Final fantasy games on PC. Anime night session: watch all parts. "Final Fantasy": list and plot description. "Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals"

A list of all serialized Final Fantasy titles, as well as their sequels, prequels and spinoffs.

The game that began the great march of Final Fantasy into the world. There has long been a story among fans about the poor company SquareSoft, which was on the verge of bankruptcy and decided to give the world its latest game. The “father” of the series, Hironobu Sakaguchi, called it Final Fantasy because he thought that after that there wouldn’t be enough money to make games. But it was not there! The game fell in love and began to catch up with the hits of those times in sales. The company was saved.

Every fan of the series should at least get acquainted with this game. After all, this is where you can find out what Rat's Tail is or where the Four Elemental Fiends came from. From the very beginning, we are given complete freedom of action: we can go to the city, or we can just wander around the world map. By the way, for some this freedom is very strong It’s scary, because lately games themselves guide the player through the story, but before this was not the case at all. No one will show us tutorials, poke us with arrows “run there/press that.” We are free in everything.

The story will tell us about four crystals of the elements, which with their light give fertility to the soil, wind, heat and water. But, for some reason, the crystals began to “deny” people their gift and no one can do anything about it. Only four warriors of light, with their crystal fragments, can help the world. And then the knight of the kingdom of Cornelia took the king’s daughter hostage...

You can learn the events preceding the second part, as well as an alternative scenario for their development, from the novella Final Fantasy II Muma no Meikyū or Fantasy II Nightmare's Labyrinth.

In the wake of the popularity of the first game, it was decided to make a second part. Final Fantasy II was released a year after the first part (which is why it resembles it), but now the plot has become even more interesting, the old leveling system has been replaced with a separately invented one, and the very first news of those Final Fantasy mascots that we know has appeared. For example, the “beavers” with which Guy can talk so well were prototypes of Moogles, and in one of the forests you can find the feathered bird Chocobo.

In Final Fantasy II we learn the story of a company of four young people: Firion, Guy, Maria and Leon village, which was burned by order of the Emperor. Our team barely survived the attack of the Dark Knights, they were saved only by the fact that there was a resistance army nearby, which carried them to a safe place and healed them. But one of the guys, Leon, disappeared without a trace. Our party decides to join the resistance forces and avenge the people who died due to the fault of the Emperor.

The second part was received just as well as the first, so SquareSoft decided not to slow down. The third part of Final Fantasy was soon released, which introduced even more elements that are painfully familiar to any veteran of the game. For example, moogles appeared for the first time in their own form and, everyone’s favorite, fat chocobo. For the first time, a system of professions was introduced, which made it possible to switch between different “directions” of the character and build battle tactics based on them.

This part will tell us about four children who unwittingly got involved in the confrontation between good and evil. The DS remake gives them names: Luneth, Arc, Ingus and Refia. Luneth is a cheerful guy who loves to wander around different nooks and crannies (which played a cruel joke on him at the very beginning of the game). Arc is a quiet and intelligent friend of Luneth, who, however, is a little cowardly. Ingus served Princess Sarah until fate called to save the world, and Refia a brave girl who really doesn’t like that her father is trying to teach her the skill of a blacksmith and constantly runs away from home. Such a motley crew awaits us in Final Fantasy III. Now the characters get a more detailed story, build relationships between themselves and the people around them, look for a way out of current situations. In short, the plot begins to acquire the intricacy that we are accustomed to seeing in the series .

Final Fantasy IV Collection

From now on, the format of the list will change a little, as series of games begin. In series, the chronological sequence will follow the events of the game rather than the release date.

The fourth part marked the "golden age of Final Fantasy". It was this game, the first after the first part, that was able to get out of Japan (although in the United States it was renamed Final Fantasy II so as not to confuse Western gamers). Professions were postponed until better times, but instead we were pleased with a new combat system, which also became a kind of “classic” Active Time Battle. Although it is still hidden (there are no those running stripes that all fans of the series love so much), speed is already taken into account and the order of moves is no longer as clearly predetermined as it was in previous games.

The fourth part amazed us with its vast expanses. Just look at the huge surface world, but we can still get into the underground world and fly to the moon. History is also evolving, now everything has become even more confusing and interesting.

They will tell us about the dark knight - a captain of the Red Wings air fleet named Cecil, who was given the order to seize the crystals. But our hero begins to doubt the correctness of the decision made by the king.

• The PSP game bundle Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection included Final Fantasy IV -Interlude-, which chronicles the events between IV and IV The After Years.

(17 years after Final Fantasy IV)

Final Fantasy IV was so loved in Japan (and some from SquareEnix too) that it was decided to release its sequel, initially on mobile phones (don’t be alarmed, I’m telling you in advance that the list of consoles has expanded and the game has received its own translation into English), which was shared for thirteen episodes and was released to the market periodically. The game gives us the opportunity to once again see familiar faces and at the same time makes several innovations (such as group strikes and the influence of moon phases on skills). But this is not without its drawbacks, because even with fully connected episodes, the game turned out to be too short. But, as they say, we have what we have. Moreover, the story was included in the collection Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection for PSP, so owners of this console will be able to enjoy the story at no additional cost.

Cecil has already become king, Rosa has become queen, and their little prince Ceodore was born, on whom his parents, of course, have high hopes. Ceodore lives up to their hopes and wants to join the Red Wings. But to do this, you must pass a test of strength and courage by obtaining an object that will confirm these high qualities of the boy.

His parents, having entrusted the child to the captain of the fleet, meanwhile, are going to a gala reception with Edward, who has rebuilt his Damcyan castle, and a lot of other things are happening. But, as usual, the world has again been shaken by the new threat that hangs over it.

The fifth part of Final Fantasy again gives us a huge magical world, the balance of which is maintained by the same four elemental crystals. But we are far from these lofty matters (at least for now) and play for the cheerful young man Bartz with his no less cheerful chocobo named Boko. Bartz travels the world in search of adventure on his feathered friend, but suddenly a meteorite falls, which confuses all plans and drags our guy into a battle between good and evil. The crystals, one after another, are splitting, chaos is engulfing the whole world, and only my true friends and I can prevent this catastrophe.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2 years after Final Fantasy VII)

Although the list is a gaming one, it would not be out of place to mention the film, which logically connects the main game with its sequel.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children CGI film which tells about Midgar after the disaster caused by the confrontation between Meteor and the Stream of Life at the end of the game. People gradually came to their senses, rebuilt their houses, and began to appreciate nature. But the planet doesn’t just forget anything. The world has been struck by the disease “geostigma”, which comes along with the infected stream of life and destroys people from the inside. Cloud lives quietly with Tifa, works part-time, but his quiet life, as usual, did not last long. On the way to Midgar, Cloud is attacked by a group of young people who are looking for their "mother". Tseng and Elena are attacked in Northen Crater, and just a mess is happening. Who, if not Cloud, should figure out this whole matter?

• If you are interested in the film, then I recommend watching Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete, in which scenes were added and the music was slightly changed.

The first game that went beyond the usual genre boundaries of the series and became a shooter. The fact is that Yoshinovi Kitase really loved playing Quake and had long wanted to do something similar in the world of Final Fantasy. At first, everyone thought for a long time about the character whose story would be told. The casting was carried out by Irwin from the eighth part, Yuna from the tenth and Barrett from the seventh. But Kitase insisted on Vincent, whom he really liked. So it was decided to supplement the compilation of the seventh part with another game.

Dirge of Cerberus, as you already understood, is about Vincent Valentine, one of our team members in the main game. Peace came to Midgar again, life was just beginning to get better, when a mysterious and powerful group SOLDIER appeared, which calls its organization Deepground. For three long years they were imprisoned under the ruins of Midgar and decided to summon the perfect weapon ahead of their time - Omega. Omega had to take all the life flow from the planet and transfer it to another place so that life could arise again.

But life has not ended on this planet yet. Therefore, Vincent and the World Regenesis Organization (led by Reeve, whom everyone knows as the man who runs Cait Sith) are trying to stop and interfere with them.

(3 years after Final Fantasy VII)

A game for Japanese mobile phones that deepens the description of events in Dirge of Cerberus. Vincent Valentine is trying to save the world from a unit of Deepground soldiers who are hunting him, including him, to extract proto-matter. Vincent learns that he is being hunted and sneaks into the Shinra Mansion in order to get to the bottom of the secrets of his past.

What to expect from a game for Japanese mobile phones? And the fact that it was also released for English mobile phones! Therefore, you can definitely get acquainted with the game in a clear language. Although, if you are used to seeing only RPGs in the Final Fantasy series, you will be very surprised, because this is a third-person shooter. Don’t expect any special convenience or beauty (well, did you think that your mobile phone would give you a good picture?), but if you are a fan of Vincent and want to get to know him better, then the game is a must-play.

After the resounding success of the seventh part, it would be simply stupid to stop. Therefore, after a short respite, the already rich and wealthy company SquareSoft began creating the eighth part. The polygons of the characters noticeably increased, it was decided to make the correct proportions and the story on as many as four discs (which became a record for the series, because the seventh part was only on three).

The combat system of the eighth part stands out in that it has moved away from the usual MP that we are used to seeing. Now characters “drain” magic from monsters, and their characteristics increase along with the binding of magic and Guardian Force summoned creatures, which endow people with the power of magic. Our student of the Balamb garden, as usual, does not think about such lofty matters. In training with his eternal rival, he received a scar on his forehead. Squall Leonheart a taciturn, introverted and slightly selfish student will be our main character, and over the course of four discs we will see how he meets friends and, under their influence, begins to change. Great plot and a good time guaranteed.

After such success, SquareSoft decided to once again please fans of the series with the “classic” world that everyone is used to seeing. Bright colors, white and black magicians, everything comes back to us once again so that we can remember that good old world of Final Fantasy that we are used to seeing in the early parts. A huge number of references to previous parts, a “classic” ATV system, a colorful world the ninth part has everything.

Although the combat system is based on the classic ATV, innovations have not been forgotten either. Now skills are learned through equipment, and to activate passive abilities you need to use crystals.

We learn the story of a young thief named Zidane Tribal, who fell ill with a common jRPG disease, amnesia. He, as part of the Tantalus acting group, decided to kidnap Princess Garnet from the castle of Alexandria. But everything went wrong when the princess herself asked to be kidnapped.

The tenth part has finally moved to a new console and full 3D. Although not everything is so smooth with the three-dimensional start of the series (just look at the facial animation of the characters to understand this), but a completely new combat system and an excellent plot allow you to forget about small flaws in terms of graphics.

Speaking of new system, if before we only saw different variations of ATV, now they decided to postpone it until better times and make something like an initiative scale, which marks the order of moves, which changes depending on the speed and previously taken actions of the character. Although the fans rebelled at first (how can you so easily get away from a system that was in the series for nine parts?!), but then they tried it in practice and it turned out to be not so bad.

The pumping system has also changed. The old, boring levels were thrown into the trash and replaced with spherical ones. How it works? The character is placed on a board with skills marked, and during the level we can move along cells that increase characteristics\learn skills\just empty cells. We activate them with spheres that fall out of monsters. That's how things are.

The tenth part will tell us about a young man, a member of a team of Blitzball players and just a popular person Tidus. The guy’s father has been missing for ten years, but our hero is not at all upset, because he was a very unimportant father. The next blitzball match turned out to be the last one, which took place in the city of Zanarkand...

On April 1, 2003, the Square and Enix corporations merged to form Square Enix, marking the end of the "golden age of Final Fantasy."

Chronologically, the very first Final Fantasy sequel in history. We play as the summoner Yuna and her faithful friends Rikku and Paine, who travel around the world on their ship Celsius in search of orbs and clues that should shed light on the disappearance of Tidus. The combat system has returned to ATV again, but now the speed of filling the scale and its value depends on the girl’s profession. Leveling up is now again separate for each profession, which are called Dressspheres here. Characters no longer stand in a straight line opposite enemies, but move freely as they please (we are not able to control this). Some fans of the series didn't like it.

The world has been freed from the oppression of Sin and is now celebrating its liberation. There is happiness everywhere, carefree faces, because now you don’t have to worry that you may not live to see tomorrow. Cities are gradually being rebuilt and expanding, and our trio is flying around the world and having fun as best they can. What can I say, such a sharp transition from the serious and philosophical history of the tenth part, to the deliberate fun and carefreeness of the tenth or second part caused... rejection from the series among some.

The very first MMORPG in the Final Fantasy series, which was made solely on the whim of Square Enix CEO Eiti Wada, when good internet was a rarity not only in this country, but even in America. Therefore, the game did not receive due attention during its release, although it turned out to be quite good.

The combat system was completely action-oriented (which was also seen in Final Fantasy for the first time) and now it was possible to assemble a team of players of different races and professions to complete quests, level up, and simply run around the world. The main feature of the game is the presence of a logical ending (we are even shown the final video and credits, just then we can play further) and a great emphasis on teamwork (and for this they made a special translator who does a decent job with simple phrases).

This time we will find ourselves in the world of Vana"diel, which the gods made as a platform for their games. During such games, they created a huge crystal simply because they liked it. For centuries, the gods played in this world until they got tired of it and did not fall into a deep sleep. And during their sleep, the children of the gods built their cities and wanted to return to their parents. But the keeper of the gate saw this and destroyed both the children of the gods and everything they did. Over time, the goddess Altana woke up and , seeing the ruins into which the world had turned, cried five tears, which, falling to the ground, gave birth to the five races of the world. The god Promathia, who watched this, placed a curse on all five races in the form of hostility and constant attacks from monsters. Now they are exactly they will not think about returning to the gods.

Ivalice Alliance

A world created by Yasumi Matsuno, in which a number of games take place in different periods of time and some are completely unrelated to the plot. Vargant Story, which shares a setting with the Ivalice Alliance games, is not even part of the Final Fantasy series.

It was decided to make the twelfth part in the style of a recent MMORPG and part was completely given into the hands of Yasumi Matsuno master of palace intrigue. Five long years of development and pressure from the top did their job. Matsuno was unable to complete the game and left the company (official reason: poor health), but Hiroyuki Ito and Hiroshi Minagawa came to the rescue and finished the game.

The action of the combat system from Final Fantasy XI is fully retained, and the tactical component is greatly increased with the help of gambits (behavior styles that are activated under certain conditions) that can be assigned to each character. With such gambits it was possible to hone the team’s behavior to such an extent that even some actions in battle had to be taken only in force majeure circumstances. But of course, for those who like to enter each command manually, separate menus have been made that can be turned on anywhere to cast magic or drink a jar of potion. In addition to this system, the Lisence Board system appeared. In short: it's not enough to just buy magic, a weapon, an ability. We also need to learn the appropriate license for the character we want to put it on. Well, in addition to all this, we will have the usual levels that we get for experience points.

History will tell us about the confrontation between the small state of Dalmasca and the empire of Arcadia. The first lost due to the lack of the military power that the empire had and is now completely in the hands of Arcadia, and all those who disagreed with this were killed or imprisoned deep in prisons. But there are still people who are looking for ways to resist and have not fallen into the clutches of the new government. However, for now we don’t care about this at all and we play as the young thief Vaan, who became so insolent that he began to steal from imperial soldiers. But big things are just ahead. Vayne Solidor will soon be received as the new ruler of the city and the treasuries of the royal palace will become vulnerable for some time.

Although the plot begins to revolve around Vaan, it soon moves on to more serious things and people.

• The game was later re-released in Japan as Final Fantasy XII: International Zodiac Job System, with several game balance corrections made.

The twelfth part was quite successful, so it was decided to increase and expand its story with another part. This is how Revenant Wings for Nintendo DS was born. The combat system is very similar to its predecessor, but, as usual, there are some changes. Now Espers are used not only as a last resort, as the last hope to tip the scales in their favor, but as the main fighting force. We find a special platform, set the number and type of summoned creatures and they begin to fly out like a jack-in-the-box. And the “arsenal” of Espers itself has increased to a historical maximum in the series - as many as 51 summons, both from Ivalice Alliance/Final Fantasy and simply from the bestiary.

Game events will take place both in places already known to us and in completely new ones.

Vaan has already fulfilled his dream, bought a flying ship and became an air pirate. Now he explores the flying continent of Lemures in search of such coveted treasures. Balthier, who certainly would not miss the opportunity to grab a big jackpot, is also nearby. But, as often happens in this matter, something went wrong and adventures await our heroes again.

• The development of events after Revenant Wings will have to be described by a game codenamed “Fortress”, which has not yet been announced.

The first game in the series with an emphasis on tactics (without sacrificing the plot, of course), which became so popular that after it, many games with a similar focus added “Tactics” to the name. What can we say? As you already understand, tactics are everywhere and in everything. We must calculate every step we take in battle, every piece of equipment that will be worn on our characters, every ability that we will use, because if we take an ill-considered step, the situation can suddenly become critical. The full depth of the combat system needs to be described in a separate huge article (which, by the way, already exists), so let’s move on to the plot.

The game will tell us about the events in the long-suffering world of Ivalice, where power is divided between the Bevoulve house, the aristocracy and the Glabados church. The Church is trying to seize power over the country and is weaving its own intrigues, but they have a much more serious plan that will give them the opportunity to gain not only the power that will help take over the world, but also puts this entire world in danger of destruction.

• The game was later re-released on PSP with minor modifications.

The first tactical experience in the series was successful, so it was decided to continue work in this direction and release a spinoff in the form of Tactics Advance. The combat system has not undergone any special changes and, at its core, remains the same Tactics, but with improvements. Probably the biggest difference will be the system of laws. Now, almost always there will be a judge present on the battlefield who will prescribe his laws. This could be a ban on attacking with a certain weapon, spell, or using an item. The judge himself is constantly nearby, but does not enter into the fight.

The main character is a young boy named Marche, who, together with his mother and sick brother, moved to St. Ivalice change your environment and improve your health. At school he was immediately given the nickname “New Kid”, and, due to his modesty and quietness, he was not the most popular person. Soon he made friends and one of them invited our hero to look at the amusing little thing.

This time we are shown not the familiar region that we are used to seeing, but a completely new one, far to the west of Ordalia. The system from Tactics Advance has been refined, the laws have been slightly modified, and skills can now be learned by equipping a weapon (just like in the ninth part). Clans give a bonus to certain parameters at the beginning of each battle, but if we break the law, we will lose this bonus (in the previous version we were sent to prison) and characters who are not revived by the end of the battle will be considered dead. If we are law-abiding, then at the end of the battle we will receive an additional gift in the form of tasty loot and additional monetary incentives. The number of races has increased, and several corrections have been made to the profession system.

The story begins at school the day before summer vacation. The little mischief maker Luso was punished for his behavior and sent to help the librarian, Mr. Randell. While Luso was cleaning the library, he found a book that described a story about wizards, but it was half empty. At the end of the book there was an invitation to finish the story yourself. Luso wrote his name and was transported to the very world of wizards that was mentioned in the book.

A huge hello from Neverending Story, from which this plot device was blatantly stolen.

• If you are very interested in the world of Ivalice and want to try all the games, then also play , which, although technically related to the Ivalice Alliance, is actually nothing interesting (a flash drive in which you need to collect underwater treasures).
• Vargant Story, which also has nothing to do with the series, is technically part of the Ivalice Alliance.
• Game with code name " Fortress"will have to describe events after Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings.

Fabula Nova Crystallis

A collection of games united by one religion. Fabula Nova Crystallis translates as “The New Tale of Crystals” and tells the story of the goddess Mwynn, who created two worlds: the world of the living and the invisible world. But her son, the god Bhunivelze, killed his mother in order to gain complete control over the world of the living. So Mwynn went to the invisible world of the dead, and Bhunivelze, despite having achieved his goal, began to think that his mother had placed a curse on the world so that one day it would be destroyed. To destroy his mother once and for all, he needs to get into the invisible world. But doing this when you also need to control the living world is not at all easy. Therefore, Bhunivelze created a fal"Cie (something like a servant) named Pulse and gave him the task of finding the gate to the invisible world. A little later, he created fal"Cie Etro, which was supposed to help Pulse in his task, but Bhunivelze subconsciously made it too similar to Mwynn. Upset, he did not give her power and sent her to wander, and instead created Lindzei, who was supposed to protect him and the world from threats. Seeing that everyone was busy with work, he fell into a deep sleep until the moment the gate was found.

While Pulse and Lindzei were busy completing the task, Etro wandered around the world, sad that she had neither strength nor purpose. In a fit of despair, she killed herself and followed Mwynn into the invisible world. From the blood that was shed, humanity was created. Etro, already from the world of the dead, saw this and was imbued with love for the creatures that she accidentally gave birth to, because they, like the goddess, were born only to die.

After some time, Etro found Mwynn, almost consumed by Chaos energy. She, with the last of her strength, explained that she did not place a curse on the living world; it was its destiny to die and asked to maintain a balance between the two worlds, because if it was disrupted, the entire Universe would be destroyed. Although Etro did not understand what Mwynn wanted, over time she became lonely and she put a piece of Chaos energy into each person and called it “Heart”. Pulse built the world as he wanted, Lindzey, who protects people, built a flying paradise for people Cocoon. One day Pulse and Lindzey left the world and were never seen again.

Bhunivelze slept until the end of time.

A series of short stories will help us find out the events preceding the thirteenth part Final Fantasy XIII Episode Zero -Promise-.

The thirteenth part, along with the transition to the new PS3, received incredible graphics and plot within the framework of the mythology of Fabula Nova Crystallis. The ATV system has returned to be redesigned to focus on action as much as possible. The most notable innovation is the change in Paradigms - the professions and skills that characters can use in battle. Now, to win the battle, you just need to change paradigms and press Auto-Battle.

The plot begins with a PSICOM army sergeant named Lightning sneaking onto a train that sends l"Cie outside of Cocoon (l"Cie people marked fal"Cie who must complete their task). This deportation was called the "purge" and the only way get to sister Lightning take the train. Of course, no one is going to give up voluntarily. By an incredible coincidence, the people on whom the fate of the world will depend are carried towards each other. But along the way you will have to get a little dirty about the army, which will not allow violations of the law.

A rush of feelings...

How I hate her...

The epilogue of the thirteenth part was released separately as a novella Final Fantasy XIII -Episode i-. A 232-page book will help you find out the events between XIII and XIII-2 Final Fantasy XIII-2 Fragments Before.

(3 years after Final Fantasy XIII-2)

A continuation of the thirteenth part, which took over the combat system from the previous part, but was significantly improved in terms of exploring the surrounding world, side quests and mini-games. Paradigms and leveling up of characters are no longer strictly limited to plot events, but are completely entrusted to the player’s shoulders, and battles have become a marvelous cross between random and non-random battles. The developers listened to criticism and tried to do everything in their power to make the game meet all the requirements of fans of the series.

The cocoon has fallen and people are slowly beginning to inhabit the vast expanses of Gran Pulse. Sera works part-time as a teacher in the small village of New Bodhum and, it seemed, nothing would interfere with a peaceful life. But Lightning disappeared without a trace. Moreover, only her younger sister remembers that she survived the events of the thirteenth part. Everything changed dramatically one night when a meteorite fell near the village, and with it a mysterious young man named Noel Kreis arrived. He invites our heroine to travel through time with him.

The book will tell us the story of such characters as Lightning, Snow, Noel, Alyssa and Yeul Final Fantasy XIII-2 Fragments After.

Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Returns

A game with which (as all players hope) the Latning saga will come to an end. Many years have passed since Latning was turned into crystal and chaos almost managed to engulf the world. With the new powers of the goddess Etro, our heroine sets out to save a world that is slowly sinking and dissolving into oblivion.

We are offered a new combat system where you can control only one hero, but attacks are assigned to each hand separately. They also promise a large selection of costumes and a variety of weapons (expect bikinis). A system has been introduced for the night, where at night some passages in the city will be closed, and during the day other monsters appear and shops open. We only have thirteen days until the end of the world and we will have to work hard to delay it as much as possible.

The logo features Pulse and Lindzei supporting peace.

Agito was originally developed for Japanese mobile phones, but was later transferred to the PlayStation Portable. The action system from Crisis Core has been almost completely changed and now we can fight with a team of three people. At the same time, the game stands out in that it has caught up with the famous sixth part in terms of team size and the modified Altocrystarium magic improvement system.

This time they will tell us about a world that is mired in a military conflict between four states. Each crystal gives the kingdom strength, but in return takes away the memory of the dead. One day, Emperor Cid Aulstyne learned this truth and that the world was just a platform for the experiments of the gods. This was the last straw for him. The balance of power was upset, Emperor Cid Aulstyne violated the Pax Codex peace treaty and went to war against the rest of the states in order to free them from the slavery that the crystals imposed. So, having captured most of the continent, he approached the Rubrum Peristilium school, which stores the Suzaku crystal. The school students gave a worthy rebuff to the troops until the Crystal Jammer was used, which restrains the power of the crystal. It seemed that without the power of magic, hope was lost, but then class 0 came, who would play a decisive role in this war.

A long-term construction project that has not yet been released, and who knows when it will be released. Once again, the action in the game is off the charts, but now we are promised large open spaces and complete freedom of movement (we will even be given a nice car for these purposes). Now the environment will be destructible, the graphics will be even better, and the gameplay will be even more dynamic.

Versus will tell us the story of the prince of the last kingdom, who, due to his status, needs to protect the lands under his control from people with bad intentions. After all, he is the last person from the dynasty who can control the crystals. Having one of these, Noctis (our main character) was able to accelerate the development of his kingdom, which became much more advanced than the surrounding one. Having created such a gap between peoples, it was necessary to isolate the citizens of the last kingdom from the rest of the world. Although the people themselves were not against it. Well, we still have to find out the rest.

The fourteenth part went completely online again. Although the word “gone” is not entirely appropriate here. Rather, it hobbled along with breaks every six months due to its bugs, which at the initial stage occurred at almost every step. Later, the developers admitted that they had to redo 70% of the game's content in order to somehow improve the situation. Patches and patches are already being released that should complement and restore the reputation of the game, but is the game worth the candle (in this case, for acute hemorrhoids after such a nightmare)? It's up to you to decide.

Although the races and the world remained the same, the graphics were noticeably improved and changes were made towards single-player play in short bursts. This is precisely why they created the Guildlevel system of quests, which you can complete quite quickly and get your reward. There was no voice chat in the game, but updates are coming out, so they can introduce it with each new patch. At the same time, the number of story scenes has increased (some were even voiced) and the profession system has been adjusted.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles

A series of games exclusively for Nintendo consoles, the setting of which is based on the original Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles.

Prequel to Crystal Chronicles for Nintendo DS. The most unusual feature of the game is the spell casting system. Magic does not require MP, but to be able to cast a spell, you need to spend magicite. At first we will only be able to create simple magic, but when we have allies in our team, we will be able to cast magicite on each character and, based on the resulting combination, make more powerful spells.

The story begins with a brother, sister and father going into the forest to chop wood. The kids tried, but the ax turned out to be very heavy. But the kids were not at a loss and used magic, chopping the tree into chips. The father noticed this and taught them an important lesson: “If you believe that something is impossible, then it will be impossible. But once you believe that there is a solution, the world will give you the power to find it.” The whole plot will revolve around this philosophical theme.

A sequel with improved gameplay from Ring of Fates and the ability to play multiplayer not only for owners of the same consoles, but also for Wii owners and gamers who play on Nintendo DS. The ability to swim and fight in water was also added, which added some variety to the fights; the ability to import your Mii avatars (which dress up as masks) and division into classes by tribe. Each tribe has its own type of weapon and its own abilities, which can only be learned by being a member of it. We create our own hero ourselves, so don’t rely on a well-developed story.

And the story begins with a wonderful dream, how a man was chasing a little girl and they came across a crystal and, as soon as it began to shine, our hero/heroine wakes up. It turns out that this is our sixteenth birthday, the period of transition into adulthood, and therefore we need to undergo a special rite of passage, when a young man who turns sixteen is sent into the forest to a large crystal. Well, as usual, everything started to turn around here...

The game stands on three pillars: exploration, interaction, battle. And every aspect was thought out separately.

We begin playing as selected characters who equip a caravan to replenish myrrh supplies from the Myrrh trees. This substance is needed to cleanse crystals when they become unsuitable for protecting villages from the poisonous gas miasma, which has covered the entire planet and makes life outside the zone that the crystals protect impossible.

So our team must constantly mine myrrh to save people from this scourge, but monsters often gather near the trees that produce it, which makes the task of extracting this precious material even more difficult. It is also worth mentioning that the plot becomes completely non-linear and many details depend on our choices (although the main events will not change).

Crystal Bearers takes place far in the future, when advanced technologies such as guns and flying ships have already been invented. Crystals are now used as a power source for all kinds of equipment.

A long time ago there was a war between the Lilty and Yuke tribes in which Lilty won, destroying the Yuke crystal and thus wiping out the entire race from the face of the earth. The crystal fragments were not forgotten and now they power Lilty's flying ships and weapons.

And the story itself is entirely dedicated to Leyle, a cheerful young man from the Clavat tribe, who is not the first to encounter adventures. But our young man is not an ordinary person, he is the bearer of a crystal. Crystal carriers have some part of their body crystallized (sorry for the tautology) and endows them with magical powers. In Leyle's case, it's a small spot on his face that gives him the power of telekinesis. He can move and interact with objects using his mind (though his power weakens as the distance to the object increases) and he has this and only this type of power. Yes, you heard right, there will be no more Firaga mixed with Poison. But don’t rush to get upset! The game has a large number of interactions that can be activated by connecting several objects using your power (believe me, seeing how the evil Marlboro blossoms is worth it).

Where are the RPG elements? Yes, and there aren’t really any of them, the game has gone more into the arcade, but it’s a very high-quality, beautiful and interesting arcade game.

• The last two games do nothing to complement the Crystal Chronicles story.

Do you know the game Majesty? If yes, then it will be much easier for you to understand what kind of game this is, if not, then it will be a little more difficult. We play as a young prince who is suddenly faced with the heavy burden of managing his kingdom. The kingdom is also empty and it seemed that nothing could save the situation. But true friends will come to our aid and help us breathe life into our native lands again, and the crystal that protects the state will endow us with magical powers that will help us build buildings.

Quite unusual is that we do not complete tasks, as we are already accustomed to in all parts of the series, but issue them. So, you need to build all the conditions for visiting travelers in the form of an equipment store, magic, a hotel, and much more. We assign a task, assign a reward for it and wait until some hero deigns to accept the quest. This is how we attack and defend, and at the same time strengthen the economy. Manager simulator, what else can you say?

If you are interested in this game, then you can read the description above, because it is an exact copy of Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King, but with a small difference. Now we play not as a good king, but as a dark lord. Arrogant travelers strive to climb into the tower and rob all the chests that they meet along the way, and at the same time take the dark crystal (Well, really, have you not noticed that all RPG heroes are chronic kleptomaniacs and thieves who cannot pass by even the slightest a penny so as not to pocket it?). Therefore, you have to defend yourself, placing monsters and various traps that should stop the curious and insatiable villains. Yes, the fate of the villains is also very difficult. What did you think?

The game will tell us about the twelfth confrontation between Harmony and Chaos. The eternal conflict will once again give us the opportunity to spend time with our favorite characters, and the world map and a large amount of unlockable content will at least somehow diversify our battles.

When creating the game, the game designers were inspired by the movie Advent Children, so don’t be surprised that by simply pressing a couple of buttons, our character can fly towards the enemy at a speed that any bird would envy. The fact that our guys can run on walls without exception should have been obvious, of course.

The plot, as usual, revolves around the gods Cosmos and Chaos, and the heroes they summon from serialized Final Fantasy. Cosmos endowed its warriors with power, which, during special events, should form a crystal and help defeat Chaos. But it was not there. Chaos made its move and sent an endless army of Manikins to our team - crystal creatures that take the form of the one they first saw. And every manikin doesn’t want to give us a friendly hug at all. Well, how can you fight for good if your hands are constantly busy fighting crystal copies?

• Dissidia 012 completely includes the events of the next game, so it’s better to play Duodesim right away.

A fighting game in which they collected the main heroes and villains from all the games they could get their hands on and threw them into one world, tying it up in the eternal struggle between good and evil. This is how they tied everyone together in a simple way. The goddess of harmony, Cosmos, is in eternal conflict with the god of chaos... Chaos. The balance was maintained for a long time, until Chaos called on the anti-heroes from the serialized Final Fantasy to its side. Cosmos was on the verge of death, so she also went through all parts of the series and recruited the main characters into her team. Their last chance to win is to get crystals. But everything is not as simple as it first seems...

All fights (except those that take place on the easiest difficulty) take place in a tense state, when everyone is waiting for the right moment to attack. If you miss, then be sure that your opponent will not miss the opportunity to give you a good kick in one spot while you figure out what and how. Well, what about without entertainment?

The first rhythm game in the series. The conflict of the gods has acquired new colors along with bright designs and chibi characters. Although the game was released exclusively for Nintendo 3DS, you can try the game on Social Rhythm, game that was launched along with the main one (you will need a facebook or twitter account for it).

In battle mode, we tap on the touch screen of our console to the beat of the melody, and our team attacks the monster. If we miss a note, we will be hit and lose precious HP. In addition to the battle mode, there is also an adventure mode and events. In our adventures, we travel to familiar places accompanied by different music from locations from previous games, collect treasures, meet moogles, chocobos and other characters. In the event mode, we will listen to music accompanied by a video sequence from some game in the series, which will definitely evoke nostalgia.

For well-completed levels, we receive experience, money and equipment, and summons diversify the gameplay, which will help and change the usual course of the battle.

The game is in the classic style for the Nintendo DS and was put on par with Seiken Densetsu ~Final Fantasy Gaiden~ or Final Fantasy Adventure (as it was called to attract fans to the new game that actually started the Legend of Mana series), but nothing not related to it in the plot.

The game is very reminiscent of the first part of the series with its combat system, which again became completely turn-based, but MP was replaced with Action Points. In short, every turn these points are regenerated (up to five), and on them we already choose an action, which, depending on the type, takes away a certain number of points. Additionally, the hero status system has returned, very similar to fury and sadness from the seventh part. When our hero has a high “enthusiasm” indicator, he begins to glow with a yellow aura and receives a bonus to his characteristics. If the indicator is low, it will glow blue and the characteristics will be reduced.

And the system of “crowns” came to replace professions. We collect various hats piece by piece, and by equipping them we receive additional skills and bonuses corresponding to a certain profession.

Final Fantasy: Brigade

A mobile game with a focus on social content, with design from Monster Octopus, who created the designs for Theatrhythm Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts Mobile. We assemble a team from a brigade of flying ships and fly around the world, looking for adventures at our stern.

The story is even more striking in its simplicity and simplicity. A long time ago, the world was protected by two crystals, but then one of them split, and monsters were born from its fragments, and the second lost its power. You can return the power to the crystal only by appearing before the creatures of the second - summoning creatures who need to prove their strength.

Another game for mobile phones and was released sporadically (as happened with Final Fantasy IV: The After Years). This time we were pleased with the ATV system, ports to Android and iOS + a classic plot that revolves around crystals, but now we have two teams. Along with the warriors of light came the warriors of darkness (who turned out to be quite good guys, in fact) and for each there will be a separate set of professions.

A long time ago (why did something always happen a long time ago?) there was World War, which ended through the efforts of the Avalon Empire, and in the present two small groups of people met. One of them was from a small peaceful state, and the second was flying on a flying ship from the north. When they met, the crystals shed light on the world and it plunged into light and darkness. So the story will be divided between two teams that are completely separate.

Final Fantasy: All The Bravest

A terrible game that was made with only one purpose - to rip money off the fans of the series. We control a huge team of forty (!) heroes who fight against monsters. We have NO story and no purpose in the game. The gameplay is also completely absent - just poke at the character and he will attack. This whole nightmare is spiced up by the most greedy money injection system that could ever be invented in Final Fantasy. They literally force money out of the player for pathetic sprites in which there is nothing from the characters.

It’s also good that the critics saw all the horror and gave the game 2.5\10 and the lowest ratings they had at their disposal. The game is listed here for a complete list; I do not recommend fans to play it.

Final Fantasy Artniks

A Japanese social game that really wants to be like the Final Fantasy Trading Card Game. Naturally, there is no story behind it, so don’t even think that there will be anything interesting there. And it has never left Japan and, I think many will agree with me, I hope it never will.

Something like a fly agaric from the series. The game was called part of the series just to attract fans, but in fact it is the first game in the Legend of Mana series.

Since this isn't exactly Final Fantasy, the combat system is completely different. We do not choose any teams, but move freely around the battlefield and attack enemies whenever we want. The gameplay is generally similar to the Legend of Zelda of its era. Later the game was named Sword of Mana.

We're done with the games and now I'll say a few words about films with two cherished words in the title.

Final Fantasy: Spirits Within

A film from Hironobu Sakaguchi and the first film made entirely on a computer. The company poured a lot of money into this project, but it did not pay off and resulted in the departure of Hironobu Sakaguchi from the company.

The film tells the story of a race of aliens called Phantoms who have occupied the Earth and are destroying people. Only a couple of scientists - Aki Ross and Doctor Sid - can save humanity from this scourge.

Final Fantasy Unlimited

An anime series for young children consisting of 25 episodes.

We will be told the story of Ai and Yu, whose parents found a passage to Wonderland and traveled there a couple of times, but one day they simply did not return. The kids decided to find their parents at any cost, and from their parents' book they learned about a strange train that arrives at an abandoned station at night and takes passengers with it to this very country. But our kids were not the only ones on this wonderful train.

And finally, thank you very much for your attention. If you notice that something is missing, then do not hesitate and be sure to write to me about the error.

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.

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 Final Fantasy, that's saying 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 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 compelling 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.

Hironobu Sakaguchi and his bosses at Squaresoft finally ran out of steam in the 80s. 3D racing for the NES and clumsy game adaptations of Alien films for the MSX were no longer in demand. So they decided that they would release the last game, and if the public did not accept it, they would close the company. This is how it appeared. And it created a real sensation.

They not only gave new life to mechanics from Dragon Quest, but also defined the path of Japanese RPGs for the next 30 years. The series became famous not only for its colorful enemies and stunning soundtrack, but also for the fact that each episode was a kind of experimental testing ground for new ideas and non-standard designs. Today the franchise is experiencing a mini-Renaissance on the PS4 and Xbox One consoles, and in the meantime, we decided to compile a list of the 25 best Final Fantasy games.

Final Fantasy heroes are often royal warriors sent to save the world, accompanied by the genocide of monsters and the study of magic. What about the king? What is he doing all this time? Square tried to answer this question and presented gamers with a surprisingly good city-planning simulator in a well-known fantasy setting. Your task is to collect the items necessary to improve the kingdom, but the heroes you choose will have to find them. The gameplay here is not at all difficult, and expanding the city and training warriors is quite interesting. The game is made in a rich and bright style, and therefore spending time in it, watching how the virtual kingdom grows stronger, is a pleasure.

Final Fantasy became a series that showed the whole world that Japanese RPGs were in no way inferior in quality to their Western competitors (this happened after the release of parts for the PlayStation), but the road to this was a long one. Squaresoft built Mystic Quest from the ground up, simplifying the combination of rich adventure story and character development that was a big focus of the '80s. At the time, Mystic Quest seemed too simple compared to Final Fantasy 4. Today it looks like the best indie RPGs, like Cthulhu Saves the World, where the main features of the genre are kept to a minimum and the emphasis is placed on the visual style. The bonus is one of the most beautiful game soundtracks, written by Ryuji Sasai and Yasuhiro Kawakami.

Here's an objective opinion: everything that Final Fantasy 13 was criticized for at one time is also present in the most beloved parts of the series. Final Fantasy 4 and 10 have the same lack of exploration, Final Fantasy 8 has the same weak storyline, and Snow and Serah are just as annoying as Yuffie. Someone should have said it. The biggest drawback of Final Fantasy 13 (and, apparently, the root of its dismal reputation) is that we were presented with an extremely cold world.

The world of Cocoon and Gran Pulse is as cold and heartless as the crystals that fill it, and the team of rogues we control is in no hurry to reveal all its secrets so that we can understand how it turned into what we see on the screen . But if you accept the alienated atmosphere of Final Fantasy 13, then we immediately see a fascinating science fiction with magnificent scenery, the best work of composer Masashi Hamauzu, and an incredible ending that makes you rethink everything that happens. An excellent combat system, the full potential of which, alas, could not be realized in this project, found a second life in parts 13-2 and Lightning Returns.

Final Fantasy cannot be perceived without its soundtrack. And the series gained its popularity partly because of its stunning orchestral musical accompaniment. From the very first seconds of the game we are greeted by a melody that sets the right mood. For example, the famous "Prelude", written by Nobuo Uematsu, combines the subtle thoughtfulness and pretentious spirit that is generally characteristic of the entire Final Fantasy franchise. In Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call, music comes to the forefront, becoming the focus of the gameplay.

The mechanics of the game are quite simple: using the 3DS stylus, we perform a series of movements, assembling a team of classic FF heroes and releasing them into the thick of things. Like the original Theatrhythm, Curtain Call features iconic scenes for the series where players must defeat monsters with the power of music. The first Theatrhythm featured big-name tunes like One-Winged Angel and Melodies of Life, while Curtain Call's musical repertoire expanded to include a more eclectic selection of compositions.

In Crisis Core, the developers promised to clarify the vague story of Sephiroth, Cloud, Iris and Zack Fair from Final Fantasy 7. They did not succeed in this completely, since in this game for PSP (and one of the best on this platform) the plot was presented in the same vague way, as in the previous part. However, the game cannot be denied visual beauty and unique and exciting action.

As Zach, we slash monsters and robotic soldiers with a huge sword, but the highlight here is the magic skill system, which allows you to mix skills and get completely new ones. In addition, from time to time a slot machine appears on the battlefield and enhances the hero’s attacks. It sounds stupid, but in practice it looks great. Just like Final Fantasy 7 itself.

The Nintendo Wii platform, with its weak power and awkward controller, is not exactly the console you'd expect to see in Final Fantasy. But the series embarked on further experiments and gave birth to interesting spin-offs. The best of them is deservedly considered Crystal Bearers - an action-RPG with a partially open world and a pretentious protagonist in a fur jacket and with telekinesis. The story of an outcast who suddenly becomes a hero is by no means new - the plot in Crystal Bearers can safely be called passable, but at the same time the game captivates with its steampunk style and excellent graphics by Wii standards. It is noteworthy that it ends with a thank you note handwritten by the director of the project. It’s not perfect, but it’s made with love, and you can’t help but notice it.

From the very first parts, Final Fantasy looked more mature than its source of inspiration - Dragon Quest. Creepy monsters, detailed character designs and rich music are a far cry from the big-eyed slugs and cheerful melodies of Dragon Quest. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance was aimed at teenagers, but at the same time remained true to the given style. The plot is based on the fact that ordinary schoolchildren find a book called Final Fantasy and find themselves inside a fictional world.

Now, under your control, they will have to create armies, upgrade individual units and organize large-scale strategic battles on colorful maps. In addition, we are presented with a story about a man growing up, about how he copes with poverty, bullies and school problems. The game also introduced interesting mechanics that force players to change their strategy over and over again. Each fight is watched by a judge who sets certain restrictions (do not use magic, use only healing items, etc.), which introduces a pleasant element of surprise.

Final Fantasy 11, even in 2017, remains on the list of the most popular MMOs. Loyal fans are not stopped even by the fact that today there are already quite a few games that feature a more convenient system of group quests, like the same Final Fantasy 14. It’s all about the art style of Final Fantasy 11. Muted color palette, memorable design of numerous races and leisurely The pace of the game allows you to deeply penetrate the virtual world - even the venerable WoW and Everquest cannot offer this. At first glance, it doesn't look much like classic Final Fantasy, but the atmosphere is exactly what you need.

The profession system has become firmly established in the RPG genre. This usually means the ability to choose a class or type for your hero, which will open access to a tree of upgradeable skills - a simple and understandable RPG mechanic that allows you to customize your character. It’s interesting that it originated in this NES game.

Here the series returned to its story-driven roots with Final Fantasy 2 and delivered an archetypal story of good versus evil, complete with great music and beautiful visuals. What made her stand out was the opportunity to choose professions and develop relevant skills. In 2006, a remake of Final Fantasy 3 was released for the DS, and later it was ported to PC and mobile platforms, but the NES version, for all its inconveniences, had a special charm, which, alas, could not be recreated.

16. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles

Many of the Final Fantasy games (from 1 to 15) focused on the interactions between four heroes. In this slightly strange spin-off for the Gamecube, Square shifted the focus to interaction between four real players. The result was a fairly complex dungeon crawler that required four joysticks (or four Game Boy Advances) but also offered unprecedented co-op mode. Of course, by modern standards, “unprecedented” is too strong a word, but anyone who has played Crystal Chronicles with friends will agree with this description. In addition to its innovative gameplay, Crystal Chronicles featured wonderful Celtic motifs and beautiful rural landscapes.

Final Fantasy 15 was in development for about 10 years and was supposed to be a new milestone in the history of the series, and therefore huge expectations were placed on it, which were simply unthinkable to meet. But the authors managed to do the impossible: they smartly updated the Final Fantasy series and made the game equally attractive to both loyal fans and curious newcomers. The story in Final Fantasy 15 follows the same principles as most previous games: there are a lot of subplots that are only partially revealed and a convoluted backstory.

This was compensated by a huge open world, the actions in which perfectly revealed the relationship between the four heroes, which included Ignis, Gladiolus, Prompto and Prince Noxtis. Taking control of this colorful group, we embark on an exciting adventure into a world where mountain-sized turtles and warlike ghosts of kings are just everyday life.

Final Fantasy 10 not only set the direction for the series, but was also a first in many ways. The first game in the franchise for the PlayStation 2, the first numbered part without the participation of composer Nobuo Uematsu, and the first part where text explanations were replaced by high-quality voice acting. Today the game feels awkward, the levels feel cramped, and the characters' movements feel unnatural.

And it’s still just as difficult to understand the story of a charismatic athlete who falls in love with a doomed sorceress in a strange tropical archipelago. But this whimsical atmosphere is beautiful in its own way, thanks in no small part to Tidus and Yuna with their obsequious laughter. With characters that are quite possibly just a figment of the hero's imagination, Final Fantasy 10 itself feels like one long dream. Not every game dares to be so unconventional.

Final Fantasy 5 expanded upon the core job system of Final Fantasy 3 in a rather original way. More than 20 professions have appeared here - from traditional (Warrior, Light or Dark Mage) and creative (Dancer, Chemist, Ninja) to very funny (Geomancer, Mime). What about the Freelancer profession, which allows you to combine any skills and create completely new classes. This is a great example of a creative approach to creating an RPG. But don't expect a deeply written story. The game has a pink-haired captain of indeterminate gender, and only because of him can the game be forgiven for all its plot flaws.

Final Fantasy 10-2 is often criticized for being too casual with its setting. She really is quite stupid, because here the already narrow-minded Rikku becomes even more reckless, and he is accompanied by newcomer Payne and the seductive beauty with a gun Yuna, who was clearly inspired by “Charlie’s Angels”

Continuing the story of Final Fantasy 10, 10-2 brings three things the original lacked: a sense of humor, a steady pace of storytelling, and an interesting combat system. And although your squad consists of only three people, the game has not lost its inherent drive, thanks to the Dress Spheres mechanic, which allows you to fully enjoy the features of each class. And the game itself looks more gamer-friendly than the previous part. Of course, getting the true ending here is quite difficult, but otherwise it is a fun and exciting adventure.

A sudden victory in the last seconds of a match is exactly the case in Final Fantasy 14. At first, gamers were faced with a terrible and buggy game, which even the head of the development team called a complete nightmare. However, an updated version called Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn saved both the series' reputation and Square-Enix's financial position. And we have to admit that the game was a success. There is a diverse set of classes that you can easily switch between, the combat system is intuitive, and the virtual world has absorbed all the recognizable features of the series.

But the best thing, of course, is that you can choose your own playing style. There are as many as 5 types of missions, each of which fits a particular style - from group quests to mindless grind. The customization possibilities are also extensive. Threw away the ax and picked up the bow? Your Marauder will smoothly turn into an Archer. A Realm Reborn offers a world in which any player would feel comfortable and would like to explore it for as long as possible. And the Heavensward update brings tons of fresh content to the already great Final Fantasy 14.

Final Fantasy spin-offs are quite unique, especially the first one. The Game Boy game, originally titled Final Fantasy Gaiden: Seiken Densetsu, served as inspiration for the Secret of Mana series. While this action-RPG has more in common with the Zelda games than the old Final Fantasy games, it manages to retain the spirit of the source material. At the same time, Final Fantasy Adventure became the debut for Yoshinori Kitase, who later led the development of parts 6, 7, 10, 13 and 15.

As in the games listed above, Adventure has an element of surprise. Gladiator arenas here can suddenly give way to vampire mansions. And in the setting, the ideas of stoicism are clearly visible. Even on the miniature Game Boy, Kitase's emotional style is immediately apparent. The game has been re-released several times, including on Vita and iPhone, but the original remains unsurpassed.

The plot of Final Fantasy 8 is unusual, to say the least. In the future, a certain witch appeared who set out to take control of reality, compressing the entire time continuum into a single moment. Only schoolchildren can stop her, but they are tormented by dark memories. Why? Because powerful gods live in their minds. But even with this degree of delirium, the story turned out to be fascinating.

Squall Leonhart and his heroic friends really look like teenagers fighting against a force far superior to them, and they are characterized by all the qualities typical for their age: sullenness, maximalism and sometimes illogical actions. The series itself is known to often play on teenage angst. And this is one of those cases when they fit perfectly into the storyline.

Ideally, this game should have been called Final Fantasy 13. (The original Final Fantasy 13 should have been released as a prequel a couple of years later and called Final Fantasy 13-0). The action here takes place many years after the events of the original, and the old characters are hardly recognizable. Lightning Returns is one of the most bizarre and at the same time touching games in the series. The story tells of a dying universe where most of the physical world has disappeared and for the past 500 years no one has died of old age.

In an attempt to save as many people as possible before the universe finally ceases to exist, we play as Lightning, who has the ability to turn back time, but is also tormented by fears and doubts about her mission. Typically, Final Fantasy kept science fiction somewhere on the level of Star Wars, but in Lightning Returns this aspect has acquired a rather deep philosophy, which is good news. And reducing the playable characters to one hero allowed the game to concentrate on developing the combat system. Echoes of the Dress Spheres mechanics are also noticeable - Lightning uses different costumes in battle that affect her skills, and local battles look much more dynamic than in Final Fantasy 13

Even before the release of Final Fantasy 9, the developers noted that this would be a kind of return to the roots, to the spirit of the very first part for the NES. At the suggestion of Nobuo Uematsu, we will long remember the classic dark magician with a pointed hat and a devilish sparkle in his eyes. Looking back, it is worth recognizing that Final Fantasy 9 turned out to be extremely original.

It, of course, had the usual sword fights and magic, but it was the story about outcasts who found a family in each other, and the sincere presentation that was compelling. Long loading screens and low screen resolution scared many people away from the game at one time, but the recent re-release for PSN (and the version posted on Steam), where these problems are fixed, is definitely worth a look.

Not every modern gamer will be able to beat Final Fantasy 1 and 2. The NES versions have an unfriendly design, are full of bugs and require frequent grinding through the levels. Their re-releases for Game Boy Advance and PSP, on the contrary, are too easy to complete, but this does not make them ideal. The perfect balance between gameplay that can challenge the player and its elegance is achieved in Final Fantasy Origins for PS1. Straightforward, yet challenging, the game retains the best of what we've seen in the series.

It's certainly not much like the original, where we had to wander through dungeons in an attempt to defeat a powerful evil warrior, but it did have an amazing opening scene. Origins also includes the memorable, if somewhat harsh, experience system from Final Fantasy 2, which requires the player to deal damage to himself to level up his defense stats.

This Super Nintendo game is notable for marking the series' transition from a focus on character development to a complex narrative structure. And this transition to Final Fantasy 4 looks very organic. The story itself is the perfect combination of classic plot devices and the signature strangeness of everything that happens. An Imperial soldier, unable to tolerate the cruelty of his leaders any longer, gathers a group of brave warriors and marches against the forces of evil; nothing unusual, right?

Eventually, this group ends up from an ephemeral world full of spirits onto a whale-shaped spaceship. Add in familiar level design (lots of dungeons) and dissimilar heroes with different skills and well-written personalities, and you get a 1991 RPG that still holds up well to this day. The 3D remake for the Nintendo DS is an example of high-quality and hardcore JRPG, but the best re-release was the version for the Game Boy Advance, which added many fresh innovations to the original content for SNES.

It's hard to believe, but Final Fantasy Tactics is perhaps the most serious and intricate Final Fantasy out there. The story of two soldiers who grew up together and find themselves in the middle of a massive military conflict introduces us to a villain who is a thinly disguised metaphor for the Catholic Church, as well as a messiah who in reality turns out to be an equally cruel being who wants to enslave humanity. Positive, isn't it?

But such a plot is perfect for the intense battles that unfold in Tactics. The army here has been gathering for years, and leveling up specific heroes in different directions can take several gaming decades, but this is what is memorable. This game takes the core elements of Final Fantasy - drama and combat - and elevates them to the extreme. War of the Lions, a remake that first appeared on the PSP, turned out even better thanks to spectacular cutscenes and the appearance of Balthier from Final Fantasy 12.

Many fans at one time did not appreciate Final Fantasy 7 - they were scared off by the redundancy of the game in everything. It manifested itself in characters with crazy hairstyles, overly huge swords, the main story, which in fact turned out to be only a small part of an even larger story, and much more. But if we look at it impartially, we can see how ambitious she really was. Series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and producer Yoshinori Kitase tried to make a game about the very nature of life and fit everything possible into the gameplay.

Environmentalism is mixed with natural slapstick, menacing werewolves, alien invaders, bartenders wearing cowboy hats and wielding kung fu, Frankenstein-like gun monsters, and talking stuffed cats that can summon huge dragons. But this is not even half of everything we saw in the game. Yes, sometimes Final Fantasy 7 gets lost in its exuberance and doesn't really reveal the dramatic moments. But this happens surprisingly rarely, and such moments are forgotten almost immediately. The Final Fantasy 7 Remake recreates the visuals of the original, but that amazing spirit in its madness remains in the old Final Fantasy 7.

The influence of Star Wars on Final Fantasy is noticeable even to the untrained gamer. From minor characters named Biggs and Wedge to overarching themes like the conflict between spiritual pacifism and technological aggression, you can always find a bit of George Lucas in Sakaguchi's work. And if Final Fantasy 2 only modestly borrowed elements from the first part of the space saga, then Final Fantasy 12 is a natural game remake of A New Hope.

An evil empire captures a young princess with a magical bloodline. And a young and naive idealist teams up with a charismatic gold hunter (but also a kind fellow) and his tall alien partner. The militaristic government of the evil empire is controlled by supernatural forces, and the main characters must destroy the bad guys' powerful weapons in the end. And the army of the empire consists of soldiers in round helmets and with rather funny swords.

At one time, “Star Wars” became a reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s film “Three Scoundrels at the Hidden Fortress,” and Final Fantasy 12 in its own unique sense reimagines an already well-known science fiction classic. Here, reworked RPG mechanics also appeared, where it is now necessary to combine the actions of characters, and not act alone. Final Fantasy 12 continues to be a success, attracting all Star Wars fans who are interested in looking at a familiar story from a new angle.

“I believe that action games, for example, rely on the player's instincts, while RPGs rely on reason and logic,” said producer Yoshinori Kitase in an interview with Edge Magazine about the creation of Final Fantasy 6. “What made the Final Fantasy series so innovative was thanks to the emotional component, which was presented both through the plot drama and through other game elements. It seems to me that in the sixth part this became especially obvious.

In this game we finally managed to fully realize our plans.” More than 20 years have passed since the release of the last Final Fantasy for the Super Nintendo, and it remains the only one in the series where all the disparate elements inherent in the franchise are flawlessly brought together. There are a lot of playable characters here, even by modern standards - 14 (some of them are hidden), and each is a deeply developed personality. They are all connected by a beautifully written storyline that tells the story of a madman who has destroyed the very fabric of reality.

And our heroes will have to try to restore it. The tiny characters turned out surprisingly realistic, and through their interaction simple methods quite complex problems are presented. Aside from an excellent port for the Game Boy Advance and a terrible version for PC and mobile platforms, this is the most reluctantly exploited Final Fantasy. There are no sequels or 3D remakes. This is not surprising; why improve the ideal?

The long list of all the Final Fantasy installments continues to grow every year. Based on the popular computer game the world turned out to be attractive not only for gamers. Lovers of good anime also found an outlet in it. Incredible computer graphics and the eternal plot of saving the world by a handful of brave daredevils are attracting more and more new fans to this universe.

Cartoon "Final Fantasy" - a feast for the eyes and ears

How to watch all parts of Final Fantasy, in order or not, is left to the viewer's personal choice. The films are independent of each other and you can start with any one. Although the full-length film “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within”, created in 2001, according to many connoisseurs, still remains an unsurpassed masterpiece of the genre.

The fantastic picture tells the story of the coming of alien phantom invaders to Earth, destroying all living things. Female scientist Aki Ross is looking for a way to salvation - the omnipotent spirit of the planet itself. But she is hampered by aliens and the military, who want to take more radical measures. Despite the box office failure, viewers and critics praised:

• extremely realistic computer graphics to create images of characters and the smallest details of an imaginary world;
• atmospheric soundtrack, perfectly emphasizing every minute of what is happening on the screen;
• a bizarre plot that everyone can interpret in their own way.

The technologies used to create the film gave a powerful impetus to the improvement of computer special effects in the film industry.

The online cinema "Kinowau" invites you to watch all parts of the anime "Final Fantasy" online, free of charge and without registration. Here you will be offered:

1. Good HD quality.
2. Collections of favorite films.
3. Selecting a place and time for viewing.

Watching movies online has become convenient and profitable. Join us and discover new interesting worlds and new exciting adventures without leaving your home.

The history of the Final Fantasy series is washed up in the gaming press with enviable frequency. Excursions into the past are traditionally timed to coincide with Square’s next loud statement of intentions to amaze the world with an upcoming hit with the deceptive word “last” and a Roman numeral in the title. ORM follows the established canon, since the informational occasion to take a look at the entire series turned out to be very suitable: the European division of Squaresoft released the PS one edition of terry classics: FFIV-V (Anthology) and FFVI, and the long-awaited release of FFX for PS2 is scheduled for May 31. We have long wanted to collect under one heading information about all the games in the FF universe that have ever been released, and finally an opportunity has come up. So, a quick tour!

Final Fantasy (Famicom, December 18, 1987)
In the second half of the eighties, a game was released in Japan that was destined to either become the swan song of the small company Square Co. Ltd (all its financial assets and human resources were thrown into development), or to glorify the creators and mark the beginning of their prosperity. The calculation of project manager Hironobu Sakaguchi turned out to be correct: Final Fantasy, essentially the first clone of the popular Dragon, set a sales record. A set of standard quests for today (unite four warriors of Light, awaken the sleeping elf king, defeat a blind witch, overthrow a usurper from the throne and, of course, save the princess) turned out to be more diverse than the simple storyline of DQ, and gamers accepted it with a bang. .

Final Fantasy II (Famicom, December 17, 1988)
Realizing that a good story is half a successful one, the writers gave a tale of four guys fighting against the sinister Baramekia Empire, treacherous betrayals and valiant deeds. The system for “leveling up” heroes was based on increasing the parameters of a skill with frequent use, just like in the Romancing SaGa series. FFII has never been officially translated into English...

Final Fantasy III (Famicom, April 27, 1990)
The system of “occupations” (Jobs) made it possible to pleasantly differentiate development, directing its wards along 22 vectors of “career guidance”. Airplanes, sunken continents, magicians corrupted by the lust for power... Here Square implemented the principle of “replacement villains” (later it would become a favorite for the company), when in the middle of the game it turns out that the one you’ve been hunting for so long is not at all the main embodiment of the dark forces . The graphics have improved somewhat compared to the previous parts: the programmers have extracted the maximum possible from the Nintendo eight-bit. FFIV (July 19, 1991), FFV (June 12, 1992), and FFVI (April 2, 1994) are covered in detail on the following pages, which contain full reviews of the PS one versions (the games were originally released on the Super Famicom, the Japanese equivalent of SNES).

(PS one, January 31, 1997)
Having jumped full speed to the 32-bit platform, the series acquired an impressive set of innovations:
three-dimensional models of characters and battle scenes, long CG cutscenes with CD-quality music. Half of FFVII's six million copies sold were sold in Japan within the first 48 hours of the game's release, such was the fan excitement. Mini-games were woven into the gameplay: breeding and riding chocobo birds, snowboarding, and riding a motorcycle. The global fandom is still grieving the death of one of the main characters of FFVII, and baseless rumors are circulating on the Internet that she can be revived...

(PS one, February 11, 1999)
A general consolidation of positions in terms of graphics (a completely successful attempt to move away from the “cartoon” proportions of the characters towards realism) and almost a failure in the field of plot and gameplay. It is characteristic that neither the super-complex Junction system for managing magic and character characteristics, nor even the extremely obscure plot with a bunch of gaps could prevent FFVIII from becoming the darling of the masses on both sides of the Atlantic, and in our country achieving the cult status of a complete masterpiece. Surely, “the reason for this was the captivating cinematography of the entire project.

(PS one, July 7, 2000)
The latest 32-bit FF is made with obvious nostalgia for the early games in the series: after the technologically advanced eighth part, the conventionally medieval setting is again at the forefront, the heroes have again become “two inches from the pot,” and the abandoned fantasy surroundings shimmer with new shades. A glamorous villain with a theme tune reminiscent of "We Will Rock You!" Queen bands, classic knights and black wizards, a Moogle postal service, a built-in card game like MtG - in general, four discs of old-fashioned wanderings and adventures from Square were a success, although they did not achieve the success of the previous episode. You've probably already read the review of FFX (PS2, July 19, 2001) on our website. We just have to remind you that this year the online Final Fantasy XI will appear on PS2, and the E3 exhibition or the autumn Tokyo Game Show will certainly bring the announcement of the twelfth part of the endless “Fantasy”. Well, let's see how Square surprises us once again!

Famous (and not so famous) offspring
Of all the spin-off games for the main series, the most worthy is considered to be (1997, PS one), which successfully combines the aesthetics of FF and turn-based combat strategy in the style of Ogre Battle (the development of FFT was not without the participation of Quest employees - the authors of OB). A variation of the famous Job system has also found application here.

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (1992, SNES) was created simplified specifically for Western players, so it received the nickname “lobotomized FF” (the last boss here instantly died from Cure’s healing magic). Under the name Final Fantasy and FF Legend I-III (, 1989-1991) on English language representatives of a completely different Japanese series came out - Romansing SaGa. FFI-IV was recently (2000-2002) ported to the portable Wonder Swan, with noticeably improved graphics. The feathered pack chocobos received a set of their own toys on PS one: Chocobo no Fushigi Dungeon I-II (1997, 1998), Chocobo (1999) and Chocobo Stallion (1999). A number of Square games contain references to the famous series: in Secret of Mana (1993, SNES) we find ourselves in a Moogle village, in Chrono Trigger (1995, SNES) we meet the famous couple of soldiers Wedge and Biggs, in the crowd around the Colosseum in Secret of Evermore (1995, SNES) features characters from FFIV and FFVI, Tobal 2 (1997, PS one) features chocobos, and Ehrgeiz (1998, PS one) features Cloud, Tifa, Yaffie, Vincent, and Sephiroth from FFVII. Several weapons and armor in Vagrant Story (2000, PS one) are named after FF counterparts (Agrias' Necklace, Seventh Heaven crossbow), and Aya's arsenal from Parasite Eve 2 (1999, PS one) is replenished with Squall's gunblade from FFVIII. Non-game projects should also be mentioned: the four-episode anime series FF: Legend of the Crystals (1993), based on the events of FFV, a three-dimensional demo with the characters of FFVI (1995), a three-dimensional full-length computer film FF: The Spirits Within (2001) and anime series FF: Unlimited (20012002). All of them ultimately added to the popularity of the original game series.