In the heat of the launch of Final Fantasy VII Remake, we reviewed the most outstanding titles of the franchise based on FreeGameTips Reviews.
The wait is over. Final Fantasy VII Remake is already in stores. The reimagined version of the Squaresoft classic returns with an update that goes beyond graphic reworking. Square Enix has built an ambitious project that expands the story and modifies the playable mechanics. The study has dispensed with turn-based combat, which does not mean that the strategic factor has completely disappeared. Tetsuya Nomura, co-director and character designer, already said it in one of the episodes of Inside Final Fantasy VII Remake. Despite the change of focus in the combat system, the creator was clear that he should maintain numerical values, since he considers them to be the essence of the saga.
All Final Fantasy share common points, elements that are in each of the video games in the series. However, in the same way that there is a common link, gameplay has always offered new systems and unpublished stories. In fact, until the arrival of Final Fantasy X-2, there were no official sequels. Meanwhile, in recent years, the saga has struggled to find the formula. Hajime Tabata picked up the glove of Tetsuya Nomura in Final Fantasy XV, but in the final product the years of vicissitudes that his development had experienced were perceived.
Final Fantasy has not accidentally earned its reputation. The title created by Hironobu Sakaguchi in the 1980s saved Squaresoft from bankruptcy and became a clear competitor to Dragon Quest, although fate and circumstances have meant that both sagas are sheltered under the same umbrella after the merger of Square and Enix. After more than thirty years, dozens of video games on the market and many stories narrated, we took advantage of the premiere of Final Fantasy VII Remake to classify the games based on the notes we gave in FreeGameTips. Spin-offs and expansions are not taken into account in online games.
1. Final Fantasy VII, the debut of the saga in Europe
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The companies did not believe that JRPGs would be successful outside of Japanese borders. So Final Fantasy was not released in Europe until the seventh installment. However, the Squaresoft classic for PlayStation made its mark and became one of the most successful games in history, even in the West. This installment marked the end of a fruitful relationship between Nintendo and Squaresoft. The developers opted for the Sony platform, mainly because the Nintendo 64 cartridge format made it difficult to introduce cinematic scenes due to memory limitations. The questionable English and Spanish localization has finally been resolved, albeit in the remake.
Cloud Strife is a mercenary, a former member of the elite Soldier corps. Tired of working for Shinra, he signs a contract with the ecoterrorist group AVALANCHA, whose objective is to destroy the Mako reactors, managed by Shinra. The company is using that energy source to power the technology, something that is sapping the lifeblood of the planet. Cloud will be reunited with Tifa, but he will meet other characters such as Barret, Aeris, Red XIII, Caith Sith and other protagonists. ATB fights stand out for their material system, which has also been adapted in the remake.
The image belongs to current ports of Final Fantasy VII.
2. Final Fantasy VI, the great opera of Terra
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Like all games prior to the seventh chapter, the original version of Final Fantasy VI was not released in Europe until the PSX port was released. The Americans, on the other hand, did enjoy the work, although it was known as Final Fantasy III, a mess of numbers that was carried out to be consistent with previous releases in that territory. Later, when all the unpublished classics adapted to new systems, the titles returned to the correct order in the United States. Final Fantasy VI was the farewell of the two dimensions within the main saga.
Terra Branford is the first female lead in Final Fantasy. Since then, only Lightning, from Final Fantasy XIII, has had that role in the main saga, although some sequel has had female protagonists. The story of this chapter begins after the Magi War, a bloody battle that pitted humans and Espers. More than a millennium later, the powerful empire attempts to subdue all peoples under its boot. It is then that Terra, who lived controlled by the empire, meets Locke and joins the resistance.
3. Final Fantasy IX, magic and medieval witchcraft
FreeGameTips Reviews (9.4)
PlayStation 2 was about to launch when Final Fantasy IX was released. PSX closed a golden trilogy with one of the most beloved titles in the entire saga. If Final Fantasy VIII opted for the realistic style, the ninth installment preferred to return to the superdeformed models, with big-headed characters. The medieval tone was mixed with technology in a work that stood out for many reasons, among which was the magnificent soundtrack by Nobuo Uematsu, the lead composer of the saga. Direction shifted from Yoshinori Kitase to Hiroyuki Ito, director of Final Fantasy IV, VI, and XII.
Yitán is a young thief who is part of the Tantalus theater band. The narrative begins with the kidnapping of Princess Garnet von Alexandros, from the city of Alexandria. Surprisingly, Garnet wishes to leave his home at all costs, so he willingly accompanies the bandit gang. Things have not been going well in the kingdom for a long time, as dark forces have infiltrated the heart of Alexandria. Final Fantasy IX takes literally the title that gives the saga its name and offers an adventure full of fantasy, adventure and magic.
4. Final Fantasy X, the summoner's duty
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Some consider that it is the beginning of the end of the saga as it was known until then. Worldmaps had been an untouchable element in the series, something that disappeared in Final Fantasy X. Just because it was more linear doesn't mean there were no things to do, as Squaresoft respected exploration and added additional tasks and challenges. In addition, its combat system, also by turns, implemented unpublished elements, such as the possibility of replacing characters in the middle of the battle.
Tidus, star of Blitzball, the particular sport of Zanakard, suffers the attack of a huge beast while playing one of his matches. The young man does not die at the hands of Sinh thanks to the accurate and quick performance of Auron. When Tidus awakens, he is in an unknown place. There he will meet Rikku and will come into contact with a good number of characters, including the summoner Yuna. Every ten years, the mighty Sinh resurrects and the corresponding summoner or summoner must sacrifice and die so that everything returns to normal during that time period. The turn comes to Yuna, who will embark on a journey where she will discover love and many other things. The sequel, Final Fantasy X-2, loses its serious tone and offers a more casual experience.
5. Final Fantasy IV, the first of SNES
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The new generation of consoles suited the JRPG genre, which could finally shine with a more dazzling graphic section. In the case of Final Fantasy IV, the gameplay benefited greatly, as it was the game that established the ATB (Active Time Battle), designed by Hiroyuki Ito. It differs from the original system in that it adds a bar that determines when teammates will be able to attack. Yes, the work system disappears.
Cecil Harvey, Dark Knight, fights alongside Baronia's army as captain of the Red Wings fleet. To his right, one of the Draconarius and childhood friend Kaim. The sovereign's orders are far from the measure he had shown in the past, so many begin to wonder what has happened to him. Cecil transmits suspicions to the king and he relieves him of command and sends him on a mission where he will finally open his eyes.
6. Final Fantasy VIII, love and war
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After the success of the seventh installment, it was difficult to offer a product that excited gamers in the same way as the previous installment. Final Fantasy VIII was the second game in the series for PlayStation, a production that came out two years after Final Fantasy VII. Director Yoshinori Kitase, who was also in charge of Cloud's adventure, opted for a link-based combat system, which did not fully crystallize. Unlike other chapters, magic was perishable, in the sense that it worked like objects. Based on links, character and weapon stats were also changing.
Squall Leonhart is not what the life of the party is saying. Of taciturn and timid character, the young man prepares to become Seed, an elite body that is dedicated to fulfilling contract assignments, although his ultimate goal is to end the witches. Classes in Balamb's Garden precede the final exam that Squall and other classmates must attend if they wish to meet their goals. Once they graduate, they will embark on an epic story full of adventure and betrayal, in which love will not be lacking. A romantic love with Rinoa (hence the Final Fantasy VIII logo, which shows both protagonists embraced), but also love between friends.
7. Final Fantasy XII, a different battle system
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The historical context for Final Fantasy XII (PlayStation 2) is preceded by the box office failure of Final Fantasy: The Inner Force, a film directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi that almost ruined Squaresoft, to the point that it had to merge with Enix. The operation ended with the departure of Sakaguchi himself and with the goodbye of Nobuo Uematsu, who founded the company Smile Please. The latter's relationship with Square Enix was not entirely extinguished, since he has participated in other projects. Be that as it may, the situation of this twelfth installment was complicated due to the illness of its director, Yasumi Matsuno. Ito replaced him when he could not continue his work.
In Final Fantasy XII, the brothers Vaan and Penelo dream of a future as space pirates. Of course, in that attempt they will soon be faced with problems of all kinds. The death of the emperor gives rise to a complicated succession and a belligerent attitude of the new emperor. The plot takes more political sides and modifies its battle system, which does not neglect turns, but abandons random combat. The player sees the enemy at all times in the scenarios, so he can avoid them if he wishes. The Gambits system is also implemented, which automates the actions of the allies. The sequel, Revenant Wings, is a strategy game for the Nintendo DS that continues the story of the original.
8. Final Fantasy XIV, the phoenix
FreeGameTips Reviews (8.5)
The premiere of Final Fantasy XIV Online can only be described in one way: disastrous. His infamous debut coincided with a delicate moment within Square Enix. Final Fantasy XIII had not convinced and Versus XIII was still in limbo, which caused concern among fans of the saga. But the Japanese reacted, boy did they! Change of director through, the studio worked on a version that came out a year later. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn was reborn, as its title says, and has become one of the highest rated MMORPGs in history.
That the title is online does not imply that it does not have a narrative load. The premise reflects a constant period of war between the nations of Eorzea, so determined in their battles that they fail to see the actions of an empire located to the east, Garlean, which is approaching to destroy Ala Mhigo. Faced with this common enemy, they must unite and raise their weapons against the invader. It should be noted that Nobuo Uematsu returns to the composition of the soundtrack.
9. Final Fantasy V, the consolidation of the work system
FreeGameTips Reviews (8.5)
Final Fantasy II may have laid the foundation for the craft system, but it wasn't until the third installment that the mechanics were fully implemented. Final Fantasy IV, the first SNES, left it parked, but the fifth chapter reinforced that system, which has appeared recurrently ever since, even in spin-offs like Final Fantasy X-2. As for Final Fantasy V, it has never had the significance of IV and VI, despite the fact that its quality is unquestionable.
The four crystals again take center stage, since in the mythology of this title, when one of the crystals is destroyed, the corresponding element disappears. If it happens, an evil spirit will return from the dead and wreak havoc on the world. The plot puts us in the shoes of Bartz, a character who travels with his chocobo just at the precise moment that a meteorite falls on the earth. The young man approaches to investigate the crater and discovers a girl, whom he must help.
10. Final Fantasy XI, the first online game in the saga
FreeGameTips Reviews (8.5)
In its day it was controversial that Square Enix decided to catalog Final Fantasy XI Online as a video game in the main saga. However, all of its essential elements remained, including the story, the invocations, and many other aspects of the classics. Time has proved him right, since since its release on PS2 and PC, the title has remained alive and has worked very well in the MMORPG market, which motivated the company to try again with the fourteenth chapter .
The narrative is set twenty years after the Crystal Wars, which pitted San d'Oria, Bastok, and Windurst against the host of an evil enemy. Of course, being an online project, it received a lot of extra content that expanded the main game.
Next, we leave a brief review with the rest of the titles of the saga:
Final Fantasy, the beginning of everything
Squaresoft was in serious financial trouble when Hironobu Sakaguchi started working on a new RPG, a novel game concept that Dragon Quest also explored. Both sagas entered into a kind of competition, but they were different enough that each maintained its own identity. Developed by a team of just seven people, the titles managed to save the studio from total bankruptcy.
The basic concepts that appear in Final Fantasy begin to draw some of the main lines that continue in the saga to date. We speak, for example, of the crystals of power or of the construction of the protagonists, often predestined to become heroes.
Final Fantasy II, more and better
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If the original game was released in 1987, it would not take long for Hironobu Sakaguchi's team to repeat. Final Fantasy II saw the light exclusively for the Japanese market, back in December 1988. The main lines remained the same, although this time it is allowed to save up to four different games. It also highlighted the embryo of the work system, since the characters could freely carry the weapons or magic that the player wants and train the protagonist to reinforce a certain type of work.
Firion, María, Guy and León are four young people from the kingdom of Fynn who have a common past: their parents were assassinated by the Palmecia empire, which used hellish monsters in its attempt for world domination. The emperor considered the boys dead, but they survived thanks to the care of characters such as Hylda or Minu, despite the fact that León remained missing. Everyone will join the cause to banish the forces of the night.
Final Fantasy III, a step forward
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On November 21, 1990, Nintendo released Super Nintendo, its new 16-bit video game platform. That same year, Final Fantasy III made an appearance, but not as a product for SNES. The 8-bit of the Kyoto ones still had life ahead, so Squaresoft prepared a final installment for that system. In playable terms, many of the mechanics of the previous ones were collected, although the work was reinforced with new features that would continue in later chapters, such as the possibility of attacking members of your own team.
At the plot level, the classic story of good and evil is told. The balance between the two forces breaks and the four warriors of light appear with the aim of reestablishing it. The wrestlers will embark on a mission where they will discover their own role in history.
Final Fantasy XIII, a controversial installment
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Since Final Fantasy VII, the saga had been linked to PlayStation consoles, something that changed again with PlayStation 3. Square Enix decided that Final Fantasy XIII would also enjoy a version for Xbox 360. Directed by Motomu Toriyama, the game redefined the gameplay, this time in a direction that many gamers didn't like. Its linear structure followed the precepts of the dungeon crawler more than the JRPG of a lifetime. Instead, its sequels – Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Lightning Returns – led to a more extensive exploration of the world.
Anima, a Fal'Cie from Paals, threatens to turn all the inhabitants of the area into Lu'Cie, so Sanctum orders the exile of all people in contact with Anima. While The Purge takes place, Lightning tries to save his sister Serah from a terrible fate. Everything will be complicated when the NORA resistance group begins one of its operations and the mother of a boy, Hope, dies soon after.
Final Fantasy XV, a kingdom in danger
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Director Hajime Tabata didn't have it easy with Final Fantasy XV. The title was born as Final Fantasy Versus XIII, a game that was planned exclusively for PlayStation 3, but whose development was mired in a spiral of problems that forced Square Enix to cancel the project. Tetsuya Nomura, until then director, was relegated from the management, while Tabata took over the reins of the project. Essentially, some of the main characters were rescued, as well as certain aspects of their world and original script, but the rest were remade.
The evil Empire of Niflheim invades the Kingdom of Lucis when they were preparing to sign a peace agreement. It is a plot hatched by the emperor to seize the crystal, an artifact of incredible power. The ruler does not count on the survival of Prince Noctis, who was outside the kingdom at the time of the invasion. From abroad, Noctis listens to the news of the death of his father, King Regis, so he will have to undertake a journey across the world to regain the throne and save his people. The team led by Hajime Tabata transports the spirit of the Road Movie in a video game that is not without its problems, which was corrected later by free updates.
