignant discussions about life and the fragile nature of humanity. Each section improves upon the last, as players go from one exciting location to the next, all while being treated to some delightful callbacks to the original game and someincredible open-world explorationand combat.Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthis an intoxicating experience that knows just when to up the stakes and how to challenge the player. Exploring its vast world and engaging with its improved combat system makes for one of the most incredible JRPGs ever made.
Final Fantasy 10was one of the reasons that many people bought the PlayStation 2 back in the year 2000. It was one of themost anticipated games of 2001and was a landmark release for both the franchise and JRPGs. Set in the world of Spira,Final Fantasy 10tells the tale of Tidus, a young man who is tasked with escorting a summoner named Yuna on a pilgrimage to defeat an ominous force known as Sin. This setup is what makesFF10so special, as the path to getting Tidus to meet Yuna is a winding road that takes him from the depths of an ancient city to the shores of Besaid.
Once players enter the expansive world of Spira,Final Fantasy 10starts to open up and becomes one of the most compelling, expertly told stories in franchise history. The chemistry between these outstanding characters is undeniable. Its traditional turn-based combat system is easily the best version of the classic combat, introducing new special abilities via the Sphere Grid.Final Fantasy 10is still one of the most popular entries in the history of the series. Its commitment to an unfolding, dramatic narrative steeped in Polynesian mysticism and fabulous battle system are just a few of the reasons why that is.
