Finally ranking the Fantasies
When you think about RPGs, the very first thing that probably springs to mind is Final Fantasy. Square Enix has established a beloved series that’s almost synonymous with all things story-heavy and number-crunchy. Ranking all of them is a difficult undertaking, especially given every numbered release has appeared on PlayStation. But it had to be done. We’ve revisited all of them to determine which hold up the best, and which you should be playing right now, any and all rose-tinted equipment be damned. We’ve even noted which ones are backward-compatible (BC). Read on…
16 FINAL FANTASY XI
First released 2002 Where to play PS2 Cost £14.99 (eBay) Best hair Kam’lanaut
This was loved in the early 2000s for its deep Job system and community spirit, but A Realm Reborn does both better while sanding off FFXI’s excessively menu-based edges. As one of the first cross-platform console MMORPGs, the most impressive thing about FFXI today is that it’s still going, though the PS2 servers have been shut down. The prospect of jumping into this now is daunting, were it even possible on PS2.
15 FINAL FANTASY
First released 1987 Where to play PS1, PS Vita (BC), PSP Cost £7.99 (PSN) Best hair Warrior Of Light
The original did a lot. The side-on turn-based battles were novel for the time, and the classes you can assign at the beginning laid the ground for Jobs later on. Even the crystal-laden plot is twisty, merging fantasy with science-fiction touches. But it’s all so very basic now. The simplicity is neat (the game just dumps you on the map at the start), but there’s not much to come back for other than the novelty.
14 FINAL FANTASY II
First released 1988 Where to play PS1, PS Vita (BC), PSP Cost £7.99 (PSN) Best hair Emperor Mateus
may have placed it close to the bottom of our list, but there’s still plenty to love about what FFII did for the series. It introduced recurring elements like Chocobo, Cid, and each entry being a brand-new story, and it added a back row to your party so fights became a touch more strategic. Most importantly, its character-led story has some delightful moments, setting the groundwork for the series. Left for dead when Palamecia (a high-tech empire) invades, Firion, Maria, and Gus narrowly escape the pursuing imperials, while
