Ranking The Top 3 Final Fantasy Games Of All Time
1. Final Fantasy VI
Words cannot do justice as to why this is the best Final Fantasy game in the series (and a Top 3 RPG of all time), but I will try my best. Final Fantasy VI did so much for the RPG genre, and had so many unique aspects to it that made it such a great game. Splitting up the party early in the game (resulting in 3 separate scenarios played in your choice of order), hidden dialogue sections, secret characters, the overworld map being completely changed due to story events in the second half, the ability to finish the game with only three of fourteen possible main characters; these eccentricities just did not occur often across many video games, let alone be compounded into one.
There are only two player characters that naturally occur with magic in the game at the start, but each member of your party can learn magic later in the game through Magicite. These encapsulated summons can be given to characters to teach them both magic spells and boost stats at each level up. Additionally, each character has an ability unique to them. Pulling off Sabin’s button combinations to perform a Blitz attack entered a fighting game element into an RPG, which was really fun and different. Edgar’s tools, Celes’ Runic magic rend, Shadow’s Interceptor block and item throwing ability; Final Fantasy VI brought combat variety to the series in a way that gave individuality to each character.
It’s not just the gameplay that gave Final Fantasy VI top honors. The setting for the story stepped away from its medieval roots for the first time in the series and adopted a steampunk vibe. Opera, fine arts and railroading are just some of the nods to what could be considered ideals and innovations of our 19th century. The story itself provides many interesting decisions made by the writing staff.
The game preceded FF VII’s story of a rebellion (this time called The Returners) fighting against the evil Empire, led by the top Magick-infused knight and main antagonist Kefka. His deranged hunger for power and eventual successes let him surpass the accomplishments of other video game villains. As some point during the game he wins and essentially becomes a god, with a lasting impact on the game’s events. Rare is it to see the bad guy ascend to greatness and succeed in their goal in absolute power from a lesser position at the halfway through the game, and not from the beginning or only accomplished near the climax.
Furthermore, the playable characters themselves deal with a wide range of issues that go deeper in their severity than most games would allow. As Cyan deals with the death of his family and his vow for revenge, Edgar’s romantic schmoozer facade shields himself from his emotions, Terra’s search for meanings to life and love as a human/esper abomination of nature, Locke’s goal of redemption after failing to protect his love and Celes bouts with suicidal intentions after losing everyone she cares deeply for on a solitary island, the more established legitimacy of the game’s writing became.
Final Fantasy VI balanced the dark and depressing themes with some of the most memorable lighthearted moments and characters. Some of those include comic relief like reoccurring octopus Ultros, the proud and noble Cyan’s nervous hilarity when dealing in nefarious situations and the justified existence of Gau in general. The game towed between both the light and dark lines of the human condition perfectly, as neither form of pathos engulfed the other.
Best yet, the music for the game is fantastic. As always, Nobou Uematsu composed the music for Final Fantasy VI, the last of the 16 bit era SNES and the restrictions that came with it. Nonetheless, the soundtrack contains some of the best themes that really match the pathetic fallacy created by the game’s scenery. The scummy region of Zozo has the unnerving song to back it up. Countdown events are paired with relevant music that shares the urgency with the player. A factory’s wizzes, pops and metal clanks are inserted into the accompaniment. After composing the majority of the entire Final Fantasy series’ music, the soundtrack for this game remains Uematsu’s favorite of the series.
The game is not only just Uematsu’s favorite, nor is it just IGN’s #1 RPG of all time. Final Fantasy VI is an RPG for any gamer, young or old. It is an experience full of wonder and excitement, with a diverse cast of characters creating a motley crew of interesting stories and adventures over countless hours of breathtaking play. If you are a fan of RPG’s or gaming in general, it would be a great disservice if you didn’t play this game at least once in your lifetime.
Conclusion
If you are reading this, that means you have read the entirety of my almost 4,000 words about the Final Fantasy universe. Please let me know how I did in my rankings on my Twitter, as well as provide your own personal rankings list in the comments section. If you feel strongly for or against any of my rulings feel free to write that below, as well. I love to engage people in all things Final Fantasy, even if that means defending against or propping up something I’ve written. Thank you!