While Final Fantasy VI was a huge success for Square and
Nintendo, Square had loftier aspirations for the next installment of the
series. This meant a pretty big change
in more ways than one. While Nintendo
was prepping the launch of the Nintendo 64 console, Square found that the
continued use of cartridges wouldn’t be able to hold all of the memory and data
needed to make their next chapter reach its full potential. While it was sad to see Square part ways with
the studio that helped propel it to true success, it’s history with Sony would
speak volumes, especially with that was coming next. 1997 saw the release of Final Fantasy VII
for the Sony Playstation and history was made.
The visuals, courtesy of the PS1’s hardware and Compact Disc usage, were
a huge step up from the SNES days and that was only the beginning of the praise
sent the games way. VII was the game
that put Final Fantasy on the map for many fans of both Final Fantasy, RPGs and
Video Games in general. The cast of
characters is still synonymous with the franchise from Cloud Strife to
Sephiroth. Filled with dazzling visuals,
fun combat, a heartbreaking story and scope unlike any seen before, its not
wonder that Final Fantasy VII was hailed as one of the greatest entries in the
franchise and was one of the best selling games of the Playstations existence. VII’s success and popularity is one of the
strongest in the franchise, spawning a sub series all of its own in later years
including three spin off games: Dirge of Cerberus, Crisis Core &
Before Crisis, as well as a CG Feature film: Final Fantasy VII: Advent
Children and a short OVA: Last Order.
Following the monumental success of VII was no easy task
but Square was up to the challenge with two new entries towards the end of the
90s. 1999’s Final Fantasy VIII
continued the scifi inspired route taken by VII with its setting and this time
included new lifelike models compared to the sprites used in many of VII’s
gameplay segments. While some criticism
was sent in the direction of the new leveling system, Final Fantasy VIII sold
very well and continues to be a beloved entry for many fans. Final Fantasy IX arrived a year later in
2000 and was a direct throwback to Final Fantasy’s earlier roots. Ditching the scifi tropes and darker
storylines of its predecessors, IX went for a more lighthearted adventure that
could be enjoyed by all. As far as swan songs
go, Final Fantasy IX was a fun way for Final Fantasy to exit its first
digitized era. It’s entry into its
second one…would begin with a thud that nearly spelled the end for Square.
In 2001, Square’s Square Pictures division released its
first full 3D film, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Meant to jumpstart a new era in filmmaking,
The Spirits Within instead went on to be known throughout history as one of the
biggest box office bombs of all time, costing the studio millions and putting
Square on the verge of bankruptcy. It
was a rare but cataclysmic misfire for the company but Square managed to save
itself with two good moves. The second
was a merger with one time rival Enix, becoming the Square Enix we know and
love today. The first was the release of
Final Fantasy X in the Fall of 2001.
Unlike The Spirits Within, Final Fantasy’s first adventure on the
Playstation 2 was a huge success, thanks in no small part to vastly improved
graphics and gameplay, a bold new story and the first use of full voice acting
for the cast of characters. Final
Fantasy X’s runaway success made it the first Final Fantasy to receive a direct
sequel in 2003, Final Fantasy X-2, which focused on X’s summoner
protagonist Yuna. Square nearly fell to
ruin in one year but thankfully recovered in spades.
The Playstation 2, like the PS1, hosted two other main
series entries in its lifetime. The
first was 2004’s Final Fantasy XI.
In another bold move since the improvements with X, XI was Square’s
first foray into the realm of the MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role
Playing Game). While that particular
game didn’t hit its stride in the genre
until much later, Final Fantasy XI stood alongside giants like World of
Warcraft and continues to thrive with new updates and expansions still coming
out to this day. The Playstation 2’s
final Final Fantasy outing was Final Fantasy XII in 2006. Cinematic, innovative and popular enough to
warrant a direct sequel in Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings a year
later, Final Fantasy XII showed the world that the title that was contradictory
was still going strong. And with new
consoles on the horizon, there was no telling where Final Fantasy would go next
or what heights it would reach.
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