Friday, April 17, 2020

Final Fantasy Friday Retrospective: A Gundam Anime Corner Special Miniseries Part 3


Part 3-Playstation Era (1997-2006)
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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