It’s fun to watch the melt down over the FF series, like oh the last “real” FF was X or XII depending where they sit. Um no? FF was turn based we get that and it did turn based better than most. After all in the older generations every RPG was compared against FF.
Here’s the thing FF has always evolved, always changed, no two games were ever the same AND YES THATS A GOOD THING! You can play them in any order and not worry about lore and those before/after. Unless it’s addressed as being in the same world. X-2 for example, XIII-2 and XIII-3.
But some things have and always will remain consistent. Great characters, great worlds, and ALWAYS an engaging story! This is why FF and Square have the place they have. Sure they’ve made missteps, 13 was fairly linear, the lack of “open world” since XII has kinda been and adjustment.
So what do they have in common, the thread that makes them a Final Fantasy game? Story telling. Without doubt some of the very best. Final Fantasy was a great entry and for the time 1983, reset the direction a small developer was going, lets not forget Square were all but bankrupt before Final Fantasy turn the companies fortunes around. So it’s so it’s spun upward of 40 titles with the name Final Fantasy. 16 mainline entries and various spin offs.
The fact is Final Fantasy’s story telling has always remained top notch. They always draw you in and always make you want to play. I started my journey with Final Fantasy VII, back in 1999 (I was late to the PlayStation era).
I fell in love with the way they tell stories, and it’s the first game I played I can remember wanting to play again. This hadn’t happened since Zelda Link to the Past. I was a Sega boy through and through but I did enjoy Zelda. I borrowed my Uncles SNES so I could play it. But the way the world of FF7 draws you in is amazing. So much so I replayed it on the PS4 after it was re-released, I think this may be the only game I’ve bought on every platform.
So admittedly was very nervous for the Final Fantasy VII Remake, because it was admittedly my golden game. I was never worried about them changing the game play style, or how it looks. It was only ever gonna look better but the games heart, it’s story, that’s what I wanted them to protect. And they did and then made it better. I was not prepared for the ending!
But of course as time passes, stances will often soften, for example Final Fantasy X-2 was widely hated upon release yet now its a lovable nostalgia trip. I think the game that got most hate was Final Fantasy XIII for it’s step away from the traditional norms of Final Fantasy, it was a very linear progression, a relatively straight run through the game. Sure you could hop around but progression was very linear. I personally enjoyed the story from thirteen and love Lightening as a character. It also of course spun off twice with FFXIII – 2 and FFXIII – 3. The only Final Fantasy Trilogy I remember.
Of course then came the horridly troubled development of Final Fantasy XV and that sadly it does show, it feels like a road trip with a boy band but the writing was still great. My biggest gripe was no central female character, something traditionally Final fantasy has does and does better than any other franchise.
Speaking of troubled development was Final Fantasy XIV 1.0, the disaster was so bad they literally blew up the game world to begin again, and a couple of years later rose as Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. In my opinion the very best writing of any Final Fantasy game. A gamed that has only gotten better with every update over the last decade. I only really ever intended to play until I got the Platinum trophy, yea I’m still here a decade later!
If you haven’t played this why not? I’ve literally been playing for a decade and anyone reading this blog has been here every step of the way! I mean I started with the Beta of ARR. If you haven’t played it you have no excuse the first three expansions are FREE to play. It’s currently on PlayStation and PC, and will next year finally arrive on XBOX.
The latest arrival of course is Final Fantasy 16, first of all this is done by Creative Business Unit III, the same team responsible for Final Fantasy XIV. So I was never worried about this game. It’s writing is hammered, well OK maybe the side quests can be a little lack lustre the story itself is great. The game play is simple, maybe too simple if you use the rings, though switch to Final Fantasy Mode, believe me it comes a whole other game!
It’s still a fantastic game, I’ve loved every second though admittedly I’ll be glad to see the back of Final Fantasy Mode, I’ve had to work to survive this. The last thing I need to do for this now will be the new DLC and the final one in January.
So I guess the point of this is the Final Fantasy purists are kinda focused on the wrong things, instead of looking what’s different on the surface look at the heart of Final Fantasy’s it’s always about the journey our heroes take. Because that has ALWAYS been consistent, their story has always been the very heart of the games they create.
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