Here is the conclusion of my list that began in “My Ranking of the Main Final Fantasy Games Part 1“.
6. Final Fantasy XIII
A controversial entry, I’m sure that many of you are shocked that I rank this game so highly. In contrast to many people, I actually like the characters and story (except for Snow who I found very irritating). The graphics are absolutely incredible (particularly for a 2009 game) with an art style that I actually prefer to the much more recent Final Fantasy XV. The combat system also feels highly engaging although I’ll admit that it takes far too long for the system to open up. There are also some annoyances with the game design (the fact that you get a game over if the main character is reduced to 0 hp is a very poor design choice for instance) but I have still found this game highly enjoyable and entertaining.
5. Final Fantasy VI
A very popular entry in the series, Final Fantasy VI has a very powerful story with a diverse range of entertaining characters. While there are many aspects of this game that I enjoy, what I remember most about this entry was how open the world felt around the halfway point in the game. The ability to go where you wanted contrasted very sharply with the usually linear nature of Final Fantasy and made this entry one of my favourites.
4. Final Fantasy VII
Undoubtedly the most popular Final Fantasy game, this entry brought a decidedly sci-fi feel to the franchise in sharp contrast to the fantasy style of the prior titles. Introducing 3D polygonal graphics for the first time and FMVs (Full Motion Video), it was a technical tour de force when it came out (I prefer the look of this game to the more realistic looking Final Fantasy VIII). This was backed up by a story that dealt with such themes as eco-terrorism, exploitation and, famously, the death of a loved one. That is not to mention that this particular entry has some of the best side-quests of any Final Fantasy.
3. Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy IV is the first entry of the franchise that I played and, as such, it holds a very special place in my heart. The story blew my mind away when I first played it, introducing me to such themes as redemption, self-sacrifice and revenge. This entry also introduced the ATB (Active Time Battle) system which would be the system used from this entry all the way up to Final Fantasy IX. Beyond that, it is a fantastic RPG with plenty of content and twists and turns to keep you engaged from beginning to end.
2. Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X is a wonderful game that introduces you to the strange but beautiful world of Spira. The setting is amongst my favourites of any game and is supplemented by a host of incredible characters. It introduced a new, highly strategic combat system and also seriously reworked how summons were used in battle. This is supplemented by perhaps the best character development system of any game I have played, the Sphere Grid. This system allows you to develop your characters in highly interesting ways (particularly if you pick the expert Sphere Grid at the beginning of the game).
1. Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy IX remains, not only my favourite Final Fantasy game ever but also my favourite video game of all time. Returning to the fantasy settings of titles prior to Final Fantasy VII, series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi described the game as ” closest to my ideal view of what Final Fantasy should be. ” I believe that the game has the best cast of characters of any Final Fantasy game as well as a story that expertly blends drama and comedy to create an adventure that moves effortlessly between the comedic interactions of its cast to dark moments that force the characters to rethink their views of their world. That is not to mention the graphics which, in my mind, are the very best of what the PS1 offered and I believe that this game is one of the few games from the PS1 era that remains graphically beautiful by today’s standard. I believe that anyone who loves, not only video games, but storytelling in general owes it to themselves to play this entry.
Hopefully you enjoyed reading my ranking of each Final Fantasy entry and I would love to see your lists which, I am certain, are very different to mine.
Thanks for reading and if you wish to seek any of the titles I mentioned, don’t hesitate to use amazon.co.uk or amazon.com for all of your needs! Also feel free to follow my curator page on Steam “JRPG Reviews” for thoughts and opinions on any JRPGs that I play and my YouTube channel “Victory Achieved Gaming” where I guide my friend through challenging games.