Summary
Final Fantasygamesrange from traditional JRPGsto massive shakeups of the formula, still managing to throw curveballs at fans after all these decades. Most people still can never guess what will come next from the series, both in the main numbered entries and in the spin-offs.
Most gamers would likely never have thought that any of the games below would have been made, but Square Enix defied all expectations by delivering theseunusualFinal Fantasygames. To the publisher’s credit, most of the games below were met with a warm reception and showcase how specialFinal Fantasycan be when it embraces the weird.
This is the latest entry inthe rhythm game spin-off seriesmeant to showcase and celebrate the iconic music fromFinal Fantasy.It might not be unusual to showcase the music of such a series, as there are also regular concert tours of the games' memorable soundtracks, but what is unusual is the aesthetic and RPG elements put into the game.
The music is not the only thing on display here. The game is also populated with cutesy versions of iconicFinal Fantasyheroes, villains, and monsters. The standard edition of the game alone comes with 385 tracks to play, but more have been added in DLC. With this many songs and the intense difficulty modes,Final Bar Linecan occupy dozens of hours of gameplay time.
FromFinal Fantasy 7toFinal Fantay 10, the 3D adventures just got bigger and bigger. With this trend, it felt like the eleventh numbered game would be the biggest single-player JRPG with the best graphics of the time. However, Square instead decided to try their hand at an MMORPG. The game broke new ground byoffering crossplay between PS2 and PC, and it was really the first massively successful example of the genre to come out of Japan.
Online functionality on the PS2was not available in everyone’s home, so many fans might have missed out on the game in its prime, butFinal Fantasy 11’s historical relevance is undeniable. Square tried to replicate the game’s massive success withFinal Fantasy 14, which stumbled out of the gate before a complete revamp made it one of the most celebrated and accessible MMORPGs in recent memory.
The PSP was ripe for JRPG adventures. Its portability would make grinding less of a chore on commutes to work or lunch breaks.FInal Fantasyhas plenty traditional adventures on Sony’s handheld, along with the unusual fighting game,Dissidia. It wouldn’t be so notable if it was atraditional fighting game in the vein ofStreet FighterorMortal Kombat, butDissidialets players move around in a 3D environment and employs an odd fighting system that borrows some elements from the series' turn-based roots.
Players have to balance their BRV gauge as well as their HP and strategize their attacks to not use up all their BRV at once, or else use it at a wise moment to get an upper hand in battle while also leaving themselves momentarily vulnerable. It’s certainly an unusual concept for aFinal Fantasygame, but it proves to be incredibly fun nonetheless.
FInal Fantasy 7has always been unusual, but people expect this from its world and characters.Dirge of Cerberus, on the other hand, essentially abandons all RPG elements in favor of being a more straightforward third-person shooter.
This is not a bad idea on paper, but the gameplay leaves a lot to be desired. Still, at the time, it was awesome to see and play in the world ofFinal Fantasy 7with such graphical fidelity. Along withFinal Fantasy 7: Advent Children, it was the first time many of these characters had voices put to their faces and personalities.
Final Fantasy 15’s development traces all the way back to the leadup to the PS3’s launch. With ten years of trailers and hype, it wasimpossible to live up to the expectations.Final Fantasy 16had a much cleaner announcement and release, but it shocked some gamers in other ways.
Mainly, the game abandoned all turn-based elements in exchange for the straightfoward action more in tune withDevil May Cry. Aesthetically, there is still a lot to make it feel like aFinal Fantasygame, butthe gameplay is fastand relies on reflexes rather than preparation and planning out moves.
Stranger of Paradiseis easily one of themost unusualFinal Fantasygamesout there. Removed from the strange concept, the gameplay is compelling and more entertaining when friends are involved for cooperative play. After that, it is all strange and unexpected. The game itself is a prequel to the originalFinal Fantasyand deals with Chaos, that game’s main antagonist.
There are alsoseveral licensed songs used throughout the game, ranging from Frank Sinatra to Limp Bizkit. The game tries to be more mature than pastFinal Fantasytitles, but thinks that being adult is dropping more curse words and showing more blood. As a result, it ends up feeling more juvenile than serious.
