出典 : Amazon.co.jp

We’ve compiled a list of all the numbered titles from the nationally-acclaimed RPG “Final Fantasy”, which has been highly acclaimed overseas!
We’ll be reviewing FF from all eras, from the classics of the FC and SFC that are still talked about to this day, to more recent titles!

Final Fantasy

出典 : Amazon.co.jp

This is the first game of the FF series in recent years.
The original version for the Family Computer (FC) was released in 1987, and since then, it has been remade and ported to various machines.
At the time of its release, it was not such a big deal, but word of mouth spread quickly and it sold 520,000 copies.
Today, you can play it on a smartphone app.

Being an RPG from the 1980s, the story is very simple.
It’s a story about four warriors of light, guided by the player character (PC) Crystal, who set out on a journey to restore the shine of the lost Crystal and bring peace …….
However, the setting is quite elaborate, it’s actually a loop, and the last boss is quite unexpected.

The familiar “jobs” of the FF series appear in this first game.
There are also higher level jobs available, although the initial number is small at six, and warriors can change classes to Knight, Thiefs to Ninja, Monks to Super Monk, and White, Black and Red Mages to White, Black and Red Mages.

Combat is a standard turn-based command battle in this era.
Magic is not learned by leveling up, but by purchasing it in the store.
Airships (flying boats) had already appeared and were capable of traveling four times faster than on foot.

The biggest selling point is the direction, and the characters move quite a bit, which is unusual for an RPG of this period.
It is no exaggeration to say that this point determined the direction FF would later take.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Final Fantasy II

出典 : Amazon.co.jp

The second game in the FF series was released in 1988, a year after the previous one.
It sold 760,000 copies of the franchise version alone, increasing its sales from the previous game.
After that, it has been remade and ported for several machines such as PSP.
Now, you can play it as a smartphone application.

The most important point is that the system has been completely changed from the first game, and the emphasis is on the story and characters.
In the previous game, the PCs didn’t have personalities and their names were optional, but in this game, each character has their own name, personality, and settings, and the game tells a profound story from the point of view of the protagonists who have joined the rebellion against the emperor of the empire who is planning to conquer the world.

The most important feature is the system, which defies the conventional wisdom of previous games and RPGs of the time: an RPG with no levels or experience.
The PC’s abilities increase based on actions, damage, and battle results during battle, and the direction of each character’s status growth is determined by their play style, a novel system that was later inherited by the Sa-Ga series.
It’s a game from the FC era, so it’s pretty rough around the edges, but it’s a solid game.

The direction of the game has been refined and the “emphasis on the story, characters and direction” and “a system that is not limited to existing works” are the characteristics of the whole FF series.
In terms of music, popular songs such as the “Main Theme (Arranged Version)” and “Theme of the Rebellion” field BGM are appearing and are beginning to be recognized as one of the strengths of the FF series.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Final Fantasy III

出典 : Amazon.co.jp

The third and final game in the FF series for the franchise.
Released in 1990, it was highly anticipated and well received even before its release, and sold 1.4 million copies, making it the first in the series to sell a million copies.
It became the first game in the series to sell a million copies and dramatically increased FF’s fame.
It can now be played on a smartphone app.

It does not inherit the system of II, but is an evolution of the first game.
The number of jobs has increased to 22, and new jobs can now be learned by gaining powers from wind, fire, water, and earth crystals.
You can change jobs at any time instead of spending capacity points, and depending on the bosses and dungeons, certain jobs can be very advantageous, so job changes are quite important to conquer, and the high degree of freedom is a major feature of this game.

The PCs don’t have the same personality personalities as in the first game, but there are very many NPCs, and the storyline is a royal one.
That said, it doesn’t have the drama and heaviness of II, but there are a lot of bereavements with characters that you interact with, and this is one game that solidified the characteristics of the later FF series.
This is also the first game to feature summoning magic.

In terms of music, the fantastic background music stands out, especially the field song “Yuukyu no Kaze”, which is one of the most popular in the series.
Due to the fact that the game was not ported or remade to Wonder Swan (WS) and Game Boy Advance (GBA) one after the other, the game was not ported or remade for a long time, and finally in 2006, it was remade for the Nintendo DS for the first time.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Final Fantasy IV

出典 : Amazon.co.jp

The fourth game, released about a year after the previous one, was the first in the series to be released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SFC).
Naturally, the graphics were improved and the game attracted even more attention due to the million-selling predecessor, and despite the fact that the SFC was still in its infancy, it sold 1.44 million copies, surpassing its predecessor.
After that, the game was ported to the PlayStation (PS) and “Easy Type” with a lower difficulty level, and since then, it has been frequently ported and remade.
Currently, the main story and even the legitimate sequel, “Final Fantasy IV THE AFTER THE AFTER” can be played on a smartphone app.

This time, the game follows the same path as Final Fantasy II, and the emphasis is on the characters and story, which was unusual and revolutionary for an RPG at the time.
The story of Cecil, the dark knight and first leader of the Baron Airship Squadron’s “Red Wings”, is an epic tale of Cecil, who is embittered and pursued by the ruthless king and his homeland while trying to solve the mysteries of the world, and each character, including the regular characters, is very richly drawn.
The emotional expression of the chip characters has been enriched and the production side of the story has been upgraded.

A new battle system, Active Time Battle (ATB), has been adopted as a feature of this title that is both highly dramatic and twin-tiered.
Instead of the conventional turn-based system, the battle system has been changed to one in which each character’s time on standby is reduced to zero, allowing for real-time battles to unfold.
This system had a huge influence on later FF and RPGs in general.

Many of the BGMs in the game are dramatic, and the BGM for each battle and the BGM for the final stage of the game, “Dungeon of the Giants,” is particularly popular.

Final Fantasy V

出典 : Amazon.co.jp

Released in December 1992, it was the fifth game in the series to become the series’ first double million seller.
It sold 2.45 million units, less than the 2.8 million units sold by “Dragon Quest V: The Sky Bride” released in September of the same year, making it one of the most satisfying games of all time and propelling the FF series to a national RPG ranking alongside Dracula.
While the previous title became the foundation of the FF series in terms of system and content, this title established the FF brand in terms of popularity and recognition.
Currently, you can play it on a smartphone app.

By this time, numbered FF titles were already known as “odd numbered with an emphasis on gameplay and even numbered with an emphasis on drama”, and as if to prove it, this game puts an emphasis on gameplay.
The job system, which was not used in the previous game, has been reused, and the main feature of this game is the adoption of “abilities” that allow players to use the unique abilities of each job, even if they change to other jobs.
This increases the degree of freedom in training and combat.

That said, the character descriptions and storyline are thin, and the party characters are fixed at Batz, Rena, Faris, and Garraf (and Krull after they leave).
Their storyline revolves around the mystery of shattered crystals and falling meteorites.

Perhaps because the FF is focused on the fun of attacking, and there are very few remakes, it’s a work that is highly regarded but rarely talked about.
The overwhelmingly popular BGM is “The Battle of the Big Brigade”, but there are many others such as “Main Theme” and “New World”.