The Final Fantasy franchise is one of the best RPG franchises ever. We have ranked the best Final Fantasy games released so far.

The first Final Fantasy game was released over 30 years ago. Since then the game has changed and improved a lot. It has gone from a simple turn-based strategy game to a full-fledged massively multiplayer online game. Considering all the main series games, there are a total of 18 games in the franchise. Here is a ranked list of all the Final Fantasy games.

Final Fantasy games ranked list

10. Final Fantasy XV (82)

Final Fantasy XV was the final instalment in the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy series, which many people are unaware of. For marketing purposes, the game developed its own look and style, yet some elements from the Final Fantasy XIII games are present in FFXV. It’s the first  Final Fantasy game to have real-time combat, and it plays more like a Kingdom Hearts game than the game it’s based on. Critics praised the game, with many praising the realistic landscapes and updating of ageing cliches. Despite this, some players felt the combat to be lacking in depth when compared to other action games, while others were uninterested in the characters or story.

9. Final Fantasy IV (82)

Final Fantasy IV was originally released in North America as Final Fantasy II, although it marked several significant changes for the franchise and the genre as a whole. Final Fantasy IV established the Active Time Battle (ATB) system and pioneered dramatic storytelling in RPGs. Cecil, a Dark Knight who must become a Paladin to stop the evil sorcerer Golbez from ruining the world, was introduced in the game. Although some critics have raised concerns about the English translation and aesthetics, the game has now been hailed as one of the pivotal RPGs of all time.

8. Final Fantasy XIII (82)

Square Enix’s announcement for Final Fantasy XIII kicked off the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy series. Despite the fact that two companion titles were revealed alongside FFXIII, they were delayed and changed beyond recognition. Final Fantasy XIII continues the actual tradition of the Fabula Nova Crystallis series, displaying the originally planned crystal-centric storey. The game garnered generally excellent reviews and was acclaimed for its aesthetics, although it had a slow linear plot.

7. Final Fantasy XIV Online (85)

Final Fantasy XIV Online is one of the most popular MMORPGs on the market right now. After launching to a very unfavourable player and critic feedback, the game underwent a massive overhaul. In reaction to the backlash, Square Enix changed course, ending the game’s present state with an in-game disaster, and rereleasing a revised version of the game dubbed A Realm Reborn. Since then, FFXIV has continuously delivered hit expansion after hit expansion, establishing itself as one of the most popular MMORPGs of all time.

6. Final Fantasy VII (89)

The game follows Cloud Strife, a SOLDIER 1st Class, and his companions as they fight a planet-killing megacorporation. Final Fantasy VII was so popular that it spawned feature films, spin-off mobile games, and an anime after its initial 1997 release. It’s also getting a multipart makeover, which started in 2020 and will continue in the future. Some have dubbed Final Fantasy VII the finest game ever developed, and it was revolutionary at the time, with a plotline that went well beyond what could be expected from a PlayStation RPG. 

5. Final Fantasy IX (89)

When creating Final Fantasy IX, Square Enix sought to get back to the roots of the franchise. The original Final Fantasy was the primary source of influence for FFIX’s direction, which reverted to the series’ forerunners’ historical look rather than the futuristic approach of later games. Despite the more traditional look, FFIX added new elements to keep the series feeling current and exciting. It was praised by both players and critics for its return to form and modernization of the original formula, but it was criticized for including new elements.

4. Final Fantasy VIII (90)

Following the success of Final Fantasy VII, Square Enix was in a better position to take advantage of newly available computer graphics technology in order to enhance its attempts to mix reality and fantasy. Final Fantasy VIII had the most realistic visuals in the franchise at the time, therefore the developers opted to move away from the dark and foreboding themes of Final Fantasy VII. With a tale centred on Squall and Rinoa’s romance, FFVIII was supposed to illustrate “light emerging from darkness.” The cinematics and plot of Final Fantasy XIII wowed critics, but some believed the gameplay was overcomplicated with too many systems and menus.

3. Final Fantasy XII (92)

Final Fantasy XII made the bold but necessary move of breaking away from the series’ traditional turn-based combat. Characters still had an ATB-like bar fill before completing their action, thus the concept wasn’t fully eliminated. Random encounters, on the other hand, were no longer present, and opponents freely wandered the wide-open game zones. After its release, the game received near-universal acclaim from critics, with multiple sources naming it the best PS2 game and best RPG. FFXII has flaws, but even the game’s executive producer wished that creative disputes during production didn’t have an impact on the final product.

2. Final Fantasy X (94)

Final Fantasy X was the first completely voiced Final Fantasy game, and it improved the franchise in almost every way possible. FFX took advantage of the PS2’s capability to generate stunning, immersive visuals, while Square revamped the battle and levelling systems to make them more accessible and customizable. The storyline of Final Fantasy X was the most cinematic ever, with a cast of unique characters with equally prominent personalities. Despite the excellent reviews, some players felt the game to be overly linear and the unskippable cutscenes to be tiresome.

1. Final Fantasy VI (96)

Final Fantasy VI, originally known as Final Fantasy III in North America, is widely recognised as one of the best RPGs of all time. It revitalised the series by improving or reinventing many of the core systems, and it did so while balancing everything out with a cast of well-written characters. FFVI had allure in its simplicity and familiarity, even though basic turn-based gameplay was becoming monotonous at the time.

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