All Mainline Final Fantasy Games Ranked (Part 1/2)
When you hear the name ‘Final Fantasy, you probably have one of two reactions. Either: ‘Final Fantasy is my life and I am committed to it more than I will ever be to my wife’. Or: ‘Sorry I don’t watch anime’. This franchise is, by far, the most extensive JRPG series in history- with its 16th iteration on the horizon. Final Fantasy XVI is set to launch next summer, in what seems to be a mix-up of the formula gameplay-wise while reverting back to a well-loved medieval setting. In this vein, I think it's a good time to look back at the series, and which entries stand out among the rest. I believe that the best games in this franchise mix great characters, epic stories, and exciting gameplay while having a certain hard-to-describe charm about them. Following this, I’ll be doing my best to rank the mainline entries of Final Fantasy- excluding any spin-offs and the online games simply because I am terrified of going near any MMO since 6 months of my life disappeared with the Elder Scrolls Online. Also note that this is strictly my opinion and there are some very, very hot takes in this list- so you have been warned. So, let’s get on with ranking the final fantasy games from #13-#7 today.
13: Final Fantasy VIII
Starting off on probably the most controversial note of all, we have Final Fantasy VIII. Now, this game holds a very special place in my heart as the only game in the series that I actively hate. I hate the characters, I hate the story, and I hate main lead Squall’s failed attempt to copy everything that Final Fantasy VII’s Cloud was trying to be (and his hair- that’s the worst part). The storytelling of this iteration seemed to not only take a step down from its predecessor but also stumble off of a cliff entirely. There is a terrible love plot which I didn’t even realize was trying to be emotional until the tail end of the game (and it failed at that too). The biggest crime I feel is the junction system. While, yes, it certainly was unique, it was also the most grindy experience of the series. That wouldn’t usually be an issue- since the game already has optional grind fests like the overrated Triple Triad minigame, but the problem was that this was not optional. If you wanted to get anywhere stat-wise, you had to spend hours in a field killing the same boring enemies over and over again in a mind-numbing time pit of pain. For me, the 8th iteration in the franchise is the ugly, gross black sheep between VII and IX, and I’ll be sure to skip it next time I feel like throwing away another few months of my life playing the franchise.
12: Final Fantasy XII
While I can see maybe a few people agreeing with VIII’s place in this list, this is where I feel most people would start raising their pitchfork. I don’t hate XII (much), but it’s more like I feel that this is the most boring iteration of the series. You start the adventure in a dull desert town with about as much personality as the majority of the cast. There are six playable characters but really they only share two personalities between them. These consist of serious, we must complete the quest types and quirky, fun types. Ironically enough, even the quirky ones manage to grate on you after only a couple of hours. A lot of people enjoy the explorable wide-open areas from XII, but I’d counter with a question. Would you rather take a short walk in a lush, vibrant forest with diverse wildlife, or a long, arduous trek through hell? The areas have very little to do and the ‘side quests’ are the most obvious filler I've seen in the series. VIII wasn’t even this bland. It was worse, don’t get me wrong but at least the environments were diverse. Still, at least the gameplay system isn’t so bad (despite being unnecessarily complex), especially after the International Zodiac System was released with the remake. Still, unless you’re really into the world and characters, I can’t find much reason to recommend this one.
11: Final Fantasy II
Okay, I know I’ve been very negative so far, but VIII and XII are the only entries I find myself just really not liking. As for II, it’s just fine. The story is a very basic (but understandable considering when it was released) romp to stop an evil emperor and stars a cast of 3 permanent party members with a 4th that swaps out (and always inevitably dies). While this sacrifice of the temporary characters does get predictable and quite unimpactful towards the end of the journey, I can commend the developers for what they were trying to do. It also doesn’t hurt that these ‘bonus’ playable characters are the best part of the game in my eyes. However, the gameplay is where this entry truly falters. Hot off the heels of the studio-saving original Final Fantasy, Square was clearly feeling confident as they made radical changes to the sequel’s combat system. The way it works in this iteration is by increasing stats based on how they are used, such as magic increasing the more you use magic. While commendable for being experimental and not seeming all too bad, the main issue was how it worked. For example, if you wanted to increase your health, you had to make sure you got hit- which led to targeting your own party while whittling them down in an attempt to increase their stats. This made things very grindy and made battles a chore a lot of the time. You also had to be very strict with what you wanted your character to be from the very start- making this game possibly the least newbie-friendly iteration. Overall, Final Fantasy II is far from a terrible entry in the series, but its relatively bland story and subversive leveling system hold it back further than other games under the Final Fantasy umbrella.
10: Final Fantasy I
The original Final Fantasy deserves immense recognition for just starting the biggest JRPG franchise in years, but how well does it hold up to today's standards? Well, in most ways it's just okay. The story of this game seems to be as basic as it gets but does introduce a novel-for-the-time plot twist towards the end which is certainly interesting. Before this, however, it is just the generic ‘go to the four crystals across the land. This isn’t a bad thing by any means, as it did exactly what it set out to do. This game single-handedly saved Square and it introduced many conventions of Final Fantasy used to this day. The job system in this game is fun and allows for a lot of customization, although this is limited by the fact that you can’t change classes mid-way through the adventure like later entries. Despite this, the customization offered is impressive for the time, and you can’t help but be charmed by the simplicity of Square’s initial outing of the franchise. Overall, the original Final Fantasy is very basic in all of its aspects, but the fact that it is still playable and quite enjoyable today definitely raises its rank in terms of the Final Fantasy rankings.
9: Final Fantasy IV
Now, we’re back on track to the controversial entries. Final Fantasy IV is beloved for being really the first entry to have a deeper story, with dozens of characters. You play as Cecil, who undergoes a journey from dragoon to a white knight in a compelling but still pretty basic plot. What is most interesting about this entry is the constant swapping out of party members. While Final Fantasy II did have the final party slot changed pretty frequently, the fourth entry in the franchise goes overboard here. Constantly swapping out your four members for seemingly whoever the developers could think up. Old inventors, warrior monks- even children. Anyone is on the cards for this adventure, and strangely enough, this is IV’s biggest strength. The writing of this game is fantastic for the time, and although it took a step back from the freedom available in III (with each character having their set, unchangeable class), it is very clear what IV is trying to achieve- and it does so very well. This is really where the convention of Final Fantasy games have great stories begins, and I can see why it is some fan's favorite. However, for me, the story didn’t resonate as much as others on the list. On top of this, I do prefer freedom when it comes to what you can have your party do, and the constant swapping out of members really limited any availability to make a consistent party formation that I gelled well with. Despite this, IV was excellent and still holds up better than most to this day- especially considering the huge amounts of ports and remasters over the years.
8: Final Fantasy III
What I consider to be the best of the original 3-4 games in the franchise, Final Fantasy III has earned its place this high due to it nailing one of the greatest parts of the early games: the job system. This essentially allowed you to give each character different skillsets and abilities as you progress through the game, and it also amended the biggest problem with the first game. This truly is the highlight of the experience.It is important to note that this entry might have the weakest story of any Final Fantasy game if you look at the original- with the basic four crystals idea being used yet again with no interesting aspects about any of the characters. However, with the 3D remake, this was completely overhauled. This brought in names to each character and distinct personalities to go along with them. I think it's fair to allow this remake to be included since it is really the only way to legitimately play the game, as the original was a Japan exclusive. Either way, the gameplay, and battles are what really hold this experience up. By increasing the job roster consistently as you progress, the game really gives you a reason to continue the main questline, and the thrill you experience when you get a whole load of new abilities to play around with is really exciting. Final Fantasy III is what I find to be one of the most underrated titles in the franchise, and it’s mastery of the job system merits more love than its given.
7: Final Fantasy VI
Now, I know how this looks, and no. I don’t dislike every early final fantasy entry. In fact, I love the sixth entry in the franchise- just a little less than most of the fanbase. The story in this entry was certainly the most unique of the franchise yet. In fact, (spoilers for an 18-year-old game) around 2/3rds through the story, the villain Kefka wins and destroys the world. This was revolutionary at the time and the dark theme is an interesting twist on a formula that (up to this point) was mainly focused on the same medieval fantasy traditions. On top of this, the characters are very compelling, and most have fleshed out motivations and backgrounds that are really given room to breathe through this 40 hours-plus romp. This game was also the last for two iterations to allow four party members at once. Starting with VII, this was put down to three. I prefer the ability to have four members simply because of the options it opens up to you. Much like IV, each party member has their pre-assigned jobs and roles, but it isn’t so bad here due to the ability to customize spells and weapons in a way much more expansive than seen before. Overall, its easy to see why this entry was a fan favorite for many- especially those who grew up with it. However, I find that later entries in the franchise took what VI established and improved upon it enough to merit those being higher up. This isn’t to the discredit of VI, however, as I can’t understand the impact and excellence that this game brought to the table. However, much like IV, I think personal preference stops me from putting this entry any higher up.
Unfortunately, that’s where I’m going to stop this list for today. The next article coming next week will cover the best six games in the series- and will crown (completely objectively) which is the best Final Fantasy game released so far.
