Final Fantasy started with a very simple plot in 1987. Four chosen warriors were recruited to gather elemental crystals to stop a being known as Chaos from destroying the world. It was an otherworldly entity that wasn’t tied to a kingdom or a politician vying for power.
As the Final Fantasy series waged on, the stories got more complex, including adding wars surrounding nations. For anyone who loves a good political story about warring kingdoms, these are the best entries to get fully immersed in, like watching Game of Thrones. Not even the greatest entry for some, Final Fantasy 7, did this trope well, so let’s look at which ones did.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
Let The Battles Commence!
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, the remaster of the original Final Fantasy Tactics, picks up after a long war of kingdoms duking it out for fifty years. Things seem peaceful at the beginning of the game, albeit with the poor and nobles duking it out over land, riches, and rights. Soon, a new war breaks out over differences in religion and bloodlines, thus beginning the Lion War.
It’s the best example of a tactical game in this series, getting to the nitty-gritty of what it means to be a soldier in a war. Thanks to the voice acting and script improvements, The Ivalice Chronicles is the best way to experience this tactical RPG in all its glory.
Final Fantasy 16
The War Of The Summons
Final Fantasy 16 is the latest numbered sequel in the series, featuring many nations holding back their power in the beginning in a sort of Cold War-like agreement to let bygones be bygones. That’s because each nation has the equivalent of a nuclear bomb on its hands via this game’s version of Summons, which are called Eikons. However, conflict eventually ensues as the protagonist, Clive, wants revenge against the crumbling of his family and kingdom years ago.
That’s when the rest of the world tries to make their moves to get ahold of power, but Clive is there to even the playing field. He is the Dominant of Ifrit, meaning he can gain the Eikon Ifrit’s powers along with the ability to steal powers from other Eikons/Dominants. Thanks to Eikons playing a big role in Final Fantasy 16, it is one of the most epic and bombastic games to play as an action RPG.
Final Fantasy 9
Preventing Genocide
The last mainline game in the series to come out on the PS1, Final Fantasy 9 is both whimsical and dark. The Queen of Alexandria is power hungry, and by acquiring Summons, she seeks to destroy nearby kingdoms even though they are her allies. This includes the near genocide of a whole race. Sick of her mother’s decrees of war, Princess Garnet escapes with a thief named Zidane, and, along with their other party members, they try to stop as many atrocities as they can.
They’re often too late, which is one of the game’s best features, as dark as that is to say. Players can visit towns and kingdoms to see them at their height, downfall, and moments of repair. There are also many instances of the party breaking up to do separate missions, giving players a better insight into how the whole party feels about each situation. With classic turn-based gameplay, Final Fantasy 9 is a great swan song for the series PS1 era.
Final Fantasy 12
Another Ivalice Tale
Final Fantasy 12 is another game set within the world of Ivalice, like Final Fantasy Tactics. The game begins with two warring kingdoms duking it out and a different playable character from the rest of the game. After this initial area, time moves forward, and it seems like peace has come at last. However, as is always the case, a greedy nation wants more, and the ragtag heroes of Final Fantasy 12 meet with other nations to try to quell the flames of war.
Another great thing about this game’ is that there are some conflicts in the sky with epic airship battles. The game’s battle system is both real-time and turn-based, sort of like an MMO. This gives the pacing of combat a more war-like feel as players explore vast landscapes.
Final Fantasy 4 (Remake)
A Classic Reimagined
Final Fantasy 4 is the first game in the series to truly take its narrative seriously. It also has a dark opening, with the main character, Cecil, essentially bombing a kingdom with his airship brigade just to steal their Crystal. It’s all for the glory of the Kingdom of Baron, whose ruler wants all the Crystals to control the world.
Cecil has finally had enough, but after questioning his lordship, he’s practically stripped of his rank, and Cecil has to find another meaning in life beyond the walls of Baron. Should he continue serving the king, or should he seek justice for the rest of the world? The story’s dramatic flavor is best experienced in the 3D remake, which does have voice acting. The remake hit the DS first, but it is now playable on PC thanks to platforms like Steam.
Final Fantasy Type-0
School-Based Tactics
Final Fantasy Type-0 is an often forgotten spinoff in the series, mainly because the original PSP game was exclusive to Japan. Years later, it showed up in North America with a fresh console remaster. Similar to Final Fantasy 8, this game’s narrative focuses on an elite school of soldiers who are hired to fight in an ongoing war.
The game is mission-based, wherein players have to choose their team before embarking. Each character plays independently, which helps keep the gameplay fresh. Whether players wanted to throw a deck of cards, shoot guns, or stab fools with a scythe, all of these options were available. Most interesting were the mini-games that happened in the bigger chapters, wherein players tactically deploy soldiers on the world map, similar to an RTS match. This helped drive home the idea of war.
