I’m a relative newcomer to the Final Fantasy franchise, but there’s something about these games that has just hooked me.

I have only completed four mainline games and am in the process of finishing my fifth. What’s been interesting is each game is different in a variety of ways.

Narratively, each game largely features a standalone story that typically doesn’t connect to other games. Gameplay has also changed between each of the games I’ve played and I know there are other games that continue this trend.

This approach may be frustrating to some who would prefer sticking closer to the formula established. I can definitely understand this line of thinking.

That said, the constant change between Final Fantasy games, for better or worse, has allowed the franchise to carve out a spot on my favorite games.

I fully acknowledge that innovation isn’t always best and Final Fantasy is proof of that sometimes.

My first entry in the franchise was Final Fantasy VII. I loved everything about my playthrough with this game and it held up really well, graphics aside, as I first played it a few years ago.

Naturally, my next stop was Final Fantasy VIII and it was like learning a whole new game. I knew the reputation this game had and there were many criticisms I agreed with while others didn’t bother me.

The biggest difference was the addition of the junction system in combat. This took me half the game to figure out and was a stark contrast from FFVII.

While the franchise does have some not-so-good innovations, it also has some that have endured.

The franchise introduced its “Active Time Battle,” which put a spin on the traditional turn-based combat. This mechanic defined Final Fantasy through the SNES and PlayStation eras with Square Enix introducing it in FFIV.

What makes the constantly shifting nature of Final Fantasy so interesting is it makes ranking the games wildly different. One player may thoroughly enjoy a game that someone else absolutely hated.

I will always stop on a Final Fantasy ranking list because they are usually so different. Sure, there obvious similarities such as FFVI and FFVII typically ranking near the top.

Still, even the top games often shift around with lists changing around the order of the top games. It just speaks to how different Final Fantasy tries to be in all of its games.

I’m noticing this as I work through Final Fantasy XV. There have been many who lambasted this entry and much of their criticism is fair. Some of the critiques are ones I agree with such as the wasted potential on an open-world format and the on-the-rails car rides through a boring world.

And yet, I find myself really enjoying this entry. The banter between Noctis and his friends is a lot of fun. While the story feels like it’s lacking, I find myself still invested in the world.

Final Fantasy will continue to innovate, a fact that will continue to split fans. Odds are we’re still years away from Final Fantasy XVII as we’ll likely get the ending to the FFVII Remake trilogy first.

Still, I’m excited to see where Square Enix takes this franchise and I am all in on the ride, bumps and all.

What about you? Do you enjoy Final Fantasy‘s constant innovation? What innovation has been your favorite? Which unpopular FF game did you like? Let us know in the comments below or head over to our Discord channel to join the conversation.

Featured Image: Square Enix (via Digital Trends)

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