Updated: October 12, 2021
Final Fantasy is a video game franchise developed and published by Square Enix. It is a series of Japanese role-playing games with different game modes, settings, and stories between individual sections with the plot and game. Elements preserved with an emphasis on imagination and game settings.
The series has spread to many platforms, starting with Nintendo’s entertainment system, including consoles, computers, mobile operating systems, and gaming services. Also, please read our review of the Nintendo Switch. This Final Fantasy Review can help you understand the basic idea of the game.
Most of the games are stand-alone stories with unique characters and settings. However, several relaxation series and game packages continue stories in the same world.
Gameplay
In the Final Fantasy series, the player controls several characters in a group, although there are exceptions. The player will increase the strength by gradually acquiring new skills and equipment to face strong opponents. Follow this Final Fantasy Review to learn more about the gameplay.
Final Fantasy Characteristics
The series characterizes by recurring game mechanics, themes, and features. Common characteristics include the series’ creature, chocobos, often used as steeds, a character named CID, commonly associated with technology; Moogles, cute flying creatures that help the player by activating a kind of mechanic in the game.
The series’ actions focus on characters from different backgrounds who gather to save the world while engaging in their battles and fighting a central antagonist whose goal is to destroy the world. Names, patterns, and magic are often based on actual mythologies, religions, and cultures.
Growth
Character growth determines how characters learn new skills and improve statistics. However, unlike combat systems, character growth systems are less consistent throughout the series, and players must internalize the system to make the right decisions.
The only consistent mechanism for character growth used in the series was the level-based system, where characters go through experience points in the battle to improve statistics and sometimes learn new skills.
One of the most common and well-known systems that determine characters’ growth is the employment system. A class-based system where players assign players to work and choose between basic serial elements such as the black wizard, the magic white, the monk, the thief, and the warrior. The character’s work determines his abilities and acquired values.
Battles
The combat systems were different, with most menu-driven and with turn-based combat variants, while others used action-based combat systems. Earlier versions have triggered matches based on random encounters as they roam the world map, while some later games have enemies on the move that attacks without transition.
Battle orders usually involve a basic physical attack with equipped weapons and other special command functions (such as flying or throwing, or abilities such as summoning monsters) and many other things. However, the player may also try to escape from many encounters. Most games also have status and effect elements, nuances that can affect how a match develops. Enemies and allies use them to attack and exploit the weaknesses of others or to defend themselves, as well as prepare for an impending encounter.
Equipment
Typically, characters can equip armor, weapons, accessories, and armor that enhances defense. Weapons determine the strength and type of attack used and accessories that provide extra support or abilities. Unfortunately, optimal armor sets or accessories are rare. However, many games have the best weapons for each character, often with side quests to get them.
Fields
Outside the matches, the player can search for objects on the court, participate in a dialogue with non-player figures, and exchange games for objects and equipment. In games with immediate random encounters, the party randomly encounters an enemy to explore dangerous areas. While in games with wandering enemies, enemies appear in strange places that the player can attack or avoid.
The player can explore dungeons where enemies fight and treasure and find items. Enemies tend to be more in dungeons, and there is often a boss at the end. Other areas are safe havens, especially cities with stores where the group can buy new equipment. And often a shelter where they can rest and completely restore HP and MP.
Many games have a world map used on foot or with airships, chocobos, or other vehicles. The world maps have random encounters and cross to reach other landmarks, often with mountains and seas and other indestructible objects to push back areas the player has not yet visited. Also, at the end of the game, players usually acquire a vehicle to explore all corners of the world.
Settings
Each game focuses on a dramatically different world in background history, technological advances, and culture. Although humans are predominantly gifted, chocobos, moogles, and various hostile species are non-humans. The sets often contain elements based on mythology, and the series features many allusions to religion.
