Most Final Fantasy installments are independent stories; however, they feature common elements that define the franchise. Such recurring elements include creatures, character names, airships, and character classes. The series has popularized many features now widely used in console RPGs, and it is well known for its visuals, music, and innovation, such as the inclusion of full motion videos, photo-realistic character models, and orchestrated music by Nobuo Uematsu. The series has been commercially and critically successful; it is the fourth-best-selling video game franchise, behind Mario, Pokémon, and The Sims. It is also Square Enix's best selling series, with more than 85 million units sold as of July 7, 2008. In addition, the series was awarded a star on the Walk of Game in 2006,and holds seven Guinness World Records in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008.
Games
The first installment of the series premiered in Japan on December 18, 1987. Each subsequent title was numbered and given a unique story; consequently, the numbers refer more to volumes than to sequels. Since the original release, many Final Fantasy games have been localized for markets in North America, Europe, and Australia on numerous video game consoles, personal computers, and mobile phones. Future installments will appear on seventh generation video game consoles; two upcoming titles include Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII. As of March 2007, there are 28 games in the franchise. This number includes the main installments from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy XII, as well as direct sequels and spin-offs. Many of the older titles have been rereleased on multiple platforms.
Main series
Three Final Fantasy installments were released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Final Fantasy, released in Japan in 1987 and in North America in 1990, focuses on four adventurers as they attempt to balance the four elements of the world. Final Fantasy introduced many concepts to the console RPG genre, and has since been remade on several platforms. Final Fantasy II, released in 1988 in Japan, centers on four youths who join a resistance to end an evil tyrant's military campaign against the world. The game has been bundled with Final Fantasy in several re-releases. The last of the NES installments, Final Fantasy III, was released in Japan in 1990; however, it was not released elsewhere until a Nintendo DS remake in 2006. The plot of Final Fantasy III focuses on four orphaned youths who come across a crystal, which grants them power and instructs them to restore balance to the world.
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) also featured three installments of the main series. Final Fantasy IV was released in 1991; in North America, it was released as Final Fantasy II. The story centers on a dark knight and his journey to save the world from a mysterious villain. Final Fantasy V, released in 1992 in Japan, focuses on a wanderer and his allies as they prevent the resurgence of an evil being. It was the first in the series to spawn a sequel, a short anime series titled Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals.[citation needed] Final Fantasy VI was released on the SNES in 1994, but it was released in North America as Final Fantasy III. The plot centers on a group of rebels as they attempt to overthrow an imperial dictatorship.
Three main Final Fantasy games were also released for the PlayStation (PS). Final Fantasy VII, released in 1997, follows a group of adventurers as they battle a powerful corporation. It was the first game in the series to use three-dimensional (3D) computer graphics, which feature polygonal characters on pre-rendered backgrounds. Final Fantasy VIII was released in 1999, and was the first game in the series to consistently use realistically proportioned characters, and to feature a vocal piece as its theme music. Its plot focuses on a group of young mercenaries who seek to prevent a sorceress from manipulating an international war. Final Fantasy IX, released in 2000, begins its story with the protagonists attempting to stop a war sparked by an ambitious queen. It returned to the series' roots by revisiting a more traditional Final Fantasy setting.
Three main installments, including one online game, were released for the PlayStation 2 (PS2). Final Fantasy X was released in 2001, and features protagonists trying to defeat a rampaging force terrorizing the world. The game introduced full 3D areas and voice acting to the series, and it was the first to spawn a direct video game sequel (Final Fantasy X-2). Final Fantasy XI was released on the PS2 and PC in 2002, and later on the Xbox 360. The first massive multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG) in the series, Final Fantasy XI is set in a world where players can experience hundreds of quests and stories. It is also the first game in the series to feature real-time battles instead of random encounters. Final Fantasy XII was released in 2006; its story is set in a world where two empires are waging an endless war.
Final Fantasy XIII is in development for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and will be released in 2009 in Japan, and in 2010 in North America and Europe. It will be the flagship installment of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII compilation.
Sequels and spin-offs
Final Fantasy has spawned numerous spin-offs and compilations. Three Square games were released in North America with their titles changed to include "Final Fantasy": The Final Fantasy Legend and its two sequels. Final Fantasy Adventure is a spin-off to the Final Fantasy series and spawned the Mana series. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest was developed for a United States audience, and Final Fantasy Tactics featured many references and themes found in previous Final Fantasy games. In 2003, the video game series' first direct sequel, Final Fantasy X-2, was released. The Chocobo series and Kingdom Hearts series includes characters and themes from Final Fantasy. Three Final Fantasy compilations—Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Ivalice Alliance, and Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII—share many themes. There is also the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series.
Other media
Square Enix has expanded the Final Fantasy series into various mediums. In addition to the games, there have been CGI films, animated series, and books.[1] Several titles have been adapted into manga and novels, and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy: Unlimited have been adapted into radio dramas.
Multiple anime and computer-generated imagery (CGI) films have been produced that are based either on individual Final Fantasy games or on the series as a whole. The first was an original video animation (OVA) titled Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals and was a sequel to Final Fantasy V. The story was set on the same world as the game though 200 years in the future. It was released as four 30-minute episodes first in Japan in 1994 and later released in the United States by Urban Vision in 1998.[26] In 2001, Square Pictures released its first feature film, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. The story was set on a future-Earth that had been invaded by alien life forms.[27] The Spirits Within was the first animated feature to seriously attempt to portray photorealistic CGI humans, but was considered a box office bomb.[1][27][28] 2001 also saw the release of Final Fantasy: Unlimited, a 25 episode anime series based on the common elements of the Final Fantasy series. It was broadcast in Japan by TV Tokyo and released in North America by ADV Films.[29] In 2005, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children and Last Order: Final Fantasy VII were released as part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. Advent Children was a CGI film directed by Tetsuya Nomura and Last Order was a short OVA directed by Morio Asaka.
Several of the video games have either been adapted into or have had spin-offs in the form of manga and novels. The first was the novelization of Final Fantasy II in 1989 and was followed by a manga adaptation of Final Fantasy III in 1992.[30][31] The past decade has seen an increase in the number of adaptations and spin-offs. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within has been adapted into a novel,[32] Crystal Chronicles has been adapted into a manga,[33] and Final Fantasy XI has had a novel and manga set in its continuity.[34][35] Two novellas based on the Final Fantasy VII universe have also been released. The Final Fantasy: Unlimited story was partially continued in novels and a manga after the anime series had ended.
Cammon Elements
Although most Final Fantasy installments are independent, many themes and elements of gameplay recur throughout the series.[36][37] Most titles feature recycled names often inspired from various cultures' history and languages including Japanese, Hebrew, and Latin.[38] Examples include weapon names like Excalibur and Masamune—derived from Arthurian legend and the Japanese swordsmith Masamune respectively—as well as the spell names Holy, Meteor, and Ultima.[37][38] Beginning with Final Fantasy IV, the series adopted its current logo style that features the same typeface and an emblem designed by manga artist Yoshitaka Amano. The emblems relate to the title's respective plot and typically portray main characters or objects central to the story. Subsequent remakes of the first three games have replaced the previous logos with ones similar to the rest of the series.[37]
Plot and themes
The central conflict in many Final Fantasy games focuses on a group of characters battling an evil, and sometimes ancient, antagonist that dominates the game's world. Stories frequently involve a kingdom in rebellion, with the protagonists taking part in the rebellion. The heroes are often destined to defeat the evil, and occasionally gather as a direct result of the antagonist's malicious actions.[10][38] Another staple of the series is the existence of two villains, one more evil than the last. The main villain is not always who it appears to be, as the primary antagonist may actually be subservient to another character or entity.[10] With the exception of Kefka from Final Fantasy VI, the main antagonist introduced at the beginning of the game is not the final enemy at the end of the game, and the characters must continue their quest beyond what appears to be the final fight.[38] Stories in the Final Fantasy series frequently emphasize the internal struggles, passions, and tragedies of the characters, and the main plot often recedes into the background as the focus shifts to their personal lives.[39][40] Games also explore relationships between characters, ranging from love to rivalry.[10] Other recurring situations that drive the plot include amnesia, a hero corrupted by an evil force, mistaken identity, and altruistic suicide.[10][41][42]
Magical orbs and crystals are recurring in-game items that are frequently connected the themes of the games' plots.[38] Crystals often play a central role in the the creation of the world, and a majority of the Final Fantasy games link crystals or orbs to the planet's life force. As such, control over these crystals drive the main conflict.[38][43] Other common plot and setting themes include the Gaia hypothesis, an apocalypse, and conflicts between advanced technology and nature.[38][41][44] Classical elements are recurring themes in the series related to the heroes, villains, or items.[38] Different means of transportation have appeared through the series. The most common is the airship, but others include sea and land vessels. Following Final Fantasy VII, vehicles adapted more modern and futuristic designs.[38]
Characters
Further information: Character design of Final Fantasy
The series has often featured androgynous or effeminate male main characters, a trend that has generally increased as the series evolved.[45][46][47] Character names are another recurring theme. Since Final Fantasy II, a character named Cid has appeared in different capacities: a non-playable ally, party member, and villain. Though Cid's appearance and personality differ between titles, the character is normally related to the in-game airships. Biggs and Wedge, inspired by two Star Wars characters by the same name, appear in titles as minor characters, sometimes as comic relief.[37][40] Character classes, specific jobs that enable unique abilities for characters, are another recurring theme. Introduced in the first game, character classes have been used differently in each title. Some restrict a character to a single job to integrate it into the story, while other games feature dynamic job systems that allow the player to chose from multiple classes and switch throughout the game. Though used heavily in many games, such systems have become less prevalent in favor of characters that are more versatile; characters still match an archetype, but are able to learn skills outside their class.[37][38][40]
Recurring creatures include Chocobos, Moogles, Tonberries, Behemoth, Cactuars and Malboros.[40] Chocobos are large, flightless birds often appearring as a means of long-distance travel for characters. Moogles are white, stout creatures resembling teddy bears with wings and a single antenna. They serve different capacities in games including mail delivery, weapon smiths, and party members. Chocobo and Moogle appearances are often accompanied by specific themes that have been arranged differently for separate titles.[10][37][40] The concept of summoning legendary creatures to aid in battle has persisted since Final Fantasy III; common summons include Shiva, Ifrit, and Bahamut. These creatures, often referred to as "Summons", have been inspired by mythologies from Arabic, Hindu, Norse, and Greek cultures.[37][38]
Gameplay
Main article: Gameplay of Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy games typically have several modes of interaction that are broadly categorized by function. Screens are accessed either by the player's actions or by automatic events. Such screens include: field screens, battle screens, world screens, menu screens, cutscenes, and minigames. The player normally controls the character interaction with the environment via Field, Battle, and World screens; minigames are sometimes used for this as well.
"Field screens" are enclosed and interconnected areas—towns, caves, fields, and other environments—through which the player can navigate the playable characters. Most of the character dialogue and exploration occurs on the field screens. In the first ten titles (except Final Fantasy VIII, where other characters follow the main character when you are not on the world map), players can navigate the main character, which represents the whole party, around the environment. Since Final Fantasy XI, multiple playable characters have been shown on the Field screen, and battles have been incorporated into the Field screen. "Battle screens" facilitate battles in an arena, usually with a change of scale and a background that represents where the battle is occurring. For example, a random battle in a desert will have a desert backdrop.[48] Battles are normally either plot-relevant or random encounters. In Final Fantasy XI and XII, battles screens were omitted by having battle sequences occur on the main field screen;[49][50] the change was influenced by a desire to remove random encounters.[51]
The "World screen" is a low-scale map of the game world used to symbolize traveling great distances that would otherwise slow the plot progression. The party can often traverse this screen via airships, Chocobos, and other modes of transportation.[48] "Menu Screens" are used for character and game management; typical menu screens include items, character status, equipment, abilities, and game options.[40] This screen is usually presented in a very simple table layout. "Cutscenes" are non-interactive playbacks that provide instructions for the player or advance the plot. They can either be pre-rendered video, also known as full motion video, or they can be executed with the same engine as any of the first three modes. "Minigames" are small activities that generally serve as diversions from the story.
Battle system
Combat in the Final Fantasy series started with a simple menu-driven, turn-based battle system. The series began to introduce real-time elements in Final Fantasy IV,[10] culminating in a full real-time system for Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII.[52][53] The traditional, turn-based battle system was used in the first three games. At the beginning of each combat round, the player chooses battle commands for all playable characters. These commands are carried out in an order determined by the "speed" statistic of the characters.
With Final Fantasy IV, the turn-based battle system was replaced by the Active Time Battle (ATB) system designed by Hiroyuki Ito. Square Co., Ltd. filed a United States patent application for the ATB system on March 16, 1992, under the title "Video game apparatus, method and device for controlling same" and was awarded the patent on February 21, 1995. On the battle screen, a status summary of each character is displayed. These encompass health levels, magic levels, and an ATB gauge. The ATB gauge determines when a character can take action. When the gauge is filled completely, the player can issue an order to that character.[54] Also, the player has the option to issue commands at the same time as when something else is happening. Not to be confused with a real-time battle system, this is simply an implement to help make things move along at a quicker pace. However, there can be times during battle when no action is taking place and the player is waiting for ATB gauges to fill up. The ATB system was replaced in Final Fantasy X by the Conditional Turn-Based Battle (CTB) system (also known as Count Time Battle) created by Toshiro Tsuchida. This system returns to a turn-based format, but character and enemy actions heavily affect the order of future battle turns. A graphical timeline along the upper-right side of the screen details who will be receiving turns next, as well as how various actions taken (such as using the Slow spell on an enemy) will affect the subsequent order of turns.
The Real Time Battle (RTB) system—introduced in Final Fantasy XI—replaced the random encounter game mechanic that has featured in past Final Fantasy games. Instead, it allows players to view the location of nearby enemies on the game map, therefore allowing one to move around the landscape during battles, or to avoid battles altogether. Characters start attacking automatically once they are in combat with an enemy, and special commands and magic can be input by the player at any time. Contrary to the system's name it is not totally in real-time; with the exception of items, moving, certain special abilities and the first physical attack, all actions have a "charge" time before they are executed. Square Enix presented a short demo of Final Fantasy XIII at the 2006 E3 conference, in which a menu at the bottom of the screen was used for inputting battle commands; the system was barely noticed because of the cinematic nature of the battles.[55] The Active Dimension Battle (ADB) system featured in Final Fantasy XII was a cross between the RTB system and the ATB's time meter. This system was inspired by the Final Fantasy XII developers' experience working on Ogre Battle and Vagrant Story.[56]
Most installments use an experience level system for character advancement, in which experience points are accumulated by killing enemies—however, defeating bosses in some titles did not provide experience points.[57][58][59] Battles also use a points-based system for casting magical spells. Since Final Fantasy III, most titles have featured a variety of "special commands", such as stealing items from enemies or performing more powerful attacks. These abilities are sometimes integrated into the job system, which has appeared in several installments.
Development and history
Origin
See also: Development of Final Fantasy (video game) and Development of Final Fantasy II
In the mid 1980s, Square entered the Japanese video game industry with simple RPGs, racing games, and platformers for Nintendo's Famicom Disk System. Though a couple games were successful in North America, most were not popular and the company faced bankruptcy. In 1987, Square designer Hironobu Sakaguchi headed development of a game to prevent the company's financial ruin. Sakaguchi chose to create a new fantasy role-playing game for the cartridge-based Famicom, and drew inspiration from popular fantasy games: Enix's Dragon Quest, Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda, and Origin Systems's Ultima series. As Sakaguchi planned to retire after completing the project, it was named Final Fantasy.[2][48][60] Despite his explanation, the name of the game has also been attributed by various sources to the company's hopes that the project would solve its financial troubles.[2][4]
The game indeed reversed Square's lagging fortunes, and it became the company's flagship franchise.[1][2] Following the success, Square immediately developed a second installment. Because Sakaguchi assumed Final Fantasy would be a stand-alone title, its story was not designed to be expanded by sequel. The developers instead chose to carrying over only thematic similarities to its predecessor. Some of the gameplay elements, such as the character advancement system, were overhauled. This approach has continued throughout the series; each major Final Fantasy game features a new setting, cast of characters, and battle system.[61]
Design
See also: Category: Final Fantasy designers
The first five games were directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, who also provided the original
concepts. He served as a producer for subsequent games until he left Square in 2001.[62][63][64][65][66] Yoshinori Kitase took over directing the games until Final Fantasy VIII,[63][64][65] and has been followed by a new director for each new title. Hiroyuki Itō has designed several gameplay systems, including Final Fantasy V's Job System, Final Fantasy VIII's Junction System[65] and the Active Time Battle concept, which was used from Final Fantasy IV until Final Fantasy IX. Itō also co-directed Final Fantasy VI with Kitase.[63]
Kenji Terada was the scenario writer for the first four games; Kitase took over as scenario writer for Final Fantasy V through Final Fantasy VII. Kazushige Nojima became the series' primary scenario writer from Final Fantasy VII until his resignation in October 2003; he has since formed his own company, Stellavista. Nojima partially or completely wrote the stories for Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy X-2. He has also worked as the scenario writer for the spin off series, Kingdom Hearts.[67] Square Enix continues to contract story and scenario work to Nojima and Stellavista.
Artistic design, including character and monster creations, was handled by Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano from Final Fantasy through Final Fantasy VI. Amano also handled title logo designs for all of the main series and all of the image illustrations from Final Fantasy VII onward. Following Amano's departure, he was replaced by Tetsuya Nomura,[68] who worked with the series through Final Fantasy X; for Final Fantasy IX, however, character designs were handled by Shukou Murase, Toshiyuki Itahana, and Shin Nagasawa.[66] Nomura is also the character designer of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and all three installments of the upcoming Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy XIII. Other designers include Nobuyoshi Mihara and Akihiko Yoshida. Mihara was the character designer for Final Fantasy XI,[69] and Yoshida served as character designer for Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy XII, the Square-produced Vagrant Story, and the Final Fantasy III remake.
Graphics and technology
The first titles on NES feature small sprite representations of the leading party members on the main world screen because of graphical limitations. Battle screens use more detailed, full versions of characters in a side-view perspective. This practice was used until Final Fantasy VI, which uses detailed versions for both screens. The NES sprites are 26 pixels high and use a color palette of 4 colors. 6 frames of animation are used to depict different character statuses like "healthy" and "fatigued". The SNES installments use updated graphics and effects, as well as higher quality audio than in previous games, but are otherwise similar to their predecessors in basic design. The SNES sprites are 2 pixels shorter, but have larger palettes and feature more animation frames: 11 colors and 40 frames respectively. The upgrade allowed designers to have characters be more detailed in appearance and express more emotions. The first title includes non-player characters (NPCs) the player could interact with, but are mostly static in-game objects. Beginning with the second title, Square used predetermined pathways for NPCs to create more dynamic scenes that include comedy and drama.[70]
In August 1995, Square showed an interactive SGI technical demonstration of Final Fantasy for the next generation.[71] Articles in video game magazines GameFan and Nintendo Power led fans to believe the demo was of a new Final Fantasy title for the Nintendo 64 video game console. However, 1997 saw the release of Final Fantasy VII for the Sony PlayStation and not the Nintendo 64 as many had originally anticipated.[72] The switch was due to a dispute with Nintendo over its use of faster and more expensive cartridges, as opposed to the slower, cheaper, and much higher capacity compact discs used on rival systems.[73] Final Fantasy VII introduced 3-dimensional graphics with fully pre-rendered backgrounds.[74][75] It was because of this switch to 3D that a CD-ROM format was chosen over a cartridge format.[71]
Starting with Final Fantasy VIII, the series adopted a more photo-realistic look.[76] Like Final Fantasy VII, some full motion video (FMV) sequences would have video playing in the background, with the polygonal characters composited on top. Final Fantasy IX returned briefly to the more stylized design of earlier games in the series. It still maintained, and in many cases slightly upgraded, most of the graphical techniques used in the previous two games in the series. Final Fantasy X was released on the PlayStation 2,[19] and made use of the much more powerful hardware to render many cutscenes in real-time, rather than in pre-rendered FMV sequences. Rather than having 3D models moving about in pre-rendered backgrounds, the game featured full 3D environments, giving it a more dynamic look, though the camera angle was fixed. It was also the first Final Fantasy game to introduce voice acting, occurring throughout the majority of the game, even with many minor characters. This aspect added a whole new dimension of depth to the character's reactions, emotions, and development.[77]
Taking a temporary divergence, Final Fantasy XI used the PlayStation 2's online capabilities as
an MMORPG.[78] Initially released for PlayStation 2 with a PC port arriving 6 months later, Final Fantasy XI was also released on the Xbox 360 nearly four years after its original release in Japan.[79] This was the first Final Fantasy game to use a free rotating camera. Final Fantasy XII was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and uses only half as many polygons as Final Fantasy X in exchange for more advanced textures and lighting.[80][81] It also retains the freely rotating camera from Final Fantasy XI. Final Fantasy XIII was shown at E3 2006 and will make use of Crystal Tools, a middleware engine developed by Square Enix.[82][83]
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