The Final Fantasy series has fifteen numbered titles in the main series, and many more sequels and spin-offs in the franchise. The obvious star of the franchise, the popular title that brings in the buyers, is Final Fantasy 7. Even before the remake, FF7 has always been at the forefront. Cloud and Sephiroth are icons for Square Enix, and they're also the only FF representation currently in Super Smash Bros. Cloud is perhaps the character that first comes to mind for many people whenever they hear the phrase "Final Fantasy."
It's certainly understandable why FF7 is so popular. The characters, story, and gameplay have all held up throughout the years. However, there's plenty of other games in the franchise that are just as compelling. While their characters may receive some attention in side games like the Dissidia series, their original stories deserve attention too.
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Final Fantasy 5 brought the expanded job system into the series and allowed for more freedom in its playstyle. Any party member can learn any job, and potentially all 22 jobs' abilities could become part of the party's skillset. This game was also the second game to use the ATB system, and improved upon it by having a visual marker of whose turn was up next. The game also introduced Blue Mages, Time Mages, and Mimes to the series.
Bartz is a fun FF protagonist, who manages to keep his easygoing adventurous personality in spite of his tragic backstory. Lenna and Faris are pretty well-rounded female characters, even if Faris' gender reveal is a bit eye-rolling in the modern day. Since the party sticks with the same five characters, players get to know them closely and build a real bond with them through the game. The dialogue balances drama and levity well, and the writing always feels sincere. Exdeath and Gilgamesh are also great as villains, with Gilgamesh providing more of the comic relief between the two.
While it's one of the more straightforward "classic fantasy" titles, FF5 works well as a bridge between the classic and more modern titles in the series. The game still holds up well, and it's become the centerpiece of the Four Job Fiesta annual charity event in which players play as four randomized jobs in the game. A updated remaster or spin-off to FF5 would be a welcome return to the franchise's nostalgic classic years.
Final Fantasy 8 has been a bit of a controversial title; fans of the series tend to love it or hate it. The story seems to be a main sticking point, with fans divided on Squall as a protagonist, as well as the romance that the story is centered on. With regards to being "angsty," Squall isn't really that much different from Cloud. Truthfully, a reason FF8 often gets forgotten may be because it had the bad luck of being a follow-up act to FF7. Expectations were raised, and the unique directions the gameplay and story took turned some players off. That said, fans of FF8 are dedicated, and some people enjoy its uniqueness amongst other titles.
The graphics were also a big criticism of the title; it was released during an awkward transitional period between stylistic models and attempts at realism. The remastered version of FF8 released in 2019 greatly improves on the visuals, however. Now that there's a remaster, it may be time to give FF8 another chance. First impressions may have caused this title to fall behind, but it may be time to return to it with a fresh outlook.
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After the more modern, sci-fi adjacent previous two games, Final Fantasy 9 was a return to more traditional fantasy. Even so, the world of FF9 is a unique fantasy world, taking inspiration from various time periods and genres. Shades of sci-fi inspiration are present in Terran technology and Bran Bal, for instance. The stylized character art is still appealing more than 20 years after its release, and the story's heartfelt emotion still resonates.
Zidane and Garnet are excellent protagonists who go through individual character arcs and have to gradually build a rapport with each other. Their romantic story feels well-earned by the end of the game. The little black mage Vivi is a bit of a breakout star, practically becoming a series mascot on his own and making an appearance in Kingdom Hearts 2. Kuja is a bit of a forgotten villain amongst the big names like Kefka and Sephiroth, but Kuja is just as powerful and destructive. His motives are also compelling, as he too is a Genome created to be a weapon and lives in fear of his own death.
The gameplay of FF9 is also notable, with plenty of side content and the Trance mechanic which makes for satisfying combat. FF9 tends to fall by the wayside in discussions of the franchise, but it deserves attention and perhaps new content in the future.
Games outside of the mainline series are worth looking at, too. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is rarely mentioned due to its spin-off status, but it has a fully fleshed out story and gameplay style worth trying out. The game has 34 job types, and also 5 playable races, including Moogles and Viera.
The story revolves around the main party of kids, who each have their own troubles and develop over the story. FFTA is unique in that it this party of kids come from the "real world" and Final Fantasy is a video game they find themselves in the world of. The fantasy world provides escapism from their real world pains, but by the end of the game, they realize that they can't live in a fantasy forever. It's an emotional story that's very unlike others in the series, and is definitely worth the experience for those who haven't played the game before. The visual style of the game would also influence future games in the series.
Final Fantasy has a wide array of games to suit different tastes for both story and gameplay. Newcomers to the series can pick from any point in the timeline, as each game is special in its own way. They all deserve their time in the limelight, even if they're not as popular as FF7.
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