After years of hype and comparisons to Game of Thrones, Final Fantasy XVI is finally out and everybody seems to like it. That's great news, because this is a franchise that has spent the last 36 years reinventing itself time and time again, all while helping to define and popularize the role-playing franchise outside of Japan. From the best-selling Final Fantasy VII to the countless spin-offs, this is one of the longest-running and most-enduring series of all time, as demonstrated by the fact that it's still going strong nearly four decades later. All this talk about the new, more mature sequel got me wondering what Electronic Gaming Monthly thought of Final Fantasy.
Now, before you ask, EGM ended up reviewing a total of 36 Final Fantasy games between 1989 and 2008. This includes pretty much every main-series installment before 2009's Final Fantasy XIII, as well as most of the remakes, re-releases and compilation discs. This even includes the various Chocobo spin-offs, as well as completely different franchises that Square cynically decided to sell in America as Final Fantasy games, such as Final Fantasy Legend on Game Boy. Unfortunately, they did not review the original Final Fantasy game on the Nintendo Entertainment System and there are a few other weird omissions, but with 36 games to talk about, I think we have a pretty great list on our hands.
What we're going to do today is count down the best and worst Final Fantasy games using Electronic Gaming Monthly's own words and scores. There's no editorializing here, we're going to focus on what the critics said when these games first came out. So, go and tell Cid to warm up the flying ship, because this is a mostly turn-based episode of EGM Ranks Final Fantasy.
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation 2)
#36
“Escort missions? Check. Mine cart section? Explosive barrels? Crates? Shoot X number of enemies before you get a key card for arbitrary gates? Checkmate. And even after nine years have passed, I'm still interested in the Final Fantasy VII lore – so why does it take so long for Dirge to actually feel like Final Fantasy VII? Boring new characters, dull music and drab interpretations of favorite locations have supplanted all of the original RPG's charm and character. Square has wasted an unbelievable amount of potential here.” (4.7 out of 10)
Final Fantasy II (PlayStation Portable)
#35
“Final Fantasy II is the black sheep of the series – and for once, that works in its favor. Since it doesn't play much like a normal Final Fantasy game, the jarringly non-Final Fantasy-like face-lift doesn't seem as out of place as it did with its predecessor. Honestly, with its odd skill system and relative freedom to explore, FFII has more in common with old-school U.S. PC role-playing games that with its console peers. This is a quick and lazy remake, though, based on the PlayStation and Game Boy Advance versions of the game; what it really needs is a total overhaul. Still, this is the first time Final Fantasy II has actually felt playable, and that's a remarkable achievement in itself.” (5.8 out of 10)
Chocobo's Dungeon 2 (PlayStation)
#34
“Boring. I can't find a better word to describe this RPG. Sure, the item mixing is slightly interesting, but that's just a drop in an ocean of repetitive and flat gameplay. The random dungeon thing isn't the problem either – it's the lack of a strong story line or game structure. I felt like there was no real point in going through dungeon after dungeon, except to find stuff and level up my Chocobo. The weak two-player co-op mode doesn't add much either.” (6 out of 10)
Chocobo Racing (PlayStation)
#33
“It goes without saying ... if you're a publisher, trying to establish a strong mascot presence, you MUST make a Mario Kart copycat. Chocobo Racing , unfortunately, fails to take the genre anywhere except up Cute Avenue. This game is very average in all areas (especially track designs). The power-up system is very bland and unbalanced. [...] Fans of Final Fantasy VII and combat racing may get a kick out of this ... otherwise, leave it for the kids.” (6 out of 10)
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales (Nintendo DS)
#32
“Judging this chocobo cash-in by its playful cover made me believe Square Enix had laid a golden egg. But after perusing this muddled tale of minigames, I discovered it's merely a decent adventure chock-full of filler. Some of the time-wasters are enjoyable, but most fail in the fun department. Still, I really dug the storybook art style and presentation.” (6.3 out of 10)
Final Fantasy XI Online (Xbox 360)
#31
“Maybe you're one of those four-years-in-the-making Final Fantasy XI experts itching to play your life's work on a next-gen console, with all its expansions wrapped in and better graphics – in which case you know all about the game's deep complexity and don't need to bother with the rest of us schmoes. Unfortunately, the rest of us schmoes are going to have real problems with this once-respectable MMORPG that just can't keep up with today's competition. Newbies will find themselves abandoned and bored on an ugly, lonely level treadmill that doesn't even introduce basic gameplay concepts.” (6.5 out of 10)
Final Fantasy (PlayStation Portable)
#30
“Fresh-faced Final Fantasy devotees will surely enjoy this umpteenth remake of the game that launched a million cosplay and fan-fiction atrocities, yet for oldsters like me who foggily recall questing through the original NES version, this latest rerelease feels a tad inessential. Distressingly little effort went into crafting this anniversary package: Square Enix merely cobbled together aspects from the PS1 and GBA remakes, touched up the graphics with high-resolution art, and added one new ultra-difficult dungeon at the game's end. But it's hard to stay mad at this RPG rerun – at least it's an enjoyable romp that remains surprisingly engaging 20 years later.” (6.7 out of 10)
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (Nintendo DS)
#29
“Not every fantasy has to take itself so seriously; The Neverending Story style here fits comfortably with the laid-back way that I play a handheld game. Not that I dispute the continuing shortcomings of the series – unwieldy menus and the inability to adjust the map make playing the game more difficult than it ought to be. But it remains worth it for all of the reasons that made the original Tactics so engrossing.” (B- out of A+)
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (Nintendo DS)
#28
“The way I see it, if you think of Final Fantasy XII as Star Wars, this sequel is more like Droids, the Saturday-morning spin-off without the maturity. But I can accept that, as well as the controls. Thing is, for a real-time strategy game, you just won't find much strategy in Wings – oftentimes the best tactic really is to rush in with everyone. And if you're losing, just back away, heal, then rush again. I suppose the further adventures of Vaan and friends will be enjoyable to some, but that alone doesn't turn Wings into an awesome RTS. It'd need more strategy for that.” (7.2 out of 10)
Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest (Super NES)
#27
“Another role-playing game from the folks at Square! The game is set up like your typical RPG with plenty of menus, actionless battle scenes and hours of searching for much needed items. The music is by far the most impressive aspect of the cart and the graphics are top-notch, too. The quest is good, but geared for the younger crowd.” (7.25 out of 10)
Final Fantasy Origins (PlayStation)
#26
“An exciting PS1 release in 2003? Yep. Kudos to Square for bringing this antiquated duo stateside – it's a nostalgic must-buy for Final Fantasy fanatics. The glossy new CG cinemas, nicely arranged soundtracks, and bonus art galleries will have longtime fans reeling with joy. I only wish these remakes looked better. A little animation in the battle backgrounds or snazzier spell effects would have really added some 32-bit flair. Regardless, these games are worth the $30 for RPG fans.” (7.3 out of 10)
Final Fantasy III (Nintendo DS)
#25
“OK, I can appreciate Final Fantasy III's pretty, bobbleheaded-esque graphical makeover and expansive job system, but this role-playing game still falls just short of being an award-winning remake. Even with all the changes, the narrative is a snoozer. And while I don't mind a game being hardcore, Final Fantasy III's dungeons are screaming for save points. Some might call me soft, but I bet even you folks will soon grow tired of searching out warp stones and praying you don't run into an enemy when you're close to flatlining.” (7.8 out of 10)
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Ring of Fates (Nintendo DS)
#24
“I found the controls awkward and frustrating – it's tough to manage your party and get to the right spells and positions midbattle. Inventory management is also tedious. But in the long run, I didn't really mind. Seeing your character's new gear equipped is awesome; it really lends a sense of accomplishment in what might otherwise be a rote hack-n-slash adventure.” (B out of A+)
Final Fantasy Legend III (Game Boy)
#23
“It's no secret that I dislike the Game Boy in general, but I happen to like role-playing games. The question remains, is this game good enough to make me forget the eye strain and green screen? In this case, the answer is yes. The story is great and the graphics are good for the Game Boy. If you enjoy running Zelda, this game will keep you busy on those long train trips. I have to admit to liking a Game Boy game.” (8 out of 10)
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles (GameCube)
#22
“I'm sorry if this sounds blunt, but calling this game Final Fantasy probably wasn't the greatest idea. Despite the moogles and traditional magic-spell names, this really isn't Final Fantasy – there are no experience points or leveling, and really not much of a story, either. Instead, you've got a fair-to-middling action RPG that graduates to a must-play experience with two or three friends. Just make sure you're playing with evenly balanced characters – the monsters seem like they're tuned to the strongest party member, so very weak characters could get crushed in their wake.” (8 out of 10)
Final Fantasy II (Super NES)
#21
“This is a totally awesome role-playing game. The storyline is actually coherent and the plot moves along with a combination of speaking sequences and battles. Sure, there's plenty of the old build up your abilities and move up a level play, but within a framework like this, how can you go wrong! Tasty game!” (8 out of 10)
Final Fantasy IV (Nintendo DS)
#20
“How many times does one game need to be remade? The DS version of Final Fantasy IV marks Square Enix's fourth revisiting of the classic Super NES role-playing game in seven years' time. At some point, you'd think that the word “overkill” might occur to someone over there. Still, I can't bring myself to come down too hard on this effort, because it's a total, comprehensive, modern revamp featuring wholly new graphics, extra story, new game mechanics, an improved, English localization – and even voice acting. Only the game's most die-hard fans won't resent this double dip.” (B out of A+)
Final Fantasy Chronicles (PlayStation)
#19
“If the term ‘classic, old-school role-playing game' conjures up fond memories of playing Final Fantasy VII, then Final Fantasy Chronicles is not meant for you. This is really old stuff, with antiquated interfaces and graphics. But this “stuff” is also the stuff of legends. We're talking enthralling story lines, great character development, innovative play mechanics and more. If you can get past how outdated these titles look and feel, you'll find a couple of gems in Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy IV, two of the best Super Nintendo RPGs ever.” (8.3 out of 10)
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (PlayStation Portable)
#18
“The dialogue from the original Tactics wasn't so much bad as it was blunt. The redone script feels like Joss Whedon got a hold of it, and that's a good thing. The plot is still ultra-layered and overly dense, but since the tactical combat is so good (if slow), most won't mind. Unless you have the two versions side-by-side, though, you'll likely miss the PSP-exclusive characters and jobs, and the “different” camera angles are still all but useless. But Tactics is still engrossing, time-consuming fun.” (8.3 out of 10)
Final Fantasy XI Online (PlayStation 2)
#17
“Final Fantasy XI is finally here, and damn, is it a 10,000 hit-point monster. But be warned: This isn't your little bro's Final Fantasy. Chocobo trappings aside, it shares more similarities with massively multiplayer online role-playing games like EverQuest Online Adventures and Asheron's Call than it does with classic Fantasy titles. Two big factors keep FFXI from being the online RPG of my dreams. First, after about 15 hours of play, it becomes basically impossible to get anything done without a big group, which usually takes some time to assemble. And second, it's a pain in the ass to play with your friends. You have to buy an expensive in-game item called a World Pass and give your pals the pass number, and then they have to create all-new characters on your server. Ouch!” (8.5 out of 10)
Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls (Game Boy Advance)
#16
“I used to think that the first two Final Fantasy games had the longest nod-off-for-a-few-minutes battles ever – and yet the fights in Dawn of Souls seem blazingly fast to me! Maybe it's just that all the other RPGs have gotten slower. Regardless, this set of remakes is way easy, but that's for the better – novices can blaze through the game, and old farts like me can access the extra scenarios and other stuff without having to slay 80,000 imps.” (8.5 out of 10)
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon (Wii)
#15
“Between [Chocobo's Dungeon] and Final Fantasy IV, July is apparently the month that Square Enix decided to kick your ass and make you like it. With such a hardcore game experience, it stands to reason that the elements that make or break it are fairly genre-specific; indeed, only roguelike aficionados are likely to fully appreciate this dungeon-diving adventure. As with all games of this nature, Chocobo's Dungeon will mainly appeal to genre fans ... but it's good enough that anyone can enjoy it (well, anyone with a slight masochistic streak).” (B+ out of A+)
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - My Life as a King (Wii)
#14
“Square Enix's increasingly ambitious Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles series is slowly overtaking the main Final Fantasy franchise in terms of innovation and heart. Take downloadable WiiWare launch title My Life as a King: Eschewing the multiplayer focus of the two previous titles and offering something of a Populous-meets-Animal Crossing “god game,” King removes the action RPG focus of its predecessors and arrives at something best described as a “kingdom management sim.” The resulting game is more interesting than that description sounds, though.” (B+ out of A+)
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation Portable)
#13
“I was dreading Crisis Core a bit, because let's face it – Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII spin-offs have run the gamut from awful to complete ass. And the opening moments bore out the worst of my fears. But then something unexpected happened: The game became good. The seemingly mindless combat in this action game masquerading as a role-playing game slowly started to unfold into something that, while not precisely deep, is definitely engrossing.” (8.7 out of 10)
Final Fantasy IV Advance (Game Boy Advance)
#12
“Few games have the same resonance with me as Final Fantasy IV – I feel that it was the cornerstone of what made the Super NES great. It's simply my favorite Final Fantasy game, even 14 years on. FFIV strikes an excellent balance between an interesting story and entertaining gameplay. The battles are fast, and the characters have their own unique appealing skills. Very few GBA RPGs can hope to compare.” (8.8 out of 10)
Final Fantasy V (Game Boy Advance)
#11
“This fall's portable RPG showdown has gone all Civil War on us: Final Fantasy V must duke it out against Final Fantasy III (DS) for your valuable gaming dollar ... and, surprisingly, the lower-fi GBA port actually wins out. It might not have FFIII's snazzy 3D visuals or touch-screen play, but FFV pumps up the gameplay quotient with a masterfully designed job system, scads of challenging dungeons, and super-speedy battles. Plus, the new GBA-specific content here easily makes this the definitive version.” (8.8 out of 10)
Final Fantasy Tactics (PlayStation)
#10
“Just when I thought I escaped from the Final Fantasy universe, this game came along and sucked me back in. Final Fantasy Tactics is long, addicting and packs all the richness you'd expect from a Square game. Its combat and character-building system are complex, but the game is still supremely easy to slip into and play. Final Fantasy Tactics does start slow, and don't expect much FFVII-quality full-motion video.” (8.9 out of 10)
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (Game Boy Advance)
#9
“After five long years of waiting, I can once again sink my tactical teeth into the chess-like world of Final Fantasy Tactics, and it's been worth the wait. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance features unparalleled depth in terms of character customization and on-field tactical arrangement. Plus, FFTA doesn't drown in its own complexity and impenetrable plot. Everything is surprisingly easy to follow, with the only drawbacks to this beautifully designed game being an inefficient menu system, occasionally cluttered battlefields and mysteriously long loading times in the otherwise rockin' two-player link-up games.” (9 out of 10)
Final Fantasy XII (PlayStation 2)
#8
“In the five long years since Final Fantasy X, I've gotten hungry. Sure, I sampled a little bit of the online time sink known as Final Fantasy XI, but its bland flavors weren't for me. The wait for Final Fantasy XII, though, was like dangling a delicious steak just out of my reach ... for three years. Now that it's been served and I have consumed, I can say that this is the most satisfying Final Fantasy experience I've ever had. Aside from the camera issues and largely forgettable soundtrack, XII really hits the spot for me. A well-crafted cast of characters, an intricate and politically-charged plot, and a fresh take on combat ... my compliments to the chef.” (9 out of 10)
Final Fantasy III (Super NES)
#7
“If you don't already get the picture, this is THE role-playing game to get. If you're a fan of the genre, you'll die for it. If you've never played one, it will draw you in. What makes it so special? From the movie-like intro to the beautifully woven story, it is as good as it gets! It's not just all cerebral – there are awesome tunes accompanying the story and the graphics are great. If you don't get the hint ... get this game!” (9 out of 10)
Final Fantasy X-2(PlayStation 2)
#6
“I'm sure a lot of Final Fantasy fans will struggle with this game for the same reason I did: I just couldn't believe I was enjoying it so much. I mean, I knew I'd like it. It's Final Fantasy, after all, with some of my favorite characters returning to a world I loved. But the new tone and the fact that it's the first-ever true sequel makes it something altogether different. Don't fight it. Get into the groove and you'll be treated to a raucous ride that's certain to be some of the most fun you've ever had with a Final Fantasy.” (9.2 out of 10)
Final Fantasy X (PlayStation 2)
#5
“As I expected, Final Fantasy X is a technical milestone, a stunning example of what oodles of money and expertise can extract from the PlayStation 2. The graphics shine, the battles thrill and the voice acting entertains. However, that's not why it is the best Final Fantasy of the last decade. All those glorious graphics are just gravy, as the lovable characters and compelling story provide the true heart of Final Fantasy X.” (9.3 out of 10)
Final Fantasy Anthology (PlayStation)
#4
“Role-playing game fans weaned on Final Fantasy VII and VIII may look at these old games' crude visuals and wonder what all the fuss is about. Trust me: These classics are every bit as enjoyable as the new stuff. Final Fantasy V stands out for its rich variety of characters and rewarding story. Final Fantasy VI is worth playing just for its deep character-development system. In no other game have I had this much fun building my characters and tinkering with their abilities.” (9.5 out of 10)
Final Fantasy VIII (PlayStation)
#3
“More than any previous role-playing game, Final Fantasy VIII immerses you so deeply in its story and characters that you forget you're playing a video game. Almost. Battles get tedious – especially since you have to sit through every Guardian attack (they're unbelievably cool the first time you see them – but not the 101st time). I like the new battle system. I like the huge overworld, it lends the game an Ultima-like feel. Most of all, I like the characters.” (9.5 out of 10)
Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation)
#2
“No other role-playing game can pull off a cinematic experience like Final Fantasy VII! Right from the very start, you are immersed into the story line, and have an active role in your destiny. The full-motion video sequences are incredible, and the fighting modes are uniquely interactive. Even mild swearing made it into our review game. Add to it a rockin' mood-setting CD soundtrack, and you've got a 40 hour PG-13 movie, not just a video game! Its only fault is the inability to cancel FMV and dialog boxes.” (9.5 out of 10)
Final Fantasy IX (PlayStation)
#1
“Thank the Gods! Square has gone back to its roots and put the Fantasy back into the Final. Out with the techno-epics of late and in with the flesh and blood heroes of old. Each story line advancement is bolstered by excellent dialogue and short but sweet CG movies. The pacing and tempo of the game is brisk, but Final Fantasy IX manages to tackle topics ranging from friendship, loyalty and even prejudice, with style. However, it's the characters that make the game so stellar. From shy little Vivi to the oafish Steiner, each character earns his spot in this game. FFIX is of the highest caliber, technically and emotionally, and I wish there were more of its kind.” (9.7 out of 10)
