From its humble beginnings in 1987 to becoming a global phenomenon today, Final Fantasy has established itself as one of the most iconic and influential game series of all time. In this article, you’ll find out everything about Final Fantasy: history, chronological order, all the characters and much more!
The legendary franchise redefined the RPG (Role-Playing Game) genre and even shaped the video game landscape itself with memorable characters and innovative game systems.
Over the course of more than three decades, the game series has continually evolved, moving from classic fantasy worlds to futuristic landscapes, exploring everything from strategic turn-based combat to dynamic real-time battles. Without further ado, see all about Final Fantasy:
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All about Final Fantasy: what is it?
As a starting point, let’s clarify what Final Fantasy is: the series of role-playing games was created by Square Enix (formerly Square) in 1987. The first Final Fantasy was designed by Hironobu Sakaguchi with the idea of creating a role-playing game that would rival the popular titles of the time.
All about Final Fantasy: what’s the point?
The objective of Final Fantasy is to complete the challenges that arise in the midst of an epic journey. In a statement, PlayStation itself said that “the difficulty of Final Fantasy games is largely dictated by the level of the characters in the party, as well as their weapons, armor and skills, compared to the skills and statistics of the enemies.”
Final Fantasy: all the games released
- 1987 – Final Fantasy
- 1988 – Final Fantasy II
- 1989 – Final Fantasy: Legend I
- 1990 – Final Fantasy III
- 1991 – Final Fantasy IV
- 1992 – Final Fantasy V
- 1994 – Final Fantasy VI
- 1997 – Final Fantasy VII
- 1999 – Final Fantasy VIII
- 2000 – Final Fantasy IX
- 2001 – Final Fantasy X
- 2002 – Final Fantasy XI
- 2003 – Final Fantasy X-2
- 2006 – Final Fantasy XII
- 2008 – Final Fantasy IV: The After Years
- 2009 – Final Fantasy XIII
- 2010 – Final Fantasy XIV
- 2011 – Final Fantasy Type-0
- 2011 – Final Fantasy XIII-2
- 2013 – Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
- 2013 – Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
- 2016 – Final Fantasy XV
- 2020 – Final Fantasy VII Remake
- 2023 – Final Fantasy XVI
- 2024 – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
What is the chronological order of Final Fantasy?
Although some games are linked by shared sequences or settings, the chronological order of Final Fantasy is somewhat complex, as the games don’t follow a single continuous timeline.
What this means is that many of the games take place in different worlds, with independent stories and no direct connections between them. So even if you know everything about Final Fantasy, you can play almost any game without worrying about an exact order.
What is the history of all Final Fantasy games?
Even if there isn’t an exact chronology, it’s worth playing each one because of the rich narrative. See the history of all Final Fantasy.
Final Fantasy (1987)
In Final Fantasy (1987), players are introduced to a world where harmony is maintained by crystals, sources of elemental power essential to the balance of the universe. When these crystals begin to lose their luster and are enveloped by an evil darkness, four legendary heroes (Warrior of Light, Thief, White Mage and Black Mage) are chosen by the crystals themselves to restore the light and defeat the evil that threatens to consume everything.
Final Fantasy II (1988)
The story of Final Fantasy II follows Firion, Maria and Guy, who join the rebellion against the empire of Palamecia after it attacks their village and kills their loved ones. Throughout their journey, they engage in strategic battles, develop special skills and become key players in the fight for their people’s freedom.
Final Fantasy: Legend I (1989)
Set in a world where humans, mutants and monsters coexist, the game follows a group of heroes who seek to climb the tower that connects several worlds.
Final Fantasy III (1990)
In a kingdom threatened by darkness, four young heroes are chosen by elemental crystals to restore balance to the world.
Final Fantasy IV (1991)
The story follows Cecil, a black knight who questions his orders from a tyrannical kingdom as he fights to protect the world from a mysterious force that threatens its existence. The journey takes Cecil and his allies through betrayal, sacrifice and redemption, culminating in a battle against the ultimate evil.
Final Fantasy V (1992)
When the crystals of the world begin to destabilize, a group of adventurers band together to restore the balance. Traveling across continents and facing deadly dangers, they discover the secrets behind the collapse of the crystals and confront the evil sorcerer who threatens to plunge the world into eternal darkness.
Final Fantasy VI (1994)
In a world devastated by magitechnology, a group of rebels unite to confront the ruling empire and its attempt to control the powers of the espers. The characters are confronted with their own personal journeys as they fight to save their world from imminent destruction.
Final Fantasy VII (1997)
Set in Midgar, a city controlled by the mega-corporation Shinra, it follows Cloud Strife and a group of eco-terrorists known as Avalanche as they seek to overthrow Shinra and confront Sephiroth, a former member of SOLDIER with plans for global destruction.
Final Fantasy VIII (1999)
Student Squall Leonhart is recruited into a group of mercenaries known as the SeeD. He becomes embroiled in a war between nations while discovering his role in an ancient prophecy involving the sorceress Edea and the powerful force known as Ultimecia.
Final Fantasy IX (2000)
In a fantasy realm called Gaia, Zidane Tribal, a thief with a mysterious past, teams up with a runaway princess and a diverse group of adventurers to stop a malevolent queen from summoning ancient powers that threaten to destroy their world.
Final Fantasy X (2001)
In the world of Spira, Tidus, a blitzball player, is transported to an uncertain future while accompanying Yuna, a summoner, on a journey to defeat Sin, a destructive entity that plagues the world periodically.
Final Fantasy XI (2002)
Set in the vast world of Vana’diel, Final Fantasy XI involves the role of adventurers who explore unknown lands, face fearsome monsters and band together in guilds to complete quests and challenges.
Final Fantasy XII (2006)
In Ivalice, a kingdom marked by political conflict and intrigue, the orphan Vaan becomes embroiled in a war between nations as he seeks revenge against the Archadian Empire, which controls most of the continent. With an innovative battle system that mixes action and strategy, the story follows Vaan and his allies on an epic journey to restore peace to Ivalice and uncover the mysteries behind the plot that threatens their world.
Final Fantasy XIII (2009)
In a world where humans live isolated in a floating city, Pulse, ex-soldier Lightning and her group struggle to escape their predetermined fate and face the fal’Cie, divine entities that rule their lives.
Final Fantasy XIV (2010)
After a troubled initial attempt, Final Fantasy XIV was relaunched as A Realm Reborn, set in the world of Eorzea, where players team up as adventurers to explore a vast realm, complete quests and face ancient threats that resurface.
Final Fantasy Type-0 (2011)
Set in a world where four nations fight for control of magical crystals, the Zero Class students of Peristylium Academy become unwitting protagonists in a devastating war. With a dynamic combat system and a dark narrative that explores sacrifice and determination, the story follows the students as they face mounting challenges and fight to protect their country.
Final Fantasy XV (2016)
In a modern kingdom mixed with fantasy elements, Noctis, crown prince of Lucis, sets out on a journey with his friends to retake his kingdom from Niflheim, an invading empire.
Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020)
A reimagining of the 1997 classic, it follows Cloud Strife and the Avalanche, a group of eco-terrorists, as they try to bring down the Shinra megacorporation and uncover the truth behind the experiments threatening the planet.
Final Fantasy XVI (2023)
The story of Final Fantasy XVI takes place in the fictional world of Valisthea, a place divided into six different countries that maintain their powers through magical and personal crystals that can control colossal and elemental monsters called Eikons. The narrative follows Clive Rosfield, guardian of his younger brother Joshua, who witnesses the destruction of his country.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (2024)
Final Fantasy VII Remake covered the “Midgar” part of Final Fantasy VII from 1997, with protagonist Cloud Strife joining the underground resistance group AVALANCHE and planning to challenge the Shinra Electric Power Company, which collects and processes the planet’s energy in giant Mako reactors.
Final Fantasy characters
Check out the main Final Fantasy characters:
- Warrior of Light: protagonist of Final Fantasy (1987), he represents one of the four Warriors of Light chosen to restore the balance of the crystals in a world threatened by chaos.
- Firion, Maria and Guy: protagonists of Final Fantasy II (1988), members of a group of rebels fighting against the empire of Palamecia, each with personal motivations after losing their families.
- Cecil Harvey: Protagonist of Final Fantasy IV (1991), a black knight who seeks redemption and faces the consequences of his actions while protecting his world from a growing threat.
- Bartz Klauser: protagonist of Final Fantasy V (1992), an adventurer who joins a diverse group to prevent an evil sorcerer from using the crystals to destroy the world.
- Terra Branford: appears in Final Fantasy VI (1994), a young woman with magical powers who leads a group of rebels in the fight against a technological empire that threatens to take over the world.
- Cloud Strife: the most popular of them all. He is the protagonist of Final Fantasy VII (1997) and Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020), an ex-SOLDIER who leads the eco-terrorist resistance Avalanche against the megacorporation Shinra and his former companion, Sephiroth.
- Squall Leonhart: protagonist of Final Fantasy VIII (1999), a SeeD student who leads a group of mercenaries while confronting a sorceress and discovering his role in a prophecy.
- Zidane Tribal: protagonist of Final Fantasy IX (2000), a thief with a mysterious past who leads a group of adventurers to stop a malevolent queen from summoning ancient powers.
- Tidus: appears in Final Fantasy X (2001), a blitzball player transported to a world where he accompanies Yuna, a summoner, on a journey to defeat Sin.
- Vaan: protagonist of Final Fantasy XII (2006), a young orphan who joins a diverse group of characters in a fight against the Archadian Empire and its ambitions for domination.
- Lightning: protagonist of Final Fantasy XIII (2009), a former soldier who leads a group of heroes who fight to escape their predetermined fate and confront the Fal’Cie.
- Noctis Lucis Caelum: protagonist of Final Fantasy XV (2016), the crown prince of Lucis who sets out on a journey with his friends to retake his kingdom of Niflheim and face his destiny as the Chosen One.
Did you like knowing everything about Final Fantasy? Then why not check out our content that provides information not only on this game, but on several others, for all tastes – from RPGs to FPSs:
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