It's been more than two decades since Final Fantasy debuted in 1987 as director Hironobu Sakaguchi's last ditch attempt to make video games, and since then the series has evolved greatly. One humongous merger, 12 single-player RPG epics, one Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game with millions of subscribers and countless spin-offs and remakes later, Square Enix has earned itself the reputation of being one of the most influential and prestigious gaming studios in the industry.
However, while gamers tend to remember Final Fantasy more for its halcyon days back on the Super Nintendo and PlayStation, the series has had its share of missteps as well.
With that said, here are some of the most defining, shining highlights in Final Fantasy history, and some of the moments best left forgotten.
The Best
Best Story -- Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions
When Final Fantasy Tactics was first released on the PlayStation in North America in 1998, there was no ignoring the complexity of its Shakespearian-esque plot of friendship, war and duplicity. However, due to a rushed localization job, the script was rife with spelling and grammatical errors, many of them unintentionally hilarious. Some of the most important parts of the story were either ruined or completely lost in the translation process.
That was all fixed in 2007's PSP re-release Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions. The script was polished and the plot was embellished by animated, voiced cut scenes, resolving a lot of confusion that plagued the original. With the clutter finally cleared out of the way, Final Fantasy Tactics' narrative prowess truly revealed itself.
Its brilliant, complex cast of characters are diverse, but each are individually tragic and sympathetic. The story is full of twists and turns, and as the conspiracies and political betrayals grow, it becomes apparent that no character is safe from the pervasive corruption and greed that rules Ivalice. Grim and morose yet gripping and immersive, Final Fantasy Tactics's story is not only a landmark moment in Final Fantasy history, but video games as a whole.
Most Memorable Soundtrack -- Final Fantasy VIII
It's difficult to rule which Final Fantasy game had the best soundtrack because music is so subjective. After all, what makes Final Fantasy X's sweeping piano score "To Zanarkan" better than Final Fantasy IV's classic "Edward's Harp" or Final Fantasy VII's haunting and ominous "One Winged Angel"?
Ultimately, it's 1999's Final Fantasy VIII that truly stands out as having one of the most well-rounded, memorable soundtracks. "Force Your Way" got the adrenaline pumping in battles, "The Landing" fit SeeD's Normany Beach-esque assault perfectly, "The Man with the Machine Gun" was a bizarre mix of rapid beats and electronic synth, and "Fisherman's Horizon" and "Balamb Garden" inspired an aura of tranquility that matched the setting.
On top of all that, Faye Wong's catchy, pop single "Eyes on Me" was the first time Square Enix experimented with a vocal piece in a soundtrack. The success of the song (it sold over 400,000 copies) opened the door for Final Fantasy IX's "Melodies of Life", Final Fantasy X's "Isn't it Beautiful?" and more.
Least Conventional Hero -- Tidus (Final Fantasy X)
Some may write off Final Fantasy X's plucky protagonist as being a wuss and a whiner, but many neglect the fact that he's one of Final Fantasy's few leading men who isn't a walking cliché. He's not a mercenary, he's not seeking revenge against someone who murdered his family, and he's not a brooding, amnesia-stricken, Byronic hero. Like most teenagers Tidus' age, he enjoys playing sports, flirting with girls and suffers from repressed father issues.
Tidus may not be the first person you'd expect to be waging a war against an evil monster bent on destroying humanity, but that's what makes him so personable and sympathetic. He's not an elite soldier, a daring brigand or even a "Treasure Hunter" --he's just an ordinary guy who finds himself in an extraordinary situation.
Most Sinister Villain -- Kefka Palazzo (Final Fantasy VI)
Villains with Messiah complexes and plots to eradicate humanity might be a dime a dozen in role-playing games, but guaranteed none are quite as completely insane as Final Fantasy VI's devious, genocidal antagonist. Kefka manipulates Terra into spearheading an assault on Narshe, poisons an entire city's water supply, murders General Leo and then kicks Emperor Gestahl off a floating continent to his death. In fact, he's such a two-timing Judas Iscariot that he even betrays the coalition of villains in Dissidia: Final Fantasy.
Suddenly, other villain's list of misdemeanors like burning down a village, attempting to compress time to negate existence or kidnapping a princess seems somewhat amateurish in comparison. Kefka wants to destroy the world just like every other villain, but he makes sure everyone suffers as much as possible in the process.
Most Revolutionary -- Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII takes this category with ease. It's responsible for forging the long lasting relationship between Square and Sony, bringing the series into the world of 3D and being one of the first RPG's to extensively use CGI. More importantly, Final Fantasy VII's success made the Final Fantasy name huge in North America and ushered it into the mainstream. Though past iterations in the franchise had enjoyed a prominent following in America, the launch of Final Fantasy VII is accredited for expanding its fan base substantially.
Whether Final Fantasy VII is the best Final Fantasy is arguable, but there's really no denying that it drastically changed the gamers' perception of RPG's. With its dystopian, urban setting, vulgar language, detailed graphics and mature storyline, Final Fantasy VII established itself as an edgy, adult experience that even older gamers could better relate to.
Most Badass Cid -- Cid Highwind (Final Fantasy VII)
Almost every Final Fantasy game has a Cid in it, and almost every one of those Cids totally digs airships. However, what made Final Fantasy VII's Cid so exceptionally badass was...well...everything. Not only was he one of the most powerful Cids in terms of gameplay (second to only T.G Cid from Final Fanasy Tactics), but he can pilot airplanes, massive airships and even a spaceship, all while chain smoking cigarettes and shouting profanities at everyone within ear shot.
Admittedly, he does have a bit of a soft spot for his assistant Shera (who he decides not to roast into a million, crispy pieces by abandoning his launch into space), but the knowledge that Cid has a heart underneath his foul language, propensity for violence and macho posturing just makes him all the more badass.
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