Dreams come true - games like Final Fantasy! The Ten Best Final Fantasy Games on PC The Modern Era: A Shadow of Its Past Greatness

With the long-awaited release of the fifteenth “fantasy”, the release of which fans of the series have been waiting for ten long years, we decided to put an end to the eternal dispute about which part Final Fantasy the best.

Time will tell where the latest game in the franchise will fit into history, but it's clear that Final Fantasy XV will inevitably be compared with others, more beloved (for now) and in some ways more innovative. We invite you to take a look at the rich history of “Final Fantasy” and find out why gamers will remember this or that part.

We immediately warn you that only the main games in the series were included in the list, therefore FinalFantasyTactics, FinalFantasyCrystalChronicles And Dissidia they didn't hit him.

10 . Final Fantasy X-2

FinalFantasyX-2 in many ways I had to become the first in the franchise. The first direct continuation of the story quite significantly changed the overall mood of the game, making it more lightweight, which was received with hostility by some fans. However, those who decided to give FFX-2 chance, we discovered one of the best combat systems in the series, as well as an excellent class system, migrated straight from the undeservedly forgotten FinalFantasyV. And, of course, the game has an obscenely catchy title song.

9.Final Fantasy XII

By the twelfth episode, the series clearly faced a crisis of identity, which resulted in the absence of a clearly defined protagonist and central storyline.

However, the developers managed to present the strongest cast of characters, a grandiose plot that draws the player into the world of Ivalice, and in addition, an excellent combat system and character development system. With this game SquareEnix valiantly closed the chapter associated with PlayStation2 .

8.Final Fantasy VIII

When your predecessor is a game that changed things within an entire genre, it's very difficult to live up to high expectations. After great success FinalFantasyVII They tried to cram everything they could into the eighth part: political intrigue, teenage problems, a love story and much more. Obviously, big ambitions were destined to face some pushback from fans.

And yet, the eighth “fantasy” demonstrated a phenomenal leap in terms of graphics compared to the prequel. And the binding system, despite some shortcomings, provided great opportunities for customizing the statuses of heroes. Finally, it has one of the best soundtracks in the series, and in the case of FinalFantasy that says a lot.

7.Final Fantasy V

In the third part Square created a system of professions, but it was in the fifth “final” that this idea was properly implemented. The game features over twenty classes: from traditional magicians and warriors to exotic chemists, dancers and even mimes. Later FFV allows you to combine individual skills, which creates enormous opportunities for creating parties.

Here we are talking about exactly the case when well-developed, exciting gameplay almost completely pulls out a plot that is really weak by the standards of the series.

6. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

Speaking of “pulling out,” here is an example of a true rise from the ashes. Fourteenth FinalFantasy came out so buggy that they themselves SquareEnix They recognized it as a disaster and officially apologized.

ARealmReborn miraculously managed to change the situation and presented a huge and beautiful world with a flexible leveling system and intuitive battles. And the excellent visual and audio design keep the level set by the best games in the series. Finally, it's just fun and addictive MMORPG.

5.Final Fantasy IV

FinalFantasy today is inseparable from the grandiose and dramatic plot. However, this was not always the case, and precise storylines were not considered a must in role-playing games. It set a new trend Final Fantasy IV.

For the first time, gamers could feel empathy for the pixelated characters and play not only for the gameplay itself, but also out of interest in the story. In addition, this is where the combat system first appears Active Time Battle, which has become a calling card for a long time FinalFantasy. In other words, all subsequent releases in the series owe a lot to her.

4. FinalFantasyVII

“Overrated”, “primitive” and many other offensive epithets have recently become quite common when it comes to FinalFantasyVII. But no matter how you feel about this game, you can’t argue with one fact: FinalFantasyVII changed the rules of the game in the entire genre. One of the first role-playing games in 3 D not only became synonymous with the success of the first console Sony(and breaking off relations with Nintendo), but also changed the attitude of Western players towards Japanese RPG, becoming the key to success for other series.

Plot and characters FFVII not primitive, but archetypal for the whole genre. Cloud, Tifa and Iris have become recognizable characters outside of the game world. And this is not to mention the excellent musical accompaniment, time-tested Active Time Battle and a perfectly functioning system of matter. And do not forget that, in the end, the winners are not judged, but in terms of commercial success FinalFantasyVII leaves far behind all the parts that came out before and after it.

3.Final Fantasy IX

Released at the end of the era of the first PlayStation, the ninth fantasy was one of the most highly acclaimed additions to the series, but also the least commercially successful. Apparently, the new generation of fans who fell in love with the futuristic worlds of the previous two parts could not fully accept the sharp change in direction towards nostalgia.

However, the cartoon characters, classic setting and simplified gameplay helped Final Fantasy IX find your loyal fan base. At the same time, behind the external carefreeness lies a rather gloomy fairy tale, the main theme of which is death.

It should be noted that this particular game in the series is a favorite among Hironobu Sakaguchi, the father of the entire franchise Final Fantasy.

2.Final Fantasy X

Anniversary part FinalFantasy was presented with the honor of becoming the first to PlayStation 2 . It's hard to believe, but fifteen years have passed since its release. In the same way, it’s difficult to forget the slight shock from the first videos released FinalFantasyX. The graphics, mind-blowing for those times, still look good to this day. Also, the tenth chapter gave the heroes real voice acting for the first time (albeit with varying degrees of success).

Plus, we're presented with a truly compelling storyline with great characters, topped of course by Tidus and Yuna, whose love story is better portrayed than any other episode. FinalFantasy. Don't forget about the successfully updated battles, as well as the sphere system, which turned character leveling into an exciting mini-game.

And yet, for all its undeniable merits, the tenth “fantasy” is not the best in the series.

1.Final Fantasy VI

Having assessed all the components of success FinalFantasy- plot, gameplay, music and other elements - it was impossible to come to any other result. Released twenty-two years ago, the 16-bit RPG still remains the unattainable peak that SquareEnix So far I haven’t been able to conquer it again. Each of the fourteen characters is given close attention, the large-scale narrative does not seem overly drawn out, and the title theme Final Fantasy VI– one of those that are probably written once in a lifetime.

And also the sixth Final Fantasy introduced one of the best villains in the gaming industry - the mad wizard Kefka, who (spoiler!) manages to achieve his goal and initiate the real end of the world. The main characters can only save what is left after the death of the world they know.

Despite the fact that each of the games in the series is one of a kind, it is Final Fantasy VI is the embodiment of the best qualities of games SquareEnix, even despite all the technological breakthroughs that were made subsequently.

Will he be able to FinalFantasyXV to take its place among the best games in the series will become known only some time after release. So far, we can say that the fifteenth part at least meets the standards set by its predecessors. And this is already pleasing.

In honor of this grand event, we asked the people involved in the development of the games of the cult series the most important question: “Which Final Fantasy do you love most?”

It might seem like a simple question, but serious debates are flaring up around it.

Akihiko Matsui – combat system designer for FFIV, FFV, FFXI, FFXIV

Best game: Final Fantasy II
Why: The character development system provides great freedom, and the fascinating dramatic plot does not allow you to remain indifferent. Even after all these years, it's still a masterpiece. It's probably fair to say that Final Fantasy II is the reason the series didn't become a series of smaller developments. And it was because of her that I decided to connect my life with game development.

Akitoshi Kawazu – designer of FF and FFII, producer of FFXII and the FF Crystal Chronicles series

Best game: Final Fantasy V
Why:[It has] the best combat system.

Hajime Tabata – Director of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy, FF Type-0, FFXV

Best game: Final Fantasy
Why: You are simply thrown into the world, but over time you begin to learn its history. And then the title appears on the screen accompanied by beautiful music. The style of gameplay and direction of this moment is the starting point of the entire Final Fantasy. After I had the chance to work on the license plate myself, I understand this more clearly than ever.

Hiroaki Kato – Head of Development, FF Tactics Advance, FFXII

Best game: Final Fantasy Tactics
Why: The world of Ivalice and the work system are simply incredible!

Ichiro Hazama – Dissidia FF project manager, producer of Dissidia 012 FF and Dissidia FF NT

Best game: Final Fantasy VI
Why: The graphics using sprites are beautiful and unique and the music is simply amazing. We all know she's the best. The story of each character is written in the smallest detail. The overall level of accuracy is taken to an unattainable height. It was this game that made me look for a job at Square.

Motomu Toriyama – director of FFVII, director and writer of FFX, FFX-2, FFXII, FFXIII, FFXIII-2, Lightning Return: FFXIII

Best game: Final Fantasy XIII
Why: Lightning, the strongest heroine, can cope with any enemy.

Naoki Yoshida – producer and director of FFXIV

Best game: Final Fantasy III & Final Fantasy VII
Why: Instead of choosing the best game, I'll name the ones that had the biggest impact on the series. Final Fantasy VII influenced every aspect of it, from its graphics to its universe, character design, and level of content. This game is comparable to an MMORPG. It has absolutely everything.

As for Final Fantasy III, I consider it a masterpiece in terms of experience. In it, in their original state, those systems appeared that were further developed - the work system and the real-time combat system. I think these two Final Fantasy titles underpin everything that follows. I am happy to work on games that develop the ideas of that time, and I thank everyone for supporting the series!

Shinji Hashimoto – producer of FFVII and FFXV, executive producer of FFIV, FFV, FFXIII, FF Type-0, FFXIII-2, FFVII Remake

Best game: Final Fantasy
Why: Even though my participation in the fate of the series began only with Final Fantasy VII, when I think about its origins, the very first part immediately comes to mind. This marked the beginning of a long journey towards the 30th anniversary. Warriors of light, they are simply unforgettable.

Takashi Katano – Lead Programmer for FFX, FFXII, FFXIII, FFX/X-2 HD Remaster

Best game: Final Fantasy V
Why: The system is so amazing and hilarious that I spent many hours in the game just for it.

Takashi Tokita – director of FFVII, producer of FF Dimensions

Best game: Final Fantasy IV
Why: The best Final Fantasy? How difficult it is... I have not played all parts of the series, but if I have to choose one, I will say Final Fantasy IV. And not even because it was with this game that my work in the company began, but because it was it that set the foundations for my tastes in games. Light, darkness, meetings and alliances - this became the main thing. I'm happy that I had the opportunity to create Final Fantasy IV: The After Years.

Takeo Kujiraoka – combat designer for FFXIII and FFXIII-2, director of Dissidia FF NT

Best game: Final Fantasy X
Why: After completing the passage, I was sad and worried for three days. This was the first Final Fantasy game to have voice acting, and to me the execution was immediately flawless. It was also the first game in which I spent more than a hundred hours (and that eventually tripled when I completed the main story). I have studied absolutely all the materials that are in it.

Toshiyuki Itahana – designer of FFIX, FFXI, FF Crystal Chronicles

Best game: Final Fantasy IX & Final Fantasy XIV
Why: Final Fantasy IX was the most memorable game in the series for me because it had a profound influence on my approach to design. And as a gamer, I choose Final Fantasy XIV. I don’t think there is another game in the MMO genre where the hero would resonate with me in the same way, where I would consider the characters my friends and would enjoy every new meeting. It seems to me that I live in this world and, together with other warriors of light, create its history.

Yoshinori Kitase – director, writer and director of FFV, FFVI, FFVII, FFVIII, FFX, producer of FFXIII, FF Type-0, FFXIII-2, Lightning Return: FFXIII, FFVII Remake

Best game: Final Fantasy V
Why: I love all the Final Fantasy games, but this time I'll say Final Fantasy V. It was the first game in the series that I worked on. In it, the system of work and abilities found its complete form!

By the way, if you and your friends are also arguing about the best Final Fantasy, from today Dissidia Final Fantasy NT will help you decide once and for all who is stronger.

The reasons for this sad misunderstanding are quite understandable - almost all the games in the series were released only on consoles, they did not have Russian localization, and in general the JRPG genre is not popular in the CIS countries.

But in vain, because the best parts of Final Fantasy proved to the whole world back in the 90s that video games can be not only entertainment, but a real work of art.

Classic 2D era

The first part of the series was released back in 1987. The gameplay of Final Fantasy was based on the first parts of the Ultima series, where an open world, leveling and dialogues first appeared. In general, an RPG in the sense we are all familiar with. But Final Fantasy also introduced a number of its own innovations: a party combat system and the ability to use vehicles to travel around the world.

By the way, the name “Final Fantasy” was given to the series for a reason. In the late 80s, Square Enix was not the most successful game developer and was on the verge of closure. Therefore, Final Fantasy was positioned by the creator of the series as the studio’s last game, the last fantasy, the last attempt to express itself to the whole world.

A year after the release of the first part, Final Fantasy 2 was released, with completely different characters, plot and universe. It is the lack of connection between the various parts of the series that is the hallmark of the entire Final Fantasy. So, if you start playing, for example, the game Final Fantasy XV, then you do not need to know anything about the previous parts of the series. In the third part, released in 1990, a system of professions was added, which made it possible to change the class of the main character of the game several times during the passage.

Final Fantasy IV introduced a complex, character-driven story and an innovative combat system to the series, the fundamentals of which are still used in almost all modern JRPGs. The next 2 parts were not innovative and brought only cosmetic changes to the series, such as secret bosses and the ability to activate a special attack in battles when the player has a minimum of health.

Golden 3D era

Final Fantasy VII made a real splash in the world of electronic entertainment in 1997. The game made the most of the technical capabilities of the PlayStation and impressed with excellent 3D graphics and beautifully drawn two-dimensional backdrops, as well as incredibly detailed CGI videos.

But this is all minor stuff; what really made the game great was the dramatic story and the amazing music by Nobue Uematsu, who popularized the genre of computer game soundtracks. The success of the game was so great that in 2015, to the wild delight of the audience, the Japanese announced the development of Final Fantasy VII Remake - a complete remake of the original game.

Two years later, Final Fantasy VIII was released, which did not bring significant revolutions, but was remembered by fans of the series for its intricate and melodramatic plot with a touching love line.

Final Fantasy IX was released in 2000 and, despite not the best sales and strange cartoon style of drawing characters, is considered one of the most important parts in the series. Today, none of the top best games of all time can do without the 9th part of Final Fantasy, and all thanks to the traditionally high-quality plot and interesting gameplay.

Japanese developers have some kind of superhuman efficiency, because the very next year they introduced the revolutionary Final Fantasy X, which again brought the series to the top of the gaming Olympus. Stunningly beautiful pre-rendered screensavers coexisted with finally fully three-dimensional graphics, which even today look quite good. And, of course, a tear-jerking and confusing plot - these are the main reasons that ensured the game sold 12 million copies.

Modern era: a shadow of former greatness

Square Enix, inspired by the success of the tenth installment, decided to develop the series not in depth, but in breadth, creating an entire multimedia Final Fantasy universe. Which, of course, affected the quality of the numbered games in the series. One could already smell something was wrong when in 2001 the Japanese decided to conquer Western cinema and released the film Final Fantasy The Spirits Within. Unfortunately, the film had nothing to boast of other than impressive graphics and failed at the box office.

The next failure was Final Fantasy XI, which quite unexpectedly, instead of a memorable solo journey, became a passable online game. This is not what fans of the series were expecting.

This was followed by a series of middling spin-offs and Final Fantasy X 2, the first direct sequel in the series' history. The game sold well, but was received negatively by gamers due to its frivolous plot and minimal innovations.

In 2006, after a difficult five years of development, the developers finally presented the world with a new part of the series - Final Fantasy XII. To the delight of many fans, the sequel turned out to be almost on par with the previous parts of the series, and many gaming publications even called Final Fantasy XII the best game of the year. Among the shortcomings are a simple plot, as by the standards of the series, and outdated graphics.

The next project in the series was Final Fantasy XIII, which was visually impressive and promised to shake up the series, bring it fresh breath and new fans. Unfortunately, the game shell was indeed beautiful, but the content turned out to be rotten and secondary.

And as if the thirteenth part was not enough, the Japanese decided to finish off the reputation of their own series by releasing the passable Final Fantasy XIV in 2010. This was the second online game in the series, which is remembered simply for its idiotic system of gaining experience and numerous bugs. Fortunately, Final Fantasy 14 has improved significantly over the past 8 years, and now it does not seem such an ugly duckling compared to its famous predecessors.

Here we are at the final part of our tour through the history of the most famous Japanese video game series. Final Fantasy XV managed to visit production hell, change the name, several scripts, one game development director... And now the continuation of the cult series is before us. Let's be honest, FFXV still doesn't quite live up to the heights of Golden Era gaming, but it's still a quality, enjoyable, hundred-hour adventure.

For newcomers to the series who have not yet decided on purchasing the game, we have written.

With the long-awaited release of the fifteenth “fantasy”, the release of which fans of the series have been waiting for ten long years, we decided to put an end to the eternal debate about which part of Final Fantasy is the best.

Time will tell where the final game in the franchise will fit into history, but it's clear that Final Fantasy XV will inevitably be compared to others that are more beloved (for now) and somewhat more innovative. We invite you to take a look at the rich history of “Final Fantasy” and find out why gamers will remember this or that part.

We immediately warn you that only the main games in the series were included in the list, so Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles and Dissidia were not included in it.

10. Final Fantasy X-2

Final Fantasy X-2 had to be the first in the franchise in many ways. The first direct continuation of the story quite significantly changed the overall mood of the game, making it more lightweight, which was received with hostility by some fans. However, those who decided to give FFX-2 a chance discovered one of the best combat systems in the series, as well as an excellent class system carried straight from the neglected Final Fantasy V. And, of course, the game has an obscenely catchy theme song.

9.Final Fantasy XII

By the twelfth episode, the series clearly faced a crisis of identity, which resulted in the absence of a clearly defined protagonist and central storyline.

However, the developers managed to present the strongest cast of characters, a grandiose plot that draws the player into the world of Ivalice, and in addition, an excellent combat system and character development system. Square Enix has valiantly closed the PlayStation 2 chapter with this game.

8.Final Fantasy VIII

When your predecessor is a game that changed things within an entire genre, it's very difficult to live up to high expectations. After the tremendous success of Final Fantasy VII, they tried to cram everything they could into the eighth part: political intrigue, teenage problems, a love story and much more. Obviously, big ambitions were destined to face some pushback from fans.

7.Final Fantasy V

In the third part, Square created a system of professions, but it was in the fifth “final” that this idea was properly implemented. The game features over twenty classes: from traditional magicians and warriors to exotic chemists, dancers and even mimes. Later, FFV allows you to combine individual skills, which creates huge possibilities for creating parties.

Here we are talking about exactly the case when well-developed, exciting gameplay almost completely pulls out a plot that is really weak by the standards of the series.

6. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

Speaking of “pulling out,” here is an example of a true rise from the ashes. The fourteenth Final Fantasy was released so buggy that Square Enix themselves recognized it as a disaster and officially apologized.

A Realm Reborn miraculously managed to change things and presented a huge and beautiful world with a flexible leveling system and intuitive battles. And the excellent visual and audio design keep the level set by the best games in the series. Finally, it is simply a fun and addictive MMORPG.

5.Final Fantasy IV

Final Fantasy today is inseparable from grandiose and dramatic storytelling. However, this was not always the case, and precise storylines were not considered a must in role-playing games. It was Final Fantasy IV that set the new trend.

For the first time, gamers could feel empathy for the pixelated characters and play not only for the gameplay itself, but also out of interest in the story. In addition, this is where the Active Time Battle combat system, which has long become the hallmark of Final Fantasy, appears for the first time. In other words, all subsequent releases in the series owe a lot to her.

4.Final Fantasy VII

"Overrated", "primitive" and many other offensive adjectives have recently become quite common when it comes to Final Fantasy VII. But no matter how you feel about this game, you can't argue with one fact: Final Fantasy VII was a game changer for the entire genre. One of the first 3D role-playing games not only became synonymous with the success of the first Sony console (and the severance of relations with Nintendo), but also changed the way Western players viewed Japanese RPGs, becoming the key to the success of other series.

The plot and characters of FF VII are not primitive, but archetypal for the entire genre. Cloud, Tifa and Iris have become recognizable characters outside of the game world. And this is not to mention the excellent music, time-tested Active Time Battle and a well-functioning materia system. And do not forget that, in the end, there are no winners, and in terms of commercial success, Final Fantasy VII leaves far behind all the parts that came before and after it.

3.Final Fantasy IX

Released at the end of the original PlayStation era, the ninth Fantasy was one of the most highly acclaimed additions to the series, but also the least commercially successful. Apparently, the new generation of fans who fell in love with the futuristic worlds of the previous two parts could not fully accept the sharp change in direction towards nostalgia.

However, the cartoon characters, classic setting and simplified gameplay helped Final Fantasy IX find its loyal fan base. At the same time, behind the external carefreeness lies a rather gloomy fairy tale, the main theme of which is death.

It should be noted that this particular game in the series is the favorite of Hironobu Sakaguchi, the father of the entire Final Fantasy franchise.

2.Final Fantasy X

The anniversary part of Final Fantasy had the honor of becoming the first on the PlayStation 2. It’s hard to believe, but fifteen years have passed since its release. In the same way, it’s hard to forget the slight shock of the first released videos of Final Fantasy X. The graphics, mind-blowing for those times, still look good to this day. Also, the tenth chapter gave the heroes real voice acting for the first time (albeit with varying degrees of success).

On top of that, we're presented with a truly gripping storyline with great characters, topped, of course, by Tidus and Yuna, whose love story is better portrayed than any other Final Fantasy episode. Don't forget about the successfully updated battles, as well as the sphere system, which turned character leveling into an exciting mini-game.

And yet, for all its undeniable merits, the tenth “fantasy” is not the best in the series.

1.Final Fantasy VI

Having assessed all the components of the success of Final Fantasy - the plot, gameplay, music and other elements - we could not come to any other result. Released twenty-two years ago, the 16-bit RPG still remains an elusive peak that Square Enix has yet to re-conquer. Each of the fourteen characters is given close attention, the large-scale narrative does not seem unduly drawn out, and the title theme of Final Fantasy VI is one of those that is probably written only once in a lifetime.

And the sixth Final Fantasy introduced one of the best villains in the gaming industry - the mad wizard Kefka, who (spoiler alert!) manages to achieve his goal and initiate the real end of the world. The main characters can only save what is left after the death of the world they know.

While each game in the series is one-of-a-kind, it is Final Fantasy VI that epitomizes the best qualities of Square Enix games, even with all the technological advances that have come since.

Whether Final Fantasy XV will be able to take its place among the best games in the series will become known only some time after release. So far, we can say that the fifteenth part at least meets the standards set by its predecessors. And this is already pleasing.

But, honestly, we can’t say that FFXV provides the same unforgettable sensations of a fantastic adventure as the best parts of the series.

Final Fantasy includes dozens of spin-offs and 15 serialized titles, including several projects that changed the gaming industry forever. Of course, many of the iconic Final Fantasy releases today feel dated and play archaically. But the touching and twisting plot that made the series legendary is still able to give odds to any modern video game.

Final Fantasy VII (1997)

Video games can be divided into 2 periods: before Final Fantasy VII and after. It's hard to imagine, but once upon a time it was the 7th part of Final Fantasy that was the most popular game in the world. Children and adults played it with equal delight. Why, it was this game that popularized the role-playing game genre and sold more than 10 million copies, which was unheard of for an RPG.

The main three pillars on which all subsequent games in the series are based and the entire JRPG genre were brought to the absolute level in this game: a twisted plot with beautiful cutscenes, a variable combat system and a huge world open for exploration.

At the time of its release on the PlayStation, it was the most expensive game and certainly one of the most beautiful. Three-dimensional characters amazed with the level of graphics, and CGI videos with amazing detail were a completely new level for the gaming industry back in 1997.

There’s no point in talking about the plot at all, it’s like ruining a holiday, it’s better to go through the game yourself.

Final Fantasy VIII (1999)

After the success of the seventh part, the developers could buy a tropical island and not worry about anything for the rest of their lives and pompously drink sake. But fortunately this did not happen and 2 years later the world saw Final Fantasy VIII, which consolidated the success of the previous part.

Among the innovations, it is worth noting the system of bindings, with the help of which one guardian can be tied to each character (there are six in total) - a huge summoned creature capable of dealing with even the most difficult opponents. Otherwise, the gameplay hasn't changed much, just received some extra polish.

Well, let's move on to the most delicious part - the plot. The melodramatic love story of Squall and Rinoa is combined with a non-fiction script that touches on the theme of a time paradox - this is an example of a complex, confusing, but at the same time touching and kind plot.

Final Fantasy IX (2000)

With the ninth part, the Japanese set themselves the task of once again jumping above their heads and creating the best Final Fantasy. Square Enix successfully coped with this task and Final Fantasy IX with enviable regularity finds itself in the tops of the best games in history. The visual style, colorful effects, and return to the series' roots were particularly praised.

Instead of the already familiar steampunk universe, familiar from the last 3 parts, players found themselves in a more classic fantasy world. Another nuance that makes the game similar to the first parts in the series is Moogles, small animals with which you can save the game.

In general, players enthusiastically accepted the new project of Japanese developers and periodically return to the game to once again plunge into this cozy world.

Final Fantasy X (2001)

The anniversary part of Final Fantasy became almost the same significant event as Final Fantasy VII. The move to Playstation 2 allowed developers to take cinematics, graphics, and performances to a whole new level, setting a high bar for the electronic entertainment industry. Another important innovation is that the game characters have finally been fully voiced.

Particularly praised were the ability to change the main character's partners directly on the battlefield and the plot, which develops the series' typical touching love story while also touching on complex issues of death and religion.

Final Fantasy XII (2006)

The twelfth part of the series was in development for 5 long years, so at the time of its release it could no longer boast of advanced graphics, but it significantly refreshed the series thanks to numerous innovations. Real-time combat (as in Final Fantasy XV), the ability to pre-program your teammates' behavior in battle, and an updated leveling system are just a short list of gameplay changes in Final Fantast XII.

The only drawback of the game is the plot, which is devoid of the usual love line for the series and complex philosophical themes, in return for which came a continuous political story and a story about the confrontation between 2 kingdoms.

By the way, now is the time to get acquainted with this living JRPG classic, since a remake was released in 2017 - Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age.