I’d say Final Fantasy is probably the most well-known JRPG series out there. With over 16 mainline games and countless spin-offs, it’s got a huge amount of games under its belt, and has had a big influence on the JRPG genre.

The first Final Fantasy game was created by Hironobu Sakaguchi in 1987. In the 36 years since the first game was released, the series has undergone numerous changes. While the games up to Final Fantasy X were all turn-based, sometimes they were played in real time. Subsequent games introduced different experimental battle systems and were MMORPGs or action games. Many fans believe the series reached its peak with the older games between Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy X. On the other hand, the more recent Final Fantasy games, including the Final Fantasy VII remake series, Final Fantasy XVI and every expansion of Final Fantasy XIV, have been well-received.

So what you opionion about the Final Fantasy series, what the best game and what is you opinion about the modern games.

If you want to share your opinion on other JRPG series look at these posts: dragon quest

  • @[email protected]English
    2•2 months ago

    What stands out to me the most about the mainline series today is that it’s gone nearly 30 years with a track record of having quality games. While the games have had flaws and, more recently, time in development hell, the overall product has been at or near top-tier production quality in the industry (with the sole exception of Final Fantasy XIV’s 1.0). That’s remarkable considering how many different producers, directors and ideas the series has had. The series has become more experimental as of late, which has ruffled some feathers in the fandom. If that’s the direction they want to keep going in, I’m all for it amidst a sea of stale IPs in gaming that play it safe and churn out cookie-cutter productions.

    My favorites in the main series are VI and X. It’s interesting to look back on VI and see how it was among the first to drive cinematic techniques in video games, be in awe at what Uematsu squeezed out of the SNES sound chip, and appreciate its timeless qualities like its sprite art. X is one I like more and more as time passes. I’ve explored the genre a lot more since I first played the game in 2003, and while I tend to find gameplay systems elsewhere I like more than those in Final Fantasy, FFX’s story remains one of my favorites in gaming. It’s amazing how much replay value the story offers on a second run, too. Really well-crafted stuff.

    I’d say the series is facing a transitional point now, but that feels redundant considering it’s always changing. Sales have been on a major decline in Japan, and both Rebirth and XVI are going to need major showings on PC to stay ahead of breakout global performances from NieR, Dragon Quest, and growing competition from Atlus. I didn’t like a lot of Remake, so I’m not eagerly anticipating a PC release for Rebirth, but I did love everything about the recent FFXVI demo. Hopefully I’ll enjoy that one when I’m able to pick it up down the road; I’ve seen a lot of complaints.

    In any case, Final Fantasy wasn’t my entry point to the genre and it’s not my favorite JRPG series now. Still, it’s what made me fall in love with the genre in the 90’s. I’ll always appreciate it for that.