An apology and a quick word about Final Fantasy

Due to reasons of health, I was unable to do three of my promised blog entries: Final Fantasy 11, 12, and 13. I apologize, but my health comes first. I'm still a little weary, but I really wanted SOMETHING to close this month of Final Fantasy, so here's a quick word about the franchise.

What is it about Final Fantasy that has earned it so many fans?  Well, we need to take a step back and look at what Final Fantasy actually is. Well, Final Fantasy is an RPG franchise that has been known, through its numbered iterations (at least from 4 to 9) to push the technological capabilities of whichever console the games were featured. It is a franchise that often features long stories while also having slow, menu based game play. It is one of the best selling RPG, as well as video game franchises in the world, and its name is synonymous with J-RPG. Along with Dragon Quest, this series helped revolutionize the RPG genre, and helped open up the RPG market. It is no exaggeration to say that, many modern RPG franchises owe their very existence to this series.

But what about the series itself? Why is it so famous? Well, this is a franchise that has often, though not always, churned out hit after hit. Starting with Final Fantasy 3, and ending with Final Fantasy 11, nearly every entry would garner near unanimous praise from professional critics and consumers alike. The few exceptions would be Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, released after Final Fantasy 4 in the American market and often viewed as a mistake, and Final Fantasy 10-2, the first (game) sequel to a Final Fantasy, in this case Final Fantasy 10, which, to be honest, was nowhere near as good as the original. After Final Fantasy 11, most entries would be either "love it or hate it", like Final Fantasy 13, "serviceable" like Final Fantasy 12, "pretty darn entertaining" like Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, or downright horrid, like Final Fantasy: All the Bravest, the single most abysmally reviewed entry in the entire franchise, and the SOLE entry in this franchise to be described by TV Tropes as So Bad It's Horrible.

So, what we have here is a franchise that has many well reviewed entries, and that has actually even helped shape an entire genre, as well as opening up said genre's market. But this is what makes the franchise "influential". What is it that makes the genre LOVED? After all, this is one of the few franchises that has lived from the 8 Bit era to the HD era! There are over 20 entries in the franchise; you don't get that many entries in a franchise without having a solid fanbase. So, what makes this series so loved?

It's a hodgepodge of reasons, some of which can not be put to the written word, but I'll try my best. You know, every video game offers the player a chance to experience something different. Super Mario allows the player to experience cutesy worlds while hopping about to find a lost princess. Sonic breeze through amazingly detailed stages at high speeds, sometimes making one feel as if they are on a roller coaster. The Sims helps one observe the daily lives of fictional people. Well, Final Fantasy allows one to experience an epic story of good versus evil.

But it's so much more than that. Final Fantasy lets the player experience new worlds, worlds that often the player wishes he or she could explore in real life, that they could be REAL. It offers characters that the player often identifies with, looks up to, and in the case of the villains, often loves to hate.

The series is popular because the player resonates with the series. Many of its games are emotional roller coasters. What gamer didn't stand up in shock when Galuf died fighting Exdeath in Final Fantasy 5? How many gamers dropped their controllers to the ground in horror upon witnessing Kefka destroy the world in Final Fantasy 6 after spending at least six game hours working to prevent such a thing? How many gamers wept when Aeris was killed in Final Fantasy 7? How many fists pumped into the air in triumph when Sephiroth was killed once and for all? How many tears were shed when Tidus ceased to exist in Final Fantasy 10?

Final Fantasy is a series that has created an innumerable amount of memories in gamers across the world. It's this love, for many unconditional, for others waning from the disappointment in a company that has seemingly forgotten what got it ahead in the first place, that keeps this franchise alive and profitable. Why is Final Fantasy so popular? Because it is a franchise that creates unforgettable experiences to the player, makes them feel more alive. Final Fantasy is famous because people love it, and people love it because they experienced many emotions playing.THIS is the sole measurement of a game's quality and of a franchise' staying power. 

Final Fantasy 10- An Age Ends, Another Begins

The year was 2001. The era of the Playstation 1 was completely over. The Sega Dreamcast had died, and with it came an end to the gaming market of the 90's. Everything was changing, including the RPG market. In July of 2001, Squaresoft released one of their last games as an independent franchise, often seen as one of the greatest games in the series: Final Fantasy 10.

This may be our last chance to listen to his story.

Final Fantasy 9- Golden Age's Twilight Hour

The year was 2000, and the RPG's golden age was in its twilight years. Classics were being released left and right, even if there were some, shall we say, hiccups (like Time Stalkers for the Dreamcast). The genre was at its most diverse: some games could push for a more futuristic, Sci-Fi feel, like Final Fantasy 8 and Xenogears, while other titles tried for a more whimsical look and tone, like Legend of Mana. Some titles went for deep and convoluted stories, like Chrono Cross, while others still tried telling simpler, easy to follow tales, like Grandia. The Fifth Generation of video games was ending, and in its place would arise the Sixth Generation, the one where gaming would truly become far more diverse and profitable. And on this year, Squaresoft released the game that would celebrate their best selling franchise: Final Fantasy 9.

You are not alone, just under appreciated

Final Fantasy 8- Read Between the Lines

A year after releasing what many consider the greatest game ever made, Squaresoft released their follow up title, Final Fantasy 8. Expectations were higher than ever, and this was a game that was, unfortunately, in the shadows of not just one of the greatest games ever made, but it was heir to one of the most celebrated and venerated RPG franchises in history. So, with expectations THIS high, anything less than pure perfection was bound to disappoint. And did it? Well, yes, it did let a lot of people down at the time of its release, mostly because gamers expected "Final Fantasy 7-2". But, is the game good by its own merit? Well, let's take a good look at it.

Is it an epic? No, but it's epic.

Final Fantasy 7- A Company's Magnum Opus

The year was 1997, the FMV was on its last legs, and the Sega-Nintendo Console War ended with Nintendo the undisputed winner. The Sony Playstation was slowly gaining momentum, and CD based gaming was becoming the clear path that the gaming industry would take, leaving behind cartridges forever. And on that year, Sony unveiled what many consider their best game, and what some even go so far as to call the greatest game ever made... Final Fantasy 7.

Ten million copies sold, for a reason.

Final Fantasy 6- An Era Peaks

The year was 1994, and the RPG was just getting through its early Golden Age. Final Fantasy 4 had raised the bar on gaming narrative. Seiken Densetsu provided a rich plot with a unique weapons and magic system. Lunar: Silver Star was showing the world that the future in RPG's laid in animated cut scenes and voice work. And finally, Final Fantasy Mystic Quest showed the industry that the old standards just weren't gonna cut it anymore, that the RPG gamer was now much too sophisticated for what was acceptable less than 7 years ago. People wanted more: they wanted a deep story, they wanted unique characters, they wanted a rounded cast, they wanted a unique fantasy world that could engross them, they wanted to lose themselves in the narrative, they wanted a good guy they could root for, they wanted a bad guy they would want dead and hopefully in the best boss fight possible. However, the North American market, one of the biggest video game markets in the world, second only possibly to Japan at the time if it was ever second to anyone at all, still had the RPG as a niche genre. That was about to change with Square's darkest, grimmest game yet, Final Fantasy 6.

More popular in America than in Japan

Final Fantasy 5- Time for Fun

Final Fantasy 4 really changed the way the RPG was made, but the genre itself was just a niche market, inaccessible for the common, every day gamer that was used more to jumping on turtles as an Italian plumber than to reading an epic story starring a Dark Knight with a troubled past. People wanted to play for fun, and when you get down to it, that's what video games are for. So, what's a game company to do? Make a game about death, loss, despair, with a genocidal monster clown and starring a cast of varied characters that have suffered soul crushing losses? Actually, Squaresoft simply made a game that was considerably lighter, softer, easier and simpler than their previous game. They made Final Fantasy 5.

Cute artwork, isn't it?

Final Fantasy 4- Growing the Beard

The year was 1991, the 8 Bit Era was officially over, and the 16 Bit Era had begun. It was the dawn of the greatest Console War in the history of the industry, and both Nintendo and Sega were bringing out video games that would become instant classics. During this year, Squaresoft released what could very well be called one of their best games ever, beloved by many gamers the world over: Final Fantasy 4. The 90's were what I would very much like to call the Golden Age of the RPG, because this was when the genre was really releasing its best and most famous games. Final Fantasy 4 was no exception. This was only the second Final Fantasy to be released in the US (Final Fantasies 2 and 3 didn't make it at the time), so when this game was released, it was called Final Fantasy 2. However, since I've already covered the real FF2, I will refer to this game as FF4, regardless of how nostalgic anyone feels for the old (false) name.

There is no direction to go, but forward

Final Fantasy 3- Getting There

Two years after Final Fantasy 2 came out, the 8 Bit era of gaming was at its twilight years. The Sega Genesis was out, and the Super Famicom was on its way towards store shelves. However, the Famicom (or the NES, for us westerners) was still a popular console, and one that still had games being made for it, and one of those games was Final Fantasy 3, a game designed to push the Famicom's capabilities as far as possible. Because of its extremely complex coding, it was nigh impossible to translate, and in fact this would be the one Final Fantasy to take the longest to ship out outside Japan: a full 16 years had passed between its original 1990 release date, and its international 2006 release on the Nintendo DS. Furthermore, it must be said: there are so many substantial differences between the Nintendo DS and the Famicom version of the game, they may as well be two different games. However, the version I'll be talking about and analyzing today will be the Famicom version, for the simple reason that it came out first.

Allow me to introduce Sir Not-Appearing-In-The-Game

Final Fantasy 2- Growing Pains

Hironobu Sakaguchi did not, in any way, shape, or form, expect his 'final fantasy' to become such a huge hit. So, what's a game company to do when they have their first real hit? Why, cash in, of course! But how do you follow up a game changer like Final Fantasy? Well, if you ask Squaresoft, the route they took was to make a game that had NOTHING to do with the original, recycled some graphics, and called it the second game in the series. And then, they gave that name what was most likely the least sensible name that the gaming industry must have seen in the entire decade: Final Fantasy 2.

Wait, so this is the second Final Fantasy? So the first one wasn't final at all?

Final Fantasy 1- Humble Origins

Back in 1987, there was a failing game company named Squaresoft, that just couldn't seem to catch a break in the industry, what with how many of their games were failing. So Hironobu Sakaguchi, then president of Squaresoft, decided to release one last game before calling it quits, his Swan Song. After seeing how well Enix' game Dragon Quest had sold, Sakaguchi decided to make an RPG unlike any other. This was supposed to be his last project, hence he gave it the most ironic name ever given to a video game: Final Fantasy.

Can you hear that iconic theme in your head, just by looking at this box art?