The ups and downs of Final Fantasy

Posted January 25, 2012 by Mark Ankucic.

Feature: Final Fantasy has been around for a quarter of a century, and in its time created and innovated some of gaming’s most important features. As we gear up for the launch of FINAL FANTASY XIII-2, we take a walk through the history of the series.

1986 saw Square break away from its parent company Denyusha Electric. After the poor reception of early releases, and with foreclosure almost guaranteed, Hironubu Sakaguchi was charged with making the developer’s last game.

In 1987, Final Fantasy was released, and it changed gaming history.

For many, Final Fantasy is not just a JRPG – it is the JRPG, and its appeal has captivated both the Japanese and Western markets for the entirety of its 24-year lifespan.

Origins of fantasy

Before the 1980s, traditional pen-and-paper roleplaying games in Japan were from the West, as their home market was yet to find its voice. It wasn’t until the release of Japanese-developed RPGs on the Famicom that the idea of the JRPG was truly recognised, thus beginning a genre that would redefine how we played and experienced games.

Unlike traditional RPGs, Final Fantasy’s main objective was not to give the player unlimited freedom or to have a particularly interactive hero role. Instead, gamers were given control of the Four Heroes of Light, chosen between the classes of Fighter, White Mage, Black Mage, Red Mage, Black Belt and Thief.

Silent protagonists one and all, these heroes were simply the devices to move the plot along. While optional dungeons and somewhat hidden sidequests allowed players to level and power up their characters, it was the focus on a strong, pre-determined story that would become the mainstay of the Final Fantasy series.

Tales of fantasy

Even though the Famicom was successful in bringing gaming entertainment into the home, the 1980s were still dominated by arcades. Despite the two being completely different experiences, home console titles still adhered to the tropes that the cabinets had created, ideally that the player needed a reason to keep pumping in coins.

It is for this reason that the endings of Final Fantasy, and its 1988 successor Final Fantasy II, were radical for their time. Keeping in mind the strength of the arcade ideal – and also that games for the NES were, at this stage, still US$50 – the endings of both of these games were not ‘everyone is saved and we’re all the bestest of pals’ – yet they still managed to be more than satisfying.

20-year-old spoilers incoming: the original Final Fantasy ended with the Four Heroes of Light defeating the end-boss, Chaos, knowing that doing so would mean their non-existence. Not to simply die – to not exist, and to never have existed. While this may seem like the same thing as sacrifice, a player, having invested over 30 or so hours in the game, is basically being told that their actions meant nothing.

In the same fashion, Final Fantasy II ended with Leon, the character whom you searched for throughout the entire game, leaving his friends in despair after not being able to gain ultimate power as the evil Emperor. The three youths on the quest to find him suddenly find themselves in a world of peace, with little or no idea where to go or what to do next… in short, they are purposeless.

It was in this that Final Fantasy changed what players expected from the format of a game. There was no score to brag about, and there was no comfort to either of the games’ conclusions. The reward for playing Final Fantasy was the experience, not the exp.

Fantastical characters

Squall, Aerith, Kefka, Tidus – these are all fairly recognisable names in the gaming world, and each one of these characters will have varying meaning to each and everyone who has experienced their story.

However, character strength and depth in the Final Fantasy series wasn’t fully realised till the release of Final Fantasy IV in 1991, and this was for two main reasons.

Firstly, IV introduced characters that had locked classes, which meant that each character had its own unique abilities and traits. These character builds and structures meant that each hero had a place and a purpose, and without them there could have been little to no character development.

Cecil, the game’s protagonist, leader of the Dark Knights, becomes a Paladin after defeating the evil within himself. No longer able to use his Dark powers, his role becomes supportive with Guard and Heal abilities.

If the game had simply seen Cecil’s appearance change, there would have been no impact. The blatant change in play-style showed that he was now a completely new character.

You spoony bard!

Furthermore, Final Fantasy IV brought with it the phrase ‘you spoony bard!’ – hilarious, but also one line that forever changed the way emotion was to be displayed in games. While other games of this time had simple, almost generic evil characters (Sonic’s Dr. Robotnik, Street Fighter II’s M. Bison, Road Rash’s everyone that isn’t you), good and bad weren’t always in play during Final Fantasy IV.

‘You spoony bard!’ was screamed by the great wizard Tellah, after his daughter was killed by the enemy army after her elopement with Prince Edward, who was then disguised as a bard. Brought into the combat screen, Tellah continually attacks Edward, shouting inane insults all the while in rage and grief.

It was pure black comedy, and it made a game about saving the world seem far, far more human. Final Fantasy IV managed to capture emotion in 16-bit format.

Is this the real life, or is this fantasy?

The series’ progression, and the continual dive into bigger and more complex stories and characters, has seen the Final Fantasy series tread the waters of philosophy. While Final Fantasy VII dealt with environmentalism and Final Fantasy IX tackled existentialism, its beginnings were both subtle and flagrant in the series’ first, and one of gaming’s first, use of philosophical themes as plot structure.

1994 saw the release of Final Fantasy VI. On the surface, the game was about nihilism, as the game’s antagonist, Kefka (named after the German author and existentialist philosopher Franz Kafka), sought to annihilate the entirety of existence.

While this may have been enough motive and philosophical intrigue for most gamers, it was a treasure trove for those who wanted to scratch below the surface. Kefka’s ascent into godliness showcased Nietzsche’s theory that man creates his own gods depending on his need, his initial form of a clown/jester hybrid giving off the strange sense of absurdity that is found in Dadaism.

Even now, there are forums upon forums devoted to discussing the motives of characters, both good and bad, in the Final Fantasies. And, while it’s true that there are forums on the ‘net devoted to just about everything, Final Fantasy is – to my knowledge – the only game series to have a philosophy book devoted to exploring theories through the different titles.

My god, it’s pretty

Relying on story, characters and philosophical themes can only get you so far. Technology is on rails and it is steaming along at a powerful pace, and no matter how great your core game is, there comes a time when pixelated characters will no longer seem substantial. Final Fantasy, in this regard, has not only managed to remain relevant – it has become distinct to the point of enviable.

In 1997, the series plunged into the realm of 3D with Final Fantasy VII on the PlayStation. Seeing it for the first time was breathtaking, thanks to the game’s deft combination of true-3D with pre-rendered assets. While the characters in the game looked a little like cardboard boxes stuck together, the environments in FFVII were unparalleled at this time. There were moments in the game where I would simply run back and forth across the screen, taking it all in.

It didn’t stop there, however, with Final Fantasy VIII (1999) and Final Fantasy IX (2000) looking exponentially better than their predecessors, all within the space of three years. Final Fantasy’s drive to look beautiful didn’t just made the series great, it cemented the awesome power of the PlayStation.

The final fantasy

In the years since then, however, Final Fantasy has seen some tumultuous times. Substandard sequels and failed MMOs are now what many think of when they hear the once-enviable franchise’s name.

My impressions of FFXIII were far from good, and my hands on with FFXIII-2 proved to be less than fun, although I’m yet to play the final game. On top of this, Squenix have come out saying they want to make Final Fantasy an annual franchise to keep the series relevant, which might just lead to the series’ final Final Fantasy.

Looking at the series and all of its achievements, one can only wonder if Squenix have any stories left to be told, or any more innovation to bring. The market has changed and grown, and with so many to please there will be many left behind. Will the series will find its sorely needed change? And can it truly remain relevant in a market dominated by shooters and smartphone games?

It can. But the flame needs to be reignited.