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Final Fantasy (ファイナルファンタジー, Fainaru Fantajī) is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi and owned by Square Enix that includes video games, motion pictures, and other merchandise. The series began in 1987 as an eponymous console role-playing game developed by Square, spawning a video game series that became the central focus of the franchise. The franchise has since branched out into other genres and platforms, such as tactical RPGs, portable games, MMORPGs, and games for mobile phones. As of March 2007, there are twenty-eight games in the franchise. The series has spurred the release of three animated productions, two full-length CGI films, and several literary adaptations.

Most Final Fantasy installments are independent stories; however, they feature common elements that define the franchise. The series has popularized many features that are now widely used in console RPGs, and is well known for its visuals, music, and innovation. Many titles in the series have been commercially and critically successful; it is the fourth-best-selling video game franchise, with more than 75 million units sold as of March 2007.

Games

The first installment of the series premiered in Japan on December 18, 1987. Each subsequent title was numbered and given a unique story. Since the original release, many Final Fantasy games have been localized for markets in North America, Europe, and Australia, on numerous video game consoles, IBM PC compatible computers, and mobile phones. Future installments will appear on seventh generation video game consoles; two upcoming titles for the PlayStation 3 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 re-released on multiple platforms.

Main series

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• Final Fantasy was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan in 1987 and in the United States in 1990. The story focuses on the four "Light Warriors" and their elemental orbs, which have been darkened by four Elemental Fiends. Final Fantasy introduced many concepts to the console RPG genre.

• Final Fantasy II was originally released on the Famicom in Japan in 1988. The story centers on four youths who join a resistance to end the Emperor's military campaign against the world. Final Fantasy II was the first game to introduce Chocobos.

• Final Fantasy III was released on the Famicom in Japan in 1990. The plot focuses on four orphaned youths who come across a crystal, which grants them power and instructs them to restore balance to the world. It was the first game to implement a Job System and introduce Moogles.

• Final Fantasy IV was released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991; in the United States, it was released as Final Fantasy II. The story centers on a Dark Knight and his journey to save the world from the evil Golbez. It was the first game to introduce the "Active Time Battle" system.

• Final Fantasy V was released on the SNES in Japan in 1992. The story focuses on a wanderer and his allies as they prevent the resurgence of Exdeath. It features an expanded version of the Job System from Final Fantasy III.

• Final Fantasy VI was released on the SNES in 1994, but it was released in North America under the title Final Fantasy III. The plot centers on a group of rebels as they attempt to overthrow an imperial dictatorship. It has more battle customization options than its predecessors, as well as the largest playable cast in the series.

• Final Fantasy VII was released on the PlayStation in 1997 and was the first title to be officially released in Europe. The story centers on a group of adventurers as they battle a powerful corporation. Final Fantasy VII was the first game in the series to use 3D computer graphics, which feature fully polygonal characters on pre-rendered backgrounds.

• Final Fantasy VIII was released on the PlayStation in 1999. The plot focuses on a group of young mercenaries who seek to prevent a sorceress from manipulating an international war. It was the first game in the series to consistently use realistically proportioned characters, and it was the first to feature a vocal piece as its theme music.

• Final Fantasy IX was released on the PlayStation in 2000. The story begins 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.

• Final Fantasy X was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2001. The plot is set in Spira and centers on a group of adventurers and their quest to defeat a rampaging force known as "Sin". Final Fantasy X introduced fully three-dimensional areas and voice acting to the series, and it was the first to spawn direct sequel (Final Fantasy X-2).

• Final Fantasy XI was released on the PlayStation 2 and PC in 2002. The first MMORPG in the series, Final Fantasy XI is set in Vana'diel, 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 for the PlayStation 2 in 2006. The game takes place in Ivalice, where the empires of Archadia and Rozarria are waging an endless war. It features a real-time battle system similar to Final Fantasy XI, a "gambit" system that automatically controls the actions of characters, and a "license board" that determines which abilities and equipment the character can use.

• Final Fantasy XIII is in development for the PlayStation 3. It will be the flagship installment of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII compilation.

Direct sequels and spin-offs

Final Fantasy has spawned numerous spin-offs and compilations. Several Square games were released in North America with their titles changed to include "Final Fantasy", such as The Final Fantasy Legend. 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 series' first direct sequel, Final Fantasy X-2, was released. Square Enix has released numerous games featuring Chocobos, and the 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 settings and themes.

Overview

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Common elements

Although most Final Fantasy installments are independent, many themes and elements of gameplay recur throughout the series. The concept of summoning legendary creatures to aid in battle has persisted since Final Fantasy III; common summons include Shiva, Ifrit, and Bahamut. Recurring creatures include Chocobos, Moogles, Tonberries, and Malboros. Some spin-off titles have cameo appearances of characters from other games, and most titles feature recycled character names. For example, there has been a character named Cid in each game since Final Fantasy II; however, each appearance and personality is different. Character classes—specific jobs that enable unique abilities for characters—are another recurring theme.

Gameplay

Game screens

Final Fantasy games typically have several types of screens, or 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), 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. 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; the change was influenced by a desire to remove random encounters.

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. "Menu Screens" are used for character and game management; typical menu screens include items, character status, equipment, abilities, and game options. 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. Since Final Fantasy IV, the series has gradually introduced more real-time elements, culminating in a full real-time system for Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII. 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. ATB was replaced by the Conditional Turn-Based (CTB) system in Final Fantasy X, and Real Time Battle systems were introduced in Final Fantasy XI. At the 2006 E3 conference, Square Enix presented a short demo of Final Fantasy XIII, 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.

Most installments use an experience level system for character advancement, in which experience points are accumulated by killing enemies. Battles also use a point-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.

Music

This the other composers of the series may be unbalanced toward certain viewpoints. Please improve the article by adding information on neglected viewpoints, or discuss the issue on the talk page.

Nobuo Uematsu was the critically acclaimed chief music composer of the Final Fantasy series until his resignation from Square Enix in November 2004. Uematsu is also involved with the rock group The Black Mages, which has released two albums of arranged Final Fantasy tunes. Other composers who have contributed to the series include Masashi Hamauzu and Hitoshi Sakimoto.

Although each game offers a variety of music, there are some frequently reused themes. Most of the games open with a piece called "Prelude", which has evolved from a simple arpeggio theme in the early games to a complex melodic arrangement in recent installments. Victorious battles in the first ten installments of the series were accompanied by a victory fanfare; this theme has become one of the most recognized pieces of music in the series. The basic theme for Chocobos is rearranged in a different musical style for each installment. A piece called "Ahead on Our Way", originally featured in Final Fantasy I, is often played during the ending credits as "Prologue" or "Final Fantasy". Although leitmotifs are often used in the more character-driven installments, theme music is typically reserved for main characters and recurring plot elements.

Development

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History

This section needs expansion with: history past Final Fantasy II. You can help by adding to it.

In the mid 1980s, Square entered the Japanese video game industry with a string of simple RPGs, racing games, and platformers for Nintendo's Famicom Disk System (FDS). By 1987, declining interest in the FDS had placed Square on the verge of bankruptcy. Meanwhile, Square designer Hironobu Sakaguchi began work on a new fantasy role-playing game for the cartridge-based Famicom, inspired in part by Enix's popular Dragon Quest. Sakaguchi planned to retire after completing the project, so it was named Final Fantasy. The name has also been attributed to the company's hopes that the project would solve their financial troubles. Final Fantasy indeed reversed Square's lagging fortunes, and it became their flagship franchise.

Following the success of the first game, Square immediately developed a second installment. Unlike a typical sequel, Final Fantasy II features a world bearing only thematic similarities to its predecessor. Some of the gameplay elements, such as the character advancement system, were also overhauled. This approach to has continued throughout the series; each major Final Fantasy game features a new setting, cast of characters, and battle system.

Design

Character design

This section needs expansion with: a quick description of each designer's distinctive art style. You can help by adding to it.

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, 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. 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, and Yoshida served as character designer for Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy XII, the Square-produced Vagrant Story, and the Final Fantasy III remake. Kazushige Nojima was 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. Square Enix continues to contract story and scenario work to Nojima and Stellavista.

Graphics and technology

Final Fantasy debuted on the Nintendo Family Computer in 1987. It featured small sprite representations of the leading party members on the main world screen because of graphical limitations, while in battle screens, more detailed, full versions of all characters would appear in a side-view perspective. The Super Famicom installments used updated graphics and effects, as well as higher quality music and sound than in previous games, but they were otherwise similar to their predecessors in basic design.

Late in the 16-bit generation, Square showed an interactive SGI technical demonstration of Final Fantasy for the next generation. Articles in GameFan and Nintendo Power led fans to believe that 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. This was due to a dispute with Nintendo over its use of faster and more expensive cartridges, as opposed to the slower and cheaper, though higher capacity, compact discs used on rival systems. Final Fantasy VII introduced 3-dimensional graphics with fully pre-rendered backgrounds. It was because of this switch to 3D that a CD-ROM format was chosen over a cartridge format.

Starting with Final Fantasy VIII, the series adopted a more photo-realistic look. Like Final Fantasy VII, some full motion video 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 utilized in the previous two games in the series. Final Fantasy X was released on the PlayStation 2, 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.

Taking a temporary divergence, Final Fantasy XI used the PlayStation 2's online capabilities as an MMORPG. 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 first release in Japan. 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 utilizes only half as many polygons as Final Fantasy X in exchange for more advanced textures and lighting. It also retains the freely rotating camera from Final Fantasy XI. Final Fantasy XIII was shown at E3 2006 and is slated to be the first game in the main series for PlayStation 3. The game will make use of the "White Engine", a middleware engine developed by Square Enix.

Merchandise and other media

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Square Enix has expanded the Final Fantasy series into various different mediums. In addition to the games, there have been CGI films, animated series, books, and different types of merchandise. Many of the games have been re-released on multiple platforms, and several have been adapted into manga and novels. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy: Unlimited have been adapted into radio dramas. Many of the titles' official soundtracks have been released for sale as well. Companion books, which normally provide in-depth game information, have also been published. In Japan, they are published by Square and are called Ultimania books. In North America, they take the form of standard strategy guides.

Anime and films

There have been several anime and CGI films produced that are based either directly on individual Final Fantasy games or on the series as a whole. The first was an OVA titled Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals and was based on 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. In 2001, Square Pictures released their first feature film, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. The story was set on a future-Earth that had been invaded by alien life forms. The Spirits Within was the first animated feature to seriously attempt to portray photorealistic CGI humans, but it was considered a box office bomb. 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. 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.

Literary adaptations

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. The past decade has seen an increase in the number adaptations and spin-offs. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within has been adapted into a novel, Crystal Chronicles has been adapted into a manga, and Final Fantasy XI has had a novel and manhwa set in its continuity. 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.

Reception

This section may not provide balanced coverage on non-American countries. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page.

The Final Fantasy series has been overall critically well received and commercially successful, though each installment has seen different levels of success. As of March 2007, the series has sold over 75 million units worldwide. The series and several specific games within it have been credited for introducing and popularizing many concepts and features that are widely used in console RPGs. In addition, it has been praised for the quality of its visuals and soundtracks. The series has also received criticism. IGN has commented that the menu system used by the series is a major detractor for many and is a "significant reason why they haven't touched the series." In July 2007, Edge magazine criticized the series for a number of related titles that include the phrase "Final Fantasy" in their titles, which are considered to be not of the same quality as previous titles. They also commented that with the departure of Hironobu Sakaguchi, the series might be in danger of growing stale.

Many Final Fantasy games have been included in various lists of top games. Two games were listed on GameFAQs' "The 10 Best Games Ever" contest in Fall 2005, with Final Fantasy VII voted as the "Best Game Ever." Six other Final Fantasy titles were included in the additional 90 games listed. GameFAQs has also held a contest for the best video game series ever, with Final Fantasy being the runner-up, behind The Legend of Zelda. Several games have been listed on multiple IGN "Top Games" lists. Eleven games were listed on Famitsu's 2006 "Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time", four of which were in the top ten, with Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy VII being first and second, respectively. Many Final Fantasy characters have been included in GameFAQs' "Character Battle" contests. Final Fantasy VII's Cloud Strife and Sephiroth have both won once and have been listed as the runner-up multiple times.

Several individual Final Fantasy titles have garnered extra attention; some for their positive reception and others for their negative reception. Final Fantasy VII has sold more than 9.5 million copies worldwide, earning it the position of the best-selling Final Fantasy title. In addition, it won GameFAQs' "Best. Game. Ever." tournament in 2004. Within two days of Final Fantasy VIII's North American release on September 9 1999, it became the top-selling video game in the United States, a position it held for more than three weeks. Though not as commercially successful as Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX was a top seller at the time of its release. Final Fantasy X sold over 1.4 million Japanese units in pre-orders alone, and was listed third in IGN's "Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time". The MMORPG, Final Fantasy XI, reached over 200,000 active daily players in March 2006 and had reached over half a million subscribers by July 2007. Final Fantasy XII sold more than 1,764,000 copies in its first week in Japan. By November 6 2006—one week after its release—Final Fantasy XII had shipped approximately 1.5 million copies in North America.

Though Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was praised for its visuals, the plot was criticized and was considered a box office bomb. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube received overall positive review scores, but reviews stated that use of Game Boy Advances as controllers was a big detractor. Dirge of Cerebus: Final Fantasy VII shipped 392,000 units in its first week of release, but received review scores that were much lower than that of other Final Fantasy games. A delayed, negative review from Famitsu also hinted at a controversy between the magazine and Square Enix.

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External links

• Square Enix's official Final Fantasy website Template:Languageicon
• Square Enix's official Final Fantasy website Template:Languageicon
• Open Directory Project: Final Fantasy sites
• Final Fantasy Wiki

• Video games developed in Japan
• Role-playing video games
• Video game franchises
• Final Fantasy