TheFinal Fantasyseries has spawned some of the best and worst video games of all time. For every Cloud Strife, there was a Lightning dragging the score down.
This is due to the series’ obsession with evolution, which hasn’t always resulted in innovation. Sometimes, Final Fantasy has been ruined by unnecessary changes to the formula rather thansticking to what works best.
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A few ground rules:no sequels, no spin-offs, no remakes that completely change the game (all apologies toStranger of Paradise), and MMO expansions are factored in and not considered separate.
With so many spiky-haired swordsmen to go through, let’s kick off with theworst mainline Final Fantasy title of them all.
16Final Fantasy 2
The Grind is Real
Final Fantasy II
Poor Final Fantasy 2 is often maligned by fans, even though it drastically improved upon the story of the original game, with a Star Wars-style tale of rebellion and overthrowing an evil empire.
The reason people hate on Final Fantasy 2 isdue to its abysmal gameplay system, where stats are improved by completing actions, rather than gaining levels.
This leads to some of the most obnoxious grinding in the history of the franchise, where the party is forced to use the same spells and attacks over and over again in order to be able to face the challenges awaiting them.
15Final Fantasy 1
An Increasingly Ironic Title
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster
The game that started it all is also a victim of the times. The original Final Fantasy was ground-breaking when it came out, with its huge world, time-twisting story, and job system that was more complex than its contemporaries.
Final Fantasy is a victim of the times, as its basic gameplay and story can be off-putting to modern audiences. While not a terrible game, it can be extremely repetitive and dull to go through at times.
If onlyJack Garland was therein the ‘80s to help spruce things up. Then again,Nintendo would have censored his potty mouth at every turn, ruining the best thing about him.
14Final Fantasy 3
The Dark Side of Crystals
Final Fantasy 3 (3D Remake)
Final Fantasy 3is the best of the NES Final Fantasies, with its expansive job system, the introduction of the summon monster mechanic, and the shockingly massive world for the hardware.
That being said,Final Fantasy 3 is also a punishingly difficult game. Anyone who has experienced the rat boss while stuck in mini form, the dungeons and bosses that force the use of specific jobs, and the grueling hell of the Crystal Tower will know the horrors of this game.
The 3D remake alleviated some of the issues with Final Fantasy 3, but the original was revived in thePixel Remasterseries, giving new fans a chance to experience true old-school horror.
13Final Fantasy 13
One Path to Boredom
Final Fantasy 13
Final Fantasy 13is a gorgeous game with a fantastic soundtrack. The compliments end there.
The story is baffling, with the game never bothering to stop to explain basic concepts that the audience will be unfamiliar with.
For the majority of the game, the world is a straight path with minor deviations. The towns and complex dungeons of the previous Final Fantasy titles are hardly present.
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The job-switching system is made redundant by the fact that characters have set roles for most of the game, so there’s no incentive to explore different classes.
Final Fantasy 13-2 did improve the gameplay and story, butits predecessor was a huge misstep for the series.
12Final Fantasy 11
A Tale Too Old For Time
Final Fantasy XI
It’s not so much thatFinal Fantasy 11is a terrible game, more that it’s just a product of its time and is overshadowed by its much more user-friendly Eorzean successor.
Anyone who is used to modern MMOs and their numerous QoL improvements will struggle to get into Final Fantasy 11. Even the installation method is convoluted and unnecessarily long.
If anyFinal Fantasy game is crying out for a modern remake, it’s Final Fantasy 11. But, with the success of Final Fantasy 14, who would be interested in returning?
Final Fantasy 14 introduced a Final Fantasy 11 crossover dungeon inthe Dawntrail patches, so that might be the best way to experience its world, without the pain of actually playing it.
11Final Fantasy 15
Final Fantasy 15
Originally planned as a spin-off of Final Fantasy 13,Final Fantasy 15was reworked into a whole new game with most of the same characters and setting.
What fans got was a road trip story with a genuinely excellent combat system, one that evokes the fast-paced action gameplay of the Kingdom Hearts series.
The big issue with this game is the story, which requires homework on the part of the player, as they’re expected to watch the supplementary material to know what’s going on.
Final Fantasy 15 also put chunks of its story in the DLC, which fans had to pay for. This means the game can be very difficult to follow for those who just play the core experience.
10Final Fantasy 12
A Trip to the Wrong Ivalice
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Final Fantasy 12has a mixed reputation among fans, mostly because of its protagonist, Vaan. The wannabe sky pirate tends to rub people the wrong way and is overshadowed by theother party members.
Those who can look past Vaan’s floppy hairwill see a fantastic story with lots of political intrigue tied to fantasy warfare.
Final Fantasy 12 also has expansive dungeons and tons of powerful enemies to challenge. It also features one of the best party member AI systems ever seen in an RPG.
9Final Fantasy 4
From Darkness To Light
Final Fantasy 4
A game that’s still surprisingly popular among Japanese fans,Final Fantasy 4was an evolution of everything created in the NES games.
Final Fantasy 4 improves upon the evil empire story of Final Fantasy 2,defines the job rolesfrom Final Fantasy 3 in ways we still see used today, while sharpening the tactical turn-based gameplay of the original.
Final Fantasy 4 is also the first entry where party members really resonated with fans, with some excellent character dialogue and story arcs.
The late-game story twists are the biggest problem with the game, as they come out of nowhere and reframe events in an unsatisfying way. However, the rest of the game is still enjoyable, even up to the final dungeon.
8Final Fantasy 5
This is a Job For Bartz
Final Fantasy 5
Like Final Fantasy 4,Final Fantasy 5improves on the systems from the NES games. In this case, the job system was retooled, with players getting to mix and match abilities they’ve mastered for a staggering number of party compositions.
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Final Fantasy 5 was also the darkest entry to date. While it wasn’t the first Final Fantasy to have a party member, it was the first to have a genuine emotional impact when it happened.
Final Fantasy 5 also introduced Gilgamesh to the series. His multiverse-hopping story has continued throughout the franchise, and fans can only hope that they’ll get to return to the world of Final Fantasy 5 someday and watch his destined rematch with Bartz.
7Final Fantasy 16
Game of Chocobos
Final Fantasy 16
Final Fantasy 16brought Game of Thrones-style political intrigue and adult content to the series. With the team behind Final Fantasy 14 working on it, hopes were high going into this game.
What fans got was more of an action game than had been seen in a mainline Final Fantasy to date, with a single character switching between the power of summon monsters on the fly.
Final Fantasy 16 has one of the best combat systems in the series to date, so long as people don’t go in expecting the turn-based battles of old.
The only problem with Final Fantasy 16 is that action game aficionados will find it too easy. Anyone who has sliced their way through Devil May Cry or Elden Ring will find the game to be a breeze.
