An unstoppable party

One could create a checklist for what makes a Final Fantasy game Final Fantasy: a varied cast of characters with contrasting personalities; game mechanics that encourage us to make the most of characters’ strengths to build an unstoppable party; a globe-spanning tale of epic fantasy that starts as a tale of good vs. evil, but ends up unraveling into something more surprising; and a score that’ll give you songs to enjoy for a lifetime.

Most of the series’ games have had these elements to one degree or another, but it’s not enough to just have them. They need to be working together to build a world that wins over my excitement and emotions. I need to hear the struggle of Spira and its people in “To Zanarkand” in Final Fantasy X. I need to rely on the mechanical strengths of the Guardian Forces to feel the surprise impact of their narrative cost in Final Fantasy VIII Zidane’s optimism and encouragement of other characters needs to inspire me in Final Fantasy IX. There are many other examples, and each entry has its strengths and its weaknesses. But the best ones leave me with stories and characters I think about for years after the credits first roll. — Claire Jackson