Currently playing through each of the Final Fantasy games and ranking them as I go. For some of these games, it’s my first time. For others, this might be my fourth or fifth play through. For the most six mainline entries, I’m playing the Pixel Remaster. For VII, VIII, IX, X-2, and XII, I’ll be working through the Switch re-releases. The XIII trio are going to be played on X-Box 360, while the rest are being played on the most modern consoles available.
I suppose you can call me Mr. Hot Takes, because I’m going to diverge from the hive mind of Final Fantasy fans. Hold your hate mail!
Currently playing: Final Fantasy V
1. Final Fantasy IV
It’s been said (by me) that Final Fantasy IV starts better, but Final Fantasy VI ends better. For my money, this is the FF that I’ll never be able to forget. Dark Knight Cecil’s journey of redemption ranks amongst the best of all gaming narratives.
2. Final Fantasy X
FFX is an incredibly strong game due to its cast and its setting. Pulling JRPGs out of medieval times into the sunlight was the desperately needed trend that got us games like Skies of Arcadia and Chrono Cross. These games often run from 40 – 60 hours, and you just want to see something beyond brown and grey sometimes. The cast also stands several cuts above par, as does the central villain. The critical drag, though, happens toward the end of the game and its incredibly cheap and infuriating ultimate weapon missions.
3. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
It’s a big credit to Final Fantasy VII that even minor characters can spin off compelling games decades later. But Zach Fair is more than just a minor character, and this is more than a spin-off. Crisis Core walks us right up to the first moments of the original FFVII and adds a metric ton to the universe of Final Fantasy VII. The remake, Crisis Core Reunion, is makes this game a pleasure in just about every respect.
4. Final Fantasy II
With a very unique leveling system, FFII has become the black sheep of the series. I’d argue, after the quality of life fixes in the Pixel Remaster, that it’s time to reassess this gem. Other than some highly annoying backtracking throughout the story, Final Fantasy II is a thoroughly underrated treasure to play. The previous game in the series prompted you to name your blank-slate characters, while this one gave the protagonists default names and personalities. Yet the battle system, which rewards stats by the ones you use most, let you put a bigger stamp on your characters. Are you a heavy magic user by default? Then your characters will shift in that direction. Delightful.
5. Final Fantasy X-2
There is certainly a charm to this game and I love the jpop sort of vibe this sequel gives off. Was Final Fantasy X deserving of this send-off? Sure, the original game’s ending wasn’t really sullied with this sequel. Could X-2 have been better? Absolutely. The mission system just doesn’t do it for me. I would have preferred a tighter narrative, frankly. For a better implementation of a mission-based structured in a Final Fantasy title, check out the remake of Crisis Core.
6. Final Fantasy I
Yup, it’s a classic and incredibly hard to fairly position a property that set the rules of the game. Given that it’s the modern era, I had several available ways to play the game — Final Fantasy Origins on PS (through Polymega), Dawn of Souls on GBA (through Analogue Pocket), Final Fantasy I on PSP, etc. I decided to do my run-through on Pixel Remaster, because I wanted the right balance of modern convenience and the game’s original spirit. The game had a paper-thin story, the villain was… there, and I generally think that JRPGs with named characters work better than “hey, this main character could be YOU.” Positives: it’s a peppy and quick game and the six available classes offer a ton of flexibility for the time. All in all, this game is the par for the series — the games below this are sub-average, the games above it are above average.
7. Final Fantasy III
I was actually relatively disappointed with this one. Final Fantasy III heralded the beginning of traditional job class systems in Final Fantasy and brought in a couple additional series standbys, such as summons and battle commands. The game just wasn’t compelling and, even though the Pixel Remaster adds some serious quality-of-life improvements, it’s still a chore to play through at the end. When you drop a fairly boilerplate story on top of this game, it creates a fairly mediocre experience.
8. Final Fantasy XII
FFXII is a love-it-or-hate-it game. You can count me in with the hate-it crowd. Unlike the usual hater, I was impressed with the license system and the idea of programming a game to effectively play itself. I sincerely appreciate flexibility in a JRPG. I was substantially less enamored with the obnoxious characters and the endless desert vistas. I honestly cannot think of a character I liked. Even Balthier rode on my nerves within a couple hours. Worst of all, the story initially seemed deep and shadowy, but is ultimately brain dead.
