TheFinal Fantasyseries is an impressive achievement. There are 16 mainline games, all of which - even the most polarizing entries - have received mostly positive reviews from critics. Each game has something to offer, and you could likely find at least some people who say each one is their favorite. However, one game in the series made creative decisions that make it stand out from the pack, and I think other RPG series should pay attention to its success with critics and players.
There are plenty ofgreat RPG series, but even some of my favorites have one flaw that could be addressed by following the example of thisFinal Fantasygame. In general,more series could probably learn from the longevity of theFFseries, as there are few that have lasted as long while also consistently releasing games. For instance, theBaldur’s Gateseries has been around for nearly 30 years, but it’s also only had three games. ThisFinal Fantasygame showed how RPG series can stay fresh while also releasing games more frequently.
Final Fantasy 10 Broke Many Series Traditions
Final Fantasy 10 Abandoned Staples Of Earlier Games And Added New Features
Final Fantasy 10was a major success, not only earning a 92 onMetacritic, but also becomingmany players' favoriteFinal Fantasygame. While I would never sayFF10doesn’t deserve all this success and praise, I do think it’s a very interesting case because, on paper,it is very different from theFinal Fantasygames that came before it. For one, it abandoned the classic overworld and is a largely linear experience until you get the airship. This was a pretty big departure from previous games, and is something that ironically earnedFF13a lot of criticism.
Another series traditionFinal Fantasy 10abandoned was the Active Time Battle (ATB) systemthat had become a series staple starting inFinal Fantasy 4. The ATB system was an interesting way to keep up the pace in retro RPG combat, as it forces players to make decisions more quickly than true turn-based systems. In contrast,Final Fantasy 10implemented what it called a Conditional Turn-Based Battle (CTB) system, which pauses combat on a player’s turn, allowing for more time to make decisions.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the CTB system is what attracted many players toFinal Fantasy 10, as it makes the game slightly more approachable. As much as I love games likeFinal Fantasy 6, it can get stressful scrolling through a big list of spells while on a time limit. Although I would argue that the sense of anxiety caused by the ATB system creates more exciting battles,I can completely see how true turn-based combat would be more appealing to new playersor anyone who likes to really deliberate over each move they make.
Final Fantasy 10also revolutionized story-telling for the series. While voice clips were introduced as early asFinal Fantasy 6, with Kefka’s laugh and Celes' song at the opera house,Final Fantasy 10introduced fully voice-acted cutscenes to the franchise. These changes didn’t just setFinal Fantasy 10apart, but shaped every game that came after it.
FF10’s Success Reinvented The Final Fantasy Franchise
Final Fantasy Games Continued To Change After FF10
AfterFinal Fantasy 10proved to be a success,Square Enix continued building on the changes it made to the franchise. For one thing, voice-acted cutscenes became a much more common occurrence in the series following the game’s release. However, Square Enix’s willingness to experiment is easily the biggest impact thatFinal Fantasy 10had on the series going forward. This can best be seen in the combat styles of each game afterFF10.
AlthoughFF4throughFF9each made changes, big or small, to how combat worked in previous games, they were all still largely built on the ATB system established inFF4. In contrast,every mainlineFinal Fantasygame followingFF10has had a unique battle system. Although not all of these battle systems were hits with players, I still appreciate that Square Enix continued to innovate on their formula, and it eventually led toFinal Fantasy 7 Remake’s system, which is some of the best combat in the series.
We’ve seen a lot of popular game series over the years simply rest on their laurels, and consequently stagnate in terms of gameplay. Likewise, Square Enix could have played it safe by pumping out games identical toFinal Fantasy 10for a few years to ride on its success. Instead,the series has managed to stay fresh thanks to the spirit of innovation that was largely kicked off byFF10, and I think this is something other RPG franchises should pay attention to.
More Game Series Need To Embrace Change
Some RPG Series Have Largely Stagnated Across Multiple Installments
It’s worth mentioning off the bat thatFinal Fantasyis not the only RPG series that has found success through innovation.Baldur’s Gate 3is a great example of how updating an old formula can lead to a much better sequel. Likewise,The Witcher 3’s more open structure gave it a much grander sense of adventure thanThe Witcher 2, and ifThe Witcher 4’s tech demois any indication of what actual gameplay is like, the series will continue to make big strides forward. These success stories go to show that more RPG series should be open to change.
A good example is theFallloutseries. Aside from a few new features, playingFallout 4doesn’t feel all that different from playingFallout 3, which came out seven years prior. This has me concerned that we’llnever see as big a shakeup in the series as we did betweenFallout 2andFallout 3. In a similar span of time,Final Fantasy 12throughFinal Fantasy 15were released. Each of these games, especiallyFFXIV, is a very novel experience.
I can understand why game companies may be hesitant to abandon winning formulas, especially when a company like Bethesda spends over seven years developing the newElder Scrollsgame. It’s hard not to go with a safe bet when a big risk could mean a huge financial loss. At the same time, I can’t imagine theFinal Fantasyseries would have continued being a success if it didn’t risk making big changes withFF10. Other RPG formulas may still work for now, but if they never innovate, then they will eventually end up feeling outdated.
