Are you a fan of Final Fantasy Games? Do you want to know everything about its storyline and progress throughout the years? How and when everything started, and who is behind this masterpiece?
I have collected all the information you need and I can promise you that you will love this journey! This will feel like time travel, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this amazing and absolutely breathtaking evolution of Final Fantasy. Let’s begin, shall we?
What is Final Fantasy?
Final Fantasy is a role-playing video game created by Hironobu Sakaguchi and developed & published by Square (later known as Square Enix). Released in 1987, Final Fantasy is the first game of a huge fantasy anthology multimedia franchise.
It was originally released for NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) but throughout the years it got remade for several other video game consoles.
Music
Nobuo Uematsu was the primary composer of the Final Fantasy series. He single-handedly composed the soundtracks for the first nine games, as well as directed the production of many of the albums. Other notable composers who have worked on main entries in the series include Masashi Hamauzu, Hitoshi Sakimoto, and Yoko Shimomura.
Although each game in the Final Fantasy series offers a variety of music, there are some frequently reused themes. Most of the games open with a piece called Prelude, which is based on a short piece by Bach. This piece has evolved from a simple melody to a complex melodic arrangement in the newer games of the series.
Here you can find Final Fantasy’s Spotify playlist:
Final Fantasy (1987)
| Release: | December 18, 1987 |
| Developer: | Square |
| Publishers: | Square and Nintendo (NES & GBA) |
| Platform: | NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Final Fantasy story follows the 4 Warriors of Light. Each of them carries one of the world’s four elemental crystals and together they are trying to defeat the four Elemental Fiends that took the light away from the crystals.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (NES, PS1, GBA, PSP, iOS, Android, 3DS, Windows, Switch, PS4) and while these remakes keep the same story and battle mechanics, they change the graphics, sound, and other elements.
Final Fantasy II (1988)
| Release: | December 17, 1988 |
| Developer: | Square |
| Publisher: | Square |
| Platform: | Famicom (Family Computer) |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Final Fantasy II story centers on 4 young men, who lost their parents during an army invasion by the empire of Palamecia, and three of them will join a rebellion against the empire.
Despite being advertised as a sequel to Final Fantasy, the game does not include any of the characters or locations from the first game.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (NES, PS1, GBA, PSP, iOS, Android, Windows, Switch, PS4) and while these remakes keep the same story and battle mechanics, they change the graphics, sound, and other elements.
Final Fantasy III (1990)
| Release: | April 27, 1990 |
| Developer: | Square |
| Publisher: | Square |
| Platform: | Famicom (Family Computer) |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player, multiplayer |
Final Fantasy III focuses on four orphans who are drawn to a crystal of light. The crystal grants them some of its power and instructs them to restore balance to the world. Each of them is starting as an Onion Knight in the original game.
Final Fantasy III is the first game in the series to feature special battle commands such as “Steal” or “Jump”. It also features summoned creatures, which are called forth with the “Summon” skill.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (NES, iOS, Android, Windows, Nintendo DS, Switch, PS4).
Final Fantasy IV (1991)
| Release: | July 19, 1991 |
| Developer: | Square |
| Publisher: | Square |
| Platform: | Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player, multiplayer |
Final Fantasy IV follows Cecil, a dark knight, who tries to prevent the sorcerer Golbez from destroying the world.
Final Fantasy IV introduced the Active Time Battle system and also gave each character their own unchangeable character class. These innovations became staples of the Final Fantasy series and role-playing games in general.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (Super NES, iOS, Android, Windows, GBA, PSP, Switch, PS4).
Final Fantasy V (1992)
| Release: | December 6, 1992 |
| Developer: | Square |
| Publisher: | Square |
| Platform: | Super Famicom |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player, multiplayer |
Final Fantasy V follows Bartz a wanderer who investigates a fallen meteor and then encounters several characters. One of them reveals to Bartz the danger facing the four Crystals that control the world’s elements. Bartz and his party must protect the Crystals from being exploited by Exdeath’s influence, an evil sorcerer who is using them as a seal on himself.
Final Fantasy V introduced the Job System, that is well known for the freedom of customization that the player has over the characters, since they can freely select jobs a.k.a. classes for their characters to master.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (Super NES, iOS, Android, Windows, GBA, PS1, Switch, PS4).
Final Fantasy VI (1994)
| Release: | April 2, 1994 |
| Developer: | Square |
| Publisher: | Square |
| Platform: | Super NES |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Final Fantasy VI, unlickelly with previews titles of the series, has steampunk influences. After an apocalyptic event, the planet is getting transfomed into the World of Ruin. The game follows a rebellion against a military dictatorship that uses chemical weapons.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (Super NES, iOS, Android, Windows, GBA, PS1, Switch, PS4).
Final Fantasy VII (1997)
| Release: | January 31, 1997 |
| Developer: | Square |
| Publisher: | Square Enix, Square, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Eidos Interactive |
| Platform: | PlayStation |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Final Fantasy VII story follows Cloud Strife, a mercenary who joins an eco-terrorist organization to stop a world-controlling megacorporation from using the planet’s life essence as an energy source. Throughout his journey, Cloud bonds with his party members, including Aerith, who holds the secret to saving their world.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (PlayStation, iOS, Android, Windows, XBOX ONE, Switch, PS4).
Final Fantasy VIII (1999)
| Release: | February 11, 1999 |
| Developer: | Square |
| Publisher: | Square, Square Enix, Eidos Interactive |
| Platform: | PlayStation |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Final Fantasy VIII follows a group of young mercenaries, led by Squall Leonhart, trying to defeat a sorceress named Edea Kramer who seized control of a powerful military state.
It is the first Final Fantasy to use realistically proportioned characters consistently, features a vocal piece as its theme music, and forgo the use of magic points (MP) for spellcasting.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (PlayStation, iOS, Android, Windows, XBOX ONE, Switch, PS4).
Final Fantasy IX (2000)
| Release: | July 7, 2000 |
| Developer: | Square |
| Publisher: | Square, Square Enix |
| Platform: | PlayStation |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player, multiplayer |
Final Fantasy IX focuses on a war between nations in the world of Gaia. The game follows a thief named Zidane Tribal who kidnaps Princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII as part of a ploy by the neighboring nation of Lindblum.
Final Fantasy IX introduced new features to the Final Fantasy series, such as Active Time Event cutscenes (a system that gives the player the ability to view short optional scenes in Final Fantasy IX that are happening at the same time elsewhere in the world), Mognet (moogle mail service), and skill systems.
BONUS INFO: Final Fantasy IX was the last game in the main series whose music was composed solely by Nobuo Uematsu.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (PlayStation, iOS, Android, Windows, XBOX ONE, Switch, PS4).
Final Fantasy X (2001)
| Release: | July 19, 2001 |
| Developer: | Square |
| Publisher: | Square, Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Platform: | PlayStation 2 |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Final Fantasy X is set in the fantasy world of Spira. The game’s story follows a group of adventurers and their quest to defeat a rampaging monster known as Sin.
Final Fantasy X replaces the Active Time Battle system with the Conditional Turn-Based Battle system and uses a new leveling system called the Sphere Grid.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (PS2, PS3, PS4, PSVita, Windows, XBOX ONE, Switch).
Final Fantasy XI (2002)
| Release: | May 16, 2002 |
| Developer: | Square |
| Publisher: | Square, Square Enix, Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Platform: | PlayStation 2, Windows |
| Genre: | MMORPG |
| Mode: | Multiplayer |
Final Fantasy XI story is set in the fantasy world of Vana’diel. Players can undertake an array of quests and progress through the major plot of the game.
Final Fantasy XI is an MMORPG and differs from previous titles in the series in several ways. Unlike the predefined main characters of previous Final Fantasy titles, players are able to customize their characters. They can select one of five races and choose gender, facial style, hair color, body size, job, and national allegiance for their character.
Since its release in 2002, five expansion packs have been released along with six add-on scenarios. Each expansion pack and add-on brings a new major storyline to the Final Fantasy XI world, along with numerous areas, quests, events, and item rewards.
BONUS INFO: Final Fantasy XI was the first MMORPG to offer cross-platform play between PlayStation 2 and Windows.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (PS2, Windows, XBOX 360).
Final Fantasy XII (2006)
| Release: | March 16, 2006 |
| Developer: | Square Enix |
| Publisher: | Square Enix |
| Platform: | PlayStation 2 |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Final Fantasy XII takes place in Ivalice. The game follows Vaan, a young adventurer who dreams of becoming a sky pirate in command of an airship. He meets Ashe, the princess of Dalmasca, and with the help of other allies, they rally against the tyranny of the Archadian Empire.
Final Fantasy XII introduced several innovations to the series:
- Open world
- Controllable camera
- Gambit system (which lets the player control the AI of characters in battle)
- Seamless battle system
- License system (which determines what abilities and equipment can be used by characters)
- Hunting side quests (which allow the player to find and defeat increasingly difficult monsters in the game’s open world)
It also includes elements from previous games in the series, such as Chocobos and Moogles.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (PS2, PS4, Windows, XBOX ONE, Switch).
Final Fantasy XIII (2009)
| Release: | December 17, 2009 |
| Developer: | Square Enix |
| Publisher: | Square Enix |
| Platform: | PlayStation 3, XBOX 360 |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Final Fantasy XIII takes place in the world of Cocoon, whose government is ordering a purge of civilians who have supposedly come into contact with Pulse, the much-feared world below. The game follows Lightning, a soldier who begins her fight against the government in order to save her sister who has been branded as an unwilling servant to a god-like being from Pulse, making her an enemy of Cocoon.
Final Fantasy XIII introduces:
- Crystarium (which determines which abilities are developed for the characters)
- Paradigm system (that controls which abilities are used by the characters)
- Fast-paced combat
The game includes elements from the previous games in the series, such as summoned monsters, chocobos, and airships.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (PS3, Windows, XBOX 360).
Final Fantasy XIV (2010)
| Release: | September 30, 2010 |
| Developer: | Square Enix |
| Publisher: | Square Enix |
| Platform: | Windows |
| Genre: | MMORPG |
| Mode: | Multiplayer |
Final Fantasy XIV was set in the fantasy realm of Eorzea. The original 2010 version was discontinued after receiving a negative response at launch. More specifically the servers were closed on November 11, 2012.
The new development team leadership, Naoki Yoshida, made the decision to ultimately replace the original game with a new version of Final Fantasy XIV – A Realm Reborn
Final Fantasy XIV – A Realm Reborn
| Release: | August 27, 2013 |
| Developer: | Square Enix |
| Publisher: | Square Enix |
| Platform: | PlayStation 3, Windows |
| Genre: | MMORPG |
| Mode: | Multiplayer |
Final Fantasy XIV is set in Eorzea, five years after the devastating Seventh Umbral Calamity which ended the original version. In the Calamity, the elder primal Bahamut escaped from his prison unleashing an apocalypse across Eorzea.
The relaunched game was released to largely positive reception and by October 2021, it had gained over 24 million registered players and become the most profitable Final Fantasy game to date.
BONUS INFO: Final Fantasy XIV is the second MMORPG of the Final Fantasy series.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (PS4, PS5, Windows, XBOX Series X/S, macOS).
Final Fantasy XV (2016)
| Release: | November 29, 2016 |
| Developer: | Square Enix |
| Publisher: | Square Enix |
| Platform: | PlayStation 4, XBOX ONE |
| Genre: | Action role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player, multiplayer |
Final Fantasy XV takes place in the fictional world of Eos. Players take control of protagonist Noctis Lucis Caelum during his journey, while he is accompanied by his three companions Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto. (Noctis is the only playable character from the player).
The game features an open-world environment and action-based battle system, incorporating quick-switching weapons, vehicle travel, and elemental magic.
BONUS INFO: The game shares a thematic connection with Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy, a subseries of games linked by a common mythos which includes Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Type-0.
The base game was later expanded with DLC, adding further gameplay options such as additional playable characters and multiplayer.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (PS4, Windows, XBOX ONE, Stadia).
Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020)
| Release: | April 10, 2020 |
| Developer: | Square Enix |
| Publisher: | Square Enix |
| Platform: | PlayStation 4 |
| Genre: | Action role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Final Fantasy VII gameplay combines real-time action with role-playing elements. Same with the original FFVII, the game is set in the dystopian cyberpunk metropolis of Midgar. Players control the mercenary Cloud Strife. He joins an eco-terrorist group trying to stop the powerful megacorporation Shinra from using the planet’s life essence as an energy source.
Final Fantasy VII is the first in a planned trilogy of games remaking the PlayStation game Final Fantasy VII (1997).
An enhanced version, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, was released for PlayStation 5 and Windows in 2021.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (PS4, PS5, Windows).
Final Fantasy XVI (2023)
| Release: | June 22, 2023 |
| Developer: | Square Enix |
| Publisher: | Square Enix |
| Platform: | PlayStation 5 |
| Genre: | Action role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Final Fantasy XVI is set in the twin continents of Valisthea. Tensions between the nations escalate as a magical drought dubbed the Blight begins consuming the land. Clive Rosfield, guardian to his younger brother Joshua, witnesses his kingdom destroyed and becomes involved in the growing conflict between Valisthea’s nations and a secret power driving the war.
The game features open environments and an action-based combat system. After release, the game was supported by a variety of DLC.
The game has been remade for other gaming platforms (PS5, Windows).
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (2024)
| Release: | February 29, 2024 |
| Developer: | Square Enix |
| Publisher: | Square Enix |
| Platform: | PlayStation 5 |
| Genre: | Action role-playing |
| Mode: | Single-player |
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is set immediately after Remake’s events. Players control mercenary Cloud Strife and a party of characters principally comprising the eco-terrorist group Avalanche, who embark on a journey across the Planet to prevent the megacorporation Shinra from exploiting its life essence.
The game is a sequel to Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020) and the second in a planned trilogy of games remaking the 1997 PlayStation game Final Fantasy VII.
The game features real-time exploration and combat, on top of that, the Synergized mechanic returns, allowing party members to synchronize their attacks.
BONUS INFO: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is going to be released on January 23, 2025 for Windows
The Final Fantasy series has undergone significant evolution over the years. From the very first game made in 1987 to its current incarnation in 2024, the series has continually evolved and that’s one of the reasons why its players are so loyal. We are patiently waiting for the latest PC release on January 23, 2025, and can’t wait for any other future content Square Enix holds for us. Which is your favorite FF title of the series and why? Let me know in the comments down below.
