Everybody’s got a favoriteFinal Fantasy, unless they haven’t played Final Fantasy. Everybody also has a least favorite Final Fantasy, often including people who haven’t played Final Fantasy. Internet gaming discussion is a wild and sometimes unfortunate place.
But like with many series, there are many entries in this legendary RPG series that don’t deserve the hate they get. Even if they’re not really hated, a lot of them could still use way more love. But which games are among the most underrated?
Whether it’s from the level scaling, the love story, or the hyperfixation bait known as the junction system, the divisiveness of Final Fantasy 8 among fans has been well-pronounced since its original 1999 release. But if you have the patience to learn its mechanics and, you’ll find something special here.
Final Fantasy 8 features a truly endearing cast of characters that thankfully balance out Squall’s early game emo phase, and the 2019 remaster streamlined tons of aspectsalong with the visuals, so you don’t have to worry as much about really gaming the junction system. It’s worth a playthrough, if only to experience the gunblade, one ofgaming’s raddest weapon to this day.
When it was first released on the PSP, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 earned its spot among the system’s top offerings. But it seems like the initial excitement around the 2022 remaster quickly died off, which is a shame because it improved on almost every aspect (and Rick Gomez remains the top-tier Zack voice).
This action RPG prequel to Final Fantasy 7 excels in its tragic tale of a hopeful young Soldier and feels satisfying to play, particularly in the remaster. It also let players explore a living and breathing Midgar long before Final Fantasy 7 Remake showed off for the class. Now that Zack is a more important part of the new Final Fantasy 7 continuity, why not give his backstory a playthrough?
Sometimes memes overshadow what is a legitimately good game. Mass Effect: Andromeda fans know this heartache well. But it can also be claimed by those who powered through the rock hard edgelord exterior of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin to find something truly special in this prequel to the game that started it all.
Unlike anything else Final Fantasy offers, Stranger of Paradise tellsa story nobody knew they wantedand probably fewer still do with remarkably satisfying combat. Combining Team Ninja’s expertise for snappy fast-paced action with a creative take on the series' classic job system, you’ll happily slash some dudes to some butt rock any day.
It’s admittedly pretty easy to see why some fans of Final Fantasy 10 had no intention of even giving its sequel a try. The first game had its goofy moments, but it was a serious story. Final Fantasy 10-2 gave off the girl power vibes while living in its campy fashion show era.
Those folks just weren’t ready for that yet. But their kids should love it. The super creative outfit-based job system makes combat incredibly fun, and the characters are a joy to be around. Justdon’t bother getting full completion. Watch the true ending on YouTube. You deserve to be happy.
While it’s liked enough in the fandom these days, the Earth-shattering side eye that much of the fandom leveled at Final Fantasy 12 upon release is unforgettable. A game where you don’t have to select your attack every turn? What is this?
But those who gave it a shot were largely impressed, even if it’s still not considered a top-tier entry. It’s a shame because its story and characters feel much more mature than many other games, while the combat system is perfect for fans ofDragon Age: Origins. Its tactics-style handheld sequel, Revenant Wings, isn’t too bad either.
It may be a quaint idea nowadays, but there was a time when the idea of finally getting to play Final Fantasy 3 outside of Japan without worrying about the copyright police was a big deal. Unfortunately, when the game’s full 3D remake was released on the Nintendo DS, that excitement faded quickly once players realised this is still very much a NES game.
But it’s still arguably the best version of that particular NES game.The job system was reworked, environments popped in 3D, and your main party members, who previously could technically be called characters in a legal sense, finally had some semblance of personality. It’s still worth experiencing if you like classic RPGs.
Back in 2016, World of Final Fantasy offered a rather unexpected take on the not-yet-overplayed crossover idea. Combine tons of your favorite Final Fantasy characters, but the twist is they’re all adorable. Understandably, the cute exterior would drive away some players who preferred the more mature style they’ve grown accustomed to from the series, but they’re missing out on a unique gem in doing so.
This game has a really creative combat system revolving around stacking monsters you catch ,and seeing Final Fantasy characters in a chibi style is just wonderful. Plus, it has some surprisingly hilarious writing, particularly in its bestiary entries.
The first two Dissidia: Final Fantasy games on PSP offered an unforgettable experience where you couldsettle rivalries as Final Fantasy charactersin 3D arena-based fights. Square Enix hasn’t really seen fit to bring those games back for some reason, but they did come close with Dissidia Final Fantasy NT.
Previously a Japan-exclusive arcade game, its switch from the previous games' one-on-one format to three-on-three battles turned some fans off, but it’s still worth a play since it retains much of what made the combat great. It also features characters the other games never got around to, like Ramza from Tactics and Rinoa from 8, so there’s some wish fulfillment at play ,too.
