Final Fantasy

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This article is about the Final Fantasy franchise. For the video game, see Final Fantasy (video game). For other uses, see Final Fantasy (disambiguation).
Final Fantasy

Genre(s) Console role-playing game
Developer(s) Square Enix (formerly Square)
Publisher(s) Square Enix (formerly Square)
Creator(s) Hironobu Sakaguchi

Final Fantasy (ファイナルファンタジー Fainaru Fantajī?) is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi and owned by Square Enix that includes video games, motion pictures, and other merchandise. The series began in 1987 as an eponymous console role-playing game (RPG) developed by Square, spawning a video game series that has become the focus of the franchise.[1][2] The franchise has branched into other genres and platforms, such as tactical RPGs, portable games, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, and games for mobile phones. As of March 2007, there are twenty-eight games in the franchise, including twelve numbered games and numerous spin-off titles.[3] The series also includes three animated productions, two full-length CGI films, and several printed adaptations of the video games.

Most Final Fantasy installments are independent stories; however, they feature common elements that define the franchise. Such recurring elements include creatures, character names, airships, and character classes. The series has popularized many features now widely used in console RPGs, and it is well known for its visuals, music, and innovation,[4][5] such as the inclusion of full motion videos, photo-realistic character models, and orchestrated music by Nobuo Uematsu. The series has been commercially and critically successful; it is the fourth-best-selling video game franchise, behind Mario, Pokémon, and The Sims.[1] It is also Square Enix's best selling series, with more than 85 million units sold as of July 7, 2008.[6] In addition, the series was awarded a star on the Walk of Game in 2006,[7] and holds seven Guinness World Records in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008.[8]

Contents

[edit] Titles

Further information: List of Final Fantasy media

[edit] Games

The first installment of the series premiered in Japan on December 18, 1987. Each subsequent title was numbered and given a unique story; consequently, the numbers refer more to volumes than to sequels. Since the original release, many Final Fantasy games have been localized for markets in North America, Europe, and Australia on numerous video game consoles, personal computers, and mobile phones. Future installments will appear on seventh generation video game consoles; two upcoming titles include Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII. As of March 2007, there are 28 games in the franchise.[3] This number includes the main installments from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy XII, as well as direct sequels and spin-offs. Many of the older titles have been remade on multiple platforms.

[edit] Main series

Three Final Fantasy installments were released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Final Fantasy, released in Japan in 1987 and in North America in 1990, focuses on four adventurers as they attempt to balance the four elements of the world.[9][10] Final Fantasy introduced many concepts to the console RPG genre, and has since been remade on several platforms.[10] Final Fantasy II, released in 1988 in Japan, centers on four youths who join a resistance to end an evil tyrant's military campaign against the world.[10][11] The game has been bundled with Final Fantasy in several re-releases.[12] The last of the NES installments, Final Fantasy III, was released in Japan in 1990;[13] however, it was not released elsewhere until a Nintendo DS remake in 2006.[12] The plot of Final Fantasy III focuses on four orphaned youths who come across a crystal, which grants them power and instructs them to restore balance to the world.[10]

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) also featured three installments of the main series. Final Fantasy IV was released in 1991; in North America, it was released as Final Fantasy II.[14] The story centers on a dark knight and his journey to save the world from a mysterious villain.[15] Final Fantasy V, released in 1992 in Japan, focuses on a wanderer and his allies as they prevent the resurgence of an evil being.[10][16] It was the first in the series to spawn a sequel, a short anime series titled Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals.[17] Final Fantasy VI was released on the SNES in 1994, but it was released in North America as Final Fantasy III.[18] The plot centers on a group of rebels as they attempt to overthrow an imperial dictatorship.[10]

Three main Final Fantasy games were also released for the PlayStation (PS). Final Fantasy VII, released in 1997, follows a group of adventurers as they battle a powerful corporation. It was the first game in the series to use three-dimensional (3D) computer graphics, which feature polygonal characters on pre-rendered backgrounds.[10] Final Fantasy VIII was released in 1999, and was the first game in the series to consistently use realistically proportioned characters and feature a vocal piece as its theme music.[10][19] Its plot focuses on a group of young mercenaries who seek to prevent a sorceress from manipulating an international war. Final Fantasy IX, released in 2000, begins its story with the protagonists attempting to stop a war sparked by an ambitious queen.[10][20] It returned to the series' roots by revisiting a more traditional Final Fantasy setting.[10]

Three main installments, including one online game, were released for the PlayStation 2 (PS2). Final Fantasy X was released in 2001, and features protagonists trying to defeat a rampaging force terrorizing the world.[21][22] The game introduced full 3D areas and voice acting to the series, and it was the first to spawn a direct video game sequel (Final Fantasy X-2). Final Fantasy XI was released on the PS2 and PC in 2002, and later on the Xbox 360.[23][24] The first massive multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG) in the series, Final Fantasy XI is set in a world where players can experience hundreds of quests and stories. It is also the first game in the series to feature real-time battles instead of random encounters.[24] Final Fantasy XII was released in 2006; its story is set in a world where two empires are waging an endless war.[25][26]

Final Fantasy XIII is in development for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and will be released in 2009 in Japan, and in 2010 in North America and Europe.[27] It will be the flagship installment of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII compilation.[28]

[edit] Sequels and spin-offs

See also: Category: Final Fantasy spin-offs

Final Fantasy has spawned numerous spin-offs and compilations. Three Square games were released in North America with their titles changed to include "Final Fantasy": The Final Fantasy Legend and its two sequels. The games, however, are part of Square's Saga series and feature few similarities to Final Fantasy.[29] Final Fantasy Adventure is a spin-off to the Final Fantasy series and spawned the Mana series.[30] Final Fantasy Mystic Quest was developed for a United States audience, and Final Fantasy Tactics featured many references and themes found in previous Final Fantasy games.[30][31] In 2003, the video game series' first direct sequel, Final Fantasy X-2, was released.[32] The spin-off Chocobo series, Crystal Chronicles series, and Kingdom Hearts series include characters and themes from Final Fantasy.[29][33] Three Final Fantasy compilations—Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Ivalice Alliance, and Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII—share many themes.

[edit] Other media

Square Enix has expanded the Final Fantasy series into various mediums. Multiple anime and computer-generated imagery (CGI) films have been produced that are based either on individual Final Fantasy games or on the series as a whole. The first was an original video animation (OVA) titled Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals and was a sequel to Final Fantasy V. The story was set on the same world as the game though 200 years in the future. It was released as four 30-minute episodes first in Japan in 1994 and later released in the United States by Urban Vision in 1998.[34] In 2001, Square Pictures released its first feature film, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. The story was set on a future-Earth that had been invaded by alien life forms.[35] The Spirits Within was the first animated feature to seriously attempt to portray photorealistic CGI humans, but was considered a box office bomb.[1][35][36] 2001 also saw the release of Final Fantasy: Unlimited, a 25 episode anime series based on the common elements of the Final Fantasy series. It was broadcast in Japan by TV Tokyo and released in North America by ADV Films.[37] In 2005, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children and Last Order: Final Fantasy VII were released as part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. Advent Children was a CGI film directed by Tetsuya Nomura and Last Order was a short OVA directed by Morio Asaka.

Several of the video games have either been adapted into or have had spin-offs in the form of manga and novels. The first was the novelization of Final Fantasy II in 1989, and was followed by a manga adaptation of Final Fantasy III in 1992.[38][39] The past decade has seen an increase in the number of adaptations and spin-offs. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within has been adapted into a novel,[40] Crystal Chronicles has been adapted into a manga,[41] and Final Fantasy XI has had a novel and manga set in its continuity.[42][43] Two novellas based on the Final Fantasy VII universe have also been released. The Final Fantasy: Unlimited story was partially continued in novels and a manga after the anime series had ended. Two titles, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy: Unlimited, have been adapted into radio dramas.

[edit] Common elements

Although most Final Fantasy installments are independent, many themes and elements of gameplay recur throughout the series.[44][45] Most titles feature recycled names often inspired from various cultures' history and languages including Japanese, Hebrew, and Latin.[46] Examples include weapon names like Excalibur and Masamune—derived from Arthurian legend and the Japanese swordsmith Masamune respectively—as well as the spell names Holy, Meteor, and Ultima.[45][46] Beginning with Final Fantasy IV, the series adopted its current logo style that features the same typeface and an emblem designed by manga artist Yoshitaka Amano. The emblem relates to a title's respective plot and typically portrays a character or object central to the story. Subsequent remakes of the first three games have replaced the previous logos with ones similar to the rest of the series.[45]

[edit] Plot and themes

Final Fantasy V is typical of the series in that the heroes must retrieve several crystals to save the world from an ancient evil.

The central conflict in many Final Fantasy games focuses on a group of characters battling an evil, and sometimes ancient, antagonist that dominates the game's world. Stories frequently involve a kingdom in rebellion, with the protagonists taking part in the rebellion. The heroes are often destined to defeat the evil, and occasionally gather as a direct result of the antagonist's malicious actions.[10][46] Another staple of the series is the existence of two villains, one more evil than the last; the main villain is not always who it appears to be, as the primary antagonist may actually be subservient to another character or entity.[10] With the exception of Kefka from Final Fantasy VI, the main antagonist introduced at the beginning of the game is not the final enemy at the end of the game, and the characters must continue their quest beyond what appears to be the final fight.[46]

Stories in the Final Fantasy series frequently emphasize the internal struggles, passions, and tragedies of the characters, and the main plot often recedes into the background as the focus shifts to their personal lives.[26][47] Games also explore relationships between characters, ranging from love to rivalry.[10] Other recurring situations that drive the plot include amnesia, a hero corrupted by an evil force, mistaken identity, and altruistic suicide.[10][48][49] Magical orbs and crystals are recurring in-game items that are frequently connected the themes of the games' plots.[46] Crystals often play a central role in the the creation of the world, and a majority of the Final Fantasy games link crystals or orbs to the planet's life force. As such, control over these crystals drive the main conflict.[46][50] The classical elements are a recurring theme in the series related to the heroes, villains, or items.[46] Other common plot and setting themes include the Gaia hypothesis, an apocalypse, and conflicts between advanced technology and nature.[46][48][51]

[edit] Characters

Further information: Character design of Final Fantasy

The series has often featured androgynous or effeminate male main characters, a trend that has generally increased as the series evolved.[52][53][54] Character names are another recurring theme. Since Final Fantasy II, a character named Cid has appeared in different capacities: a non-playable ally, party member, and villain. Though Cid's appearance and personality differ between titles, the character is normally related to the in-game airships. Biggs and Wedge, inspired by two Star Wars characters by the same name, appear in titles as minor characters, sometimes as comic relief.[26][45] Recurring creatures include Chocobos and Moogles.[26] Chocobos are large, flightless birds often appearring as a means of long-distance travel for characters. Moogles are white, stout creatures resembling teddy bears with wings and a single antenna. They serve different capacities in games including mail delivery, weapon smiths, and party members. Chocobo and Moogle appearances are often accompanied by specific themes that have been arranged differently for separate titles.[10][26][45]

[edit] Gameplay

Main article: Gameplay of Final Fantasy
Example diagram of the Active Time Battle system used in several Final Fantasy games from its US patent application.[55]

In Final Fantasy games, players command a party of characters as they progress through the game's story by exploring the game world and defeating opponents.[10][46] Enemies are typically encountered randomly through exploring, a trend which changed in Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII. The player issues combat orders—like Fight", "Magic", and "Item"—to individual characters via a menu-driven interface while engaging in battles. Throughout the series, the games have used different battle systems. Prior to Final Fantasy XI, battles were turned-based with the protagonists and antagonists on different sides of the battlefield. Final Fantasy IV introduced the "Active Time Battle System" that augmented the turn-based nature with a perpetual time-keeping system. Designed by Hiroyuki Itō, it injected urgency and excitement into combat by requiring the player to act before an enemy attacks, and was used until Final Fantasy X, which implemented the Conditional Turn-Based system.[10][26][56] The new system returned to the previous turn-based system, but added more challenging nuances.[22][57] Final Fantasy XI adopted a real-time battle system where characters continuously act depending on the issued command.[58] Final Fantasy XII continued this gameplay with the "Active Dimension Battle" system.[59]

Like most RPGs, the Final Fantasy installments use an experience level system for character advancement, in which experience points are accumulated by killing enemies.[60][61][62][63] Character classes, specific jobs that enable unique abilities for characters, are another recurring theme. Introduced in the first game, character classes have been used differently in each title. Some restrict a character to a single job to integrate it into the story, while other games feature dynamic job systems that allow the player to chose from multiple classes and switch throughout the game. Though used heavily in many games, such systems have become less prevalent in favor of characters that are more versatile; characters still match an archetype, but are able to learn skills outside their class.[26][45][46]

Magic is another common RPG element in the series. It is generally divided into classes, which are organized by color: "White magic", which is focuses on spells that assist teammates; "Black magic", which focuses on harming enemies; "Red magic", which is a combination of white and black magic; and "Blue magic", which mimics enemy attacks.[10][45][56] Other magic includes summoning legendary creatures to aid in battle, and has persisted since Final Fantasy III. These creatures, often referred to as "Summons", have been inspired by mythologies from Arabic, Hindu, Norse, and Greek cultures.[45][46] Different means of transportation have appeared through the series. The most common is the airship, but others include sea and land vessels. Following Final Fantasy VII, vehicles adapted more modern and futuristic designs.[46]

[edit] Development and history

[edit] Origin

See also: Development of Final Fantasy (video game) and Development of Final Fantasy II

In the mid 1980s, Square entered the Japanese video game industry with simple RPGs, racing games, and platformers for Nintendo's Famicom Disk System. Though a couple games were successful in North America, most were not popular and the company faced bankruptcy. In 1987, Square designer Hironobu Sakaguchi headed development of a game to prevent the company's financial ruin. Sakaguchi chose to create a new fantasy role-playing game for the cartridge-based Famicom, and drew inspiration from popular fantasy games: Enix's Dragon Quest, Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda, and Origin Systems's Ultima series. As Sakaguchi planned to retire after completing the project, it was named Final Fantasy.[2][64][65] Despite his explanation, the name of the game has also been attributed by various sources to the company's hopes that the project would solve its financial troubles.[2][4]

The game indeed reversed Square's lagging fortunes, and it became the company's flagship franchise.[1][2] Following the success, Square immediately developed a second installment. Because Sakaguchi assumed Final Fantasy would be a stand-alone title, its story was not designed to be expanded by sequel. The developers instead chose to carrying over only thematic similarities to its predecessor. Some of the gameplay elements, such as the character advancement system, were overhauled. This approach has continued throughout the series; each major Final Fantasy game features a new setting, cast of characters, and battle system.[12]

[edit] Design

See also: Category: Final Fantasy designers

The first five games were directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, who also provided the original concepts. He served as a producer for subsequent games until he left Square in 2001.[66][67][68][69][70] Yoshinori Kitase took over directing the games until Final Fantasy VIII,[67][68][69] and has been followed by a new director for each new title. Hiroyuki Itō has designed several gameplay systems, including Final Fantasy V's Job System, Final Fantasy VIII's Junction System[69] and the Active Time Battle concept, which was used from Final Fantasy IV until Final Fantasy IX. Itō also co-directed Final Fantasy VI with Kitase.[67]

Kenji Terada was the scenario writer for the first four games; Kitase took over as scenario writer for Final Fantasy V through Final Fantasy VII. Kazushige Nojima became the series' primary scenario writer from Final Fantasy VII until his resignation in October 2003; he has since formed his own company, Stellavista. Nojima partially or completely wrote the stories for Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy X-2. He has also worked as the scenario writer for the spin off series, Kingdom Hearts.[71] Square Enix continues to contract story and scenario work to Nojima and Stellavista.

Final Fantasy VI artwork by Yoshitaka Amano, who provided designs for much of the series.

Artistic design, including character and monster creations, was handled by Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano from Final Fantasy through Final Fantasy VI. Amano also handled title logo designs for all of the main series and all of the image illustrations from Final Fantasy VII onward. Following Amano's departure, he was replaced by Tetsuya Nomura,[72] who worked with the series through Final Fantasy X; for Final Fantasy IX, however, character designs were handled by Shukou Murase, Toshiyuki Itahana, and Shin Nagasawa.[70] Nomura is also the character designer of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and all three installments of the upcoming Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy XIII. Other designers include Nobuyoshi Mihara and Akihiko Yoshida. Mihara was the character designer for Final Fantasy XI,[73] and Yoshida served as character designer for Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy XII, the Square-produced Vagrant Story, and the Final Fantasy III remake.

[edit] Graphics and technology

The first titles on NES feature small sprite representations of the leading party members on the main world screen because of graphical limitations. Battle screens use more detailed, full versions of characters in a side-view perspective. This practice was used until Final Fantasy VI, which uses detailed versions for both screens. The NES sprites are 26 pixels high and use a color palette of 4 colors. 6 frames of animation are used to depict different character statuses like "healthy" and "fatigued". The SNES installments use updated graphics and effects, as well as higher quality audio than in previous games, but are otherwise similar to their predecessors in basic design. The SNES sprites are 2 pixels shorter, but have larger palettes and feature more animation frames: 11 colors and 40 frames respectively. The upgrade allowed designers to have characters be more detailed in appearance and express more emotions. The first title includes non-player characters (NPCs) the player could interact with, but are mostly static in-game objects. Beginning with the second title, Square used predetermined pathways for NPCs to create more dynamic scenes that include comedy and drama.[74]

In August 1995, Square showed an interactive SGI technical demonstration of Final Fantasy for the next generation.[75] Articles in video game magazines GameFan and Nintendo Power led fans to believe the demo was of a new Final Fantasy title for the Nintendo 64 video game console. However, 1997 saw the release of Final Fantasy VII for the Sony PlayStation and not the Nintendo 64 as many had originally anticipated.[76] The switch was due to a dispute with Nintendo over its use of faster and more expensive cartridges, as opposed to the slower, cheaper, and much higher capacity compact discs used on rival systems.[77] Final Fantasy VII introduced 3-dimensional graphics with fully pre-rendered backgrounds.[78][79] It was because of this switch to 3D that a CD-ROM format was chosen over a cartridge format.[75]

Final Fantasy VIII, along with VII and IX, used pre-rendered backgrounds.

Starting with Final Fantasy VIII, the series adopted a more photo-realistic look.[80] Like Final Fantasy VII, some full motion video (FMV) sequences would have video playing in the background, with the polygonal characters composited on top. Final Fantasy IX returned briefly to the more stylized design of earlier games in the series. It still maintained, and in many cases slightly upgraded, most of the graphical techniques used in the previous two games in the series. Final Fantasy X was released on the PlayStation 2,[21] and made use of the much more powerful hardware to render many cutscenes in real-time, rather than in pre-rendered FMV sequences. Rather than having 3D models moving about in pre-rendered backgrounds, the game featured full 3D environments, giving it a more dynamic look, though the camera angle was fixed. It was also the first Final Fantasy game to introduce voice acting, occurring throughout the majority of the game, even with many minor characters. This aspect added a whole new dimension of depth to the character's reactions, emotions, and development.[81]

Taking a temporary divergence, Final Fantasy XI used the PlayStation 2's online capabilities as an MMORPG.[82] Initially released for PlayStation 2 with a PC port arriving 6 months later, Final Fantasy XI was also released on the Xbox 360 nearly four years after its original release in Japan.[83] This was the first Final Fantasy game to use a free rotating camera. Final Fantasy XII was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and uses only half as many polygons as Final Fantasy X in exchange for more advanced textures and lighting.[84][85] It also retains the freely rotating camera from Final Fantasy XI. Final Fantasy XIII was shown at E3 2006 and will make use of Crystal Tools, a middleware engine developed by Square Enix.[86][87]

[edit] Music

Nobuo Uematsu, composer of most of the Final Fantasy soundtracks
Main article: Music of Final Fantasy

Nobuo Uematsu was the chief music composer of the Final Fantasy series until his resignation from Square Enix in November 2004.[1] Uematsu is also involved with the rock group The Black Mages, which has released three albums of arranged Final Fantasy tunes.[88][89] Other composers who have contributed to the series include Masashi Hamauzu and Hitoshi Sakimoto.[90][91]

Although each game offers a variety of music, there are some frequently reused themes. Most of the games open with a piece called "Prelude", which has evolved from a simple, 2-voice, arpeggiated theme in the early games to a complex melodic arrangement in recent installments.[45][26][64] Battle victories in the first ten installments of the series were accompanied by a victory fanfare; this theme has become one of the most recognized pieces of music in the series. The basic theme for Chocobos is rearranged in a different musical style for each installment. A piece called "Prologue" or "Final Fantasy", originally featured in Final Fantasy I, is often played during the ending credits.[45] Although leitmotifs are often used in the more character-driven installments, theme music is typically reserved for main characters and recurring plot elements.[1]

[edit] Reception

Overall, the Final Fantasy series has been critically acclaimed and commercially successful, though each installment has seen different levels of success. In July 2007, the series was listed as the fourth-best-selling video game franchise.[1] The series has seen a steady increase in total sales; the series had sold 45 million units worldwide by August 2003 and 63 million units by December 2005.[92][93] As of July 7, 2008, the series has sold over 85 million units worldwide.[6] Several games within the series have been become best-selling titles. At the end of 2007, the seventh, eighth, and ninth best-selling RPGs were Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, and Final Fantasy X respectively.[94] Final Fantasy VII has sold more than 9.5 million copies worldwide, earning it the position of the best-selling Final Fantasy title.[95] Within two days of Final Fantasy VIII's North American release on September 9, 1999, it became the top-selling video game in the United States, a position it held for more than three weeks.[96] Final Fantasy X sold over 1.4 million Japanese units in pre-orders alone, which set a record for the fastest-selling console RPG.[94][97] Final Fantasy XII sold more than 1,764,000 copies in its first week in Japan.[98] By November 6, 2006—one week after its release—Final Fantasy XII had shipped approximately 1.5 million copies in North America.[99]

[edit] Critical response

The series has been praised for the quality of its visuals and soundtracks.[1] It was awarded a star on the Walk of Game in 2006, making it the first franchise to win a star on the event (other winners were individual games, not franchises). WalkOfGame.com commented that the series has sought perfection as well as been a risk taker in innovation.[7] IGN has commented the menu system used by the series is a major detractor for many and is a "significant reason why they haven't touched the series."[26] The site has also heavily criticized the use of random encounters in the series' battle systems.[100][101] IGN further stated the various attempts to bring the series into film and animation have either been unsuccessful, unremarkable, or did not live up to the standards of the games.[17] In July 2007, UK-based Edge magazine criticized the series for a number of related titles that include the phrase "Final Fantasy" in their titles, which are considered to be not of the same quality as previous titles. It also commented that with the departure of Hironobu Sakaguchi, the series might be in danger of growing stale.[1]

Many Final Fantasy games have been included in various lists of top games. Several games have been listed on multiple IGN "Top Games" lists.[102][103][104][105] Eleven games were listed on Famitsu's 2006 "Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time", four of which were in the top ten, with Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy VII being first and second, respectively.[106] The series holds seven Guinness World Records in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008, which include the "Most Games in an RPG Series" (13 main titles, 7 enhanced titles, and 32 spin-off titles), the "Longest Development Period" (the production of Final Fantasy XII took five years), and the "Fastest-Selling Console RPG in a Single Day" (Final Fantasy X).[8][94] The 2009 edition listed two titles from the series among the top 50 consoles games: Final Fantasy XII at number 8 and Final Fantasy VII at number 20.[107]

Several individual Final Fantasy titles have garnered extra attention; some for their positive reception and others for their negative reception. Despite the success of Final Fantasy VII, it is sometimes criticized as being overrated. In 2003, GameSpy listed it as the 7th most overrated game of all time.[108] Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII shipped 392,000 units in its first week of release, but received review scores that were much lower than that of other Final Fantasy games.[109][110][111] A delayed, negative review after the Japanese release of Dirge of Cerberus from Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu hinted at a controversy between the magazine and Square Enix.[112] The MMORPG, Final Fantasy XI, reached over 200,000 active daily players in March 2006[113] and had reached over half a million subscribers by July 2007.[1] Though Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was praised for its visuals, the plot was criticized and was considered a box office bomb.[1][35][36][114] Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube received overall positive review scores, but reviews stated that the use of Game Boy Advances as controllers was a big detractor.[5][115]

[edit] Legacy

The Final Fantasy series and several specific games within it have been credited for introducing and popularizing many concepts widely used in console RPGs.[5][10] The original title is often cited as one of the most influential early console RPGs, and played a major role in legitimizing and popularizing the genre. Prior to the series, RPGs featured one-on-one battles against monsters from a first person perspective. Final Fantasy introduced a side view perspective with groups of monsters against a group of characters that has been frequently imitated.[10][64][116] Final Fantasy II was the first sequel in the industry to omit characters and locations from the previous title.[12] Final Fantasy VII is credited with allowing console role-playing games to find a place in markets outside Japan.[117][118]

The series' level of success effected Square's business on several levels. The financial success of the first game saved Square from bankruptcy, while the commericial failure of Final Fantasy: The Spirits resulted in hesitation and delays from Enix during merger discussions.[36][64] Square's decision to produce games exclusively for the Sony PlayStation—a move followed by Enix's decision with the Dragon Quest series—severed their relationship with Nintendo. Final Fantasy games were absent from Nintendo consoles, specifically the Nintendo 64, for seven years.[118][119] Critics attribute the lack of strong third-party titles, like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest games, as one of the reasons behind the system's decline. The release of the Nintendo GameCube, which used optical disc media, caught the attention of Square. To produce games for the system, Square created the shell company The Game Designers Studio and released Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, which spawned its own metaseries within the main franchise.[29]

The series' popularity has resulted in its appearance and reference in numerous facets of popular culture like anime, TV series, and webcomics.[120][121][122] Final Fantasy IV's "Theme of Love" was integrated into the curriculum of Japanese school children and performed live by orchestras and metal bands.[123] Bronze medalists Alison Bartosik and Anna Kozlova performed their synchronized swimming routine at the 2004 Summer Olympics to music from Final Fantasy VIII.[94] Final Fantasy XI's lack of an online method of subscription cancellation prompted the creation of legislation in Illinois that requires internet gaming services to provide such a method to the state's residents.[124] Many of the titles' official soundtracks have been released for sale as well. Numerous companion books, which normally provide in-depth game information, have been published. In Japan, they are published by Square and are called Ultimania books. In North America, they take the form of standard strategy guides.[citation needed]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Final Frontiers", Edge (Future Publishing) (177): 72–79, July 2007 
  2. ^ a b c d Berardini, César A. (2006-04-26). "An Introduction to Square-Enix". TeamXbox. IGN. http://features.teamxbox.com/xbox/1554/An-Introduction-to-SquareEnix/p2/. Retrieved on 2007-09-29. 
  3. ^ a b Lee, Garnett (2007-03-08). "GDC 2007: The Long Development of Final Fantasy XII". 1UP.com. http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3157884. Retrieved on 2007-09-28. 
  4. ^ a b Vestal, Andrew. "The History of Final Fantasy: Introduction". The History of Final Fantasy. GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/finalfantasy_hs/. Retrieved on 2009-03-30. 
  5. ^ a b c Casamassina, Matt (2005-07-19). "State of the RPG: GameCube". IGN. http://cube.ign.com/articles/634/634965p1.html. Retrieved on 2007-10-05. 
  6. ^ a b Square Enix (2008-07-07). Square Enix announces Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes. Press release. http://www.mcvuk.com/press-releases/38274/SQUARE-ENIX-ANNOUNCES-SONG-SUMMONER-The-Unsung-Heroes. Retrieved on 2008-08-02. 
  7. ^ a b "2006 Walk of Game Inductees". WalkOfGame.com. Metreon. http://www.walkofgame.com/inductees/inductees.html. Retrieved on 2007-12-20. 
  8. ^ a b Doug Parsons (2008-07-30). "Record Breaking Final Fantasy Series heads to The Record Breaking Nintendo DS". Guinness World Records. http://gamers.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/300708_ffiv.aspx. Retrieved on 2008-08-02. 
  9. ^ "Final Fantasy - Release Summary". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/nes/rpg/finalfantasy/similar.html?mode=versions. Retrieved on 2007-10-03. 
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[edit] External links

Final Fantasy portal
Sister project Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Final Fantasy


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Final Fantasy series
Final Fantasy • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX  • X • XI • XII • XIII
List of Final Fantasy media • Character design (Monsters) • Gameplay (Class system) • Minigames • Music
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy"
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