book by Josh Hilliard

The ''Final Fantasy'' Series An overview

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Contents Articles Introduction ''Final Fantasy'' series

1 1

Character classes

Character design

Gameplay

Minigames

Music

Main series

''Final Fantasy I''

''Final Fantasy II''

''Final Fantasy III''

''Final Fantasy IV''

''Final Fantasy IV: The After Years''

105

''Final Fantasy V''

111

''Final Fantasy VI''

121

''Compilation of Final Fantasy VII''

135

''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children''

139

''Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis''

148

''Final Fantasy VII''

154

''Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core''

169

''Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus''

176

''Final Fantasy VII: Last Order''

186

''Final Fantasy VIII''

192

''Final Fantasy IX''

205

''Final Fantasy X''

216

''Final Fantasy X-2''

227

''Final Fantasy XI''

238

''Final Fantasy XII''

253

''Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings''

268

''Final Fantasy XIII: Fabula Nova Crystalis''

274

''Final Fantasy XIII''

276

''Final Fantasy XIII: Agito''

292

''Final Fantasy XIII: Versus''

295

''Final Fantasy XIV''

301

Compilations and re-releases

306

''Final Fantasy I'' and ''II'' compilations

306

''Final Fantasy IV'' (Nintendo DS)

311

''Final Fantasy Chronicles''

316

''Final Fantasy VII'' (Famicom)

320

Spinoffs

324

''Chocobo'' series

324

''Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series''

330

''Final Fantasy: Dissidia''

333

''Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals''

343

''Final Fantasy Mystic Quest''

346

''Final Fantasy Tactics'' series

352

''Mana'' series

353

''SaGa'' series

364

References Article Sources and Contributors

368

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

377

Article Licenses License

380

Introduction ''Final Fantasy'' series Final Fantasy

Genre(s)

Role-playing video game

Developer(s)

Square Enix (formerly Square)

Publisher(s)

Square Enix (formerly Square)

Creator(s)

Hironobu Sakaguchi

Platform(s)

Cellular phone, Game Boy Advance, iPhone OS, MSX, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo GameCube, Windows, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Wii, Wonderswan Color, Xbox 360

Platform of origin

Nintendo Entertainment System

First release

Final Fantasy December 18, 1987

Latest release

Final Fantasy XIII December 17, 2009

Spinoffs

Kingdom Hearts series and Mana series

Official website

Official Portal

[1]

Final Fantasy (ファイナルファンタジー) is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix (formerly Squaresoft). The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy console role-playing games (RPGs), but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise. The series began in 1987 as an eponymous video game developed to save Square from bankruptcy; the game was a success and spawned sequels. The video game series has since branched into other genres such as tactical role-playing, action role-playing, massively multiplayer online role-playing, and racing. Although most Final Fantasy installments are independent stories with various different settings and main characters, they feature common elements that define the franchise. Recurring elements include plot themes, character names, and game mechanics. Plots center on a group of heroes battling a great evil while exploring the characters' internal struggles and relationships. Character names are often derived from the history, languages, and mythologies of cultures worldwide. The series has been commercially and critically successful; it is Square Enix's best selling video game franchise, with more than 96 million units shipped, and one of the best-selling video game franchises. It was awarded a star on the Walk of Game in 2006, and holds seven Guinness World Records in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008. The series is well known for its innovation, visuals, and music, such as the inclusion of full motion videos, photo-realistic character models, and orchestrated music by Nobuo Uematsu. Final Fantasy has been a driving force in the video game industry. The video game series has affected Square's business practices and its relationships with other video game developers. It has also introduced many features now common in console RPGs and has been credited with helping to popularize RPGs in markets outside Japan.

''Final Fantasy'' series

Titles Games The first installment of the series premiered in Japan on December 18, 1987. Subsequent titles are numbered and given a story unrelated to previous games; consequently, the numbers refer more to volumes than to sequels. Many Final Fantasy games have been localized for markets in North America, Europe, and Australia on numerous video game consoles, personal computers (PC), and mobile phones. Future installments will appear on seventh generation video game consoles; upcoming titles include Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Final Fantasy Agito XIII, and Final Fantasy XIV. As of March 2007, there are 28 games in the franchise;[2] this number includes the main installments from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy XIII, as well as direct sequels and spin-offs. Most of the older titles have been remade or re-released on multiple platforms. Main series Timeline of release years 1987 –

– Final Fantasy

1988 –

– Final Fantasy II

1989 – 1990 –

– Final Fantasy III

1991 –

– Final Fantasy IV

1992 –

– Final Fantasy V

1993 – 1994 –

– Final Fantasy VI

1995 – 1996 – 1997 –

– Final Fantasy VII

1998 – 1999 –

– Final Fantasy VIII

2000 –

– Final Fantasy IX

2001 –

– Final Fantasy X

2002 –

– Final Fantasy XI

2003 – 2004 – 2005 – 2006 –

– Final Fantasy XII

2007 – 2008 – 2009 –

– Final Fantasy XIII

Three Final Fantasy installments were released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Final Fantasy was released in Japan in 1987 and in North America in 1990.[3] [4] It introduced many concepts to the console RPG genre, and has since been remade on several platforms.[4] Final Fantasy II, released in 1988 in Japan, has been bundled

''Final Fantasy'' series with Final Fantasy in several re-releases.[4] [5] [6] The last of the NES installments, Final Fantasy III, was released in Japan in 1990;[7] however, it was not released elsewhere until a Nintendo DS remake in 2006.[6] The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) also featured three installments of the main series, all of which have been re-released on several platforms. Final Fantasy IV was released in 1991; in North America, it was released as Final Fantasy II.[8] [9] It introduced the "Active Time Battle" system.[10] Final Fantasy V, released in 1992 in Japan, was first in the series to spawn a sequel: a short anime series titled Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals.[4] [11] [12] Final Fantasy VI was released in Japan in 1994, but it was titled Final Fantasy III in North America.[13] The PlayStation console saw the release of three main Final Fantasy games. The 1997 title Final Fantasy VII moved away from the two-dimensional (2D) graphics used in the first six games to three-dimensional (3D) computer graphics; the game features polygonal characters on pre-rendered backgrounds. It also introduced a more modern setting, a style that was carried over to the next game.[4] It was also the first in the series to be released in Europe. The eighth installment was published in 1999, and was the first to consistently use realistically proportioned characters and feature a vocal piece as its theme music.[4] [14] Final Fantasy IX, released in 2000, returned to the series' roots by revisiting a more traditional Final Fantasy setting rather than the more modern worlds of VII and VIII.[4] [15] Three main installments, including one online game, were published for the PlayStation 2 (PS2). The 2001 title Final Fantasy X introduced full 3D areas and voice acting to the series, and was the first to spawn a direct video game sequel (Final Fantasy X-2).[16] [17] Final Fantasy XI was released on the PS2 and PC in 2002, and later on the Xbox 360.[18] [19] The first massive multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG) in the series, Final Fantasy XI also introduced real-time battles instead of random encounters.[19] The twelfth installment, published in 2006, also includes real-time battles in large, interconnected playfields.[20] [21] Final Fantasy XIII was released in December 2009 in Japan. It was released on March 9, 2010 in North America and Europe.[22] [23] It is the flagship installment of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII compilation.[24] Also in development is Final Fantasy XIV, an MMORPG due for release in 2010 for the PlayStation 3 and PC.[25] Sequels and spin-offs Final Fantasy has spawned numerous spin-offs and metaseries. Three Square games were released in North America with their titles changed to include "Final Fantasy": The Final Fantasy Legend and its two sequels. The games, however, are part of Square's Saga series and feature few similarities to Final Fantasy.[26] Final Fantasy Adventure is a spin-off that spawned the Mana series.[27] Final Fantasy Mystic Quest was developed for a United States audience, and Final Fantasy Tactics is a tactical RPG that features many references and themes found in the series.[27] [28] The spin-off Chocobo series, Crystal Chronicles series, and Kingdom Hearts series also include multiple Final Fantasy elements.[26] [29] In 2003, the video game series' first direct sequel, Final Fantasy X-2, was released.[30] Dissidia: Final Fantasy was released in 2009, and is a fighting game that features heroes and villains from the first ten games from the main series.[31] Other spin-offs have taken the form of compilationsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Ivalice Alliance, and Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII.

Other media Square Enix has expanded the Final Fantasy series into various media. Multiple anime and computer-generated imagery (CGI) films have been produced that are based either on individual Final Fantasy games or on the series as a whole. The first was an original video animation (OVA) titled Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals, a sequel to Final Fantasy V. The story was set on the same world as the game though 200 years in the future. It was released as four 30-minute episodes first in Japan in 1994 and later released in the United States by Urban Vision in 1998.[32] In 2001, Square Pictures released its first feature film, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. The film is set on a future-Earth invaded by alien life forms.[33] The Spirits Within was the first animated feature to seriously attempt to

''Final Fantasy'' series

portray photorealistic CGI humans, but was considered a box office bomb.[33] [34] [35] 2001 also saw the release of Final Fantasy: Unlimited, a 25 episode anime series based on the common elements of the Final Fantasy series. It was broadcast in Japan by TV Tokyo and released in North America by ADV Films.[36] In 2005, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children and Last Order: Final Fantasy VII were released as part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. Several video games have either been adapted into or have had spin-offs in the form of manga and novels. The first was the novelization of Final Fantasy II in 1989, and was followed by a manga adaptation of Final Fantasy III in 1992.[37] [38] The past decade has seen an increase in the number of non-video game adaptations and spin-offs. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within has been adapted into a novel, the spin-off game Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles has been adapted into a manga, and Final Fantasy XI has had a novel and manga set in its continuity.[39] [40] [41] [42] Two novellas based on the Final Fantasy VII universe have also been released. The Final Fantasy: Unlimited story was partially continued in novels and a manga after the anime series ended.[43] Two titles, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy: Unlimited, have been adapted into radio dramas.

Common elements Although most Final Fantasy installments are independent, many themes and elements of gameplay recur throughout the series.[44] [45] Most titles feature recycled names often inspired from various cultures' history and languages including Japanese, Hebrew, and Latin.[46] Examples include weapon names like Excalibur and Masamuneâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;derived from Arthurian legend and the Japanese swordsmith Masamune respectivelyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as well as the spell names Holy, Meteor, and Ultima.[45] [46] Beginning with Final Fantasy IV, the main series adopted its current logo style that features the same typeface and an emblem designed by manga artist Yoshitaka Amano. The emblem relates to a title's respective plot and typically portrays a character or object in the story. Subsequent remakes of the first three games have replaced the previous logos with ones similar to the rest of the series.[45]

Plot and themes The central conflict in many Final Fantasy games focuses on a group of characters battling an evil, and sometimes ancient, antagonist that dominates the game's world. Stories frequently involve a sovereign state in rebellion, with the protagonists taking part in the rebellion. The heroes are often destined to defeat the evil, and occasionally gather as a direct result of the antagonist's malicious actions.[4] [46] Another staple of the series is the existence of two villains; the main villain is not always who it appears to be, as the primary antagonist may actually be subservient to another character or entity.[4] The main antagonist introduced at the beginning of the game is not always the final enemy, and the characters must continue their quest beyond what appears to be the final fight.[46]

Final Fantasy V is typical of the series in that the heroes must retrieve several crystals to save the world from an ancient evil.

Stories in the series frequently emphasize the internal struggles, passions, and tragedies of the characters, and the main plot often recedes into the background as the focus shifts to their personal lives.[21] [47] Games also explore relationships between characters, ranging from love to rivalry.[4] Other recurring situations that drive the plot include amnesia, a hero corrupted by an evil force, mistaken identity, and altruistic suicide.[4] [48] [49] Magical orbs and crystals are recurring in-game items that are frequently connected to the themes of the games' plots.[46] Crystals often play a central role in the creation of the world, and a majority of the Final Fantasy games link crystals and orbs to the

''Final Fantasy'' series planet's life force. As such, control over these crystals drives the main conflict.[46] [50] The classical elements are a recurring theme in the series related to the heroes, villains, and items.[46] Other common plot and setting themes include the Gaia hypothesis, an apocalypse, and conflicts between advanced technology and nature.[46] [48] [51]

Characters In recent years, the series has featured several males with androgynous or effeminate characteristics.[52] [53] [54] Character names are another recurring theme. Since the release of Final Fantasy II, including subsequent remakes of the original Final Fantasy, a character named Cid has appeared in different capacities: a non-playable ally, party member, and villain. Though Cid's appearance and personality differ between titles, the character is normally related to the in-game airships. Biggs and Wedge, inspired by two Star Wars characters by the same name, appear in titles as minor characters, sometimes as comic relief.[21] [45] Recurring creatures include Chocobos and Moogles.[21] Chocobos are large, often flightless birds that appear in several installments as a means of long-distance travel for characters. Moogles, on the other hand, are white, stout creatures resembling teddy bears with wings and a single antenna. They serve different capacities in games including mail delivery, weaponsmiths, party members, and saving the game. Chocobo and Moogle appearances are often accompanied by specific themes that have been arranged differently for separate titles.[4] [21] [45]

Gameplay In Final Fantasy games, players command a party of characters as they progress through the game's story by exploring the game world and defeating opponents.[4] [46] Enemies are typically encountered randomly through exploring, a trend which changed in Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII. The player issues combat ordersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;like "Fight", "Magic", and "Item"â&#x20AC;&#x201D;to individual characters via a menu-driven interface while engaging in battles. Throughout the series, the games have used different battle systems. Prior to Final Fantasy XI, battles were turn-based with the protagonists and antagonists on different sides of the battlefield. Final Fantasy IV introduced the "Active Time Battle System" that augmented the turn-based nature with a perpetual time-keeping system. Designed by Hiroyuki ItĹ?, it injected urgency and excitement into combat by requiring the player to Example diagram of the Active Time Battle system used in several Final Fantasy games from act before an enemy attacks, and was used until Final Fantasy X, [55] its US patent application. which implemented the Conditional Turn-Based system.[4] [21] [56] The new system returned to the previous turn-based system, but added nuances to offer players more challenge.[17] [57] Final Fantasy XI adopted a real-time battle system where characters continuously act depending on the issued command.[58] Final Fantasy XII continued this gameplay with the "Active Dimension Battle" system.[59] Like most RPGs, the Final Fantasy installments use an experience level system for character advancement, in which experience points are accumulated by killing enemies.[60] [61] [62] [63] Character classes, specific jobs that enable unique abilities for characters, are another recurring theme. Introduced in the first game, character classes have been used differently in each title. Some restrict a character to a single job to integrate it into the story, while other games feature dynamic job systems that allow the player to choose from multiple classes and switch throughout the game. Though used heavily in many games, such systems have become less prevalent in favor of characters that are more versatile; characters still match an archetype, but are able to learn skills outside their class.[21] [45] [46] Magic is another common RPG element in the series. It is generally divided into classes, which are organized by color: "White magic", which focuses on spells that assist teammates; "Black magic", which focuses on harming

''Final Fantasy'' series enemies; "Red magic", which is a combination of white and black magic, "Blue magic", which mimics enemy attacks; and "green magic" which focuses on 'buffing' allies or 'debuffing' the enemy.[4] [45] [56] Other magic includes summoning legendary creatures to aid in battle, and has persisted since Final Fantasy III. These creatures, often referred to as "Summons", have been inspired by mythologies from Arabic, Hindu, Norse, and Greek cultures.[45] [46] Different means of transportation have appeared through the series. The most common is the airship for long range travel, accompanied by chocobos for travelling short distances, but others include sea and land vessels. Following Final Fantasy VII, more modern and futuristic vehicle designs have been included.[46]

Development and history Origin In the mid 1980s, Square entered the Japanese video game industry with simple RPGs, racing games, and platformers for Nintendo's Famicom Disk System. Though a couple games were successful in North America, most were not popular and the company faced bankruptcy. In 1987, Square designer Hironobu Sakaguchi headed development of a game to prevent the company's financial ruin. Sakaguchi chose to create a new fantasy role-playing game for the cartridge-based NES, and drew inspiration from popular fantasy Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the Final Fantasy games: Enix's Dragon Quest, Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda, and series Origin Systems's Ultima series. As Sakaguchi planned to retire after completing the project, he named it Final Fantasy.[64] [65] [66] Despite his explanation, publications have also attributed the name to the company's hopes that the project would solve its financial troubles.[64] [67] The game indeed reversed Square's lagging fortunes, and it became the company's flagship franchise.[34] [64] Following the success, Square immediately developed a second installment. Because Sakaguchi assumed Final Fantasy would be a stand-alone title, its story was not designed to be expanded by a sequel. The developers instead chose to carry over only thematic similarities to its predecessor, and some of the gameplay elements, such as the character advancement system, were overhauled. This approach has continued throughout the series; each major Final Fantasy game features a new setting, a new cast of characters, and an upgraded battle system.[6]

Design For the original Final Fantasy, Sakaguchi required a larger production team than Square's previous titles. He began crafting the game's story while experimenting with gameplay ideas. Once the gameplay system and game world size was established, Sakaguchi integrated his story ideas into the available resources. A different approach has been taken for subsequent titles; the story is completed first and the game built around it.[68] Designers have never been restricted by consistency, though most feel each title should have a minimum number of common elements. The development teams strive to create completely new worlds for each title, and avoid making new games too similar to previous ones. Game locations are conceptualized early in development and design details like building parts are fleshed out as a base for entire structures.[44] The first five games were directed by Sakaguchi, who also provided the original concepts. He served as a producer for subsequent games until he left Square in 2001.[46] [69] Yoshinori Kitase took over directing the games until Final Fantasy VIII,[70] [71] [72] and has been followed by a new director for each new title. Hiroyuki ItĹ? designed several gameplay systems, including Final Fantasy V's Job System, Final Fantasy VIII's Junction System and the Active Time Battle concept, which was used from Final Fantasy IV until Final Fantasy IX. ItĹ? also co-directed Final Fantasy VI with Kitase.[46] [70] Kenji Terada was the scenario writer for the first four games; Kitase took over as

''Final Fantasy'' series

scenario writer for Final Fantasy V through Final Fantasy VII. Kazushige Nojima became the series' primary scenario writer from Final Fantasy VII until his resignation in October 2003; he has since formed his own company, Stellavista. Nojima partially or completely wrote the stories for Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy X-2. He also worked as the scenario writer for the spin off series, Kingdom Hearts.[73] Artistic design, including character and monster creations, was handled by Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano from Final Fantasy through Final Fantasy VI. Amano also handled title logo designs for all of the main series and the image illustrations from Final Fantasy VII onward.[69] Tetsuya Nomura was chosen to replace Amano because Nomura's designs were more adaptable to 3D graphics. He worked with the series from Final Fantasy VII through Final Fantasy X;[46] [69] for Final Fantasy IX, however, character designs were handled by Shukou Murase, Toshiyuki Itahana, and Shin Nagasawa.[74] Nomura is also the character designer of the Kingdom Hearts series, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and the upcoming Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy XIII.[75] Other designers include Nobuyoshi Mihara and Akihiko Yoshida. Mihara was the character designer for Final Fantasy XI, and Yoshida served as character designer for Final Fantasy Tactics, the Square-produced Vagrant Story, and Final Fantasy XII.[28] [76]

Final Fantasy VI artwork by Yoshitaka Amano, who provided designs for much of the series.

Graphics and technology The first titles on the NES feature small sprite representations of the leading party members on the main world screen because of graphical limitations. Battle screens use more detailed, full versions of characters in a side-view perspective. This practice was used until Final Fantasy VI, which uses detailed versions for both screens. The NES sprites are 26 pixels high and use a color palette of 4 colors. 6 frames of animation are used to depict different character statuses like "healthy" and "fatigued". The SNES installments use updated graphics and effects, as well as higher quality audio than in previous games, but are otherwise similar to their predecessors in basic design. The SNES sprites are 2 pixels shorter, but have larger palettes and feature more animation frames: 11 colors and 40 frames respectively. The upgrade allowed designers to have characters be more detailed in appearance and express more emotions. The first title includes non-player characters (NPCs) the player could interact with, but are mostly static in-game objects. Beginning with the second title, Square used predetermined pathways for NPCs to create more dynamic scenes that include comedy and drama.[77] In 1995, Square showed an interactive SGI technical demonstration of Final Fantasy for the then next generation of consoles. The demonstration used Silicon Graphics's prototype Nintendo 64 workstations to create 3D graphics.[77] [78] Fans believed the demo was of a new Final Fantasy title for the Nintendo 64 console; however, 1997 saw the release of Final Fantasy VII for the Sony PlayStation.[78] [79] The switch was due to a dispute with Nintendo over its use of faster and more expensive cartridges, as opposed to the slower, cheaper, and much higher capacity compact discs used on rival systems.[80] [81] Final Fantasy VII introduced 3D graphics with fully pre-rendered backgrounds.[80] [82] It was because of this switch to 3D that a CD-ROM format was chosen over a cartridge format.[80] [83] The switch also led to increased production costs and a greater subdivision of the creative staff for Final Fantasy VII and subsequent 3D titles in the series.[44]

''Final Fantasy'' series

Starting with Final Fantasy VIII, the series adopted a more photo-realistic look.[84] [85] Like Final Fantasy VII, full motion video (FMV) sequences would have video playing in the background, with the polygonal characters composited on top. Final Fantasy IX returned briefly to the more stylized design of earlier games in the series. It still maintained, and in many cases slightly upgraded, most of the graphical techniques used in the previous two games in the series.[85] Final Fantasy X was released on the PlayStation 2, and used the more powerful hardware to render graphics in real-time instead of using Final Fantasy VIII, along with VII and IX, used pre-rendered backgrounds. pre-rendered material to obtain a more dynamic look; the game features full 3D environments, rather than have 3D character models move about pre-rendered backgrounds. It is also the first Final Fantasy game to introduce voice acting, occurring throughout the majority of the game, even with many minor characters.[17] This aspect added a whole new dimension of depth to the character's reactions, emotions, and development.[17] [86] Taking a temporary divergence, Final Fantasy XI used the PlayStation 2's online capabilities as an MMORPG.[87] Initially released for the PlayStation 2 with a PC port arriving 6 months later, Final Fantasy XI was also released on the Xbox 360 nearly four years after its original release in Japan.[88] This was the first Final Fantasy game to use a free rotating camera. Final Fantasy XII was released in 2006 for the PlayStation 2 and uses only half as many polygons as Final Fantasy X in exchange for more advanced textures and lighting.[89] [90] It also retains the freely rotating camera from Final Fantasy XI. Final Fantasy XIII was shown at E3 2006 and will make use of Crystal Tools, a middleware engine developed by Square Enix.[91] [92]

Music The titles in the series feature a variety of music, but frequently reuse themes. Most of the games open with a piece called "Prelude", which has evolved from a simple, 2-voice arpeggio in the early games to a complex, melodic arrangement in recent installments.[21] [45] [65] Victories in combat are often accompanied by a victory fanfare, a theme that has become one of the most recognized pieces of music in the series. The basic theme that accompanies Chocobo appearances has been rearranged in a different musical style for each installment. A piece called "Prologue" (and sometimes "Final Fantasy"), originally featured in the first game, is often played during the ending credits.[45] Although leitmotifs are common in the more character-driven installments, theme music is typically reserved for main characters and recurring plot elements.[34] Nobuo Uematsu was the chief music composer of the Final Fantasy series until his resignation from Square Enix in November 2004.[34] Other composers include Masashi Hamauzu and Hitoshi Sakimoto.[93] [94] Uematsu was allowed to create much of the music with little direction from the production staff. Sakaguchi, however, would request pieces to fit specific game scenes including battles and exploring different areas of the game world.[95] Once a game's major scenarios were completed, Uematsu would begin writing the music based on the story, characters, and accompanying artwork. He started with a game's main theme, and developed other pieces to match its style. In creating character themes, Uematsu read the game's scenario to determine the characters' personality. He would also ask the scenario writer for more details to scenes he was unsure about.[96] Technical limitations were prevalent in earlier titles; Sakaguchi would sometimes instruct Uematsu to only use specific notes.[95] It wasn't until Final Fantasy IV on the SNES that Uematsu was able to add more subtlety to the music.[77]

Nobuo Uematsu, composer of most of the Final Fantasy soundtracks

''Final Fantasy'' series

Reception Overall, the Final Fantasy series has been critically acclaimed and commercially successful, though each installment has seen different levels of success. The series has seen a steady increase in total sales; it sold 45 million units worldwide by August 2003, 63 million by December 2005, and 85 million by July 2008.[97] [98] [99] In March 2010, Square Enix announced that the series has shipped over 96 million units.[100] Its high sales numbers have ranked it as one of the best-selling video game franchises in the industry; in January 2007, the series was listed as number three, and later in July as number four.[34] [101] Several games within the series have become best-selling titles. At the end of 2007, the seventh, eighth, and ninth best-selling RPGs were Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, and Final Fantasy X respectively.[102] Final Fantasy VII has sold more than 9.5 million copies worldwide, earning it the position of the best-selling Final Fantasy title.[103] Within two days of Final Fantasy VIII's North American release on September 9, 1999, it became the top-selling video game in the United States, a position it held for more than three weeks.[104] Final Fantasy X sold over 1.4 million Japanese units in pre-orders alone, which set a record for the fastest-selling console RPG.[102] [105] Final Fantasy XII sold more than 1.7 million copies in its first week in Japan.[106] By November 6, 2006—one week after its release—Final Fantasy XII had shipped approximately 1.5 million copies in North America.[107]

Critical response The series has been praised for the quality of its visuals and soundtracks.[34] It was awarded a star on the Walk of Game in 2006, making it the first franchise to win a star on the event (other winners were individual games, not franchises). WalkOfGame.com commented that the series has sought perfection as well as been a risk taker in innovation.[108] In a 2008 public poll held by The Game Group plc, Final Fantasy was voted the best game series, with five titles appearing in their "Greatest Games of All Time" list.[109] IGN has commented the menu system used by the series is a major detractor for many and is a "significant reason why they haven't touched the series."[21] The site has also heavily criticized the use of random encounters in the series' battle systems.[110] [111] IGN further stated the various attempts to bring the series into film and animation have either been unsuccessful, unremarkable, or did not live up to the standards of the games.[12] In July 2007, UK-based Edge magazine criticized the series for a number of related titles that include the phrase "Final Fantasy" in their titles, which are considered to be not of the same quality as previous titles. It also commented that with the departure of Hironobu Sakaguchi, the series might be in danger of growing stale.[34] Many Final Fantasy games have been included in various lists of top games. Several games have been listed on multiple IGN "Top Games" lists.[112] [113] [114] [115] Eleven games were listed on Famitsu's 2006 "Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time", four of which were in the top ten, with Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy VII being first and second, respectively.[116] The series holds seven Guinness World Records in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008, which include the "Most Games in an RPG Series" (13 main titles, 7 enhanced titles, and 32 spin-off titles), the "Longest Development Period" (the production of Final Fantasy XII took five years), and the "Fastest-Selling Console RPG in a Single Day" (Final Fantasy X).[102] [117] The 2009 edition listed two titles from the series among the top 50 consoles games: Final Fantasy XII at number 8 and Final Fantasy VII at number 20.[118] Several individual Final Fantasy titles have garnered extra attention; some for their positive reception and others for their negative reception. Despite the success of Final Fantasy VII, it is sometimes criticized as being overrated. In 2003, GameSpy listed it as the 7th most overrated game of all time, a comment echoed by IGN.[119] [120] Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII shipped 392,000 units in its first week of release, but received review scores that were much lower than that of other Final Fantasy games.[121] [122] [123] A delayed, negative review after the Japanese release of Dirge of Cerberus from Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu hinted at a controversy between the magazine and Square Enix.[124] The MMORPG, Final Fantasy XI, reached over 200,000 active daily players in March 2006[125] and had reached over half a million subscribers by July 2007.[34] Though Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was praised for its visuals, the plot was criticized and was considered a box office bomb.[33] [34] [35] [126] Final

''Final Fantasy'' series Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube received overall positive review scores, but reviews stated that the use of Game Boy Advances as controllers was a big detractor.[79] [127]

Impact and legacy The Final Fantasy series and several specific games within it have been credited for introducing and popularizing many concepts that are today widely used in console RPGs.[4] [79] The original title is often cited as one of the most influential early console RPGs, and played a major role in legitimizing and popularizing the genre. Prior to the series, RPGs featured one-on-one battles against monsters from a first person perspective. Final Fantasy introduced a side view perspective with groups of monsters against a group of characters that has been frequently imitated.[4] [65] [79] Final Fantasy II was the first sequel in the industry to omit characters and locations from the previous title.[6] Final Fantasy VII is credited with allowing console role-playing games to find a place in markets outside Japan.[80] [128]

The series' success affected Square's business on several levels. The financial success of the first game saved Square from bankruptcy, while the commercial failure of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within resulted in hesitation and delays from Enix during merger discussions.[35] [65] Square's decision to produce games exclusively for the Sony PlayStation—a move followed by Enix's decision with the Dragon Quest series—severed their relationship with Nintendo.[4] [79] Final Fantasy games were absent from Nintendo consoles, specifically the Nintendo 64, for seven years.[68] [80] Critics attribute the switch of strong third-party titles, like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest games, from the Nintendo 64 to the PlayStation as one of the reasons behind the systems' decline and success, respectively.[4] [79] [83] The release of the Nintendo GameCube, which used optical disc media, in 2001 caught the attention of Square. To produce games for the system, Square created the shell company The Game Designers Studio and released Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, which spawned its own metaseries within the main franchise.[26] Final Fantasy XI's lack of an online method of subscription cancellation prompted the creation of legislation in Illinois that requires internet gaming services to provide such a method to the state's residents.[129] The series' popularity has resulted in its appearance and reference in numerous facets of popular culture like anime, TV series, and webcomics.[130] [131] [132] Music from the series has permeated into different areas of culture. Final Fantasy IV's "Theme of Love" was integrated into the curriculum of Japanese school children and has been performed live by orchestras and metal bands.[133] In 2003, Uematsu became involved with the The Black Mages, a rock group independent of Square that has released albums of arranged Final Fantasy tunes.[134] [135] Bronze medalists Alison Bartosik and Anna Kozlova performed their synchronized swimming routine at the 2004 Summer Olympics to music from Final Fantasy VIII.[102] Many of the titles' official soundtracks have been released for sale as well. Numerous companion books, which normally provide in-depth game information, have been published. In Japan, they are published by Square and are called Ultimania books.[136] [137] In North America, they take the form of standard strategy guides.

See also Wikipedia Books: Final Fantasy series

External links • • • •

Square Enix's official Final Fantasy website [1] Square Enix's official Final Fantasy website [138] (Japanese) Final Fantasy Games [139] at the Open Directory Project Final Fantasy Wiki [140]

• IGN Presents the History of Final Fantasy [141]

''Final Fantasy'' series

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"Famitsu Digs Into Dirge of Cerberus" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3147827). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2007-11-12. [125] Woodard, Christopher (2006-03-24). "GDC: Creating a Global MMO: Balancing Cultures and Platforms in Final Fantasy XI" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ features/ 20060324/ woodard_01. shtml). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2007-10-05. [126] Ebert, Roger (2001-07-11). "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" (http:/ / rogerebert. suntimes. com/ apps/ pbcs. dll/ article?AID=/ 20010711/ REVIEWS/ 107110301/ 1023). RogerEbert.com. . Retrieved 2007-10-23. [127] "Reviews: FF: Crystal Chronicles" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3118114& sec=REVIEWS). 1UP.com. 2004-05-09. . Retrieved 2007-11-12. [128] Kraus, Alex (2006-08-30). "'Dirge of Cerberus' defies expectations, for better and worse" (http:/ / www. usatoday. com/ tech/ gaming/ 2006-08-29-dirge-of-cerberus_x. htm). USA Today. . Retrieved 2009-03-30.

''Final Fantasy'' series [129] "Record Breaking Games: Role-Playing Games". Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer's Edition. Guinness World Records. Guinness. 2009-02-03. pp. 174–175. ISBN 978-1-904994-45-9. [130] Craig, Timothy J. (2000). Japan Pop!: Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture. M.E. Sharpe. p. 140. ISBN 0765605619. [131] Kuchera, Ben (2006-05-23). "Robot Chicken pokes fun at Final Fantasy" (http:/ / arstechnica. com/ gaming/ news/ 2006/ 05/ 4078. ars). Ars Technica. . Retrieved 2009-03-09. [132] "Adventure Log" (http:/ / www. vgcats. com/ ffxi/ ). VG Cats. . Retrieved 2009-03-09. [133] "Final Fantasy Retrospective Part III" (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ video/ part-iii-final-fantasy/ 22905). GameTrailers. 2007-07-30. . Retrieved 2009-03-31. [134] "Nobuo Uematsu's Profile" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ uematsu/ profile/ index. html). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2007-10-08. [135] "The Black Mages -Darkness and Starlight" (http:/ / www. dogearrecords. com/ tbm3/ ). Dog Ear Records. . Retrieved 2008-04-02. [136] IGN Staff (2001-08-20). "Final Fantasy X Ultimania Guide" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 097/ 097559p1. html). . Retrieved 2009-04-08. [137] "Square Enix Game Books Online" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ magazine/ gamebooks/ ult/ index. html). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2010-01-19. [138] http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ title/ finalfantasy/ [139] http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Roleplaying/ F/ Final_Fantasy_Games/ [140] http:/ / finalfantasy. wikia. com/ wiki/ Final_Fantasy_Wiki [141] http:/ / retro. ign. com/ articles/ 998/ 998839p1. html

Character classes In several installments of the Final Fantasy series of role-playing games by Square Enix, classes (jobs) are roles assigned to playable characters that determine the character's proficiencies.[1] Classes can be loosely categorized into physical classes, which specialize in using weapons and techniques; magical classes, which are proficient in magic; and mixed classes, which combine elements of both classes in addition to other special abilities. This article summarizes the most common character classes; many games in the series have featured unique classes that have not reappeared in subsequent games. For information on those classes, see the article regarding the game in which the class appeared. Job classes in Final Fantasy XI are featured in Final Fantasy XI character classes; those in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance are featured in List of jobs in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.

History and development In Final Fantasy, the player allocates permanent class selections to the four playable characters at the beginning of the game, each of the six starting classes can be upgraded to a corresponding advanced class midway through the game.[2] Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy V changed the formula by allowing the player to change a character's class, as well as acquire new and advanced classes and combine class abilities.[3] [4] In Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, classes are once again chosen by the player from one of the two starting jobs; however, characters must meet prerequisites before changing classes.[5] [6] Character classes were The job system in Final Fantasy V re-introduced in Final Fantasy X-2 as "dresspheres"; these classes are gradually acquired and can be changed at any point, including battle mode.[7] The classes that appeared in Final Fantasy XI, the first MMORPG title in the series, have certain unique implementations that more closely follow MMORPG convention.[8] Notably, in Final Fantasy XI a player can equip a secondary job, called a subjob, and have half the abilities of another class that way. Extensive backstories are often given to FFXI's job classes to add to the setting's lore. Other Final Fantasy installments deviate from the class system by allowing flexibility in character growth, or featuring pre-determined jobs. Characters in Final Fantasy II are molded according to their performance in battle.[9] Final Fantasy IV introduced characters already locked into a class; abilities related to the character's class are learned

Character classes as the character gains experience points.[10] In Final Fantasy VI, VII, and VIII, characters begin with equipment and attack proficiencies similar to character classes, but the player can allocate magic and statistical bonuses.[11] [12] [13] In Final Fantasy VI, each playable character has a class and a signature command, such as Dance, Lore or Mimic.[11] In Final Fantasy VII and VIII, characters lack classes, and they all play the same in battle; nevertheless, each character has one or more unique limit breaks.[12] [13] [14] In Final Fantasy IX, characters have predetermined "dormant abilities" similar to IV; however, the characters in IX learn abilities by wearing equipment instead of gaining levels.[15] Final Fantasy X introduced the sphere grid; characters began at certain areas of the grid, which represent traditional character classes by their statistical bonuses and abilities. In Final Fantasy XII, the player can mold characters into anything, without restriction of traditional classes.[16] [17] However, in the game's international version and sequel, the growth system is modified to have more clearly defined classes. Final Fantasy character classes have also made cameo appearances as hidden players in Mario Hoops 3-on-3 and as enemies in Kingdom Hearts II.

Physical classes Physical classes are able to inflict damage through a variety of weapons and job-specific techniques. In general, these jobs have access to heavier weapons and armor than magical or mixed classes, giving them superior attack power and physical defense.

Warrior The Warrior (戦士 Senshi), formerly translated as the Fighter, is portrayed as an expert of the sword and/or axe who uses some of the most powerful armors and weaponry.[2] [3] As such, it is a well-rounded physical combatant with high attack and defense statistics.[7] Initially, the Knight was treated as an upgraded form of the Warrior class,[2] [3] but later games in the series began to use the two terms interchangeably.[18] Recurring abilities shared by the Warrior / Fighter and Knight classes include various special attacks, the most common of which are the various "break" or "rend" abilities, each of which can either inflict a specific stat-lowering debuffs or destroy a specific piece of enemy equipment. Recurring abilities of the Knight class include the ability to cast some lower level white magic spells and Cover, which intercepts attacks against wounded allies. The Warrior has appeared in Final Fantasy,[2] Final Fantasy III,[3] Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance,[6] and Final Fantasy XI;[8] the Knight has appeared in Final Fantasy,[2] Final Fantasy III,[3] Final Fantasy IV(Knight[Naito] also meaning Paladin in the Japanese Version), Final Fantasy V,[18] Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System and Final Fantasy Tactics.[5] Many games in the series feature specialized sword-wielding classes, such as Dark Knight, Paladin, Samurai, or Holy Knight.[3] [5]

Monk The Monk (モンク Monku) is a master of martial arts who favors barehanded fighting,[2] [3] [18] sometimes supplemented with claws. In some games, they can use meditative techniques, which improve their power or heal their wounds.[5] [18] They can often counterattack against physical attacks as well.[18] In early English localizations of the series, the Monk was known as the Black Belt;[19] in Final Fantasy III, the Black Belt is an upgraded form of the Monk.[3] The Monk has appeared as a class in Final Fantasy,[2] Final Fantasy III,[3] Final Fantasy IV (as Yang Fang Leiden),[10] Final Fantasy V,[18] Final Fantasy VI (as Sabin Rene Figaro),[20] Final Fantasy IX (as Amarant Coral), Final Fantasy XI,[8] Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System, Final Fantasy Tactics,[5] Final Fantasy Tactics Advance,[6] and Hataraku Chocobo. In addition, Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy VII) and Zell Dincht (Final Fantasy VIII) both fight with gloved hands (the former can also use claws), as well as having hand-to-hand limit breaks, keeping the tradition of the monk class.

Character classes

Samurai Samurai (侍 Samurai) are Japanese-styled fighters who fight primarily with katana.[5] They hold their weapons with both hands for increased damage. Some abilities often associated with Samurai are Coin Toss (sometimes Gil Toss, GP Rain, or Zeninage) which uses Gil to damage enemies, Fast Draw (also referred as Fdraw, Iainuki, Zantetsu or Oblivion/Cleave) an attempt to defeat the enemy in a single attack, and Blade Catch (Shirahadori), a supplementary evasion skill.[21] Samurai are featured as classes in Final Fantasy V,[21] Final Fantasy VI (as Cyan Garamonde), Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy XI,[22] and Final Fantasy Tactics. In Final Fantasy Tactics, Samurai can unleash the "spirit" of certain katana with their Draw Out skill.[5] In Final Fantasy X, the character Auron uses the abilities that of a samurai and fighter. Samurai is also a type of enemy in Kingdom Hearts II, with similar powers and appearance.

Dragoon The Dragoon (竜騎士 Ryūkishi) (also known as Dragon Knight or Lancer) uses spears and their Jump ability and usually wears heavy armor.[3] [18] Jump typically does double damage when the user is wielding a spear, and removes the Dragon Knight from combat for one round.[10] [18] While jumping, Dragoons either thrust downward with their spears to skewer enemies,[5] [10] or toss the weapon at the foe from above. In Final Fantasy VI, the "Jump" skill is a special ability conferred by the "Dragoon Boots" relic. The English software localization of Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance refers to Dragon Knights as Dragoons,[22] and the English localization of Final Fantasy Tactics refers to them as Lancers.[5] In addition, the characters Ricard Highwind (Final Fantasy II), Kain Highwind (Final Fantasy IV),[10] Cid Highwind (Final Fantasy VII),[23] Freya Crescent (Final Fantasy IX), and Llyud (Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings) are identified as Dragoons. Alexander Highwind Tycoon (Final Fantasy V), though not specifically stated to be a Dragoon, shares the common Highwind surname and wears armor Kain Highwind, a dragoon-class character from Final Fantasy IV resembling the traditional Dragoon garb. Ward Zabac (Final Fantasy VIII) is similar to a Dragoon because he fights with harpoon-style weapons and features an aerial limit break ("Jump"-like attacks).[24] Kimahri Ronso (Final Fantasy X) uses spears for weapons and features an overdrive called Jump.[25] The MMORPG Final Fantasy XI features the dragoon as a playable job class; players as able to utilize several signature jump techniques, as well as summon a wyvern as support in combat. In the Final Fantasy Tactics Advance series, only Bangaa characters can become Dragoons. Dragoon is also a type of enemy in Kingdom Hearts II, with similar powers and appearance. Unlike their armor, the design for the Dragoons' helmets remain fairly constant from game to game. Oerba Yun Fang from Final Fantasy XIII also possesses characteristics of a Dragoon, as she wields a spear and can even perform a full ATB attack called Highwind, a powerful Jump attack.

Character classes

Thief The Thief (シーフ Shīfu) is generally a nimble and agile physical combatant whose main weapon includes daggers or short swords.[2] They usually have very high speed, accuracy, and evasion but low defense due to light armor.[7] Steal is their trademark ability; it allows them to transfer an item or piece of equipment held by an enemy to the player's inventory.[5] [7] They can also disarm traps and detect hidden passages.[18] as well as sometimes obtaining the skill 'capture' or 'mug', which allows items to be stolen during an attack. The Thief has appeared as a class in Final Fantasy,[2] Final Fantasy III,[3] Final Fantasy V,[18] Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy XI,[8] Final Fantasy Tactics,[5] Final Fantasy Tactics Advance,[6] and Hataraku Chocobo. Locke Cole (Final Fantasy VI) and Zidane Tribal (Final Fantasy IX) were stated to be Thieves in their respective games, although Locke insists that he is a "treasure hunter."[26] [27] Rikku (Final Fantasy X-2) starts off with Thief as her default dressphere,[7] and learns theft-related moves in Final Fantasy X (Steal, Pilfer Gil, etc).

Ninja The Ninja is generally both fast and powerful; however, to achieve this level of dexterity, Ninja are unable to wear heavy armor. They can equip Ninja-specific weapons, such as Ninja Swords, Katanas, Knives, and Boomerangs. Ninja usually possess the Throw ability, which allows them to throw powerful, damage-dealing items like Shuriken and weapons from the inventory at the enemy.[5] [18] In many games, Ninja possess the ability to hold a weapon in each hand, sometimes known as Doublewield or Two Swords.[5] [18] There are various Ninjutsu effects that depending on the game appear as magic,[10] throwable items, or commands. Specific to Final Fantasy XI, "Ninja shares more in common with a spellcaster than a physical job with the line of Ninjutsu spells". Current trends in FFXI, however, render this quote somewhat unsatisfactory. Players emphasize both the Ninja's iconic dual-weapon focused melee expertise as well as it's Ninjutsu "magic" to debuff and avoid damage, culminating with this game's incarnation of the job often finding a niche as unique flavour of tank. In the original Final Fantasy, the Ninja class is a class change of the Thief. This association between the Thief class is a constant trend in latter Final Fantasy games. Edge in Final Fantasy IV has the Steal skill as well as the Ninjutsu abilities; in Final Fantasy Tactics Advanced mastering skills in the "Thief" jobclass is a prerequisite to acquiring the "Ninja" class.[2] They also appear in Final Fantasy III,[3] Final Fantasy IV (as Edward "Edge" Geraldine),[10] Final Fantasy V,[18] Final Fantasy VI (as Shadow),[20] Final Fantasy Tactics,[5] Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and Final Fantasy XI.[22] Yuffie Kisaragi, from Final Fantasy VII, has her job given as "Ninja". Amarant Coral from Final Fantasy IX possesses the ninja signature move, 'Throw', but also possesses many characteristics of the monk character class.

Dark Knight Dark Knights are the embodiment of sorrow, regret, and mourning; they wield dark magic dedicated to stealing the health of an enemy. Their special attacks usually involve draining their own health — or, in some cases, sacrificing themselves — to inflict heavy damage on the enemy.[10] Some of the most notable dark knights in the series include Leon/Leonhart (Final Fantasy II), Cecil Harvey (Final Fantasy IV),[10] Goffard Gafgarion (Final Fantasy Tactics) and Zeid (Final Fantasy XI). Dark Knights are also found in Final Fantasy III,[3] Final Fantasy X-2, and Final Fantasy XI. In Final Fantasy XI, they are a damage dealing class with the highest base attack in the game but have relatively weak black magic spells other than their dark magic.[22] They do not appear in Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy IX, but their trademark Darkside ability is learnable. In Final Fantasy XII, the Soul Eater ability and the Arcane class of magic are learnable. In Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, characters can use the Dark Knight class. This differs from Gafgarion's version of the class, which is renamed Fell Knight.[28]

Character classes

Paladin Paladins, the opposite of Dark Knights, are virtuous knights devoted to the good of the people; these "knights in shining armor" wield low-level white magic to aid the people. The Paladin can use Cover to temporarily redirect damage from an ally to itself. This ability was also usable through a Relic called True Knight in Final Fantasy VI, and was also available through the "Cover" Materia in Final Fantasy VII. Notable Paladins in the series include Cecil Harvey (Final Fantasy IV), Beatrix (Final Fantasy IX), Agrias Oakes, and Delita Hyral (both of whom are called Holy Knights in Final Fantasy Tactics). In Final Fantasy XI, they rely on curative magic and high defense bonuses to aid their parties in battle, they also have the highest sword and shield skills.[22] Paladins also appear in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.

Hunter The Hunter (sometimes called Archer,[5] Ranger,[22] or Gunner[7] ) is a physical class specializing in long-ranged weaponsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;such as bows, crossbows and occasionally guns.[5] The class frequently possesses the "Aim" command, which performs an attack with greatly increased accuracy,[21] and a command localized as "Barrage", "Rapid Fire" or "X-Fight", which makes several attacks for reduced damage, generally against random targets. Aside from their bow attacks, some Hunters have personal buff abilities, such as Charge, which increases the damage that arrows inflict.[5] They can inflict status effects with specialized arrows, and sometimes can detect, capture, or hide from enemies. They have appeared as a class (in some form) in Final Fantasy III,[3] Final Fantasy V,[21] Final Fantasy XI,[22] Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System, Final Fantasy Tactics,[5] and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.[6] Some White Mages and Warriors throughout the series can use bows. Rosa from Final Fantasy IV, for example, is a White Mage with the "Aim" ability.[10] The Hunter class is not present in Final Fantasy VI, however their "X-Fight" command is available. In Final Fantasy Tactics, the Engineer, Mediator, and Chemist classes have the ability to shoot long-range guns. The Sniper is an upgraded class of the Archer in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and can use more advanced moves like Doubleshot. Barret Wallace and Vincent Valentine from Final Fantasy VII fight with a gun-arm and a gun, respectively, like Hunters, an the Double Cut materia can be used to gain the "Barrage" / "Rapid Fire" / "X-Fight" command, which is localized as "4x Cut" in this installment. Irvine Kinneas from Final Fantasy VIII wields a variety of rifles, and his Limit Break, "Shot", allows him to fire a volley of a variety of bullets with various effects. Laguna Loire from Final Fantasy VIII wields a machine gun and his Limit Break, "Desperado", has him swing from a rope and unleash a barrage of gunfire, followed by an explosion from a hand grenade, which deals damage to all enemies. Yuna (Final Fantasy X-2) starts off with the Gunner as her default dressphere. Wakka from Final Fantasy X serves as an interesting new take on a Hunter; as he fights with a blitzball he can throw to attack enemies from long distances rather than the expected bow, crossbow, or gun, and he, too, can use the "Aim" ability. The new playable race known as Gria in Final Fantasy Tactics A2 Grimoire of the Rift are able to become Hunters. The other new race in Final Fantasy Tactics A2 Grimoire of the Rift, the Seeq, have the Ranger job available to them. Sazh Katzroy and Hope Estheim from the new Final Fantasy XIII both have some characteristics of Hunters, as they use, respectively, guns and boomerangs to attack enemies from long distances.

Viking The Viking class is a very rare class that has only appeared in Final Fantasy III (both the NES and DS versions) and Final Fantasy Tactics A2. It consists of characters who wield axes and hammers as their weapons, and they can swing them with great ease. Vikings possess a ton of physical strength and typically have a large amount of HP. In Final Fantasy III's DS version, the class comes with the special ability "Provoke," which increases the chance of a targeted enemy attacking the Viking. It also lowers the enemy's Defense, making them more vulnerable to an ally's attack. It is best used when the Viking is in the back row, to minimize damage. For even higher Defense, the Viking can also equip two shields, placing him or her in the back row, and then using Provoke to divert all the damage to it while being healed by a White Mage. All characters may take on the Viking job class in both versions of Final

Character classes Fantasy III, while only Seeq can be Vikings in Final Fantasy Tactics A2. In addition, while there are no outright Vikings in Final Fantasy X, Tidus may learn "Provoke" on the Sphere Grid fairly early on in the game. Characters who take on the Sentinel role in Final Fantasy XIII (such as Snow Villiers and Oerba Yun Fang, who initially major in the role) can also learn powerful defensive moves like the "Provoke" ability to take the focus off their allies, who then heal them as Medics, and they can even immediately counterattack their enemies after defending against their attacks.

Berserker The Berserker is a pure physical class focusing on high strength to defeat their opponents. Typically, Berserkers, like the aforementioned Vikings of Final Fantasy III, use axes and hammers, though some use their bare hands. In most appearances, a Berserker, unlike a Viking, is in a permanent "Berserk" status and as such not able to use other commands than "Attack". They first appeared in Final Fantasy V as a Job Class after acquiring the pieces of the Water Crystal. The Yeti Umaro from Final Fantasy VI can also be considered as a berserker. Final Fantasy VII's Vincent Valentine may be considered a Berserker due to his Limit Breaks, which morph him into powerful, yet uncontrollable creatures. In Final Fantasy X-2 the Berserker class appears again with the Berserker Dressphere. Berserker are controllable this time, but can use the berserk command to increase their power for less control. Berserker is also a type of enemy in Kingdom Hearts II, with similar powers and appearance. The Berserker class is also available as a job to the Seeq race in Final Fantasy Tactics A2 Grimoire of the Rift.

Mystic Knight Mystic Knights are warriors that can cast magic on their swords to perform attacks with the power of the spell for several rounds. They have also been called Magic Knights, Mageknights, Biskmatars, and Sorcerers.[21] In Final Fantasy V, the Mystic Knight can use any magic previously learned on their sword.[21] In Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, it is a Bangaa-exclusive class called Gladiator. The skill itself is called Magic Sword and Spellblade (Final Fantasy V Advance). Although their magic power is weaker than the mages', Mystic Knights use less MP (and generally pierce Reflect, which can hinder certain mages' offense). In Final Fantasy XI, Red Mages have "En-" spells, which imbue their weapons with elements. The Mystic Knight's ability appears in Final Fantasy IX in the form of the combo between Steiner and Vivi, where Vivi casts a spell on Steiner's sword, who attacks the enemy at the same time (although, confusingly, it is Steiner's MP which is consumed by doing so). In Final Fantasy VII, the Added Effect materia could be used in a combo slot with a Magic materia such as Bio or Transform or the Elemental Materia with other magic Materia such as Ice (Blizzard) or Fire for the same results. Likewise, the same effect can be obtained in Final Fantasy VIII through the use of the Junction system, adding elemental or status-inflicting spells to their respective attack junctions. In Final Fantasy X-2, the Warrior dressphere carries elemental physical attacks that use MP.

Onion Knight Onion Knights are warriors with distinctine, onion-like helmets. In all versions of Final Fantasy III, they have an initially low stat growth rate which steeply increases as they approach the maximum level of 99. In earlier versions of Final Fantasy III, they are the starting class, can use all equipment and cannot cast spells or use other special abilities. In the Nintendo DS remake, they are an optional class obtainable through a sidequest, and have gained the ability to use black and white magic of all levels, however they cannot use other classes' new class-specific equipment. In Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, the Onion Knight job can use any weapon, its' stats are initially low, but increase based on the number of other jobs a character has mastered. In Dissidia: Final Fantasy, the Onion Knight character can use sword-based attacks and black magic spells.

Character classes

Machinist The Machinist (からくり士 Karakurishi), Gadgeteer, Tinker or Engineer job is focused on using mechanical devices. In Final Fantasy VI, Edgar Roni Figaro, has the Tool command, which allows him to use tools to damage and / or debuff enemies, and can wield spears, swords and knives. In Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System, the Machinist job can wield guns and measures, wear light armor and cast some high level time spells and low level green spells. In Final Fantasy Tactics, Engineers can wield guns and have the Aimed Shot command, which includes three attack abilities: Arm Shot, which prevents attacks and spells, Leg Shot, which prevents movement, and Seal Evil, which can petrify undead targets, and the Engineer job is exclusive to the recruitable character Mustadio Bunansa and the NPC Barich Fendsor. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance includes a Gadgeteer job and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift includes a Tinker job, Gadgeteers have the Pandora command and Tinkers have the similar Clockwork command, each Pandora or Clockwork ability performs a specific effect, such as healing, applying a specific buff or buffs or applying a specific debuff, and randomly targets either all members the enemy team or all members of the Engineer's own team, both jobs use fist and claw weapons and are exclusive to the Moogle race.

Freelancer The Freelancer (すっぴん Suppin), also localized as Bare or Natural, is usually the default job in the games in which it appears. In Final Fantasy V, the Freelancer can use any piece of equipment, it starts out with no stat bonuses or penalties and no special abilities, however it inherits the highest stat bonuses and most passive abilities from other jobs a character masters, and, unlike other jobs, it has two slots for commands or special abilities. In the Nintendo DS remake of Final Fantasy III, the Freelancer has replaced the Onion Knight as the default job, Freelancers have average stats, can use most equipment and can cast first level black and white magic spells. In Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission, characters change to the Bare job if all available Dresspheres have been disabled in the Yadonoki Tower bonus dungeon, Bare characters have low stats and no special abilities. In Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon, the Natural job has average stats and learns mostly offense-oriented, chocobo-themed abilities. In Final Fantasy III and V, characters with the Freelancer job wear their default outfits. In Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission, characters with the Bare job are unarmed and in their underwear, in Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon, Chocobo, the protagonist, wears a red pouch around his neck while using the Natural job. Lightning, Snow, Vanille, Sazh, and Hope from Final Fantasy XIII take on the Freelancer job until they are made into l'Cie.

Gunner The Gunner (銃使い Jyuutsukai), sometimes localized as Fusilier, is a class focused on the use of firearms. Each version of the class includes a command for performing special attacks with a gun, in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, that command is Gunmanship, and the attacks deal elemental damage or have a chance of inflicting a specific debuff on the target, while in Final Fantasy X-2, the class's signature command is called Gunplay and most of the special attacks deal physical damage to a single target. The class was first introduced to the series in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and has also been featured in Final Fantasy X-2, and in Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, in which it is localized as Fusilier. In Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, the class is exclusive to the Moogle race.

Character classes

Magical classes Magical classes specialize in casting magic, including traditional white and black magic, as well as more esoteric forms of magic, such as geomancy. Magical classes are generally restricted to lighter equipment, such as rods, staves and robes, giving them weak attack power and physical defense, however their armor often provides high magical defense, and their equipment often provides bonuses to magic-related stats.

Black Mage One of the most iconic classes of the Final Fantasy franchise, the Black Mage (黒魔道士 Kuromadōshi) is a magic user specializing in attack magic, Black Magic.[2] [21] Their weapons are generally restricted to rods and daggers. They are usually depicted wearing distinctive costumes consisting of a blue or black robe and a large conical, wide-brimmed hat which obscures their face, with two yellow eyes shining from within the shadow.[2] [21] The outfit of the Black Mages is similar to the generic appearance of a wizard. In the original NES game, the Black Wizard lacked the hat and obscured face that became the defining features of the Black Mage. This was changed in the WonderSwan remakes and Final Fantasy Origins so that he still looks like a traditional Black Mage after becoming a Black Wizard.[2] In Final Fantasy IX, the Black Mage Village is a forested hamlet where many mass-produced Black Mages have become self-aware. Final Fantasy IX is the only game that features Black Mages as a distinct race, although the Yukes of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles are very similar in their inhuman appearance and magical ability. The Black Mage is available as a class in Final Fantasy,[2] Final Fantasy III,[3] Final Fantasy V,[21] Final Fantasy X-2,[7] Final Fantasy XI,[8] Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System, Final Fantasy Tactics,[5] and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.[6] In the English localization of Final Fantasy Tactics, Black Mages were called Wizards.[5] In Final Fantasy I, Black Mages can be upgraded into Black Wizards.[2] Other black mages throughout the series are Rydia (who is also a Summoner and loses the ability to cast White Magic halfway through the game) and Palom of Final Fantasy IV,[10] Vivi Orunitia from Final Fantasy IX (who also carries several of the distinct characteristics of a Black Mage),[29] Lulu from Final Fantasy X[25] and Kytes (Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings). In Kingdom Hearts, some of Donald Duck's rods have the figure head of a Black Mage. Characters who take on the role of Ravager in Final Fantasy XIII (such as Lightning, Snow Villiers, Oerba Dia Vanille, Sazh Katzroy, and Hope Estheim, all of whom major in that role) possess the qualities of Black Mages, using offensive magic on their enemies. Statues of Black Mages are seen in various places at the magic academy in Geo in Legend of Mana. A Black Mage is a playable character in the PlayStation racing game Chocobo Racing. A Black Mage also appears in Dice de Chocobo, Chocobo Land: A Game of Dice and Mario Hoops 3-on-3, while enemy Black Mages appear in Chocobo's Dungeon 2. The Black Mages is the name of Final Fantasy music composer Nobuo Uematsu's band that plays remixes of Final Fantasy music.

White Mage A White Mage (白魔道士 Shiromadōshi) uses White Magic,[2] which emphasizes defensive spells such as replenishing party members' hit points with spells such as Cure, reviving the fallen with spells such as Raise or Life, and curing status conditions with spells such as Esuna.[21] Typically having a weak and limited repertoire of attack spells and an inability to use heavy weaponry or armor, their primary use is support for other members of a battle party. Usually their only offensive skill is the magic Holy, which deals heavy damage to a target, regardless of whether or not the target is undead. They often cast 'holy'-element spells, which are typically effective against undead or demonic enemies. Because of the limited use of the class in combat, the White Mage has occasionally been integrated with the Summoner class. The White Mage is typically depicted as wearing a white cloak or robe, which robe has long sleeves and a hood that covers the Mage's hair.[2] [3] [22] Another feature of the robe is the red, triangular patterns on the cuffs of the sleeves and bottoms of the robes.[2] [3] [22] In some games, female White Mages wear the hood over their hair, while male White Mages normally do not wear the hood at all. In Final Fantasy XI, the

Character classes hood is a separate piece from the body and they can be worn independently, regardless of gender. White Mages have appeared as a class in Final Fantasy,[2] Final Fantasy III,[3] Final Fantasy V,[21] Final Fantasy X-2,[7] Final Fantasy XI,[8] Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System, Final Fantasy Tactics,[5] and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.[6] Minwu of Final Fantasy II shares many similarities with White Mages, and Rosa Farrell and Porom of Final Fantasy IV are referred to as 'White Mage' in the original English translation.[10] In Final Fantasy VII, Aerith Gainsborough's defensive and restoring limit breaks, her staff, and her possession of the "Holy" Materia place her in the White Mage tradition. Garnet Til Alexandros XVII and Eiko Carol (Final Fantasy IX) incorporate characteristics of the White Mage class and the Summoner class. Garnet also dons the classic White Mage garb as a disguise near the beginning of the game. Yuna's area of the sphere grid in Final Fantasy X almost exclusively contains abilities normally attributed to white mages. Some White Mage NPCs appear in various towns in Final Fantasy IV, and Shelinda from Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 is also a White Mage NPC. In the English localization of Final Fantasy Tactics White Mages were referred to as Priests (but not in the introduction movie, oddly).[5] Shirma, (or Shiroma) a pink-haired female White Mage, is the partner of the main character Boco in Chocobo's Dungeon 2, a playable character in Chocobo Racing and makes another appearance in the Nintendo DS game Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales. She is also one of the central characters in Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon for the Wii console. A White Mage is also playable in Dice de Chocobo, Chocobo Land: A Game of Dice, and Mario Hoops 3-on-3. In Final Fantasy XIII, characters who take on the Medic and Synergist roles may use white magic spells. White mages' weapons are generally restricted to staves, maces and similar weapons such as flails and hammers. The relic weapon for white mage in Final Fantasy XI is the mythical hammer Mjollnir.

Summoner Summoners (召喚士 Shōkanshi) use Summoning Magic, which calls on powerful entities known as call beasts (Final Fantasy IV), Espers (Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy XII), Guardian Force (or "GF," for short, in Final Fantasy VIII), Eidolons (Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy XIII, and the DS version of Final Fantasy IV), Aeons (Final Fantasy X), Avatars (Final Fantasy XI), or simply Summon Monsters (most other games in the series). These entities attack enemies, protect the party, or render other forms of aid. Summoners often use commands such as "Summon," but in the original translation of Final Fantasy IV, the command was instead known as "Call". As a magic-using class, summoners are typically shown to be physically frail as a trade-off for high magical potency, and can traditionally equip only light armaments such as clothing and robes. Summoners often use staves or rods as weapons,[5] although in some games they can also use whips; their potential in the use of melee weaponry is downplayed significantly in favor of their ability to use magic. Many summoners feature a horn on the forehead and green robes.[22] [30] Summoners have appeared as classes in Final Fantasy III,[3] Final Fantasy IV (as Rydia),[10] Final Fantasy V,[30] Final Fantasy XI,[22] Final Fantasy Tactics,[5] and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Rydia of Final Fantasy IV, Garnet Til Alexandros XVII and Eiko Carol of Final Fantasy IX, and Yuna of Final Fantasy X are identified as summoners,[25] though there is usually also a strong White Mage element to the character. In games that lacked Summoners, various means of equipping the summon ability (Espers formed from magicite in Final Fantasy VI,[20] Summon Materia in Final Fantasy VII,[24] Guardian Forces in Final Fantasy VIII,[31] or Espers in Final Fantasy XII.[32] ) are provided. In Final Fantasy III, the lower-class name for a Summoner is called an "Evoker".[3] In Final Fantasy XIII, Eidolons live within the brands of the l'Cie who summon them, and each l'Cie has an Eidolon unique only to him or her. Notable recurring "Summons" include Ifrit, Shiva, Ramuh, Bahamut, and Odin.

Character classes

Time Mage The Time Mage (時魔道士 Tokimadōshi) is a specialized wizard with the ability to manipulate the space-time continuum to speed up, slow down, or completely halt the passage of time; control celestial bodies; or influence the pull of gravity.[30] Although it is referred to as Time Mage in English localizations of the series, some versions call it the Time/Space Mage. Time magic is also referred to as green magic and Time Mages as Green Mages to coincide with the black/white/red/blue mage theme. In actuality, the Japanese version specifically calls these mages "Time Mages" (時魔道士, tokimadōshi). Time Mages can typically wield rods and/or staves. Although he mostly resembles the Fighter class, Tidus from Final Fantasy X has a variety of Time Mage spells in his section of the Sphere Grid. Time Mages have appeared as classes in Final Fantasy V,[30] Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System, Final Fantasy Tactics,[5] Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Hataraku Chocobo, commonly depicted wearing tall, pointed wizard hats adorned with star and moon decorations.[30] In Final Fantasy XIII, characters who take on the Synergist or Saboteur roles may use various types of time magic on themselves, their allies, or their enemies.

Scholar Scholars are a magic-based class introduced in Final Fantasy III. In Final Fantasy III, they use 'books', physical weapons with element-based damage and which are equally powerful from the front or back rows. In the original version of Final Fantasy III, Scholars can check an enemy's hit points or weakness. In the Nintendo DS remake, they can cast low level Black and White Magic spells, the effects of any items they use in battle are doubled, and their Study ability allows them to check an enemy's hit points and weakness, as well as removing the target's buffs. Also, Scholars were added as a job in the fourth expansion to Final Fantasy XI. In Final Fantasy XI, Scholars have access to both the curative White Mage spells and the elementally powerful Black Mage spells, but do not have access to most of the enfeebling or enhancing spells from either job's spell line (though many of these can be acquired depending on the sub-job selected). They have spells that influence the weather effect that a character is under, and can cast powerful elemental Damage Over Time (DOT) spells that inflict small amounts of damage over regular intervals for a period of time. They also build up "charges" that are used to power effects that can cause spells to be cast more efficiently or more powerfully. While books cannot be equipped in Final Fantasy XI, the book theme from Final Fantasy III is retained as a book appears floating before the Scholar whenever a charge is used. In Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, the Scholar class is exclusive to the Nu Mou race. Scholars have the Lore ability, which allows them to cast a number of spells. Many Lore spells inflict a specific type of damage such as ice or thunder indiscriminately against all units on the field, other Lore spells include Mad Science, which inflicts a random debuff on a single target, and Study, which reveals the target's equipment, treasure and gil (money). A well-known NPC Scholar is Maechen from Final Fantasy X.

Green Mage Although often combined with the role of the Time Mage, the Green Mage (緑魔道士 Midori Madōshi) is occasionally a separate class, specializing in casting status effects or removing them. They can cast single/multiple variants of staples such as Poison, Sleep and Blind and their reversals, as well as newer effects such as Leap (increasing agility). Green Magic does not include spells that cause HP damage, with the exception of some damage over time spells; nor does it typically include curative spells. Like most magic users they have relatively low HP (though higher than that of a Black Mage in general) but greater attack power than other caster classes, as they wield maces and hammers. As can be expected, the typical uniform for a Green Mage is dyed green. Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift also features the class, exclusive to the Viera race. In Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions the Oracle, or Mystic class specializes in casting negative status effects and dispelling positive ones.

Character classes

Sage The Sage (賢者 or セージ Kenja or Sēji) is a combination mage who can cast both black and white magic spells, like Red Mages. Unlike Red Mages, however, Sages eschew physical combat in favor of increased spellcasting proficiency, and are therefore usually restricted to light armor and weak weapons such as staves and wands. In Final Fantasy III, Sages have access to any magic spells in the game. Tellah the Sage of Final Fantasy IV can learn and use most all white and black magic spells. In Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, sages share some spells with the Green Mage, White Mage and White Monk classes, as well as having some exclusive spells, and the job is exclusive to the Nu Mou race.

Alchemist The Alchemist or Chemist class is generally focused on consumable restorative items. In Final Fantasy V, Chemists possess the passive Pharmacology ability, which doubles the potency of consumable restorative items such as Potions and Ethers and the Drink command, which allows a Chemist to use special drinks for personal buffs, and can gain three more commands: Mix, which combines two items to generate various effects depending on the items used, Recover, which removes debuffs from the party, and Revive, which revives the party with a small number of hit points. In Final Fantasy X-2, Alchemists possess the Mix command, which functions much like it does in Final Fantasy V, can learn abilities used through the Stash command, which mimic the effects of consumable restorative items without consuming them, and can learn the Chemist, Elementalist and Physicist passive abilities, which double the potency of restorative, elemental damage and non-elemental damage items respectively. In Final Fantasy Tactics, Chemists possess the Items command, which makes it possible to use various consumable restorative items, and the Throw Items ability, which increases the range of these items, the ability to use each type of item must be learned separately. In Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, the Alchemist job is exclusive to the Nu Mou race, Alchemists can learn powerful damaging non-elemental damage spells such as Flare, as well as other spells, such as Rasp, which reduces the target's magic points, Astra, a buff which prevents the next status ailment from affecting the target, Poison, which poisons the target, and Toad, which transforms the target into a toad.

Mixed classes These classes can use both adequate physical attacks and magic or magic-related attacks. Generally, these classes can equip heavier weapons and armor than magical classes, although their selection of heavier weapons and armor tends to be limited compared to that of physical classes.

Red Mage Red Mages (赤魔道士 Akamadōshi) are members of a hybrid class, able to cast spells associated with either Black or White Mages, as well as wield swords. Unfortunately, the jack-of-all-trades quality of their profession makes them less powerful at each individual skill than the classes which specialize in them. In general, they are only able to cast low-mid level spells,[3] but make up for this deficiency by casting more quickly. For example, in later appearances, they are often associated with the ability to cast two spells in a single combat round (called Dualcast or Doublecast).[30] Final Fantasy XI, while not turn-based, continues this tradition by granting players who play as Red Mages a "Fast Cast" job trait, significantly shortening the period of time required to cast any magic spell. They are also able to access the special ability "Chainspell," which allows the player to both cast and recast spells instantly for a short period of time. In dress, Red Mages are usually recognizable by a distinctive red hat tipped with a white feather.[22] Red Mages have appeared in Final Fantasy,[2] Final Fantasy III,[3] Final Fantasy V,[30] Final Fantasy IX (as NPCs) and Freya Crescent, while actually being a dragoon, wears a red hat tipped with a white feather that is distinctive to

Character classes the red mage, Final Fantasy XI,[8] Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (as a Viera job class), and Hataraku Chocobo. Red mages did not appear in Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy X, although their signature X-Magic / W-Magic / Doublecast ability appears in all three games.

Blue Mage The Blue Mage (青魔道士 Aomadōshi) is a mage who is able to replicate the special attacks of his/her opponents.[30] The precise extent of and mechanism for this capacity differs from game to game. Most Final Fantasy games require that an enemy use the ability at least once during combat. For example, Blue Mages in Final Fantasy V must be targeted by the ability to learn it; once the ability has been learned, however, any Blue Mage in the party may use it.[33] Players who adopt the Blue Mage job in Final Fantasy XI have a random chance to learn abilities executed during combat, by absorbing the essence of felled opponents. Typically, Blue Mages learn a variety of abilities, making them very versatile. The Final Fantasy XI incarnation is highly skilled in swords, making them a potentially deadly melee fighter, while having an arsenal of powerful spells at their disposal which can either be damaging, enfeebling, enhancing, or healing, making the Blue Mage potentially one of the most powerful and well rounded classes in the game when played to its limit. Players must set their learned magic, and depending on what types of spells are equipped, determines the role the Blue Mage will be best suited for while in a party or event situation. Other installments do not require an enemy to use the ability at all. Quistis Trepe of Final Fantasy VIII[34] learns skills from enemies by using items obtained from their defeat. Quina Quen of Final Fantasy IX devours enemies to gain their abilities. Kimahri Ronso of Final Fantasy X may absorb skills via his Lancet ability.[25] Some games in the series which do not explicitly offer the Blue Mage as a job class feature abilities or characteristics generally associated with Blue Mages. For example, any character in Final Fantasy VII may copy certain abilities onto an equipped Enemy Skill materia and cast them as magic, having once had the ability used on him/her by an opponent. Though Final Fantasy XII lacks blue magic as a formal class of magic, the game's Technicks branch of abilities include several spells typically classified as blue magic, such as 1000 Needles. Blue Mages have appeared as a playable class in Final Fantasy V,[30] Final Fantasy VI Strago Magus, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Final Fantasy X-2 (as the Gun Mage dressphere), and the Final Fantasy XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion pack.

Geomancer Geomancers (風水士 Fūsuishi) channel the powers of the surrounding environment;[3] therefore, their abilities differ depending on their location. If in a forest, they will attack with vines and forest animals, if in a cave with rockslides, if in a desert with quicksand, and so on. Geomancers are featured either as a class or in loose association with a character's powers. They first appear in Final Fantasy III,[3] and they reappear in Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy Tactics.[5] [35] In the two first games, the Geomancers are depicted wearing green or blue fur-lined clothes and a fur-lined cap.[21] In the Japanese versions, Geomancers are "風水士 (fūsuishi)," which specifically refers to Chinese geomancy or feng shui. The signature attack for a Geomancer has been called "Terrain" (Final Fantasy III),[3] "Gaia" or "Earth" (Final Fantasy V),[35] "Elemental" (Final Fantasy Tactics) and "Geomancy" (Final Fantasy Tactics A2).[5] In Final Fantasy VI, the moogle Mog can use dances that have similar effects to the Geomancer (combining elements of both Geomancer and Dancer). In Final Fantasy XII, there is a member of the Garif tribe that is identified as a Geomancer and grants access to a sidequest later in the game. In Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Geomancer is a job class for the Gria race.

Character classes

Bard Bards (吟遊詩人 Gin'yūshijin) use songs to cause effects, often buffing the party or debuffing the opposition via the Sing command.[3] [7] [35] They generally equip harps as weapons.[35] Some Bard incarnations, including Edward Chris von Muir from Final Fantasy IV, have the ability to Hide from the enemy.[10] This command is mainly inserted due to the Bard's low physical abilities. Bards in Final Fantasy XI have MP regeneration songs and stat boosting songs. The Bard class is seen in Final Fantasy III,[3] Final Fantasy IV (as Prince Edward Chris von Muir of Damcyan),[10] Final Fantasy V,[35] Final Fantasy XI,[8] Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift. In Final Fantasy Tactics, Bard is the only male-exclusive class available to generic units.[5] In "Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift", the Bard job is exclusive to the Moogle Hurdy. Final Fantasy X-2 does not have a bard class, however its Songstress class combines aspects of the Bard and Dancer classes, with both a Sing command and a Dance command. [7]

Beastmaster Beastmaster (also known as Tamer or Trainer) can control or even capture and train monsters.[35] In Final Fantasy Tactics, the ability is adjusted for the job Mediator as learning an ability to communicate with and manipulate monsters.[5] The class (or a variation thereof) has also appeared in Final Fantasy V,[35] Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy XI,[8] and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (restricted to the Nu Mou race).[6] Typically, the class wields whips. In Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy Tactics Advanced, whips are not an available weapon type, instead, the Beastmaster classes of those games specialize in axes and instruments respectively. In Final Fantasy VI, the Fake Mustache accessory allows Relm the Pictomancer to use the Control command in place of her usual Sketch command.

Dancer Dancers (踊り子 Odoriko) use special Dances to cause status effects or damage to enemies on a battle field.[5] [7] In Final Fantasy V, there are four offensive dances, each with a single effect, one of which is performed randomly when the Dance command is selected. In Final Fantasy VI, the Dance command allows one of eight dances to be performed, each dance causes the player to lose control of the character, who will randomly perform one of the dance's four special abilities each turn. In Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift and Final Fantasy X-2, the Dance command allows one of several dances to be selected, each dance performs a single fixed effect. The Dancer class was introduced to the series in Final Fantasy V. In Final Fantasy Tactics, Dancer is the only female-exclusive class available to generic units.[5] In Final Fantasy VI, there is no Dancer class, however Mog, whose class is Moogle, possesses the Dance command. The Dancer class also appears in Hataraku Chocobo. Dancer is included in the latest expansion of Final Fantasy XI, Wings of the Goddess; it uses TP (Tactical Points) to carry out dances which have varying effects and can be played as a front-line healer because of its restorative dances. In "Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift", the dancer class is exclusive to Penelo. Final Fantasy X-2 does not have a Dancer class, however its' Songstress class combines aspects of the Bard and Dancer classes, learning both songs and dances.[7]

Gambler The Gambler (ギャンブラー Gyanburā) uses a Slots system in battle. When the player selects the slots command, three slots like those of a slot machine are presented on screen. Each slot is then stopped by the press of a button. Certain combinations produce beneficial effects such as healing the party or dealing great damage, or even death, to the enemies. However, this is usually balanced with combinations that have disadvantageous effects, such as reducing the party's health, or instant game over. The first gambler was Setzer Gabbiani (Final Fantasy VI).[20] In Final Fantasy VII, Cait Sith's limit break attack featured a slot machine or dice. In addition, Tifa Lockhart's limit break used a slot system to determine which techniques in a string of powerful moves hit or missed. Selphie Tilmitt

Character classes from Final Fantasy VIII uses Slot as her limit break;[34] in Final Fantasy X, Wakka's Overdrive uses slots as well.[25] The gambler class has also appeared as in Final Fantasy X-2 as the Lady Luck dress sphere, using different Dice and Slots attacks. In Final Fantasy XII, the player had to press a button on the controller given a short amount of time that appears suddenly to perform a Quickening, a form of a limit break. An evolution to the Gambler class has appeared in Final Fantasy XI, which has been dubbed Corsair. The Corsair class uses a dice based game similar to Blackjack (or Twenty-One) to enhance party members' proficiency in battle. Gambler is also a type of enemy in Kingdom Hearts II, with similar powers and appearance. In Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, there is a class called the Gadgeteer that bears resemblance to the Gambler because it uses techniques that have an equal chance of affecting the party or the enemy (e.g., Green Gear has an equal chance of poisoning the player's party or the enemy's party.) However, they do not use a slot system.

Mime Mimes can replicate the previous action of another party member with the Mimic command.[35] In Final Fantasy V, Mimes can equip most weapons and be given other previously learned abilities and commands.[35] In addition to replacing their Fight command with the Mimic command, they also sacrifice their Item command for an extra custom ability slot, both commands can be added back just like others. In Final Fantasy VI, Gogo is a Mimic who possesses the class' signature Mimic command, and can be given up to three other commands.[20] In Final Fantasy VII, the characters equipped with the "Mime" Materia can mimic the most recent action performed by another party member. In Final Fantasy Tactics, the Mime is the final unlockable class, available to a character once they unlock most other jobs and achieve certain levels in those other jobs. These Mimes are complimented by immense strength of their own, however, they cannot equip armor or weapons, and suffer from extreme vulnerability. Although the class does not appear in Final Fantasy X, players can learn a miming move called "Copycat". In Dissidia: Final Fantasy the hero representing Final Fantasy V, Bartz Klauser, uses the other player's attacks as his own and his general appearance is based on the Mime job class.

Puppet Master Puppet Masters employ a toy puppet into combat. The puppet itself can have various skills usually from other jobs most notably Paladin, Black Mage, White Mage, and Ranger. Usually these skills are modified to fit in with the Puppet Theme. Puppet Master while not directly in games previous to Final Fantasy XI. Some abilities and characters do fit under the basic description of Puppet Master. Namely, Cait Sith from Final Fantasy VII -- both as Reeve being the Puppet Master of Cait Sith, and Cait Sith being the Puppet Master of his large stuffed Moogle that he rides. Lulu from Final Fantasy X uses a puppet toy as a weapon, and to assist in her spell casting.

Reception In a review of the Final Fantasy Anthology compilation, IGN praised Final Fantasy V's "incredibly engrossing" job system.[36] The gameplay of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance was lauded for retaining elements from Final Fantasy Tactics while offering freedom to players to develop characters as they wish;[37] However, some reviewers thought the character jobs in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance are too many and overlaps one another, and have reached a point where certain abilities are redundant.[38]

Character classes

References [1] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy Tactics North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 13, 24. SCUS-94221. [2] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Origins North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. p. 5. SLUS-01541. [3] Final Fantasy III Official Website (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ff3/ ). Square Enix (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ). Retrieved February 17, 2007. [4] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Anthology North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. pp. 17–18. SLUS-00879GH. [5] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy Tactics North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 24–26. SCUS-94221. [6] Final Fantasy Tactics Official Website (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFT-A/ ) Square-Enix.com (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ). Retrieved February 18, 2007. [7] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy X-2 North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. p. 13. [8] Final Fantasy XI Official Site (http:/ / www. playonline. com/ ff11eu/ guide/ system/ index. html?pageID=system). Playonline.com (http:/ / Playonline. com). Retrieved February 9, 2007. [9] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Origins North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. p. 23. SLUS-01541. [10] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy Chronicles North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 6–9. SLUS-01360. [11] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Anthology North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. pp. 47–48. SLUS-00879GH. [12] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy VII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 32–34. SCUS-94163. [13] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 24–35. SLUS-00892GH. [14] The Evolution of Final Fantasy (http:/ / au. ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 756/ 756635p1. html). IGN.com. Retrieved February 11, 2006. [15] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy IX North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 16–19. SLUS-01251. [16] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. pp. 18–19. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [17] Final Fantasy XII introduces a new way to experience RPGs (http:/ / www. cbsnews. com/ stories/ 2006/ 12/ 21/ tech/ gamecore/ main2289842. shtml). CBS News. Retrieved February 11, 2006. [18] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Anthology North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. p. 19. SLUS-00879GH. [19] Final Fantasy Origins review (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 400/ 400156p1. html). IGN.com. Retrieved February 11, 2007. [20] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Anthology North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. pp. 44–46. SLUS-00879GH. [21] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Anthology North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. p. 20. SLUS-00879GH. [22] Final Fantasy XI Official Website: Job Descriptions (http:/ / www. playonline. com/ ff11us/ intro/ about/ job01. html?pageID=about). Playonline.com. Retrieved February 10, 2006. [23] Khosla, Sheila (2003). "Tetsuya Nomura 20s" (http:/ / flaregamer. com/ b2article. php?p=81& more=1). FLAREgamer (http:/ / flaregamer. com/ ). . Retrieved April 13, 2006. [24] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy VII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 7–11. SCUS-94163. [25] Final Fantasy X Official Site (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFX/ ). Square Enix.com (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ). Retrieved February 10, 2006. [26] Terra: You're Locke, right? Edgar told me about you. Is it true you're a thief? / Locke: That's TREASURE HUNTER! (Final Fantasy VI) [27] Amarant: Listen to you. I lost to some spineless thief. / Zidane: The sly eagle doesn't kill at whim. (Final Fantasy IX) [28] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. pp. 284–286. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [29] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy IX North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. p. 18. SLUS-01251. [30] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Anthology North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. p. 21. SLUS-00879GH. [31] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. p. 25. SLUS-00892GH. [32] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. p. 44. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [33] http:/ / www. ffcompendium. com/ h/ jobs/ bluemage. shtml#FFX2 [34] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. p. 21. SLUS-00892GH. [35] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Anthology North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. p. 22. SLUS-00879GH. [36] Reyes, Francesca (1999). "Final Fantasy Anthology IGN Review" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 161/ 161674p1. html). PSX.IGN.com. . Retrieved 27 July 2006. [37] Kasavin, Greg (2003-09-08). "Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gba/ strategy/ finalfantasytacticsadvance/ review. html). GameSpot.com. . Retrieved 2007-07-24. [38] Metts, Jonathan (2003-10-13). "Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Review" (http:/ / www. nintendoworldreport. com/ reviewArt. cfm?artid=4138& CFID=30555671& CFTOKEN=7047d980c0012122-F60FF80E-C09F-3E62-05010BE4A523E195). Nintendoworldreport.com. . Retrieved 2007-07-24.

Character design

Character design Although each installment of the Final Fantasy series is generally set in a different fictional world with separate storylines, there are some commonalities when it comes to character design. Certain design themes repeat themselves, as well as specific character names and classes. Within the main series, Yoshitaka Amano was the character designer for the first six games, Tetsuya Nomura was the character designer for Final Fantasy VII, VIII, X, XI and XIII, Toshiyuki Itahana was the character designer for Final Fantasy IX, and Akihiko Yoshida was the character designer for Final Fantasy XII.

Character design The series has often featured androgynous[1] male main characters. This trend has generally increased as the series evolved.[2] These androgynous characters are usually teenagers destined to save the world.[3] According to some critics, these characters are designed so in order to make the players identify with them.[4] At the same time, female characters have been increasingly designed to wear very revealing outfits. Square Enix has stated that a more rugged Rinoa's limit, Angel Wing. looking hero had been considered for Final Fantasy XII but had ultimately been scrapped in favor of Vaan, another effeminate protagonist. The developers cited scenaristic reasons and target demographic considerations to explain their choice.[2] For Final Fantasy XIII, Square Enix settled on a female main character, described as a "female version of Cloud from FFVII."[5] This aspect of Final Fantasy has also been carried into Kingdom Hearts, a crossover series featuring Final Fantasy and Disney characters, with the protagonist Sora.[3] In some Final Fantasy titles, some characters appear with real or symbolic wings. Kefka Palazzo from Final Fantasy VI gained real wings after he ascended to godhood in his final form. Final Fantasy VII's villain Sephiroth ascended to the form of Sefer Sephiroth, in which he had one wing on his right shoulder, as well as 3 pairs of wings where his abdomen should be. The one-sided wing is the source of his nickname as the "One-Winged Angel". Sephiroth has appeared in Final Fantasy VII Advent Children and Kingdom Hearts with one wing on his right side. Cloud Strife, his antithesis, also appears in Kingdom Hearts with one wing, although it is non-feathered, resembling a bat's, and comes from his left side. Final Fantasy VIII used the depiction of two white wings on the back of Rinoa Heartilly's vest. Rinoa also grows literal wings temporarily during her "Angel Wing" Limit Break during battle. She also transforms a petal that she catches in the wind into a single white feather in the opening sequence of the game. Selphie's limit break "Rapture" removes all opponents from the field by forcing them to grow wings and fly away, causing an instant victory in most non-boss battles. In contrast, the game's antagonist, Ultimecia, sports a pair of feathered black wings, and Seifer Almasy, her "knight", is shown blasting into black feathers at the stroke of Squall Leonhart's final gunblade strike in the opening FMV. Final Fantasy IX brought back physical wings in the form of ornaments that Eiko Carol wears on her back. Her wings were a gift, and they enlarge in her trance form. Yuna from Final Fantasy X wears a wedding dress that has white wings incorporated into its design. In Final Fantasy XI, Selh'teus gains multicolored wings upon merging with the soul of Phoenix near the conclusion of the Chains of Promathia storyline. In Final Fantasy XII, Penelo has leather wing-like projections incorporated into her armor.

Character design

Recurring characters Biggs and Wedge

Biggs in Final Fantasy VII

Wedge in Final Fantasy VII

The names Biggs and Wedge (ビッグス＆ウェッジ Biggusu & Wejji) are given to two related characters in several Final Fantasy games. They are speculated to be a homage to the Star Wars characters Biggs Darklighter and Wedge Antilles by an online editor.[6] Their first appearance is in Final Fantasy VI —with "Biggs" mistranslated to "Vicks"— as a pair of Vector soldiers accompanying Terra Branford in an attack on Narshe to claim an Esper. They are playable for a short period, but are soon killed by the Esper. Following their first appearance, Biggs and Wedge have appeared in several games. In Final Fantasy VII, Biggs and Wedge are members of AVALANCHE, an eco-warrior organization. They are killed after a failed attempt to stop one of Midgar city's support pillars from being destroyed by Shinra Company. Final Fantasy Tactics features a form of the names—as "Viggs" and "Wezaleff"—as members of a raiding party, who have no speaking roles and die while descending Orbonne Monastery. In Final Fantasy VIII, Biggs and Wedge are Galbadian soldiers who engage in battle with the protagonists twice, (once in Dollet — Disc I, and again in D-District Prison — Disc II) providing comic relief. They eventually retire from the Galbadian forces in Disc III.

Biggs and Wedge in Final Fantasy VIII

In Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, Biggs and Wedge are guards at the Luca Blitzball stadium, and can be scouted by the player to participate in Blitzball. In Final Fantasy XII, two Archadian guards named Gibbs and Deweg (variation of Biggs, anagram of Wedge) stand at Nalbina Town, and appear as comic relief in several optional scenes in a sidequest. In the English translation of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Biggs is a former business subordinate of Cid; Biggs and Wedge also appear as random names for character units and hero classes in Final Fantasy I. In Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Biggs and Wedge are enemies in a sniping mini-game.

Biggs and Wedge are common names in other video games by Square Co. and Square Enix. In Chrono Trigger, Vicks and Wedge, along with a third character named Piett (who likewise shares a name with a Star Wars character), are sideshow attractions at Norstein Bekkler's Lab at the Millennial Fair. Biggs retains his original name in the Nintendo DS re-release of Chrono Trigger. In Kingdom Hearts II, Biggs and Wedge are storekeepers to armor shops. Lastly, Chocobo's Dungeon 2 features them as two Black Mage who may assist the player. Biggs and Wedge also appears in Final Fantasy IV: The After Years as Red Wings soldiers who die protecting Prince Ceodore from an attack led by the Mysterious Woman. The game reveals that Biggs and Wedge were actually the two soldiers who questioned Cecil about stealing the Water Crystal of Mysidia at the beginning of Final Fantasy IV.

Character design Fantasy fiction author Raymond E. Feist also added Gibbs ('g' and 'b' reversed) and Megie (w and d fliped verticaly) as minor characters in Talon of the Silver Hawk. Biggs and Wedge are Featured in Final Fantasy XIII as the name of a shop, B&W outfitters.

Boko A chocobo named Boko or Boco (ボコ) appears in several installments of the series.Boko appears in Final Fantasy V as Bartz Klauser's mount. Boco also appears in Final Fantasy Tactics as a chocobo owned by Wiegraf Folles, which is later encountered lost in a forest and can be saved and recruited by the protagonist Ramza Beoulve. A chicobo (young chocobo) named Boko appears in Final Fantasy VIII and can be obtained by Squall Leonhart; this chicobo possesses its own minigame with Chocobo World. Boko also appears in Final Fantasy VII as a chocobo in races. A chocobo named Bobby Corwen appears inFinal Fantasy IX in the Black Mage Village; his initials in Japanese katakana characters form "Boko". In Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, a pilot in the Shera airship mentions that she is raising a chocobo named Boco.

Chaos Chaos (カオス Kaosu) is the final boss in the first Final Fantasy game. He is a relatively large, winged demonic figure. His other form, Garland, is also a common recurring character. Chaos first exists as Garland, an evil knight who kidnaps the princess of Cornelia. His plot is foiled by the Warriors of Light, who supposedly kill him while rescuing the princess. Garland is resurrected by the power of the four Orbs, siphoned by the Four Elemental Fiends and is sent 2,000 years back in time, turning him into Chaos. From the past, these four Fiends are sent into the present by Chaos to cause mass destruction and will eventually be responsible for the Chaos as he appears in Final resurrection of his former-self in the future, Garland. This pact creates a time-loop Fantasy Origins and allows Garland to live forever. The Warriors of Light return to the Chaos Shrine ruins to travel two thousand years into the past, where they meet a Garland who remembers them, and seeks revenge, having defeated them in previous/alternate time-lines. After the Warriors of Light defeat Chaos, they return to their own time with the Garland of a new reality waiting for them. Chaos appears as the god of discord and main antagonist in Dissidia: Final Fantasy for the PSP, voiced by Norio Wakamoto in Japanese and Keith David in English. Garland is a semi-separate character who is forced by the Great Will to ensure the time-loop cycle, seeing his fate to become Chaos as an absolute no matter the outcome. The name "Chaos" appears in other Final Fantasy titles. In Final Fantasy VII, Vincent's fourth and final Limit Break causes him to take the form of a black, winged demon called Chaos; this concept is explored further in Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. In Final Fantasy IX, Garland is the lord of planet Terra, the last of his dying world's people. In Final Fantasy XII, Chaos appears as an Esper within the game, obtained by defeating him first, and bearing the title "Walker of the Wheel". While fighting him, he wields four elemental blades which aid him, but can be destroyed. Also, the flagship of Chaos, as featured in Final Fantasy XII the anti-Imperial Resistance fleet bears the name Garland. In the anime series Final Fantasy:Unlimited, Chaos is an otherworldly being that consumes other worlds, feeding on the negative energy of others.

Character design

Cid Cid (ă&#x201A;ˇă&#x192;&#x2030; Shido) is a character who appears, or is at least mentioned, in all Final Fantasy installments since Final Fantasy II. Although he is rarely the same age, and never the same individual in each of the main series, he is usually presented as an owner, creator, and/or pilot of airships and provides transportation to the main characters and their party members at various points of the game. In the second game, he has a friendly relationship with a woman named Hilda; he also has a close relationship with a woman of the same name in the ninth and eleventh installments. Cid does not appear in the original Nintendo Entertainment System version of Final Fantasy, but he is retroactively inserted in subsequent versions (from Final Fantasy Origins onwards), where he is mentioned as the creator of the party's airship. This Cid (known as Cid of the Lufaine) becomes more involved in Dissidia: Final Fantasy, serving as the game's non-physical narrator and dear friend of Cosmos. In Final Fantasy II, Cid is a non-playable character and a freelance airship pilot. Cid reappears in the "Soul of Rebirth" section of the Dawn of Souls and 20th Anniversary versions, which takes place during the final parts of the main game. Cid also appears in Final Fantasy III as Cid Haze, a non-playable character.

Cid from Final Fantasy II

The Super Nintendo installments feature Cid in a greater role. In Final Fantasy IV, Cid Pollendina is a playable character, the first playable Cid in the Final Fantasy games. In Final Fantasy V, Cid Previa is a non-playable character and elderly inventor. In the original video animation sequel to Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals, the late Cid's brain has been stolen by Ra Devil to be used in the villain's plans. Lastly, in Final Fantasy VI, Cid del Norte Marguez is a non-player character who is a researcher for the Empire and the adoptive grandfather of playable character Celes Chere. In Final Fantasy VII, Cid Highwind is a spear-wielding main character and an airship pilot. He also appears in the game's prequel Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII and the sequels Final Fantasy VII Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. This version also appears in Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II with an alternate version of Highwind. A memory version appears in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and its PS2 remake. In Final Fantasy VIII, Cid Kramer is a non-playable character and the headmaster of Balamb Garden, which, at one point in the game, turns into an airship. He is the husband of Edea Kramer, who appears initially as the antagonist of the game. In Final Fantasy IX, Cid Fabool is the ruler of Lindblum and is playable in a small sequence on Disc 3. He is also married to Hilda. Appropriately, his full name was "Cid Fabool the 9th". He designed two airships that the party uses throughout the game (both of which are named after his wife), and plays an important political and personal role in relation to various other characters in the game. In the epilogue, he and Hilda adopt Eiko, much to Eiko's delight. In Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, Cid is the leader of the Al Bhed tribe, the father of Rikku and Brother, and Yuna's uncle. He is the captain of the first game's only airship, but he was not the creator of the machine; rather, he led the Al Bhed in restoring a broken airship that had sunk to the bottom of the sea. In Final Fantasy XI, Cid is featured prominently in the world of Vana'diel as a non-playable character. He is the chief engineer of Bastok who created the airships. Final Fantasy XII is notable for being both the first FF with more than one Cid, and the first in which Cid is a villain. Doctor Cidolfus Demen Bunansa is a non-playable character as an enemy boss (also a first for the series). He is the father of the sky pirate, Balthier, a playable character. There is also a character by the name of Al-Cid Margrace, who is the heir of Rozarria and friend of Larsa. It should be noted, though, that the former is the more prominent "Cid" of the game, while the latter shares less significance to the story.

Character design

Final Fantasy XIII continues the portrayal of a villainous Cid in the form of Cid Raines, who is the youngest Cid to appear in the main game series. The name Cid also appears in Final Fantasy games outside the main series. In Final Fantasy Tactics, Cidolfas Orlandu is a playable character, a powerful general described as the only man that Ramza Beoulve's father, Balbanes, could truly trust. His stat growth, in comparison to other characters in the game, is immense and often disproportionate. Meanwhile, an optional side task that can be taken by members of Ramza's party involves raising a sunken ship named theHighwind. In Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Cid Randell is the leader of the Judges who uphold law in the game's world Ivalice, and can be acquired as a player character. In the spin-off, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, there is a different playable character named Cid, who belongs to the race of Revgaji (the first clearly non-human Cid in the series) and is the leader of the Clan Gully. Al-Cid from Final Fantasy XII also returned in Final Fantasy Tactics A2. Cid also appears in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (as Dr. Sid), Final Fantasy: Unlimited (as the first youthful Cid in the entire series), Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (as Mogcid), Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers (as Professor Cid), Chocobo Racing,Chocobo's Dungeon 2, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales, Treasure of the Rudras, and Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime (as Ducktor Cid). Cid will take the main role in a Final Fantasy game for the first time with Final Fantasy Fables: Cid and Chocobo's Dungeon DS+ for the Nintendo DS, a remake of the Wii title announced in July 2008.

Gilgamesh Gilgamesh (ギルガメッシュ Girugamesshu)[7] is a character first introduced in Final Fantasy V. He is characterized by having grey complexion, flamboyantly colorful battle armor, and multiple (usually six) arms wielding multiple weapons at once. He has a fierce façade, but this masks his own childlike personality. The name "Gilgamesh" comes from the Sumerian king Gilgamesh, the main character in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Unlike other recurring character names, the Gilgamesh who reappears in other installments of the Final Fantasy series seems to be the same person, hinted at through appearance and occasionally bits of dialogue. Gilgamesh's first appearance is in Final Fantasy V as a major villain, who the party encounters several times. He is one of the first engaging villains in the series.

Gilgamesh in Final Fantasy XII, wielding Cloud Strife's Buster Sword. The kanji 偽 nise on the sword means "imitation" or "fake."

One theory as to how Gilgamesh is the same person in each game involves the fact that, late in Final Fantasy V, he was exiled to the Void by Exdeath, which may have caused him to wander aimlessly through the rift and stumble into other dimensions, possibly searching for his beast-man companion, Enkidu, and the legendary blade, Excalibur. Gilgamesh reappears in Final Fantasy VI as one of four new Espers that have been added to the Game Boy Advance version of Final Fantasy VI. He appears if the player bets the rare sword Excalipur in the Dragon Neck Colosseum. He will randomly use one out of four attacks if summoned, each with different levels of power: Excalipur (weakest, 1 dmg), Excalibur, Masamune(pierces def), Enkidu (strongest). In Final Fantasy VIII, Gilgamesh is a randomly visiting Guardian Force who replacesOdin late in the game, if the player has already acquired Odin. He is depicted as an inter-dimensional traveler on a journey to collect swords (he refers to Odin's Zantetsuken as "the fourth one" upon retrieving it). In Final Fantasy IX, Gilgamesh is a four-armed self-proclaimed great treasure hunter known as Alleyway Jack; the player encounters this four-armed man multiple times during the journey, until Zidane receives a letter from him, revealing his true identity. In Final Fantasy XI, the leader of the Tenshodo pirating organization in Norg is a man named Gilgamesh. Players will run into him while attempting missions from the first expansion pack, Rise of the Zilart. Gilgamesh is also the name of one of Final Fantasy XI's world servers. Gilgamesh shows up in the

Character design Dawn of Souls remake of Final Fantasy I, as a warrior boss exploring the undersea ruins of Lifespring Grotto, a secret dungeon that includes several bosses who originally appeared in Final Fantasy V that becomes available after defeating Kraken and getting the Water Crystal. In Final Fantasy XII, Gilgamesh returns as an optional boss under the Mark "Ancient Man of Mystery", accompanied by his animal companion Enkidu. He is fought two times, wielding a collection of signature swords from the Final Fantasy series; Cloud's Buster Sword from Final Fantasy VII, Squall's Gunblade from Final Fantasy VIII, Zidane's "off-hand" dagger from Final Fantasy IX (though it is lengthened to be a sword), Tidus's Brotherhood from Final Fantasy X, Odin's Zantetsuken sword (completely redesigned with unique handle and skull carving), two Tournesol swords from the game itself, and Loto's Sword from the Dragon Quest series (called the Wyrmhero Blade). However, these swords are generally fake since all have distinct differences to the original ones, and the kanji symbol on the Buster sword reads replica. For instance, the original Buster Sword contains no kanji character as shown in the picture above, and the one Gilgamesh wields has two extra materia holes further along the blade. Also, the original Revolver Gunblade displayed an image of a lionlike creature, whereas Gilgamesh's version features a picture of a chocobo. In contrast, a few Gilgamesh has legitimately acquired, such as the Zantetsuken from Odin in Final Fantasy VIII. It is also likely that one of the Tournesols is genuine due to it being an exact match to the one crafted in the game. He later returns in the sequel to Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings as an optional boss, summoning numerous Enkidu to his aid. Upon defeating him, Gilgamesh becomes an allied Esper who can be summoned in battle. The Final Fantasy XII incarnation of Gilgamesh is voiced by veteran voice actor John DiMaggio in English language versions of the games. Gilgamesh has been shown in both villain and hero positions. Through the actions of Final Fantasy V, he is shown to be good-natured, such as when he is seen to act sad when hearing of Galuf's death, as well as sacrificing himself for the party when fighting Necrophobia. However, his arrogance, occasional stupidity, and thirst for battle have generally pitted him against the party, usually leading to a difficult boss battle. Gilgamesh is commonly known to carry the powerful Genji equipment set, consistently composed of the Genji Gauntlet, Genji Shield, Genji Helm, and Genji Armor. During Square Enix's Private Party, DKÎŁ3713, it was rumored that Gilgamesh would be an optional boss in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. This rumor has yet to be confirmed or denied. Incorrect Appearances In the Game Boy Advance remake of Final Fantasy IV, Gilgamesh's name appears on a turtle similar to Adamantoise [8]. This is a mistranslation of the monster's actual name Gilgame, a portmanteau of "Gil", the currency of Final Fantasy, and "kame", the Japanese word for turtle (äş&#x20AC; kame). However, the error was corrected in the European version, and the monster's name is properly translated as "Gil Turtle". This turtle also makes an appearance in Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy Tactics A2 as the mark "Gil Snapper".

Mog Moogles with the simple name Mog have appeared various times. Mog was a playable moogle character in Final Fantasy VI. His special technique was to cause various effects by dancing. He was temporarily playable in one of the opening battles of the game, along with many other moogles, and can be recruited again later by saving him from a thief, and later, regardless of the player's actions during the thief event. The dancing ability associated with Mog can be seen on display in Final Fantasy XII in Old Archades, where the player can see a band of dancing moogles. Other appearances include Final Fantasy IX; where a female moogle named Mog serves as Eiko Carol's guardian, though she proves not to be a moogle after all, and Final Fantasy VII, where he appeared along with a Chocobo as a summon and not just as a summon, but as a name for all moogles, being that in FF7 all moogles are referred to as mogs. Two moogles also appeared in Final Fantasy VII as a game in the Gold Saucer, and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles as a chalice holder in single-player mode. Mog also appears as a Chocobo's rival moogle in Chocobo

Character design Racing. None of these appearances are the same individual, though often they have characteristics in common. A Moogle called Montblanc first appeared in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance as the leader of a clan Marche joined. Montblanc returns in Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift as the leader of Clan Centurio. In Final Fantasy XII, the "Stuffed Animal" Look is replaced for a much more friendly rabbit look. A moogle named Mog also appears in Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon.

Ultima and Omega Ultima and Omega are recurring names that have appeared in the Final Fantasy series. They often appear as optional bosses towards the end of the game, as they are far more formidable than an average monster. In "Final Fantasy II" the most powerful tome in the game is called the Ultima Tome, and in the Soul of Rebirth bonus storyline in "Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls", a boss called the Ultima Weapon guards the Ultima Tome. Omega Weapon appeared (as "Omega") as an optional boss near the end of the game in Final Fantasy V. Ultima Weapon appeared in Final Fantasy VI and again in Final Fantasy VII (under the name Ultimate Weapon) as a main storyline boss. In Final Fantasy VIII, they appear as extra bosses and in Final Fantasy X, they both reside in the Omega Ruins, the most difficult dungeon in the game, where Ultima exists as Omega's shadow. In Final Fantasy XI, both Omega and Ultima appear as bosses in the Chains of Promathia story line in and again as Proto-Omega and Proto-Ultima as bosses of the Limbus areas. In Final Fantasy XII, Ultima appears as an Esper in addition to lending its name to a sword called the Ultima Blade, whereas Omega appears as an optional boss in the form of a giant Mimic named "Omega Mark XII".

Recurring species and races Chocobo A Chocobo (チョコボ Chokobo) is a large, normally flightless galliforme/ratitebird capable of being ridden and is a staple of the Final Fantasy series. The onomatopoeia for a chocobo's call is "Kweh" (クエ Kue). "Kweh" is sometimes replaced with "Wark" in English translations. Most chocobos dwell in forests. While timid in the wild, and vicious if threatened, they tame rather easily and make good transports. Chocobos have occasionally been sighted as lightly armored war mounts in which case they can assist their riders with beak and claw. In Final Fantasy Tactics chocobo can be used as playable characters (though only in battle). Most often chocobo can be caught in the wild and ridden without fear of random encounters, escaping after the player dismounts. Overall, the species is a very versatile and useful bird, which comes in handy as horses are untamed or non-existent in Final Fantasy games. While ordinary Chocobos are yellow, certain rare breeds are of different colors and have special abilities, such as crossing mountains or flight. An even rarer, more extreme variant is the Fat Chocobo (or Chubby Chocobo), which resembles a morbidly obese yellow chocobo. The Chocobo signature theme is an immediately recognizable upbeat ditty that is present in one form or another in all Final Fantasy gamessince Final Fantasy II. Chocobos have a spin-off series dedicated to them. Chocobos are also a common sight in other Squaresoft and Square Enix games, notably in the Mana series.

Character design

Moogle Moogles (モーグリ Mōguri) are small creatures that appear throughout several Square Enix game series, including the Final Fantasy series, the Seiken Densetsu series, the Chocobo series, and the Kingdom Hearts series. The Japanese name is a portmanteau of the Japanese words mogura (mole) and kōmori (bat). Moogles have small, black eyes (often closed) and red, pink, black, or purple bat-like wings. A single black antenna sticks up from their heads, with a small colorful ball (usually red, yellow or pink) at the end called a "pompom". Their ears are usually shaped like a cat's and their fur is white or light pink. However, in Crystal Chronicles they have a Moogles in their first Final Fantasy appearance different body shape, lacking a distinct head and torso, while in Tactics on the Famicom's Final Fantasy III Advance and Final Fantasy XII they have longer, rabbit-like ears and beige to gray fur. When they first appeared, in Final Fantasy III, Moogles generally ended their sentences with the word "nya", the Japanese equivalent of a cat's "meow". In the later games, they use the word "kupo" instead; some games briefly mention a Moogle language formed out of various permutations of "kupo". In the Final Fantasy III Nintendo DS remake, the word "nya" was replaced with "kupo". Moogles run an in-game message delivery service in Final Fantasy IX and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. In the Final Fantasy III remake, the Moogles' message delivery service allows to send real e-mails to other players' games using the Nintendo DS Wi-Fi function. In Final Fantasy XI, a Moogle is assigned to each player to take care of their house and change their jobs (hence it is called a Mog House), and "Festive" Moogles run the holiday events in the game. In Final Fantasy XII, the Moogles are known to be skillful in mechanics and engineering; they were the first pioneers of airship construction. Several Moogle characters of the Final Fantasy series are named Mog, including a playable character in Final Fantasy VI, a character from an arcade game in Final Fantasy VII, a form of the Eidolon Madeen in Final Fantasy IX, and the single player's companion in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. In the spin-offs Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon, Chocobo's Dungeon 2, and Chocobo Racing, a Moogle named Mog is friends with the main character Chocobo. Moogles appear as summoned creatures in Final Fantasy VIIwhere a Moogle appears riding a Chocobo, in Final Fantasy VIII with a young Moogle called MiniMog, and inFinal Fantasy Tactics. Eiko in Final Fantasy IX had a Moogle guardian named Mog; she later became the Summon Madeen or Guardian Mog in the English version. Other notable Moogles include Stiltzkin from Final Fantasy IX and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, and Montblanc from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift and Final Fantasy XII. In Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy Tactics A2, the Moogles have a variety of different jobs to master in the clan. Some of the "Base Jobs" include Thief, Animist and Black Mage. After you master a certain amount of abilities, new jobs are available for the Moogles. Other Moogle Jobs include Juggler, Tinker, Time Mage, Fusilier, Flintlock, Chocobo Knight, and Moogle Knight. There is one special Moogle Job in Final Fantasy Tactics Advanced 2 called Bard. The Bard is named Hurdy. Hurdy is able to use a series of different instruments to give buffs and debuffs to allies or foes, heal health, or make himself invisible. Moogles first appear in the Final Fantasy series in Final Fantasy III and are present in all subsequent numbered installments except Final Fantasy IV, in addition to Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, and Final Fantasy: Unlimited. They were used as Save Points in Final Fantasy IX. Moogles appear only as stuffed dolls in Final Fantasy VII Advent Children,Dirge of Cerberus, Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, in addition to Yuna's version of the Mascot dressphere being a moogle in Final Fantasy X-2. Moogles make an appearance in the Seiken Densetsu series as a race and/or as a status condition in Final Fantasy

Character design Adventure, Secret of Mana, and Seiken Densetsu 3, and are mentioned in Sword of Mana. They make an appearance in the Chocobo series inChocobo no Fushigina Dungeon, Chocobo's Dungeon 2, Chocobo Racing, and Chocobo Land: A Game of Dice. They also appear in all four games of the Kingdom Hearts series, which includes Moogles named after many famous characters from the series. Finally, a Moogle appears in Egg Monster Heroes, while one is an unlockable character in Mario Hoops 3-on-3.

Monsters Certain fictional monsters reappear frequently throughout the series, including Goblins, Oni/Ogres/Gigas/Giants, Bombs, Behemoths, Tonberries, Malboros, Flans and Cactuars ("Sabotenders" in the Japanese version, after "saboten", the Japanese word for cactus). Summoned monsters—such as Bahamut—as well as the elemental monsters—Shiva (ice) and Ifrit (fire)—have appeared in almost every title in the series. The lightning elemental has been represented by a variety of creatures, principally Ramuh but also Quetzalcoatl and Ixion. In Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, the elemental monsters represent spells cast by Summoners (either the player's own, or those of rivals). In Final Fantasy XII the traditional summon monsters were changed but still made a cameo of sorts as the names of Archadian airships. 'The series borrows four creature types directly from the original version of Dungeons and Dragons: Beholders, Mindflayers, Otyughs and Sahuagin. Other monsters are based on creatures in the real world, such as wolves, wasps, piranhas, and others have amplified, deadlier versions appearing throughout the series. Other creatures are not necessarily harmful and may provide benefits to the player, such as the Magic Pot. Several entries in the series provide backstories on the origins and motives behind monsters. The backstory of the fiends and monsters given in-game (depending on the series) was first established in Final Fantasy VII, where monsters are animals and some humans who have been exposed to a high degree of Mako. In Final Fantasy VIII, monsters are sent to the game world from one of its moons via a burst of energy from the moon called the "Lunar Cry".[9] In Final Fantasy IX, monsters are spawned from the Mist, which is made up of the souls of the dead unable to pass on.[10] [11] In Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 these hostile monsters are better known as fiends, which are monsters manifested from the restless spirits of the dead and driven by malice to devour those alive.[12] In FFX-2, these Fiends are classified by type.[13] In Final Fantasy XII, the monsters have differing origins; however, most of the more powerful variants (namely the particularly powerful 'Rare Game') are the result of a mutation caused by an overdose of any exposure to the Mist.[14] [15]

References • Birlew, Dan (2000). FINAL FANTASY IX Official Strategy Guide. Brady Publishing. ISBN 0744000416. • Birlew, Dan (2001). Final Fantasy X Official Strategy Guide. BradyGAMES Publishing. ISBN 0744001404. • Birlew, Dan (2003). Final Fantasy X-2 Official Strategy Guide. BradyGAMES Publishing. ISBN 0744002850. • Boyce, Mary (1975). History of Zoroastrianism, Vol. I. Leiden: Brill. • Cassady, David (1997). Official FINAL FANTASY VII Strategy Guide. Brady Publishing. ISBN 1-56686-714-2. • Cassady, David (1999). Official FINAL FANTASY VIII Strategy Guide. Brady Publishing. ISBN 1-56686-903-X. • Ong, Alicia (March 22, 2001). "The Religions Behind Final Fantasy" [16]. Archived from the original [17] on 2007-03-17. • Schmidt, Ken (2006). Final Fantasy III Official Strategy Guide. BradyGAMES Publishing. ISBN 0744008484. • Spoors, Glen (January 2005). "Meaning and Emotion in Squaresoft’s Final Fantasy X: Re-Theorising “Realism” and “Identification” in Video Games" [18]. p. 96. Archived from the original [19] on 2007-09-28.

Character design

External links â&#x20AC;˘ Gilgamesh article at the Final Fantasy wiki

References [1] "GameSpy: Project Sylpheed - Page 2" (http:/ / xbox360. gamespy. com/ xbox-360/ project-sylph/ 807782p2. html). gamespy.com. . Retrieved 2010-04-06. [2] "Final Fantasy XII Q&A - PlayStation 2 News at IGN" (http:/ / uk. ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 441/ 441293p1. html). ign.com. . Retrieved 2010-04-06. [3] "Because Women DO Play" (http:/ / www. womengamers. com/ revprev/ adv/ kingdomhearts. php). WomenGamers.Com. . Retrieved 2010-04-06. [4] "Nerd Heroes: The Phenomenon of Loser Protagonists in Modern Japanese Games" (http:/ / www. gamecritics. com/ nerd-heroes). GameCritics.com. . Retrieved 2010-04-06. [5] "FFXIII Interview: Nomura, Kitase, Hashimoto and Toriyama: News from" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3151333). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2010-04-06. [6] "Final Fantasy, Star Wars, Biggs and Wedge - Playstation 3" (http:/ / www. bellaonline. com/ articles/ art9321. asp). Bellaonline.com. . Retrieved 2010-03-04. [7] "Final Fantasy Summons: Gilgamesh" (http:/ / www. ffcompendium. com/ h/ espmon/ gilgamesh. shtml). Ffcompendium.com. . Retrieved 2010-03-04. [8] http:/ / www. ffcompendium. com/ h/ espmon/ adamant. shtml [9] Controller: The lunar world is a world of monsters. Didn't you learn that in school? As you can see, the monsters are gathering at one point. History's starting to repeat itself. The Lunar Cry is starting. (Final Fantasy VIII) [10] Steiner: Surely even you must know something about the Mist! The vicious monsters it spawns! (Final Fantasy IX) [11] Garland: The Mist you see comprises the stagnant souls of Gaia. (Final Fantasy IX) [12] Lulu: The dead need guidance. Filled with grief over their own death, they refuse to face their fate. They yearn to live on, and resent those still alive. You see, they envy the living. And in time, that envy turns to anger, even hate. Should these souls remain in Spira, they become fiends that prey on the living. Sad, isn't it? The sending takes them to the Farplane, where they may rest in peace. (Final Fantasy X) [13] Final Fantasy X-2 Guide, 315 [14] Sage Knowledge 09: Mist: Naturally occurring energy, found in almost all regions of the world, affecting all living things, the climate, and even the land itself... The highest concentrations of Mist can even do damage, leading to over-rapid changes in the environment, and violent behavior among animals and those more sensitive to the Mist's effects. (Final Fantasy XII) [15] Sage Knowledge 63: Nabreus Deadlands: [D]ense Mist has given rise to all manner of bizarre flora and fauna of an invariably vicious temperament. (Final Fantasy XII) [16] http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070317015750/ http:/ / shl. stanford. edu/ Game_archive/ StudentPapers/ BySubject/ A-I/ F/ FinalFanstasy/ Ong_Alicia. pdf [17] http:/ / www. scribd. com/ doc/ 3302245/ Religions-Behind-Final-Fantasy [18] http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070928043924/ http:/ / www. upnaway. com. au/ ~waldemar/ Research/ PhD+ (Submitted+ to+ Library). doc [19] http:/ / members. upnaway. com/ ~waldemar/ Research/ PhD%20(Submitted%20to%20Library). doc

Gameplay

Gameplay Though each Final Fantasy story is independent, many aspects of gameplay have remained relatively consistent throughout the series.

Parties and battles Throughout the Final Fantasy series, players have been able to command a party of characters. The maximum size of the party has been as low as three and as high as seven, depending on the game. This is only noticeably different in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII and Dissidia: Final Fantasy, in which you take control of only one character.[1] Players must face a variety of enemies in battle who will try to damage the player,[2] as well as afflict the characters with several standard "status ailments" such as poisoning them or putting them to sleep.[3] Many of the games feature a random encounter system,[4] the player is randomly drawn into battle with enemies that are not visible on the map.[5] This remained true of the series until Final Fantasy XI moved to a system where all enemies are visible as the player explores the game world.[4]

Screen Shot of Final Fantasy 6's ATB system.

In battle, the characters can select a variety of commands from a menu, such as "Fight", "Magic", "Item", as well as other special skills such as "Steal" or "Summon".[4] While Final Fantasy VI introduced desperation attacks, Yoshinori Kitase created an improved system in Final Fantasy VII called "Limit Breaks". These were powerful attacks that gained strength as the player took damage, and were accompanied by a sophisticated animation.[6] Since then, games in the series allow characters to perform special moves when they fill up a power meter,[5] and this gameplay has become synonymous with the series.[7] Throughout the series, the battle system has evolved from a turn-based system to incorporate more real-time elements. The original turn-based system, with the player characters on the right and the enemies on the left, is imitated by numerous RPGs.[2] Hiroyuki ItĹ? introduced the "Active Time Battle System" in Final Fantasy IV,[1] where the time-keeping system does not stop.[8] Square Co filed a Japanese patent application related to the ATB system on July 16, 1991 and a corresponding US application on March 16, 1992. One Japanese patent (JP2794230) and two US patents (US5390937 and US5649862) were granted based on these applications.[9] On the battle screen, each character has an ATB meter that gradually fills, and the player is allowed to issue a command to that character once the meter is full.[10] Because the fact that enemies can attack or be attacked at any time, and the player can lose his turn if he doesn't attack quick enough, urgency and excitement are credited to be injected into the combat system.[8] This remained the norm until Final Fantasy X implemented a Conditional Turn-Based system, which slowed gameplay while making it important for the right characters to square off against the right monsters.[11] However, Final Fantasy XI embraced a real-time battle system where characters continuously attacked unless issued another command.[12] Final Fantasy XII continued this real-time gameplay with the Active Dimension Battle system,[13] where the player may issue commands to the characters or allow them to act automatically with certain behavioral triggers.[14]

Gameplay

Minigames In addition the normal gameplay, the series has featured various forced and optional minigames. The first of these were simple minigames hidden as Easter eggs which must be unlocked by pressing special button combinations in a particular location. In Final Fantasy, a sliding puzzle can be unlocked while boarding the ship. In Final Fantasy II, a Comparison of the Snow Game minigame in matching game can be unlocked while boarding the ice sled and Final Fantasy VII (left) and Final Fantasy VII meeting a certain requirement. Final Fantasy VII was the first game to Snowboarding on mobile phones (right). feature a large number of minigames. A number of minigames appear occasionally throughout the main storyline and at various locations, many of which can later be played at the Gold Saucer theme park within the game, along with various other minigames exclusive to the Gold Saucer. These include a chocobo racing game, chocobo breeding, motorbike racing, a snowboarding game, and several others. The snowboarding minigame was later released as a separate snowboarding game for mobile phones entitled Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding, which released in Japan and North America in 2005. It is a mobile port of the snowboarding minigame featured in the original game.[15] The game is playable on the LG VX8000, LG VX8100, Audiovox 8940 and Samsung A890 mobile phone and contains different tracks than the original minigame. Final Fantasy VIII introduced Triple Triad, a card game designed by battle designer Hiroyuki Ito. It was not considered an essential part of the game, but more to provide a light relief to the storyline and allow the player to interact with minor characters in a different way. Through the use of a Card Mod ability, the player is able to create rare items by converting cards earned by defeating various competitors.[16] Final Fantasy VIII was the first of the series to introduce a side-game with such interaction. In 1999, following the release of Final Fantasy VIII, Japanese games company Bandai produced a full set of collectible Triple Triad cards. The set was made up of the 110 cards as seen in the game along with 72 artwork cards and a collectors edition playing mat.[17] Triple Triad was praised by GameSpot as a "more-than-worthy RPG minigame", finding it engaging and unique.[16] Chocobo World ( おでかけチョコボRPG Odekake Chokobo RPG) is a handheld electronic game designed by Hiroyuki Itou of Square Co. (now Square Enix) for the PocketStation handheld game console. The game can be played exclusively, but is intended as a minigame to Final Fantasy VIII.[18] The game was present in all localizations of Final Fantasy VIII, but the PocketStation itself was only released in Japan.[19] It was later ported to the Windows version of Final Fantasy VIII in 2000.[20] The game allows players to control Boko, a baby chocobo, on his quest to save his friend Mog from the clutches of an evil demon. The game's screen consists of black and white pixel graphics and is presented in a manner similar to the "virtual pet" concept conceived by Bandai's Tamagotchi. To play in conjunction with Final Fantasy VIII, the player must find Boko in the world of Final Fantasy VIII. Once accomplished, the player receives a user interface for communicating with the minigame. At any time, the player may send Boko into Chocobo World to gain experience and collect special items, which are transferred back for use in Final Fantasy VIII. In addition, Boko may be used as a summon in Final Fantasy VIII.[21] The Electric Playground and Malaysian website The Star Online both noted the similarity of Chocobo World to another digital pet game, Tamagotchi,[22] with The Electric Playground describing the minigame as "very nice" and pleasing.[23] Ars Technica thought that players who enjoy "walking as a Chocobo on the horizontal plane of infinity" might find the minigame fun.[24] IGN considered the PC version of the minigame a "nice touch" to Final Fantasy VIII, noting that users can play the former while doing other activities on their computer since it runs on a tiny window on the screen.[25] Conversely, The Star Online felt that playing the minigame on a PC was "a little boring" and deplored the lack of compatibility with Palm devices.[22]

Gameplay

Similar to Triple Triad, Tetra Master is a card game found in Final Fantasy IX. Unlike most of the minigames in the series, a few Tetra Master games are required to be played, one at the beginning of the game, and several closer to the end. Tetra Master was seen by GameSpot as inferior and confusing compared to Triple Triad, as the rules for it were only vaguely explained in Final Fantasy IX and there were very few rewards earned from playing it despite its extensiveness.[26] Final Fantasy IX also had an additional minigame named Chocobo Hot and Cold. Upon the acquisition of a chocobo, the A goal is scored in the blitzball minigame in player becomes able to access the game inside of Chocobo Forests. No Final Fantasy X games of Chocobo Hot and Cold are required to be played during the game, though items received through the game could be used in the rest of Final Fantasy IX, including both regular game items and clues towards discovering more items in the main game. In Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, Blitzball is a sport featuring six-man teams that combines the physicality of rugby with soccer kicks for scoring and the hand passes of water polo. The game is played underwater in a large sphere pool suspended in the air. Although blitzball is a crucial element to Final Fantasy X's plot, only one game is required to be played. In Final Fantasy X the player controls the individual players on the team, while in X-2 they act as a manager and coach. X-2 also had a game called Sphere Break, a mathematical game using numbered coins that possess several different attributes that can help the player in the Sphere Break minigame itself or gain items that can help in the various battles in Final Fantasy X-2.[27] GameSpot has commented that "trivial minigames have been creeping into the Final Fantasy games at an alarming rate over the last few years, and in this regard, X-2 is definitely the most egregious offender in the series".[28]

Character development and classes The Final Fantasy series is like many role-playing games in that it uses a level-up system,[29] where players gain experience points and raise their character's experience level by killing enemies.[30] [31] [32] Players may have difficulty defeating an enemy until they reach a higher experience level, although Final Fantasy VIII reduces the need to level-up by making the enemy's experience level always match that of the player's.[33] Each character class has unique abilities which develop as the player's level increases. In some titles, the player can choose a character with a specific class at the start of the game, while others allow characters to combine and The job system in Final Fantasy V [1] learn abilities from a number of classes. An important example is Final Fantasy V, where each character can be assigned and re-assigned one of 22 classes, and they gain abilities in that class as they win battles. Many core players praised the game for allowing characters to gain abilities from multiple classes, although others considered this system highly complex and may be a reason the game was not initially released in North America.[34] But in games such as Final Fantasy IV, the characters are assigned a job class that reflects their personality in the storyline,[4] [8] and in some cases the character's classes are not explicitly stated.[4] Final Fantasy IV also introduced the concept of characters joining or leaving the party throughout the storyline, which requires players to adjust their battle plans constantly.[8] In addition to other abilities, a character's class usually determines the types of weapons and armor that they can use.[1] Some of the more traditional classes include the Knight/Warrior, the Dragoon, the Thief and the different Mages/Wizards.[4] [34] Mage classes have included Black Mages, who use offensive spells, White Mages, who cast healing magic, Red Mages, who use both, Blue Mages, who use enemy spells and attacks cast against them, and Time Mages, who cast spells which speed up or

Gameplay slow down time. More esoteric classes have appeared throughout the series, such as Bards, Scholars, and Summoners.[34] The complexity of the class system varies from game to game.[4] In Final Fantasy, the player allocates permanent class selections to the four playable characters at the beginning of the game, each of the six starting classes can be upgraded to a corresponding advanced class midway through the game.[35] Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy V changed the formula by allowing the player to change a character's class, as well as acquire new and advanced classes and combine class abilities.[36] [37] In Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, classes are once again chosen by the player from one of the two starting jobs; however, characters must meet prerequisites before changing classes.[38] [39] Character classes were re-introduced in Final Fantasy X-2 as "dresspheres"; these classes are gradually acquired and can be changed at any point, including battle mode.[40] The classes that appeared in Final Fantasy XI, the first MMORPG title in the series, have certain unique implementations that more closely follow MMORPG convention.[41] Notably, in Final Fantasy XI a player can equip a secondary job, called a subjob, and have half the abilities of another class that way. Extensive backstories are often given to FFXI's job classes to add to the setting's lore. Other Final Fantasy installments deviate from the class system by allowing flexibility in character growth, or featuring pre-determined jobs. Characters in Final Fantasy II are molded according to their performance in battle.[42] Final Fantasy IV introduced characters already locked into a class; abilities related to the character's class are learned as the character gains experience points.[43] In Final Fantasy VI, VII, and VIII, characters begin with equipment and attack proficiencies similar to character classes, but the player can allocate magic and statistical bonuses.[44] [45] [46] In Final Fantasy VI, each playable character has a class and a signature command, such as Dance, Lore or Mimic.[44] In Final Fantasy VII and VIII, characters lack classes, and they all play the same in battle; nevertheless, each character has one or more unique limit breaks.[45] [46] [47] In Final Fantasy IX, characters have predetermined "dormant abilities" similar to IV; however, the characters in IX learn abilities by wearing equipment instead of gaining levels.[48] Final Fantasy X introduced the sphere grid; characters began at certain areas of the grid, which represent traditional character classes by their statistical bonuses and abilities. In Final Fantasy XII, the player can mold characters into anything, without restriction of traditional classes.[49] [50] However, in the game's international version and sequel, the growth system is modified to have more clearly defined classes. Final Fantasy character classes have also made cameo appearances as hidden players in Mario Hoops 3-on-3 and as enemies in Kingdom Hearts II.

Magic Like many role-playing games, the titles in the Final Fantasy series feature a system of magic. While the first game in the series had eight levels of spells with one to eight uses per level, later games jettisoned this concept for a common pool of magic points that all spells consume.[2] Magic in the series is generally divided into classes, which are usually organized by color.[5] The actual magic classes vary from game to game, but most games include "White Magic", which is focused primarily on spells that help teammates, and "Black Magic", which focused on harming enemies.[2] One who is proficient in White or Black magic is often known as a White Mage or Black Mage, respectively.[2] [51] Other games include other types of mages and spells, such as geomancers who can cast spells based on the terrain, blue mages who can cast spells that are learned from enemies in battle, and red mages who can cast both white and black magic.[51] In most games, the most powerful offensive White Magic spell is "Holy", while the most powerful black magic spell is "Ultima" (a White Magic in Final Fantasy II), "Meteor", or "Meltdown". In some games, acquiring these spells is a difficult quest, and in Final Fantasy VII they are only used at specific points in the plot.[51] Another recurring class of magic is "Summoning Magic," which calls forth magical creatures to attack enemies and/or heal or protect party members.[1] [4] This magic debuted in Final Fantasy III with eight different summons, and hit a peak of 51 different summons in Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings.[1] These summoned creatures draw

Gameplay their names from classic mythology, or derivations thereof. Ifrit, Kujata, and Bahamut come from Arab mythology, though Bahamut is more akin to the draconic deity from Dungeons and Dragons. Meanwhile, the Hindu tradition inspired several summons, including Shiva, Garuda, and Lakshmi. Ramuh is another Hindu-inspired summon, drawn from Indra and Rama.[1] Meanwhile, the serpent Leviathan is inspired by the Old Testament, and the phoenix is drawn from Egyptian mythology.[1] Greek mythology inspired Titan, Hecatonchires, Hades, Cerberus, and Siren, while Norse mythology was the source for Odin the warrior and Fenrir the wolf.[1]

Airships and transport Although some Final Fantasy games have featured unique vehicles such as a spaceplane or hovercraft, many vehicles are common to several games in the series. Many games in the series allowed players to pilot a ship over oceans and seas, with some even allowing players to pilot a ship or submarine under water. Trains also appear in several games in the series. The first two games in the series allowed players to ride a canoe through rivers. But all games since Final Fantasy II have featured a chocobo, a species of fictional bird which often acts as a mode of transport.[1] However, one of the most iconic modes of transport in the Final Fantasy series is the airship, which has appeared in every game. The visual style of each airship varies between games. In several games, they are repaired and improved, allowing the player to access new areas. And in many they have built in weapons for random encounters, which attack at the beginning of a battle. However, in Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2, and Final Fantasy XII, flight is abstracted with a short cut scene and essentially allows the player to teleport between locations. The impossibly fast 'Nautilus' in Final Fantasy III was dubbed the fastest airship in the whole series, travelling across the world map in less than 10 seconds.[1]

Inventory Crystals Elemental orbs or crystals have appeared in more than ten of the twelve titles of the series. They usually drive the plot as an essential link to the planet's life force, and thus the player must find or collect these crystals to advance the plot and win the game.[1]

Currency Final Fantasy games allow players to purchase various items and equipment from shops,[52] using a currency known as Gil (ă&#x201A;Žă&#x192;Ť giru).[53] [54] Final Fantasy IV is the only game to explain the origin of the word; in that game, the word Gil is named after Gilbart, a common name for members of the royal family of Damcyan, and was originally used as the currency of Damcyan.[55] The most common way to earn gil is from random battles, although Final Fantasy VIII is a notable exception where gil is earned as a regular stipend from an academy for mercenaries.[33]

Weapons The Excalibur, named after the King Arthur legend, and Masamune, named after the Japanese swordsmith, have been top-tier blade weapons since the first Final Fantasy.[1] As the series progressed, other weapons such as the ultima weapon, the blood sword, and the Ragnarok have challenged their supremacy as weapons.[1] [51] Numerous weapons have seen recurring use throughout the series; others have been influenced by a variety of mythological and fantasy concepts. Interspersed between unique weapons are a graded scale of other, more common weapons, usually sold in shops. They are typically labeled according to the following progression, from weakest to strongest: Bronze, Iron, Steel, Mythril/Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Crystal, Adamantite (found in Final Fantasy I), and Adamantine. Armor typically follows the same alloy progression. Moreover, armors of "Genji" series

Gameplay are seen in Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy Tactics, and most recently in Final Fantasy XII. "Wooden" weapons and "Leather" armor are also often seen throughout the series. The Final Fantasy installments feature several types of projectile weapons, including bows, balls, guns, boomerangs, and launchers. Gunblades have a gun-like handle which contains a firing mechanism but are not considered projectile as the firing mechanism only makes the blade vibrate causing extra damage, and does not fire any actual shells, with the exception of Yazoo's gunblades from Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, Weiss's twin Gunblades, shown in Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus, and Lightnings gunblades, shown in "Final Fantasy XIII". In some installments, such as Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy IV, ammunition (bullets and arrows) is limited; others, like Final Fantasy XII, have unlimited ammunition, only requiring the player to actually have it. Other installments, like Final Fantasy VII, omit ammunition completely. Some of the common recurring projectile weapons include Yoichi's Bow, and the Full Moon boomerang. Swords are commonly seen throughout the series, and come in various forms. Elemental swords, which include a certain element, such as fire or wind, during the attack, are seen almost every installment in the series. Some elemental swords launch an additional magical attack during battle, such as the Lightbringer in Final Fantasy VI. Elemental swords have had many names, fire-elemental swords usually named 'Flame Saber' or 'Flametongue', ice-elemental swords named 'Blizzard' or 'Ice Brand', thunder-elemental swords are 'Thunderblade' or 'Coral Sword' and on one occasion in Final Fantasy I, a 'Vorpal Sword'. A water-elemental sword hasn't been used often, but in Final Fantasy X the main character obtains one called 'Brotherhood', that has minor relevance to the story, and in Final Fantasy X-2, Warrior dress sphere has a water-elemental sword attack ability named 'Liquid Steel'. There are also various staffs/rods featured in many of the Final Fantasy games which use special actions, most often of which are not directly damaging (or deal very low damage) and are often beneficial, such as the "Healing Staff" found in Final Fantasy V. The effects of such weapons are usually used by selecting "attack", even if no actual attack is initiated. Additionally, some weapons are able to be used from the items menu (usually by pressing up at the top of the items menu during gameplay) and can produce a variety of effects such as dealing damage to an enemy, placing a negative status effect on an enemy, healing the user or an ally, or placing a positive status effect on the user or an ally. In addition to the types of weapons above, Final Fantasy includes whips, dice, staffs/rods, lances, axes, knives, daggers, swords and other common weapons.

Armor and accessories Many pieces of armor and accessories from the series appear in multiple titles. One of the most common sets of equipment is Genji, which consists of a shield, helmet, body armor, and sometimes gloves. Some armor featured in the series is named after metals or stones, such as bronze, iron, silver, mythril, gold, emerald, diamond, and crystal; others are based on colors or spells. Armor and accessories used in the series consist of bracers, shields, rings, bangles, shoes, helmets, body armor, robes, and dresses. However, not all games in the series have an armor system; for example, Final Fantasy X-2 uses the equipping of dress spheres instead of armor. Final Fantasy VIII uses stats increases from equipping Guardian Forces, a form of summoning in the game, than the use of armor. Several individual pieces of armor and accessories recur throughout the series. Two of the most common are the Aegis shield and the Protect Ring, which provide various effects for the character, depending on the game. The Golden Hairpin almost always benefits the spellcasters in the party. For example, in Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy V, they were accessories that reduced spell costs by half; in Final Fantasy Tactics, they were head armor that gave a significant boost to the maximum MP value and nullified the silence status effect. The Ribbon is an item in most Final Fantasy games that allows the equipped user to become immune to most or all status ailments. Most times, it appears as a helmet; in some games, such as Final Fantasy VI, it is an accessory or a special item.

Gameplay

Items "Items" are collected objects that may affect the status or health of a character or enemy. Many objects are one-use and include a limit to how many are stocked in the party's inventory. In every installment, the basic HP-recovering item is some form of potion. The items' names varied in earlier games, such as being called "Heal Potions" in the first game, "Cure Potions" in the English translation of Final Fantasy IV (called Final Fantasy II), and "Tonics" in the English translation of Final Fantasy VI (called Final Fantasy III). Other variants, which heal more HP, include the mid-level "Hi-Potion", the high-level "X-Potion", and the multi-target "Mega Potion". Since Final Fantasy IV, the lead MP-recovering item has been the "Ether". The name is derived from Aether, a classical term used in medieval times to describe a possible substance between air, earth, fire, and water. The English language localization of Final Fantasy VI renamed the Ether to "Tincture," and also featured a second-level MP-restoration item, "Hi-Ether", which was renamed simply "Ether" in the English localization. The Turbo Ether (also known as "Dry Ether") has appeared in recent games and restores either a significant or complete portion of a character's MP.

The Final Fantasy XII "Potion" drink.

The "Elixir", which appears in most Final Fantasy games, is an HP and MP recovery item. Some games include the Megalixir (or Last Elixir), which fully restores the party's HP and MP. Other items recover both HP and MP at specific locations. "Tents" are often used on field maps or at Save Points as replacements for an Inn as they restore some of the party's HP and MP. Variants such as Cabin, Cottage, and Sleeping Bag restore more or less HP and MP; sometimes to only one character. In Final Fantasy IX, Tents can be used during battle, although there is chance of being inflicted with abnormal status effects when used. Status effect-curing items are also recurring. For example, "antidote" heals poison and venom, "echo screen"/"echo herbs"/"echo drops" removes silence, "eye drops" cures blindness, and "soft" (originally "Golden Needle") cures petrification. There is a variation of the soft, the Supersoft a key item (see below) which only appeared in Final Fantasy IX used to remove the petrification effects from an entire forest. "Phoenix Down" (also translated as "Phoenix Tail") is used in most Final Fantasy games to revive an unconscious party member with a small portion of their HP. In some of the earlier games, the word was translated as "FenixDown" because of size issues with fitting English letters in the space previously occupied by Japanese characters. Phoenix Down often instantly kills or inflicts maximum damage on undead and other creatures harmed by curative spells. The item is supposed to be the feather of a Phoenix, a common symbol of life and rebirth; "down" refers to the down feathers of a bird, the undercoat of feathers beneath the visible layer on top. Other representations of Phoenix Down include the bottled tears of a Phoenix, bolted quivers and bead necklaces. Variants of this item include the Phoenix Pinion and Mega Phoenix, which revive all party members. There are other basic items seen throughout the Final Fantasy series, including "Gysahl Greens", which can be used to summon Fat Chocobo, an item storage service, at specific locations in Final Fantasy IV, catch, feed and race chocobos in Final Fantasy VII, summon a pet chocobo in Final Fantasy VIII, or ride a chocobo in Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XII. The "Rename Card" renames characters that have already been named. This first appeared in Final Fantasy VI, though the character Namingway had a similar function in Final Fantasy IV. In Final Fantasy VIII, a Rename Card renames Guardian Forces, and Pet's Nametag renames Rinoa's pet dog's name. In Final Fantasy IX, the Namingway Card had the effect of renaming the characters in Daguerreo, and in Final Fantasy X, it was used to rename Aeons. All Final Fantasy games also have "key items", which must be acquired to further the game's story or complete a sidequest. Key items are usually kept in their own special inventory separate from the

Gameplay player's stock of usable items. Examples of key items include the "Nitro" from the original Final Fantasy, the "Huge Materia" from Final Fantasy VII, and the "Supersoft" from Final Fantasy IX. A key item is typically received shortly before the player reachs the point where it is needed. After a key item is used, it usually remains in the player's inventory permanently, but serves no further purpose. Some items or key items are/may be almost completely useless, like "Tissue" from the American release of Final Fantasy VII.

Reception and legacy The Final Fantasy series is credited with defining the structure of subsequent role-playing games.[56]

References [1] "Final Fantasy Retrospective Part XIII" (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ player/ 27455. html). GameTrailers. 2007-11-02. . Retrieved 2009-03-30. [2] Andrew Vestal (1998-11-02). "The History of Final Fantasy - Final Fantasy" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ features/ vgs/ universal/ finalfantasy_hs/ sec1_1_2. html). Gamespot. . Retrieved 2008-12-31. [3] Greg Kasavin (2007-11-12). "Final Fantasy XII" (http:/ / www. cnet. com. au/ final-fantasy-xii-339283709. htm). CNET. . Retrieved 2009-04-02. [4] Patrick Kolan (2007-01-18). "The Evolution of Final Fantasy" (http:/ / au. ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 756/ 756635p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [5] David Jenkins (2007-02-28). "(Never the) Final Fantasy" (http:/ / www. virginmedia. com/ games/ features/ finalfantasyhistory2. php). Virgin Media. . Retrieved 2009-04-02. [6] "IGN Presents: The History of Final Fantasy VII" (http:/ / au. retro. ign. com/ articles/ 870/ 870770p1. html). IGN. 2008-04-30. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [7] Interview with Final Fantasy creator. GameAxis Unwired. 2006-11. p. 24. [8] Andrew Vestal (1998-11-02). "The History of Final Fantasy - Final Fantasy IV" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ features/ vgs/ universal/ finalfantasy_hs/ sec1_4_2. html). Gamespot. . Retrieved 2008-12-31. [9] "List of patent family members for US Patent No. 5390937" (http:/ / v3. espacenet. com/ inpadoc?DB=EPODOC& locale=en_V3& FT=D& CC=US& NR=5390937A). espacenet. . Retrieved 2009-11-09. [10] US patent 5390937 (http:/ / v3. espacenet. com/ textdoc?DB=EPODOC& IDX=US5390937), "Video game apparatus, method and device for controlling same", granted February 21, 1995, assigned to Square Co., Ltd [11] 1UP Staff (2000-01-01). "Final Fantasy X (PS2)" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3061568& sec=REVIEWS). 1up. . Retrieved 2009-04-02. [12] Tom Bramwell (2002-01-02). "Final Fantasy XI" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ p_ffxi_ps2). eurogamer. . Retrieved 2009-04-02. [13] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. pp. 35–36. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [14] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. p. 37. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [15] Buchanan, Levi (2005). "Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding" (http:/ / wireless. ign. com/ articles/ 594/ 594902p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-11. [16] Vestal, Andrew (February 24, 1999). "Final Fantasy VIII for PlayStation Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasy8/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-11-15. [17] "Final Fantasy VIII: Triple Triad" (http:/ / www. boardgamegeek. com/ game/ 15957). Board Game geek (http:/ / www. boardgamegeek. com/ ). . Retrieved 2006-12-07. [18] Square Electronic Arts, ed (1999). Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 38–40. SLUS-00892GH. [19] IGN staff (July 15, 1999). "FFVIII PocketStation Opens Up Chocobo World" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 068/ 068855p1. html). www.ign.com. . Retrieved 2006-07-18. [20] Dan Calderman (2000). "Chocobo World Playable on PC" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q1-2000/ 010600c. html). www.rpgamer.com. . Retrieved 2006-07-18. [21] IGN Staff (2000-01-28). "IGN: Final Fantasy VIII Review" (http:/ / uk. pc. ign. com/ articles/ 161/ 161737p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-03-31. [22] The Star Online : TechCentral - Malaysia Technology (http:/ / star-techcentral. com/ reviews/ story. asp?file=/ 2000/ 5/ 2/ conquering_the_latest_fantasy& sec=reviews& ref=game& new=0& cat=4& rid=33) [23] Electric Playground (http:/ / www. elecplay. com/ reviews_article. php?article=2270) [24] Yellow fever and bird flu: the Chocobo allure (http:/ / arstechnica. com/ journals/ thumbs. ars/ 2007/ 03/ 26/ yellow-fever-and-bird-flu-the-chocobo-allure) [25] IGN: Final Fantasy VIII Review (http:/ / uk. pc. ign. com/ articles/ 161/ 161737p1. html)

Gameplay [26] Vestal, Andrew (July 19, 2000). "Final Fantasy IX Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasy9/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-13. [27] "Final Fantasy X-2 Review" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 458/ 458474p3. html). IGN (http:/ / www. ign. com/ ). . Retrieved 2006-12-08. [28] Shoemaker, Brad (2003). "Final Fantasy X-2 for PlayStation 2 Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasyx2/ review. html). GameSpot (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ). . Retrieved July 30, 2006. [29] Bill Loguidice, Matt Barton (2009). Vintage Games. Focal Press/Elsevier. ISBN 9780240811468 0240811461. [30] Final Fantasy Anthology Official Strategy Guide. BradyGames. 1999. ISBN 1566869250. [31] (in Japanese) Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania. Studio BentStuff. 2004. ISBN 4757512430. [32] (in Japanese) Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania Omega. Square-Enix. 2004. ISBN 4757511612. [33] Andrew Vestal (1998-11-02). "The History of Final Fantasy - Final Fantasy VIII" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ features/ vgs/ universal/ finalfantasy_hs/ sec1_8_3. html). Gamespot. . Retrieved 2009-04-02. [34] Andrew Vestal (1998-11-02). "The History of Final Fantasy - Final Fantasy V" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ features/ vgs/ universal/ finalfantasy_hs/ sec1_5_2. html). Gamespot. . Retrieved 2008-12-31. [35] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Origins North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. p. 5. SLUS-01541. [36] Final Fantasy III Official Website (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ff3/ ). Square Enix (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ). Retrieved February 17, 2007. [37] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Anthology North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. pp. 17–18. SLUS-00879GH. [38] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy Tactics North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 24–26. SCUS-94221. [39] Final Fantasy Tactics Official Website (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFT-A/ ) Square-Enix.com (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ). Retrieved February 18, 2007. [40] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy X-2 North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. p. 13. [41] Final Fantasy XI Official Site (http:/ / www. playonline. com/ ff11eu/ guide/ system/ index. html?pageID=system). Playonline.com (http:/ / Playonline. com). Retrieved February 9, 2007. [42] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Origins North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. p. 23. SLUS-01541. [43] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy Chronicles North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 6–9. SLUS-01360. [44] Square Enix Co., ed. Final Fantasy Anthology North American instruction manual. Square Enix Co.. pp. 47–48. SLUS-00879GH. [45] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy VII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 32–34. SCUS-94163. [46] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 24–35. SLUS-00892GH. [47] The Evolution of Final Fantasy (http:/ / au. ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 756/ 756635p1. html). IGN.com. Retrieved February 11, 2006. [48] Square Electronic Arts, ed. Final Fantasy IX North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 16–19. SLUS-01251. [49] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. pp. 18–19. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [50] Final Fantasy XII introduces a new way to experience RPGs (http:/ / www. cbsnews. com/ stories/ 2006/ 12/ 21/ tech/ gamecore/ main2289842. shtml). CBS News. Retrieved February 11, 2006. [51] Andrew Vestal (1998-11-02). "The History of Final Fantasy - Final Fantasy Series" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ features/ vgs/ universal/ finalfantasy_hs/ sec2. html). Gamespot. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [52] Steve Watt. "Final Fantasy XI (Square Enix)" (http:/ / www. ugo. com/ channels/ games/ features/ finalfantasy_xi/ ). UGO. . Retrieved 2009-04-02. [53] Louis Bedigian (2006-08-14). "Dirge Of Cerberus - Final Fantasy VII Review" (http:/ / ps2. gamezone. com/ gzreviews/ r26389. htm). GameZone. . Retrieved 2009-04-02. [54] Justin Calvert (2007-06-01). "Final Fantasy Anniversary Edition Hands-On" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ psp/ rpg/ finalfantasyanniversaryedition/ news. html?sid=6171865). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2009-04-02. [55] RACapowski (2007). "Translation of Final Fantasy IV documents on Settings Book/Settei Shiryou Shuu/Compendium/What Have You" (http:/ / home. att. net/ ~RCgamusic/ ff4comp. htm#contents). . Retrieved April 5, 2007. [56] "GameSpot's 15 most influential" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gamespot/ features/ video/ 15influential/ p16_01. html). Gamespot. 2000. .

Minigames

Minigames The popular video game franchise Final Fantasy (ファイナルファンタジー Fainaru Fantajī) has become known for its inclusion of one or more minigames as part of its core gameplay, beginning mainly with Final Fantasy VII. Participation and progression in these minigames generally will not affect the main game, but can often offer many items or "power ups" that are either very rare, or simply otherwise unavailable. They can also offer a diversion to the main story, and add a few more hours of gameplay. However, in some Final Fantasy installments, such as Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X, certain minigames are sometimes necessary in order to progress the storyline.

Minigames Easter Egg minigames Several simple minigames of the series are hidden as Easter eggs which must be unlocked by pressing special button combinations in a particular location. In Final Fantasy, a sliding puzzle can be unlocked while boarding the ship. In Final Fantasy II, a matching game can be unlocked while boarding the ice sled and meeting a certain requirement. In Final Fantasy IX, a Blackjack game can be unlocked on the ending screen.

Final Fantasy VII minigames Final Fantasy VII was the first game to feature a large number of minigames and still remains the role-playing game with the most minigames. A number of minigames appear occasionally throughout the main storyline and at various locations, many of which can later be played at the Gold Saucer theme park within the game, along with various other minigames exclusive to the Gold Saucer. The Gold Saucer in Final Fantasy VII has a number of different theme park attractions, which include: Battle Square, a tournament; Chocobo Square, a chocobo racing game; Event Square, a short stageplay played like a visual novel or graphic adventure; Ghost Square, a halloween-themed hotel; Round Square, a Gondola ride; Speed Square, a light gun shooter; Station Square, a train station to travel to and from the Gold Saucer; and Wonder Square, a videogame arcade from where most of the minigames in Final Fantasy VII can be played.[1] Some of the minigames playable at Wonder Square include: 3D Battler, a simple boxing sports game; Arm Wrestling Mega Sumo, an arm wrestling simulator; Fortune Telling, a fortune-telling simulator; G Bike, a motorbike racing game; Mog House, a moogle-feeding game; Snow Game, a snowboarding game; Super Dunk, a basketball free throw simulator; Wonder Catcher, a simple casino game; and Torpedo Attack, a submarine simulation game.[1] Storyline-driven minigames first played outside of (or not included in) the Gold Saucer include: gym squats at the Wall Market, a mystery puzzle minigame to find Mayor Domino's password, the G Bike motorbike racing game mentioned above, a piano simulation, a CPR minigame, a jumping minigame with Mr. Dolphin, a military parade marching band simulation, a posing minigame for Rufus, a version of the Snow Game snowboarding minigame mentioned above, and a submarine battle like the Torpedo Attack minigame mentioned above. Some of the other minigames in Final Fantasy VII only found outside of the Gold Saucer and outside of the main storyline include: a chocobo-breeding game, a real-time strategy at Fort Condor, and a treasure-hunting game at Bone Village.

Minigames

Minigames are primarily played with Cloud Strife. However, following events on Disc 2 in which players temporarily control Tifa Lockheart and Cid Highwind, the game may offer the chance to play as them during G Bike, Snow Game and Chocobo Racing, provided they are in your party.

Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding

Comparison of the Snow Game minigame in Final Fantasy VII (left) and Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding on mobile phones (right).

One of the many minigames to be featured in Final Fantasy VII included a snowboarding game. It can be played for the first time at the Icicle Lodge, and another version of the minigame, entitled Snow Game, can later be played at the Wonder Square arcade of the Gold Saucer theme park within Final Fantasy VII for the price of 200 gil each time. In the Gold Saucer, players pop balloons whilst on the snowboard and receive points. Depending on how well you do (with factors such as crashes, points, etc), you get a prize. There are three different types of tracks: the Beginner track; the Advanced track, and the Crazy track, each with their own prize. Red balloons, the easiest balloons to pop, get you 1 point, Blue balloons, harder to pop than red ones, get you 3 points, and Green balloons, the hardest ones to pop, get you 5 points. After beating a course, you are given one of four comments. BAD = 0 - 29 points, AWFUL = 30 - 69 points, GOOD = 70 - 99 points, and COOL = 100 points. Once you score a GOOD ranking on each course, you unlock the Time Attack mode. The Snow Game minigame was later released as a separate snowboarding game for mobile phones entitled Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding, which released in Japan and North America in 2005. It is a mobile port of the snowboarding minigame featured in the original game.[2] The game is playable on the LG VX8000, LG VX8100, Audiovox 8940 and Samsung A890 mobile phone and contains different tracks than the original minigame.

Triple Triad Triple Triad is a card game in Final Fantasy VIII, designed by battle designer Hiroyuki Ito. It was not considered an essential part of the game, but more to provide a light relief to the storyline and allow the player to interact with minor characters in a different way. Through the use of Quezacotl's Card Mod ability, the player is able to create rare items by converting cards earned by defeating various competitors.[3] Final Fantasy VIII was the first of the series to introduce a side-game with such interaction. Triple Triad is played on a three-by-three (3x3) square grid of blank spaces, where cards will be placed as the game progresses. The cards depict various characters, monsters, and bosses from the game, and four numbers placed in arrangement so each corresponds to one of the four sides of the card. These numbers range from one to nine, the letter A representing ten. In a basic game of Triple Triad, each player has five cards. A coin-flip decision is made to decide which of the two players will begin. The player who wins the coin toss may then choose a card to play anywhere on the grid. After the first card is played, the opposing player may then play a card on any unoccupied space on the board. The game continues with player's turns alternating in this fashion.

Minigames

51 When a card is played, its values are assessed and compared to any cards which are adjacent on the grid. If no cards are adjacent, no assessment is made and play continues. If any cards controlled by the other player are adjacent to the played card, then the values of the sides of the played card are compared to the adjacent sides of the opposing cards. If the played card's sides are of a higher value, then the opposing card or cards become controlled by the player, and change in color.

Gameplay continues until the entire grid is filled. As there are only nine spaces on the board, the player who did not go first has one card remaining. Once the game is complete, the player who has the most cards in his color is named the winner. As The Angelo Triple Triad card. there are a total of ten cards, this allows the possibility of the game ending in a draw, which may be resolved by a sudden death scenario, or by playing until a winner is defined. The winner claims a prize by taking one or more of the loser's cards. In Final Fantasy VIII, each region of the game world has its own unique rules that can be applied to Triple Triad. Some include whether the players can see each others' unplayed cards, how many cards can be taken by the winner of the game, and how draws are determined. These rules can be added to or removed from the various regions in the game world, depending on choices that the player makes. The main in-game purpose for playing was to gain rare cards, which could then be "refined" by Quezacotl's Card Mod ability into rare items, used for upgrading weapons, teaching abilities, or further refining into spells or ammunition for use in one of the Limit Break abilities. In 1999, following the release of Final Fantasy VIII, Japanese games company Bandai produced a full set of collectible Triple Triad cards. The set was made up of the 110 cards as seen in the game along with 72 artwork cards and a collectors edition playing mat.[4] Because the set was only released commercially in Japan and was not generally available in America or Europe, the cards have become a rare collectors item. The game remains very popular, with many free third-party internet versions currently thriving online. These online editions generally add cards for other games, and many have additional rule sets.

Chocobo World Chocobo World (おでかけチョコボRPGOdekake Chokobo RPG) is a handheld electronic game designed by Hiroyuki Itou of Square Co. (now Square Enix) for the PocketStation handheld game console. The game can be played exclusively, but is intended as a minigame to Final Fantasy VIII.[5] The game was present in all localizations of Final Fantasy VIII, but the PocketStation itself was only released in Japan.[6] It was later ported to the Windows version of Final Fantasy VIII in 2000.[7] The game allows players to control Boko, a baby chocobo, on his quest to save his friend Mog from the clutches of an evil demon. The game's screen consists of black and white pixel graphics and is presented in a manner similar to the "virtual pet" concept conceived by Bandai's Tamagotchi. To play in conjunction with Final Fantasy VIII, the player must find Boko in the world of Final Fantasy VIII. Once accomplished, the player receives a user interface for communicating with the minigame. At any time, the player may send Boko into Chocobo World to gain experience and collect special items, which are transferred back for use in Final Fantasy VIII. In addition, Boko may be used as a summon in Final Fantasy VIII.[8]

Minigames

Boko faces a Blobra on the battle screen

52 In Chocobo World, Boko perpetually wanders around a nondescript landscape in search of "events" to interact with, such as enemy battles. Depending on how the player sets the "Move" option, Boko may break from his path to navigate to the nearest event perpendicular to his direction of travel. Players can also turn off the "Event Wait" option, eliminating the need for player input, although choosing this option prevents encounters with special events. At any time, players can intervene and halt Boko's computer-controlled movement in favor of manually controlling him. Events are shown on the map as black dots, while Boko's location is represented by a flickering black dot. When an event is cleared, it vanishes on the map, only to be replaced by another in a random location. When Boko gains a level of experience through battling enemies, the map resets and randomly redistributes

events across the world.[5] Battles are the most common event the player encounters in Chocobo World. Upon confronting an enemy, the player is thrust into the battle screen and must fight until either the enemy or Boko is defeated. Combatant health is represented by numerical "hit points" displayed on the far sides of the playing screen; the first creature who's hit points reach zero loses the battle. Combat relies on a variant of the Active Time Battle (ATB) system featured in Final Fantasy VIII. In battle, Boko and his opponent each have a time counter; the first combatant's counter to reach zero is allowed to attack, upon which both time counters reset and the process repeats itself. By alternately pressing the left and right buttons, players can speed up Boko's time counter, reducing the time required for him to attack. Upon winning a battle, Boko receives a magic stone which is randomly placed on a tic-tac-toe-style board. If three stones line up in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row, Boko gains a "level" of experience, which increases his hit point count in Chocobo World and his strength in Final Fantasy VIII. If the player finds Mog within Chocobo World, he will assist Boko in battle as a last resort. If Mog's attack fails to defeat the enemy, he leaves his partner and Boko loses the battle. After losing, Boko must rest to restore his hit points, while the player is allowed to continue the game without penalty.[5]

Tetra Master Similar to Triple Triad, Tetra Master is a card game found in Final Fantasy IX. Unlike most of the minigames in the series, a few Tetra Master games are required to be played, one at the beginning of the game, and several closer to the end. The game is played between two players on a four-by-four square grid of blank spaces, where cards are placed as the game progresses.[9] Cards depict various characters, monsters or other items from Final Fantasy IX. Each card features four values written across the card, and has anywhere from zero to eight arrows corresponding to the sides and corners of the card. The basis of the game is for cards on the grid to 'challenge' adjacent cards, whereby the values written on the card are assessed to decide the winner. In a basic game of Tetra Master, each player has five cards, neither knowing the other's hand. Just before the game commences, up to six grid-blocks can be placed on the game grid randomly. These prevent cards from being placed in that grid square.[10] A coin-flip decision is made as to which of the two players shall begin. The players alternate placing cards onto the game grid. If a player places a card onto the grid with an arrow on it pointing to one of the other player's cards, then a card battle begins.[9] If the other player's card does not have an arrow opposing the attacking player's card's arrow, then it becomes in the control of the attacking player. Otherwise, the winner of the card battle is chosen based on the cards' stats.[11] If a card is taken, then it in turn takes any cards it can have an unopposed card battle with.[12]

A Tetra Master card.

Every card has four values, or stats. Each of these stats relate to the strength of the card. The second value from the left is always an alphabetical value, while the other three stats increase on a hexadecimal range, meaning they can

Minigames range from zero to fifteen, with the letters A through F representing the numbers ten through fifteen. These stats are, in order, the power, the battle class, the physical defense, and the magical defense of the card.[10] Each stat represents a range of possible values, with the actual value of the stat being randomly chosen in that range whenever a battle begins. The power stat is the offensive value of the card. The physical defense and magical defense stats are the physical and magic defenses of the card. The battle class stat is either a P, M, X, or A, and refers to whether the card's class is physical, magical, flexible, or assault. This affects which stat the attacking card attacks. Physical will attack the Physical Defense stat while Magical will attack the Magical Defense stat. Flexible will attack the lowest of the two defenses and Assault will attack the lowest number on the card.[10] The player who controls the most cards when all cards have been placed is declared the winner. If both players have the same number of cards, then no winner is declared. The winning player may take one of the cards from the opposition's set, but only one which was captured during the game. A game win is declared "perfect" if either player succeeds in controlling all of the cards at the end of a game. In this An example of card hierarchy situation, the winning player claims all of the opposition's cards.[13] There is also a chance that one of the stats of one of the winning player's cards will upgrade after a battle, though each card has its own limits on how much it can be upgraded.[10] Within Final Fantasy IX, one's collector's level increases and decreases as they play more Tetra Master, depending upon how many unique cards that player owns.[14] To achieve the highest collector's level, the player must collect one of every card in the game, each one with a different arrow pattern, and each one either A or X class.[15] A board game version of Tetra Master was released for a short time in Europe. It consisted of 120 cards, two ten-sided dice, a manual, a double-sided playing board featuring two scenes from Final Fantasy IX, ten yellow counters and ten red counters. It featured a simplified version of the rules used in the game.[16] Tetra Master is available to play online on the PlayStation 2 or a Windows PC using Square's PlayOnline service for a monthly fee.[17] Players may choose to compete against computers or other players. Cards may also be traded, auctioned, and bought from or sold to a card shop using in-game currency.[17] Users outside of Japan must purchase Final Fantasy XI to access the PlayOnline service on the PlayStation 2; however, subscription to Tetra Master does not require a subscription to Final Fantasy XI.

Chocobo Hot and Cold Final Fantasy IX also had an additional minigame named Chocobo Hot and Cold. Upon the acquisition of a Chocobo, the player becomes able to access the game inside of Chocobo Forests. No games of Chocobo Hot and Cold are required to be played during the game, though items received through the game could be used in the rest of Final Fantasy IX, including both regular game items and clues towards discovering more items in the main game. Chocobo Hot and Cold is played inside of Chocobo Forests while riding a chocobo. The player uses the chocobo to peck at the ground, with the chocobo emitting different sounds corresponding to how far away from the closest buried item the player is.[18] Upon the discovery of the location of a buried item, the player must peck repeatedly at the ground to unearth the item, with more valuable items being buried deeper and thus requiring more pecks. The player typically begins the game with a minute to find as many items as possible, though this varies between forests. The player can also extend their time by collecting many items before time expires. Besides items and gil, the player can unearth chocographs, which are pictures hinting at the location of items buried outside of the chocobo forest in the main game world. These items can be retrieved in much the same way as the items in the minigame.[19] Chocobo Hot and Cold was added to FFXI in late 2006. It is played almost exactly the same, the only difference being that you must receive a certain kind of wildgrass from the stables each time you want to play. This can be bought from any stable in one of the three major cities.[20]

Minigames

Blitzball In Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, Blitzball is a sport featuring six-man teams that combines the physicality of Rugby with Soccer kicks for scoring and the hand passes of water polo (in fact, it has some similarities with Underwater rugby). The game is played underwater in a large sphere pool suspended in the air. Although blitzball is a crucial element to Final Fantasy X's plot, only one game is required to be played. The blitzball minigame is played from a top-down perspective, with the player controlling his team members in turn. Teams are made up of six players a side, of whom one is the goalkeeper. The aim is to kick a dimpled ball (called the blitzball) into the opponent's goal area. The team with the most goals after two five-minute halves is declared the winner. As characters advance through the ranks they learn many new tricks to improve both their offensive and defensive skills, called techniques. Defensive techniques in blitzball often include violent tackles. Some tackles are intended to poison, cripple, or knock opponents unconscious altogether. As substitutions are not allowed outside of halftime intermissions, the use of these techniques can offer teams a temporary numerical advantage. Special goal-shooting and goal-tending techniques can also be learned. The ball always ends up in the hands of a player or in the goal, whether fumbled or blocked. When the blitzball mini-game first becomes available in Final Fantasy X, the player takes control of the Besaid Aurochs, and is given a standard player roster, which the player may alter by signing up other players from around the world, including players who began as members of the five other teams. Likewise, other teams may change their rosters as well. The blitzball minigame in Final Fantasy X-2 differs from the one seen in Final Fantasy X, as players no longer directly manipulate the actions of their blitzball team members. Rather, they act as the coach, training and selecting players for their team.[21]

A goal is scored in the blitzball minigame in Final Fantasy X

There are six teams in the blitzball minigame in Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2. These include the Al Bhed Pscyhes (from the Al Bhed home, Home), Luca Goers (from the city of Luca), Ronso Fangs (from the Ronso hometown of Mount Gagazet), Guado Glories (from the home of the Guado, Guadosalam), Kilika Beasts (from the island of Kilika) and the Besaid Aurochs (from the island of Besaid). In Final Fantasy X, the Luca Goers and Al Bhed Psyches start off as the strongest teams but by the end they are mediocre to average at best. Both these teams start off with high shoot, endurance, attack and block attributes, but have average passing stats. The Guado Glories are characterized as having the fastest players in Final Fantasy X, but in Final Fantasy X-2, they have the slowest players. Their key stats include passing and their weaknesses are shooting and endurance. They are average throughout the game. The Ronso Fangs are the slowest team in Final Fantasy X, but have average speed in Final Fantasy X-2. They are known to have consistently high endurance, attack and shooting values, but lack in the passing and block departments. The Kilika Beasts are the most interesting team because they start of with arguably worse stats than even the Besaid Aurochs, but by the end of the game, they end up having the best players. In fact, having all 5 or 6 Beasts as part of one's final team is considered an important strategic move by many players and as such, they are highly valued by all teams beyond level 60.

Minigames

Sphere Break Sphere Break is a minigame within the game Final Fantasy X-2. The game has a numerical grid that has to be dealt with using a set of rules. The mechanics of the minigame are purely mathematical, relying on sums and multiplications; the aim is to create the most multiples of a "core number" by combining numbers of the sixteen coins on the board. The game is played on a four-by-four grid of blank spaces, which are randomly populated with coins at the beginning of each turn except for the four golden entry Coins in the center. All coins are numbered from one to nine and possess A Sphere Break game in progress. several different attributes that can help the player in the Sphere Break minigame itself, such as Echo bonuses or Quota multipliers, or gain items that can help in the various battles in Final Fantasy X-2.[22] Before the game starts, a set number of border coins that needs to be collected by the end of the game, or quota, is determined, as well the four entry coins to be used, the number of turns allowed, and the time limit per turn. The empty spaces on the board are then randomly populated with coins with the chosen entry coins in the center, and the Core Sphere produces a random number from one to nine. The player first selects one entry coin, then chooses any number of border coins and entry coins until the total value of the selected coins is a multiple of the core sphere, called a core break. This ends the turn, and the sum of the selected coin values are added towards the quota. Any border coins used are removed from play and replaced with a random coin at a later turn, and all other border coins have their values increased by one. Any coin whose value goes over nine is also replaced. The next turn then begins, and the player continues until there are no turns remaining, the quota is filled, or all border coins are used up. Entry coins may also contain bonus attributes, such as multipliers to the next turn's score, or items to be used within Final Fantasy X-2. These bonuses or items can only be obtained if the applicable entry coin is used during play.

Reception and criticism The Electric Playground and Malaysian website The Star Online both noted the similarity of Chocobo World to another digital pet game, Tamagotchi,[23] with The Electric Playground describing the minigame as "very nice" and pleasing.[24] Ars Technica thought that players who enjoy "walking as a Chocobo on the horizontal plane of infinity" might find the minigame fun.[25] IGN considered the PC version of the minigame a "nice touch" to Final Fantasy VIII, noting that users can play the former while doing other activities on their computer since it runs on a tiny window on the screen.[26] Conversely, The Star Online felt that playing the minigame on a PC was "a little boring" and deplored the lack of compatibility with Palm devices.[23] Triple Triad was praised by GameSpot as a "more-than-worthy RPG minigame", finding it engaging and unique.[3] Tetra Master, however, was seen by GameSpot as inferior and confusing compared to Triple Triad, as the rules for it were only vaguely explained in Final Fantasy IX and there were very few rewards earned from playing it despite its extensiveness.[27] GameSpot has also commented that "trivial minigames have been creeping into the Final Fantasy games at an alarming rate over the last few years, and in this regard, [Final Fantasy] X-2 is definitely the most egregious offender in the series".[28]

Minigames

See also • List of fictional games • Minigame

External links • Tetra Master [29] official website at PlayOnline

References [1] "Final Fantasy VII: Gold Saucer" (http:/ / www. eyesonff. com/ ff7/ goldsaucer. php). Eyes on Final Fantasy. . Retrieved 2008-05-19. [2] Buchanan, Levi (2005). "Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding" (http:/ / wireless. ign. com/ articles/ 594/ 594902p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-11. [3] Vestal, Andrew (February 24, 1999). "Final Fantasy VIII for PlayStation Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasy8/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-11-15. [4] "Final Fantasy VIII: Triple Triad" (http:/ / www. boardgamegeek. com/ game/ 15957). Board Game geek (http:/ / www. boardgamegeek. com/ ). . Retrieved 2006-12-07. [5] Square Electronic Arts, ed (1999). Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 38–40. SLUS-00892GH. [6] IGN staff (July 15, 1999). "FFVIII PocketStation Opens Up Chocobo World" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 068/ 068855p1. html). www.ign.com. . Retrieved 2006-07-18. [7] Dan Calderman (2000). "Chocobo World Playable on PC" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q1-2000/ 010600c. html). www.rpgamer.com. . Retrieved 2006-07-18. [8] IGN Staff (2000-01-28). "IGN: Final Fantasy VIII Review" (http:/ / uk. pc. ign. com/ articles/ 161/ 161737p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-03-31. [9] Alleyway Jack: Let's talk about how to actually play the game. You take turns placing your cards on a 4x4 grid with your opponent. Sometimes your opponent's card flips. That's because of the yellow arrows on the corners and the sides of the cards. If your arrow is facing in the direction of your opponent's card, that card becomes yours. But if your opponent's card has an arrow facing yours, a card battle begins. Square Co. Final Fantasy IX. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (2000-11-14) [10] Birlew, Dan (2000). FINAL FANTASY IX Official Strategy Guide. Brady Publishing. p. 53. ISBN 0744000416. [11] Mogster: If your card wins the card battle, you win the opponent's card. If your card loses the card battle, the opponent wins your card. Square Co. Final Fantasy IX. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (2000-11-14) [12] Alleyway Jack: If your card wins against the opponent's card, all the cards facing that card's arrows are yours. That's called a combo. Square Co. Final Fantasy IX. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (2000-11-14) [13] Alleyway Jack: What is a perfect game, you ask? You get one of your opponent's cards when you win. If you flip over all of your opponent's cards and play a perfect game, you can take all of them! Square Co. Final Fantasy IX. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (2000-11-14) [14] Alleyway Jack: Let me tell you about collector's levels! Check your menu and go to the section entitled Card. You can check your collector's level there. You can level up as you collect more cards. Square Co. Final Fantasy IX. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (2000-11-14) [15] Piggyback (2001-01-29). Final Fantasy IX: Official Strategy Guide (Strategies & Secrets). Piggyback Interactive. ISBN 1-903511-10-0. [16] "Final Fantasy IX Tetra Master Card Game" (http:/ / www. boardgamegeek. com/ game/ 7604). BoardGameGeek (http:/ / www. boardgamegeek. com/ ). . Retrieved May 18, 2007. [17] "TetraMaster" (http:/ / www. playonline. com/ tetraus/ about. html). PlayOnline (http:/ / www. playonline. com/ ). . Retrieved May 19, 2007. [18] Mene: Here's the thing, kupo. Choco has the ability to seek out treasures and items hidden underground. But I can't ride chocobos. Will you help me, kupo? 60 gil per game, and you keep all the items Choco digs up! Square Co. Final Fantasy IX. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (2000-11-14) [19] Mene: There's a picture of some location on the stone, kupo. This place must have tons of treasures... Why don't you go out of the forest and look for this place? Square Co. Final Fantasy IX. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (2000-11-14) [20] "Chocobo Raising" (http:/ / www. playonline. com/ pcd/ update/ ff11us/ 20060822VOL2B1/ detail. html). PlayOnline (http:/ / www. playonline. com/ ). . Retrieved 2007-05-11. [21] "Final Fantasy X-2 Side Quests- Blitzball" (http:/ / squareonline. ffshrine. org/ FF/ ff10-2/ blitzball. php). Square Online (http:/ / www. square-online. info/ ). . Retrieved 2006-12-08. [22] "Final Fantasy X-2 Review" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 458/ 458474p3. html). IGN (http:/ / www. ign. com/ ). . Retrieved 2006-12-08. [23] The Star Online : TechCentral - Malaysia Technology (http:/ / star-techcentral. com/ reviews/ story. asp?file=/ 2000/ 5/ 2/ conquering_the_latest_fantasy& sec=reviews& ref=game& new=0& cat=4& rid=33) [24] Electric Playground (http:/ / www. elecplay. com/ reviews_article. php?article=2270)

Minigames [25] Yellow fever and bird flu: the Chocobo allure (http:/ / arstechnica. com/ journals/ thumbs. ars/ 2007/ 03/ 26/ yellow-fever-and-bird-flu-the-chocobo-allure) [26] IGN: Final Fantasy VIII Review (http:/ / uk. pc. ign. com/ articles/ 161/ 161737p1. html) [27] Vestal, Andrew (July 19, 2000). "Final Fantasy IX Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasy9/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-13. [28] Shoemaker, Brad (2003). "Final Fantasy X-2 for PlayStation 2 Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasyx2/ review. html). GameSpot (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ). . Retrieved July 30, 2006. [29] http:/ / www. playonline. com/ tetraus/ about. html

Music Final Fantasy is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi and owned by Square Enix that includes video games, motion pictures, and other merchandise. The series began in 1987 as an eponymous console role-playing game developed by Square, spawning a video game series that became the central focus of the franchise.[1] [2] The music of the Final Fantasy series refers to the soundtracks of the Final Fantasy series of video games, as well as the surrounding medley of soundtrack, arranged, and compilation albums. The series' music ranges from very light background music to emotionally intense interweavings of character and situation leitmotifs. The franchise includes a main series of numbered games as well as several spin-off series such as Crystal Chronicles and the Final Fantasy Tactics series. The primary composer of music for the main series was Nobuo Uematsu, who single-handedly composed the soundtracks for the first nine games, as well as directing the production of many of the albums. Music for the spin-off series and main series games beginning with Final Fantasy X was created by a variety of composers including Masashi Hamauzu, Naoshi Mizuta, Hitoshi Sakimoto, and Kumi Tanioka. The majority of Final Fantasy games, including all of the main series games, have received a soundtrack album release. Many have also inspired orchestral, vocal, or piano arrangement albums. In addition to the regular albums, a number of compilation albums of songs from multiple games have been produced both by Square Enix and outside groups. Music from the original soundtracks of the games has been arranged as sheet music for the piano and published by DOREMI Music Publishing, while sheet music from the piano albums have been published by Yamaha Music Media. The franchise's music has been performed numerous times in concert tours and other live performances such as the Orchestral Game Music Concerts, Symphonic Game Music Concerts, and the Play! A Video Game Symphony and Video Games Live concert tours, as well as forming the basis of specific Final Fantasy concerts such as the Dear Friends and Distant Worlds concert tours.

Themes Although each game in the Final Fantasy series offers a variety of music, there are some frequently reused themes. Most of the games open with a piece called "Prelude", which is based on a short piece by Bach that has evolved from a simple, two-voice, arpeggiated theme in the early games to a complex melodic arrangement in recent installments.[3] [4] [5] It has been described as being "as recognizable in gaming circles as the Super Mario Bros. theme or Sonic the Hedgehog's title screen pop".[4] Battle victories in the first 10Â installments of the series were accompanied by a victory fanfare; this theme has become one of the most recognized pieces of music in the series.[6] [7] Chocobos and moogles, two mascots for the series, each have their own theme songs. The basic theme for chocobos is rearranged in a different musical style for each installment, and usually has a title ending in "de Chocobo", while moogles have a theme entitled "Moogle's Theme", which first appeared in Final Fantasy V.[3] The chocobo inspired the spin-off Chocobo series, and many of the songs from the soundtracks of that series are stylistically based on the main chocobo theme.[8] A piece called "Prologue" or "Final Fantasy", originally featured in the first game, has appeared in some form in every game in the main series; originally appearing in the prologue of the games. It sometimes appears as a full arrangement and surfaces other times as a theme played during the finale track.[3] [9] Although leitmotifs are often used in the more character-driven installments, theme music is typically

Music

reserved for main characters and recurring plot elements.[1]

History Main series 1987–1994: Famicom era Timeline of release years 1987 –

– Final Fantasy

1988 –

– Final Fantasy II

1989 – 1990 –

– Final Fantasy III

1991 –

– Final Fantasy IV

1992 –

– Final Fantasy V

1993 – 1994 –

– Final Fantasy VI

1995 – 1996 – 1997 –

– Final Fantasy VII

1998 – 1999 –

– Final Fantasy VIII

2000 –

– Final Fantasy IX

2001 –

– Final Fantasy X

2002 –

– Final Fantasy XI

2003 – 2004 – 2005 – 2006 –

– Final Fantasy XII

2007 – 2008 – 2009 –

– Final Fantasy XIII

When Nobuo Uematsu was working at a music rental shop in Tokyo, a woman working in the art department for Square, which would later become Square Enix, approached him about creating music for some of their titles in development, and he agreed. Uematsu considered it a side job and was skeptical it would become any sort of full-time position. He said it was a way to make some money on the side, while also keeping his part-time job at the music rental shop.[10] Before joining Square, he composed music for television commercials.[11] The first score he produced for Square was the soundtrack for the computer role-playing game Cruise Chaser Blassty. While working at Square, he met Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, who asked him if he wanted to compose music for some of his games, which Uematsu agreed to.[10] Sakaguchi gave him a few instructions for the soundtrack of Final Fantasy, Uematsu's 16th score,[5] such as the need for "battle" and "town" music, but left the remainder of the composing to Uematsu, aside from informing him of the specific technical limitations of the Famicom system. The

Music

game was released in 1987.[12] After the success of Final Fantasy I, Uematsu remained with the series to compose the soundtrack to Final Fantasy II (1988). Although I and II were composed separately, music from the two games have only been released on albums together. These albums include a soundtrack album and two arranged albums. Final Fantasy III (1990) was released two years later and featured a soundtrack from Uematsu that has been lauded as one of the best soundtracks of any NES game.[13] The soundtrack spawned two soundtrack albums, as well as a disc of vocal and orchestral arrangements.[14] Final Fantasy IV (1991) was the first game in the series to be released for the Super Famicom, and the resultant changes in the sound technology resulted in a composition process that Uematsu noted was "excruciating".[15] Uematsu has stated that, beginning with this soundtrack, he started to move away from the idea that the soundtrack had to be solely an orchestral score.[16] In addition to the soundtrack album, the music of IV was arranged and released in the style of Celtic music, performed by MĂĄire Breatnach. It also sparked the release of an album of piano arrangements, something which would be repeated for every subsequent main-series game to date.[14] Having now gained experience with the Super Famicom sound chip, Uematsu felt that the sound quality of the soundtrack for the next game in the series, Final Fantasy V (1992), was much better than that of IV. Regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu He named this as the primary reason that the soundtrack album was two CDs long, a first for the series.[17] Like IV, the discography of Final Fantasy V included an arranged and a piano album in addition to the main soundtrack album.[14] In 1994, Square released Final Fantasy VI (1994), the last for the Super Famicom, and the accompanying soundtrack has been considered one of the greatest video game soundtracks ever composed.[18] The game's discography also includes orchestral and piano arrangement CDs, as well as EPs of unreleased tracks and character themes. The soundtrack included the first attempt in the Final Fantasy series to include a vocal track, "Aria di Mezzo Carattere", which has been described as "one of Uematsu's greatest achievements".[9] This track features an unintelligible synthesized "voice" that harmonizes with the melody, as technical limitations for the SPC700 sound format chip prevented the use of an actual vocal track. The first actual vocals in a song appeared in Final Fantasy VII.[14] 1997â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2000: PlayStation era Beginning with Final Fantasy VII (1997), the series moved platforms to the PlayStation. While the media capabilities of the PlayStation allowed for CD quality music, Uematsu opted instead to use MIDI sounds.[19] The soundtrack album ran a record four discs, and Uematsu has stated that the move into the "PlayStation era", which allowed video game composers to use sounds recorded in the studio rather than from synthesizers, had "definitely been the biggest change" to video game music.[20] VII was the first game in the series to include a track with digitized vocals, "One-Winged Angel", which has been described as Uematsu's "most recognizable contribution" to the music of the series.[21] The song, described as "a fanfare to impending doom", is said to not "follow any normal genre rules" and has been termed "possibly the most innovative idea in the series' musical history."[19] The lyrics of the song, a Latin choral track which plays at the climax of the game, were taken from the medieval poetry on which Carl Orff based his Carmina Burana, specifically the songs "Estuans Interius", "O Fortuna", "Veni, Veni, Venias" and "Ave Formosissima".[22] There was a plan to use a "famous vocalist" for the ending song as a "theme song" for the game, but the idea was dropped due to time constraints and thematic concerns.[21] [23] The idea of a vocal theme song would be resurrected in the following installment of the series. In 2006, IGN ranked VII's music the best Final Fantasy soundtrack to date and cited the "gripping" character tracks and "One-Winged Angel" in particular as

Music contributing factors.[9] The discography of the original game only includes soundtrack, best of, and piano albums.[14] However, beginning in 2005 Square Enix produced a collection of media centered on the game and world of Final Fantasy VII entitled the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. This collection has produced five additional soundtrack albums, each for a different game or animation.[14] The soundtrack of Final Fantasy VIII (1999), unlike that of VI and VII, did not include character themes, as Uematsu felt they would not be effective.[24] In response to a question by IGN music stating that the music of Final Fantasy VIII was very dark and perhaps influenced by the plot of the game, Uematsu stated "the atmosphere of music varies depending on story line, of course, but it's also my intention to put various types of music into one game".[25] Although the idea had not been used in the previous game, he thought a ballad would closely relate to the theme and characters of VIII, and composed "Eyes on Me", performed by Faye Wong.[24] The song was released as a single, while Square produced soundtrack, orchestral, and piano albums for the game's music.[14] The music of Final Fantasy IX, (2000), was based around a theme of medieval music, and was heavily inspired by previous Final Fantasy games, incorporating themes and motifs from earlier soundtracks. Uematsu felt previous games VII and VIII had a mood of realism, but that Final Fantasy IX was more of a fantasy, so "a serious piece as well as silly, fun pieces could fit in".[26] [27] Uematsu has claimed several times that the music of IX is his favorite work, as well as the one he is most proud of.[28] [29] Like Final Fantasy VIII, IX included a vocal theme, "Melodies of Life", which was sung by Emiko Shiratori. The game's discography includes albums of the original soundtrack, a selection of the best tracks, a piano arrangement album, an album of unreleased tracks, and a single of "Melodies of Life".[14] 2001–present: other composers Final Fantasy X (2001) marked the first time in the series' history that Uematsu was not the sole composer for the soundtrack. Released on the PlayStation 2, the score was created by Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano. Uematsu contributed 51 tracks, Hamauzu contributed 20 tracks and Nakano contributed 18 tracks to the game.[30] The two new composers were chosen for the soundtrack based on their ability to create music that was different than Uematsu's while still working together.[31] The discography for the game includes the soundtrack album, piano, and vocal arrangement albums, and an EP of songs by Uematsu inspired by the game. The theme song for the game, "Suteki da ne", which translates to "Isn't it Wonderful?", was written by Nobuo Hitoshi Sakimoto was the main composer of Uematsu and Kazushige Nojima and was sung by Japanese folk singer Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy Tactics. Ritsuki Nakano, known as "RIKKI", whom the music team contacted while searching for a singer whose music reflected an Okinawan atmosphere.[32] "Suteki da ne" is sung in its original Japanese form in both the Japanese and English versions of Final Fantasy X, and was released as a single.[33] Uematsu, Naoshi Mizuta, and Kumi Tanioka composed Final Fantasy XI (2002). It was the last Final Fantasy soundtrack that Uematsu was a main composer for until the forthcoming Final Fantasy XIV, as he resigned from Square Enix in November 2004.[1] The expansion packs were scored by Mizuta alone. The opening of the game features choral music with lyrics in Esperanto. According to Uematsu, the choice of language was meant to symbolize the developers' hope that their online game could contribute to cross-cultural communication and cooperation.[34] The game and each of its four expansion packs have produced a soundtrack album; the discography for the game also includes two piano albums, an album of unreleased tracks, and two arranged albums.[14] Final Fantasy XII (2006) was mainly composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, although six compositions were contributed by his fellow composers Hayato Matsuo and Masaharu Iwata. Uematsu only contributed the theme song, "Kiss Me

Music

Good-Bye", sung by Angela Aki.[35] Violinist Taro Hakase also contributed a piece named "Symphonic Poem 'Hope'" featured during the game's ending credits. Sakimoto was brought in to compose the soundtrack to the game by Yasumi Matsuno, the producer of the game, five months before the game was officially announced.[36] Sakimoto experienced difficulty following in Uematsu's footsteps, but he decided to create a unique soundtrack in his own way, although he cites Uematsu as his biggest musical influence.[37] [38] Sakimoto did not meet with Uematsu for direction on creating the soundtrack and tried to avoid copying Uematsu's style from previous Final Fantasy soundtracks. However, he did attempt to ensure that his style would mesh with Uematsu's "Kiss Me Good-Bye" and the overall vision of the series.[36] The soundtrack has not inspired a piano album like IV through XI, with the current discography limited to the soundtrack album and singles for "Kiss Me Good-Bye" and "Symphonic Poem 'Hope'".[14] The newest game in the main series is Final Fantasy XIII (2009), and was composed by Masashi Hamauzu.[39] Although its main theme song was originally announced to be composed by Nobuo Uematsu, Uematsu instead gave the song to Hamauzu to compose after being selected as the composer for Final Fantasy XIV, making XIII the first game in the main series to not have any work by Uematsu.[40] A single of the game's theme song "Because You're Here" (君がいるから Kimi ga Iru Kara), sung by Sayuri Sugawara, was released on December 2, 2009.[41] The international versions of XIII feature the song "My Hands" sung by English singer Leona Lewis from her second album Echo. XIII was released in Japan on December 17, 2009 and forms the basis of a Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII collection of games which take place in the same universe but are not directly related to each other.[42] [43] The other two games announced for the collection are Final Fantasy Agito XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII.[44] Final Fantasy XIV, announced at the June 2, 2009, Sony E3 conference, will be composed by Uematsu through his "Smile Please" studio.[45]

Spin-offs Compilation of Final Fantasy VII Timeline of release years 1997 –

– Final Fantasy Tactics – Fushigina Dungeon

1998 –

– Chocobo's Dungeon 2

1999 –

– Chocobo Racing

2000 – 2001 – 2002 – 2003 –

– Final Fantasy X-2 – Tactics Advance

2004 –

– Before Crisis – Crystal Chronicles

2005 –

– Advent Children – Last Order

2006 –

– Dirge of Cerberus – Chocobo Tales

Music

62 2007 –

– Crisis Core – Revenant Wings – The War of the Lions – Ring of Fates – Grimoire of the Rift – Chocobo's Dungeon

2008 –

– The After Years – Crystal Defenders – My Life as a King – Magic Picture Book

2009 –

– Echoes of Time – My Life as a Darklord – Vanguard Storm

The Compilation of Final Fantasy VII is the formal title for a series of games and animated features developed by Square Enix based in the world and continuity of Final Fantasy VII. Spearheaded by Tetsuya Nomura and Yoshinori Kitase,[46] [47] [48] the series consists of several titles across various platforms, all of which are extensions of the Final Fantasy VII story. The first announced element of the compilation was Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, an animated sequel to the original game, though the first to be released was the mobile phone game Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII. Before Crisis's soundtrack was composed by Takeharu Ishimoto, while Advent Children was scored by Nobuo Uematsu, Keiji Kawamori, Kenichiro Fukui, and Tsuyoshi Sekito. Other titles in the compilation are Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, the soundtrack of which was composed by Masashi Hamauzu, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, which was primarily composed by Takeharu Ishimoto with a few tracks provided by Kazuhiko Toyama, and Last Order: Final Fantasy VII, also composed by Ishimoto.[14] Advent Children featured a song by former Japanese rock band Boøwy's singer Kyosuke Himuro in its ending credits, the Dirge of Cerberus soundtrack contained two vocal songs by Gackt, including its theme song "Redemption", and Crisis Core's theme song, "Why", was performed by Ayaka. Each element of the compilation sparked its own soundtrack album except for Before Crisis and Last Order, which had their soundtracks released together in one album.[14] Dirge of Cerberus also had a download-only soundtrack album for its Japan-only multiplayer mode, while "Redemption" and "Why" each had a single release by their respective artists.[49] [50] Final Fantasy X-2 Final Fantasy X-2 (2003), was the first direct video game sequel to any Final Fantasy game. Despite having composed the majority of the soundtrack for its prequel, Final Fantasy X, Nobuo Uematsu did not contribute any music to the project. No songs from X or other games in the series were used in the game. In an attempt to make a different style of music for the game than previous franchise titles, Square brought Noriko Matsueda and Takahito Eguchi onboard to compose the music for X-2, as the developers felt they were the "perfect fit" to incorporate a "pop" style into the music.[51] The game includes two songs with vocalized elements, one of which, the J-Pop song "real Emotion", was written by Ken Kato and composed by Kazuhiro Hara. The other, J-Pop ballad "1000 Words", was written by scenario writers Kazushige Nojima and Daisuke Watanabe. Matsueda and Eguchi composed and arranged the track. Both songs were sung by Jade Villalon from Sweetbox in the English version of the game, and are available as bonus tracks on the Japanese release of her album Adagio.[52] In the Japanese version of the game both the songs were sung by Kumi Koda and were released as a single entitled real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba. Koda also released her own English versions of the songs on her CD single Come with Me, with slightly different versions of the lyrics than Jade. In addition to Come with Me, the collection of music for Final Fantasy X-2 includes the two-disc soundtrack album, a piano album, a soundtrack album for the Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission version of the game, a single for the song "Eternity ~ Memory of Lightwaves", and a set of three singles themed around the three main characters of the game.[14]

Music Tactics and Ivalice Alliance series The Final Fantasy Tactics series is a spin-off of the main Final Fantasy series, consisting of primarily tactical role-playing games with heavy thematic similarities to the main series. After Final Fantasy XII was set in the same world, Ivalice, as the two games in the series Final Fantasy Tactics (1997) and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (2003), Square Enix announced that all future games set in the game world would be part of the new Ivalice Alliance subseries. These games to date include Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (2007), Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (2007), Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (2007), Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System (2007), Crystal Defenders (2008), and Crystal Defenders: Vanguard Storm (2009).[53] The music of these games has been primarily composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, who also composed the main-series game set in Ivalice, Final Fantasy XII. Masaharu Iwata shared compositional duties with him for Tactics; Sakimoto composed 47 tracks for the game while Iwata composed the other 24.[54] Sakimoto composed almost all of the music for Tactics Advance, while Uematsu contributed the main theme and Kaori Ohkoshi and Ayako Saso composed additional battle tracks.[55] Both games have a soundtrack album, while Tactics Advance inspired an arranged album. Sakimoto again was the composer for Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, though this time he was supported by composers from his studio Basiscape, and it too sparked a soundtrack album release. He also scored Revenant Wings, though it primarily consisted of arrangements of his previous work and has not been released as a separate album, and his work on Tactics was used as the score for Crystal Defenders and Vanguard Storm.[56] Crystal Chronicles Another spin-off of the main series, the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series consists of Crystal Chronicles (2004), its sequel Ring of Fates (2007), and their spin-offs My Life as a King (2008), Echoes of Time (2009), My Life as a Darklord (2009), and the newest title The Crystal Bearers (2009). Kumi Tanioka is the main composer for the series, having composed the music for all of the released games. Her only work on the main series to date has been as one of the co-composers for Final Fantasy XI.[57] She will not be composing the soundtrack for The Crystal Bearers; Hidenori Iwasaki will be composing it instead.[58] Tanioka is known for using an eclectic mix of instruments in her albums; she has described the musical style for the soundtrack to Crystal Chronicles as being based on "ancient instruments". The soundtrack has extensive use of many medieval and Renaissance musical instruments—such as the recorder, the crumhorn and the lute; creating a distinctively rustic feel—and also follows the practices and styles of medieval music.[59] For the soundtrack to Ring of Fates, Tanioka purposefully did not focus on "world music", instead focusing on "creating a new landscape containing the same atmosphere".[60] Echoes of Time also incorporates a variety of instruments, including oboes, xylophones, marimbas, and Latin guitars.[61] Of the released games, Crystal Chronicles, Ring of Fates, and Echoes of Time are the only ones to have a released soundtrack. Crystal Chronicles also has sparked a single of its vocal theme song, "Sound of the Wind" (カゼノネ Kaze no Ne), composed by Kumi Tanioka and performed by Fujimoto Yae.[62] Ring of Fates also has an associated single of its theme song, "A World Without Stars" (星のない世界 Hoshi no Nai Sekai), written and performed by Aiko.[63] Echoes of Time did not have a vocal theme song.[61] Chocobo series The Chocobo series is a spin-off series of games first developed by Square and later by Square Enix, featuring a super deformed version of the Final Fantasy series mascot—the chocobo—as the protagonist. These games include Mystery Dungeon installments and a variety of minigame collections over a wide variety of video game consoles. The series includes over a dozen games, most of which have been released only in Japan.[64] The soundtracks to the games have been composed by a wide variety of composers, and many of the soundtracks are composed primarily of arranged versions of tracks from previous Final Fantasy soundtracks, especially the "chocobo" theme.[8] Only some of the games have led to separate soundtrack releases. The first of these was Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon (チョコボの不思議なダンジョンオリジナル・サウンドトラック Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon),

Music which was scored by Masashi Hamauzu and inspired an orchestral arrangement album also composed by Hamauzu.[65] The soundtrack of Chocobo's Dungeon 2 was composed by Kumi Tanioka, Yasuhiro Kawakami, Tsuyoshi Sekito, Kenji Ito, and Nobuo Uematsu.[66] The games whose soundtracks were primarily composed of previous Final Fantasy and Chocobo tracks were Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon, which was arranged by Yuzo Takahashi of Joe Down Studio, Chocobo Racing, whose original tracks were composed by Kenji Ito, and Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales. The sequel to Chocobo Tales, Chocobo and the Magic Picture Book: The Witch, The Maiden, and the Five Heroes, contains mainly original works, and the two games were scored by Yuzo Takahashi. Unlike the other Chocobo games, they had a joint soundtrack album release, while Chocobo Tales had a previous download-only "best of" album.[67] Others Other spin-offs of the main Final Fantasy series include Final Fantasy Adventure (1991), a spin-off game later also considered as the first game in the Mana series, which had references to Final Fantasy removed in its remake, Sword of Mana.[68] It was scored by Kenji Ito, with one track by Uematsu. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (1992) is an SNES game scored by Ryuji Sasai and Yasuhiro Kawakami.[69] Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals (1994) is an animated sequel to Final Fantasy V, and was scored by Masahiko Sato.[70] Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001), a computer animated science fiction film, was scored by Elliot Goldenthal,[71] and Final Fantasy: Unlimited (2001), a 25-episode anime series, was scored by Nobuo Uematsu, Shiro Hamaguchi, and Akifumi Tada.[72] The soundtracks to The Spirits Within and Mystic Quest were released as separate albums, while Unlimited had two soundtrack album releases.[69] [71] [72] Final Fantasy Adventure saw the release of a soundtrack album, an arranged album, a release which compiled both previous albums together, and a soundtrack album for its remake.[68]

Merchandise The majority of games in the franchise, including all of the main series games, have led to a soundtrack album release. Many have also inspired orchestral, vocal, or piano arrangement albums as well. These albums have been produced and reprinted by a number of different companies, including DigiCube, NTT Publishing, Square Enix itself, and many others. Additionally, many albums have been made available at the iTunes Music Store.[73] In addition to the regular albums, a number of compilation albums of songs from several Final Fantasy games have been produced both by Square Enix and outside groups, both officially and unofficially. These albums include music directly from the games, as well as arrangements covering a variety of styles. Square Enix produced the first album, Final Fantasy 1987–1994 (1994) and has since produced 13 albums, leading up to Final Fantasy Remix (2008). The first compilation album produced by an outside group was The Best of Final Fantasy 1994–1999: A Musical Tribute, released in 2000 by Sherman F. Heinig; the newest is Voices of the Lifestream, an unlicensed download-only album from OverClocked ReMix released in 2007.[74] Music from the original soundtracks has been arranged for the piano and published by DOREMI Music Publishing.[75] Books are available for every main series game except for Final Fantasy V, as well as for Advent Children and Crystal Chronicles. All songs in each book have been rewritten by Asako Niwa as beginning to intermediate level piano solos, though they are meant to sound as much like the originals as possible.[76] "Best of" collections and arrangements for guitar solos and piano duets are also available.[77] Additionally, the actual piano sheet music from each of the nine Final Fantasy Piano Collections albums has been published as nine corresponding music books by Yamaha Music Media.[78] Each book contains the original music, exactly as arranged and performed on the albums. Unlike the Original Score arrangements, these pieces are intended only for advanced players as they are generally more difficult. Sheet music for the Final Fantasy XI Piano Collections album included in the Final Fantasy XI OST Premium Box Set was included in that box set, and, like the album itself, is unavailable for purchase elsewhere;[79] sheet music for the identically named standalone piano album is published by Yamaha.[78]

Music

Public performances Music from Final Fantasy has been performed numerous times in concert tours and other live performances. Music from the series was played in the first four concerts of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra's Orchestral Game Music Concerts series from 1991 to 1994, and each concert has been released on an album. It has also been played in the Video Games Live concert tour from 2005 to date as well as the Play! A Video Game Symphony world tour from 2006 onwards, for which Nobuo Uematsu composed the opening fanfare that accompanies each performance.[80] [81] Final Fantasy music was played at the Rinoa Heartilly shown at the Los Angeles Dear Symphonic Game Music Concert series, a series of annual German Friends concert video game music concerts notable for being the first of their kind outside of Japan, from 2003 to 2007.[82] [83] The music made up one fourth of the Symphonic Fantasies concerts in September 2009 which were produced by the creators of the Symphonic Game Music Concert series.[84] It has also been played by the Australian Eminence Symphony Orchestra, an independent symphony orchestra specializing in classical music from video games. Music from the series has also been played in specific Final Fantasy concerts and concert series. After the success of the 20020220 Music from Final Fantasy concert in 2002, a recording of which was produced as an album, the Tour de Japon: Music from Final Fantasy was launched in Japan in 2004. It was followed by the Dear Friends -Music from Final Fantasy- tour in the United States that same year, which was originally scheduled to be a single concert but grew into a year-long tour.[85] In 2005, a concert entitled More Friends: Music from Final Fantasy was performed to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the first Dear Friends concert and also had an album published of the performance.[86] The latest Final Fantasy tour is the worldwide Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy tour, which began in Sweden in 2007 and still continues to date.[87] A recording of its first performance was released as an album. Nobuo Uematsu additionally plays with The Black Mages, a band which performs Final Fantasy music in a rock music style. They have performed music live in concert, as well as with orchestras as part of various concert tours. They have released three albums to date, as well as DVDs of their live performances.[14] From November 2003 to April 2004, Square Enix U.S.A. launched an AOL Radio station dedicated to music from the series, initially carrying complete tracks from Final Fantasy XI in addition to samplings from VII through X.[88] The station was relaunched in July 2006 and still remains on the site. In the 2004 Summer Olympics, the American synchronized swimming duo consisting of Alison Bartosik and Anna Kozlova were awarded the bronze medal for their performance to the song "Liberi Fatali" from Final Fantasy VIII.[89]

Artists inspired by Final Fantasy music • Owen Pallett • Piano Squall

External links • • • •

Official Square Enix Final Fantasy music site [90] Nobuo Uematsu's official website [91] Masashi Hamauzu's Square Enix North America profile [92] Hitoshi Sakimoto's official website [93]

Music

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(2006-04-26), "An Introduction to Square-Enix" (http:/ / features. teamxbox. com/ xbox/ 1554/ An-Introduction-to-SquareEnix/ p2/ ), TeamXbox (IGN), , retrieved 2007-09-29 [3] Vestal, Andrew, "Final Fantasy Series" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ features/ vgs/ universal/ finalfantasy_hs/ sec2. html), The History of Final Fantasy (GameSpot), , retrieved 2009-03-30 [4] Kolan, Patrick (2007-01-18), The Evolution of Final Fantasy (http:/ / au. ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 756/ 756635p1. html), IGN, , retrieved 2007-11-03 [5] Final Fantasy Retrospective Part I (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ video/ part-i-final-fantasy/ 22250), GameTrailers, 2007-07-15, , retrieved 2007-11-03 [6] Gann, Patrick; Schweitzer, Ben, All Sounds of Final Fantasy I - II (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff1& 2/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2008-07-09 [7] Nick, All Sounds of Final Fantasy I & II (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ reviews/ nick/ ff1-2aso. shtml), Square Enix Music Online, , retrieved 2008-07-21 [8] Kero, Hazel, Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon Original Soundtrack: Review by Kero Hazel (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ reviews/ kerohazel/ chocobodungeon. shtml), Square Enix Music Online, , retrieved 2009-03-19 [9] Sullivan, Meghan (2006-09-01), Final Fantasy Soundtrack Countdown (http:/ / music. ign. com/ articles/ 730/ 730189p2. html), IGN, , retrieved 2008-09-17 [10] Mielke, James (2008-02-15), A Day in the Life of Final Fantasy's Nobuo Uematsu (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ feature?cId=3166165), 1UP.com, , retrieved 2008-05-30 [11] N's profile (http:/ / www. square-enix-usa. com/ uematsu/ profile/ index. html), Square Enix USA, , retrieved 2008-06-01 [12] Final Fantasy Release Information for NES (http:/ / www. gamefaqs. com/ console/ nes/ data/ 522595. html), GameFAQs, , retrieved 2009-05-03 [13] Gann, Patrick; Schweitzer, Ben, Final Fantasy III OSV (http:/ / rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff3ost/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2008-03-27 [14] Final Fantasy Series :: Discography (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ series/ finalfantasy/ discography. shtml), Square Enix Music Online, , retrieved 2009-05-05 [15] Uematsu, Nobuo (1991-04-13), Final Fantasy IV OSV Liner Notes (http:/ / chudahs-corner. com/ liners/ index. php?catalog=PSCN-5014), Chudah's Corner, , retrieved 2006-09-10 [16] D., Spence; Schneider, Peer; Dunham, Jeremy, Nobuo Part 2 (http:/ / music. ign. com/ articles/ 530/ 530286p1. html), IGN, , retrieved 2008-07-26 [17] Eng, Kei (1992), Final Fantasy V: Original Sound Version Liner Notes (http:/ / x111. com/ ffmo/ Liner_Notes/ ff5osv. php), Final Fantasy Music Online, , retrieved 2008-03-26 [18] Gann, Patrick; Schweitzer, Ben, Final Fantasy VI OSV (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff6ost/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2008-04-04 [19] Gann, Patrick; Schweitzer, Ben (2006-06-17), Final Fantasy VII OST (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff7ost/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2008-07-28 [20] Interview with a Black Mage (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ i_nobuouematsu_feb2005), Eurogamer, 2005-02-25, , retrieved 2009-01-14 [21] Mielke, James (2008-02-15), A Day in the Life of Final Fantasy's Nobuo Uematsu (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ feature?pager. offset=0& cId=3166165), 1UP.com, , retrieved 2008-08-05 [22] Ashmore, Patrick, One Winged Angel Translation and Background (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ ff/ ff7/ text/ info/ owainfo. txt), RPGamer, , retrieved 2008-08-08 [23] "Special Interview of Nobuo by Yoshitake Maeda" (http:/ / www. nobuouematsu. com/ yosh. html), Final Fantasy VIII Original Soundtrack (Limited Edition) liner notes (DigiCube), 1999-03-01, SSCX-10028, , retrieved 2008-07-29 [24] Maeda, Yoshitake (1999), Final Fantasy VIII Original Soundtrack (Limited Edition), DigiCube [25] IGN Music, Twelve Days of Final Fantasy XII: Nobuo Uematsu Interview (http:/ / music. ign. com/ articles/ 741/ 741101p1. html), IGN, , retrieved 2007-03-30 [26] Nobuo Uematsu Interview by Weekly Famitsu (http:/ / www. nobuouematsu. com/ nobrpg. html), Famitsu, , retrieved 2007-06-17 [27] Nobuo Uematsu Interview by PSX IGN (http:/ / www. nobuouematsu. com/ round. html), IGN, , retrieved 2007-06-17 [28] "“Smile, Please!”: NEO Interviews Final Fantasy Composer, Nobuo Uematsu" (http:/ / www. neomag. co. uk/ article. asp?IntID=14), Neo Magazine, , retrieved 2007-06-17 [29] Focus On: Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu (http:/ / www. gamesindustry. biz/ articles/ focus-on-final-fantasy-composer-nobuo-uematsu), GamesIndustry.biz, , retrieved 2007-06-18 [30] Inoue, Akito (in Japanese), 元Road of Square データベース (http:/ / critiqueofgames. net/ data/ ros/ kai-ff10. htm), Critique Of Games, , retrieved 2007-02-14 [31] Huang, Michael, Interview by RocketBaby.net (http:/ / www. nobuouematsu. com/ rbaby. html), nobuouematsu.com, , retrieved 2007-03-24 [32] The Creators (http:/ / www. square-enix-usa. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#1), Square Enix North America, , retrieved 2006-12-04

Music [33] Gann, Patrick, Final Fantasy X - Suteki da ne (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff10single/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2008-03-04 [34] Van, Tim (2007-01-01), Final Fantasy XI OST (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff11/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2006-02-24 [35] Niizumi, Hirohiko (2004-11-01), Nobuo Uematsu leaving Square Enix (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 2004/ 11/ 01/ news_6111914. html), GameSpot, , retrieved 2007-03-10 [36] IGN Music (2006-10-24), Twelve Days of Final Fantasy XII: Hitoshi Sakimoto Interview Part I (http:/ / music. ign. com/ articles/ 741/ 741502p1. html), IGN, , retrieved 2007-03-10 [37] Final Fantasy XII Collector's Edition Bonus DVD, Tokyo: Square Enix, 2006 [38] IGN Music (2006-10-25), Twelve Days of Final Fantasy XII: Hitoshi Sakimoto Interview Part II (http:/ / music. ign. com/ articles/ 741/ 741508p1. html), IGN, , retrieved 2008-04-09 [39] Gantayat, Anoop (2006-05-09), E3 2006: FFXIII Staff Check (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 706/ 706153p1. html), IGN, , retrieved 2008-12-15 [40] "Confirmed: Nobuo Uematsu Not On FFXIII" (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ musicnews2. php?subaction=showfull& id=1252948500& archive=& start_from=& ucat=2& ). Square Enix Music Online. 2009-09-14. . Retrieved 2009-09-14. [41] "Final Fantasy XIII Theme Song Announced" (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ musicnews2. php?subaction=showfull& id=1252453782& archive=& start_from=& ucat=2& ). Square Enix Music Online. 2009-09-08. . Retrieved 2009-09-14. [42] Thang, Jimmy (2008-07-14), E3 2008: Final Fantasy XIII Coming to Xbox 360 (http:/ / xbox360. ign. com/ articles/ 888/ 888967p1. html), IGN, , retrieved 2008-07-14 [43] Brudvig, Erik (2006), E3 2006: Final Fantasy XIII Showcased (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 705/ 705978p1. html), IGN, , retrieved 2006-05-11 [44] Brudvig, Erik (2006-05-08), E3 2006: Eyes-on Final Fantasy XIII Trailer (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 705/ 705978p1. html), IGN, , retrieved 2009-05-05 [45] Final Fantasy XIV (http:/ / www. finalfantasyxiv. com/ ), Square Enix, 2009-06-02, , retrieved 2009-06-03 [46] Kohler, Chris (2004), More Compilation of Final Fantasy VII details (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ action/ dirgeofcerberusfinalfantasyvii/ news. html?sid=6108651), GameSpot, , retrieved 2006-08-10 [47] GameSpot site staff (2003), Kingdom Hearts II's Tetsuya Nomura Q & As (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ kingdomhearts2/ news. html?sid=6076646), GameSpot, , retrieved 2006-08-10 [48] V-Jump, ed. (2005) (in Japanese), Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Prologue, Shueisha, p. 50, ISBN 4-08-779339-7 [49] 『Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-』テーマソング発売日決定！ (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ccff7/ song/ index. html), Square Enix, , retrieved 2007-07-11 [50] Winkler, Chris (2006-03-26), Dirge of Cerberus – Final Fantasy VII – OST (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff7doc/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2008-07-28 [51] Dunham, Jeremy (2003), Final Fantasy X-2 Developer Interview (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 442/ 442025p1. html), IGN, , retrieved 2006-07-16 [52] Miscellaneous Final Fantasy CDs (http:/ / ffmusic. info/ ffcdmisc. html), ffmusic.info, , retrieved 2008-04-18 [53] Winkler, Chris (2006-12-13), Square Enix announces FF Tactics for the PSP and Another New FFT Game (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ news/ 2006/ 1595. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2007-01-10 [54] Gann, Patrick (1997), Final Fantasy Tactics Original Soundtrack Review (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ fft/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2007-04-14 [55] Vardaro, Richard, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance OST (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ffta-ost/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2008-03-28 [56] 01 Feb 2009 - Sakimoto Leads FFTA Spinoff Crystal Defenders (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ musicnews2. php?subaction=showfull& id=1233524043& archive=& start_from=& ucat=2& ), Square Enix Music Online, 2009-02-01, , retrieved 2009-05-04 [57] Maas, Liz; Schweitzer, Ben; Van, Tim; Winkler, Chris, Final Fantasy XI OST (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff11/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2008-03-28 [58] Chris, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Echoes of Time Soundtrack: Review by Chris (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ reviews/ chris/ ffccechoes. shtml), Square Enix Music Online, , retrieved 2009-04-05 [59] Space, Daniel, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles OST (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ffcc/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2009-01-14 [60] Jeriaska; Kumi, Tanioka (2008-03-29), Interview with Kumi Tanioka (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ features/ tanioka-interview/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2009-02-11 [61] Gann, Patrick (2009-03-21), Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time OST (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ffcc-eot/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2009-04-05 [62] Gann, Patrick, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Opening Theme – Sound of the Wind (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ffcc-op/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2009-01-14 [63] Chandran, Neal, aiko – A World Without Stars / Profile (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ffcc-rofop/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2009-01-16

Music [64] Thomas, Damian (2007-09-25), The Final Fantasy Retrospective Video Game, Part X (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ video/ part-x-final-fantasy/ 25549), GameTrailers, , retrieved 2009-05-04 [65] Hamauzu, Masashi (1997-12-21), Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon Coi Vanni Gialli Liner Notes, DigiCube, SSCX-10016 [66] Thomas, Damian (2002-05-19), Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon ~Coi Vanni Gialli~ (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ coi-vanni/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2009-02-19 [67] Chris, Chocobo and the Magic Books Original Soundtrack: Review by Chris (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ reviews/ chris/ chocobods. shtml), Square Enix Music Online, , retrieved 2009-02-26 [68] Seiken Densetsu Sound Collections (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ sd-sc/ index. html), RPGFan, 2001-11-16, , retrieved 2009-05-04 [69] Gann, Patrick (2001-03-23), Final Fantasy USA Mystic Quest Sound Collections (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ffmq/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2009-05-04 [70] Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals (OAV) (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ encyclopedia/ anime. php?id=613), Anime News Network, , retrieved 2009-05-04 [71] Coleman, Christpher, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within by Elliot Goldenthal (http:/ / tracksounds. com/ reviews/ finalfantasy. htm), RPGFan, , retrieved 2009-05-04 [72] Aevloss, Final Fantasy Unlimited Music Adventure Verse 2 :: Review by Aevloss (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ reviews/ aevloss/ ffunlimitedvol2. shtml), Square Enix Music Online, , retrieved 2009-05-04 [73] Square Enix Music Download (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ music/ tunes/ ff/ ), Square Enix, , retrieved 2009-04-10 [74] Radd, David (2007-09-14), Game Daily: OC Remix releases FFVII: Voices of the Lifestream (http:/ / www. gamedaily. com/ articles/ news/ oc-remix-releases-ffvii-voices-of-the-lifestream/ 18011/ ), Game Daily, , retrieved 2007-11-17 [75] (in Japanese) Doremi Music Web Site (http:/ / www. doremi. co. jp/ Doremi/ ATC01. do), DOREMI Music Publishing, , retrieved 2008-09-14 [76] SquareSound – Sheet Music Books: Original Scores (http:/ / www. squaresound. com/ original-scores-c171. html), SquareSound, , retrieved 2009-04-10 [77] SquareSound – Sheet Music Books: Compilations (http:/ / www. squaresound. com/ compilations-c173. html), SquareSound, , retrieved 2009-04-10 [78] (in Japanese) ヤマハミュージックメディア − 楽譜／雑誌／音楽ソフト − (http:/ / www. ymm. co. jp/ ), Yamaha Music Media, , retrieved 2008-09-14 [79] Gann, Patrick, Final Fantasy XI OST Premium Box (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff11-box/ index. html), RPGFan, , retrieved 2008-03-28 [80] Matsuzaki, Kimberly; O'Donnell, Ryan (2005-07-15), Video Games Live from 1UP.com (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ feature?pager. offset=1& cId=3141949), 1UP.com, , retrieved 2009-01-13 [81] Daiker, Brandon (2006-05-27), Play! A Video Game Symphony (http:/ / www. n-sider. com/ contentview. php?contentid=352), N-Sider, , retrieved 2008-04-08 [82] Symphonic Game Music Concerts (http:/ / www. vgmconcerts. com/ main. php?section=about& lang=english), 2009-04-02, , retrieved 2009-04-10 [83] Video-game Concerts Bring New Life To Hallowed Halls (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ News/ Story/ 200903/ N09. 0326. 1901. 55028. htm), Game Informer Online, 2009-03-26, , retrieved 2009-04-10 [84] "Concert program for download" (http:/ / www. symphonicfantasies. com/ post/ 176557691/ the-concert-program-for-symphonic-fantasies-is). Symphonic Fantasies. 2009-09-01. . Retrieved 2009-11-02. [85] Uematsu's Music (http:/ / www. square-enix-usa. com/ uematsu/ concert/ dear_friends. html), Square Enix, , retrieved 2009-04-10 [86] Uematsu's Music (http:/ / www. square-enix-usa. com/ uematsu/ concert/ more_friends. html), Square Enix, , retrieved 2009-04-10 [87] Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy (http:/ / www. ffdistantworlds. com/ main. php?section=news& subs=latest& full=1), Square Enix, 2007-10-15, , retrieved 2009-04-10 [88] Fans Speak: Final Fantasy Radio Returns to AOL (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ company/ press/ 2006/ 0724/ ), Square Enix, 2006-07-24, , retrieved 2009-04-10 [89] NBCOlympics.com – 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games | Free Online Videos, Olympic Event | Athlete Interviews | NBC Olympics (http:/ / www. nbcolympics. com/ video/ player. html?assetid=5bbd5f4a-53d5-42fd-8b72-d85884439356& forcereload=true), Nbcolympics.com, , retrieved 2008-09-14 [90] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ music/ [91] http:/ / www. square-enix-usa. com/ uematsu/ [92] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ music/ cm/ profile/ hamauzu. html [93] http:/ / www. sakimoto. jp/ inamerica/

Main series ''Final Fantasy I'' Final Fantasy

Box art for the original NES release in North America Developer(s)

Square Micro Cabin (MSX2) TOSE (WSC, PS, GBA, PSP)

Publisher(s)

NES JP Square NA Nintendo MSX2 JP Micro Cabin Game Boy Advance JP Square Enix Other regions Nintendo PlayStation Portable Square Enix Virtual Console Square Enix iPhone OS Square Enix

Designer(s)

Hironobu Sakaguchi

Artist(s)

Yoshitaka Amano

Writer(s)

Akitoshi Kawazu Kenji Terada

Composer(s)

Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy

Platform(s)

Nintendo Entertainment System, MSX2, WonderSwan Color, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, mobile phones, PlayStation Portable, Virtual Console, iPhone OS

Release date(s) Genre(s)

Role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player

''Final Fantasy I''

Rating(s)

Apple: 9+ ESRB: E (GBA)/E10+ (PSP) OFLC: G8+ PEGI: 3 USK: Free for all

Media

2 megabit cartridge 3.5" Floppy Disk 32 megabit cartridge CD-ROM 128 megabit cartridge NTT DoCoMo FOMA CDMA 1X WIN UMD download

Final Fantasy (ファイナルファンタジー) is a fantasy role-playing video game created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, developed and published in Japan by Square (now Square Enix) in 1987, and published in North America by Nintendo of America in 1990. It is the first game in Square's Final Fantasy series. Originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Final Fantasy was remade for several video game consoles and is frequently packaged with Final Fantasy II in video game collections. The story follows four youths called the Light Warriors, who each carry one of their world's four elemental orbs which have been darkened by the four Elemental Fiends. Together, they quest to defeat these evil forces, restore light to the orbs, and save their world. The game received generally positive reviews, and it is regarded as one of the most influential and successful role-playing games on the Nintendo Entertainment System, playing a major role in popularizing the genre. Praise focused on the game's graphics, while criticism targeted the time spent wandering in search of random battle encounters to raise the player's experience level. All versions of Final Fantasy sold a combined total of two million copies worldwide by March 2003.

Gameplay Final Fantasy has four basic modes of gameplay: an overworld map, town and dungeon maps, a battle screen, and a menu screen. The overworld map is a scaled-down version of the game's fictional world, which the player uses to direct characters to various locations. The primary means of travel across the overworld is by foot, but a canoe, a ship, and an airship become available as the player progresses. With the exception of some battles in preset locations or with bosses, enemies are randomly encountered on field maps and on the overworld map when traveling by foot, canoe, or ship, and must either be fought or fled from.[1] The player begins the game by choosing four characters to form a party, which lasts for the duration of the game.[2] The game's plot develops as the player progresses through towns and dungeons. Some town citizens offer helpful information, while others own shops that sell items or equipment. Dungeons appear in areas that include forests, caves, mountains, swamps, underwater caverns and buildings. Dungeons often have treasure chests containing rare items that are not available in most stores. The game's menu screen allows the player to keep track of their experience points and levels, to choose which equipment their characters wield, and to use items and magic. A character's most basic attribute is their level, which can range from one to fifty, and is determined by the character's amount of experience. Gaining a level increases the character's attributes, such as their maximum hit points (HP), which represents a character's remaining health; a character dies when they reach zero HP. Characters gain experience points by winning battles.[1]

''Final Fantasy I''

71 Combat in Final Fantasy is menu-based: the player selects an action from a list of options such as Fight, Magic, and Item. Battles are turn-based and continue until either side flees or is defeated. If the player's party wins, each character gains experience and gold; if it flees, it is returned to the map screen; and if every character in the party dies, the game is over.[1] Final Fantasy was the first game to show the player's characters on the right side of the screen and the enemies on the left side of the screen, as opposed to a first-person view.[3]

Each character has an "occupation", or character class, with different attributes and abilities that are either innate or can be acquired.[2] There The Light Warriors battle Lich, Fiend of Earth are six classes; Fighter, Thief, Black Belt, Red Mage, White Mage, and [2] Black Mage. Later in the game, each character undergoes a "class change"; their sprite portraits mature, and some classes even gain the ability to use weapons and magic that they previously could not use.[1] Final Fantasy contains a variety of weapons, armor, and items that can be bought or found to make the characters more powerful in combat. Each character has eight inventory slots, with four to hold weapons and four to hold armor. Each character class has restrictions on what weapons and armor it may use. Some weapons and armor are magical; if used during combat, some of these items will cast spells. Other magical artifacts provide protection, such as from certain spells. At shops, the characters can buy items to help themselves recover while they are traveling. Items available include Potions, which heal the characters or removes an ailment like poison or petrification; Tents and Cabins, which can be used on the world map to heal the player and optionally save the game; and Houses, which also recovers the party's magic after saving. Special items may be gained by doing quests.[1] Magic is a common ability in the game, and several character classes use it. Spells are divided into two groups: White, which is defensive and healing, and Black, which is debilitating and destructive. Magic can be bought from White and Black magic shops and assigned to characters whose occupation allows them to use it. Spells are classified by a level between one and eight, with four White and four Black spells per level. Each character may learn only three spells per level. White and Black Mages can potentially learn any of their respective spells, while other classes cannot use most high-level magic.[1]

Plot Final Fantasy takes place in a fantasy world with three large continents. The elemental powers on this world are determined by the state of four orbs, each governing one of the four classical elements: earth, fire, water, and wind. The world of Final Fantasy is inhabited by numerous races, including Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Mermaids, Dragons, and Robots. Each non-Human race has one "town" in the game, although individuals are sometimes found in Human towns or other areas as well. Four hundred years prior to the start of the game, the Lefeinish people, who used the Power of Wind to craft airships and a giant space station (called the Floating Castle in the game), watched their country decline as the Wind Orb went dark. Two hundred years later, violent storms sank a massive shrine that served as the center of an ocean-based civilization, and the Water Orb went dark. The Earth Orb and the Fire Orb followed, plaguing the earth with raging wildfires, and devastating the agricultural town of Melmond as the plains and vegetation decayed. Some time later, the sage Lukahn tells of a prophecy that four Light Warriors will come to save the world in a time of darkness.

''Final Fantasy I''

The game begins with the appearance of the four youthful Light Warriors, the heroes of the story, who each carry one of the darkened Orbs. Initially, the Light Warriors have access to the Kingdom of Coneria and the ruined Temple of Fiends. After the Warriors rescue Princess Sara from the evil knight Garland, the King of Coneria builds a bridge that enables the Light Warriors' passage east to the town of Pravoka. There the Light Warriors liberate the town from Bikke and his band of pirates, and acquire the pirates' ship for their own use. The Warriors now embark on a chain of delivery quests on the shores of the Aldi Sea. First they retrieve a stolen crown from the Marsh Cave for a Outside the Kingdom of Coneria king in a ruined castle, who turns out to be the dark elf Astos. Defeating him gains them the Crystal, which they return to the witch Matoya in exchange for a herb needed to awaken the Elf Prince cursed by Astos. The Elf Prince gives the Light Warriors a key capable of unlocking any door. The key unlocks a storage room in Coneria Castle which holds TNT. Nerrick, one of the Dwarves of the Cave of Dwarf/Dwarf Village, destroys a small isthmus using the TNT, connecting the Aldi Sea to the outside world.[3] After visiting the near-ruined town of Melmond, the Light Warriors go to the Earth Cave to defeat a vampire and retrieve the Star Ruby, which gains passage to Sage Sarda's cave. With Sarda's Rod, the Warriors venture deeper into the Earth Cave and destroy the Earth Fiend, Lich. The Light Warriors then obtain a canoe and enter Gurgu Volcano and defeat the Fire Fiend, Kary. The Floater from the nearby Ice Cave allows them to raise an airship to reach the northern continents. After they prove their courage by retrieving the Rat's Tail from the Castle of Ordeal, the King of the Dragons, Bahamut, promotes each Light Warrior. Using an air-producing fairy artifact known as Oxyale, the Warriors defeat the Water Fiend, Kraken, in the Sunken Shrine. They also recover a Slab, which allows a linguist named Dr. Unne to teach the Lefeinish language. The Lefeinish give the Light Warriors access to the Floating Castle that Tiamat, the Wind Fiend, has taken over.[3] With the four Fiends defeated and the Orbs restored, a portal to 2000 years in the past opens in the Temple of Fiends. There the Warriors discover that the four Fiends sent Garland (now the archdemon Chaos) back in time and he sent the Fiends to the future to do so, creating a time loop by which he could live forever.[4] The Light Warriors defeat Chaos, thus ending the paradox, and return home. By ending the paradox, however, the Light Warriors have changed the future to one where their heroic deeds from their own time remain unknown outside of legend.[3]

Development Final Fantasy was developed during Square's brush with bankruptcy in 1987, and in a display of gallows humor, director Hironobu Sakaguchi declared that his "final" game would be a "fantasy" role-playing game; hence the title.[5] When Sakaguchi was asked what type of game he wanted to make, he replied "I don't think I have what it takes to make a good action game. I think I'm better at telling a story." Sakaguchi's concept was a game with a large world map to explore and an engaging story.[3] Sakaguchi took an in-development ROM of the game to Hironobu Sakaguchi thought Final Fantasy Japanese magazine Family Computer, but it would not review it. Video would be his final game game magazine Famitsu, however, gave the game extensive coverage. The development team was composed of seven people, while the other team at Square had about twenty. Sakaguchi stated that if the game did not sell, he would quit making video games and return to college to make up a year. Only 200,000 copies were to be shipped, but Sakaguchi pleaded with the company to make 400,000 to help spawn a sequel, and it agreed.[6]

''Final Fantasy I'' The game's characters and title logo were designed by Yoshitaka Amano. The scenario was written by Akitoshi Kawazu and freelance writer Kenji Terada. Iranian-American freelance programmer Nasir Gebelli, who was living in Japan at the time, worked as the programmer for the game. Among the other developers were Hiromichi Tanaka, KĹ?ichi Ishii, and Kazuko Shibuya. Following the successful North American localization of Dragon Quest, Nintendo of America translated Final Fantasy into English and published it in North America in 1990. The North American version of Final Fantasy was met with modest success, partly due to Nintendo's then-aggressive marketing tactics. No version of the game was marketed in the PAL region until Final Fantasy Origins in 2003.[5] The music for Final Fantasy was composed by Nobuo Uematsu, and was his 16th video game music composition.[3] The soundtrack album was released together with the score of Final Fantasy II in 1989.[7] Some of the game's tracks became mainstays to the Final Fantasy series: the "Prelude", the arpeggio played on the title screen; the "Opening Theme", which is played when the party crosses the bridge early in the game and later referred to as the Final Fantasy theme; and the "Victory Fanfare", which is played after every victorious battle. The opening motif of the battle theme has also been reused a number of times in the series.[3]

Versions and re-releases Final Fantasy has been remade several times for different platforms, and has frequently been packaged with Final Fantasy II in various collections.[3] While all of these remakes retain the same basic story and battle mechanics, various tweaks have been made in different areas, including graphics, sound, and specific gameplay elements. The game was first re-released for the MSX2 system and was published by Micro Cabin in Japan in June 1989.[8] It had access to almost three times as much storage space as the Famicom version, but suffered from The WonderSwan Color version was one of the problems not present in Nintendo's cartridge media, including first expansive remakes of the game noticeable loading times. There were also minor graphical upgrades, improved music tracks and sound effects. In 1994, Final Fantasy Iâ&#x20AC;˘II, a compilation of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II, was launched for the Famicom.[9] This version was only released in Japan and had very few graphical updates. The WonderSwan Color remake was released in Japan on December 9, 2000,[10] and featured many new graphical changes. The 8-bit graphics of the original Famicom game were updated, battle scenes incorporated full background images, and character and enemy sprites were re-drawn to look more like the ones from the Super Famicom Final Fantasy games.[11] In Japan, Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II were re-released both separately and as a combined game for the PlayStation. The collection was released in Japan in 2002 as Final Fantasy I & II Premium Package and in PAL and North America in 2003 as Final Fantasy Origins. This version was similar to the WonderSwan Color remake,[12] and featured several changes, such as more detailed graphics, a remixed soundtrack, added full motion video sequences, and art galleries of Yoshitaka Amano's illustrations.[13] Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls is, like Final Fantasy Origins, a port of the first two games in the series for the Game Boy Advance in 2004. The Dawn of Souls version incorporates various new elements, including four additional dungeons, an updated bestiary, and a few gameplay tweaks.[14] Square Enix released a version of Final Fantasy for two Japanese mobile phone networks in 2004; a version for NTT docomo FOMA 900i series was launched in March under the title Final Fantasy i,[15] and a subsequent release for CDMA 1X WIN-compatible phones was launched in August.[16] Another titular version was released for SoftBank Yahoo! Keitai phones on July 3, 2006.[17] Graphically, the games are superior to the original 8-bit game, but not as advanced as many of the more recent console and handheld ports. Square Enix planned to release this version of the game for North American mobile phones sometime in 2006,[18] but it was never released for North American phones until 2010, with help from Namco. For the 20th anniversary of Final Fantasy, Square Enix remade Final Fantasy

''Final Fantasy I'' and Final Fantasy II for the PlayStation Portable.[19] The games were released in Japan and North America in 2007,[20] and in PAL territories in 2008.[21] The PSP version features higher-resolution 2D graphics, full motion video sequences, a remixed soundtrack, and a new dungeon as well as the bonus dungeons from Dawn of Souls. The script is the same as in the Dawn of Souls version, aside from the new dungeon.[22] Square Enix released the original NES version of the game on the Wii's Virtual Console service in Japan on May 26, 2009[23] , in North America on October 5, 2009[24] and in the PAL region as an import on May 7, 2010.[25] On February 25, 2010, Square Enix released the iPhone OS version of Final Fantasy, based on the PSP port with touch controls, worldwide.[26]

Reception and legacy Final Fantasy has been well-received by critics and commercially successful; the original release sold 400,000 copies.[6] As of March 31, 2003, the game, including all re-releases at the time, had shipped 1.99 million copies worldwide, with 1.21 million of those copies being shipped in Japan and 780,000 abroad.[27] As of November 19, 2007, the PlayStation Portable version has shipped 140,000 copies.[28] In March 2006, Final Fantasy appeared in the Japanese magazine Famitsu's Top 100 games list, where readers voted it the 63rd best game of all time.[29] GameFAQs users made a similar list in 2005, which ranked Final Fantasy at 76th.[30] It was rated the 49th best game made on a Nintendo system in Nintendo Power's Top 200 Games list.[31] In August 2008, Nintendo Power ranked it the 19th best Nintendo Entertainment System video game, praising it for setting up the basics of console role-playing games along with Dragon Warrior, and citing examples such as epic stories, leveling up, random battles, and character classes.[32] Editors at IGN ranked Final Fantasy the 11th-best game on the console, calling the game's class system diverse, and praising its convenient use of vehicles as a means of traveling across the world map.[33] Final Fantasy was one of the most influential early console role-playing games, and played a major role in legitimizing and popularizing the genre.[34] According to IGN's Matt Casamassina, Final Fantasy's storyline had a deeper and more engaging story than the original Dragon Quest (known as Dragon Warrior in North America).[35] Many modern critics have pointed out that the game is poorly paced by contemporary standards, and involves much more time wandering in search of random battle encounters to raise their experience levels and money than it does exploring and solving puzzles. Other reviewers find the level-building and exploration portions of the game as the most amusing ones.[13] The game is also considered by many as the weakest and most difficult installment of the series.[11] The subsequent versions of Final Fantasy have garnered mostly favorable reviews from the media. Peer Schneider of IGN enjoyed the WonderSwan Color version, praising its graphical improvements, especially the environments, characters, and monsters.[11] Final Fantasy Origins was generally well-received; GamePro said the music was "fantastic", and that the graphics had a "suitably retro cuteness to them".[36] Reviews for Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls were generally positive, with Jeremy Dunham of IGN giving particular praise to the improved English translation, saying it was better than any previous version of the game.[37] The PlayStation Portable version was not as critically successful as the previous releases; GameSpot's Kevin VanOrd cited the visuals as its strongest enhancement, but stated that the additional random enemy encounters and updated graphics did not add much value.[38] The theme song that plays when the player characters first cross the bridge from Coneria has become the recurring theme music of the series, and has been featured in most numbered Final Fantasy titles except Final Fantasy II and Final Fantasy XIII. Final Fantasy was also the basis for the series finale of a video game-themed cartoon series Captain N: The Game Master entitled The Fractured Fantasy of Captain N.[39] 8-Bit Theater, a sprite-based webcomic created by Brian Clevinger parodying the game, has become very popular in the gaming community since it started in March 2001.[40]

''Final Fantasy I'' Warrior of Light, based on Yoshitaka Amano's design of the lead character, and Garland are the respective hero and villain representing Final Fantasy in Dissidia: Final Fantasy. Warrior of Light is voiced by Toshihiko Seki in the Japanese version and Grant George in the English version, while Garland is voiced by Kenji Utsumi in the Japanese version and Christopher Sabat in the English version.[41]

External links • Quotations related to Final Fantasy at Wikiquote • Final Fantasy on the Final Fantasy Wiki • Final Fantasy Origins [42]

References [1] Final Fantasy Explorer's Handbook (instruction manual). Square Co.. 1989. NES-FF-USA. [2] Final Fantasy Explorer's Handbook (instruction manual). Square Co.. 1989. p. 80. NES-FF-USA. [3] "Final Fantasy Retrospective: Part I" (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ player/ 22250. html). GameTrailers. 2007-07-15. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [4] Square Co. Final Fantasy. (Nintendo of America). Nintendo Entertainment System. (1990-07-12) "Garland: Remember me, Garland? Your puny lot thought it had defeated me. But, the Four FIENDS sent me back 2000 years into the past. / From here I sent the Four FIENDS to the future. The FIENDS will send me back to here, and the Time-Loop will go on. / After 2000 years, I will be forgotten, and the Time-Loop will close. I will live forever, and you shall meet doom!!" [5] Berardini, César A. (2006-04-26). "An Introduction to Square-Enix" (http:/ / features. teamxbox. com/ xbox/ 1554/ An-Introduction-to-SquareEnix/ p1/ ). TeamXbox. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [6] Fear, Ed (2007-12-13). "Sakaguchi discusses the development of Final Fantasy" (http:/ / www. developmag. com/ news/ 28960/ Sakaguchi-discusses-the-development-of-Final-Fantasy). Develop. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [7] Schweitzer, Ben; Gann, Patrick. "All Sounds of Final Fantasy I - II" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff1& 2/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-07-09. [8] "Final Fantasy Tech Info" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ msx/ rpg/ finalfantasy/ tech_info. html?tag=tabs;summary). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-12-23. [9] "Final Fantasy I & II [pre-owned]" (http:/ / www. play-asia. com/ paOS-13-71-bk-49-en-70-pta. html). Play-Asia. . Retrieved 2008-12-22. [10] "Final Fantasy Tech Info" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ wsc/ rpg/ finalfantasy/ tech_info. html?tag=tabs;summary). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-12-23. [11] Schneider, Peer (2001-02-12). "Final Fantasy (Import)" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 165/ 165845p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [12] Shoemaker, Brad (2003-04-08). "Final Fantasy Origins Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasyorigins/ review. html?om_act=convert& om_clk=gssummary& tag=summary;read-review). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-12-23. [13] Dunham, Jeremy (2003-04-15). "Final Fantasy Origins Review" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 400/ 400156p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [14] "Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls Developer Interview" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gba/ rpg/ finalfantasyiii/ video/ 6114052/ final-fantasy-i--ii-dawn-of-souls-developer-interview). GameSpot. 2004-11-29. . Retrieved 2008-12-22. [15] Tsukioka, Aki (2004-02-24). "Square Enix to Launch DoCoMo Sites for World-Famous Game Titles" (http:/ / www. japancorp. net/ Article. Asp?Art_ID=6612). Japan Corporate News Network. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [16] "KDDI Announces Three New CDMA 1X WIN Models" (http:/ / www. kddi. com/ english/ corporate/ news_release/ 2004/ 0712/ index. html). KDDI. . Retrieved 2008-12-23. [17] "ファイナルファンタジー for MOBILE" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ mobile/ ff/ ) (in Japanese). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [18] "Square Enix to Showcase All Encompassing Line-up at E3 2006" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ company/ press/ 2006/ 0424/ ). Square Enix. 2006-04-24. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [19] Lumb, Jonathan (2007-01-17). "Final Fantasy Remakes Coming to PSP" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3156429). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2008-12-23. [20] "Square Enix ships remastered edition of Final Fantasy to retail" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ company/ press/ 2007/ 0626/ ). Square Enix. 2007-06-26. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [21] "Final Fantasy Anniversary Edition for PSP" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ psp/ rpg/ finalfantasyanniversaryedition/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [22] Masae, Nakamura (2007-04-23). "Final Fantasy Preview" (http:/ / psp. gamespy. com/ playstation-portable/ final-fantasy-i-/ 782716p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2008-12-22.

''Final Fantasy I'' [23] "VC ファイナルファンタジー [VC Final Fantasy]" (http:/ / www. nintendo. co. jp/ wii/ vc/ vc_ff/ index. html). Nintendo. . Retrieved 2009-10-05. [24] "Discover New Worlds, Hidden Words and the First Final Fantasy" (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ whatsnew/ detail/ c4tMRvn7hyMKidz4qH-aw4rwS6d9j7M9). Nintendo of America. 2009-10-05. . Retrieved 2009-10-05. [25] Final Fantasy on Virtual Console (http:/ / vc. nintendolife. com/ games/ nes/ final_fantasy) [26] Lanxon, Nate (2010-02-25). "Final Fantasy now available on iPhone" (http:/ / www. wired. co. uk/ news/ archive/ 2010-02/ 25/ final-fantasy-now-available-on-iphone. aspx). Wired. . Retrieved 2010-02-25. [27] "Titles of game software with worldwide shipments exceeding 1 million copies" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ ir/ e/ explanatory/ download/ 0404-200402090000-01. pdf#page=27). Square Enix. pp. 27. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [28] "FY2007 First-Half Period Results Briefing Session" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ ir/ e/ explanatory/ download/ 20071119en_20. pdf). Square Enix. 2007-11-19. . Retrieved 2009-01-13. [29] Edge Staff (2006-03-03). "Japan Votes on All Time Top 100" (http:/ / www. edge-online. com/ features/ japan-votes-all-time-top-100). Edge. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [30] "Fall 2005: 10-Year Anniversary Contest - The 10 Best Games Ever" (http:/ / www. gamefaqs. com/ features/ contest/ top10). GameFAQs. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [31] Michaud, Pete (January 2006). "NP Top 200". Nintendo Power 199: 42–43. [32] (Magazine) Nintendo Power - The 20th Anniversary Issue!. Nintendo Power. 231. San Francisco, California: Future US. August 2008. p. 71. [33] "11. Final Fantasy – Top 100 NES Games" (http:/ / www. ign. com/ top-100-nes-games/ 11. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2010-03-22. [34] "Final Fantasy (Final Fantasy I)" (http:/ / cheats. ign. com/ objects/ 006/ 006010. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-12-22. [35] Casamassina, Matt (2005-07-19). "State of the RPG: GameCube" (http:/ / cube. ign. com/ articles/ 634/ 634965p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [36] Fox, Fennec (2003-04-07). "Final Fantasy Origins" (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ reviews/ 28844/ final-fantasy-origins/ ). GamePro. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [37] Dunham, Jeremy (2004-11-30). "Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 569/ 569570p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-12-22. [38] VanOrd, Kevin (2007-06-25). "Final Fantasy Anniversary Edition Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ psp/ rpg/ finalfantasyanniversaryedition/ review. html?tag=tabs;reviews). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-12-22. [39] "Final Fantasy Retrospective - Part X" (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ player/ 25549. html). GameTrailers. 2007-09-25. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [40] Maragos, Nich (2005-11-07). "Will Strip For Games: Gaming Comics Online" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ feature?pager. offset=2& cId=3145208). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2008-12-23. [41] Niizumi, Hirohiko (2008-08-06). "Dissidia: Final Fantasy Hands-On" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ psp/ action/ dissidiafinalfantasy/ news. html?sid=6195546& mode=previews). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-12-23. [42] http:/ / www. fforigins. com

''Final Fantasy II''

''Final Fantasy II'' Final Fantasy II

Developer(s)

Square TOSE (WSC, PS, GBA, PSP)

Publisher(s)

Square/Square Enix

Designer(s)

Hironobu Sakaguchi Akitoshi Kawazu

Artist(s)

Yoshitaka Amano

Writer(s)

Akitoshi Kawazu Kenji Terada

Composer(s)

Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy

Platform(s)

Family Computer, WonderSwan Color, PlayStation, mobile phones, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation Portable, Virtual Console, iPhone OS

Release date(s) Genre(s)

Role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player

Rating(s) Media

2 megabit cartridge UMD, download

Final Fantasy II (ファイナルファンタジーII) is a fantasy role-playing video game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in 1988 for the Family Computer as the second installment of the Final Fantasy series. The game has received numerous enhanced remakes for the WonderSwan Color, the Sony PlayStation, Japanese mobile phones, the Game Boy Advance, and the PlayStation Portable. Only the PlayStation, Game Boy, and PlayStation Portable versions have been released outside of Japan. As neither this game nor Final Fantasy III had been released outside of Japan, Final Fantasy IV was originally released in North America as Final Fantasy II, so as not to confuse players. The most recent release of the game is a release of the enhanced version of the game for the iPhone OS worldwide on February 25, 2010. The game's story centers on four youths whose parents were killed during an army invasion by the empire of Palamecia. Three of the four main characters join a rebellion against the empire, embarking on missions to gain new magic and weapons, destroy enemy superweapons, and rescue leading members of the resistance. After defeating the empire and the Emperor, the trio discovers that the fourth youth, now a dark knight, has taken the place of the previous emperor and is preparing to attack the rebellion. Upon confronting him, the Emperor reappears as a demon, the "Dark Emperor", and prepares to attempt to destroy the world; the four characters agree to join forces to defeat him. They proceed to do so in his demonic castle. The Game Boy Advance remake adds a bonus story after the game

''Final Fantasy II'' is completed, following several side characters who died during the game as they attempt to defeat an alternate version of the Emperor, the "Light Emperor". Final Fantasy II introduced many elements that would later become staples of the Final Fantasy franchise, including chocobos and the recurring character Cid. It also eliminated the traditional experience point leveling system of the prior and later games in the series, using instead a system where the characters' statistics increase according to how they are used or acquired. Despite being a sequel to Final Fantasy I, the game includes no characters or locations from the first game. Final Fantasy II received little attention at the time from non-Japanese reviewers, though its remakes have garnered favorable reviews.

Gameplay Final Fantasy II features gameplay similar to that of its predecessor, Final Fantasy. The player can freely roam an overworld containing several towns and dungeons. A menu-based system allows the player to outfit each character with equipment and up to twoâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;often disposableâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;items for battle. Magic spells are assigned to the character from the item menu, and certain spells, such as "Cure", can be used outside of battle.[1] The player can also save their progress on the overworld. Weapons, armor, items, and magic spells can be purchased at shops, and townspeople provide useful information for the player's progression through the game. One new feature is the "Word Memory" system: when in conversation with non-player characters (NPCs), the player can "ask" about and "memorize" special keywords or phrases, which can later be repeated to other NPCs to gain more information or unlock new actions. Similarly, there exist a handful of special items that can be shown to NPCs during conversation or used on certain objects, which have the same effect.[2] Characters and monsters are no longer separated into separate windows in the battle screen as they were in Final Fantasy I, and players can see their current and total hit points below the battle. Players can also fight with less than four characters in their party, which was not possible in the first game. Final Fantasy II introduced the chocobo, the signature Final Fantasy mascot, which lets characters ride to a location at great speed without being attacked by enemies. The recurring character Cid was also introduced in II; a character of the same name has appeared in every main-series game since.[3] On the overworld and within dungeons, random encounters with enemies can be fought to improve each character's attributes.[4] Unlike the original Final Fantasy, players could not upgrade their characters' classes. The game is also one of the few games in the series to not use experience-based levels. Instead, each character participating in battle develops depending on what actions they take. For instance, characters who use a particular type of weapon frequently will become more adept at wielding a weapon of that type, and will also increase in physical strength and accuracy. Attributes include hit points, magic points, magic power, stamina, strength, spirit, agility, intelligence, and The ill-fated opening battle in the Famicom evasion. Players can also increase their ability to wield certain types of version weapon, and repeated use in combat causes the ability to level up.[3] [4] Hit points (HP) and magic points (MP) increase with their use; a character who takes a heavy amount of damage in a battle might earn an increase in maximum HP, while a character who uses a lot of MP during battle might increase their maximum MP.[4] This experience system had several unintended consequences that allowed characters to gain much more experience than intended, such as players having their characters attack each other and repeatedly cast spells, thus causing their HP and abilities to grow extensively.[3] Final Fantasy II uses the same turn-based battle system seen in the original Final Fantasy, with battle parties consisting of up to four characters at a time. The game introduces a "back row" in battle, within which characters or enemies are immune to most physical attacks, but can be harmed with bows and magical attacks.[1]

''Final Fantasy II''

Plot Characters Final Fantasy II features four playable characters as well as several secondary characters who are only briefly controlled by the player. Primary characters include Firion (Frioniel in the Japanese release), a resident of the country of Fynn; Maria, a soft-spoken archer and dedicated enemy of the Empire; Guy (Gus in the remake for the PlayStation), a simple monk who communicates with animals; and Leon (Leonhart in the Japanese release), a conflicted dark knight who is missing for most of the game.[3] [5] Five playable Yoshitaka Amano's artwork of the main characters Leon, Firion, characters temporarily join the party to assist Firion, Maria, and Guy Maria, and Guy in their missions for the rebellion. These are Gordon, the prince of Kas'ion and a member of the rebellion; Josef, a villager in the town of Salamand; Leila, a pirate; Minwu (Mindu in the PlayStation remake), who is a white mage with the rebellion, and Ricard Highwind (Gareth in the remake, but Ricard again in the later Dawn of Souls remake), who is the first dragoon to appear in the series.[3] While Final Fantasy was mostly focused on gameplay, Hironobu Sakaguchi decided for the second installment to put more emphasis on character development. Care was taken to make the characters feel like real human beings, able to experience various emotions that the player could similarly feel, such as sadness or happiness.[6] Final Fantasy II also had playable characters die as part of the normal storyline. Music composer Nobuo Uematsu was initially opposed to the creation of these death scenes, but eventually agreed with Sakaguchi's ideas. In terms of gameplay, once a guest character would die in a scripted event, the player would have no means to revive them or recover their equipment and weapons.[6] Firion and Mateus (the Emperor of Palamecia) are the respective hero and villain representing Final Fantasy II in Dissidia: Final Fantasy, a fighting game featuring characters from across the series. Firion is voiced by Hikaru Midorikawa in the Japanese version and by Johnny Yong Bosch in the English version; Mateus is voiced by Kenyuu Horiuchi in the Japanese version and Christopher Corey Smith in the English version. In the PlayStation's opening FMV of Final Fantasy II, Firion is also voiced by Hikaru Midorikawa, while Maria is played by Noriko Shitaya, Guy by Kenta Miyake, and Leon by Takayuki Yamaguchi. Final Fantasy II features an airship pilot named Cid; each Final Fantasy game in the series after II features a character named Cid as well.[3]

Story Final Fantasy II begins as Firion, Maria, Guy and Leon are attacked by Palamecian soldiers and left for dead. Firion, Maria, and Guy are rescued by Princess Hilda, who has established a rebel base in the town of Altair after her kingdom of Fynn was invaded by the Emperor. Hilda denies their request to join the rebel army because they are too young and inexperienced. The three set off for Fynn in search of Leon; there they find a dying Prince Scott of Kashuan, Hilda's fiancĂŠ, who informs them that a former knight of Fynn, Borghen, betrayed the rebellion and became a General in the Imperial army. The party returns to Altair to inform Hilda. She allows the group to join the rebellion and asks them to journey north to find mythril, a metal which could be used to create powerful weapons. The party makes its way north to the occupied village of Salamand, saves the villagers forced to work in the nearby mines, and retrieves the mythril.

''Final Fantasy II'' For their next mission, The party is sent to the city of Bafsk to prevent the construction of a large airship known as the Dreadnought; however, it takes off just as they arrive. After retrieving the Sunfire, a weapon which can blow up the Dreadnought, they watch helplessly as an airship with Hilda on board is captured by the Dreadnought. When the Dreadnought is put down to stock up on supplies, the party rescues Hilda and throws the Sunfire into the airship's engine. Before escaping from the explosion, the party encounters a dark knight whom Maria recognizes as Leon. On his deathbed, the King of Fynn tasks the party to seek the help of the seemingly extinct dragoons of Deist. In Deist, the party finds only a mother with her son, learning that all but one of the Dragoons are dead, partly as a result of Imperial poison. After placing an egg of the last wyvern in a cavern, the party returns to Altair and rescues Hilda from the Empire a second time, before successfully reclaiming Fynn from the Imperial forces. They then travel west in search of a powerful magic item, joining forces with the last surviving dragoon on the way. The party returns to Fynn and sees that many towns have been destroyed by a cyclone summoned by the Emperor. The party calls upon the newly born last wyvern to take them to a castle inside the cyclone, where they confront and kill the Emperor. Back at Fynn, everyone celebrates the Empire's defeat, but a mortally wounded Fynn soldier arrives and reveals that Leon has taken the throne and plans to destroy the Rebels with the Imperial army. The party enters the castle of Palamecia and confronts Leon. However, the Emperor reappears in the throne room in a new demonic form, revealing he returned from Hell with the intention of destroying the entire world and its inhabitants. The party and Leon escape Palamecia Castle with the wyvern, while the place crumbles and is replaced with the palace of Hell, Pandaemonium. Leon agrees to help the group seal the Emperor away. The party travels to the Jade Passage, an underground passage to the underworld, and finds the portal to Pandaemonium, where they finally defeat the Dark Emperor. The Dawn of Souls remake of the game for the Game Boy Advance includes an additional mission that takes place after the game, called "Soul of Rebirth". The story of the bonus mission follows several characters who died during the story of the game as they travel through alternate versions of several locations in the game and defeat another version of the Emperor, the Light Emperor.

Development A second installment of Final Fantasy was not planned in advance, and only materialized after the first game's widespread popularity. The game was released one day less than a year after the first game came out. While Hironobu Sakaguchi remained in overall charge of the project, co-designer Akitoshi Kawazu took a more active role in the game's development, and made several key decisions such as more of an emphasis on character than the previous game, and the revamped stat system. As the first Final Fantasy game was not plotted to have a sequel, Square took the game in a new direction, and included none of the previous game's characters or locations.[3] Using the development experience gained from the first installment, which focused more on fitting story ideas into their new gameplay system and game world, the team fully crafted Final Fantasy II's story first. The gameplay was then built around the story.[7] The experience system was designed to be a more realistic advancement system than that of the first game. Several members of the original staff from the first game reprised their jobs for Final Fantasy II. Nobuo Uematsu composed the music for the game as he had for the first game, while Yoshitaka Amano was again the concept artist.[3] As with the original, Final Fantasy II was programmed by Nasir Gebelli.[8] The music for Final Fantasy II was later arranged by Tsuyoshi Sekito for the WonderSwan Color, PlayStation, and Game Boy Advance remakes. Although the two soundtracks were composed separately, the soundtrack to II has only been released as a combined album with the soundtrack to Final Fantasy I. They were first released as All Sounds of Final Fantasy Iâ&#x20AC;˘II in 1989, which was then republished in 1994.[9] An arranged album of music from the two soundtracks titled Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy was also released in 1989, while Final Fantasy & Final Fantasy II Original Soundtrack, a combined soundtrack album for the PlayStation versions of the games, was released in 2002 and re-released in 2004.[10] [11] The music of Final Fantasy II has also appeared in various official concerts and live albums, such as 20020220 music from FINAL FANTASY, a live recording of an orchestra performing music from the

''Final Fantasy II'' series including several pieces from the games.[12] Additionally, several songs from the game were performed as part of a medley by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra for the Distant Worlds - Music from Final Fantasy concert tour,[13] while a different medley of songs from the game were performed by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra in the Tour de Japon: Music from Final Fantasy concert series.[14]

Versions and re-releases Unreleased English version Following the successful release of the original Final Fantasy by Nintendo in 1990, Square Soft, Square's North American subsidiary, began work on an English language localization of Final Fantasy II. It was to be called Final Fantasy II: Dark Shadow Over Palakia. Assigned to the project was Kaoru Moriyama, whose later work included script translations for Final Fantasy IV and Secret of Mana (known as Seiken Densetsu 2 in Japan). Although a beta version was produced, and the game was advertised in several Square Soft trade publications, the long development time, the age of the original Japanese game and the arrival of the Super Nintendo Entertainment Screenshot from the unreleased English prototype System, the NES's successor console, led Square Soft to cancel work on the Final Fantasy II localization in favor of the recently released Final Fantasy IV (which, to avoid confusing North American players, was retitled Final Fantasy II to reflect the jump in releases).[3] [15] Although a prototype cartridge of the NES Final Fantasy II was produced (with the subtitle Dark Shadow over Palakia), the project was, by Moriyama's own admission, still far from complete. He said that "We had so very limited memory capacity we could use for each game, and it was never really "translating" but chopping up the information and cramming them back in... [Additionally] our boss had no understanding in putting in extra work for the English version at that time".[15] In 2003, when the game was finally released to English-speaking audiences as part of Final Fantasy Origins, it was released with a brand new translation under the supervision of Akira Kashiwagi. A fan translation of the game was also created prior to the release of Origins, and makes use of an original translation as the existence of the prototype cartridge was not common knowledge at the time.[15]

Re-releases In addition to its original Famicom release, Final Fantasy II has been re-released as a compilation package with Final Fantasy I titled Final Fantasy Iâ&#x20AC;˘II on the Famicom in 1994, on the WonderSwan Color by itself in 2001, and both singularly and as part of a collection with Final Fantasy I for the PlayStation in 2002. It was released on the Game Boy Advance in 2004 as part of Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls, for mobile phones in 2004 and 2006 by itself, and on the PlayStation Portable in 2007. Its most recent release has been for the Japanese Wii Virtual Console on June 16, 2009.[16] The Final Fantasy Iâ&#x20AC;˘II collection included the original game with only minor changes. The WonderSwan Color version of the game was a launch title for the system, and was later included as a bundle with a special Final Fantasy II edition of the console.[17] [18] It included a complete graphical update including larger character sprites, redone music by Tsuyoshi Sekito, and full graphical backgrounds in battle mode.[19] The PlayStation remake featured even more graphical updates over the WonderSwan version, and the soundtrack was again remixed by Tsuyoshi Sekito to a higher quality to use the audio capabilities of the PlayStation and composed a few new tracks to be used in the new cutscenes. It was published both individually (in Japan only) and alongside Final Fantasy I in a collection entitled Final Fantasy Origins (or Final Fantasy I+II Premium Collection in Japan); this was the first release of the game

''Final Fantasy II'' outside of Japan.[20] This release was the first time the game was released outside of Japan.[3] Final Fantasy II was again released in a new format in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance as part of Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls. The primary change for this version was the addition of a bonus storyline entitled Soul of Rebirth accessible to the player after completing the game.[21] In 2004 and 2006, Square Enix released a version of Final Fantasy II for three Japanese mobile phone networks.[22] To celebrate the Final Fantasy series' 20th anniversary, the game was released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable in 2007.[23] The remake features improved graphics, the cutscenes and soundtrack from Final Fantasy Origins, and the bonus quest and dungeons from Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls. It additionally includes two new dungeons in which more character-specific equipment can be found, alongside powerful enemies and a new boss.[24] The release for the Japanese Wii Virtual Console on June 16, 2009 is the most recent release; this version is identical to the original Famicom release, incorporating none of the updates of the later versions.[16] On February 25, 2010, Square Enix released a port of the PSP version modified with touchscreen controls for the iPhone OS platform.[25]

Reception and legacy As of March 31, 2003, the game, including all re-releases at the time, had shipped 1.28 million copies worldwide, with 1.08 million of those copies being shipped in Japan and 200,000 abroad.[26] Despite having only been released in June of that year, as of September 2007 the PlayStation Portable version had shipped 90,000 copies in Japan and 70,000 in North America.[27] Despite these high sales, the game had sold the least copies of any out of the first ten main Final Fantasy series as of March 31, 2003.[26] The original release of the game was reviewed in 1993 in Dragon #199 by Sandy Petersen in the "Eye of the Monitor" column. Petersen gave the game 4 out of 5 stars, praising the difficulty and length of the game. He also applauded the story, which he compared favorably to those of novels and movies rather than the simplistic plots found in many contemporary video games; this led him to become "more attached to my party in Final Fantasy II than in any other computer game Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve played".[28] He attributed this to the fact that characters joined and left the party due to their own motivations, making them feel more real, though he noted that the characterizations were still thin. Petersen was dismissive of the graphics, calling them inferior to other NES games, but was highly praising of the game's music.[28] The game's re-releases have been more heavily reviewed; GameSpot noted the Dawn of Souls' mostly outdated graphics but praised its length and bonus content.[29] IGN noted the great improvement in the translation of the story and the adding of later Final Fantasy features, such as being able to save anywhere in the overworld map without a tent or cabin.[30] The Dawn of Souls release was called the "Game of the Month" for March 2004 on the Game Boy at IGN.[31] The dialogue system was thought to be time consuming and stilted, but was still a milestone for interactivity. The story was considered to be much more involved and deep than the first Final Fantasy, as it involved romance and also had characters die. The game's plot was thought by reviewers to mirror elements of Star Wars: A New Hope in its use of an orphan joining a rebellion against an empire that was building a massive ship, with a captive princess inside.[3] GameSpy praised the addition of the ability to save the game at any time, calling the feature crucial for a game on a handheld game console, but in contrast to GameSpot praised the graphics, saying that while primitive, they were "well-suited" to the Game Boy Advance.[32] The PSP version met average reviews. GameSpot called the level up system "chaotic" and noted that unlike previous versions, this was shipped without a version of Final Fantasy I. IGN also complained about the gameplay, saying, "If you're the type of player who puts a higher emphasis on more satisfying gameplay experiences, however, then FF2 definitely isn't the upgrade it appears to be." Both sources praised the graphics, however.[33] [34] GameSpy, however, while echoing similar complaints about the "quirky and sometimes confusing" leveling system and praises for the graphics, also applauded the supposed decrease in difficulty of the game, which in the reviewers opinion eliminated the necessity to abuse the leveling system in order to progress in the game as the player did in the original game.[35]

''Final Fantasy II'' In April 1989, the game was novelized by its original scenario writer Kenji Terada under the title Final Fantasy II: Tsū Muma no Meikyū (literally "The Labyrinth of Nightmare"). It was published in Japan exclusively by Kadokawa Shoten.[36]

External links • Quotations related to Final Fantasy II at Wikiquote • Final Fantasy II on the Final Fantasy Wiki

References [1] Final Fantasy Origins instruction manual. Square Enix. 2003. p. 17. SLUS-05141. [2] Final Fantasy Origins instruction manual. Square Enix. 2003. pp. 15, 22. SLUS-05141. [3] "Final Fantasy Retrospective: Part II" (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ player/ 22650. html). GameTrailers. 2007-07-23. . Retrieved 2008-04-16. [4] Final Fantasy Origins instruction manual. Square Enix. 2003. p. 22. SLUS-05141. [5] Final Fantasy Origins instruction manual. Square Enix. 2003. p. 15. SLUS-05141. [6] DeWoody, Lucas (2005-08-12). "The Fantasy Begins- History of Square Vol. 2" (http:/ / gc. advancedmn. com/ article. php?artid=5543& pg=2& comments=& preview=). Advanced Media Network (http:/ / advancedmn. com/ ). Advanced Media. pp. 2. . Retrieved 2007-07-07. [7] Kent, Steven (2001). "The Mainstream and All Its Perils". Ultimate History of Video Games. Three Rivers Press. pp. 541–542. ISBN 0761536434. [8] Lau, John (2005-01-22). "The Secret of Nasir" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070716125605/ http:/ / www2. hawaii. edu/ ~johnlau/ nasir. html). University of Hawaii. Archived from the original (http:/ / www2. hawaii. edu/ ~johnlau/ nasir. html) on 2007-07-16. . Retrieved 2008-07-14. [9] Gann, Patrick; Schweitzer, Ben. "All Sounds of Final Fantasy I - II" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff1& 2/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-07-09. [10] Gann, Patrick. "Final Fantasy Symphonic Suite" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ffss/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-07-09. [11] "Final Fantasy I • II Original Soundtrack" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff1& 2-remake/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-09-14. [12] "20020220 - Music from FINAL FANTASY" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ 20020220/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2007-04-01. [13] "Distant Worlds - Music from Final Fantasy - Album Information" (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ albums/ f/ ffdistantworlds. shtml). Square Enix Music Online. . Retrieved 2008-02-22. [14] "Album Information - Tour de Japon: Music from Final Fantasy DVD" (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ albums/ dvds/ tourdejapon. shtml). Square Enix Music Online. . Retrieved 2008-02-22. [15] Collette, Chris. "Spotlight: Final Fantasy II" (http:/ / www. lostlevels. org/ 200312/ 200312-ffan2. shtml). LostLevels.org. . Retrieved 2006-08-25. [16] "VC ファイナルファンタジーII" (http:/ / www. nintendo. co. jp/ wii/ vc/ vc_ff2/ index. html) (in Japanese). Nintendo. . Retrieved 30 November 2009. [17] Harris, Craig (2000-09-08). "Final Fantasy Goes WonderSwan Color" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 084/ 084736p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-03. [18] Wonderswan Gamer (2006-01-19). "Final Fantasy II Boxset" (http:/ / www. wonderswan. co. uk/ 2006/ 01/ final-fantasy-ii-boxset. html). Wonderswan Gaming. . Retrieved 2006-09-04. [19] fastbill1. "Final Fantasy II" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20071225054434/ http:/ / import. portablereview. com/ review211. html). PortableReview.com. Archived from the original (http:/ / import. portablereview. com/ review211. html) on 2007-12-25. . Retrieved 2006-09-04. [20] Triche, Stephen (2002). "Final Fantasy Origins" (http:/ / www. psillustrated. com/ psillustrated/ soft_rev. php/ 1283/ final-fantasy-origins-playstation. html). gamevortex.com. . Retrieved 2006-03-08. [21] Gantayat, Anoop (2004-07-02). "Final Fantasy Pushed Back" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 528/ 528007p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-03. [22] "Final Fantasy mobile" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ mobile/ ff/ ). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2007-03-20. [23] "Final Fantasy for PSP" (http:/ / www. famitsu. com/ game/ news/ 2007/ 02/ 06/ 103,1170729727,66700,0,0. html). Famitsu. . Retrieved 2007-03-20. [24] "Square-Enix to remake FF I and II for anniversary" (http:/ / psp. ign. com/ articles/ 755/ 755976p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-01-18. [25] Lanxon, Nate (2010-02-25). "Final Fantasy now available on iPhone" (http:/ / www. wired. co. uk/ news/ archive/ 2010-02/ 25/ final-fantasy-now-available-on-iphone. aspx). Wired. . Retrieved 2010-02-25.

''Final Fantasy II''

[26] "Titles of game software with worldwide shipments exceeding 1 million copies" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ ir/ e/ explanatory/ download/ 0404-200402090000-01. pdf#page=27). Square Enix. 2004-02-09. pp. 27. . Retrieved 2008-03-01. [27] "FY2007 First-Half Period Results Briefing Session" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ ir/ e/ explanatory/ download/ 20071119en_20. pdf). Square-Enix.com. 2007-11-19. . Retrieved 2009-01-13. [28] Petersen, Sandy (November 1993). "Eye of the Monitor". Dragon (199): 56–64. [29] Massimilla, Bethany (2004-11-29). "Final Fantasy 1 & 2:Dawn of Souls" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gba/ rpg/ finalfantasyiii/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-08-31. [30] Dunham, Jeremy (2004-11-30). "Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 569/ 569570p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-31. [31] IGN Staff (2004-11-30). "GBA Game of the Month: November 2004" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 569/ 569738p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-03. [32] Vassar, Darryl (2004-12-01). "Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls" (http:/ / gba. gamespy. com/ gameboy-advance/ final-fantasy-gba-rumored/ 569939p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2009-12-02. [33] VanOrd, Kevin (2007-08-03). "Final Fantasy II Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ psp/ rpg/ finalfantasyiianniversaryedition/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2009-11-25. [34] Dunham, Jeremy (2007-07-26). "Final Fantasy II Review" (http:/ / psp. ign. com/ articles/ 808/ 808182p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-11-25. [35] Graziani, Gabe (2007-07-26). "Final Fantasy II" (http:/ / psp. gamespy. com/ playstation-portable/ final-fantasy-ii/ 808381p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2009-12-02. [36] Yahoo! Japan staff (N/A). "ファイナルファンタジー2 夢魔の迷宮" (http:/ / books. yahoo. co. jp/ book_detail/ AAD37156/ ). . . Retrieved 2010-01-12.

''Final Fantasy III'' Final Fantasy III

Developer(s)

Square Matrix Software (Nintendo DS)

Publisher(s)

Square Square Enix (Nintendo DS, Virtual Console)

Designer(s)

Hironobu Sakaguchi (Famicom) Hiromichi Tanaka (all versions) Kazuhiko Aoki (all versions)

Artist(s)

Yoshitaka Amano (Famicom) Akihiko Yoshida (Nintendo DS)

Writer(s)

Kenji Terada (Famicom)

Composer(s)

Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy

Platform(s)

Famicom [2] Nintendo DS Virtual Console

[1]

''Final Fantasy III''

85 Release date(s) Famicom [1] JP April 27, 1990 Nintendo DS [3] [4] JP August 24, 2006 [5] NA November 14, 2006 [6] EU May 4, 2007 Virtual Console [7] JP July 21, 2009 [1]

Genre(s)

Role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player,

Rating(s)

Nintendo DS [2] CERO: A ESRB: E10+ OFLC: PG PEGI: 12+

Media

4 megabit cartridge [2] 1-gigabit Nintendo DS Game Card

[1]

[2]

multiplayer (Nintendo DS)

Input methods Game controller

Final Fantasy III (ファイナルファンタジーIII) is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square in 1990 for the Family Computer as the third installment in the Final Fantasy series. It is the first numbered Final Fantasy game to feature the job-change system. The story revolves around four orphaned youths drawn to a crystal of light. The crystal grants them some of its power, and instructs them to go forth and restore balance to the world. Not knowing what to make of the crystal's pronouncements, but nonetheless recognizing the importance of its words, the four inform their adoptive families of their mission and set out to explore and bring back balance to the world. The game was released in Japan on April 27, 1990. It had never been released outside of Japan until a remake was released on the Nintendo DS on August 24, 2006. At that time, it was the only Final Fantasy game not previously released in North America or Europe.[8] There had been earlier plans to remake the game for Bandai's WonderSwan Color handheld, as had been done with the first, second, and fourth installments of the series, but the game faced several delays and was eventually canceled after the premature cancellation of the platform. The Nintendo DS version of the game was positively received internationally, selling over one million copies in Japan. The Famicom version of the game was released on the Wii Virtual Console service in Japan on July 21, 2009.[7]

''Final Fantasy III''

Gameplay The gameplay of Final Fantasy III combines elements of the first two Final Fantasy games with new features. The turn-based combat system remains in place from the first two games, but hit points are now shown above the target following attacks or healing actions, rather than captioned as in the previous two games. Auto-targeting for physical attacks after a friendly or enemy unit is killed is also featured for the first time. Unlike subsequent games in the series, however, magical attacks are not auto-targeted in the same fashion.[9] The experience point system featured in Final Fantasy makes a return following its absence from Final Fantasy II. The character class The battle screen, showing the party battling three system featured in the first game in the franchise also reappears, with monsters. Like earlier games in the series, Final some modifications. Whereas in the original game the player chooses Fantasy III displays battle messages in text windows, such as the "Miss" displayed in the each character's class alignment at the start of the game, Final Fantasy central box. Like later games in the series, III introduces the "job system" for which the series would later become animated messages or symbols are also shown on famous. Jobs are presented as interchangeable classes: in the Famicom the character in question. version of the game, all four characters begin as "Onion Knights", with a variety of additional jobs becoming available as the game progresses. Any playable character has access to every currently available job.[10] Switching jobs consumes "capacity points" which are awarded to the entire party following every battle, much like gil. Different weapons, armor and accessories, and magic spells are utilized by each job. A character's level of proficiency at a particular job increases the longer the character remains with that job. Higher job levels increase the battle statistics of the character and reduce the cost in capacity points to switch to that job.[9] Final Fantasy III is the first game in the series to feature special battle commands such as "Steal" or "Jump", each of which is associated with a particular job ("Steal" is the Thief's specialty, while "Jump" is the Dragoon's forte). Certain jobs also feature innate, non-battle abilities, such as the Thief's ability to open passages that would otherwise require a special key item.[11] It is also the first game in the series to feature summoned creatures which are called with the "Summon" skill.[10]

Plot Setting One thousand years before the events in the game, on a floating continent hovering high above the surface of an unnamed planet, a technologically advanced civilization sought to harness the power of the four elemental crystals of light. They did not realize that they could not control such fundamental forces of nature. This power of light would have consumed the world itself had the light crystals not had their natural counterparts: the four dark elemental crystals. Disturbed by the sudden interruption of the careful balance of light and dark, four warriors were granted the power of the dark crystals to recapture the power of the light crystals. These so-called Dark Warriors succeeded in their quest, and restored harmony to the world. But their victory came too late to save the doomed civilization. Their culture was reduced to ruin, though their floating continent remained. On that continent, the circle of Gulgans, a race of blind soothsayers and fortune-tellers, predicted that these events will ultimately repeat.[12]

''Final Fantasy III''

Characters Final Fantasy III focuses around four orphans from the remote village of Ur, each of them starting off as Freelancers. The Nintendo DS version of the game individualized the party members, giving them unique appearances (designed by Akihiko Yoshida), backstories, personalities and names: Luneth (ルーネス), who symbolizes courage, an adventurous orphan boy raised in the village of Ur; Arc (アルクゥ), who symbolizes kindness, Luneth's childhood best friend and a timid yet intelligent young man; Refia (レフィア), who symbolizes affection, a girl raised in the village of Kazus who tires of her father's blacksmith training and often runs away from home; and Ingus (イングス), who symbolizes determination, a loyal soldier serving the King of Sasune, with a (mutual) soft spot for the princess Sara.[13]

Render of the four main characters Luneth, Ingus, Arc, and Refia, for the DS remake of Final Fantasy III

Though Xande (ザンデ Zande) is the one they have to stop for the most of the game, he is eventually revealed to be merely a pawn of the Cloud of Darkness (暗闇の雲 Kurayami no Kumo), a malevolent and vicious deity who wishes to push the world into a state of chaos and destruction by upsetting the balance between light and darkness, allowing the Void to consume the world. Appearing in a female-like form, she refers to herself in first-person plurals. Although she initially defeats the Warriors of the Light, they are resurrected with Unei and Doga's help, and, with help from the Dark Warriors, they defeat the Cloud of Darkness. The Onion Knight (seemingly based on both Luneth and the unnamed lead character of the Famicom version, with an alternate costume based on Luneth) and the Cloud of Darkness are the respective hero and villainess representing Final Fantasy III in Dissidia: Final Fantasy, where they are voiced by Jun Fukuyama and Masako Ikeda respectively in the Japanese version, and by Aaron Spann and Laura Bailey, respectively, in English. In the game, the Onion Knight is a child prodigy sort who accompanies Terra Branford in their search for their crystals. But from getting his after battling the Cloud of Darkness, learns to feel from his heart as he and Cloud Strife help Terra get her crystal from Kefka Palazzo. The Cloud of Darkness is referenced in Ivalice-set titles Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift as a summonable entity (known as an "Esper" in the first, a "Totema" in the second and a "Scion" in the third) by the name of Famfrit, also known as "the Darkening Cloud".

Story An earthquake opens up a previously hidden cavern in Altar Cave near the village of Ur on the floating continent. Four young orphans under the care of Topapa, the village elder, explore the earthquake's impact and come across a crystal of light. The crystal grants them a portion of its power, and instructs them to go forth and restore balance to the world. Not knowing what to make of the crystal's pronouncements, but nonetheless recognizing the importance of its words, the four inform their adoptive family of their mission and set out to explore an overworld outside the area in which they were brought up to bring back balance to the world.[12] Their adventures bring them to discover that there lies a whole world beyond the boundaries of the floating continent upon which they were living. In the world below, they discover that a warlock named Xande, one of three apprentices to the legendary Archmage Noah, is trying to possess the crystals of light to bring forth chaos and disorder. The four warriors eventually arrive at the Crystal Tower where they discover that the Cloud of Darkness is the source of the recent events. The Cloud attempts to bring back a similar situation as the Flood of Light a millennia earlier so that the world is pulled into the void. The warriors from the light traverse into the domain of the dark crystals to free the imprisoned dark warriors and defeat the Cloud of Darkness, thereby restoring the crystals and balance to the world. In the DS remake, there are also several "side quests" that can be completed. [12]

''Final Fantasy III''

Development Director Hironobu Sakaguchi, designer Hiromichi Tanaka, character designer Yoshitaka Amano, scenario writer Kenji Terada, and music composer Nobuo Uematsu returned from the two previous Final Fantasy games to contribute to the development of Final Fantasy III.[14] As with the previous two installments of the series, Final Fantasy III was programmed for the Famicom by Nasir Gebelli. It was the last original Final Fantasy title worked on by Gebelli.[15] The finished game was one of the largest ever produced for the Famicom.[16] Like many console role-playing games of the era, Final Fantasy III is noted for its difficulty.[16] Square developed and released Final Fantasy III during the same period that Nintendo released its 16-bit Super Famicom console, intended as the successor to the original 8-bit Famicom. Designer Hiromichi Tanaka said that the original game was never released outside of Japan because Square was focused on developing for Nintendo's new console. Nowadays we know that when you've got a platform like PlayStation, you'll have PlayStation 2 and then PlayStation 3, and where you've got Xbox, you move on to Xbox 360 - you can sort of assume what's going to happen in the future. But back then, that was the first time that we'd seen a new generation of consoles, and it was really difficult to predict what was going to happen. At that time, then, we were working so hard to catch up on the new technology that we didn't have enough manpower to work on an English version of Final Fantasy III. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Hiromichi Tanaka[16]

Cancelled WonderSwan Color remake Bandai unveiled their WonderSwan Color handheld system in 2000 and had immediately headed up a deal with Square Co. to release enhanced remakes of their first three Final Fantasy titles on the new console.[17] Although Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II were both released within a year of the announcement, Final Fantasy III was ultimately delayed from its late 2001 release date, even after Bandai picked up the game's publishing rights.[18] While a port of Final Fantasy IV was eventually released for the WonderSwan Color, Square remained silent regarding Final Fantasy III. Although the game was never formally cancelled, the official website was taken offline once production of the WonderSwan Color consoles ceased in 2002.[19] In 2007, Hiromichi Tanaka explained in an interview that the WonderSwan Color remake had been abandoned because the size and structure of the coding of the original Famicom game was too difficult to recreate on the WonderSwan Color: When we developed FF3, the volume of content in the game was so huge that the cartridge was completely full, and when new platforms emerged, there simply wasn't enough storage space available for an update of FF3, because that would have required new graphics, music and other content. There was also a difficulty with how much manpower it would take to remake all of that content. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Hiromichi Tanaka[16]

Nintendo DS remake Following the failure of the effort to remake the game for the WonderSwan Color, and Square's merger with former competitor Enix to form Square Enix in 2003, the company posted assurance that the game's promised remake would not be completely forgotten, and there was speculation that it might find its way to Sony's PlayStation or Nintendo's Game Boy Advance as its predecessors had.[20] [21] Square Enix considered porting the game to the PlayStation 2, but was eventually convinced by Nintendo to develop the title for their new handheld system, the Nintendo DS, a decision that would later be positively reinforced by the commercial success of the Nintendo DS.[22] The Final Fantasy III remake was first announced to be in development on 2004-10-07, but detailed information did not emerge until a year later. Hiromichi Tanaka headed the project as both the executive producer and director. His

''Final Fantasy III'' guidance and supervision were needed because the remake was not a mere graphical update as Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II's remakes were, but a total overhaul using the Nintendo DS's 3D capabilities. Along with 3D graphics, a full motion video opening scene was produced for the game, similar to those found in the ports of the 2D Final Fantasy games for the PlayStation. Developer Matrix Software handled the programming of the game.[23] The remake was produced by Tomoya Asano and co-developed by Matrix Software and Square Enix. In addition, Ryosuke Aiba (Final Fantasy XI) was the art director. Akihiko Yoshida (Final Fantasy XII) redesigned the original characters for use in 3D, and designed the looks of the new playable characters.[24] The formerly generic and nameless party characters were replaced with more concrete characters with new personalities and background stories, and additional scenes were added to develop their individuality; however, the main storyline was not altered significantly.[25] Along with these four, additional characters (called "sub-characters") also join the party temporarily, like in the original. Unlike the original, however, these characters may randomly participate in battle.[26] Final Fantasy III for the Nintendo DS features overhauls to the job system, including the rebalancing of the classes, the addition of new abilities, a new "Freelancer" class that replaces "Onion Knight" as the default job at the beginning of the game (Onion Knight is retained as a secret class), new events, a new crystal and dungeon, and the removal of capacity points. Unlike the original Famicom version, most of the jobs remain useful for the entire game. The ultimate jobs – the Ninja and the Sage – and some of the lesser-used jobs like the Geomancer - were redesigned to have the same level of abilities as the Warrior. Also new are special job-specific items available only if a character has fully mastered a certain job.[27] In place of capacity points, each character incurs a small temporary penalty for switching jobs. This penalty decreases the character's statistics for the next 0 to 10 battles. This period is called a "Job Transition Phase" and its length is based on how similar the new job is to the old job, and how proficient the character already is at the new job.[27] The remake takes advantage of the Wi-Fi feature of the Nintendo DS in the form of a Mail/Mognet system similar to Final Fantasy IX. Various moogles in the game allow the player to send mail to others. Players are also able to send mail to various characters in the game as well as to other players.[13] Side quests can also be unlocked using this system, such as the quest to unlock the Onion Knight.[28] An interruption-save option is also available that lets the player turn off the DS and continue when turning it back on. Like in the original, there is no way to make permanent saves while inside a dungeon.[29]

Music Final Fantasy III was composed by Nobuo Uematsu and is his 21st video game score. Final Fantasy III: Yūkyū no Kaze Densetsu, an arranged album by Uematsu featuring vocals by Dido, a Japanese vocal duo of Michiaki Kato and Shizuru Ohtaka, was also issued shortly following the release of the Famicom game in 1990.[30] A soundtrack album of the original game score followed a year later.[31] Selected tracks the game were featured in various Final Fantasy arranged music compilation albums, including Final Fantasy: Pray and Final Fantasy: Love Will Grow (with lyrical renditions performed by singer Risa Ohki),[32] [33] and the second and third albums from Uematsu's progressive metal group, The Black Mages.[34] [35] Several tracks from the game were subsequently remixed and featured in later Square or Square Enix titles, including Chocobo Racing[36] and Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon.[37] The score was arranged for the Nintendo DS remake by Tsuyoshi Sekito and Keiji Kawamori, working under Uematsu's supervision.[38] This score was released on compact disc under the title Final Fantasy III: Original Soundtrack. A remix of "This is the Final Battle" by The Black Mages, as well as a techno version of "Eternal Wind" by muZik, appeared on the DS game's soundtrack, released in Japan on 2006-09-20.[39]

''Final Fantasy III''

Reception and legacy Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator

Score [40]

GameRankings

77%

Metacritic

77 out of 100

(DS) [41]

(DS)

Review scores Publication 1UP.com Famitsu

Score [42]

B+

(DS)

[43] 36 out of 40 (Famicom) [43] 34 out of 40 (DS) [44]

GamePro

4 out of 5

GameSpy

8 out of 10

GameTrailers

8.2 out of 10

IGN Nintendo Power

[45]

(DS) (DS)

[46]

(DS) [47]

7.8 out of 10 (DS) [48]

8 out of 10

(DS)

The Famicom version Final Fantasy III was thought to be typical of RPGs of its day, with a high degree of difficulty requiring a significant amount of grinding.[16] It was influential in the development of the magic system and job systems of Final Fantasy XI.[49] In 2006, readers of the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu voted the original Final Fantasy III the eighth-best video game of all-time.[50] As of March 31, 2003, the game had shipped 1.4 million copies in Japan,[51] and is regarded as one of the top-selling games of 1994.[52] The remake's reception has been mostly positive with high sales and fair reviews from video game critics. IGN notes that "interest in FFIII should come as no surprise given...the popularity of the DS".[53] The game sold 500,000 units within the first week in Japan, beating Square Enix's original prediction that they would only sell 350,000.[54] As of August 6, 2007, the game has sold 990,000 units in Japan and 460,000 units in North America.[55] As of August 8, 2008, it has sold 480,000 units in Europe.[56] Figurines of the characters from the game have been created.[57] Reviews of the DS remake of Final Fantasy III have been mostly positive, with the game holding an aggregate score of 77% on GameRankings.[40] 1UP.com described the gameplay as "an RPG for dedicated RPG enthusiasts", and noted that while the job system had been heavily improved over the original title, it still felt at times "very limiting". The review however stated that it was important to remember Final Fantasy III as "a slice of history and a missing piece of a blockbuster series", citing that "hardcore RPG players" may enjoy the title more than other Final Fantasy games and calling it "one of the best portable RPGs to date".[42] GameSpy stated enjoyment hinged "entirely on your desire to play a game with decidedly archaic game mechanics that may seem primitive and uninviting" compared to other recent Square Enix titles, noting the game as "quite challenging" and adding "Some people live for this stuff, but others may be annoyed at the game's often unfriendly nature."[45] GameTrailers noted that while the plot was simple and the party members generic, the game's scenarios were "top notch". It additionally noted that while players should expect to have to do some level grinding, the game offers "lots of little areas to explore."[40] IGN described the game as one that may be "amazingly frustrating for the now mainstream Final Fantasy fan", and noted that while at the time the unique concept of the job class was one that

''Final Fantasy III'' "simply blew gamers' minds", comparing it to Final Fantasy XII' license board system was "literally no contest". The review additionally argued that the remake hampered the game, citing that battles that would take "mere seconds to scroll through" to now be "lengthened to nearly a minute". Another complaint was in the game's presentation on the Nintendo DS, noting that the handheld's top screen was inactive for "75% of the game", and that even displaying only artwork on the screen during those periods would have been a preferable outcome. However IGN described the game as "graphically phenomenal and is set to a simply beautiful musical score", and that the transition from 2D to 3D was "a good call".[47] From 1991 to 1992, Kadokawa Shoten's Famicom gaming magazine, Maru Katsu Famicom (マル勝ファミコン) published Legend of the Eternal Wind, from Final Fantasy III (悠久の風伝説ファイナルファンタジーIIIより Yūkyū no Kaze Densetsu Fainaru Fantajī Surī-yori), a manga serialization of Final Fantasy III illustrated by Yu Kinutani. Based on the original story by Kenji Terada, the manga chronicles the events that take place throughout the course of the game. It was subsequently collected into three tankōbon under Kadokawa Shoten's Dragon Comics imprint: Legend of the Eternal Wind 1, from Final Fantasy III, Legend of the Eternal Wind 2, from Final Fantasy III, and Legend of the Eternal Wind 3, from Final Fantasy III. In the PSP game Dissidia: Final Fantasy, the Onion Knight is a playable character. The attacks in Dissidia: Final Fantasy are based on the attacks in the original game. The Onion Knight's outfit is taken from aspects of all incarnations of the hero of Final Fantasy III. It is possible to unlock an alternate look that resembles Luneth in the DS remake. While in EX Mode, the Onion Knight changes job to a sage when performing a magical attack, and a ninja when performing a physical attack.

External links Nintendo DS version • Official Japanese website [58] • Official North American website [59] • "Official European website" [60]. Archived from the original [61] on 2008-01-29.

References [1] "Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ archive/ ff3/ ) (in Japanese). Square Enix Japan. . Retrieved 2008-07-11. [2] "Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff3/ ) (in Japanese). Square Enix Japan. . Retrieved 2008-07-11. [3] "「ファイナルファンタジーIII」同梱のニンテンドーDS Liteが限定発売" (http:/ / www. famitsu. com/ game/ news/ 2006/ 07/ 12/ 103,1152678634,56678,0,0. html) (in Japanese). Famitsu. 2006-07-12. . Retrieved 2007-10-26. [4] Gantayat, Anoop (2006-08-24). "FIII Mania in Japan" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 728/ 728081p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-10-26. [5] "Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20071017025808/ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ gamemini?gameid=tkf6F442Z4tWTPh27NOdPoeqjSI_5J9h). Nintendo. 2007. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ gamemini?gameid=tkf6F442Z4tWTPh27NOdPoeqjSI_5J9h) on 2007-10-17. . Retrieved 2007-10-26. [6] "FFIII Release date in Europe" (http:/ / www. gwn. com/ news/ story. php/ id/ 11716/ Final_Fantasy_III_Launch_Date_Confirmed. html). GWN. 2007. . Retrieved May 17, 2007. [7] Spencer (June 26, 2009). "Final Fantasy III Heads To Virtual Console In July" (http:/ / www. siliconera. com/ 2009/ 06/ 26/ final-fantasy-iii-heads-to-virtual-console-in-july/ ). Siliconera.com. . Retrieved 2009-06-29. [8] Gantayat, Anoop (2004-10-07). "Miyamoto Speaks to Final Fantasy Producer" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 555/ 555485p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-03. [9] Square Enix (1990). Final Fantasty III instruction manual. [10] Roschin, Oleg; Vitaglione, Erik. "Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. ugo. com/ channels/ games/ features/ finalfantasy/ finalfantasy3. asp). The World of Final Fantasy. UGO.com Games. . Retrieved 2008-07-11. [11] "Final Fantasy III Cheats" (http:/ / cheats. gamespy. com/ nes-cheats/ final-fantasy-iii/ ). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2008-07-11. [12] (Japanese) Square. Final Fantasy III. (Square). Nintendo Family Computer. (1990-04-27) [13] Square Enix, ed (2006). Final Fantasy III Instruction Book. Square Enix. p. 51. [14] "Game Credits for Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. mobygames. com/ game/ nes/ final-fantasy-iii/ credits). MobyGames (http:/ / www. mobygames. com/ ). . Retrieved 2008-07-14.

''Final Fantasy III'' [15] Lau, John (2005-01-22). "The Secret of Nasir" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070716125605/ http:/ / www2. hawaii. edu/ ~johnlau/ nasir. html). University of Hawaii. Archived from the original (http:/ / www2. hawaii. edu/ ~johnlau/ nasir. html) on 2007-07-16. . Retrieved 2008-07-14. [16] Rob Fahey (2007-03-13). "Fantasy Reborn" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ fantasy-reborn-interview). Eurogamer. . Retrieved 2008-03-10. [17] Harris, Craig (2000-09-08). "Final Fantasy Goes WonderSwan Color" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 084/ 084736p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-03. [18] Joseph Witham (2003). "Final Fantasy III Still WonderSwan Bound" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q1-2003/ 030603b. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-09-04. [19] Eve C. (2002). "WSC FFIII Vanishes, FFI-II Remake In The Works" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ news/ 2002/ 1717. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2006-09-04. [20] Andrew Long and Jesse Kanda (2003). "Final Fantasy III Finally On Deck" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q3-2003/ 070703a. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-09-04. [21] Adam Riley (2006-08-05). "Final Fantasy III: Nintendo DS" (http:/ / www. cubed3. com/ preview/ 194/ ). Cubed3.com. . Retrieved 2006-09-04. [22] Nix (2006-09-24). "TGS 2006: Square on Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 734/ 734997p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-25. [23] ""Creator's Voice" - The Final Fantasy III Interview" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20060812044056/ http:/ / xcomp. gamebrink. com/ ?p=222). zgameBrink.com. 2006-08-10. Archived from the original (http:/ / xcomp. gamebrink. com/ ?p=222) on 2006-08-12. . Retrieved 2006-08-27. [24] "Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. mobygames. com/ game/ nintendo-ds/ final-fantasy-iii_). Moby Games. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [25] "Final Fantasy III Review" (http:/ / palgn. com. au/ nintendo-ds/ 6546/ final-fantasy-iii-review/ ). PALGN. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [26] "Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ r_ffiii_ds). EuroGamer. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [27] written by Ken Schmidt (2006-11-15). Final Fantasy III Official Strategy Guide. Brady Games. ISBNÂ 0744008484. [28] Shoemaker, Brad (2006-07-20). "Final Fantasy III Update" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ds/ rpg/ finalfantasyiii/ news. html?sid=6154385). Gamespot.com. . Retrieved August 31, 2006. [29] "Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ article. php?id=163246). Computer and Video Games. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [30] "Final Fantasy III: Yuukyuu no Kaze Densetsu (Legend of the Eternal Wind)" (http:/ / ffmusic. info/ fflegendwind. html). Daryl's Library (http:/ / www. ffmusic. info/ ). 2008-04-01. . Retrieved 2008-07-14. [31] "Final Fantasy III Original Sound Version" (http:/ / ffmusic. info/ ff3. html). Daryl's Library. 2008-04-29. . Retrieved 2008-07-14. [32] Patrick Gann. "Final Fantasy Vocal Collections II [Love Will Grow (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ fflove/ index. html)"]. RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-07-24. [33] Patrick Gann. "Final Fantasy Vocal Collections I -Pray-" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ffpray/ index. html). RPGFan (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ ). . Retrieved 2008-07-24. [34] Jesse Jones. "Final Fantasy ~ The Black Mages II: The Skies Above" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ffbm2/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-07-14. [35] Logan Castonguay. "Final Fantasy ~ The Black Mages III: Darkness and Starlight" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ffbm3/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-07-14. [36] Aaron Lau (1999-08-25). "The classic Final Fantasy sound returns, in excellently remixed form" (http:/ / www. soundtrackcentral. com/ cds/ chocoboracing_ost. htm). Soundtrack Central (http:/ / www. soundtrackcentral. com/ ). . Retrieved 2008-07-14. [37] Adam Corn (2008-07-12). "The Ghosts of Final Fantasy Past" (http:/ / www. soundtrackcentral. com/ cds/ chocobosmysteriousdungeonloft_ost. htm). Soundtrack Central. . Retrieved 2008-07-14. [38] "Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ music/ sem/ page/ ff3/ ). Square-Enix. 2006-01-01. . Retrieved August 31, 2006. [39] "Final Fantasy III Original Soundtrack" (http:/ / www. gmronline. com/ info. asp?CatNumber=SQEX-10076~7). Game Music CD Information Database. 2005-01-01. . Retrieved August 31, 2006. [40] "Final Fantasy III - DS" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ ds/ 924897-final-fantasy-iii/ index. html). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [41] "Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ ds/ finalfantasy3?q=final fantasy iii). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [42] "Final Fantasy III (Nintendo DS)" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3155163). 1UP.com. UGO Networks. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [43] "Final Fantasy - famitsu Scores Archive" (http:/ / fs. finalfantasytr. com/ search. asp?query=final+ fantasy). Famitsu Scores Archive. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [44] "Review: Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ reviews/ 86308/ final-fantasy-iii/ ). GamePro. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [45] "Final Fantasy III (DS)" (http:/ / ds. gamespy. com/ nintendo-ds/ final-fantasy-iii/ 746923p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2008-07-15. [46] "Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ gamereview. php?id=2761). GameTrailers. . Retrieved 2008-07-15. [47] Bozon, Mark (2006-11-14). "Final Fantasy III Review" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 746/ 746066p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-09. [48] "Final Fantasy III review". Nintendo Power: 103. January 2007.

''Final Fantasy III'' [49] Nickel, Thomas (2006-01-01). "Hiromichi Tanaka — Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. g-wie-gorilla. de/ content/ view/ 218/ 18/ ). g-wie gorilla. . Retrieved 2008-03-10. [50] Simon Carless (2006-03-03). "Famitsu Reveals Top 100 Reader-Voted Games of All Time" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=8378). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [51] "Titles of game software with worldwide shipments exceeding 1 million copies" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ ir/ e/ explanatory/ download/ 0404-200402090000-01. pdf#page=27). Square Enix. 2004-02-09. pp. 27. . Retrieved 2008-03-01. [52] Kent, Steven L. (2000). The First Quarter: a 25-year History of Video Games. BWD Press. p. 436. ISBN 0970475500. [53] IGN Staff (2006). "FFIII Mania in Japan" (http:/ / uk. ds. ign. com/ articles/ 728/ 728081p1. html). IGN (http:/ / www. ign. com/ ). . Retrieved January 31, 2007. [54] IGN Staff (2006). "Final Fantasy Tops Half Million" (http:/ / uk. ds. ign. com/ articles/ 728/ 728959p1. html). IGN (http:/ / www. ign. com/ ). . Retrieved January 31, 2007. [55] "Annual Report 2007" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ eng/ pdf/ ar/ 20070831_01. pdf#page8). Square-Enix.com. August 6, 2004. . Retrieved 2008-12-20. [56] "Annual Report 2008" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ eng/ pdf/ ar/ 20080808_01. pdf#page=11). Square-Enix.com. August 8, 2008. . Retrieved 2008-12-20. [57] Jon Jordan (February 2, 2007). "Final Fantasy III figures on the way" (http:/ / www. pocketgamer. co. uk/ r/ DS/ Final+ Fantasy+ III+ Trading+ Arts+ Minis/ news. asp?c=2270). pocketgamer.co.uk. . Retrieved March 11, 2008. [58] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff3/ [59] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ff3/ [60] http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080129112533/ www. finalfantasy3. eu. com/ index_flash. html?lang=en [61] http:/ / www. finalfantasy3. eu. com/

''Final Fantasy IV''

''Final Fantasy IV'' Final Fantasy IV

Japanese Super Famicom cover art; the North American version displayed a "II" instead of "IV". Developer(s)

Square (SNES) TOSE (PS, GBA) Sting (WSC) Matrix Software (DS)

Publisher(s) Designer(s)

Hironobu Sakaguchi Takashi Tokita

Artist(s)

Yoshitaka Amano

Writer(s)

Takashi Tokita

Composer(s)

Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy

Platform(s)

Super Nintendo Entertainment System, PlayStation, WonderSwan Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Virtual Console

Release date(s) Genre(s)

Role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player

Rating(s) Media

8 megabit cartridge (SNES) 1 CD-ROM (PlayStation) 64 megabit cartridge (GBA) 1024 megabit cartridge (Nintendo DS)

Final Fantasy IV (ファイナルファンタジーIV Fainaru Fantajī Fōru) is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in 1991 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. The game was originally released for the Super Famicom in Japan, and has been ported by TOSE to the Sony PlayStation, Bandai's WonderSwan Color, and Nintendo's Game Boy Advance, with increasing changes. An enhanced remake with 3D graphics was released for the Nintendo DS in 2007 and 2008. The game was re-titled Final Fantasy II during its initial release outside of Japan as the original Final Fantasy II and III had not been released outside of Japan at the time. However, later localizations used the original title. The game's story follows Cecil, a dark knight, as he tries to prevent the sorcerer Golbez from seizing powerful crystals and destroying the world. He is joined on this quest by a frequently changing group of allies, several of whom die or appear to die throughout the game. Final Fantasy IV introduced innovations that became staples of the Final Fantasy series and role-playing games in general. Its "Active Time Battle" system was used in five subsequent Final Fantasy games, and unlike prior games in the series gave each character their own unchangeable character class.

''Final Fantasy IV''

With its character-driven plot, use of new technologies and critically acclaimed score by Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy IV is regarded as a landmark of the series and of the role-playing genre. It is considered to be one of the first role-playing games to feature a complex, involving plot, and is thought to have pioneered the idea of dramatic storytelling in an RPG. The various incarnations of the game have sold more than four million copies worldwide. A sequel to the game, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, was released for Japanese mobile phones in 2008, and worldwide via the Wii Shop Channel on June 1, 2009.

Gameplay

A battle scene from the Super Nintendo version of the game: the party engages a Blue Dragon on the Moon

In Final Fantasy IV, the player controls a large cast of characters and completes quests to advance the story. Characters move and interact with people and enemies on a field map, which may represent a variety of settings, such as towers, caves, and forests. Travel between areas occurs on a world map. The player can use towns to replenish strength, buy equipment, and discover clues about their next destination.[1] Conversely, the player fights monsters at random intervals on the world map and in dungeons. In battle, the player has the option to fight, use magic or an item, retreat, change character positions, parry, or pause. Certain characters have special options.[1] The game was the first in the series to allow the player to control up to five characters in your party; previous games had limited the party to four.[2]

Player characters and monsters have hit points (HP), with the characters' HP captioned below the main battle screen. Attacks reduce remaining HP until none are left, at which point the character faints or the monster dies. If all characters are defeated, the game must be restored from a saved game file.[1] The player can restore the characters' hit points by having them sleep in an inn or use items in the party's inventory, such as a potions, as well as healing magic spells. Equipment (such as swords and armor) bought in towns or found in dungeons can be used to increase damage inflicted on monsters or minimize received damage.[1] The player can choose whether characters appear on the front line of a battle or in the back. A character's placement impacts damage received and inflicted depending on the type of attack.[1] The game's story is linearâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the player can usually advance the game through only one path, although limited side quests are available.[3] Final Fantasy IV introduced Square's Active Time Battle (ATB) system designed by Hiroyuki Ito, who was one of the battle designers with Kazuhiko Aoki and Akihiko Matsui, which differed from the turn-based designs of previous RPGs. The ATB system centers on the player inputting orders for the characters in real time during battles.[4] The ATB system was used in many subsequent Square games.[2] Each character always has certain strengths and weaknesses; for instance, a strong magic user may have low defense, while a physical fighter may have low agility. Like other Final Fantasy games, characters gain new, more powerful abilities with battle experience. Magic is classified as either "White" for healing and support; "Black" for offense; or "Summon" (or "call") for summoning monsters to attack or carry out specialized applications.[1] A fourth typeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;"Ninjutsu"â&#x20AC;&#x201D;consists of support and offensive magic and is available to only one character. Magic users, who account for eight of twelve playable characters, gain magic spells at preprogrammed experience levels or fixed story events. The developers have balanced point gains, items, and rewards to eliminate long sessions of gaining levels.[5] Due to the Super Nintendo's greater processing power, Final Fantasy IV contains graphics improved over previous Final Fantasy titles. The game employs the Super Nintendo's Mode 7 technology to give enhanced magic spell visuals and to make airship travel more dramatic by scaling and tilting the ground for a bird's eye view.[6]

''Final Fantasy IV''

Plot Setting Most of Final Fantasy IV takes place on Earth, also known as the Blue Planet,[7] which consists of a surface world (or Overworld), inhabited by humans, and an underground world (or Underworld), inhabited by the Dwarves. A red, artificial moon orbits the planet, upon which the Lunarians live. The Lunarians are a race of beings from a world destroyed which became the asteroid belt, and are identified by a moon-shape crest on their foreheads. They created this artificial moon, resting until a time they believe their kind can co-exist with humans.[2] A second, natural moon orbits as well, though it is never visited in the game.

Characters Final Fantasy IV offers twelve playable characters, each with a unique, unchangeable character class. During the game, the player can have a total of five, or less, characters in the party at the same time. The main character, Cecil Harvey, is a dark knight and the captain of the Red Wings, an elite air force unit of the kingdom of Baron. He serves the king alongside his childhood friend Kain Highwind, the commander of the Dragoons. Rosa Joanna Farrell is a white mage/archer and Cecil's love interest. The Red Wings' airships were constructed by Cecil's friend, the engineer Cid Pollendina.[2] During his quest, Cecil is joined by others, including Rydia, a young summoner from the village of Mist, Tellah, a legendary sage of Mysidia, Edward Chris von Muir, the prince of Damcyan and a bard, and Yang Fang Leiden, the head of the monks of Fabul. The other characters are the black mage Palom and white mage Porom, twin apprentices from the magical village of Mysidia, Edward "Edge" Geraldine, the ninja prince of Eblan, and lastly FuSoYa, the guardian of the Lunarians during their long sleep.[2]

Development sketch by Yoshitaka Amano of the character Kain

Cecil and Golbez are the respective hero and villain representing Final Fantasy IV in Dissidia: Final Fantasy. Cecil is voiced by Shizuma Hodoshima in the Japanese version and by Yuri Lowenthal in the English version; Golbez is voiced by Takeshi Kaga in the Japanese version and by Peter Beckman in the English version.

Story Final Fantasy IV begins as the Red Wings are attacking the city of Mysidia to steal the Water Crystal there. When Cecil, Captain of the Red Wings, afterwards questions the king's motives, he is stripped of his rank and sent with Kain to deliver a package to the Village of Mist.[8] There, Kain and Cecil watch in horror as monsters from inside the package destroy the village. A young girl, Rydia, is the only survivor and summons an earthquake in anger, separating Cecil and Kain.[9] Cecil awakens afterward and takes the wounded Rydia to a nearby town. Baron soldiers come for Rydia, and Cecil defends her.[10] Soon after, they meet Tellah, who is going to Damcyan Castle to retrieve his eloping daughter.[11] Anna is killed when the Red Wings bomb the castle. Edward, Anna's lover and the prince of Damcyan, explains that the Red Wings' new commander, Golbez, did this to steal the Fire Crystal for Baron as they had stolen the Water Crystal from Mysidia.[12] Tellah leaves the party to seek vengeance on Golbez for Anna's death.[13] Cecil, Edward, and Rydia decide to go to Fabul to protect the Wind Crystal. There the Red Wings attack, and Kain reappears as one of Golbez's servants. He attacks and defeats Cecil; when Rosa intervenes, Golbez kidnaps her as Kain takes the crystal.[14] On the way back to Baron, the party is attacked by Leviathan and thus separated.

''Final Fantasy IV'' Cecil awakes in Mysidia. There, he learns that to defeat Golbez, he must climb Mt. Ordeals and become a Paladin.[15] On the mountain he encounters Tellah, who is searching for the forbidden spell Meteor to defeat Golbez.[16] Cecil becomes a Paladin, while Tellah learns the secret of Meteor. Upon reaching Baron the party confronts the King of Baron, only to discover that he had been replaced by one of Golbez's minions.[17] After defeating him, Cid arrives and takes them to one of his airships. On the airship, Kain appears and demands Cecil retrieve the final crystal in exchange for Rosa's life.[18] After the crystal is retrieved, Kain leads the party to the Tower of Zot, where Rosa is imprisoned. At the tower's summit, Golbez takes the crystal and attempts to flee. Tellah sacrifices himself to stop Golbez with Meteor, but only weakens him, although it does end Golbez's mind control of Kain.[19] Kain helps Cecil rescue Rosa and Rosa teleports the party out of the collapsing tower to Baron. In Baron, Kain reveals that Golbez must also obtain four subterranean "Dark Crystals" to achieve his goal of reaching the moon. [20] The party travels to the underworld and encounter the Dwarves who are currently fighting the Red Wings. They stop Golbez from stealing the Dwarves' crystal, and are rejoined by Rydia in the fight. They flee the underworld in the airship, and Cid sacrifices himself to reseal the passage to underworld.[21] The party travels to the Tower of Babil where the crystals are being kept. When they reach the crystal room, the party falls through a trap door to the underworld. The heroes go to retrieve the eighth crystal before Golbez. Upon retrieving it, Golbez reveals he still has control over Kain, and takes the crystal.[22] After learning of the Lunar Whale, a ship designed to take travelers to and from the moon, the party is rejoined by Cid, and travels to the surface and boards the ship.[23] On the moon, the party meets the sage Fusoya, who explains that Cecil's father was a Lunarian.[24] Fusoya also explains that a Lunarian named Zemus plans to destroy life on the Blue Planet so that the Lunarians can take it over, using Golbez to summon the Giant of Babil, a colossal robot.[25] They return to Earth and the forces of the two worlds attack the Giant. After the party breaks the robot, Golbez and Kain confront them, only to have Fusoya break Zemus' control over Golbez, in turn releasing Kain. Cecil learns that Golbez is his older brother.[26] Golbez and Fusoya head to the core of the moon to defeat Zemus, and Cecil's party follows. In the moon's core, the party witnesses Golbez and Fusoya kill Zemus, but then quickly fall to his resurrected form, the spirit Zeromus.[27] Cecil and his allies defeat Zeromus. Following the battle, Fusoya and Golbez opt to leave Earth with the moon.[28] In an epilogue we see Kain atop Mt. Ordeals while everyone else reunites to celebrate Cecil and Rosa's wedding and their coronation as Baron's new king and queen.

Development After completing Final Fantasy III in 1990, Square planned to develop two Final Fantasy gamesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one for the Nintendo Famicom and the other for the forthcoming Super Famicom, to be known as Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy V respectively.[29] Due to financial and scheduling constraints, Square dropped plans for the Famicom game and continued development of the Super Famicom version, retitled Final Fantasy IV. A mock-up screenshot of the cancelled title was produced for a Japanese magazine, but little other information exists about it.[29] Final Fantasy IV was lead designer Takashi Tokita's first project at Square as a full time employee. Before this, Tokita wanted to make a career as a theater actor, but working on the game made him decide to become a "great creator" of video games.[30] Initially Hiromichi Tanaka, the main designer of Final Fantasy III, was also involved in the development of the game. However, Tanaka wanted to create a seamless battle system that had no separate battle screen and was not menu-driven, and since Final Fantasy IV was not going in that direction, he changed development teams to work on the action RPG Secret of Mana instead.[31] The development team of Final Fantasy IV was composed of 14 people in total, and the game was completed in roughly one year.[32] Initial ideas were contributed to by the game's director, Hironobu Sakaguchi, including the name of Baron's royal air force, the "Red Wings".[33] As the game's lead designer, Tokita worked on all the game's events and contributed pixel art. He stated that there was a lot of pressure and that the project would not have been completed if he did not work directly on it. According to Tokita, Final Fantasy IV was designed with the best parts of the previous three

''Final Fantasy IV'' installments in mind: the job system of Final Fantasy III, the focus on story of Final Fantasy II, and the four elemental bosses acting as "symbols for the game" as in the first installment.[32] Other influences include Dragon Quest II.[34] The themes of Final Fantasy IV were to go "from darkness to light" with Cecil, a focus on family and friendship bonds with the large and diverse cast,[35] and the idea that "brute strength alone isn't power".[33] Tokita feels that Final Fantasy IV is the first game in the series to really pick up on drama,[32] and the first Japanese RPG to feature "such deep characters and plot".[36] The game's script had to be reduced to one fourth of its original length due to cartridge storage limits, but Tokita made sure only "unnecessary dialogue" was cut rather than actual story elements. As the graphical capacities of the Super Famicom allowed Yoshitaka Amano to make more elaborate character designs than in the previous installments, with the characters' personalities already evident from the images, Tokita felt the reduced script length improved the pacing of the game.[32] [37] Still, he acknowledges that some parts of the story were "unclear" or were not "looked at in depth" until later ports and remakes of the game. One of the ideas not included, due to time and space constraints, was a dungeon near the end of the game where each character would have to progress on their ownâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this dungeon would only be included in the Game Boy Advance version of the game, as the Lunar Ruins.[32]

Music The score of Final Fantasy IV was written by longtime series composer Nobuo Uematsu. Uematsu has noted that the process of composing was excruciating, involving trial and error and requiring the sound staff to spend several nights in sleeping bags at Square Co. headquarters. His liner notes were humorously signed as being written at 1:30 AM "in the office, naturally."[38] The score was well received; reviewers have praised the quality of the composition despite the limited medium.[3] [39] The track "Theme of Love" has even been taught to Japanese school children as part of the music curriculum.[40] Uematsu continues to perform certain pieces in his Final Fantasy concert series.[41] Three albums of music from Final Fantasy IV have been released in Japan. The first album, Final Fantasy IV: Original Sound Version, was released on June 14, 1991 and contains 44 tracks from the game. The second album was Final Fantasy IV: Celtic Moon, released on October 24, 1991, contains a selection of tracks from the game, arranged and performed by Celtic musician MĂĄire Breatnach. Lastly, Final Fantasy IV Piano Collections, an arrangement of tracks for solo piano performed by Toshiyuki Mori, was released on April 21, 1992 and began the Piano Collections trend for each successive Final Fantasy game. Several tracks have appeared on Final Fantasy compilation albums produced by Square, including The Black Mages and Final Fantasy: Pray. Independent but officially licensed releases of Final Fantasy IV music have been orchestrated by such groups as Project Majestic Mix, which focused on arranging video game music.[42] Selections also appear on Japanese remix albums, called dojin music, and on English remixing websites such as OverClocked ReMix.[43]

North American localization Because the previous two installments of the Final Fantasy series had not been localized and released in North America at the time, Final Fantasy IV was distributed as Final Fantasy II to maintain naming continuity. Later remakes of the game have been released in North America under the original title. While the game retains the storyline, graphics, and sound of the original, developers significantly reduced the difficulty for beginning gamers.[44] Certain character descriptions and elements of backstory have been cut due to space limitations. For instance, Kain's background and relationship with his father and the motivations for Zemus's plans to colonize Earth are not in the game.[45] Other changes include the removal of overt Judeo-Christian religious references and certain potentially objectionable graphics. The magic spell Holy was renamed White. All references to prayer were eliminated; the Tower of Prayers in Mysidia was renamed the Tower of Wishes, though the White Mage in the tower still calls it "Tower of Prayers," and Rosa's Pray command is absent. Direct references to death were omitted, although several characters clearly die over the course of the game.[46] The translation was changed in accordance with Nintendo of America's censorship policies (at the time before the formation of the ESRB and its rating

''Final Fantasy IV''

system).[47]

Re-releases

The logo for the Game Boy Advance re-release: Final Fantasy IV Advance.

In addition to its original release, Final Fantasy IV has been remade into many different versions. The first of these was Final Fantasy IV Easytype, a modified version of the game was released for the Super Famicom in Japan. The Easytype was modified to be even easier than its North American counterpart. In this version, the attack powers of weapons have been enhanced, while the protective abilities of certain accessories and armor are amplified.[44]

A PlayStation re-release debuted in Japan on March 21, 1997. Ported by TOSE and published by Square Co., it was designed and directed by Kazuhiko Aoki, supervised by Fumiaki Fukaya, and produced by Akihiro Imai.[48] This version is identical to the original game, although minor tweaks introduced in the Easytype are present. The most notable changes in the PlayStation release are the inclusion of full motion video opening & ending sequences, the ability to move quickly in dungeons and towns by holding the Cancel button, and the option of performing a "memo" save anywhere on the world map.[48] On March 11, 1999, this version was released a second time in Japan as part of the Final Fantasy Collection package, which also included the PlayStation versions of Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI.[49] Fifty-thousand limited edition copies of the collection were also released and included a Final Fantasy-themed alarm clock.[50] This version was later released with Chrono Trigger in North America as part of Final Fantasy Chronicles in 2001 and with Final Fantasy V in Europe and Australia as part of Final Fantasy Anthology in 2002. The English localizations feature a new translation, although certain lines from the previous localization by Kaoru Moriyama such as "You spoony bard!" - were kept, as they had become fan favorites.[51] A remake for the WonderSwan Color, with few changes from the PlayStation version, was released in Japan on March 28, 2002. Character sprites and backgrounds were graphically enhanced through heightened details and color shading.[52] Final Fantasy IV was ported again by TOSE for the Game Boy Advance and published as Final Fantasy IV Advance (ファイナルファンタジーIVアドバンス Fainaru Fantajī Fō Adobansu). It was released in North America by Nintendo of America on December 12, 2005; in Japan by Square Enix on December 15, 2005; in Australia on February 23, 2006; and in Europe on June 2, 2006. In Japan, a special version was available which included a limited edition Game Boy Micro with a themed face plate featuring artwork of Cecil and Kain.[53] The enhanced graphics from the WonderSwan Color port were even further improved, and minor changes were made to the music. The localization team revised the English translation, improving the flow of the story, and restoring plot details absent from the original.[44] The abilities that were removed from the original North American release were re-added, while spells were renamed to follow the naming conventions of the Japanese version, changing "Bolt2" to "Thundara" for example.[46] A new cave at Mt. Ordeals was added featuring powerful armor and stronger weapons for five additional characters, as was the Lunar Ruins, a dungeon accessible only at the end of the game.[44] The game was remade again for the Nintendo DS for the Final Fantasy series' 20th anniversary, and was released as Final Fantasy IV in Japan on December 20, 2007, in North America on July 22, 2008, and in Europe on September 5, 2008.[54] The remake adds a number of features not present in the original, such as voice acting, minigames, and some changes to the basic gameplay. The game was developed by Matrix Software, the same team responsible for the Final Fantasy III DS remake, and was supervised by members of the original development team: Takashi Tokita served as executive producer and director, Tomoya Asano as producer and Hiroyuki Itō as battle designer. Animator Yoshinori Kanada storyboarded the new cut scenes.

''Final Fantasy IV'' The original version of the game was released on the Wii Virtual Console in Japan on August 4, 2009 and in North America on March 8, 2010.[55] The latest version of the game is an enhanced port released in Japan on October 5, 2009, for iMode compatible phones. It retains features introduced in the Wonderswan Color and Gameboy Advance ports, while incorporating enhanced character graphics on par with those found in The After Years, as well as an exclusive "extra dungeon" available after completing the game.[56]

Reception and legacy In Japan, 1.44 million copies of Final Fantasy IV's Super Famicom version were sold.[57] By March 31, 2003, the game, including the PlayStation and WonderSwan Color remakes, had shipped 2.16 million copies worldwide, with 1.82 million of those copies being shipped in Japan and 340,000 abroad.[58] As of 2007 just before the release of the Nintendo DS version, nearly 3 million copies of the game had been sold around the world.[2] By May 2009, the DS version of the game had sold 1.1 million copies worldwide.[59] Major reviewers have called Final Fantasy IV one of the greatest video games of all time, noting that it pioneered many now common console role-playing game features, including "the whole concept of dramatic storytelling in an RPG."[60] [61] Reviewers have praised the game for its graphics, gameplay and score.[44] [60] Reviewers have noted that Final Fantasy IV was one of the first role-playing games to feature a complex, involving plot.[5] [39] Nintendo Power proclaimed it set a "new standard of excellence" for role-playing games.[62] It would later place ninth and twenty-eighth in the "100 Greatest Nintendo Games" lists of issues 100 and 200, respectively.[63] [64] In addition, the magazine GamePro rated it a perfect 5 out of 5 score in its March 1992 issue.[65] In 2005 IGN ranked it as twenty-sixth on its list of greatest games of all time; it is the highest rated Final Fantasy title on the list, but in 2007, the game was ranked #55, behind Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy Tactics.[66] [67] Famitsu released a reader poll in 2006 ranking it as the sixth best game ever made.[68] However, the game's original release was heavily criticized for the poor quality of its English-language translation.[39] [44] Final Fantasy Collection sold over 400,000 copies in 1999, making it the 31st best selling release of that year in Japan.[69] Weekly Famitsu gave it a 54 out of 60 points, scored by a panel of six reviewers.[50] The Game Boy Advance version, Final Fantasy IV Advance, was met with praise from reviewers,[70] although a few noted the game's graphics do not hold up well to current games, especially when compared to Final Fantasy VI.[44] [71] Reviewers noted that some fans may still nitpick certain errors in the new translation.[60] The Nintendo DS version of the game was praised for its visuals as well, along with the gameplay changes and new cutscenes.[72] [73] [74] It was a nominee for Best RPG on the Nintendo DS in IGN's 2008 video game awards.[75] Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, also known in Japan as Final Fantasy IV the After: Tsuki no Kikan (ファイナルファンタジーIV ジ・アフター -月の帰還-) is the sequel to Final Fantasy IV, set seventeen years after the events detailed in the original. The first two chapters of the game were released in Japan in February 2008 for NTT DoCoMo FOMA 903i series phones, with a release for au WIN BREW series phones slated for Spring 2008. The game revolves around Ceodore, the son of Cecil and Rosa, and many of the original cast members will return, with some being featured in more prominent roles than before, among other new characters.[76] [77] After the mobile release, it was hinted that The After would be released outside of Japan.[78] On March 25, 2009, an announcement was made by Satoru Iwata during Nintendo's GDC 2009 Keynote speech that the U.S. will see the Final Fantasy IV sequel released later this year on the Wii's WiiWare service.[79] . Final Fantasy IV: The After Years first two chapters ("Main Story" which compiles Prologue, Ceodore's and Kain's Tales from original Japanese game and "Rydia's Tale") were released on June 1, 2009 in North America and June 5, 2009 on PAL territories. The additional chapters were released in the following months.[80] [81] A two-volume novelization of Final Fantasy IV was released in Japan on Dec 25, 2008.[82] [83]

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''Final Fantasy IV''

See also • Final Fantasy IV (Nintendo DS) • Final Fantasy IV: The After Years

External links • • • • •

"Nintendo Final Fantasy IV Advance Official Website" [84]. Archived from the original [85] on 2008-01-29. Square Enix Final Fantasy IV Advance Official Website [86] (Japanese) Square Enix Final Fantasy IV for Nintendo DS Official Website [87] (Japanese) Square Enix Final Fantasy IV for Mobile Official Website [88] (Japanese) Final Fantasy IV [89] at Wikia

References [1] Square Co., ed (1991). Final Fantasy II instruction manual. Square Co.. p. 74. SFS-F4-USA-1. [2] "Final Fantasy Retrospective: Part III" (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ player/ 22905. html). GameTrailers. 2007-07-30. . Retrieved 2008-04-16. [3] "Review of Final Fantasy IV" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070706224046/ http:/ / www. allrpg. com/ games/ ff4/ index. php3?page=review& num=1). AllRPG. 2003-06-14. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. allrpg. com/ games/ ff4/ index. php3?page=review& num=1) on 2007-07-06. . Retrieved 2006-09-12. [4] Final Fantasy Advance instruction manual. Square Enix. 2005. p. 22. AGB-BZ4E-USA. [5] Alley, Jake (2001-10-29). "Birth of the plot-driven RPG" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ ff/ ff4/ reviews/ ff4strev2. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-09-10. [6] Palley, Steve (2005-09-09). "Sail to the Moon: Final Fantasy II" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ features/ 6132899/ index. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-03-07. [7] Fusoya: Long ago, the world that lay between the Red Planet and the Great Behemoth stood at the verge of destruction, both terrible and complete. The last survivors of that devastation boarded a ship and escaped to the Blue Planet. / Cecil: Blue Planet? / Fusoya: The one that you call home. But your planet was still in the midst of its evolution, you see. And so those travelers created a second moon for the planet, and there they settled into a long and quiet slumber. Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [8] King of Baron: This is most unfortunate, but I can place no trust on one who offers none in return. I hereby relieve you of command of the Red Wings. / Cecil: My liege! / King: You will go now to the Valley of Mist instead. There is a task I would have you do. A phantom creature haunts the borders of that land-the Eidolon of Mist. You will slay it and deliver this ring to the village that lies beyond — they will know its meaning. Be gone by first light in the morning! Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [9] Rydia: Mother, you can't die! Just because your dragon did... Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [10] Officer of Baron: Our orders come directly from His Majesty's own mouth. Surrender the girl, and he will pardon all you've done. The inhabitants of Mist represent a threat to us all. They must not be allowed to live! Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [11] Tellah: My daughter Anna was tricked by a silver-tongued bard. He's taken her to Damcyan Castle. I fear I've little time. I sense something sinister. Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [12] Edward: The Red Wings laid siege to us, led by a man named Golbez. Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [13] Tellah: Tears do not bring back the dead, boy! Anna's death must be avenged. I'll find this Golbez! Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [14] Kain: It's been some time, Cecil. / Cecil: Kain! You're alive! / Kain: I am. / Cecil: You'll fight, then? / Kain: Of course. That's the very reason I've come. But, Cecil...The one I'll fight is you! / Cecil: Kain!? / Kain: A duel, Cecil! / Cecil: What do you mean? / Kain: Draw your blade! Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [15] Elder: First you must ascend the mountain and trade your dark sword for one of light. Should the hallowed light deem you worthy, you will be made a paladin--a warrior of virtue. But know it will be no easy trail. Many are the man who have scaled the mountain, but not one has returned. Will you try where all others have failed? / Cecil: I will! Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [16] Cecil: Weren't you planning to go after Golbez?. /Tellah: Yes, but my magic is no match for a man of his strength. I've been searching for the legendary magic of Meteor. It has been long sealed aswat, and I know not where. But I feel a powerful aura radiating from this place. I believe the spell I seek may well rest within this mountain. Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [17] Cecil: What have you done with the king!? / "King of Baron": Would you like to go and see him, that king of yours? You best not mistake me for another Scarmiglione. How one as weak as he came to be crowned an archfiend is something I will never know. Mwa ha ha! / Cecil: Then you're one of them! / "King of Baron": Behold! I am the Drowned King, Cagnazzo--archfiend of water and sworn servant of Golbez!

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''Final Fantasy IV'' Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [18] Cecil: Where's Rosa? She's safe, I trust. / Kain: Heh. Worried about her, are you? If you wish to see Rosa alive, fetch me the Earth Crystal from the land of Troia.Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [19] Golbez: So, the old man's interference severed my hold over you. No matter. Your purpose is served. Do not think this affront will be forgiven. / Cecil: Why...why now stay your hand?/Golbez: You're--You..But--how?...? We will finish this another time. Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [20] Cecil: Kain, we've lost the Earth Crystal. Golbez holds all them now. / Kain: No. he holds four. / Rosa: You mean to say there are more? / Cid: Come to think it, I've heard tales of others! You speak of the Dark Crystals? / Kain: I do. / Kain: There is more. He said when all of the Crystals were gathered, the way to the moon would be opened. Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [21] Cid: Once you breach surface, I'll seal off that hold for good--with this! / Rosa: No! Not you too! / Cid: I was hoping I'd get to see your kids someday, but, well--someone's got to keep Yang company! You get yourselves back to Baron. Talk to my boys there! / Rydia: But Cid! You'll die! / Cid: And so young, too! Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [22] Golbez: Kain...Return to me, my pawn...Deliver to me the Crystal... / Cecil: Golbez! / Cecil: Kain! / Rosa: Don't listen! Resist him! / Kain: It's alright. I...I'm back in control of myself. / Edge: You filthy double-crosser! / Rosa: Kain. What are you doing!? /Golbez: You underestimate the strength of my abilities. I had but slackened your friend's leash, waiting for the proper moment to pull it taut. With this final Crystal, the Tower of Babil will be made complete. Come, Kain. / Cecil: Kain! Don't listen to him! Kain! / Kain: The Crystals are all assembled. We can open the way to the moon at last! Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [23] Elder: She is risen! The promised Ship of Light... The Lunar Whale! Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [24] 'Cecil: And the Lunar Whale, where did it come from? / Fusoya: Ah, the ship...My younger brother KluYa built that vessel long ago, and flew it to the Blue Planet. He took with him several of our secrets, such as the ones employed in your Devil's Road and in airships--a gift to your people. Kluya was fascinated by your planet and wished to know more about it. And while he was there, he fell in love with a woman of your planet. Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [25] Fusoya: He thought it fit that we should simply raze all existing life on the Blue Planet and claim it as our own. / Rydia: That's horrible... / Fusoya: Yes. And so I used my powers to force him into hibernation with the others. But as he slept, his will grew stronger and took on a consciousness all its own. It reached out to men with tainted hearts on your planet, twisting them into beings yet darker still. And through them, he began to gather the Crystals. / Cecil: So he was manipulating Golbez! / Edge: Does this guy have a name? / Fusoya: His name is Zemus. The Crystals function as a source of energy you see. I fear he has gathered them in order to activate the interdimenional elevator within the Tower of Babil. With it, he will be able to transport the Giant of Babil to your planet and use it to extinguish all life there.Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [26] Golbez: My father... His name was Kluya. / Rosa: That you're Cecil's own... / Edge: Brother!? Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [27] Zeromus: I am the wellspring of darkness, fed by Zemus's unbridled hate. I am He who is called Zeromus... I am He who know naught but hate! Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [28] Golbez: I cannot return. Not after I have done. And I would very much like to meet my father's people. At least one time. Square Enix. Final Fantasy IV DS. (Square Enix). Nintendo DS. (2008-07-22) [29] Collette, Chris (2003). "Elusions: Final Fantasy IV / Seiken Densetsu" (http:/ / www. lostlevels. org/ 200311/ 200311-square. shtml). Lost Levels Online. . Retrieved 2006-03-01. [30] Hayashi, Koichiro (2004-10-17). "Square Enix Discusses DS" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ feature?cId=3135760). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [31] Nickel, Thomas (2006). "Hiromichi Tanaka - Final Fantasy III" (http:/ / www. g-wie-gorilla. de/ content/ view/ 218/ 18/ ). g-wie-gorilla.de. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [32] Xcomp (2007-05-31). "Final Fantasy IV DS Interview" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080415081941rn_1/ www. gamebrink. com/ blog/ 2007/ 05/ 31/ final-fantasy-iv-ds-interview). GameBrink. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. gamebrink. com/ blog/ 2007/ 05/ 31/ final-fantasy-iv-ds-interview) on 2008-04-15. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [33] "Final Fantasy IV Fan-Powered Q&A Part 2" (http:/ / member. square-enix. com/ na/ features/ ff4/ 02/ part2. php). Square Enix. 2008-09-12. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [34] "Final Fantasy IV Interview". Nintendo Power (Nintendo Power) 1 (228). May 2008. ISSNÂ 1041-9551. [35] "Final Fantasy IV DS Interview" (http:/ / wii. ign. com/ dor/ objects/ 14325764/ final-fantasy-iv-the-after-years/ videos/ ffafteryears_trl_tokitainterview_8309. html;jsessionid=8il43ujktzw2?show=hi) (Flash). IGN. 2009-08-03. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [36] "Final Fantasy IV Fan-Powered Q&A Part 3" (http:/ / member. square-enix. com/ na/ features/ ff4/ 02/ part3. php). Square Enix. 2008-09-19. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [37] "Final Fantasy IV Fan-Powered Q&A Part 1" (http:/ / member. square-enix. com/ na/ features/ ff4/ 02/ ). Square Enix. 2008-09-05. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [38] Uematsu, Nobuo (1991-04-13). "Final Fantasy IV OSV Liner Notes" (http:/ / chudahs-corner. com/ liners/ index. php?catalog=PSCN-5014). Square. . Retrieved 2006-09-10. [39] Bahamut. "Reviewsâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Final Fantasy II" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ reviews/ finalfantasy4/ Final_Fantasy_2_US-4. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2006-03-06.

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''Final Fantasy IV'' [40] Hitmitsu, Suppai (2004-03-31). "Final Fantasy Becomes Curriculum" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 503/ 503226p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-03-01. [41] Schneider, Peer (2005-05-11). "Dear Friends: Music from Final Fantasy" (http:/ / music. ign. com/ articles/ 513/ 513292p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-03-01. [42] KFSS Studios (2002). "Music Store" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070626165226/ http:/ / www. majesticmix. com/ documents/ music. html). MajesticMix.com. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. majesticmix. com/ documents/ music. html) on 2007-06-26. . Retrieved 2007-03-23. [43] "Game: Final Fantasy IV (1991, Square, SNES) - OverClocked ReMix" (http:/ / www. ocremix. org/ game/ final-fantasy-iv-snes/ ). OverClocked ReMix. . Retrieved 2008-09-26. [44] Dunham, Jeremy (2005-12-14). "Final Fantasy IV Advance Review" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 675/ 675632p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-10. [45] "Final Fantasy IV Trivia" (http:/ / www. mobygames. com/ game/ final-fantasy-iv/ trivia). MobyGames. . Retrieved 2006-09-13. [46] "Final Fantasy Retrospective: Part XII" (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ video/ part-xii-final-fantasy/ 27088). GameTrailers. 2007-10-26. . Retrieved 2008-04-16. [47] GameSpy Staff (2003-06-14). "25 Dumbest Moments in Gaming / Nintendo's Mortal Mistake" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ articles/ june03/ dumbestmoments/ readers/ index4. shtml). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-03-06. [48] Square Enix staff, ed (2001). Final Fantasy Chronicles instruction manual. Square Enix. p.Â 54. SLUS-01360. [49] "Final Fantasy Collection" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ archive/ ff_collection/ ). (Japanese). . Retrieved 2007-07-27. [50] "Final Fantasy Collection Coming" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 066/ 066337p1. html). IGN.com (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved 2007-07-27. [51] "Famous Moments in Final Fantasy" (http:/ / www. ffcompendium. com/ h/ moment. shtml). FFCompendium. . Retrieved 2006-09-12. [52] Joseph Witham (2002-02-22). "Final Fantasy IV WonderSwan Color Details" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q1-2002/ 022302b. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-09-15. [53] "Final Fantasy IV Advance" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff4a/ ). Square Enix. 2005. . Retrieved 2006-09-13. [54] "Final Fantasy IV set for DS remake" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6189037. html?tag=latestnews;title;0). GameSpot. 2007-04-10. . Retrieved 2008-04-15. [55] "Final Fantasy II (SNES)" (http:/ / vc. nintendolife. com/ games/ snes/ final_fantasy_ii). Nintendo Life. . Retrieved 2009-12-09. [56] Spencer (2009-10-05). "There May Be A Reason To Play Final Fantasy IV Mobile" (http:/ / www. siliconera. com/ 2009/ 10/ 05/ there-may-be-a-reason-to-play-final-fantasy-iv-mobile/ ). Siliconera. . Retrieved 2009-12-09. [57] "Japan Platinum Chart Games" (http:/ / www. the-magicbox. com/ Chart-JPPlatinum. shtml). The Magic Box. 2006. . Retrieved 2006-03-02. [58] "Titles of game software with worldwide shipments exceeding 1 million copies" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ ir/ e/ explanatory/ download/ 0404-200402090000-01. pdf#page=27). Square Enix. 2004-02-09. pp. 27. . Retrieved 2008-03-01. [59] "Results Briefing: Fiscal Year ended May 31, 2009" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ eng/ pdf/ news/ 20090525_01en. pdf#8). Square-Enix.com. May 19, 2009. . Retrieved 2009-07-21. [60] Kasavin, Greg (2005-12-12). "Final Fantasy IV Advance Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gba/ rpg/ finalfantasyiv/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-09-10. [61] Turner, Ben (2005-12-12). "Final Fantasy IV Advance" (http:/ / gba. gamespy. com/ gameboy-advance/ final-fantasy-iv/ 676753p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2006-03-01. [62] Averill, Alan (1991). Nintendo Power November, 1991. Nintendo. [63] Nintendo Power September, 1997. Nintendo. 1997. [64] Nintendo Power November, 2005. Nintendo. 2005. [65] "Final Fantasy II Reviews" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ snes/ 522596-final-fantasy-ii/ index. html). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2006-09-21. [66] IGN Staff (2005). "IGN's top 100 games of all time" (http:/ / top100. ign. com/ 2005/ 021-030. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-09. [67] "IGN's Top 100 2007 | 55 Final Fantasy II" (http:/ / top100. ign. com/ 2007/ ign_top_game_55. html). IGN. 2007. . Retrieved 2009-12-09. [68] Campbell, Colin (2006-03-03). "Japan Votes on All Time Top 100" (http:/ / www. edge-online. com/ features/ japan-votes-all-time-top-100). Next Generation Magazine. . Retrieved 2006-06-04. [69] "1999 Top 100 Best Selling Japanese Console Games" (http:/ / www. the-magicbox. com/ Chart-BestSell1999. shtml). The Magic Box. . Retrieved 2007-08-16. [70] "Final Fantasy IV Advance GBA" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ gba/ 929937-final-fantasy-iv-advance/ index. html). Game Rankings. 2005-12-12. . Retrieved 2006-03-02. [71] Parish, Jeremy (2005-12-09). "Final Fantasy IV Review" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3146237& did=1). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2006-03-01. [72] Anderson, Lark (2008-07-11). "Final Fantasy IV Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ds/ rpg/ finalfantasyiv/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [73] Bozon (2008-07-09). "Final Fantasy IV Review" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 887/ 887583p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [74] Di Fiore, Elisa (2008-07-25). "Final Fantasy IV" (http:/ / ds. gamespy. com/ nintendo-ds/ final-fantasy-iv/ 894006p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [75] "IGN DS: Best RPG 2008" (http:/ / bestof. ign. com/ 2008/ ds/ 7. html). IGN.com. 2008-12-15. . Retrieved 2008-12-19.

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''Final Fantasy IV'' [76] Marcos, Antoine (2007-12-13). "Final Fantasy IV The After on mobile" (http:/ / www. gamekyo. com/ news23168_final-fantasy-iv-the-after-sur-mobile. html). . Retrieved 2007-12-13. [77] Sato, Yoshi (2007-12-19). "More Details on Final Fantasy IV's Sequel" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3165113). . Retrieved 2007-12-19. [78] O'Connor, Michael (2008-09-20). "Final Fantasy IV sequel coming to the west?" (http:/ / www. thegamingvault. com/ 2008/ 09/ final-fantasy-iv-sequel-coming-to-the-west/ ). The Gaming Vault. . Retrieved 2009-08-10. [79] 1UP Staff (2009-03-25). "GDC 2009: Nintendo's Iwata Keynote Liveblog!" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3173429). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2009-08-10. [80] Famitsu.com (2007-12-21). "A new tale about the moon is spun on mobile phones "Final Fantasy IV the After: Tsuki no Kikan" (Interview and Pictures)" (http:/ / www. famitsu. com/ interview/ article/ 1212647_1493. html). . Retrieved 2007-12-21. [81] Square Enix (2009-03-25). "Square Enix Announces New Downloadble Titles for Nintendo's Wii" (http:/ / release. square-enix. com/ na/ 2009/ 03/ 25_01. html). Press release. . Retrieved 2009-03-25. [82] (in Japanese) Final Fantasy IV Novel Vol.1. 2008-12-25. pp. 240. ISBN 4757524587. [83] (in Japanese) Final Fantasy IV Novel Vol.2. 2008-12-25. pp. 256. ISBN 4757524595. [84] http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080129205315/ http:/ / ffiv. nintendo. com/ final/ [85] http:/ / ffiv. nintendo. com/ final/ [86] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff4a/ [87] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff4ds/ [88] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ mobile/ ff/ ff4/ [89] http:/ / finalfantasy. wikia. com/ wiki/ Final_Fantasy_IV

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''Final Fantasy IV: The After Years'' Final Fantasy IV: The After Years

The Final Fantasy IV: The After Years logo, by Yoshitaka Amano Developer(s)

Matrix Software

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Designer(s)

Takashi Tokita

Composer(s)

Junya Nakano

Series

Final Fantasy Final Fantasy IV

Platform(s)

NTT docomo FOMA p903i series mobile phones, au WIN BREW series mobile phones, Yahoo! Keitai compatible mobile phones, WiiWare

Release date(s) DoCoMo JP February 18, 2008 au JP May 15, 2008 Yahoo! Keitai JP November 4, 2008 WiiWare NA June 1, 2009 EU June 5, 2009 JP July 21, 2009 Genre(s)

Console role-playing game

Mode(s)

Up to Four Players

Rating(s)

CERO: A ESRB: E [2] OFLC: PG [3] PEGI: 7+

[1]

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, released in Japan as Final Fantasy IV the After Years: Return of the Moon (ファイナルファンタジーIV ジ・アフターイヤーズ -月の帰還- Fainaru Fantajī Fō Ji Afutā Iyāzu -Tsuki no Kikan-) is a Japanese role-playing game developed by Matrix Software and published by Square Enix, and is the sequel to Final Fantasy IV. Originally released in Japan in 2008 as a mobile game with the title Final Fantasy IV the After: Return of the Moon (ファイナルファンタジーIV ジ・アフター -月の帰還- Fainaru Fantajī Fō Ji Afutā -Tsuki no Kikan-), an enhanced WiiWare port of the title was released in North America, PAL regions, and Japan in 2009.[4] [5] [6] Set 17 years after Final Fantasy IV, The After Years follows the original cast and their descendants in episodic tales as a new villain appears, setting into action a mysterious chain of events that threatens the fate of the Blue Planet.[4] Largely utilizing assets, locations, and mechanics from its predecessor, the title nevertheless incorporates higher quality character graphics and several new gameplay systems.[7] [8]

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Gameplay Final Fantasy IV: The After Years uses most of the gameplay features of Final Fantasy IV, including random encounters and the Active Time Battle (ATB) system, which it originally popularized. It also retains a number of the graphical enhancements from the Wonderswan Color and Game Boy Advance versions of Final Fantasy IV, while further improving the quality of character sprites to a level comparable with those of Final Fantasy VI.[7]

A screenshot from the mobile version showing the effects of the new "Age of the Moon" system.

The battle system uses a new feature called the "Age of the Moon" (月齢 Getsurei), which reflects the game's lunar phases, which change as players rest at inns, with each of the phases altering physical and magical attack powers for both player characters and enemies. Certain rare monsters also only appear during certain lunar phases.[8]

The game also introduces a new type of combination attack through the "Band System" (バンドシステム Bando Shisutemu), known as a "Band" (バンド Bando) ability. Similar to the Double and Triple Techs of Chrono Trigger, these allow two or more characters to coordinate separate commands into a single new attack at the cost of MP from all involved. Band abilities are said to be extremely powerful, and there are over 70 different Band abilities in all.[8]

Plot Following the events of the original Final Fantasy IV, the second moon leaves the Blue Planet's orbit and there is a period of peace as Damcyan, Eblan, and the Village of Mist are rebuilt, while the Kingdom of Baron comes under the rule of Cecil and his wife, Rosa. However, 17 years later, the second moon has reappeared in the sky, much closer to the planet than it was years ago, and the unchanging Crystals begin to emit a soft light; however, the meaning behind these events remains unknown.[4] The game revolves around Ceodore (セオドア Seodoa), a young man who is the son of Cecil Harvey and Rosa Farrell, two of the protagonists from the original, both of whom return along with most of the other main cast members and a number of entirely new characters.[7] Amongst these new additions to the cast are the Hooded Man (謎の男 Nazo no Otoko, lit. "Mysterious Man"), a wandering swordsman enshrouded in purple robes who is strangely familiar with Cecil's previous adventure, and the Mysterious Woman (謎の少女 Nazo no Shōjo), a female antagonist able to summon Eidolons, who attacks the kingdoms in search of the Crystals.[4] The storyline of the game unfolds through episodic chapters, released roughly once a month, each primarily focused on a specific character. These chapters utilize foreshadowing, cliffhangers, flashbacks, and a nonlinear narrative structure to build the world setting and both explore and expand upon the mysterious events befalling the Blue Planet. Part 1 — Return of the Moon, The Last of the Red Wings, and The Return of the Dragoon The story begins as characters from the first Final Fantasy 4 notice the appearance of the second moon. This is of great concern to Cecil and Rosa who remember their previous ordeal on the moon. Meanwhile, Ceodore sets out with Wedge and Biggs on his test to become a member of the Red Wings. At the start of the story Ceodore is a nervous young man who is afraid he will never step out of the shadow of his famous parents. As his test begins he descends into a cave to obtain the Knight's Emblem, which turns out to be a rat's tail. Wedge and Biggs explain that the purpose of the test was to show him that he already had what it takes to be a Red Wing, he just needed to prove it to himself.

''Final Fantasy IV: The After Years'' As the Red Wings start home the player takes control of Cecil, Rosa, and Cid as they defend Baron from an onslaught of monsters. After surviving several waves of attacks they meet the Mysterious Woman. Cecil asks Cid to take Rosa to safety as he confronts the intruder. The woman summons Bahamut and defeats Cecil. Meanwhile, the airship carrying Ceodore encounters several monsters. The airship crashes killing everyone but Ceodore. Realizing he is the last of the Red Wings, Ceodore sets out on a long journey home. He is almost defeated by a group on monsters but is rescued by a Hooded Man. As the two head towards Mysidia the player alternately takes control of Kain as he sets out from Mount Ordeals towards Baron. Along the way Kain gathers the Crystals of Air, Earth, Fire and Water on the request of the Mysterious Woman and eventually takes Rosa as well. Kain states how he is going to kill Cecil so he can have Rosa for himself. Ceodore, the Hooded Man, and Edward intercept Kain in front of Cecil's throneroom. At this point it is revealed that the Hooded Man is in fact Kain, and the Kain that has taken the crystals and Rosa is Kain's "dark half." After their duel the true Kain wins and becomes a Holy Dragoon. In addition to his jump ability Kain can use White Magic as well. Kain, Ceodore, Rosa, and Edward continue on their way to meet Cecil as the first part ends. Part 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Planet Eater The second story begins with Rydia, Luca, and Edge on board an airship in the subterranean world. A man in black mysteriously falls out of nowhere and takes control of the airship, directing it towards Baron. As the party approaches the castle they witness meteors from the second moon bombard the world. They return to Baron Castle to find it sealed by a magical force field. The four travel the world searching for their lost friends, encountering the Mysterious Woman again, and helping Rydia search for the missing Eideons. After breaking the Mysterious Woman's control over Titan, Shiva, Ramuh, and Ifrit they are able to enter Baron Castle and find Cecil threatening Ceodore, Rosa, and Kain. After freeing Cecil from the Mysterious Woman's control the man in black reveals himself to be Golbez. The second moon is getting closer to the Earth and the party realizes they have to find a way to stop it. Boarding the Lunar Whale they land on the second moon and descend into its depths. At this point in the game it is possible for the player to switch out party members by returning to the Lunar Whale or by accessing inter-dimensional elevators. During the descent the party encounters several bosses from the other Final Fantasy games like the four elemental fiends from the first Final Fantasy, most of the bosses from Final Fantasy 4, and several enemies from Final Fantasy VI including Ultros, the Ultima Weapon, the Ghost Train, and Doom Gaze. Eventually, the party encounters Cecil's evil side, the Dark Knight. Once the Dark Knight is defeated Cecil returns to the Light and regains the ability to use white magic. Once the party reaches the bottommost depths of the second moon they discover the Mysterious Woman they have been encountering is not a single individual. Each Mysterious Woman was part of a group of beings created to retrieve the crystals. Venturing further they encounter an entity known as The Creator. He reveals that his race died out due to a failure to evolve. The Creator decided that the universe should not be allowed to be overrun with inferior species so he created the crystals and sent them to various life-sustaining worlds as a way to monitor the progress life on those planets made. He determined if the world did not evolve to its fullest potential it needed to be destroyed, and Earth was next. After the party defeats the Creator the moon starts to break apart. The Mysterious Women turn on their "father" and defeat the Creator so the party can escape. As the Creator dies he thanks the party for defeating him, indicating he may have felt some regret for his actions. Once the party returns to Earth the characters return to their various homes to resume their lives. Cecil informs Ceodore that he shall serve in the Red Wings under the command of Kain. Cecil also orders all of Baron's airships to be disarmed and instead be used to help the other kingdoms rebuild after the devastation caused by the second moon.

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Release history Mobile version Originally released to the Japanese mobile phone market as Final Fantasy IV the After: Tsuki no Kikan, the first two installments of the episodic game were released in Japan on February 18, 2008 for NTT DoCoMo FOMA 903i compatible phones, with the Prologue available as a free preview and Ceodore's Tale as a paid download. A series of eight supplemental installments were then released in monthly intervals through September. This was followed in October by a free semifinal installment, The Gathering's Tale, which required only that the player have completed the supplemental Kain's Tale. The game's finale was released in two parts in November and December. Square-Enix also began releasing the installments, with a delay, for au WIN BREW compatible phones beginning on May 15, 2008 and Yahoo! Keitai compatible phones on November 4, 2008 (a complete list of compatible phone models is available on the official Japanese website).[4]

WiiWare version Beginning on June 6, 2009, an enhanced port of the game titled Final Fantasy IV: The After Years began being released in the United States on the Wii through the WiiWare service, with releases in PAL regions and Japan following shortly thereafter. Though the game retains the episodic format used in the mobile version, the release structure has been modified. In the WiiWare version, the player purchases the core game, or "Main Story", for 800 Wii Points, which includes the Prologue, Ceodore's Tale, and Kain's Tale, while the additional supplemental installments are released as add-ons for 300 Wii Points each. The first, Rydia's Tale, was released along with the "Main Story", and the following episodes are slated to be released at monthly intervals in groups of three for the US and Europe, and in bi-weekly intervals in Japan. The semifinal episode and the two-part finale are combined into a single final installment, The Crystals, slated to be available for 800 Wii Points. In both versions, the player is able to save their character's status, equipment, settings, etc., at the end of gameplay, and can also further explore each Tale to discover new items and complete special tasks. The player's saved data will ultimately carry over to the game's final installment. WiiWare Release History Main Story Tale # 1

Tale Title Prologue: Return of the Moon Joshō "Tsuki no Kikan" (序章『月の帰還』)

Cost 800 Wii Points

Ceodore's Tale: The Last of the Red Wings Seodoa Hen "Saigo no Akaki Tsubasa" (セオドア編『最後の赤き翼』)

Kain's Tale: Return of the Dragoon Cain's Tale: Return of the Dragon Knight Kain Hen "Ryūkishi no Kikan" (カイン編『竜騎士の帰還』)

Release Date NA

June 1, 2009 June 5, 2009 JP July 21, 2009 EU

Optional Scenarios Chapter 4

Tale Title

Cost

Rydia's Tale: The Eidolons Shackled Rydia's Tale: The Phantom Creatures Shackled Ridia Hen "Tozasareta Genjū-tachi" (リディア編『閉ざされた幻獣たち』)

300 Wii Points

Yang's Tale: The Master of Fabul Yan Hen "Fabūru no Shifu" (ヤン編『ファブールの師父』)

300 Wii Points

Release Date NA

June 1, 2009 June 5, 2009 JP July 28, 2009 EU

July 6, 2009 July 10, 2009 JP August 4, 2009 EU

''Final Fantasy IV: The After Years''

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Palom's Tale: The Mage's Voyage Palom's Tale: Mage, to the City of Forest and Water Paromu Hen "Madōshi, Mori to Mizu no Miyako e" (パロム編『魔道士、森と水の都へ』)

300 Wii Points

July 6, 2009 July 10, 2009 JP August 18, 2009

Edge's Tale: The Pulse of Babil Ejji Hen "Babuiru no Kodō" (エッジ編『バブイルの鼓動』)

300 Wii Points

July 6, 2009 July 10, 2009 JP August 25, 2009

Porom's Tale: The Vanished Lunar Whale Porom's Tale: The Magic Ship That Vanished into the Moon Poromu Hen "Tsuki e Kieta Madōsen" (ポロム編『月へ消えた魔導船』)

300 Wii Points

Edward's Tale: Star-Crossed Damcyan Gilbart's Tale: Star-Crossed Damcyan Girubāto Hen "Hoshi Otsuru Damushian" (ギルバート編『星落つるダムシアン』)

300 Wii Points

The Lunarian's Tale: The Blue Planet That Was Tsuki no Tami Hen "Tsuioku no Aoki Hoshi" (月の民編『追憶の青き星』)

300 Wii Points

August 3, 2009 August 7, 2009 JP September 15, 2009

Cost

Release Date

August 3, 2009 August 7, 2009 JP September 1, 2009 EU

August 3, 2009 August 7, 2009 JP September 8, 2009 EU

NA EU

Final Episode Chapter 11

Tale Title The Crystals: Planet Eater The True Moon's Tale: Planet Eater Shingetsu Hen: Hoshikui (真月編『星喰』)

800 Wii Points

September 7, 2009 September 11, 2009 JP September 29, 2009 EU

Note: With the exception of the Main Story, all installments are purchased from within the WiiWare title itself. Only the Main Story (i.e. Final Fantasy IV: The After Years) is purchased directly from the WiiWare online store.

Development First announced shortly before the release of the enhanced remake of Final Fantasy IV for the Nintendo DS, executive producer Takashi Tokita stated that while directing the remake, there was talk of creating an after story, as well as discussion about working on a new mobile title. Tokita, who had grown attached to the characters, having also previously worked as scenario writer for the original, decided that releasing the sequel in mobile format would be a good idea, as it would allow players to access the game only a short while after completing the DS remake. By releasing it in episodic format, he also hopes that players will anticipate future chapters in much the same way as an anime or manga series, rather than tiring of the game after completing it all at once.[9] Though the look and feel of the game has remained largely unchanged from that of the original Final Fantasy IV, new gameplay elements have been incorporated, and Kazuko Shibuya, 2D sprite artist for the first six Final Fantasy games, has returned to create new, higher quality character graphics. Yoshitaka Amano has also returned as image illustrator, with character designs by Akira Oguro, a previous colleague of Tokita's and storyboard artist for Square Enix. Much of Nobuo Uematsu's original musical score for Final Fantasy IV will be included, though new compositions are also expected.[10] After the mobile release, staff involved in the development of the game hinted that the title could get a release outside of Japan.[11] A rating by the ESRB for a Wii game titled Final Fantasy IV: The After Years was discovered in late February 2009, and was speculated to be referring to a North American localization of this game, distributed via WiiWare.[12] This would be officially confirmed at the 2009 Game Developers Conference.[5] Square Enix had also trademarked The After Years in Europe, hinting at a release in that territory as well.[13] This was confirmed with the opening of the official site, which has provided a PEGI rating for the title as well.[3]

''Final Fantasy IV: The After Years'' The WiiWare port of the game features several graphical enhancements over the mobile version, including larger screen resolution, clearer menu screens and fonts, and improved character portraits. The English localization follows the precedents set by the DS remake of Final Fantasy IV, featuring similar writing and making use of the same translations of names and terminology. A handful of edits have been made to the English version, including the modification of Ceodore's official character artwork to Westernize his face, as well as alterations to several female characters in order to make their clothing less revealing.

Reception Mobile version On August 1, 2008, Square Enix issued a press release announcing that Final Fantasy IV: The After Years had reached a benchmark of one million downloads (not including downloads of the free prologue chapter) in the first five months following its initial release.[14] As of March 25, 2009, it has exceeded three million paid downloads.[5]

WiiWare version Reviews of the WiiWare port of the game have been generally positive, with an overall score of 75% at GameRankings.com.[15] IGN gave the game an 8 out of 10, calling the story "engrossing but mysterious" and stating that the gameplay, graphics, and presentation, while "dated," are "part of the charm."[16] However, GameSpot gave the game a score of only 5.5 out of 10, saying that it had a "disjointed, poorly constructed narrative" and an excessively high encounter rate, and criticized "recycled" content such as the music, graphics, environments, and story.[17]

External links • • • • •

Official North American website [18] Official European website [19] Official Japanese website (WiiWare version) [20] Official Japanese website (Mobile version) [21] Final Fantasy Wiki page [22]

References [1] Square Enix Japan (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ game/ wiiware/ ) [2] OFLC Website (http:/ / www. oflc. gov. au/ www/ cob/ find. nsf/ 5c2433d416948a0bca25759f00820d25/ 99944fb97c837871ca2575a9002764e7!OpenDocument) [3] Official United Kingdom Final Fantasy IV: The After Years site (http:/ / ff4theafteryears. co. uk/ uk/ ) [4] "A new tale about the moon is spun on mobile phones "Final Fantasy IV the After: Tsuki no Kikan" [Interview and Pictures (http:/ / www. famitsu. com/ interview/ article/ 1212647_1493. html)"]. 2007-12-21. . Retrieved 2007-12-21. [5] Square Enix (2009-03-25). "Square Enix Announces New Downloadble Titles for Nintendo's Wii" (http:/ / release. square-enix. com/ na/ 2009/ 03/ 25_01. html). Press release. . Retrieved 2009-03-25. [6] Déprez, Régis (2009-07-08). "FFIV The After Years: new images" (http:/ / www. gamekyo. com/ newsen31490_ffiv-the-after-years-new-images. html). Gamekyo. . Retrieved 2009-07-09. [7] V-Jump Magazine, February 2008 Issue [8] Famitsu Magazine, March 2008 Issue [9] Famitsu.com (2007-12-28). "Takashi Tokita Talks Final Fantasy IV the After: Return of the Moon" (http:/ / www. famitsu. com/ interview/ article/ 1212841_1493. html). . Retrieved 2008-03-20. [10] Yoshi Sato (1up.com) (2007-12-19). "More Details on Final Fantasy IV's Sequel" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3165113). . Retrieved 2008-03-20. [11] O'Connor, Michael (2008-09-20). "Final Fantasy IV sequel coming to the west?" (http:/ / www. thegamingvault. com/ 2008/ 09/ final-fantasy-iv-sequel-coming-to-the-west). . [12] Hatfield, Daemon (2009-02-27). "Final Fantasy IV Sequel Heads to Wii" (http:/ / wii. ign. com/ articles/ 957/ 957943p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-02-27.

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[13] Spencer (2009-02-23). "FFIV Sequel Coming Here As Final Fantasy IV: The After Years?" (http:/ / www. siliconera. com/ 2009/ 02/ 23/ did-we-just-discover-final-fantasy-iv-the-after-years/ ). Siliconera. . Retrieved 2009-03-01. [14] Square Enix (2008-08-01). "ード／EZweb対応の携帯電話向けロールプレイングゲーム「ファイナルファンタジーIV ジ・アフター－月の帰還－」配信開始から5ヶ月間で、有料版100万ダウンロード達成！" (http:/ / release. square-enix. com/ news/ j/ 2008/ 08/ 20080801_01. html) (in Japanese). . Retrieved 2008-08-03. [15] "Final Fantasy IV: The After Years for Wii" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ wii/ 958463-final-fantasy-iv-the-after-years/ index. html). GameRankings. . Retrieved 2009-06-21. [16] Jeremy Dunham (2009-06-17). "Final Fantasy IV: The After Years Review" (http:/ / wii. ign. com/ articles/ 995/ 995474p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-06-21. [17] Lark Anderson (2009-06-17). "Final Fantasy IV: The After Years Review for Wii" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ wii/ rpg/ finalfantasyivtheafteryears/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2009-06-21. [18] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ff4ay/ [19] http:/ / ff4theafteryears. co. uk/ uk/ [20] http:/ / www. ff4theafteryears. jp/ [21] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ mobile/ ff/ ff4after/ [22] http:/ / finalfantasy. wikia. com/ wiki/ Final_Fantasy_IV:_The_After_Years

''Final Fantasy V'' Final Fantasy V

Super Famicom cover art with the character Bartz and his Chocobo Boko Developer(s)

Square TOSE (PlayStation, GBA)

Publisher(s)

Super Famicom JP Square PlayStation JP Square NA Square Electronic Arts PAL SCE Europe Game Boy Advance JP Square Enix NA Nintendo of America EU Nintendo of Europe

Designer(s)

Hironobu Sakaguchi Hiroyuki Itō

Artist(s)

Yoshitaka Amano Tetsuya Nomura

Writer(s)

Yoshinori Kitase

Composer(s)

Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy

Platform(s)

Super Famicom, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance

Release date(s) Genre(s)

Role-playing game

''Final Fantasy V''

112 Mode(s)

Single-player, limited multiplayer

Rating(s)

PlayStation ELSPA: 11+ ESRB: T (Teen) OFLC: M15+ USK: 12+ Game Boy Advance CERO: A (All Ages) ESRB: E (Everyone) PEGI: 12+

Media

Super Famicom 16 megabit cartridge PlayStation 1 CD-ROM Game Boy Advance Cartridge

Final Fantasy V (ファイナルファンタジーV) is a medieval-fantasy role-playing video game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in 1992 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. The game first appeared only in Japan on Nintendo's Super Famicom (known internationally as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System). It has been ported with minor differences to Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo's Game Boy Advance. An original video animation produced in 1994 called Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals serves as a sequel to the events depicted in the game. The game begins as a wanderer named Bartz investigates a fallen meteor. There, he encounters several characters, one of whom reveals the danger facing the four Crystals that control the world's elements. These Crystals act as a seal on Exdeath, an evil sorcerer. Bartz and his party must keep the Crystals from being exploited by Exdeath's influence and prevent his resurgence. Final Fantasy V has been praised for the freedom of customization that the player has over the characters, achieved through the greatly expanded Job System. Despite the lack of an early release in territories other than Japan, the Super Famicom version sold more than two million copies. The PlayStation version has earned "Greatest Hits" status, selling more than 350,000 copies.

Gameplay Final Fantasy V includes many standard role-playing elements as well as renovated features introduced in earlier Final Fantasy games. Characters grow in strength by gaining experience points from random encounters with monsters on the overworld or in a dungeon. Experience culminates in a "level up" in which party members' attributes, such as hit points or magic power, increase. A menu-based management system allows the player to equip, heal, and change each character's selected job outside of battle as well as to save the game's progress. The player can traverse the overworld by foot, Chocobo, hydra-guided ship, wind drake, or airship depending on the situation. Most towns scattered across the world contain inns for resting, shops for purchasing equipment, and people from whom the player can gain information. The player may also embark on several side quests that become available as the story progresses.[1] Final Fantasy V is the second Final Fantasy game to use the Active Time Battle (ATB) system, in which time flows continuously for both the player and enemies during combat.[2] This system was first established in Final Fantasy IV by battle planners Hiroyuki Itō and Akihiko Matsui[3] , but in that game, there was no way to visibly anticipate which character's turn would come up next.[4] In Final Fantasy V, the player can see which playable character's turn is next in battle, in the form of a time gauge—or "ATB Bar"—which fills according to a character's speed. When the selected character's turn arrives, the player can execute one of several commands, such as attacking the enemy with

''Final Fantasy V''

113

an equipped weapon, using a special ability or item, or changing the character's row position.[5] The ATB mechanic with a gauge, as seen in Final Fantasy V, has been used in nearly every following title in the series.[6]

Job System The main feature of the gameplay of Final Fantasy V is the Job System designed by Hiroyuki Itō.[6] Players can choose jobs for their character to learn. This system allows each character to gain special abilities and potentially master up to 22 unique jobs (26 in the Game Boy Advance version). Each character begins with a default "Freelancer" class, and as the player acquires crystal shards, new jobs become available.[2] A separate form of experience—Ability Points (ABP)—is used to improve characters' job levels, while they continue to earn regular experience points.[2] As job levels increase, new skills become available for that character to use in a new form of customization: The Job System is a defining feature of Final characters learn job-specific abilities that may be carried over to a new Fantasy V job. For example, a character with the job of Knight who has also earned job levels as a Black Mage may set Black Magic as a secondary command; allowing the use of both Black Mage and Knight abilities in battle. The nature of these abilities varies; while some may allow for selectable commands in battle, others may be innate to the class or automatically activated when conditions are met, such as the Thief's "Caution" skill, which prevents rear attacks from enemies.[7] This system allows for deeper customization of characters.[8] While many of the jobs have appeared previously in the series, Final Fantasy V introduces a number of new classes including the Blue Mage, Time Mage, and Mime, adding new elements to combat.[9]

Plot Setting The backstory of Final Fantasy V is revealed during the course of the game. One millennium before the events of the main story, a powerful mage named Enuo emperiled the world using the power of an evil entity known as the "Void". The people of the world retaliated, using twelve legendary weapons to vanquish Enuo. Because the Void could not be destroyed, the people split the world's four elemental Crystals into two sets, which sequentially caused the world itself to split. The Void then became sealed in a dimensional cleft between the two worlds.[10] Nearly 1,000 years passed without incident and both worlds prospered due to the powers of their Crystals of Wind, Water, Fire, and Earth. Several kingdoms and towns developed, and travel by ship acted as a prominent means of commerce and communication. Evil spirits had been sealed inside a tree in the Great Forest of Moore, and the tree soon transformed. The being emerged as Exdeath, the game's primary antagonist. As he attempted to claim the world for himself, a group of heroes called the "Four Warriors of Dawn" (named Galuf, Xezat, Dorgann, and Kelger) defeated and sealed him within the parallel world using its Crystals, and peace returned for another 30 years.[11]

Characters Final Fantasy V features five player characters, only four of which are playable at a given time. Bartz Klauser is a traveling adventurer who becomes involved in the game's events when he investigates the site of a meteorite strike. Lenna Charlotte Tycoon is a princess of Tycoon who follows her father to investigate the Wind Shrine. She is knocked unconscious and saved from a group of goblins by Bartz. Galuf Doe is a mysterious old man discovered unconscious near the meteorite who suffers from amnesia. Faris Scherwiz is a pirate captain who captures Bartz,

''Final Fantasy V'' Lenna, and Galuf when they try to steal her ship, and is later revealed to be Sarisa Scherwill Tycoon. Krile Mayer Baldesion is the granddaughter of Galuf who journeys with him to the planet and receives all of her grandfather's abilities after his death.[12] Most of the main characters in the game were involved with or related to people who defeated Exdeath 30 years prior, such as Bartz's father Dorgann Klauser, Kelger Vlondett, and Xezat Matias Surgate—three of the original Four Warriors of Dawn. In addition, the game contains several supporting characters including the engineer Cid Previa, his grandson Mid Previa, and the turtle sage Ghido. One of Exdeath's henchmen, Gilgamesh, appears as a recurring mini-boss in the game. Gilgamesh has additional appeared in other titles in the series, such as Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy XII.[13] [14]

Story Final Fantasy V begins on a day when the world's wind currents begin to slow down. Concerned, the King of Tycoon travels to the Wind Shrine, which holds the Crystal of Wind, only to see it shatter into pieces upon his arrival. Meanwhile, a meteorite plunges to the planet's surface in the lands near Tycoon Castle. Resting in the woods, Bartz investigates the meteor, and comes across a young woman, Lenna, under attack. After rescuing her, they discover an old man in the wreckage with partial amnesia named Galuf. Lenna explains that she is on her way to the Wind Shrine after her father—causing Galuf to suddenly recall that he needs to go there as well—and accompanies her. Bartz continues on his way but returns and rescues them from King Tycoon approaches the Wind Crystal more enemies. The three travel together, but the path by land is seconds before it shatters blocked by the meteor. With the help of the pirate captain Faris, the group makes its way to the Wind Shrine to discover the shattered Wind Crystal and no sign of Tycoon. The shards react to their presence, and an image of Tycoon appears, explaining to them that they must protect the Crystals.[15] They learn the crystals are a seal binding the warlock Exdeath, and that each crystal is being exploited for its powers, which will eventually cause them to shatter and make the world itself uninhabitable.[16] The party attempts to save the crystals of Water, Fire, and Earth; but they ultimately fail, and Exdeath is freed. Galuf's granddaughter Krile arrives, and helps restore Galuf's memory completely, and he recalls he is actually from a distant world and departs with his granddaughter. With help, Bartz and the others resolve to travel to Galuf's world, where Exdeath is already wreaking havoc in pursuit of that world's crystals. The trio is captured, but Galuf rescues them and defeats Exdeath's lieutenant, Gilgamesh, in the process. They are blown to a distant continent when a barrier is activated during their escape, but make their way to Bal Castle, Galuf's kingdom.[17] The party meets Kelger, one of Galuf's companions and one of the Four Warriors of Dawn, and learn that Bartz's father was part of their group. Joining forces with another Warrior of Dawn, they deactivate the barrier around Exdeath's castle, but at the cost of his life. They then learn of Exdeath's origins as the mage Enuo, and travel to the Guardian Tree to dispel the seals within, only to be trapped by Exdeath and immobolized. Krile arrives to help, but is trapped in a ring of fire. Galuf frees himself, saves his granddaughter, and fights Exdeath until the warlock collapses and retreats. After dying of his wounds, despite the party's efforts to save him, Galuf's spirit imparts upon Krile all of his abilities.[18] The party pursues Exdeath and defeats him, but the remaining crystals shatter and the worlds are reunited, in the process granting Exdeath the Void, a power sealed in the dimensional interval called the Rift by dividing the worlds. With it, he removes entire towns and kingdoms from existence. Gathering weapons and magic that had been used against Enuo, the party enters the Rift, where Exdeath reveals his true form, a massive tree. With help of their fallen allies, the party survives his use of the Void and attack, weakening him until the Void devours

114

''Final Fantasy V'' him. He then transforms into Neo Exdeath, intent on destroying all reality and then himself.[19] They defeat him, and, using the power of the Crystal shards, seal the Void once more and restore the crystals in full. The game's ending varies based on how many people are still alive at Neo Exdeath's defeat, detailing the events after his defeat. At the end, the remaining group visits the Guardian Tree, and find that the fallen party members have returned to life.[20]

Development Final Fantasy V was directed by Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi who, previous to the release of Final Fantasy IX, called it his favorite Final Fantasy game.[21] The character, image, and title logo designs were created by series illustrator and image designer Yoshitaka Amano, while the monsters were designed by Tetsuya Nomura.[22] Amano has stated that he counts his depictions of both Faris from Final Fantasy V and Terra from Final Fantasy VI among his favorite Final Fantasy designs.[23] The official English translation of Final Fantasy V began shortly after the Japanese version's release. The game was to be released and titled "Final Fantasy III" in North America, but the project fell through.[24] Translator Ted Woolsey explained in a 1994 interview, "it's just not accessible enough to the average gamer".[25] Rumors later circulated that a second attempt at localization would be made and that the game would be titled Final Fantasy Extreme, but this attempt likewise was canceled. A third attempt was made to port the game to Microsoft Windows-based personal computers for North American release by developer Top Dog Software, but this was cancelled.[24] Another Final Fantasy V was one of the first complete attempt to port the game to Windows for North America was "handled fan-translated games by Eidos Interactive" circa 1998 (but it is unclear whether this is the same version Top Dog Software was working on or an actual fourth [26] attempt). The continual canceling of the localization angered fans and led to Final Fantasy V becoming one of the first games to receive a complete fan translation.[24]

Music The game's soundtrack was composed by Nobuo Uematsu and consists of 56Â tracks.[27] A two-disc album was released alongside the game totaling 67Â tracks.[28] Uematsu had originally calculated that the game would require more than 100 pieces of music, but he managed to reduce the number to 56.[29] The song "Dear Friends" would become the title piece in the 2004 concert tour Dear Friends -Music from Final Fantasy-, chosen to reflect Uematsu's appreciation for his music's worldwide fan support.[30] The song "Clash on the Big Bridge" would later be arranged by Hitoshi Sakimoto for the Final Fantasy XII Original Soundtrack in 2006.[31] The album Final Fantasy V: 5+1 was released in 1992 and contained five songs from the original score as well as a previously unreleased Super Famicom version of "Matoya's Cave" from the original 1987 Final Fantasy for the Nintendo Entertainment System.[32] A collection of arranged tracks, Final Fantasy V Dear Friends; a 13-track disc, Piano Collections Final Fantasy V; and a short series of remixes, Final Fantasy V: Mambo de Chocobo, were all released in 1993.[33] Finally, many of the original songs were included on the North American Final Fantasy Anthology Soundtrack, together with the two-game compilation.[34]

115

''Final Fantasy V''

116

Re-releases Final Fantasy V was ported by TOSE to the Sony PlayStation and re-released in Japan on March 19, 1998; it was included in the 1999 release of Final Fantasy Collection, alongside Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy VI.[35] [36] The PlayStation version boasted two new full motion video opening and ending sequences and a "memo-save" feature, but the game otherwise remained unchanged.[2] [37] Square Enix released 50,000 limited edition copies of the collection which included a Final Fantasy-themed alarm clock.[36] In the same year, Square Enix released the PlayStation compilation Final Fantasy Anthology in North America, which included Final Fantasy V, as well as the PlayStation version of Final Fantasy VI. This would mark the first time the game was published outside Japan, nearly sevenÂ years after its initial release.[38] In 2002, Square Enix released this version of the game in Europe and Australia, this time alongside Final Fantasy IV.[39] The English version of the game received changes from its original format, including a different interpretation of character names, such as the names "Bartz" as opposed to "Butz" and "Gill" as opposed to "Guido", the official romanizations in Japan.[40] Following the release of the PlayStation 2, Sony reported that the new system had compatibility issues with the Final Fantasy V half of Final Fantasy Anthology.[41] The game experienced a bug where if players attempted to save their games, a graphical error would occur.[41] Squaresoft then released a statement that only the look of the save screen was corrupted, and saving was still possible, and if players wished, repeatedly going into and out of the save screen would make a normal screen eventually appear.[41] Final Fantasy V was ported a second time by TOSE to the Nintendo Game Boy Advance as Final Fantasy V Advance, which was released on October 12, 2006, in Japan, November 6, 2006, in North America, and April 20, 2007, in Europe.[42] Similar to the Game Boy Advance re-releases of its predecessors, this version features updated graphics, though the changes are very subtle.[43] Additional features include four new jobs (Gladiator, Cannoneer, Necromancer, and Oracle), a new dungeon called "The Sealed Temple", and a new optional boss from the back story of Final Fantasy V, Enuo, which was designed by Tetsuya Nomura instead of the game's original character designer Yoshitaka Amano.[43] [44] In addition, the game included a bestiary, a quick save function, music player, and additional equipment in the style of previous Game Boy Advance re-releases.[45] Like the remakes of its predecessors, Final Fantasy V Advance featured a new English translation,[43] which included some unusual references to US pop-culture, such as dialogue referring to PBS's Reading Rainbow.[46]

Reception and legacy Reception[47] Aggregate scores Aggregator

Score [48]

GameRankings

82% (based on 25 reviews)

Metacritic

83% (based on 25 reviews)

[49]

Review scores Publication

Score

1UP.com

[21] B- (SFC) [50] A (GBA) [51]

Electronic Gaming Monthly

8.8 out of 10

GameSpot

8.5 out of 10

IGN

8.5 out of 10

[52] [43]

''Final Fantasy V''

117 [53]

Allgame

3.5 out of 5 (SFC)

GameDaily

7 out of 10

[54]

Awards Entity

Award

Famitsu

15th All Time Best [55] Game

Final Fantasy V has sold 2.45 million units on the Super Famicom, while the Japanese Game Boy Advance version has sold nearly 260,000 copies as of December 2007.[56] [57] Final Fantasy Collection sold over 400,000 copies in 1999, making it the 31st best selling release of that year in Japan.[58] The North American release of Final Fantasy Anthology sold 364,000 copies as of 2004.[59] [55] While not initially released in North America, the game received mixed reception from import reviews. 1UP.com's staff stated that while the game's story was very weak, the gameplay was "another story", heavily praising the job system and the feature to combine abilities from different job classes, and gave it a score of B-.[21] Allgame's review shared similar sentiments regarding the storyline and job system, adding praise for the addition of hidden events and items for players to search for, giving the game a score of 3.5 out of 5.[53] RPGamer found that the game improved on the visual presentation, menu system, and overall field navigation of Final Fantasy IV, but the "maddeningly high encounter rate", "average sound selection", and "washed out" color palette hurt the game's presentation, giving it a score of 5/10.[60] Critics likewise gave mixed reviews of the Anthologies version of the game. GameSpot criticized the game for having "paper-thin characters" and a cliche plot, augmented by a lack of character development during the game's fetch quests. They went further to say that the translation was terrible and overshadowed by the two previous fan efforts.[8] IGN called Final Fantasy V's graphics "dated" but cited "incredibly engrossing" job system as the game's highlight and praised its music.[61] Electronic Gaming Monthly repeated the sentiments towards the job system, adding that while the game suffered from long load times periodically, Final Fantasy V was the main reason to buy the collection.[62] In comparison, reviews of the Game Boy Advance re-release of the game were mostly positive. GameSpot's review regarded the game more favorably than its PlayStation counterpart, calling it "better than ever" and citing the strong localization of the script and extensive special features. They further stated that while the game's characters seemed unlikable and that the plot felt "predictable or trite", they felt both aspects were superior to many of today's games, giving the game a score of 8.5.[52] Nintendo Power stated that "while playing Final Fantasy V is a chore on the PlayStation, it's good fun on the GBA because of the vastly improved translation and new features", further calling it the "definitive" version of one of the series' best titles.[63] IGN gave the game a score of 8.5, calling it a "must-own" for the portable system and describing it further as always an "entertaining and surprisingly deep role-playing game."[64] 1UP.com stated the port of the game from the Super Famicom to the Game Boy Advance was "rock solid", and added that while the game's story started off at a slow pace, it gradually improved. The review further praised the addition of features and removal of questionable ones that had been added to the Anthologies version of the game.[50] GameDaily gave the game a score of 7/10, noting that while enjoyable, the high encounter rate, the necessity to constantly engage in battle to gain abilities through the job system, and other aspects made the game feel repetitive at times.[54]

''Final Fantasy V''

Sequel In 1994, Square released an original video animation sequel to Final Fantasy V titled Final Fantasy. Produced by animation studio Madhouse, the anime was released in four 30-minute VHS tapes in Japan and was set two hundred years after the events of the first game.[65] [66] The story focuses on four warriors, one of them the descendant of Bartz,[67] protecting the Wind Crystal from the villain Deathgyunos, who pursues it to achieve godhood.[68] It was localized by Urban Vision in 1998 and released in two VHS volumes for North America under the title Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals.[69]

Future On April 27, 2010, Square Enix producer Shinji Hashimoto stated that the development of a remake of Final Fantasy V for the Nintendo DS is at present "undecided" due to "technical issues".[70]

External links • Official Final Fantasy V website (US Anthology version) [71] • Nintendo's Official Final Fantasy V Advance website [72] • Official Final Fantasy V Advance website [73] (Japanese) • Final Fantasy V at the Final Fantasy Wiki at Wikia

References [1] Square Enix staff. "Optional Side Quests" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ anthology/ FFV/ side. html). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2006-08-29. [2] Square Enix staff, ed (1999). Final Fantasy Anthology instruction manual. Square Enix. pp. 17, 18, 14, 5, 58, 59. SLUS-00879GH. [3] Square Co. staff, ed (1991) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy IV (SFC Version) instruction manual. Square Co.. pp. 18. [4] Falcon, Jade (2006-01-01). "Final Fantasy IV—Review" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ ff/ ff4/ reviews/ ff4rdrev6. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-08-10. [5] Meyers, Andy (2006). Final Fantasy V Advance: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Nintendo. pp. 14–15. ISBN 1-59812-017-4. [6] Boulette, Bryan. "Square Enix's Finest" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ editor/ 2007/ q3/ 100107bb. html). RPGamer. CraveOnline. . Retrieved 2009-07-02. [7] Meyers, Andy (2006). Final Fantasy V Advance: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Nintendo. pp. 17, 20. ISBN 1-59812-017-4. [8] Vestal, Andrew (1999-09-30). "GameSpot Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasyanthology/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-06-27. [9] Meyers, Andy (2006). Final Fantasy V Advance: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Nintendo. pp. 102–107. ISBN 1-59812-017-4. [10] Gill: A thousand years ago the evil presence Enuo held the power of the Void. A long battle ensued, and finally the people defeated Enuo with the twelve legendary weapons… but the Void could not be destroyed. As a last resort they split the crystals, which in turn split the two worlds. They then sealed the Void in the N-zone between the two worlds. Square Co. Final Fantasy V. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (1999-09-30) [11] Galuf: I am not from this earth! I came by meteorite from another planet… To stop the evil spirit we’d sealed up 30 years earlier… From reviving itself… Square Co. Final Fantasy V. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (1999-09-30) [12] Meyers, Andy (2006). Final Fantasy V Advance: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Nintendo. pp. 6–10. ISBN 1-59812-017-4. [13] Cassady, David (1999). Final Fantasy VIII Official Strategy Guide. Brady Publishing. pp. 108. ISBN 1-56686-903-X. [14] Barba, Rick; David Cassady, Joe Epstein, Wes Ehrlichman (2006). Final Fantasy XII. Brady Publishing. p. 229. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [15] King Tycoon: The wind crystal is shattered, and the other three are at great risk. Go and protect them. The very essence of evil is trying to return… If it does, it will turn all to darkness… Square Co. Final Fantasy V. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (1999-09-30) [16] Lenna: For a while nothing would change… But gradually, the earth would decay and the waters would stagnate. Fire would grow cold, and the earth would become uninhabitable. Square Co. Final Fantasy V. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (1999-09-30) [17] Bartz: Thought you were just some old geezer… but a king?! / Galuf: Yeah, well… / Bartz: What a surprise! Square Co. Final Fantasy V. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (1999-09-30) [18] Galuf: I’ve borrowed the power of Elder's Tree, which protected the crystals for 1000 years. Now I give that power to you… Square Co. Final Fantasy V. (Square Electronic Arts). PlayStation. (1999-09-30) [19] Neo Exdeath: I am Neo Exdeath! All memories…dimensions…existence…All that is shall be returned to nothing! Then I, too can disappear…Forever!!! Square Enix. Final Fantasy V Advance. (Square Electronic Arts). Gameboy Advance. (2006-11-06)

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''Final Fantasy V'' [20] Narrator: In the beginning, there was only the Void... But from the Void came four essences. They formed the crystals, and the world was born. Hope blessed the earth. Courage blazed into flame. Care and devotion turned water into the seeds of life. The passion for knowledge spread intelligence and wisdom on the winds. If ever the Void threatens to engulf the world, so long as the four essences still exist in man, light will be born anew. The four essences shall rise from the Void and weave light once again. Square Enix. Final Fantasy V Advance. (Square Electronic Arts). Gameboy Advance. (2006-11-06) [21] Staff (2000-01-01). "Final Fantasy V" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3112892). 1UP.com. UGO Networks. . Retrieved 2008-08-02. [22] "Tetsuya Nomura" (http:/ / stars. ign. com/ objects/ 963/ 963453. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-07-02. [23] Mielke, James (2006-07-20). "A day in the Life of Final Fantasy's Yoshitaka Amano" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ feature?pager. offset=4& cId=3152237). 1UP.com. UGO Networks. . Retrieved 2006-08-20. [24] GameTrailers Staff (2007-07-30). "Final Fantasy Retrospective: Part III" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2007/ 07/ 30/ final-fantasy-video-retrospective-part-iii/ ). GameTrailers. . Retrieved 2008-07-29. [25] West, Neil (September 1994). "Interview with Ted Woolsey" (http:/ / www. chronocompendium. com/ wiki/ index. php?title=Super_Play_Magazine_Woolsey_Interview). Super Play (23). . Retrieved 2009-07-02. [26] Davison, John (July 1998). It's Hip to be Square. Electronic Gaming Monthly. p. 128. [27] "Square Enix Music" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ music/ tunes/ ff/ ). Square Enix. 2005-01-01. . Retrieved 2007-08-18. [28] Gann, Patrick; Schweitzer, Ben. "Final Fantasy V Original Sound Version" (http:/ / rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff5ost/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-03-24. [29] (1992) Release notes for Final Fantasy V: Original Sound Version by Nobuo Uematsu (CD liner). Japan: Square/NTT Publishing (N33D-013~4). [30] Square Enix U.S.A., Inc. Public Relations Team. "Dear Friends -Music from Final Fantasy- Concert Synopsis" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ uematsu/ concert/ concert_synopsis. html). . Retrieved 2007-08-17. [31] Cunningham, Michael. "Final Fantasy XII OST—Soundtrack Review" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ ff/ ff12/ sounds/ reviews/ musicreview01. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2007-08-18. [32] "Final Fantasy 5+1" (http:/ / ffmusic. info/ ff5_1. html). ffmusic.info. . Retrieved 2008-03-25. [33] "Final Fantasy Manbo de Chocobo" (http:/ / ffmusic. info/ ff5manbo. html). ffmusic.info. . Retrieved 2008-04-05. [34] Gann, Patrick. "Music From FFV and FFVI Video Games" (http:/ / rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ffanthcd/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-07-29. [35] "Final Fantasy V" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasy5/ index. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [36] IGN staff (1999-01-07). "Final Fantasy Collection Coming" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 066/ 066337p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-17. [37] Square Enix staff. "CG movies" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ anthology/ FFV/ cg. html). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2006-08-29. [38] Kennedy, Sam; Gary Steinman (August 2001). "Final Fantasy". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (47): 99. [39] Bramwell, Tom (2002-04-03). "Final Fantasy Anthology confirmed" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ article_45730). Eurogamer. . Retrieved 2006-08-17. [40] Simpson, Julia (1999-01-01). "RPGamer Editorials—Final Fantasy Anthology—The TRUTH!" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ editor/ 1999/ q4/ 112499js. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2007-08-18. [41] Wanlin, Matthew. "Square Responds to PlayStation 2 Incompatibilities" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q4-2000/ 121300b. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2007-08-17. [42] Alfonso, Andrew (2006-10-16). "Final Fantasy V Advance Hands-On" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 739/ 739633p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-07-29. [43] Dunham, Jeremy (2007-01-08). "Final Fantasy V Advance Review" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 753/ 753521p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-07-29. [44] Parish, Jeremy (2006-10-18). "Previews: Final Fantasy V" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ previewPage?cId=3154511). 1UP.com. UGO Networks. . Retrieved 2007-08-17. [45] Nintendo Power staff (2006-11-06). "One of the “forgotten” FINAL FANTASY games is finally being brought back to life for Game Boy Advance." (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20061116134439/ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ gamemini?gameid=YsAC1vKxVbAx3kw3Aii1JVKbFmgiDZcc). Nintendo Power, Issue 208. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ gamemini?gameid=YsAC1vKxVbAx3kw3Aii1JVKbFmgiDZcc) on 2006-11-16. . Retrieved 2007-07-27. [46] Kohler, Chris (2006-11-01). "Final Fantasy V: US Version Impressions" (http:/ / www. wired. com/ gamelife/ 2006/ 11/ final_fantasy_v/ ). Wired (magazine). . Retrieved 2009-07-02. [47] Unless otherwise noted, review scores are for the Game Boy Advance version. [48] "Final Fantasy V Advance - GBA" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ gba/ 930369-final-fantasy-v-advance/ index. html). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2008-07-29. [49] "Final Fantasy V Advance" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ gba/ finalfantasy5advance). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2007-06-17. [50] Parish, Jeremy (2006-11-07). "Final Fantasy V Advance" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3155006& p=19& sec=REVIEWS). 1UP.com. UGO Networks. . Retrieved 2009-07-03. [51] "Final Fantasy V Advance Review". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (January 2007): p. 111.

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''Final Fantasy V'' [52] Kasavin, Greg (2006-11-15). "Final Fantasy V Advance" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gba/ rpg/ finalfantasyvadvance/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-07-29. [53] Borowski, David. "Final Fantasy V" (http:/ / allgame. com/ game. php?id=15166& tab=review). Allgame. All Media Group. . Retrieved 2009-07-03. [54] Faylor, Chris (2006-11-08). "Final Fantasy V Advance" (http:/ / www. gamedaily. com/ games/ final-fantasy-v-advance/ game-boy-advance/ game-reviews/ review/ 5612/ 1406/ ). GameDaily. AOL. . Retrieved 2009-07-03. [55] Staff (2006-03-03). "Japan Votes on All Time Top 1000" (http:/ / www. edge-online. com/ features/ japan-votes-all-time-top-100). Edge. . Retrieved 2008-07-11. [56] "Japan Platinum Game Chart" (http:/ / www. the-magicbox. com/ Chart-JPPlatinum. shtml). The Magic Box. . Retrieved 2009-07-02. [57] "Nintendo GBA Japanese Ranking" (http:/ / www. japan-gamecharts. com/ gba. php). Japan Game Charts. 2008-07-08. . Retrieved 2008-07-11. [58] "1999 Top 100 Best Selling Japanese Console Games" (http:/ / www. the-magicbox. com/ Chart-BestSell1999. shtml). The Magic Box. . Retrieved 16 August 2007. [59] "US Platinum Videogame Chart" (http:/ / www. the-magicbox. com/ Chart-USPlatinum. shtml). The Magic Box. 2007-12-27. . Retrieved 2006-08-11. [60] Long, Andrew. "Final Fantasy V—Import Retroview" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ ff/ ff5/ reviews/ ff5strev1. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-08-11. [61] Reyes, Francesca (1999-10-07). "Final Fantasy Anthology" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 161/ 161674p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-07-27. [62] Hsu, Dan; Che Chou, Crispin Boyer, Chris Kohler (November 1999). Electronic Gaming Monthly (124): 248. [63] "Quote from Chris Hoffman". Nintendo Power (Future US) (212): p. 99. [64] Dunham, Jeremy (2007-01-08). "Final Fantasy V Advance" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 753/ 753521p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-07-03. [65] Isler, Ramsey (2007-12-17). "Gaming to Anime: Final Fantasy VI" (http:/ / anime. ign. com/ articles/ 842/ 842025p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-07-03. [66] Director: Naoto Kanda. (24 November 1998) (VHS). Legend of the Crystals (Based on Final Fantasy). [Videotape]. Urban Vision. ISBN 189060335X. "Narrator: Two hundred years after the story of Final Fantasy V" [67] Director: Naoto Kanda. (24 November 1998) (VHS). Legend of the Crystals (Based on Final Fantasy). [Videotape]. Urban Vision. ISBN 189060335X. "Linaly: You should stay home Grandpa, right? / Grandfather: We are descendants of the courageous Bartz, who defeated Ex-Death, incarnation of nothingness." [68] Ross, Carlos, Raphael See, Sam Yu. "Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals" (http:/ / www. themanime. org/ viewreview. php?id=34). T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews. . Retrieved 2009-07-02. [69] "Legend of the Crystals (Based on Final Fantasy) Complete Box Set: Volumes 1 & 2" (http:/ / www. amazon. com/ Legend-Crystals-Based-Fantasy-Complete/ dp/ 189060335X). Amazon.com. . Retrieved 2009-07-02. [70] http:/ / www. andriasang. com/ e/ blog/ 2010/ 04/ 28/ ffv_and_vi_technical_issues/ [71] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ anthology/ FFV/ world. html [72] http:/ / ffv. nintendo. com/ [73] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff5/

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''Final Fantasy VI''

121

''Final Fantasy VI'' Final Fantasy VI

Japanese Super Famicom box art; the North American version displayed a "III" instead of "VI". Developer(s)

Square TOSE (PS1, GBA)

Publisher(s)

Super NES Square PlayStation JP Square NA Square Electronic Arts EU Sony Computer Entertainment Game Boy Advance JP Square Enix NA/EU Nintendo

Director(s)

Yoshinori Kitase Hiroyuki ItĹ?

Producer(s)

Hironobu Sakaguchi

Artist(s)

Yoshitaka Amano Tetsuya Nomura

Writer(s)

Yoshinori Kitase

Composer(s)

Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy

Platform(s)

Super Nintendo Entertainment System, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance

Release date(s) Genre(s)

Role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player, multiplayer

Rating(s)

PlayStation ELSPA: 11+ ESRB: T (Teen) OFLC: M15+ USK: 12+ Game Boy Advance CERO: A (all ages) ESRB: E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) PEGI: 7+

Media

24 megabit cartridge (SNES) 1 CD-ROM (PlayStation) 64 megabit cartridge (GBA)

Input methods

Gamepad

''Final Fantasy VI'' Final Fantasy VI (ファイナルファンタジーVI) is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix). It was released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as a part of the Final Fantasy series. It was ported by TOSE with minor differences to Sony's PlayStation in 1999 and Nintendo's Game Boy Advance in 2006. The game was known as Final Fantasy III when it was first released in North America, as the original Final Fantasy III had not been released outside of Japan at the time. However, later localizations used the original title. Set in a fantasy world with a technology level equivalent to that of the Second Industrial Revolution, the game's story focuses on a group of rebels as they seek to overthrow an imperial dictatorship. The game features fourteen permanent playable characters, the most of any game in the main series. Final Fantasy VI was the first game in the series to be directed by someone other than producer and series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi; the role was filled instead by Yoshinori Kitase and Hiroyuki Itō. Yoshitaka Amano, a long-time contributor to the Final Fantasy series, returned as the image and character designer, while regular composer Nobuo Uematsu wrote the game's score, which has been released on several soundtrack albums. Released to critical acclaim, the game is regarded as a landmark of the series and of the role-playing genre. Its Super Nintendo and PlayStation versions have sold over 3.48 million copies worldwide to date as a stand-alone game, as well as over 750,000 copies as part of the Japanese Final Fantasy Collection and the North American Final Fantasy Anthology. Final Fantasy VI has won numerous awards since its release.

Gameplay Like previous Final Fantasy installments, Final Fantasy VI consists of four basic modes of gameplay: an overworld map, town and dungeon field maps, a battle screen, and a menu screen. The overworld map is a scaled-down version of the game's fictional world, which the player uses to direct characters to various locations. As with most games in the series, the three primary means of travel across the overworld are by foot, chocobo, and airship. With a few plot-driven exceptions, enemies are randomly encountered on field maps and on the overworld when traveling by foot. The menu screen is where the player makes such decisions as which characters will be in the traveling party, which equipment they wield, the magic they learn, and the configuration of the gameplay. It is also used to track experience points and levels.[1] The game's plot develops as the player progresses through towns and dungeons. Town citizens will offer helpful information and some residents own item or equipment shops. Later in the game, visiting certain towns will activate side-quests. Dungeons appear as a variety of areas, including caves, sewers, forests, and buildings. These dungeons often have treasure chests containing rare items that are not available in most stores. Some dungeons feature puzzles and mazes, which require the player to divide the characters into multiple parties.[1]

Combat

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''Final Fantasy VI''

A battle in Final Fantasy VI

123 Combat in Final Fantasy VI is menu-based, in which the player selects an action from a list of such options as Fight, Magic, and Item. A maximum of four characters may be used in battles, which uses the series' traditional Active Time Battle system, or ATB, which was designed by Hiroyuki ItĹ? and first featured in Final Fantasy IV. Under this system, each character has an action bar that replenishes itself at a rate dependent on their speed statistic. When a character's action bar is filled, the player may assign an action. In addition to standard battle techniques, each character possesses a unique special ability. For example, Locke possesses the ability to steal items from enemies, while Celes' Runic ability allows her to absorb most magical attacks cast until her next turn.[2]

Another element is a powerful attack substitution that occasionally appears when a character's health is low. Similar features appear in later Final Fantasy titles under a variety of different names, including Limit Breaks, Desperation Moves, Trances, and Overdrives.[3] Characters are rewarded for victorious battles with experience points and money, called gil (GP in the original North American localization). When characters attain a certain amount of experience points, they gain a level, which increases their statistics. An additional player may play during battle scenarios, with control of individual characters assigned from the configuration menu.[2]

Customization Characters in Final Fantasy VI can be equipped with a wide variety of weapons, armor and accessories (known as "Relics") to increase their statistics and obtain special abilities. Most of this equipment can be used by several different characters, and each character may equip up to two Relics. Relics have a variety of uses and effects, some of which alter basic battle commands, allow characters to use multiple weapons, provide permanent status changes during battle or use protective magical spells in response to being near death.[4] Although only two characters start the game with the ability to use magic, almost every character can learn to do so. Characters may equip magicite, which enables the summoning of espers, this game's incarnation of summoned monsters (including several recurring summons such as Ifrit, Shiva, Bahamut and Odin, along with many new summons exclusive to Final Fantasy VI), as well as that of specific magic spells. If a character has a piece of magicite equipped, he or she will gain "Magic Acquisition Points" after most battles. As a character gains magic AP, he or she gradually learns spells from the magicite equipped and will gain additional statistic bonuses when leveling up, depending on the magicite.[5]

Plot Setting Final Fantasy VI takes place on a large, unnamed world. During the course of the game, its geography and landscape change due to various developments in the game's plot. During the first half of the game, the world is divided into two major continents and referred to as the World of Balance. The northern continent is punctuated by a series of mountain ranges and contains many of the locations accessible to the player. Halfway through the game, the world's geographical layout is altered, resulting in its two large continents splitting into several islands of various size situated around a larger continent at their center. This altered layout of the game's locations is referred to as the World of Ruin. In contrast to the medieval settings featured in previous Final Fantasy titles, Final Fantasy VI is set in a steampunk environment. The structure of society parallels that of the latter half of the 19th century, with opera and the fine arts

''Final Fantasy VI'' serving as recurring motifs throughout the game,[6] and a level of technology comparable to that of the Second Industrial Revolution. Railroads are in place and a coal mining operation is run in the northern town of Narshe.[7] Additionally, several examples of modern engineering and weaponry (such as a chainsaw, power drill, and automatic crossbow) have been developed in the Kingdom of Figaro. However, communication systems have not reached significant levels of development, with letters sent by way of carrier pigeon serving as the most common means of long-distance communication. One thousand years before the events of the game, three gods known as the Warring Triad who served as the source of all magic in the world started a conflict known as the War of the Magi. This quarrel released magical energy into the world, transforming any human touched by it into an esper, who were used as soldiers by the gods. Eventually repenting of the war, the Warring Triad returned free will to the espers and turned themselves to stone. Their only request was that the espers ensure their power remain sealed so that it could not be misused again.[8] After the war ended, the espers departed to a hidden land, taking the statues of the gods with them and sealing the entrance to their world, leaving behind the remaining humans. Cut off from magic, the humans build a society based on technology.[7] At the opening of the game, the most powerful technology is in the hands of the Empire, a cruel and expanding dictatorship led by Emperor Gestahl and his court magician Kefka. Approximately eighteen years before the events of the game begin, the barrier between the esper's land and the rest of the world weakened. Soon after, Gestahl takes advantage of this and attacks the espers' land, capturing several of them. Using the espers as a power source, Gestahl initiated a research program to combine magic with machinery and infuse humans with magical powers, the result being a technology known as Magitek. Kefka was infused with magic, becoming one of the prototypes in a line of soldiers called Magitek Knights. The process was still experimental in the prototype phase and as a result, Kefka's sanity was impaired.[9] At the opening of the game, the Empire is on the verge of rediscovering the full potential of magic by reopening the gateway to the world of the espers. However, the Empire's rule is opposed by the Returners, a group of rebels seeking to overthrow the Empire and free its territories.

Characters Final Fantasy VI features fourteen permanent playable characters, the most of any game in the main series, as well as several secondary characters who are only briefly controlled by the player. The starting character, Terra Branford, is a reserved half-human, half-esper girl who spent most of her life as a slave to the Empire, thanks to a mind-controlling device, and is unfamiliar with love.[10] Other primary characters include Locke Cole, a treasure hunter and rebel sympathizer with a powerful impulse to protect women; Celes Chere, a former general of the Empire, who joined the Returners after being jailed for questioning imperial practices; Edgar Roni Figaro, a consummate womanizer and the king of Figaro, who claims allegiance to the Empire while secretly supplying aid to the Returners;[11] Sabin Rene Figaro, Edgar's brother, who fled the royal court in order to pursue his own path and hone his martial arts skills; Cyan Garamonde, a loyal knight to the kingdom of Doma who lost his family and friends as a result of Kefka poisoning the kingdom's water supply; Setzer Gabbiani, a habitual gambler and thrill seeker; Shadow, a ninja mercenary, who offers his services to both the Empire and the Returners at various stages throughout the game; Relm Arrowny, a young but tough artistic girl with magical powers; Strago Magus, Relm's elderly grandfather and a Blue Mage; Gau, a feral child surviving since infancy in the harsh wilderness known as the Veldt; Mog, a Moogle from the mines of Narshe; Umaro, a savage but loyal sasquatch also from Narshe, talked into joining the Returners through Mog's persuasion; and Gogo, a mysterious, fully shrouded master of the art of mimicry. Most of the main characters in the game hold a significant grudge against the Empire and, in particular, Kefka, who serves as one of the game's main antagonists along with Emperor Gestahl. The supporting character Ultros serves as a recurring villain and comic relief throughout the game. A handful of Final Fantasy VI characters have reappeared in later games, such as Secret of Evermore and Kingdom Hearts II. Additionally, Final Fantasy SGI, a short

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''Final Fantasy VI'' technology demo produced for the Silicon Graphics Onyx workstation, featured polygon-based 3D renderings of Locke, Terra, and Shadow.[12]

Story Final Fantasy VI begins with Terra Branford participating in an Imperial raid on Narshe in search of a recently unearthed frozen esper (later identified as Tritoch; Valigarmanda in the GBA retranslation) found in the city's mines. However, the esper kills her controllers and the Imperial control over her is broken, but she is unable to remember anything about her past.[13] Locke Cole, a thief, promises to protect her until she can regain her memories and helps her escape to the hideout of the Returners, a group of militants opposing the Empire. Along the way, they pass through the Kingdom of Figaro and meet Edgar Roni Figaro, the king, and his estranged brother, Sabin Rene Figaro, who join them. Banon, the leader of the Returners, asks for Terra's help in their struggle against the Empire, and she agrees.[14] Just as the resistance is preparing to return to Narshe to investigate the frozen esper, the Empire attacks South Figaro. Locke heads to the besieged town to slow the Empire's advance, while the rest of the group makes their way via rafting down the nearby Lethe River. However, Sabin is separated from the group after a battle with Ultros, self-proclaimed "octopus royalty" and a recurring antagonist, forcing the various members of the Returners to find their own ways to Narshe in three different scenarios controlled by the player. In Locke's scenario, he must escape the imperial occupied town of South Figaro without detection. Sabin has been swept to a distant continent and must find a way back while Terra, Edgar, and Banon will continue to float down the Lethe River back to Narshe. Eventually, the original party reunites in Narshe. Locke brings with him Celes Chere, one of the Empire's own generals, whom he saved from execution for defying the Empire's ruthless practices. Sabin brings with him Cyan Garamonde, whose family was killed during the Empire's siege of Doma Castle when Kefka ordered the water supply poisoned, and Gau, a feral child he befriended on the Veldt. In Narshe, the Returners prepare to defend the frozen esper from the Empire. After the player successfully thwarts the Imperial invasion, Terra approaches the frozen esper, prompting her to transform into an esper-like form herself. She flies away, confused and horrified by her own transformation.[15] The Returners set out to search for Terra and eventually trace her to the city of Zozo, though they are still shocked by her apparent existence as an esper. There, they also meet the esper Ramuh, who tells them that if they free various other espers from the Magitek Research Facility in the Empire's capital, Vector, they may find one who can help Terra.[16] Vector is on the southern continent, to which the Empire does not allow maritime access, so the Returners go to the Opera House and recruit Setzer Gabbiani, who is believed to be the owner of the Blackjack, the only airship in the world. They then travel to Vector and attempt to rescue several espers, including Maduin, who is revealed to be Terra's father. However, the espers choose instead to give their lives to transform into magiciteâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the crystallized remains of their essences that form when they die and allow others to use their powers[17] â&#x20AC;&#x201D;which they bestow upon the Returners.[18] Before the group can then escape, Kefka arrives and causes the Returners, including Locke, to momentarily doubt Celes's loyalty, much to her anguish. However, she provides proof to them of her support by covering for the group while the rest escape.[19] The rest of the group then returns to Zozo, where Terra reacts to the magicite of her father, prompting her to gain knowledge of her past and accept herself as the half-human, half-esper child of Maduin and a human woman.[20] After reuniting with Terra, the Returners decide that it is time to launch an all-out attack on the Empire, and Banon asks Terra to attempt contacting the espers' land in order to gain their support.[21] Terra succeeds in making contact, and when the espers learn that the others captured by the Empire previously have now perished, they become infuriated and enter the human world, where they destroy much of Vector. When the Returners arrive in the capital, they find Emperor Gestahl claiming to no longer have the will to fight, inviting the Returners to a banquet to negotiate peace. Gestahl asks Terra to deliver a truce to the espers on his behalf, to which she agrees.[22] Accompanied by Locke, Shadow (a ninja mercenary hired by the Empire for the mission), Generals Celes and Leo, the player must then guide Terra to the remote village Thamasa in search of the espers, where they meet Strago

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''Final Fantasy VI'' Magus and his granddaughter, Relm Arrowny, who also accompany them. Soon, they find the espers and Terra convinces them to accept a truce with Gestahl. However, during the negotiations, Kefka attacks the espers, killing each of those still alive and capturing the magicite that remains from their essence. Additionally, he kills General Leo, who is appalled by Kefka's dishonorable tactics and attempts to defend the espers. The Returners reunite, now aware that the peace was a ploy for Gestahl to obtain magicite and the stone statue remains of the Warring Triad within the espers' now-unsealed land.[23] [24] Kefka and Gestahl travel through the open gate to the esper world, find the Warring Triad, and prompt the island on which the esper world is located to detach and fly in the sky as an ominous Floating Continent. The Returners attempt to stop them from causing further damage, but despite their efforts, they are unable to prevent Kefka and Gestahl from gaining the power of the statues. Now empowered, Kefka promptly kills Gestahl and moves the statues out of their proper alignment, upsetting the balance of magical power and causing the destruction of most of the surface world. In the disaster, the Returners are separated from one another as Setzer's airship is torn apart. One year later, Celes awakens from a coma on a deserted island and learns that the world has been devastated by Kefka. Much of its human population has died and its plant and animal life are slowly being killed by sickness to punctuate humanity's despair.[25] Celes sets out from the Solitary Island to try and reunite with as many of her friends as she can find. One by one, in a series of mostly optional side-quests, the gamer has the opportunity to reunite the group, all still alive, as well as new allies Umaro and Gogo. Together, the reunited Returners launch a new offensive against Kefka, using the Falconâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;an airship that belonged to a deceased friend of Setzer'sâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to reach Kefka's Tower and infiltrate it. Inside, the Returners battle their way through Kefka's defenses and destroy the three statues, the source of Kefka's newfound power. When destroying the statues, once the source of all magic, does not cause any noticeable reaction, the party realizes that Kefka has successfully drained the Warring Triad of power and has become the source of all magical power. Making a final stand against Kefka, the characters successfully destroy him, but since the gods' power had come to reside in him all magicite begins to shatter and Kefka's magically-maintained tower begins to crumble. Terra leads the characters out as she begins to weaken due to her half-esper heritage.[26] However, before her father's magicite shatters, his spirit informs her that by holding to the human side of herself, she may survive the passing of magic. In the end, the party escapes Kefka's Tower aboard the Falcon. Terra survives, and the group observes the world's communities rejuvenating themselves.

Development Graphics Yoshitaka Amano, a long-time contributor to the Final Fantasy series, returned as the image and character designer. Amano provided concept sketches to the programmers, who converted them into the sprites featured in the game due to technical limitations of the time. Liberties were taken during the conversion, such as changing Terra Branford's hair from blonde to green, and changing Celes Chere's outfit entirely. Amano also designed the title logo. The graphics were directed by Tetsuya Takahashi (graphic chief), Hideo Minaba (background graphics), Kazuko Shibuya (object graphic), and Tetsuya Nomura (designer for some characters). In the full motion videos produced for the game's PlayStation re-release, the character designs featured are based on Amano's designs.[27] While character sprites in the earlier installments were less detailed on the map than they were in battle, Final Fantasy VI's sprites had an equally high resolution regardless of the screen. This enabled the use of animations depicting a variety of movements and facial expressions.[28] Though it was not the first game to utilize the Super Nintendo's Mode 7 graphics, Final Fantasy VI made more extensive use of them than its predecessors. For instance, unlike both Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy V, the world map is rendered in Mode 7, which lends a somewhat three-dimensional perspective to an otherwise two-dimensional game.[29]

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''Final Fantasy VI''

Localization The original North American localization and release of Final Fantasy VI by Square for the Super Nintendo featured several changes from the original Japanese version. The most obvious of these is the change of the game's title from Final Fantasy VI to Final Fantasy III; because only two games of the series had been localized in North America at the time, Final Fantasy VI was distributed as Final Fantasy III to maintain naming continuity. Unlike Final Fantasy IV (which was first Graphics for the North American releases were released in North America as Final Fantasy II), there are no major edited to cover up minor instances of nudity. changes to gameplay, though several changes of contents and editorial From left to right: Japanese SFC and GBA, North adjustments exist in the English script. In a January 1995 interview American SNES, and Western GBA releases. with Super Play magazine, translator Ted Woolsey explained that "there's a certain level of playfulness and ... sexuality in Japanese games that just doesn't exist here [in the USA], basically because of Nintendo of America's rules and guidelines".[30] Consequently, objectionable graphics (e.g. nudity) were censored and building signs in towns were changed, as well as religious allusions (e.g. the spell Holy was renamed Pearl).[31] Also, some direct allusions to death, killing actions, and violent expressions, as well as offensive words have been replaced by softer expressions. For example, after Edgar, Locke and Terra flee on chocobos from Figaro Castle, Kefka orders two Magitek Armored soldiers to chase them by shouting "Go! KILL THEM!", in the Japanese version. It was translated as "Go! Get them!" Also, when Imperial Troopers burn Figaro Castle, and Edgar claims Terra is not hidden inside the castle, Kefka replies "then you can burn to death" in the Japanese version, which was replaced in the English version by "Then welcome to my barbecue!". Similarly, as Magitek soldiers watch Edgar and his guests escape on Chocobos, one swears in Japanese, "Son of a bitch!", which was translated by Ted Woolsey as "Son of a submariner!".[31] The localization also featured changes to several names, such as "Tina" being changed to "Terra". Finally, dialogue text files had to be shortened due to the limited data storage space available on the game cartridge's read-only memory.[30] As a result, additional changes were rendered to dialogue in order to compress it into the available space.[30] This translation was done in only 30 days by Woolsey alone.[32] The PlayStation re-release featured only minor changes to the English localization. The title of the game was reverted back to Final Fantasy VI from Final Fantasy III, to unify the numbering scheme of the series in North America and Japan with the earlier release of Final Fantasy VII. A few item and character names were adjusted, as in the expansion of "Fenix Down" to "Phoenix Down". Unlike the PlayStation re-release of Final Fantasy IV included in the later Final Fantasy Chronicles compilation, the script was left essentially unchanged.[27] The Game Boy Advance re-release featured a new translation by a different translator, Tom Slattery.[33] This translation preserved most of the character names, location names, and terminology from the Woolsey translation, but changed item and spell names to match the conventions used in more recent titles in the series.[34] The revised script preserved certain quirky lines from the original while changing or editing others, and it cleared up certain points of confusion in the original translation.[35]

Music The soundtrack for Final Fantasy VI was composed by long-time series contributor Nobuo Uematsu. The score consists of themes for each major character and location, as well as music for standard battles, fights with boss enemies and for special cutscenes. The extensive use of leitmotif is one of the defining points of the audio tracks. The "Aria di Mezzo Carattere" is one of the latter tracks, played during a cutscene involving an opera performance. This track features an unintelligible synthesized "voice" that harmonizes with the melody, as technical limitations for the SPC700 sound format chip prevented the use of an actual vocal track (although some developers eventually

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''Final Fantasy VI'' figured out how to overcome the limitation a few years later). The orchestral album Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale features an arranged version of the aria, using Italian lyrics performed by Svetla Krasteva with an orchestral accompaniment. This version is also found in the ending full motion video of the game's Sony PlayStation re-release, with the same lyrics but a different musical arrangement. In addition, the album Orchestral Game Concert 4 includes an extended version of the opera arranged and conducted by KĹ?suke Onozaki and performed by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, featuring Wakako Aokimi, Tetsuya Ĺ&#x152;no, and Hiroshi Kuroda on vocals.[36] It was also performed at the "More Friends" concert[37] at the Gibson Amphitheatre in 2005 using a new English translation of the lyrics, an album of which is now available.[38] "Dancing Mad", accompanying the game's final battle with Kefka, is 17 minutes long and contains an organ cadenza, with variations on Kefka's theme. The "Ending Theme" combines every playable character theme into one composition lasting over 21 minutes.[39] The original score was released on three Compact Discs in Japan as Final Fantasy VI: Original Sound Version.[39] A version of this album was later released in North America as Final Fantasy III: Kefka's Domain; this version of the album is the same as its Japanese counterpart, except for different packaging and small differences in the translation of some track names between the album and newer releases.[40] Additionally, Final Fantasy VI: Grand Finale features eleven tracks from the game, arranged by Shiro Sagisu and Tsuneyoshi Saito and performed by the Ensemble Archi Della Scala and Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano (Milan Symphony Orchestra).[41] Piano Collections: Final Fantasy VI, a second arranged album, features thirteen tracks from the game, performed for piano by Reiko Nomura.[42] More recently, "Dancing Mad", the final boss theme from Final Fantasy VI, has been performed at Play! A Video Game Symphony in Stockholm, Sweden on June 2, 2007, by the group Machinae Supremacy.[43] Nobuo Uematsu's rock band, The Black Mages, released a progressive metal version of Dancing Mad on their eponymous first album in 2003. Their 2008 album, subtitled "Darkness and Starlight", is so named after its premiere track: a rock opera version of the entire opera from FFVI, including the Aria di Mezzo Carattere performed by Etsuyo Ota.

Re-releases PlayStation Final Fantasy VI was ported to the Sony PlayStation by TOSE and re-released by Square in Japan and North America during 1999. In Japan, it was available both individually and as part of Final Fantasy Collection, while it was only available as part of Final Fantasy Anthology in North America, and individually in Europe. Fifty-thousand limited edition copies of the Japanese version were also released in Japan and included a Final Fantasy-themed alarm clock.[44] Final Fantasy VI's PlayStation re-release is very similar to the original Japanese release as seen on the Super Famicom. With the exception of the addition of two full motion video opening and ending sequences and new effects used for the start and end of battles, the graphics, music and sound are left unchanged from the original version, though some have noted that the sound quality isn't as good as in the original.[45] The only notable changes to gameplay (in addition to loading times not present in the cartridge versions) involve the correction of a few software bugs from the original and the addition of a new "memo save" feature, allowing players to quickly save their progress to the PlayStation's RAM.[46] The re-release included other special features, such as a bestiary and an artwork gallery.[47]

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''Final Fantasy VI''

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Game Boy Advance Final Fantasy VI was ported a second time by TOSE and re-released as Final Fantasy VI Advance by Square Enix in Japan on November 30, 2006, by Nintendo in North America on February 5, 2007, and in Europe on June 29, 2007,[48] for the Game Boy Advance. It includes additional gameplay features and slightly enhanced visuals, as well as a re-translated script that follows Japanese naming conventions for the spells and monsters, but it does not feature the full motion videos from the PlayStation release of the game. Four new espers appear in this re-release: Leviathan, Gilgamesh, Cactuar, and Diabolos. Two new areas include the Dragons' Den dungeon, which includes the Kaiser Dragon, a monster coded but not included in the original, and a "Soul Shrine", a place where the player can fight monsters continuously. Three new spells also appear, and several bugs from the original are fixed. In addition, similarly to the other handheld Final Fantasy re-releases, a bestiary and a music player are included. Interestingly, even in the Japanese version, the music player is in English and uses the American names, e.g. Strago over Stragus.[49] The package features new artwork by series veteran and original character and image designer Yoshitaka Amano.[50]

Reception Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator

Score

GameRankings

[51] 93.7% (11 reviews) (SNES) [52] 90.6% (26 reviews) (GBA)

Review scores Publication

Score [53]

Allgame

[54]

Edge

8 of 10

Electronic Gaming Monthly

9 of 10

Famitsu

[55]

(SNES)

(SNES) (SNES)

[56] 37 of 40 (SNES) [56] 31 of 40 (GBA) [57]

GameSpot

8.9 of 10

IGN

9 of 10

[34]

(GBA)

Final Fantasy VI received positive reviews from critics and was commercially successful. As of March 31, 2003, the game had shipped 3.48 million copies worldwide, with 2.62 million of those copies being shipped in Japan and 860,000 abroad.[58] Final Fantasy Collection sold over 400,000 copies in 1999, making it the 31st-best-selling release of that year in Japan.[59] It received 54 out of 60 points from Weekly Famitsu, scored by a panel of six reviewers.[44] Final Fantasy Anthology has sold approximately 364,000 copies in North America.[60] The game garnered rave reviews upon its original release. GamePro rated it as 5 out of 5, stating that "Characters, plotlines, and multiple-choice scenarios all combine to form one fantastic game!"[61] Electronic Gaming Monthly granted a 9 out of 10 and named it game of the month, commenting that "RPGs with this much depth and realism come once in a blue moon".[55] It won several awards from Electronic Gaming Monthly in their 1994 video game awards, including Best Music for a Cartridge-Based Game, Best Role-Playing Game, and Best Japanese Role-Playing Game.[62] Additionally, they later ranked the game ninth in their 1997 list of the 100 greatest console

''Final Fantasy VI'' games of all time.[63] For their part, Nintendo Power declared the game "the RPG hit of the decade", noting its improved sound and graphics over its predecessors, and the game's broadened thematic scope.[64] Moreover, they suggested that "with so much story and variation of play ... fans may become lost in the world for months at a time".[65] In 1997, they ranked it as the 8th greatest Nintendo game, saying it "had everything you could want—heroes, world-shattering events, magic, mindless evil—plus Interceptor the wonder dog!"[66] In April 2008, ScrewAttack named Final Fantasy VI the 3rd best SNES game, beaten only by The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Super Metroid.[67] The game was still earning rave reviews after the release of its PlayStation version, with GamePro and Electronic Gaming Monthly rating it 4 out of 5 and 9.5 out of 10, respectively.[63] Nintendo Power again ranked it as one of the best Nintendo games in 2006, placing it as 13th on their "Top 200 games on a Nintendo Platform", suggesting that it might be the "best" Final Fantasy ever.[68] In 2005, multimedia news website IGN ranked Final Fantasy VI 56th on their list of the 100 greatest games, as the second highest ranked Final Fantasy title on the list after Final Fantasy IV.[69] IGN described the graphics of the PlayStation re-release as "beautiful and stunning", reflecting that, at the time of its release, "Final Fantasy III... represented everything an RPG should be", inspiring statistic growth systems that would later influence titles like Wild Arms and Suikoden. Moreover, they praised its gameplay and storyline, claiming that these aspects took "all ... preceding RPG concepts and either came up with something completely new or refined them enough to make them its own", creating an atmosphere in which "[players] won't find it difficult to get past the simplistic graphics or seemingly out-dated gameplay conventions and become involved ...".[70] In an updated version of the "Top 100" list in 2007, IGN ranked Final Fantasy VI 9th on the list, above all other Final Fantasy games in the series. They continued to cite the game's character development, and especially noted Kefka as "one of the most memorable bad guys in RPG history".[71] In 2009, Game Informer put the SNES version of Final Fantasy III 8th on their list of "The Top 200 Games of All Time", saying that it "perfected the 2D role-playing game".[72] Readers of the Japanese magazine Famitsu voted it as the 25th best game of all time in early 2006.[73] RPGamer gave a perfect rating to both the original game and its PlayStation re-release, citing its gameplay as "self-explanatory enough that most any player could pick up the game and customize their characters' equipment", while praising its music as "a 16-bit masterpiece". Alternatively, they describe the game's sound effects as limited and the game itself as lacking in replay value due to having "one ending, one [fundamental] path through the plot, and ... [mandatory] sidequests". Additionally, they regarded the game's English translation as "unremarkable", being "better than some but worse than others", and offered similar comments for its gameplay difficulty. However, they referred to the game's storyline as its "... most unique aspect", citing its large cast of characters, "nearly all of whom receive a great deal of development", and the "surprisingly large number of real world issues, the vast majority of which have not been addressed by any RPG before or since, ranging from teen pregnancy to suicide". Overall, RPGamer regarded the game as an "epic masterpiece" and "truly one of the greatest games ever created".[74] [75] The game's latest release, for the Game Boy Advance, also garnered praise. In 2007, the Game Boy Advance re-release was named 8th best Game Boy Advance game of all time in IGN's feature reflecting on the Game Boy Advance's long lifespan.[76] In 2009, Final Fantasy VI was inducted into the IGN Videogame Hall of Fame, becoming the second Final Fantasy game to do so. The only other Final Fantasy to do so was the original Final Fantasy.[77] Final Fantasy VI took the #1 spot on G4 TV's Top Must Own RPG's list in 2008.[78] In IGN's ranking of the Final Fantasy games, Final Fantasy VI took the #1 spot as the best game in the series. Gamesradar has also ranked Final Fantasy VI #1 in a similar list. A notoriously cynical video game critic,[79] Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw, praised the game. In a Zero Punctuation review of Final Fantasy XIII, Croshaw said that FFVI was a Final Fantasy game that he actually enjoyed. In the review he cites the game in response to the widely held view that he does not like Japanese role-playing games or turn-based battle systems, in an attempt to justify why he is reviewing Final Fantasy XIII. Within the context of the highly sardonic review, he appears to contrast FFVI's storytelling and gameplay with FFXIII. This makes Final Fantasy VI

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''Final Fantasy VI'' one of the very few turn-based JRPGs Croshaw has ever positively received or has given praise to, the others being EarthBound, the Paper Mario series and the Mario & Luigi RPG series.[80] [81] [82] [83]

Legacy Final Fantasy VI: The Interactive CG Game (also known as the Final Fantasy SGI demo, or Final Fantasy x (not related to the actual 10th game in the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy X) was a short demonstration produced by Square using characters and settings from Final Fantasy VI. Produced using new Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI) Onyx workstations acquired by Square, the demo was Square's first foray into 3D graphics, and many assumed that it was a precursor to a new Final Fantasy title for the Nintendo 64 video game console, which also used SGI hardware.[12] Square, however, had not yet committed to Nintendo's console at the time of the demo's production, and much of the technology demonstrated in the demo was later put to use in the rendering of full motion video sequences for Final Fantasy VII and subsequent games for the PlayStation. The demo itself featured Terra Branford, Locke Cole, and Shadow in a series of battles. The game was controlled largely through mouse gestures: for example, moving the cursor in the shape of a star would summon a dragon to attack.[12] On April 27, 2010, Square Enix producer Shinji Hashimoto stated that the development of a remake of Final Fantasy VI for the Nintendo DS is at present "undecided" due to "technical issues".[84]

External links • Square Enix's Official Final Fantasy VI website [85] • Square Enix's Official Final Fantasy VI Advance website [86] (Japanese) • "Nintendo's Official Final Fantasy VI Advance website" [87]. Archived from the original [88] on 2007-02-06. (English) • Final Fantasy III [89] at Nintendo.com (archives [90] of the original [91] at the Internet Archive) • Final Fantasy VI Advance [92] at Nintendo.com (archives [93] of the original [94] at the Internet Archive)

References [1] Square Enix staff, ed (1999). Final Fantasy Anthology instruction manual. Square Enix. p. 39. SLUS-00900GH. [2] "Final Fantasy VI—Battle Systems" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ anthology/ FFVI/ battle. html). Square Enix. 2002. . Retrieved 2006-07-21. [3] "IGN Presents: The History of Final Fantasy VII" (http:/ / au. retro. ign. com/ articles/ 870/ 870770p1. html). IGN. 2008-04-30. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [4] Square Enix staff, ed (1999). Final Fantasy Anthology instruction manual. Square Enix. p. 49. SLUS-00900GH. [5] Square Enix staff, ed (1999). Final Fantasy Anthology instruction manual. Square Enix. p. 47. SLUS-00900GH. [6] Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) "(NPC in Jidoor) You like art? No? Philistines!" [7] Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) "(Game opening) Long ago, the War of the Magi reduced the world to a scorched wasteland, and magic simply ceased to exist. 1000 years have passed... Iron, gunpowder and steam engines have been rediscovered, and high technology reigns..." [8] Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) "Left statue: The birth of magic... three goddesses were banished here. In time they began quarreling, which led to all-out war. Those unlucky humans who got in the way were transformed to Espers, and used as living war machines. / Right Statue: The goddesses finally realized that they were being laughed at by those who had banished them here. In a rare moment of mutual clarity, they agreed to seal themselves away from the world. With their last ounce of energy they gave the Espers back their own free will, and then transformed themselves... ...into stone. Their only request was that the Espers keep them sealed away from all eternity. / Center Statue: The Espers created these statues as a symbol of their vow to let the goddesses sleep in peace. The Espers have sworn to keep the goddesses' power from being abused." [9] Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) "(NPC in Vector) That guy Kefka? He was Cid's first experimental Magitek Knight. But the process wasn't perfected yet. Something in Kefka's mind snapped that day...!" [10] Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) "Wedge: Not to worry. The Slave Crown on her head robs her of all conscious thought. She'll follow our orders." [11] Locke: On the surface, Edgar pretends to support the Empire. The truth is, he's collaborating with the Returners, an organization opposed to the Empire. I am his contact with that group... The old man you met in Narshe is one of us. Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super

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''Final Fantasy VI'' Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [12] "Final Fantasy SGI Demo" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ ff/ affw/ ffsgi. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-08-10. [13] Terra: You... saved me? / Locke: Save your thanks for the Moogles! / Terra: Uhh... I can't remember anything... past or present... / Locke: You have amnesia!? Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [14] Banon: Have you made a decision? Will you become our last ray of hope? ... / Terra: I'll do it! Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [15] Locke: ...Where's Terra? / Celes: She changed into a...something, and...took off. She looked like... She looked like...an Esper... Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [16] (Unidentified character) Terra looks like she's in pain. / Ramuh: Her very existence strikes fear into her own heart. / (Unidentified character) How can we help her? / Ramuh: When she accepts this aspect of herself, I think she'll be all right. / (Unidentified character) We have to help her! / Ramuh: Then free those of my kind imprisoned in Gestahl's Magitek Research Facility. One of them can surely help her. Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [17] Ramuh: Gestahl's method is incorrect. You can't drain a live Esper of all its power. It is only when we are reduced to Magicite that our abilities can be transferred in total... / Unspecified character: Pardon!? / Ramuh: When we transform into Magicite, our power can be relocated. / Unspecified character: Magicite...!? / Ramuh: That's what's left of us when we... pass away. Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [18] (An Esper) Our friends are all gone... We haven't much time left... We have no choice but to entrust you with our essences... / Esper: You want to help me... But... I haven't long to live. Just as Ifrit did before me, I'll give to you my power... Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [19] Kefka: So that's it! Magicite... ... / Kefka: General Celes!! The game's over. Bring me those Magicite shards! / Locke: Celes! You... deceived me!? / Celes: Of course not! Have a little faith! / Kefka: G'hee, hee, hee! She has tricked you all! Celes, that's so... YOU! / Celes: Locke... Please believe me... / Locke: I... ... ... / Kefka: NOW!! / Kefka: Exterminate all of them! / Celes: Locke... Let me protect you for once... Maybe now... Now you'll believe me... / Kefka: Celes! W... What are you doing? Stop it!!! Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [20] Terra: Father...? I remember it all... I was raised in the Esper's world. ... / Terra: I'm the product of an Esper and a human... That's where I got my powers... Now I understand... I finally feel I can begin to control this power of mine... Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [21] Arvis: I see... Your plan would combine Narshe's money with Figaro's machinery to storm the Empire... not enough manpower, though... / Banon: We have to open the sealed gate... Terra!? / Terra: To the Esper World...? / Arvis: We'll never beat the Empire without them. / Banon: When the gate has been opened, the Espers can attack from the east. We'll storm in at the same time, from the north. No way around it. We MUST get the Espers to understand. We have to establish a bond of trust between humans and Espers. Only one person can do this... Terra... / Terra: Half human, half Esper... My existence is proof that such a bond CAN exist... I'll do it. I'm the only one who can! Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [22] Gestahl: I've lost my will to fight... ... / Gestahl: I've ordered this war to be over! Now I must ask for a favour... After they devastated my Empire, the Espers headed northward, towards Crescent Island. They must be found...! We must tell them we're no longer their enemy. After all that I have put them through, it is up to me to set things right. That is why... I need to borrow Terra's power. Only Terra can bridge the gap between Esper and human. We must make for Crescent Island aboard the freighter from Albrook. Will you accompany me? Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [23] Kefka: G'ha, ha, ha! Emperor's orders! I'm to bring the Magicite remains of these Espers to his excellency! Behold! A Magicite mother lode!! Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [24] Setzer: We've been had!! The Emperor is a liar! ... / Edgar: I got to know the gal who brought us tea. After a while, she just blurted out the whole crooked plan. Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [25] Cid: Celes... at last...! You're finally awake... / Celes: I... feel like I've been sleeping forever... / Cid: For one year, actually... ... / Cid: We're on a tiny, deserted island. After the world crumbled, I awoke to find us here together with... a few strangers. / Cid: Since that day, the world's continued its slide into ruin. Animals and plants are dying... The few others who washed up here with us passed away of boredom and despair. Square Co. Final Fantasy III. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1994-10-11) [26] Celes: Terra! What's wrong? The Magicite... 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A Video Game Symphony Upcoming Concerts" (http:/ / www. play-symphony. com). Play! A Video Game Symphony. . Retrieved 2007-06-20. [44] "Final Fantasy Collection Coming" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 066/ 066337p1. html). IGN.com (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved 27 July 2007. [45] Makar, Alex. "Gaming Age review" (http:/ / www. gaming-age. com/ reviews/ archive/ old_reviews/ psx/ ffa/ ). Gaming Age. . Retrieved 2007-08-15. [46] Square Enix staff, ed (1999). Final Fantasy Anthology instruction manual. Square Enix. p. 30. SLUS-00900GH. [47] Square Enix, ed (1999). Final Fantasy Anthology instruction manual. Square Enix. pp. 50–53. SLUS-00900GH. [48] "Final Fantasy VI Advance for Game Boy Advance" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gba/ rpg/ finalfantasyviadvance/ similar. html?mode=versions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2010-03-26. [49] (in Japanese) Final Fantasy VI Official Complete Guide. Japan: Square Enix. January 2007. p. 011. ISBN 4-7575-1846-3. [50] Villoria, Gerald (2007-02-14). "Final Fantasy VI Advance" (http:/ / gba. gamespy. com/ gameboy-advance/ final-fantasy-vi/ 764893p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2009-10-28. [51] "Final Fantasy III Advance Reviews" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ snes/ 554041-final-fantasy-iii/ index. html). Game Rankings. 2007-02-15. . Retrieved 2009-01-12. [52] "Final Fantasy VI Advance Reviews" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ gba/ 930370-final-fantasy-vi-advance/ index. html). Game Rankings. 2007-02-15. . Retrieved 2009-01-12. [53] "Final Fantasy III > Overview" (http:/ / www. webcitation. org/ 5g0qnnHuj). Allgame. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. allgame. com/ cg/ agg. dll?p=agg& sql=1:2492) on 2009-04-13. . Retrieved 2008-04-24. [54] "Squaresoft" (http:/ / www. lowbrowculture. com/ edge/ ?querytype=publisher& query=Squaresoft). Edge Reviews Database. . Retrieved 2008-09-13. [55] "The EGM Hot 50". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Sendai Publishing) 69 (4): 46. April 1995. [56] "Final Fantasy – famitsu Scores Archive" (http:/ / fs. finalfantasytr. com/ search. asp?query=final+ fantasy). Famitsu Scores Archive. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [57] Mueller, Greg (2007-02-13). "Final Fantasy VI Advance for Game Boy Advance Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gba/ rpg/ finalfantasyviadvance/ review. html?om_act=convert& om_clk=gssummary& tag=summary;read-review). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2009-01-12. [58] "Titles of game software with worldwide shipments exceeding 1 million copies" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ ir/ e/ explanatory/ download/ 0404-200402090000-01. pdf#page=27). Square Enix. 2004-02-09. p. 27. . Retrieved 2008-03-01. [59] "1999 Top 100 Best Selling Japanese Console Games" (http:/ / www. the-magicbox. com/ Chart-BestSell1999. shtml). The Magic Box. . Retrieved 16 August 2007. [60] "US Platinum Videogame Chart" (http:/ / www. the-magicbox. com/ Chart-USPlatinum. shtml). The Magic Box. . Retrieved 2005-08-13. [61] Scary Larry (November 1994). "Final Fantasy III". GamePro (IDG Communications) 64 (11): 192–194. [62] Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide. 1995. [63] "Final Fantasy Anthology for PlayStation Reviews—PlayStation Final Fantasy Anthology Reviews" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasyanthology/ review. html?mode=web). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-07-16. [64] Final Fantasy III. Nintendo Power 65, page 27. October 1994. [65] Now Playing. Nintendo Power 65, page 103. October 1994.

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''Final Fantasy VI'' [66] 100 Best games of all time. Nintendo Power 100, page 89. September 1997. [67] "Top 20 SNES Games (10–1)" (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ video/ top-20-screwattack/ 32570). Gametrailers. April 7, 2008. . Retrieved 2009-10-24. [68] NP Top 200. Nintendo Power 200. February 2006. pp. 58–66. [69] "IGN's top 100 games of all time" (http:/ / top100. ign. com/ 2005/ 051-060. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-06-19. [70] Reyes, Francesca. "Final Fantasy Anthology" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 161/ 161674p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-06-19. [71] "IGN's Top 100 Games of All Time" (http:/ / top100. ign. com/ 2007/ ign_top_game_9. html). IGN. 2007. . Retrieved 2009-10-13. [72] The Game Informer staff (December 2009). "The Top 200 Games of All Time". Game Informer (200): 44–79. ISSN 1067-6392. OCLC 27315596. [73] Campbell, Colin (2006). "Japan Votes on All Time Top 100" (http:/ / www. edge-online. com/ features/ japan-votes-all-time-top-100). Next Generation Magazine. . Retrieved 2006-03-11. [74] Alley, Jake. "Final Fantasy VI—Review" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ ff/ ff6/ reviews/ ff6strev2. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-07-01. [75] Lewis, Zachary. "Final Fantasy VI—Retroview" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ ff/ ff6/ reviews/ ff6strev1. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-07-01. [76] Harris, Craig (2007-03-16). "Top 25 Game Boy Advance Games of All Time" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 772/ 772284p4. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-03-18. [77] "The Video Game Hall of Fame – Final Fantasy III (US)" (http:/ / games. ign. com/ halloffame/ final-fantasy-iii. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-11-07. [78] "Top 5 Must-Own RPGs" (http:/ / g4tv. com/ videos/ 26174/ Top-5-Must-Own-RPGs/ ). X-Play. . Retrieved 2009-10-13. [79] Ben 'Yahtzee' Croshaw Talks About His Debut Novel, 'Mogworld' - ComicsAlliance | Comics culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews (http:/ / www. comicsalliance. com/ 2010/ 01/ 05/ ben-yahtzee-croshaw-talks-about-his-debut-novel-mogworld/ ) [80] The Escapist : Video Galleries : Zero Punctuation : Final Fantasy XIII (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ videos/ view/ zero-punctuation/ 1569-Final-Fantasy-XIII) [81] The Escapist : Video Galleries : Zero Punctuation : Super Paper Mario (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ videos/ view/ zero-punctuation/ 11-Super-Paper-Mario) [82] The Escapist : Video Galleries : Zero Punctuation : Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ videos/ view/ zero-punctuation/ 1007-Mario-Luigi-Bowsers-Inside-Story) [83] The Escapist : Extra Punctuation: Yahtzee vs. the JRPG (http:/ / www. escapistmagazine. com/ articles/ view/ columns/ extra-punctuation/ 7379-Extra-Punctuation-Yahtzee-vs-the-JRPG) [84] Final Fantasy V and VI Have "Technical Issues" on DS (http:/ / www. andriasang. com/ e/ blog/ 2010/ 04/ 28/ ffv_and_vi_technical_issues/ ) [85] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ anthology/ FFVI/ world. html [86] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff6/ [87] http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070206220738/ ffvi. nintendo. com/ launch/ [88] http:/ / ffvi. nintendo. com/ [89] http:/ / register. nintendo. com/ gamemini?gameid=m-Game-0000-679 [90] http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ */ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ gamemini?gameid=m-Game-0000-679 [91] http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ gamemini?gameid=m-Game-0000-679 [92] http:/ / register. nintendo. com/ gamemini?gameid=JKZK9j5PaAlUyd6u02rEh21Rqfenkdra [93] http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ */ http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ gamemini?gameid=JKZK9j5PaAlUyd6u02rEh21Rqfenkdra [94] http:/ / www. nintendo. com/ gamemini?gameid=JKZK9j5PaAlUyd6u02rEh21Rqfenkdra

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''Compilation of Final Fantasy VII''

''Compilation of Final Fantasy VII'' Compilation of Final Fantasy VII is the formal title for a series of games and animated features developed by Square Enix based in the world and continuity of Final Fantasy VII. Spearheaded by Tetsuya Nomura and Yoshinori Kitase,[1] [2] [3] the series consists of several titles across various platforms, all of which are extensions of the Final Fantasy VII story.

Creation and scope Square Enix labeled the project "the company's first steps toward ... 'polymorphic content'", a marketing The Compilation of Final Fantasy VII logo strategy designed to "[provide] well-known properties on several platforms, allowing exposure of the products to as wide an audience as possible".[1] Compilation producer Yoshinori Kitase said that when given the opportunity to expand any previous Final Fantasy title for the company's experiment in polymorphic content, he "immediately chose Final Fantasy VII", because of its status as a milestone in the series' history, its status as a reference in the series, and its popularity among fans.[4] He further explained that "the ending of FFVII seemed to... open up so many possibilities with its characters, more so than other games".[5] One of the main conditions for the project's launch was to be able to reunite the original staff members of Final Fantasy VII; art director Yusuke Naora, composer Nobuo Uematsu, and scenario writer Kazushige Nojima joined Kitase and Nomura to work on the project.[4] Nomura has revealed that when he was brought onto the project, he only expected for Final Fantasy VII Advent Children and Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII to be developed, whereas Kitase envisioned a production of greater scope, leading to the introduction of several other titles.[6] [7] Kitase explained that when development for Advent Children began, the team agreed that one title was not enough to cover the entire world of Final Fantasy VII, and thus Before Crisis and Dirge of Cerberus were conceived to embrace more aspects.[4] The team expected to be able to share resources and models across the different projects; however, they faced difficulties in doing so and Nomura eventually decided to create different designs for each title. When asked about the presence of non traditional role-playing game within the Compilation, Kitase explained that the team's plan was to make several games of the same quality, rather than a "hardcore" role-playing game which would stand out from the other titles and involve too much physical and emotional attachment from the team's part. He added that the existence of Final Fantasy X-2—the first game sequel in the series and a lighthearted title—also helped them consider more various genres than the regular role-playing game type.[4] Square Enix president Yōichi Wada announced that the Compilation could remain an active franchise until the twentieth anniversary of Final Fantasy VII's release.[8]

135

''Compilation of Final Fantasy VII''

136

Titles Compilation of Final Fantasy VII • Games (chronological order) (As relates to the story, not release date) • • • • •

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII Final Fantasy VII Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII Dirge of Cerberus: Lost Episode: Final Fantasy VII

• Films (chronological order) (As relates to the story, not release date) • Last Order: Final Fantasy VII • Final Fantasy VII Advent Children • Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete The first title in the Compilation is the mobile game Before Crisis, a prequel starring the Turks that focuses on the six years preceding the original game.[9] [10] Released by subscription in twenty-four chapters,[11] full service began in Japan on September 24, 2004[12] for the NTT DoCoMo FOMA 900i series of mobile phones.[10] Advent Children was the first title announced in the Compilation, having been unveiled in September 2003 at the Tokyo Game Show,[13] [14] but was the second to be released. It screened in its completion for the first time on September 2, 2005 at the 62nd Venice Film Festival.[13] [15] It is a CGI film sequel to the original Final Fantasy VII, set two years after the conclusion of the game. Produced for DVD and Universal Media Disc (UMD) for Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP), it was released in Japan on September 14, 2005,[16] and in European and North American markets on April 25, 2006.[17] [18] [19] Special editions of the film included Last Order: Final Fantasy VII, an original video animation produced by Madhouse that recounts the destruction of Nibelheim.[20] Another sequel is Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII and its mobile phone counterpart, Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode: Final Fantasy VII, both of them first-person/third-person shooter hybrids.[21] [22] Developed for the PlayStation 2 and set three years after the events of the original Final Fantasy VII,[23] [24] Dirge was released in Japan on January 26, 2006,[21] and in North America on August 15, 2006.[21] Lost Episode was released for Amp'd Mobile phones three days later on August 18, 2006.[25] Finally, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is an action role-playing game for the PSP that revolves around Zack's past, chronicling the seven years prior to the events of the original game.[26] [27] After having been pushed back several times, the game was released on September 13, 2007 in Japan, March 25, 2008 in North America,[28] and on June 20, 2008 in Europe.

Audio The new Final Fantasy VII titles were also accompanied by their own soundtracks. Though Nobuo Uematsu had been the primary composer for the original game, he had very little involvement with the music of the new titles. Some soundtracks have been released in both a regular edition and a limited edition. Some of the soundtracks include new arrangements of songs from Final Fantasy VII such as battle themes, Aerith's iconic theme, the Shinra and Turks' themes, and Sephiroth's theme song "One Winged Angel", and of course the main theme of FFVII. An iconic addition to the complimations soundtrack is the Crisis Core ending theme "Why"

Cover of the Final Fantasy VII Advent Children soundtrack

''Compilation of Final Fantasy VII''

Reception Though Final Fantasy VII received an overall positive reception, the titles in the compilation have received mixed but mostly positive reviews. In July 2007, Edge magazine stated that the titles "could be of a high quality, but there is also a perversion of the original."[29] Dirge of Cerberus shipped 392,000 units in its first week,[29] [30] it also received a score of 30 out of 40 from Famitsu.[31] The CGI film Advent Children met with positive sales figures. The Japanese DVD release sold over 420,000 copies in its first week, which was 93% of all published copies at the time.[32]

References [1] Kohler, Chris (2004). "More Compilation of Final Fantasy VII details" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ action/ dirgeofcerberusfinalfantasyvii/ news. html?sid=6108651). GameSpot (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ). . Retrieved August 10, 2006. [2] GameSpot site staff (2003). "Kingdom Hearts II's Tetsuya Nomura Q & As" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ kingdomhearts2/ news. html?sid=6076646). GameSpot (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ). . Retrieved August 10, 2006. [3] V-Jump, ed (2005) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Prologue. Shueisha. p. 50. ISBN 4-08-779339-7. [4] Stone, Cortney (2005-09-01). "Kitase Discusses Compilation of Final Fantasy VII" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q3-2005/ 090105b. html). RPGamer (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ ). . Retrieved September 2, 2007. [5] Editors of Electronic Gaming Monthly, ed (2005). Electronic Gaming Monthly October 2005; issue 196. Ziff Davis Media Inc.. p. 104. [6] Young, Billy (2004). "Details Arise From Tetsuya Nomura Interview" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q4-2004/ 120104g. html). RPGamer (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ ). . Retrieved August 11, 2006. [7] Choudhury, Rahul (2004). "Nomura: "Don't look at me, Kitase did it!"" (http:/ / square-haven. com/ news/ ?id=0889). SquareHaven.com (http:/ / square-haven. com/ ). . Retrieved August 11, 2006. [8] RPGFan site staff (2006). "Square Enix Conference Report" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ news/ 2006/ 1287. html). RPGFan (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ ). . Retrieved August 26, 2006. [9] Watanabe, Yukari, ed (2006) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy VII Advent Children - Reunion Files -. SoftBank. pp. 96–97. ISBN 4-7973-3498-3. [10] Gantayat, Anoop (2004). "Before Crisis FF7 Details" (http:/ / wireless. ign. com/ articles/ 519/ 519385p1. html). IGN (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved September 2, 2007. [11] Buchanan, Levi (2006). "Interview with Square Enix Mobile: Kosei Ito" (http:/ / wireless. ign. com/ articles/ 711/ 711470p1. html). IGN (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved August 11, 2006. [12] Gantayat, Anoop (2004). "Final Fantasy Destroys Square Enix" (http:/ / wireless. ign. com/ articles/ 544/ 544743p1. html). IGN (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved August 11, 2006. [13] Watanabe, Yukari, ed (2006) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy VII Advent Children - Reunion Files -. SoftBank. p. 74. ISBN 4-7973-3498-3. [14] IGNPS2 (2003). "TGS 2003: Final Fantasy VII: The Movie?" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 451/ 451541p1. html). IGN (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved August 11, 2006. [15] Hernandez, Eugene (2005). "With A Record Eleven U.S. Titles, Venice Fest Sets 2005 Lineup" (http:/ / www. indiewire. com/ ots/ onthescene_050729vff. html). indieWIRE (http:/ / www. indiewire. com/ ). . Retrieved August 11, 2006. [16] Gantayat, Anoop (2005). "FFVII Tops Charts" (http:/ / psp. ign. com/ articles/ 652/ 652310p1. html). IGN (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved August 11, 2006. [17] IGN DVD (2005). "Official Final Fantasy VII Release Date News" (http:/ / psp. ign. com/ articles/ 688/ 688275p1. html). IGN (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved August 11, 2006. [18] "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Comes to DVD and PSP April 25" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6144171. html). GameSpot (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ). 2005. . Retrieved August 11, 2006. [19] Square Enix North America site staff (2005). "Square Enix Announces Settlement in Movie Piracy Case" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ company/ press/ 2006/ 0420/ ). Square Enix North America (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ ). . Retrieved August 11, 2006. [20] Watanabe, Yukari, ed (2006) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy VII Advent Children - Reunion Files -. SoftBank. p. 95. ISBN 4-7973-3498-3. [21] Dunham, Jeremy (2006). "Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII- Review" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 724/ 724990p2. html). IGN (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved August 13, 2006. [22] Vasconcellos, Eduardo (2006). "Comic-Con 2006: Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-: Lost Episode" (http:/ / wireless. ign. com/ articles/ 720/ 720691p1. html). IGN (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved August 13, 2006. [23] Watanabe, Yukari, ed (2006) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy VII Advent Children - Reunion Files -. SoftBank. p. 98. ISBN 4-7973-3498-3. [24] IGN site staff (2006). "Dirge of Cerberus: FFVII" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ objects/ 693/ 693672. html). IGN (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved August 13, 2006. [25] Square Enix North America site staff (2006). "DIRGE of CERBERUS - FINAL FANTASY VII - EXPLODES ONTO RETAIL SHELVES" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ company/ press/ 2006/ 0815/ ). Square Enix North America (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ ). . Retrieved August 26, 2006. [26] Editors of Electronic Gaming Monthly, ed (2005). Electronic Gaming Monthly October 2005; issue 196. Ziff Davis Media Inc.. p. 101.

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''Compilation of Final Fantasy VII'' [27] IGN site staff (2006). "Crisis Core FFVII Update" (http:/ / psp. ign. com/ articles/ 709/ 709034p1. html). IGN (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved August 11, 2006. [28] Gantayat, Anoop (2007-05-12). "Date Set For Crisis Core" (http:/ / psp. ign. com/ articles/ 787/ 787957p1. html). IGN (http:/ / ign. com/ ). . Retrieved August 11, 2006. [29] "Final Frontiers", Edge (Future Publishing) (177): 72â&#x20AC;&#x201C;79, July 2007 [30] "TOP 10 Weekly Software Sales (January 23 - January 29, 2006)" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20060205034213/ http:/ / m-create. com/ eng/ e_ranking. html). Media Create. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. m-create. com/ eng/ e_ranking. html) on 2006-02-05. . [31] "Japanese Sales Charts, Week Ending February 5" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=8119). Gamasutra. 2006-02-10. . Retrieved 2007-10-08. [32] "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children - DVD Information" (http:/ / www. adventchildren. net/ ff7ac/ movie/ info. php). AdventChildren.net. . Retrieved 2007-06-06.

138

''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children''

139

''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children'' Final Fantasy VII Advent Children

Directed by

Tetsuya Nomura Takeshi Nozue

Produced by

Yoshinori Kitase Shinji Hashimoto

Written by

Kazushige Nojima

Starring

Japanese: Takahiro Sakurai Showtaro Morikubo Maaya Sakamoto Ayumi Ito English: Steve Burton Steve Staley Mena Suvari Rachael Leigh Cook George Newbern Wally Wingert Steven Blum

Music by

Nobuo Uematsu Keiji Kawamori Kenichiro Fukui Tsuyoshi Sekito

Cinematography Yasuharu Yoshizawa Editing by

Keiichi Kojima

Studio

Square Enix

Distributed by

Square Enix (Japan) Sony (International)

Release date(s)

Theatrical Version: September 14, 2005 April 24, 2006 April 25, 2006 Director's Cut: April 16, 2009 June 2, 2009 July 27, 2009

''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children''

140 Running time

Country Language

Theatrical Version: 100 minutes Director's Cut: 125 minutes Japan

Japanese

Final Fantasy VII Advent Children (ファイナルファンタジーVII アドベントチルドレン Fainaru Fantajī Sebun Adobento Chirudoren) is a 2005 CGI film directed by Tetsuya Nomura and Takeshi Nozue and produced by Yoshinori Kitase and Shinji Hashimoto. It was written by Kazushige Nojima and the music was composed by Nobuo Uematsu. Advent Children was the first announced title in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series. The film is based on the highly successful 1997 console role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. It is set two years after the events of the game, and follows Cloud Strife as he unravels the cause of a mysterious plague called "Geostigma" that has beset the population. Advent Children received mixed reviews from critics, attaining an approval rating of 33% on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes from a total of 6 reviews[1] . In 2005, the film received the "Maria Award" at the Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya, and at the 2007 American Anime Awards it was awarded "best anime feature". As of 2006, the DVD and UMD releases of Advent Children have sold over 10.5 million copies worldwide.

Plot Two years after the events of Final Fantasy VII, the survivors of Midgar have begun to build a new city, Edge, on the outskirts of the old metropolis. A strange disease known as "Geostigma" has arisen. After Cloud's showdown with Sephiroth, he has been living with Tifa in Edge. Marlene and an orphaned boy named Denzel have been entrusted to their care. After receiving a message from Tifa, Cloud is attacked by three men, Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo, who believe that he has hidden their "mother". The leader, Kadaj, ends the battle as he discovers that Cloud does not have their "mother". Cloud responds to a message from Tifa, who tells him that the Turks have a job for him. At the meeting place, Cloud discovers that Rufus Shinra is still alive. Rufus attempts to enlist Cloud's help to stop the trio, but fails as he refuses and leaves. Kadaj arrives and demands that Rufus tell him where to find his "mother". It is revealed that his "mother" is Jenova's remains, and is somehow connected to the cause of the Geostigma. The trio are planning a new "reunion" that will culminate in an assault on the Planet. Loz arrives at Aerith's church in Midgar in an attempt to find Jenova's remains, and is confronted by Tifa. After battling Tifa, he receives instructions on his cell phone to capture Marlene. Kadaj and the gang begin collecting children infected with Geostigma, including Denzel and the uninfected Marlene, and take them to the Forgotten City. Cloud attempts to rescue them but fails, and is quickly defeated, and is then rescued by Vincent Valentine, who reveals to Cloud what the trio is seeking and that it could result in the return of Sephiroth. Cloud agrees to return to Edge and face Kadaj in battle. In Edge, the trio call forth several monsters to attack the populace, including the summon "Bahamut SIN". While Cloud's companions deal with Bahamut SIN, Reno and Rude try to take care of Yazoo and Loz until Cloud arrives. Cloud and his friends are able to dispatch the monsters and Bahamut SIN. In a nearby building, Rufus reveals to Kadaj that he has been in possession of Jenova's remains all along. He throws the box containing it from the edge of the building. Kadaj dives after the remains and recovers them shortly after Rufus shoots the box and damaging its contents. Kadaj spots Cloud in pursuit of him, and is followed to the ruins of Midgar. They battle each other in Aerith's church. Kadaj destroys the flowerbed, which releases an outflow of Lifestream-infused water that cures Cloud's Geostigma. Kadaj flees to the ruins of Shinra Headquarters, where they continue their fight. Outmatched, Kadaj absorbs Jenova's remains into his body, allowing Sephiroth to be reborn through the Remnant's body. Sephiroth reveals that once those who die from the Geostigma return to the Lifestream, he will be able to control it and use the Planet as a vessel to travel space in search of a new planet for him to rule.

''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children'' After a heated final battle, Cloud defeats Sephiroth who dissipates leaving a weakened Kadaj at Cloud's mercy. Aerith begins to pour healing rain across Edge, curing the people of their Geostigma. She tells Kadaj to be at peace, who believes her voice to be that of his "mother", and he is taken by the Lifestream. Cloud is then shot by Yazoo in the back. Also succumbing to the healing rain but bent on not going alone, Yazoo and Loz prepare one final blast at Cloud as he charges at them, resulting in a large explosion that engulfs all three. Afterward, Cloud appears surrounded by a white light, and Aerith and Zack are heard. Aerith tells Cloud that his place is not with them yet, and sends him back. Cloud awakens in a pool of Lifestream-infused water in Aerith's church, surrounded by his friends, family and the citizens of Edge. After curing the Geostigma-infected Denzel, he turns and sees Aerith crouching by some children. As she stands and walks to the doorway, she turns back and says that everything's all right now, and steps into a white light with Zack. Cloud watches them go, and says that he now knows that he's not alone.

Production The idea for Advent Children came about when script writer Kazushige Nojima wrote a script that was "just a story about Cloud and Tifa and the kids". Visual Works, a company that has developed CG films for Square, picked Final Fantasy VII as the theme for a presentation that they were going to create.[2] Square's research and development department worked with them on its launch, and director Tetsuya Nomura joined the crew after producer Yoshinori Kitase called him. Advent Children was originally going to be a game sequel, but Nomura stated that it was not possible due to a number of factors. However, the development team decided to stick with the original plan and work on it as a movie production.[3] According to Nomura in the DVD commentary, the original movie was only supposed to be 20 minutes. The details of the original story is that it featured someone requesting a message to be sent to Cloud. The message is then relayed to Cloud through several children and, when the message finally reaches Cloud, it is revealed who the messenger is. Although Nomura insisted that he very much liked the original script, as it became the foundation for the theme of the final result of the movie, he decided to make the project more grand in scope because early word of this movie generated so much interest that a demand for the film to be feature length eventually became so great that Nomura complied. After Square and Enix merged to Square Enix in 2003, the production of the film started. As there was little time, Nomura began developing a textual storyboard instead of a visual storyboard. He made a timeline of the story and wrote down all the elements of the story from the beginning to the end as keywords. The creators of the film had no prior knowledge of how to make a movie, and it was based on their knowledge of in-game movies. They used motion capture in the film's battle scenes, but the parts that were not humanly possible had to be done by hand.[3]

Music Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Original Soundtrack was released on September 28, 2005 containing new material created specifically for the movie, as well as arrangements of tunes from the Final Fantasy VII soundtrack. Both the original tracks and the arrangements cover a variety of musical styles, including orchestral, choral, classical piano, and rock music; Variety noted that the styles vary between "sparse piano noodlings, pop metal thrashings and cloying power ballads".[4] The tracks were composed by Nobuo Uematsu, Keiji Kawamori, Kenichiro Fukui, and Tsuyoshi Sekito, and arranged by Fukui, Sekito, Kawamori, Shiro Hamaguchi, and Kazuhiko Toyama. The ending theme "Calling" was written and performed by former BoĂ¸wy vocalist Kyosuke Himuro. The album spans 26 tracks on two discs, covers a duration of 1:21:41. In addition to the regular release, a limited edition was produced. It contained alternate cover art displaying the Advent Children renditions of the characters Cloud Strife and Sephiroth and a booklet containing credits and lyrics.[5] A mini-album titled Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete Mini Album was released on April 10, 2009 to coincide with the release of the Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete version of the movie.[6] The new

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''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children'' release of the movie included a new ending theme, "Safe and Sound", by Kyosuke Himuro and My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way, and replaced "Water" with a new song, "Anxious Heart".[6]

Promotion and release Final Fantasy VII Advent Children was originally scheduled for a September 14, 2005 release in Japan and a September 13, 2005 release in North America, with Japan obtaining a special release of the DVD with more bonus material and collectible offers than the US release. The official website for the English version of Advent Children had a countdown clock, displaying the number of days, hours, minutes and seconds until this release date. The film was released on DVD on April 25, 2006 and by the 5th week, had sold 963,023 units which translated to $14,860,534 in revenue.[7] However, days before the release, Square Enix changed the US release date to a tentative November 2005, a move many felt indicated an attempt by Square Enix to release the film during the lucrative holiday sales times. The estimate for release was changed once again in early November to a January release, and due to the release date being pushed back several times, the timer was removed from the official North American site. When fans noted that the E3 2005 trailer had confirmed the simultaneous September release, Square Enix stated that the trailer was not the real E3 trailer and possibly a fake trailer. In an article for the website The Digital Bits, it was eventually mentioned that the delays were due to the extra time required to complete the bonus supplements. Finally, in an IGN article on February 13, 2006, it was revealed that April 25, 2006 was the new official North American release date.[8] Later the same day, on an article on 1UP.com, the release date was confirmed yet again, along with the entire English voice cast.[9] Square Enix confirmed the info on their US website, indicating that the film was on track for a certain US release.[10] The official film website was updated with the info and a new countdown timer was implemented. A special one-time only theatrical screening of the English version of the film took place on April 3, 2006 at the ArcLight movie theatre in Los Angeles. The event was promoted via e-mail to those who subscribed to the Square Enix mailing list. The screening featured trailers of Kingdom Hearts II and Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, and was highlighted by appearances of the English language cast and the Japanese developers. The film was rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sequences of intense action violence.

Special editions The European, Australian, and North American DVD is a 2-disc set that includes several bonus features. Certain retailers offered a bonus disc to go with the DVD set. The disc contains a featurette on the English voice-over process, including interviews with Steve Burton (Cloud), Rachael Leigh Cook (Tifa) and Mena Suvari (Aerith). Sony later announced Final Fantasy VII Advent Children (Limited Edition Collector's Set) for release on February 20, 2007 for an MSRP of $49.95.[11] The set included more bonus material than the previous DVD releases, including printed materials.[12]

Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete At the Tokyo Game Show 2006, Square Enix showed a trailer of a director's cut of the film, titled Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete, for release on the Blu-ray Disc format. New scenes will be added to the film. The film also benefits from high-definition video and audio that the Blu-ray format offers. In Japan, it came with a playable demo of Final Fantasy XIII. The cut had formerly been expected to be released in mid 2007, but Square Enix announced at the Tokyo Game Show 2007 that they would postpone the product until 2008.[13] At the 2008 Square Enix DKÎŁ3713 Party, it was announced that Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete would be released in March 2009 in Japan,[14] but it was delayed soon after and was released on April 16, 2009. A separate bundle was sold that included a demo of Final Fantasy XIII. Both editions included the first HD trailers of Final

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''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children'' Fantasy Versus XIII and Final Fantasy Agito XIII. The film features a 20-minute long extra movie on the disc, which is an anime version of the "Case of Denzel" chapter featured in the On the Way to a Smile short story.[14] Advent Children Complete was released in North America on June 2, 2009[15] , July 27, 2009, in Europe and October 7, 2009, in Australia. However, both the North American and the European versions do not come with the playable demo of Final Fantasy XIII. Instead, it comes with a new trailer for Final Fantasy XIII. It contains a considerable amount of new footage that the original version lacks, as well as roughly a thousand revised scenes. This adds a total of 26 minutes to the film, some of the new scenes include a more in depth look at the Geostigma, Denzel and Kadaj's origins, as well as an extended fight between Cloud and Sephiroth. Unlike the original version, which was rated PG-13, this version is unrated. The Japanese release of this edition features a new ending track from Kyosuke Himuro called "Safe and Sound," with additional lyrics from My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way. The track replaces Himuro's previous track "Calling" from the original cut of the film. However, in the North American and European release, the song "Calling" remains, and "Safe and Sound" is absent. The film was released in Japanese in three bundles. One included a limited edition 160GB "Cloud Black" PS3 bundle with the Final Fantasy XIII demo, another was the film with the demo, and the last was be the stand-alone film. The film also includes an OVA based on On the Way to a Smile: Case of Denzel, along with never-before-seen trailers for Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Final Fantasy Agito XIII. Nomura also said that Complete may be the last installment of the Compilation for some time, but he and Nozue have other ideas and are contemplating another film project. The North American and European release of the movie saw the new ending song strangely absent, with the original song Calling in its place, although the sequence is cut differently than the original version, which includes new two montages of the characters and some of the newly incorporated scenes, and leads into the slightly extended sequence after the credits end. These releases also saw different cover art and a new trailer for Final Fantasy XIII, although the Versus XIII trailer from the Japanese release is absent. An offer existed for gamers who purchased a PlayStation 3 80GB system through Gamestop.com or in store, also received a Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete Blu-ray movie bonus.

Tie-ins Last Order: Final Fantasy VII Last Order: Final Fantasy VII is an original video animation from 2005 directed by Morio Asaka, written by Kazuhiko Inukai, and animated by Madhouse.[16] [17] It was originally released with the "Ultimate Edition" of the Advent Children movie, Advent Pieces: Limited, in Japan by Square Enix on September 14, 2005.[18] [19] The collectors set was released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment in the United States on February 20, 2007.[20] There is currently no English dub and the OVA is subtitled.[21] The OVA is an anime rendition of two flashbacks that took place in the game. One details events from five years before Final Fantasy VII, revolving around the Nibelheim scenario that focused on Zack Fair, Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, and Sephiroth. The other involves Zack and Cloud on the run from Shinra. The anime cuts back and forth between these two flashbacks, linked by the Turk commander Tseng's reflection on the Nibelheim events.

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''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children''

Reminiscence of Final Fantasy VII Reminiscence of Final Fantasy VII is a story digest of Final Fantasy VII, as recalled by Cloud at a time set shortly after the events of Advent Children. It consists of edited scenes from the original PlayStation game and live-action shots of locations seen in the bonus ending. Between flashbacks to the original game's sequences, it relates a short story about Cloud making deliveries while taking phone calls from other members of AVALANCHE. The basic premise is that Yuffie wants Cloud to take a day off from work, and as a way of telling him she sends a "closed for business" sign to him through Barret. Cloud then calls Tifa and asks her if she can close the bar the next day while he takes a day off from running deliveries. Only the voices of Cloud, Yuffie, Cid, Vincent, and Barret can be heard during the story digest, as there are no actual animated renderings of them featured in Reminiscence. The only CGI in Reminisence is of Cloud's motorcycle parked on the side of the road as Barret gives him Yuffie's package.

On the Way to a Smile On the Way to a Smile is a series of short stories taking place between the time of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. Written by Kazushige Nojima, the first story (Case of Denzel) was released in episodes on the official Japanese Advent Children website, while the series was released in its entirety in V-Jump's Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Prologue book. The first four chapters are told indirectly through the perspective of Denzel, the young orphan featured in Advent Children. Johnny, the bumbling regular of Tifa's 7th Heaven bar from the original game, has opened up his own bar in the newly built city of Edge. One day Denzel shows up in Johnny's store to have a private meeting with Reeve Tuesti. He has requested an interview with him in the hopes that he may become part of Reeve's newly formed World Regenesis Organization, an army devoted to rebuilding the planet. Denzel then goes on to tell his life story, including how he became an orphan, the events leading up to his becoming afflicted with Geostigma, and how he came into the care of Tifa and Cloud. He also offers a firsthand account of the events of the fateful day when the Lifestream emerged to save the planet from Meteor. The second short story consists of Tifa's account of the events following Meteor's destruction, overlapping in part with Denzel's story. This part of On the Way to a Smile helps to uncover some of the mysteries surrounding the beginning of the film, including identifying its setting and offering further insight into Cloud and Tifa's respective feelings for themselves and one another. A third On the Way to a Smile story was released with the North American limited edition box set of Advent Children. It involves Barret and his struggle with having a weapon for an arm, and trying to find a new energy source for the people of the world, the story also gives insights for the rest of the AVALANCHE members' lives after the events of Final Fantasy VII. Advent Children Complete includes short stories in this series from the perspective of Yuffie, Red XIII, Rufus Shinra, and the Lifestream itself.

Reception The DVD release of Advent Children sold over 420,000 copies in Japan in its first week, which was 93% of all published copies at the time.[22] In 2006, Square Enix and Sony announced that the English language DVD and UMD releases combined had sold over 1.4 million units worldwide. Only 100,000 of these sales were in Europe, while the rest was sold in America and Australia. Combined with the Japanese sales, Advent Children had sold over 2.4 million copies.[23] The DVD ranked a "surprise" #2 during its first week in Nielsen VideoScan.[24] Nielsen later made a survey named "Top Selling Anime Releases of 2006" and Advent Children ranked at the top.[25] The film achieved number one on Amazon.com's "Top Sellers" page days before the North American DVD release. In an Oricon poll from 2005, the regular edition from the DVD ranked as the 12th DVD best-selling from Japan with a total of 209,759 copies sold. The limited edition ranked 15th with 202,793 copies sold.[26] In a 2006 survey by the Japan External Trade Organization, the DVD ranked as the top best selling Japanese anime DVD in the United States. In the consecutive 2007 poll, the DVD stayed 10th.[27] During its release week, the Blu-ray format of the film

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''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children'' #2 bestselling Blu-ray Disc.[28] In its first day of release, over 100,000 copies of Advent Children's Blu-rays were sold in Japan.[29] According to the retail news source ICv2, Advent Children was one of the top three anime properties in North America during 2007.[30] In ICv2's Top Ten Anime Properties from 2006, Advent Children was featured at the top.[31] During 2009, the blu-ray from Advent Children Complete sold 49,000 units in Japan ranking 2nd in the category "Animation/Special Effects Blu-ray Discs" from Oricon's survey "2009's Top-Selling Blu-ray Discs in Japan (Overall)".[32] It also ranked 8th in the category "Overall Blu-ray Discs, by Yen" with 310 million yen (US$3.4 million) sold in 2009.[33] Advent Children has received mixed reviews by critics. Chris Carle of IGN praised the sound and the English voice acting, but criticized the lack of commentary in the DVDs extras.[34] He gave the film an overall score of nine out of ten.[35] 1UP.com's James Mielke commented on the quality and clarity of the CG visuals as "genuinely amazing". He did however criticize the film's music, and called it "a bit sappy".[36] Although Anime News Network writer Carlo Santos praised the animation calling it "outstanding", he criticized the film's plot due to the fact that non-players from Final Fantasy VII would not understand the story. The feature Reminiscence of Final Fantasy VII was found by Santos to be "just as confusing as the movie and is more of a refresher for those who have played Final Fantasy VII."[37] A similar response was given by Mania Entertainment's John Eriani who commented that anybody who has not played Final Fantasy VII should search for information about the game to understand the film's storyline.[38] Fellow writer Dani Moure agreed with Eriani and added that he liked how the characters were further explored in the film.[39] On the other hand, Todd Douglass Jr. from DVD Talk commented that Advent Children "is pretty much the film that fans all over the world have been waiting for." Besides the animation and the appearances from various characters being praised, Cloud's development in the film was commented to be one of the best parts from the film by Douglass.[40] Advent Children attained a 33% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 6 reviews,[41] while the PlayStation Portable UMD release of the film got an 88% score at Metacritic, based on five reviews.[42] The film received the Honorary Maria Award at the Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya on October 15, 2005.[43] The film was also awarded for "best anime feature" at the 2007 American Anime Awards.[44]

External links • • • • • •

Official English website [45] Official Japanese website [46] Official Japanese Advent Children Complete website [47] Official English Advent Children Complete site [48] Final Fantasy VII Advent Children [49] at the Internet Movie Database Final Fantasy VII Advent Children [50] at Allmovie

References [1] "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005)" (http:/ / www. rottentomatoes. com/ m/ final_fantasy_7_advent_children/ ). Rotten Tomatoes. . Retrieved 2009-12-01. [2] McLaughlin, Rus (2008-04-30). "IGN Presents: The History of Final Fantasy VII" (http:/ / retro. ign. com/ articles/ 870/ 870770p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-09-14. [3] "DPM Interview w/Tetsuya Nomura" (http:/ / www. khinsider. com/ content/ view/ 41/ 41/ ). Dengeki PlayStation. Kingdom Hearts Insider. . Retrieved 2008-01-29. [4] Felperin, Leslie (2005-09-01). "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Review" (http:/ / www. variety. com/ review/ VE1117928025. html?categoryid=31& cs=1& p=0). Variety. . Retrieved 2009-01-14. [5] Gann, Patrick (2005-10-30). "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children OST" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff7ac/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-07-28. [6] "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete Mini Album" (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ albums/ f/ ff7adventcomplete. shtml). Square Enix Music Online. . Retrieved 2009-04-21. [7] http:/ / www. the-numbers. com/ movies/ 2006/ 0FF7D-DVD. php

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''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children'' [8] "Official Final Fantasy VII Release Date News" (http:/ / dvd. ign. com/ articles/ 688/ 688075p1. html). IGN. 2006-02-13. . Retrieved 2007-06-06. [9] "FFVII Advent Children English cast and release date get!" (http:/ / 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3147962). 1UP.com. 2006-02-13. . Retrieved 2007-06-06. [10] "STEVE BURTON, RACHAEL LEIGH COOK AND MENA SUVARI LEND THEIR VOICES TO THE CG-ANIMATED ACTION-PACKED FEATURE FILM BASED ON THE BEST-SELLING PLAYSTATION GAME FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVENT CHILDREN" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ company/ press/ 2006/ 0213/ ). 2006-02-13. . Retrieved 2007-06-06. [11] McCutcheon, David (2006-12-15). "Further Final Fantasy VII DVDs Due" (http:/ / dvd. ign. com/ articles/ 751/ 751165p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-06-06. [12] Carle, Chris (2007-02-16). "Double Dip Digest: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (Limited Edition Collector's Set)" (http:/ / dvd. ign. com/ articles/ 765/ 765583p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-01-17. [13] "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete Blu-Ray edition postponed" (http:/ / www. newlaunches. com/ archives/ final_fantasy_vii_advent_children_complete_bluray_edition_postponed. php). Newlaunches.com. . Retrieved 2007-06-06. [14] "FFXIII Demo Will Be Released with Advent Children Complete" (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ 2008/ 08/ 02/ final-fantasy-xiii-demo-will-be-released-with-advent-children-complete. html). finalfantasyxiii.net. . Retrieved 2008-08-02. [15] "Advent Children Complete North American Release June" (http:/ / release. square-enix. com/ na/ 2009/ 05/ 12. html). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2009-05-29. [16] SoftBank, ed (2006) (in Japanese/English). Final Fantasy VII Advent Children: Reunion Files. Square-Enix. pp. 94–95. ISBN 4-7973-3498-3. [17] "Otakon Hosts Nana, Chobits Director Morio Asaka" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2007-06-13/ otakon-hosts-nana-chobits-director-morio-asaka). Anime News Network. . Retrieved August 24, 2008. [18] "Advent Children Delayed" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2005-08-25/ advent-children-delayed). Anime News Network. . Retrieved July 3, 2008. [19] "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Advent Pieces: Limited" (http:/ / www. play-asia. com/ paOS-13-71-a7-49-en-70-q1f. html). Play-Asia. . Retrieved March 4, 2009. [20] "Final Fantasy VII - Advent Children (Limited Edition Collector's Set) (2005)" (http:/ / www. amazon. com/ dp/ B000K4WLXA/ ). Amazon.com. . Retrieved March 4, 2009. [21] Last Order: Final Fantasy VII (http:/ / www. imdb. com/ title/ tt0489134/ ). [DVD]. Square Enix. 2009-04-10. . Retrieved March 10, 2009. [22] "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children DVD Information" (http:/ / www. adventchildren. net/ ff7ac/ movie/ info. php). Advent Children.net. . Retrieved 2007-06-06. [23] "Flash: Advent Children is Popular" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2006-06-20/ flash-advent-children-is-popular). Anime News Network. June 6, 2006. . Retrieved August 4, 2009. [24] "Advent Children #2 on VideoScan" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2006-05-04/ advent-children-no. 2-on-videoscan). Anime News Network. May 4, 2006. . Retrieved August 4, 2009. [25] "Top Selling Anime Releases of 2006" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2006-06-14/ top-selling-anime-releases-of-2006). Anime News Network. June 14, 2006. . Retrieved August 4, 2009. [26] "Top Japanese DVDs of 2005" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2005-12-31/ top-japanese-dvds-of-2005). Anime News Network. December 31, 2005. . Retrieved August 2, 2009. [27] "N. America's 2007 Anime Market Pegged at US$2.8 Billion (Update 3)" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2009-04-01/ n-america-2007-anime-market-pegged-at-us$2. 8-billion). Anime News Network. April 1, 2009. . Retrieved August 2, 2009. [28] "Final Fantasy VII: ACC Was #2 U.S. BD in First Week" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2009-06-18/ final-fantasy-vii/ acc-was-no. 2-u. s-bd-in-first-week). Anime News Network. June 18, 2009. . Retrieved August 4, 2009. [29] "Report: Final Fantasy VII: ACC Sells 100K+ BDs on 1st Day" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2009-04-20/ report/ final-fantasy-vii/ acc-sells-100k+ bds-on-1st-day). Anime News Network. April 20, 2009. . Retrieved August 4, 2009. [30] "ICv2: North American Anime DVDs Were Down 20%+ in 2007" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2008-02-13/ icv2-north-american-anime-dvds-were-down-20-percent+ in-2007). Anime News Network. February 13, 2008. . Retrieved August 4, 2009. [31] "ICv2's Ten Most Powerful" (http:/ / www. icv2. com/ articles/ news/ 8964. html). ICv2. July 12, 2006. . Retrieved August 6, 2009. [32] "2009's Top-Selling Blu-ray Discs in Japan (Overall)" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2009-12-24/ 2009-top-selling-blu-ray-discs-in-japan-overall). Anime News Network. December 24, 2009. . Retrieved December 25, 2009. [33] "2009's Top-Selling Blu-ray Discs in Japan (Continued)" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2009-12-26/ 2009-top-selling-blu-ray-discs-in-japan-continued). Anime News Network. December 26, 2009. . Retrieved December 27, 2009. [34] Carle, Chris (2006-04-17). "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children review" (http:/ / dvd. ign. com/ articles/ 701/ 701928p3. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-01-17. [35] "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children DVD" (http:/ / dvd. ign. com/ objects/ 761/ 761530. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-01-17. [36] Mielke, James (2005-09-16). "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children review" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3143876& did=1). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2008-02-25. [37] Santos, Carlo (April 28, 2006). "Anime News Network: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children review" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ review/ final-fantasy-vii-advent-children). Anime News Network. . Retrieved August 2, 2009.

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''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children'' [38] Eriani, John (May 25, 2006). "Mania Entertainment: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children review" (http:/ / www. mania. com/ final-fantasy-7-advent-children_article_78554. html). Mania Entertainment. . Retrieved August 4, 2009. [39] Moure, Dani (June 2, 2006). "Mania Entertainment: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children review (2)" (http:/ / www. mania. com/ final-fantasy-7-advent-children_article_78554. html). Mania Entertainment. . Retrieved August 4, 2009. [40] Santos, Carlo (April 21, 2006). "DVD talk: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children review" (http:/ / www. dvdtalk. com/ reviews/ 21290/ final-fantasy-vii-advent-children/ ). DVD Talk. . Retrieved August 3, 2009. [41] "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005)" (http:/ / www. rottentomatoes. com/ m/ final_fantasy_7_advent_children/ ). Rotten Tomatoes. . Retrieved 2008-09-10. [42] "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children reviews" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ psp/ finalfantasy7adventchildren?q=advent children). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2008-01-29. [43] "38 edition. 2005" (http:/ / www. cinemasitges. com/ uk/ index. php?a=edicion05). Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya. . Retrieved 2008-01-29. [44] Carle, Chris (2007-02-24). "NYCC 07: American Anime Award Winners Revealed" (http:/ / uk. tv. ign. com/ articles/ 767/ 767737p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-03-07. [45] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ dvd/ ff7ac/ [46] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ dvd/ ff7ac/ [47] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff7acc/ [48] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ff7acc [49] http:/ / www. imdb. com/ title/ tt0385700/ [50] http:/ / www. allmovie. com/ work/ 332992

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''Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis''

148

''Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis'' Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII

Logo for Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII Developer(s)

Square Enix

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Designer(s)

Yoshinori Kitase

Artist(s)

Tetsuya Nomura Yusuke Naora

Writer(s)

Kazushige Nojima

Composer(s)

Takeharu Ishimoto

Series

Final Fantasy Compilation of Final Fantasy VII

Platform(s)

Mobile phones

Release date(s) DoCoMo: JP September 24, 2004 Softbank: JP January 30, 2007 AU: JP April 5, 2007 Genre(s)

Action role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player

Media

Monthly subscription

Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII (ビフォアクライシス -ファイナルファンタジーVII- Bifoa Kuraishisu -Fainaru Fantajī Sebun-) is a Japanese action role-playing game[1] developed and published by Square Enix in 2004. It was the first original (i.e. not an enhanced remake) game to be produced by Square Enix exclusively for mobile phones, and was released on NTT DoCoMo's FOMA iMode line of phones on a monthly subscription basis. Following an announcement at TGS 2006, it was released for the first of two additional Japanese mobile carriers, Softbank Yahoo! Mobile, in January 2007, and a version for EZweb was released in April 2007. In their pre-E3, 2005 press conference, Square Enix announced that an English version of the game would be released in the United States in 2006. It wasn't.[2] The prevailing rumour is that the game will be released on Sprint mobile phones; it has not been verified. Before Crisis is the prequel to the 1997 PlayStation video game Final Fantasy VII, taking place during the six years prior to the events of that game. It involves the adventures of the Turks, a group of supporting characters featured in Final Fantasy VII, and was the second installment in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series.

''Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis''

Gameplay Battle System Before Crisis is a real-time action RPG. The game's graphics are 2D, and the player moves along in a side-scrolling manner. Gameplay is divided up between several modes of play. Episode Mode plays through the game's main storyline through the various episodes. The player must complete the objectives given to continue onward in the game. Free Mode allows the player to play extra missions to gain EXP and items, similar to Crisis Core's missions. Some items are exclusive to Free Mode. Rescue Mode is the last mode of play. If a player is defeated during the game's playthrough, they have two options. They can either restart and lose points, or allow themselves to be imprisoned. Afterwards they must wait for other players on their network to rescue them. Characters have HP and MP, level up upon acquisition of EXP and can equip weapons and armor. Materia is present in the game, but must be gotten by the player him or herself via a unique system called the Materia Generation System. The player must take a picture with their camera phone, and the game synthesizes that picture down to its base color. Depending upon the dominant color, lighting, darkness, and other factors, the game instantly makes a Materia of certain type. A dark green picture makes a Bio Materia, a blue picture makes Cure, etc. Materia can be leveled up as in Final Fantasy VII, up to level 9. Another new feature to Before Crisis are Rank Points (RP). RP are given during the completion of objectives in all three modes of play. After so much RP is accumilated, special bonuses such as stronger armor, weapons, and Materia slots can be given. The player is also given a rank, based upon how long they have been playing the game. The higher their rank, the better the bonuses the player gets. But it makes Training Mode more difficult, as the player must fight stronger and stronger opponents

Plot Characters Turks The Turks perform covert operations on behalf of the Shinra company, including espionage, kidnappings and assassinations. They also scout for potential candidates for Shinra's elite military unit, SOLDIER, and serve as bodyguards for the Shinra executives. With Before Crisis, several members of the Turks not seen in Final Fantasy VII were introduced to continuity, and are included in this list. Note that all of the game's playable Turks' official names are composed of their weapon and gender, and have not been officially given any other proper names. The following Turks are playable characters in Before Crisis (and therefore named by the player) and have no particular names, and are thus referred to here by their weapon of choice. The Softbank and AU versions of the game each originally contained an original character only available in those versions, however, all three versions share the same mobile network, meaning that they can interact via the Rescue Missions and other multiplayer aspects. • Rod (Male): An ex-gang leader from Midgar, he enjoyed fighting other gangs and stealing motorbikes. He is highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat, as well as in riding and fixing motorbikes. He was rather unfamiliar with failure, and — with his ever growing confidence — decided to sneak into Shinra's parking garage to steal a bike from the company, but was arrested by Reno. Verdot realized his skills could be used to aid the Turks, and he was offered a place in the organization. Aside from his role in Before Crisis, he also appears in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII. In the OVA he seemed to have some familiarity with Shotgun (Female) due to the fact that she teased him at the end of the mission. He was also called "newcomer" by Reno before the Turks boarded the helicopter. He has been playable since the original beta version of the game, and uses a rod as his weapon. Voiced by Daisuke Namikawa in his guest role in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII. • Gun (Female): Her father was a teacher at the Shinra military academy, where she attended. She graduated with outstanding performances, and her forte is marksmanship. Her excellent handling of firearms impressed the leader

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''Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis'' of the Turks, Tseng, and he recruited her to the force with great confidence in her abilities. She is a very serious person who rarely jokes around, and is often very strict. Like Rod (Male), she also appears in Last Order. Elena, a Turks member featured in Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, is Gun (Female)'s younger sister. The two are not on very good terms in Before Crisis, as — despite their mutual dedication to their work and their exceptional skills — their personalities often clash and Elena resents her sister for outdoing her. Gun (Female) has been playable since the original beta version of the game, and uses handguns as her weapons. Like her more known younger sister, she is voiced by Megumi Toyoguchi in her guest role in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII. • Two Guns (Male): A former bodyguard of Don Corneo, his specialty is his ability to rapidly fire two guns at once with outstanding accuracy, much like Gun (Female). Spending most of his time in the slums, he became fed up with the politics that had overrun the underworld society and was offered a place in the Turks. He took up the role, knowing that it would put his skills to the test. His unorthodox "underground" style of conducting missions often results in him failing. He also appears in Last Order, and has been playable since the official release of Before Crisis. His weaponry is strictly dual firearms. Voiced by Ginpei Sato in his guest role in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII. • Shotgun (Female): A female hunter from a wealthy family who likes to do things with flair. She has familiarized herself with the art of hunting since she was a child, and is, thus, an expert with her chosen weapon. She likes showing off and constantly tries to outdo herself, and, thus, immediately accepted the offer to become a Turk when it was presented. She also appears in Last Order, and has been playable since the official release of Before Crisis. She uses a range of shotguns as her only form of weaponry. Voiced by Mayuko Aoki, who has also voiced Yuna in Final Fantasy X and X-2, in her guest role in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII. • Martial Arts (Male): An ex-detective from Costa del Sol, where he solved some rather complicated cases. A passionate, hot blooded and courageous man, he puts his all into everything he does, a trait that manifests in his personal and professional lives. His tendency to rely on his emotions eventually got him in trouble with his previous occupation, and — seeing no alternative — took the job offered to him by the Turks, who had been trying to recruit him for some time. He uses his powerful fists as his only weapons. He has been playable since Episode 7 of Before Crisis when Verdot decided that the Turks were still lacking the required manpower to deal with AVALANCHE. Like several of the other Turks, he also appears in Last Order, where he is voiced by Hōchū Ōtsuka. • Martial Arts (Female): A new recruit to the Turks in Episode 7, along with Martial Arts (Male). As a mercenary, she has seen a lot of battle and is accustomed to taking orders. As such, she adjusted to her new-found role in the Turks easier than some. A thoroughly businesslike woman during missions, she gets her work done with a minimum of fuss. She is level-headed, alert and perceptive, frequently able to assess a situation and take the most prudent course of action. She is a skilled martial artist who uses a style that involves a great deal of agility and kicking. Like many of the other Turks, she also appears in Last Order, but has no speaking role. • Katana (Male): A swordsman who was born in Gongaga and has a soft spot for beauty. He tends not to stay in one place for very long. Those in his hometown fear his skill and strength for it is said that he killed a large number of people to rescue a friend and was imprisoned as a result. Under the condition that he would join the Turks, he was given amnesty. He first appears in Episode 18 of Before Crisis, but has been a Turk for several years at that point and was simply on an undisclosed assignment. He uses a katana as his sole weapon. • Shuriken (Female): A young woman whose place of birth is unknown, she wields a crimson Shuriken called "Rekka" in battle as her weapon of choice. She is warm-hearted and has a mothering side which can border on bossy, which often manifests in how she looks after her colleagues. While still in an orphanage at a young age, the Turks expressed an interest in recruiting her, and she was brought up under harsh training techniques. In the history of the Turks, she is the youngest member to join. Like Katana (Male), she first appears in Episode 18, though at that time had been a Turk for several years and was simply on assignment. In "Special Episode of Reno", it is revealed that her assignment had been to keep Zack under surveillance. She also appears in Crisis

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''Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis'' Core: Final Fantasy VII, in which she is given the name Cissnei,[3] though she later reveals to Zack that this isn't her real name. She is voiced in Japanese by Asumi Nakata and in English by Carrie Savage in Crisis Core. • Nunchaku (Male): A young man who was born into a wealthy household, and despite being raised in an environment where anything he wanted could be purchased, he was unsatisfied with money and demanded to join the Turks in order to seek out a new life of his own. The brand of the Turks is very dear to him, and he follows their ideals every day. He is a short-range fighter, using nunchaku in battle. He appears in Episode 1, and was originally only available in the Softbank version, though he is now available in the DoCoMo version as well. • Knife (Female): A young woman from Corel who fights by using throwing knives. Although she feels as if she's all alone in the world, she covers it up by cheerfully doing her duties. Both her parents died in the war, so she fights desperately in hopes of creating a peaceful world to prevent tragedies like her own from happening again. She is well attuned to other people's feelings and is a bit clumsy due to an old bullet wound. She appears in Episode 1, and was originally only available in the EZweb version, though she is now available in the DoCoMo version as well. • Legend (Male): Originally from Junon, he is a super-first class agent who was once feared on the battlefield as the God of Death, and is nicknamed the "Legendary Turk". His fame attracts a great deal of attention, thus he is intensely private in both his official and personal life. He uses both chain bombs and remote controlled bombs in battle. He becomes a playable character after completing Episode 24, has his own Special Episode, and can be used for Episode 10 and on. • Verdot (ヴェルド Verudo)[4] is the previous leader of the Turks. He is very particular on matters relating to succeeding in missions and very unforgiving when it comes to failure. Tseng considers him a role model and eventually succeeds him. Though many of his subordinates are intimidated by his severity, they all deeply respect him. When Heidegger usurps his position at one point during the story, Verdot blackmails President Shinra into returning it. Formerly a resident of the town of Kalm, he had a daughter and wife that he believed perished when the town was razed due to his own misinterpreted commands. In actuality, his daughter survived, and is eventually revealed to be the leader of AVALANCHE, Elfe. He cares very deeply for the Turks, and does not wish for them to suffer any events similar to what he has; he also cares very much for his daughter, defecting from Shinra when he discovers she is alive. Verdot appears only in Before Crisis, but is mentioned in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII. AVALANCHE AVALANCHE is an eco-terrorist organization that seeks to topple Shinra, whom they believe to be slowly killing the Planet with their manufacturing of Mako Energy. In Final Fantasy VII's continuity, there are two incarnations of AVALANCHE, the second of which is featured in Final Fantasy VII and its sequels; the original group, which was far more militant and ruthless, appears in Before Crisis. • Elfe: Raised from a young age by AVALANCHE, she was chosen to be their leader after the founder died. She wields a katana, and her superb fighting capabilities have earned her much respect among the organization. Over the course of the story, she is revealed to be getting gradually weaker despite her superhuman strength, both of which came as a result of the presence of a mysterious summon materia — called "Zirconiade" — implanted within her body by Hojo. The only others who seemed aware were Aerith Gainsborough (who felt that Elfe's voice sounded nostalgic, though unaware that she actually recognized materia housed inside Elfe's body) and Fuhito, who intended to use Zirconiade in his plans. This summon beast is drawn from her when Fuhito summons Zirconiade in an incomplete form. Elfe is somewhat quiet, decidedly taciturn, and surprisingly non-charismatic. She is eventually revealed to be Felicia, the daughter of Verdot, leader of the Turks. • Sears: A powerful field leader of AVALANCHE and second strongest member of the organization in physical terms (second only to Elfe), he had excellent hand-to-hand combat skills and often took charge of executing operations and formulating battle strategies. He is completely devoted to Elfe and even once asks the player to defend her if he should die. He and Fuhito are decidedly not fond of one another, and at one point argue over how

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''Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis'' Fuhito speaks of Elfe. â&#x20AC;˘ Fuhito: The intellectual force behind AVALANCHE, Fuhito excels in creating battle plans. Highly knowledgeable in not just matters of science, but also in terms of tactical warfare, he is helpful with conceiving tactical solutions and providing support from a strategic vantage. However, he is very treacherous, planning to not only destroy Shinra, but he's also been using Elfe in a plot to summon a creature called "Zirconiade" to fulfill his true ambitions: killing all life on the Planet so as to remove all potential threats to it, while also revitalizing it. Fuhito creates the genetically enhanced AVALANCHE force known as "the Ravens," who serve as his personal attack squad, and he is shown to have no tolerance for failure, casually killing one of his subordinates for being beaten by the Turks. He is also shown to have no patience with Sears. â&#x20AC;˘ The Ravens: A squad of AVALANCHE members who have undergone genetic modification by Fuhito to serve as his personal attack squad. Though they have developed increased combat capabilities, as well as the ability to completely recover from normally fatal wounds, they have lost their humanity. Despite their formidable regenerative capabilities, they can be killed when properly wounded. Named Ravens are Tierce, Kyneugh, and Kanos. SOLDIERs Yishay and Sebastian were also put through the same modification. Other characters Numerous characters from Final Fantasy VII reappear in Before Crisis, mostly in cameo appearances. These include the nine playable characters as well as Sephiroth, Zack Fair, the Shinra executives, and Elena. Azul from Dirge of Cerberus also makes an appearance in Episode 21. "Special Episode of Reno", a crossover with Crisis Core, also features the Dr. Hollander and Genesis Copies. Original minor characters include Shalua Rui, who would have a more important role in Dirge of Cerberus. Rayleigh is a scientist who is employed at Shinra. Due to the knowledge she carries, AVALANCHE targets her. Sebastian and Essai are two SOLDIERs who have an acquaintance with Zack. They are captured and experimented on by Fuhito, leading Zack and the player's Turk to team up and attempt to free them. However, they become soulless due to the experiments, and Zack is forced to kill them. In Crisis Core, Zack visits their grave in a DMV sequence. Deneh is of the same species as Red XIII and was chosen to perform a ceremony with him. When Shinra is sent to collect one of them for testing, Red XIII defends Deneh and is taken instead of her.

Story Before Crisis's story begins shortly after the ending of the war between the Shinra Electric Power Company and the Wutai tribe, a conflict mentioned in passing during Final Fantasy VII. With Wutai defeated and the people of the world now dependent on their Mako Energy and Materia, Shinra finds itself the dominant economic, military and political power in the world. The story continues for several years until after Zack Fair escapes from the experiments at Nibelheim, all at the same time as Shinra is fighting Genesis during the events of Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, though the two storylines do not overlap. There are those who remain dedicated to the destruction of Shinra, chief among them being the newly emerged insurgent movement known as "AVALANCHE". AVALANCHE is an eco-terrorist organization that seeks to topple Shinra, whom they know to be slowly killing the Planet with their manufacture of Mako Energy. This first AVALANCHE is far more ruthless and violent than the group headed by Barret Wallace in the beginning of Final Fantasy VII, and are the villains this time around. The game's central heroes are the player Turks. The player decides which of these Turks take place in the storyline, and gives them their names. The Turks are led by Verdot, with his lieutenant the future leader, Tseng. Non-player Turks include Reno and Rude, both veterans who have been in the organization longer than the player. The game unfolds through a series of "episodes." Because of the subscription-based nature of the game, the game's story unfolded over a period of time. Thus the game's storyline is highly disjointed and episodic, with episodes rarely having much to do with each other. It isn't until the very end of the game that episodes flow together in a single coalescing story arc. Over the course of the story, much of the backstory of Final Fantasy VII is included as

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''Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis'' Episodes, including the Nibelheim Incident, the destruction of Corel, and other events. The entire playable cast of Final Fantasy VII make cameo appearances. The player Turk first encounters the AVALANCHE organization during his or her routine patrol of Midgar Sector 8, as per Turk tradition for new recruits. Using the PHS to contact Tseng, the player reports the insurgents attacking Shinra's capital. The player, with help of Reno, fights the AVALANCHE forces and forces them to retreat. The enemy commander, Sears proves to be a formidable opponent, with skills in martial arts and dangerously well-formed intelligence. But the attack on Midgar is a rouse for a greater strike at Junon, where President Shinra himself is located to give a speech. Fuhito, the cold scientist for AVALANCHE out to destroy all life and return it to the Planet, leads this attack. Though the Turks try to protect the President, a secret AVALANCHE fifth column inside Shinra forces allows them to get close enough to Shinra to shoot him. The President survives, and calls in his trump card, the legendary SOLDIER, Sephiroth. After all that has happened, it is revealed that even AVALANCHE's plot against Shinra was another ruse. Their true goal was the Mako Cannon, which they planned to fire upon Midgar and destroy the city. This force is lead by AVALANCHE's leader herself, Elfé, a frighteningly powerful warrior with a mysterious Materia embedded in the back of her hand. Sephiroth arrives and fights Elfé, but even with all his power he can only end the fight in a draw. AVALANCHE retreats to create havoc across the Planet. During one of these attacks, at Midgar, AVALANCHE targeted Professor Rayleigh, who was carrying data on the SOLDIER members and their creation. The player Turk is sent to protect her, along with several Shinra guards, one of whom is Cloud Strife, the future hero of Final Fantasy VII but for now is a mere grunt. Using a new creation by Fuhito, the monstrous Black Warriors known as the Ravens, the data is captured. The Turk decides to follow morals over duty by saving Rayleigh rather than the data, a sign of future differences between Shinra and the Turks. Using the SOLDIER data, Fuhito continues to perfect his Ravens. He uses them to capture two SOLDIER members, Essai and Sebastian up north in Icicle Inn. The Turks are sent to rescue them, and succeed despite the heavy enemy resistance from Fuhito and Sears fighting together. Afterwards, the Turks, Essai, Sebastian, and a SOLDIER 1st Class, Zack Fair are sent in to destroy the AVALANCHE forces in the area. Essai and Sebastian are captured once again, and are turned into Ravens. Zack must kill his fellow SOLDIERs, much to his emotional bereavement. (In Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-, there is a scene in which Zack and Tseng visit their makeshift graves.) President Shinra now becomes suspicious of the men beneath him, knowing that somebody must be leaking information. There could be no other way that AVALANCHE could be working this effectively. He wrongly suspect Verdot, and removes him from command of the Turks. In Verdot's place, the President puts Heidegger in charge, the arrogant and incompetent head of the Shinra military. Heidegger only leads a single operation, and comes close to completely destroying Junon. Verdot blackmails the President to return his job. With Verdot in command, the Turks defeat AVALANCHE. An assault at Corel's Mako Reactor proves to be a key battle. Rufus Shinra is captured by the Turks, but they are ordered to merely put him under house arrest, rather than use stronger methods for the traitor. Sears, a good man who is worried about Elfé's condition, defects from AVALANCHE to join with the Turks to save her. Verdot discovers that Elfé is in fact his long lost daughter Felicia, and he leaves Shinra. With Elfé continuing to weaken, Fuhito takes completely control of AVALANCHE. During the fighting, a strange Materia is found. It turns out that Elfé's Materia is in fact Zirconiade an ancient Summon with immense power. But the Zirconiade Materia is broken, and is slowly sucking away at Elfé as a power source. To save her, the four Support Materia must be found. Fuhito holds one, and now the Turks working with Sears hold another. Though Shinra orders the Turks to take Verdot in, they continue to follow his orders and work for him. They also hold Rufus as leverage against the President. Not wishing that his son's betrayal become known, the President orders Scarlet to target the Turks and kill them. Now the Turks are enemies of both AVALANCHE and Shinra. Despite the threats, they find two more Support Materia, one in Gongaga with help from Cait Sith, another in Corel Prison. Verdot is captured by Scarlet, and has to be rescued.

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With Fuhito's control, AVALANCHE breaks down into an army of zombies and Ravens. It can barely even hold together as a fighting force towards the end. In the final battle, Fuhito summons Zirconiade to destroy all life on the Planet, fusing the monster with his own body. Sears sacrifices himself to save Elfé, and is killed. He transforms into an insane monster. But his plans fall apart when Zirconiade itself is defeated by the player Turks, thus saving the world. Fuhito is killed during the fighting. Tseng saves Verdot and Elfé by reporting them assassinated, and is allowed to return to Shinra as the Turk leader, though they all now work under Heidegger. The player Turks escape into obscurity, but appear again to defeat Jade WEAPON and later help save Midgar from Meteor. The first AVALANCHE collapses, but a second, much smaller version is created just afterwards in the Sector 7 Slums of Midgar. This group takes up plans left behind by Fuhito to attack the Sector 1 Reactor, and so set the stage for the beginning of Final Fantasy VII.

External links • Official website [5] (Japanese)

References [1] "Before Crisis Tech Info" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ mobile/ rpg/ beforecrisisfinalfantasyvii/ tech_info. html?om_act=convert& om_clk=gssummary& tag=summary;techinfo). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-04-09. [2] Palley, Steve (May 16, 2005). "Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis bound for US mobiles - News at GameSpot" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 2005/ 05/ 16/ news_6124974. html). GameSpot. Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-10-13. [3] "CRISIS CORE -FINAL FANTASY VII-" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ccff7/ ). Square Enix. 2007. . Retrieved August 28, 2007. [4] Massimilla, Bethany (2006). "E3 06: Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII Hands-On Impressions" (http:/ / uk. gamespot. com/ mobile/ rpg/ beforecrisisfinalfantasyvii/ news. html?sid=6150317& mode=previews). Gamespot (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ). . Retrieved 24 May 2006. [5] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ mobile/ bcff7. html

''Final Fantasy VII'' Final Fantasy VII

North American box art depicting the main character Cloud Developer(s)

Square

Publisher(s)

PlayStation JP Square NA Sony PAL SCE Europe INT Square Windows Eidos Interactive PlayStation Network Square Enix

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Director(s)

Yoshinori Kitase

Producer(s)

Hironobu Sakaguchi

Artist(s)

Tetsuya Nomura

Writer(s)

Yoshinori Kitase Kazushige Nojima

Composer(s)

Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy

Platform(s)

PlayStation, Windows, PlayStation Network

Release date(s) Genre(s)

Role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player

Rating(s)

CERO: B ELSPA: 11+ ESRB: T OFLC: PG PEGI: 12+ USK: 12+

Media

3 CD-ROMs (PS) 4 CD-ROMs (Windows)

System requirements Windows 166MHz Pentium CPU, 32 MB RAM, 4X CD-ROM drive, DirectX 5.1 compatible sound and video card, 260 MB available hard disk space, Windows 95 or above (officially not compatible with NT 4.0 or 2000) Input methods

PlayStation controller (PS) Keyboard or joystick (Windows)

Final Fantasy VII (ファイナルファンタジーVII) is a role-playing video game developed by Square (now Square Enix) and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation. It was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009 on the PlayStation Network. The game is the first in the series to use 3D computer graphics, featuring fully rendered characters on pre-rendered backgrounds, and was the first game in the series to be released in Europe. Development of Final Fantasy VII began in 1994 and the game was originally intended for release on the SNES, but it was later moved to the Nintendo 64. As the system's cartridges lacked the required storage capacity, Square decided to release the game for the PlayStation instead. The music was scored by Final Fantasy veteran Nobuo Uematsu, while the series' long-time character designer, Yoshitaka Amano, was replaced by Tetsuya Nomura. Set in a dystopian world, Final Fantasy VII's story centers on mercenary Cloud Strife who joins with several others to stop the megacorporation Shinra, which is draining the life of the planet to use as an energy source. As the story progresses, the situation escalates and Cloud and his allies face Sephiroth, the game's main antagonist. With the help of a large promotional campaign in the months prior to its release, Final Fantasy VII became an immediate worldwide success, selling over a million copies in its first year on the market. In the years following, it has continued to sell solidly — as of December 2005, the game had sold 9.8 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling title in the series. Noted for its graphics, gameplay, music and story, Final Fantasy VII has retrospectively been acknowledged as the game that popularized the console role-playing game genre outside of the Japanese market and has been named as one of the best games of all time by fans and critics alike. It has also attracted criticism, most notably for its English localization. The popularity of the title led Square Enix to produce a series of prequels and sequels for different platforms under the collective title Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. An

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enhanced remake for the PlayStation 3 has been rumored since 2005, though Square Enix have formally stated that no such product is in development at the time;[2] however, in March 2010, Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada told the media that the company would explore the possibility of a remake.[3]

Gameplay Like previous installments of the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy VII consists of three modes: an overworld map, field maps, and a battle screen. The overworld map is a 3D model, featuring a scaled-down version of the game's fictional world which the player navigates to travel between the game's locations.[4] As with preceding games in the series, the world map can be traversed by foot, on chocobos, airship, or sea vessel (in this case, a submarine and a plane used as a boat), but it also includes an additional means of transportation â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a buggy.[4] On field maps, characters are directed across realistically scaled environments, consisting of 2D pre-rendered backgrounds which represent locations such as towns or forests.[5] The battle screen is a 3D representation of an area, such as a building's interior or an open grassland, in which the player commands the characters in battles against CPU-controlled enemies.[6] While characters are super deformed on maps, the character models are more realistic and normal-scaled in combat.[7] Final Fantasy VII is the first game in the series to have character models with fully-rendered polygons, rather than 2D sprites. Initially, the player is restricted to the city of Midgar, but as the game progresses the entire world becomes accessible.[4] Progression through the game's storyline is largely developed by way of scripted sequences, although pre-rendered cinematic cut scenes are also used often.[7]

Combat During battle sequences, the game uses the Active Time Battle (ATB) system designed by Hiroyuki ItĹ?, first featured in Final Fantasy IV. Unlike previous games in the series, which allow 4-5 playable characters to participate in battle, Final Fantasy VII only allows three characters to be in the party at any time.[8] Final Fantasy VII's skill system is built around the use of materia (which any character can use) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; magical orbs that are placed in special slots on weapons and armor, allowing players to customize their party's ability to use magic, summons, and special abilities. A battle in Final Fantasy VII However, most magic-based materia also lowers an equipped character's physical attributes. In addition, certain types of materia can be combined in a fixed number of ways to enhance their effects or produce other abilities.[9] Summon spells feature in the game, equippable as materia, with elaborately animated attacks. A modified form of Final Fantasy VI's "Desperation Attacks" appears in Final Fantasy VII as the "Limit Break". Every playable character has a bar that gradually fills up as they suffer damage in battle. When the bar is completely filled, the character is able to unleash his or her Limit Break, a special attack which generally inflicts significantly more damage on enemies than normal attacks, or otherwise aids the party in battle.[7] Unlike materia, each character has their own unique set of Limit Breaks, which are divided into four levels of strength.[10]

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Plot Setting The game's setting follows in the footsteps of Final Fantasy VI by presenting a world with considerably more advanced technology than the first five games in the series. Overall, the game's technology and society approximates that of an industrial or post-industrial science fiction.[11] The world of Final Fantasy VII, referred to in the game as "The Planet", but retroactively named "Gaia", is composed of three main land masses. The eastern continent features the city of Midgar, an industrial metropolis that serves as the capital city of the world as it hosts headquarters of the Shinra, who operate as the de facto world government. Other locations on the continent are Junon, Shinra's major military base; Fort Condor, a fort with a huge condor covering up a Mako reactor on top of it; a chocobo ranch; and Kalm, a small town inspired by medieval Europe. The western continent features most of the accessible areas, which include the Gold Saucer, an amusement park with Corel Prison below; Costa Del Sol, a seaside resort; Gongaga, a small town containing the remains of a destroyed Mako reactor; Nibelheim, a town residing at the base of Mt. Nibel; Rocket Town, the location of Shinra's failed rocket launch; and a settlement called Cosmo Canyon. Wutai, a village inspired by pre-modern Japan and China, is located on a large island off the western continent. The tribe inhabiting Cosmo Canyon emphasize living in harmony with nature and dedicating causes to the planet's well-being.[12] Their settlement features an observatory and serves as a research facility for those who wish to participate in a philosophy known as the "Study of Planet Life", a lifestyle that encourages deference for nature and teaches that the planet has a life of its own.[12] The northernmost continent is a heavily glaciated landmass, and its few settlements include an excavation site; a ski resort; the mythical "City of the Ancients"; and the Northern Crater, where the game's climax takes place. There are also underwater locations accessible via submarine, such as a sunken plane transporter.

Characters The nine main playable characters in Final Fantasy VII are Cloud Strife, an unsociable mercenary who claims to be a former 1st Class member of Shinra's SOLDIER unit;[13] Barret Wallace, the leader of the anti-Shinra rebel group AVALANCHE; Tifa Lockhart, a martial artist and childhood friend of Cloud's; Aeris Gainsborough[14] , a flower merchant who has been pursued by Shinra's special operations unit Turks since childhood;[15] Red XIII, a wise lion-like creature who was experimented on by Shinra scientists; Cait Sith, a fortune-telling robotic cat who rides an animated moogle doll;[16] Cid Highwind, a pilot whose dreams of being the first man in outer space were crushed;[17] Yuffie Kisaragi, a young thief and a skillful ninja; and Vincent Valentine, a former member of Shinra's Turks unit who was killed and brought back to life as an immortal.[18] The game's main antagonist is Sephiroth, a former member of SOLDIER who reappears several years after disappearing in a battle in which he was concluded to have died.[19]

Tetsuya Nomura's designs of the main playable characters in Final Fantasy VII. Clockwise from top right: Cait Sith, Tifa, Barret, Cloud, Aeris, Yuffie, Red XIII, Vincent, Cid.

The game's character designer, Tetsuya Nomura, has expressed that Final Fantasy VII was hindered by graphical limitations, and as such his designs were very plain in comparison to his real style. Cloud's original design of slicked back black hair with no spikes was intended to serve as a contrast to Sephiroth's long, flowing silver hair. Nomura feared that such masculinity could prove to be unpopular with fans,

''Final Fantasy VII'' and therefore he changed Cloud's design to feature a shock of spiky, bright blond hair. Tifa's outfit with her dark miniskirt was designed to contrast Aeris's long, pink dress. Vincent's character developed from horror researcher to detective, then to chemist, and finally to the figure of a former Turk with a tragic past. Nomura has indicated that Cid Highwind's fighting style resembles that of a Dragoon Knight, a character class which was chosen because his last name is the same as that of two previous Dragoon Knights featured in the Final Fantasy series, Ricard Highwind of Final Fantasy II and Kain Highwind of Final Fantasy IV.[7] Due to their popularity, several characters from Final Fantasy VII have made cameo appearances in other Square Enix titles, most notably the fighting game Ehrgeiz and the popular Final Fantasy-Disney crossover series Kingdom Hearts. Dissidia: Final Fantasy is the newest game to include Final Fantasy VII characters such as Cloud and Sephiroth and lets players battle it out with characters from other Final Fantasy games.[20] Aeris's death in the game has often been referred as one of the most emotional moments from any video game.[21] [22] Sephiroth remains one of the most popular villains in video game history, unanimously voted #1 by the staff of gaming publication Electronic Gaming Monthly in their "Top 10 Video Game Bosses" list in October 2005,[23] and winning GameFAQs' best villain contest in spring of the same year.[24]

Story Final Fantasy VII begins with Cloud joining AVALANCHE in a series of raids against the Mako reactors surrounding the city of Midgar. Although the first mission is successful, AVALANCHE is trapped at another reactor during a subsequent raid. The reactor explodes, launching Cloud from the upper levels of Midgar into the slums below. He lands on a flower bed, where he is formally introduced to Aeris.[25] Prompted by the arrival of Shinra's Turks operatives sent to capture Aeris, Cloud agrees to be Aeris' bodyguard and defends her from the Turks.[26] After the Shinra discover the location of AVALANCHE's hideout,[27] they destroy it by demolishing the entirety of Sector 7, killing its population and three members of AVALANCHE. The Turks also capture Aeris, who is revealed to be the last surviving "Cetra",[28] a race closely attuned with the planet and previously thought extinct. President Shinra believes Aeris can lead him to the "Promised Land", a mythical land of fertility, where he expects to find Mako energy.[29] The remaining members of AVALANCHE infiltrate Shinra corporate headquarters to rescue Aeris. After freeing her and Red XIII, they escape because most of the personnel in the building, including the president, are killed by Sephiroth, a man presumed to be dead, who stated that he would never allow Shinra to claim the Promised Land.[30] The party also learns that during Sephiroth's attack on Shinra, the headless body of a creature named "Jenova" disappeared from the building's research facility.[31] While the president's son, Rufus Shinra, assumes control of the company, AVALANCHE pursues Sephiroth across the planet, fearing his intentions for the Promised Land may be more destructive than Shinra's. The party is joined by Cait Sith and Cid Highwind, and optionally by Vincent and Yuffie. The full scope of Sephiroth's plan is eventually revealed: if the world is significantly damaged, the Lifestream will gather in an attempt to heal the wound. Sephiroth intends to use a powerful spell called "Meteor" to cause this injury, and then merge with the planet's energy, allowing him to be reborn as a god and rule over the planet.[32] Aeris sets off to stop Sephiroth on her own. AVALANCHE follow her to the northern continent, where they enter an ancient Cetra city. After finding Aeris praying to the planet for aid, Sephiroth impales Aeris with his sword.[33]

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''Final Fantasy VII''

Influenced by Sephiroth, Cloud becomes suspicious of his memories and insists he is not a real human, but instead a specimen created from Jenova's genetic material by Professor Hojo. Jenova was an interstellar creature who crash landed on the planet roughly 2,000 years prior to the game's events. Jenova had intended to infect all living organisms on the planet with a virus inducing insanity and monstrous transformations;[34] among its victims were most of the Cetra. Attempting to defend itself, the planet created giant monsters called "WEAPON". The majority of humans fled rather than fight Jenova; Sephiroth kills Aeris in a scene which has been referred to as "the most shocking moment in however, a small group of Cetra survivors managed to defeat and [21] video games". confine Jenova.[35] Eventually, the remains of Jenova were unearthed by Professor Gast, a researcher for the Shinra Company. Mistaking the creature for a Cetra, Gast was given authorization to conduct an experiment to artificially produce a Cetra by combining cells from Jenova with the fetus of an unborn child.[34] Sephiroth learned that he was the product of this experiment while on a Shinra mission in Cloud and Tifa's hometown, Nibelheim. He concluded that he was a Cetra who had been produced solely from Jenova's genetic material. He burned down Nibelheim, intending to kill all descendants of those he believed had abandoned his ancestors in the defense of the planet. Cloud confronted Sephiroth during this massacre, after which Sephiroth vanished under unknown circumstances and was presumed dead until his reappearance in the Shinra building. When AVALANCHE travels to the Northern Crater to confront Sephiroth, he tells Cloud that he was not in Nibelheim, showing him images of a SOLDIER with dark hair who occupies Cloud's place in his memories.[36] Tifa is unable to refute Sephiroth's claims, and Sephiroth casts the Meteor spell, causing the planet to awaken the WEAPONs in response. During the earthquake that follows, Cloud is separated from his companions and falls into the Lifestream. As the meteor summoned by Sephiroth slowly approaches the planet, the Shinra Company focuses its efforts on protecting humanity from the WEAPONs, as well as defeating Sephiroth, in the hopes that this will dismiss Meteor itself.[37] Meanwhile, the members of AVALANCHE find Cloud in a catatonic state on a tropical resort where he washed up following the casting of Meteor. The WEAPONs' destructive activity causes the island to split open, and Cloud and Tifa fall into the Lifestream, where she reconstructs Cloud's memories and learns the truth about his past. It is revealed that Cloud never succeeded in joining SOLDIER, and that the dark-haired SOLDIER from his memories was actually Aeris's first love and Cloud's best friend, Zack Fair. Zack, Tifa, and Cloud had fought Sepiroth during the burning of Nibelheim. Although Tifa and Zack were defeated, Cloud and Sephiroth severely wounded one another. After decapitating Jenova, Sephiroth was thrown into the Lifestream by Cloud, taking the creature's head with him. Rather than dying, his body and consciousness were crystallized in Mako inside Jenova's crater. Cloud and Zack were among the wounded survivors who were apprehended by Shinra as part of a cover-up of Sephiroth's massacre. Professor Hojo subjected these survivors to an experiment, performing the same enhancements given to SOLDIER membersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a procedure which included Mako showers and the injection of Jenova cells. All but Zack entered a comatose state, and nearly five years later, Zack broke free from his confinement and took Cloud with him. However, the alien Jenova cells in Cloud's body still allowed Sephiroth to modulate his behavior. Moreover, the cells' ability to duplicate information allowed Cloud's mind to construct a false persona built around Zack's behavior. This was prompted by Zack himself, who was killed outside Midgar by Shinra soldiers during the escape; he urged Cloud to live both their lives before passing on. Afterward, Tifa discovered Cloud, who was wearing a SOLDIER 1st Class uniform, and offered him a job with AVALANCHE.[34] After Cloud awakens, it is revealed that Aerith, in her final moments, was casting the spell "Holy" with the White Materia, the only means of opposing Meteor. Although she succeeded, Sephiroth had since prevented the spell from taking effect. Deciding to protect humanity from the WEAPONs before approaching Sephiroth, Shinra and

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''Final Fantasy VII'' AVALANCHE destroy the WEAPONs, although nearly all of Shinra's executives are killed in the process. Among the few survivors are Reeve Tuesti, who is revealed to be the repentant controller of Cait Sith,[38] and Professor Hojo, who is revealed to be Sephiroth's biological father. He explains that he and his wife were assistants to Professor Gast, and offered up their unborn child as a test subject to research involving Jenova.[39] After finding out that Hojo is trying to help Sephiroth gain mastery over the Lifestream, AVALANCHE kills him. In their final assault against Sephiroth, the group travels through the Northern Crater to the planet's core. They defeat Sephiroth and free Holy, but the spell is unable to destroy Meteor alone. Selected as Meteor's target, Midgar is almost completely destroyed. However, the Lifestream rises from the planet to aid Holy in destroying the Meteor.[40] During the epilogue, taking place 500 years after the game's events, Red XIII runs through a canyon with two cubs at his side. He proceeds up a cliff-face, which reveals a lush land of greenery where Midgar had once been.

Development Planning sessions for Final Fantasy VII began in 1994 after the release of Final Fantasy VI. At the time, the game was planned to be another 2D project for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.[41] Series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi intended the story to take place in modern New York City in the year 1999. Several of the staff members were working in parallel on Chrono Trigger, and development for Final Fantasy VII was interrupted when the other project became significant enough to require the help of Yoshinori Kitase and other designers. Some of the ideas originally considered for Final Fantasy VII ended up in Chrono Trigger instead. Other ideas, such as the New York setting and the sorceress character Edea, were kept unused until the later projects Parasite Eve and Final Fantasy VIII respectively.[42] The original script of Final Fantasy VII, which was written by Sakaguchi, was completely different from the finished product. Tetsuya Nomura recalled how Sakaguchi "wanted to do something like a detective story". The first part of the story involved a "hot blooded" character named "Detective Joe" who was in pursuit of the main characters. The main characters managed to blow up the city of Midgar, which had already been developed for the story.[43] Development of Final Fantasy VII resumed in late 1995,[33] and required the efforts of approximately 120 artists and programmers, using PowerAnimator and Softimage|3D software and a budget of more than US$30 million.[44] Final Fantasy VI's co-director and scenario writer, Kitase, returned to direct and co-write Final Fantasy VII and was concerned the franchise might be left behind if it did not catch up to the 3D computer graphics used in other games at the time.[45] Production began after the making of a short, experimental tech demo called "Final Fantasy SGI" for Silicon Graphics, Inc. Onyx workstations. The demo featured polygon-based 3D renderings of characters from Final Fantasy VI in a real time battle.[46] This experiment led the development team to integrate these design mechanics into Final Fantasy VII. However, as a result of the high quantity of memory storage required to implement the motion data, only the CD-ROM format would be able to suit the project's needs.[33] Nintendo, for which Square had developed all previous titles in the Final Fantasy series, had decided to continue to use cartridges for its upcoming Nintendo 64 console. This eventually led to a dispute that resulted in Square ending its long, tumultuous relationship with Nintendo, and Square announced on January 12, 1996 it would be developing Final Fantasy VII for Sony's PlayStation platform.[47] The transition from 2D computer graphics to 3D environments overlaid on pre-rendered backgrounds was accompanied by a focus on a more realistic presentation. While the extra storage capacity and computer graphics gave the team the means to implement more than 40 minutes of full motion video movies, this innovation brought with it the added difficulty of ensuring that the inferiority of the in-game graphics in comparison to the full motion video sequences was not too obvious. Kitase has described the process of making the in-game environments as detailed as possible to be "a daunting task".[33] The series' long-time character designer, Yoshitaka Amano, was busy opening art workshops and exhibitions in France and New York, which limited his involvement in the game. This issue was addressed by bringing Nomura on board as the project's main artist, while Amano aided in the design of the game's world map.[7]

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''Final Fantasy VII'' In early August 1996, a demonstration disc called "Square's Preview Extra" was released in Japan as a bonus pack-in with the PlayStation game Tobal No. 1. The disc contained the earliest playable demo of Final Fantasy VII and previews of other upcoming games such as Bushido Blade and SaGa Frontier. The demo allowed players to play through the first part of Midgar. However, there were some noticeable differences from the final version, namely that Aeris was featured in the initial party and that the ability to use Summons had not yet been implemented.[48] The game's release in North America was preceded by a massive three-month marketing campaign, which consisted of three 30-second television commercials on major networks, a one minute long theatrical commercial, a holiday promotion with Pepsi, and printed ads in publications such as Rolling Stone, Details, Spin, Playboy and comic books published by Marvel and DC.[49] Several additions to gameplay and story were made for the game's North American release, such as easier exchange of materia, arrows highlighting exits on field screens,[5] and an extra cutscene, prompting a re-release in Japan under the title "Final Fantasy VII International".[50] In 1998, Final Fantasy VII was ported to Windows-based PCs. This re-release featured smoother graphics and fixed translation and spelling errors, as well as gameplay-related glitches. However, the PC version also suffered from its own bugs, including errors in the display of some full motion videos when rendering in hardware mode on certain graphics chipsets.[51]

Music The music for Final Fantasy VII was composed by Nobuo Uematsu. Instead of recorded music and sound effects for the game, Uematsu opted for MIDIs, using the PlayStation's internal sound chip.[7] Final Fantasy VII was the first game in the series to include a track with digitized vocals, "One-Winged Angel", which has been described as Uematsu's "most recognizable contribution" to the music of the Final Fantasy series.[52] Uematsu has said that the soundtrack has a feel of "realism", which prevented him from using "exorbitant, crazy music".[53] The game's soundtrack was released on four Compact Discs.[54] One of the most notable pieces from the soundtrack is "Aeris's Theme" (or otherwise known as "Aerith's Theme"), which is most noticeably played after Aeris is killed by Sephiroth. It has become popular among fans, and has inspired several arrangements.[55] A single-disc album of selected tracks from the Original Soundtrack and three arranged tracks, entitled Final Fantasy VII Reunion Tracks, was released separately.[56] Piano Collections Final Fantasy VII, a piano arrangement of selected tracks, was released in 2003.[57] Several tracks from the game have been remixed in subsequent Square productions, including Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children[58] and Kingdom Hearts.[59]

Reception Final Fantasy VII was both a critical and commercial success, and set several sales records. Within three days of its release in Japan, the game had sold 2.3 million copies.[7] This popularity inspired thousands of retailers in North America to break street dates in September to meet public demand for the title.[60] In the game's debut weekend in North America, it sold 330,000 copies,[61] and had reached sales of 500,000 units in less than three weeks.[62] The momentum built in the game's opening weeks continued for several months; Sony announced the game had sold one million copies on the continent by early December,[63] prompting business analyst Edward Williams from Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co. to comment, "Sony redefined the role-playing game (RPG) category and expanded the conventional audience with the launch of Final Fantasy VII".[63] Final Fantasy VII had sold over 9.8 million copies worldwide including Final Fantasy VII International as of December 2005,[64] making it the highest-selling Final Fantasy title.[65] Although Square's announcement that Final Fantasy VII would be produced for Sony rather than Nintendo and that it would not be based on the Final Fantasy SGI demo was initially met with discontent among gamers,[46] [47] the game continues to maintain a strong following.

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Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator

Score

GameRankings

[66] 92% [67] 86.30% (PC)

Metacritic

[68]

92/100

Review scores Publication

Score [69]

1UP.com

A+

Electronic Gaming Monthly

9.5/10

Famitsu

38/40

GamePro

5/5

[68]

[70]

[71]

GameSpot

[5] 9.5/10 [72] 8.0 (PC)

IGN

[8] 9.5/10 [72] 8.2 (PC) [73]

Official PlayStation Magazine (US)

5/5

PC Gamer US

90%/100%

PSM

5/5

[74]

[75]

Computer Gaming World

[76]

Computer Games Magazine

[77]

Upon release, the game received near universal acclaim from critics. GameSpot commented that "never before have technology, playability, and narrative combined as well as in Final Fantasy VII", expressing particular favor toward the game's graphics, audio, and story.[5] IGN's Jay Boor insisted the game's graphics were "light years beyond anything ever seen on the PlayStation", and regarded its battle system as its strongest point.[8] RPGamer praised the game's soundtrack both in variety and sheer volume, stating that "Uematsu has done his work exceptionally well" and "is perhaps at his best here".[78] Since 1997, Final Fantasy VII has been selected by many game magazines—including Electronic Gaming Monthly,[79] IGN[80] and Gamespot[21] —as one of the best and most important video games of all time, and has placed at or near the top in many reader polls of all-time best games. Upon its release in 1997, it was referred to by Gamefan as "quite possibly the greatest game ever made...," a quote which continues to feature prominently on the back cover of the game's jewel case.[81] In January 2005, it was selected by Electronic Gaming Monthly as sixth on their list of "the 10 most important games ... that helped redefine the industry since ... 1989". Citing its "beautiful cut-scenes and a deep, introspective narrative", they claimed that "Square’s game was ... the first RPG to surpass, instead of copy, movie-like storytelling." In late 2007, Dengeki PlayStation named Final Fantasy VII as the "best story", "best RPG", and "best overall game" in their retrospective awards feature about the original PlayStation.[82] GamePro named it the fourteenth most important and most innovative video game of all-time,[83] [84] as well as the best RPG title of all time.[85] Final Fantasy VII placed second in the "Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time" poll by Japanese magazine Famitsu during March 2006,[86] while users of the video game website GameFAQs voted Final

''Final Fantasy VII'' Fantasy VII as the "Best Game Ever"[87] in November 2005 and in 2004,[88] and placed second in 2009.[89] Final Fantasy VII has received negative criticism as well. GameSpy rated it seventh on their "25 Most Overrated Games" list in September 2003.[90] Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (OPM) and GameSpot questioned the game's highly linear progression.[5] [73] OPM considered the game's translation "a bit muddy" and felt the summon animations were "tedious".[73] RPGamer said "[the game] is far from perfect", citing its translation as "packed with typos and other errors which further obscure what is already a very confusing plot".[91] GamePro also considered the Japanese-to-English translation a significant weakness in the game,[51] and IGN regarded the option to use only three characters at a time as "the game's only shortcoming". Reviewers praised the game's Windows conversion, but criticized it for its lower-quality pre-rendered visuals and audio, and for its framerate and installation problems;[92] [76] [74] Computer Games Magazine said that "[no] game in recent memory" had its "tendency to fail to work in any capacity on multiple [computers]".[77] Computer Gaming World complained that the "music, while beautifully composed, is butchered by being dependent on [a] sound card",[76] and Next Generation Magazine found the game's pre-rendered backgrounds significantly less impressive than those of the PlayStation version.[92] However, the latter magazine found the higher-resolution battle visuals "absolutely stunning",[92] and Computer Games Magazine said that they "[show] off the power of [a] PC equipped with a 3D card".[77] All three magazines concluded by praising the game despite its technical flaws,[92] [77] [76] and PC Gamer US summarized that, while "Square apparently did only what was required to get its PlayStation game running under Windows", Final Fantasy VII is "still a winner on the PC".

Legacy Final Fantasy VII is credited as "the game that sold the PlayStation", as well as allowing console role-playing games to find a place in markets outside Japan, and (as measured in copies sold) remains the most popular title in the series.[93] [94] [95] [96] The game's popularity and open-ended nature also led director Kitase and scenario writer Nojima to establish a plot-related connection between Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X-2. The character Shinra from Final Fantasy X-2 proposes the concept of extracting the life energy from within the planet Spira. Nojima has stated that Shinra and his proposal are a deliberate nod to the Shinra Company, and that he envisioned the events of Final Fantasy X-2 as a prequel to those in Final Fantasy VII.[97] In addition to the PlayStation and PC releases, the game was released onto the PlayStation Network in Japan on April 10, 2009, in America on June 2, 2009 and in Europe and Australia on June 4, 2009. The game has also inspired an unofficial version of Final Fantasy VII for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Chinese company Shenzhen Nanjing Technology.[98] This port features the Final Fantasy VII game scaled back to 2D, with some of the side quests removed.[98] The full motion video sequences and computer graphics presented in Final Fantasy VII would allow Sakaguchi to begin production of the first Final Fantasy film, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.[99] The game also introduced settings dominantly suffused with modern-to-advanced technology into the Final Fantasy series, a theme continued by Final Fantasy VIII and The Spirits Within.[100] [101] Re-releases of Square games in Japan with bonus features would occur frequently after the release of Final Fantasy VII International. Later titles that would be re-released as international versions include Final Fantasy X (as "International"),[102] Final Fantasy X-2 (as "International + Last Mission"),[103] Kingdom Hearts (as "Final Mix"),[104] Kingdom Hearts II (as "Final Mix"),[105] and Final Fantasy XII (as "International Zodiac Job System").[106]

Related media and merchandise Compilation of Final Fantasy VII is the formal title for a series of games and animated features and short stories based in the world and story of Final Fantasy VII. The series consists of several titles across various platforms, all of which are extensions of the original story.[107] The first title in the Compilation is the mobile game Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, which is a prequel focusing on the Turks six years preceding the original game.[108] The CGI film sequel Final Fantasy VII Advent Children was the first title announced in the series, but it was the second to be

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''Final Fantasy VII'' released. It is set two years after the conclusion of Final Fantasy VII. Special editions of the film included Last Order: Final Fantasy VII, an original video animation that recounts the destruction of Nibelheim.[109] Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII and its mobile phone counterpart, Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode: Final Fantasy VII, are third-person shooters.[110] Dirge of Cerberus is set three years after the events of Final Fantasy VII. The most recent title in the Compilation is the PlayStation Portable game Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, an action role-playing game that revolves around Zack's past.[111] Also included in the compilation is On the Way to a Smile, a collection of seven short stories written by Kazushige Nojima based on the events that immediately followed the end of the game, leading up to Advent Children. Originally only three short stories were released: "Case of Barret", "Case of Tifa" and "Case of Denzel". With the release of Advent Children Complete, "Case of Nanaki", "Case of Yuffie", "Case of ShinRa" and "Case of Lifestream -- White & Black" were added. Releases not under the Compilation label include, Maiden who Travels the Planet, which follows Aeris' journey in the Lifestream after her death at the hands of Sephiroth, taking place concurrently with the second half of Final Fantasy VII.[112] Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding is a mobile port of the snowboard minigame featured in Final Fantasy VII.[113] It contains different tracks than the original minigame.[114] The game is downloadable on V CAST-compatible mobile phones, and was first made available in 2005 in Japan and North America.[115]

Possible remake It was speculated that the Final Fantasy VII Compilation would include an enhanced remake of the original Final Fantasy VII for the PlayStation 3. This speculation was sparked at the 2005 E3 by the release of a tech demo featuring the opening sequence of Final Fantasy VII recreated using PlayStation 3's graphical capabilities,[116] and fueled further by thank-you notes to "the Final Fantasy VII PS3 testing team" in the credits of both Advent Children and Crisis Core; however, it is quite possible the note was aimed at the testers for the PSN release of Final Fantasy VII, or that either game used graphical assets from that demo.[117] [118] Square Enix president Yoichi Wada has explained that the presentation was intended only for technological demonstration purposes,[116] and an official statement from the company said that they had not announced such a project.[119] In June 2009 Final Fantasy VII was released on the PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.[120] Yoshinori Kitase, producer of Final Fantasy XIII, said at Games Convention "As for a VII remake, all I can advise right now is to play the PSN release that just came out for the time being. Maybe, perhaps we'll have some news for you at a later time. I'm actually working on multiple projects right now, I don't know exactly what new projects I'll be taking on after XIII, but I am working on Final Fantasy Agito XIII as well, so maybe I'll be able to focus a little bit more on that project once XIII is complete."[121] In February 2010, Kitase stated that creating a Final Fantasy VII for the PlayStation 3 in order to give it a similar quality to the one from Final Fantasy XIII "would take as much as three or four times longer than the three and a half years it has taken to put this Final Fantasy together! So it's looking pretty unrealistic to happen!" Additionally, Kitase commented that making games with the same style of Final Fantasy VII for the PlayStation 3 is very difficult as it would take the staff too much time to make the graphics; due to this, Final Fantasy XIII is "more linear" than previous titles.[122] In a March 2010 interview, however, Final Fantasy XIII director Motomu Toriyama stated, "If we had the manpower and the time to work on a project, if we were to remake Final Fantasy VII with the quality of Final Fantasy XIII it would become a tremendous project. If we can get the number of people we need by all means that would be the one I would really want to remake."[123] Also in March 2010, CEO Yoichi Wada revealed that they are exploring the possibility of a remake, following the high demand.[3] Due to the number of questions the site GamesRadar received about the game's remake they featured it in their article "5 reasons to hate Final Fantasy", stating " If the company can pump out Crisis Core, Dirge of Cerberus, Dissidia Final Fantasy, Advent Children and all the rest of its endless spinoffs and unrelated games, it can damn well make an acceptably pretty Final Fantasy VII for the current-gen market", yet they wished it could be released so that fans would stop asking them about it.[124] GamesRadar later published an article called "The truth about the Final

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''Final Fantasy VII'' Fantasy VII remake", stating that despite the staff's comments that they will not make a remake, recents interviews from mid-2009 onwards gave gamers hope that it is still possible that a remake will be released.[125]

External links • Quotations related to Final Fantasy VII at Wikiquote • Square Enix's official Final Fantasy VII website [126] (PSN release) • Square Enix's official Final Fantasy VII website [127] (Square Soft release) • Final Fantasy VII at the Final Fantasy Wiki at Wikia

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165

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The abundant Mako will just come out on its own. Square Co. Final Fantasy VII. (SCE America). PlayStation. (September 7, 1997) [30] Cloud: Did you see him? Did you see Sephiroth? / Palmer: Yeah, I saw him!! I saw him with my own eyes! / Cloud: You really saw him? / Palmer: Uh! Would I lie to you at a time like this!? And I heard his voice too! Um, he was saying something about not letting us have the Promised Land. Square Co. Final Fantasy VII. (SCE America). PlayStation. (September 7, 1997) [31] Cloud: ...Did it get away? Jenova...? / Red XIII: Jenova Specimen... Looks like it went to the upper floor using that elevator for the specimens. Square Co. Final Fantasy VII. (SCE America). PlayStation. (September 7, 1997) [32] Aeris: How do you intend to become one with the Planet? / Sephiroth: It's simple. Once the Planet is hurt, it gathers Spirit Energy to heal the injury. 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''Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core'' Crisis Core: FFVII

European boxart Developer(s)

Square Enix

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Designer(s)

Hajime Tabata

Artist(s)

Tetsuya Nomura

Writer(s)

Kazushige Nojima

Composer(s)

Takeharu Ishimoto

Series

Final Fantasy Compilation of Final Fantasy VII

Platform(s)

PlayStation Portable

''Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core''

170 [1]

Release date(s)

Genre(s)

Action role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player

Rating(s)

CERO: B ESRB: T PEGI: 16+ OFLC: M USK: 12+

Media

UMD

September 13, 2007 [2] NA March 25, 2008 [3] EU June 20, 2008

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (クライシスコア -ファイナルファンタジーVII- Kuraishisu Koa -Fainaru Fantajī Sebun-) is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable. The game is a prequel to Final Fantasy VII and is also the sixth installment in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. Production was overseen by Yoshinori Kitase, the director of the original Final Fantasy VII, with Hajime Tabata as the game's director and Tetsuya Nomura as the game's character designer. The game mainly focuses around Zack Fair, a 2nd Class SOLDIER, and the events leading up to his destined demise. He meets many of the Final Fantasy VII characters, including Cloud Strife and Aerith Gainsborough, with whom he develops strong bonds. The game's storyline takes the player from the war with the Wutai to the events at Nibelheim, and right up to the time just before the Final Fantasy VII beginning. Some of the missing events or plot holes from Nibelheim and afterwards are explained in the animated feature, Last Order: Final Fantasy VII.

Gameplay Crisis Core is a role-playing game in which the player controls the main character Zack through the game's storyline. During the main story of the game, the player moves Zack through and between open areas, allowing him to talk with non-playable characters, interact with the environment, or encounter monsters in battle. At any save point in these areas, the player may opt to take one of many side missions that are available; if selected, Zack is moved to a special area to complete the mission, usually to defeat one or more monsters. If the mission is successfully completed, the player is rewarded with one or more items, and often one or more new missions become available. Whether the mission is completed successfully or if Zack falls in battle, Zack is returned to the save point at the end. If Zack should fall in battle during the main story combat, the player will be forced to restart from their last saved game. Crisis Core uses a real-time combat system in which the player can move Zack around, initiate attacks, special abilities, spells, or item use, and have Zack block or dodge an attack.[4] [5] Zack's abilities in battle are set by what materia he is equipped with.[6] Up to six materia can be equipped, and can impart special attacks, magic spells, or passive bonuses such as bonuses to Zack's health meter or the ability to display the statistics of the current foe in combat. Materia are gained Zack in battle. throughout the game through exploration, rewards from side missions or spoils of war, or from shops. Materia can be fused together to make more powerful versions with improved bonuses; for example, fusing an attack skill materia with an elemental magic materia can create a new attack skill materia that inflicts elemental magic damage in addition to physical damage. Special items collected in the game can also be used in materia fusion to further increase the materia's power.

''Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core''

Crisis Core uses a slot machine-like mechanic to affect the combat system. The "Digital Mind Wave" (DMW) features two sets of three spinning wheels; one set with numbers one through seven, and another with pictures of characters that Zack befriends during the game. The DMW automatically spins as long as Zack has at least 10 Soldier Points; Soldier Points are awarded to the player by defeating foes. If the DMW stops with the same three pictures lined up, Zack will then Digital Mind Wave. perform an appropriate Limit Break attack or ability that can greatly harm an enemy or significantly heal Zack. Additionally, in this case, if the number slots give two or more of the same number, the materia in that slot will power up. Should the numbers line up as "777", Zack will gain an experience level, increasing his health, soldier points, and ability points in combat. Otherwise, if there is no match on the pictures, matching numbers on the slots will still grant temporary bonuses in battle such as limited invincibility or zero-cost use of skills and abilities. The chance of matching pictures is tied to the current Limit level, which is raised by taking damage in battle and reduced upon successful matches, and after certain storyline events, through heightened emotions towards a specific character. After collecting certain items in the game, the pictures on the DMW may also randomly change to summonable creatures, which have more destructive and beneficial Limit Breaks should the pictures match up. Following the completion of the game, the player will obtain a New Game Plus option.[7] The North American and European releases of Crisis Core have an added difficulty mode to the game which increases the power and health of the enemies in the game.

Plot Characters Crisis Core takes place some years before the events of Final Fantasy VII, and as such, many characters from the game and other related works appear in Crisis Core. However, the primary characters in the game are from either Shinra Electric Power Company's private armed forces dubbed SOLDIER, or from their covert branch of operatives called the Turks. The main protagonist and playable character of Crisis Core is Zack Fair, a young and friendly man. At the start of the game, he is a 2nd class SOLDIER operative. Angeal is a 1st class SOLDIER and acts as a mentor for Zack. Both are friends with fellow SOLDIER members Left to right, Genesis, Angeal, Zack, Sephiroth, Sephiroth and Genesis, the latter serving as the game's primary Tseng, and Cloud. antagonist who takes special interest in an unfinished play called "LOVELESS". The SOLDIER operatives work under Director Lazard, the illegitimate son of President Shinra. Zack is also friends with the Turks, particularly their leader Tseng and one of their female operatives Cissnei. During the course of the game, Zack encounters and befriends Aerith, a young woman tending flowers from a ruined church in the Midgar slums, and also befriends Cloud, a Shinra infantryman, and like Zack, raised in a country town. Zack also encounters Dr. Hollander, a former Shinra scientist that is performing unethical experiments in secret. Luxiere and Kunsel are two SOLDIER operatives that befriend Zack, as well as informing him on events and actions while offering help in his time of need.

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Story Genesis and several other SOLDIER forces desert Shinra after an operation in Wutai. As SOLDIER further investigates the situation, Angeal also goes missing. Zack eventually tracks both Angeal and Genesis to their hometown of Banora. After learning that Genesis is in a nearby arms factory, Tseng and Zack infiltrate the factory, and find Genesis and Angeal inside. After a brief cut scene, Zack runs back to the edge of town, after fending off bombs set by Shinra's troops (Shinra wanted to destroy all evidence of their involvement in Banora), and finds Angeal standing next to his mother's lifeless body, which leads him to believe that Angeal has killed her. Genesis flies away while Zack helps to evacuate Angeal before the village is destroyed by Shinra bomb. Zack meets with Lazard and Sephiroth, during which Lazard promotes Zack to a 1st class SOLDIER while Genesis creates an army of "Genesis copies" to attack Shinra headquarters. Though the forces are defeated, Angeal goes missing again. Zack and Sephiroth track down Genesis' mutation to a secret lab deep in a Midgar mako reactor, and learn that Dr. Hollander, a genetic researcher, had used both Genesis and Angeal as part of Project G, an early attempt to create soldiers infused with Jenova Cells. Zack attempts to chase down Hollander but is stopped by Angeal, now with one white wing, intent on keeping Hollander alive. Angeal knocks Zack through the floor of the reactor into the slums of Midgar. Zack recovers to find Aerith tending over him. Zack returns to SOLDIER headquarters and is ordered to investigate a mako excavation site near Modeoheim where Genesis has been spotted; en route, Zack meets Shinra infantry soldier Cloud Strife, and due to their similar background, quickly becomes friends with him. Zack encounters Genesis at the facility and beats him in battle, but instead of being captured, Genesis appears to commit suicide by throwing himself into the depths of the facility. Zack travels to the Modeoheim and finds both Angeal and Hollander. It turns out that Project G was named after Angeal's mother, Gillian, not Genesis. Angeal's mother was so ashamed of having been the root of Project G that she killed herself (Angeal did not kill her). Angeal struggles to hold back his mutation but is unable to do so, and Zack is forced to kill him. Before he dies, Angeal gives Zack his buster sword, telling him to "Protect your [Zack's] honor, always". Hollander is captured by arriving Shinra forces, but later escapes during an attack by Genesis clones, while Zack, distraught over the death of his friend and mentor, goes back to the Sector 5 church, where he is comforted by Aerith. He leaves Aerith with an Angeal copy that seems to be protecting her. Sometime later, after Zack has been promoted to 1st class SOLDIER, he travels with Sephiroth and Cloud to investigate a mako reactor near Nibelheim. Sephiroth discovers from Genesis that he himself was an experiment, implanted with cells of the extraterrestrial Jenova. In his anger, Sephiroth sets Nibelheim's town ablaze. Zack attempts to defeat Sephiroth but fails, but Cloud arrives and despite being impaled by Sephiroth's sword, which then mixes Jenova's blood with Cloud's, is able to throw Sephiroth into the Lifestream. Zack and Cloud fall unconscious. Zack awakes to find he and Cloud part of Dr. Hojo's experiments on Jenova cells and Mako exposure; while Zack is unaffected by the Jenova cells, thanks to the genetic modifications already present in him thanks to SOLDIER, Cloud has reacted badly to the introduction of Jenova cells into his body and is unable to move on his own. Zack helps Cloud to escape and they quickly become high priority targets for the Shinra forces. Zack encounters Cissnei during their escape, but she does not capture them, instead allowing them use of a Turk motorcycle. While fleeing, Genesis intercepts Zack and Cloud, and makes one of his clones eat a lock of Zack's hair. When this causes the mutation to go awry, Genesis flies away. Zack, realizing that Genesis is trying to stabilize his mutation, vows to defeat Genesis before being captured again. Zack and Cloud travel to Gongaga, Zack's hometown, to try to hide but learn from Cissnei the Shinra forces are not far behind. After defeating Hollander, who himself has started to become a Genesis clone, Zack encounters Director Lazard, now inflicted as an Angeal clone. Lazard directs Zack to the remains of Banora, noting that Genesis always carries one of the dumapples which only grow near that village. At Banora, Lazard watches over Cloud as Zack descends into a cavern exposed to the Lifestream as the result of the Shinra destruction. Inside, he encounters Genesis, who reveals that Cloud has been infused with Sephiroth's cells and plans to use him to stabilize his

172

''Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core'' mutation. Genesis attempts to defeat Zack by calling forth on the Lifestream to transform him into a giant beast, but Zack manages to destroy Genesis' power source. As the Lifestream leaves him, the mutation is also removed, leaving Genesis human but near death. Zack returns to the surface with Genesis, and finds that Shinra tried to attack Lazard and Cloud but Lazard was able to hold them back at the cost of his life. The Angeal copy that guarded Aerith had come to fight for Zack and is fatally wounded. As the Angeal copy dies, Zack discovers a note he had carried from Aerith to Zack, and learns that he has been gone from Midgar for more than four years, and Aerith has given up hope on his return. Zack takes Cloud and makes the return to Midgar immediately. After they leave Banora, Genesis is collected by two unknown soldiers (Nero the Sable and Weiss the Immaculate). The Turks attempt to find Zack and Cloud before the Shinra forces do, knowing that Zack and Cloud may resist arrest and end up killed. Unfortunately, Shinra discovers the two first on the barren terrain outside Midgar. Leaving Cloud hidden away, Zack goes off to defend his honor as a SOLDIER against an enormous number of Shinra troops, and is ultimately fatally wounded. Cloud manages to crawl to Zack's body after Shinra has left, and Zack, in his dying breath, bequeaths the buster sword to Cloud as Angeal had done to him. Cloud begins to walk back to Midgar, while Zack's body is taken to the Lifestream by Angeal. The epilogue recreates the opening scenes of Final Fantasy VII, with the promise of the story being continued in that game.

Development and release The game was announced at E3 2004 before the release of the PlayStation Portable. Its first trailer consisted of clips from Last Order.[8] In an interview for Famitsu, Tetsuya Nomura had stated that a playable demo of the game would be ready by the end of 2006. However, there was no mention of whether the demo would be openly available to PSP owners.[9] A playable demo was available at Jump Festa '06.[10] On September 13, 2007 Square Enix released a special edition bundle for Crisis Core, which included a copy of the game that had a special box cover art of Zack standing in front of Shinra Headquarters holding the Buster Sword in front of him. A special silver colored PlayStation Portable Slim and Lite with Final Fantasy VII 10th Anniversary insignia on the back, on one side, designed by Tetsuya Nomura, and the meteor from Final Fantasy VII on the other side was included along with a Buster Sword strap. As with many limited edition Final Fantasy VII-related releases by Square Enix, the bundle was limited to 77,777 units. On December 17, 2007 it was announced that Crisis Core would be coming to the United States on March 25, 2008. If pre-ordered from certain retailers such as Gamestop, the buyer may receive a Shinra UMD case, depending on how long supplies last at each retailer and if pre-ordered from Best Buy, the buyer may receive Crisis Core with a metallic foil cover. Two versions of the game were released in Europe: a limited edition version only available online, and then only when pre-ordered. This limited edition version includes special slipcase packaging and a book of promotional CG artwork entitled The Art of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.[11] In Australia and Europe, a bundle with the game and limited edition Crisis Core engraved silver PlayStation Portable was released on June 20.[12] [13]

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Audio The game's soundtrack was released on October 10, 2007, covering 55 songs across two discs. The music was composed by Takeharu Ishimoto, with a few tracks orchestrated by Kazuhiko Toyama. The soundtrack also includes remixes of various music from Final Fantasy VII composed by Nobuo Uematsu and "Last Order: Final Fantasy VII", which was also composed by Ishimoto. The game's ending theme, "Why", is performed by Ayaka.

Reception Sales Crisis Core sold 350,000 copies in Japan on its release date, including the 77,777 Limited Edition PSP/Crisis Core bundles.[14] Square Enix recently announced that Crisis Core was its best-selling game across all regions from April through September with 710,000 copies sold in Japan.[15] In March 2008, Crisis Core sold 301,600 copies upon its first month of release in the United States,[16] behind the sales of God of War: Chains of Olympus, which sold 340,500 copies, making Crisis Core the second best-selling game for the PSP during the month of March and the sixth best-selling game overall.[16] As of March 31, 2009, Square Enix announced that Crisis Core had sold 2,100,000 units worldwide, with 830,000 of those sales coming from Japan.[17] About 840,000 units of the game, including 550,000 in Europe, were sold during Square Enix's 2009 fiscal year.[18]

Critical reception Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator

Score [19]

GameRankings

82%

Metacritic

83/100

[20]

Review scores Publication

Score 35/40

GamePro

4.5/5

GameSpot

9.0/10

IGN

8.5/10

[21]

Famitsu

Official PlayStation Magazine (US)

[22] [23] [24]

4/5

Crisis Core has received generally positive reviews. With individual scores of 9/9/8/9, the game received an overall rating of 35/40 points from Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.[21] GameSpot gave the game a score of 9/10, praising its plot, as well as its overall presentation. Because of this, the game was credited as an "Editor's Choice". IGN gave it 8.5/10, citing its great overall presentation and story. It also received a place amongst the "Editor's Choice" gallery of recommended games for the PSP platform. On Metacritic, it has an average score of 83/100. X-Play gave it a 2/5 with complaints about the unskippable cutscenes, dialogue, gameplay, and plot.[25] On April Fools' Day, in response to criticism over their original review, they "decided to give the game a second look and give it a re-review, this time with a clear unbiased perspective", sarcastically dubbing over the original and giving it an impossibly high 6/5.[26] It was rated 9.0/10 by GameSpot saying it's one of the best games for the PSP. It was also

''Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core'' nominated by GameSpot for the "Best of 2008" awards, in "Best Story", "Best RPG Game" and "Best PSP Game" categories; it won "Best PSP Game of 2008".

External links • Official Japanese website [27] • Official North American website [28] • Official European website [29]

References [1] "Crisis Core Confirmed for September" (http:/ / www. squareinsider. com/ news/ article/ 1193/ crisis-core-confirmed-for-september/ ). SquareInsider.com. . Retrieved 2007-09-07. [2] "Square Enix announces 2008 North American line-up" (http:/ / www. gaming-age. com/ news/ 2007/ 12/ 17-24). Gaming Age. . Retrieved 2007-12-17. [3] "GAME UK: Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core Special Edition" (http:/ / www. game. co. uk/ PSP/ RolePlaying/ ~r334245/ Crisis-Core-Final-Fantasy-VII-Special-Edition/ ). GAME UK. . Retrieved 2008-03-27. [4] Gantayat, Anoop (2006). "Hands On: Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core" (http:/ / psp. ign. com/ articles/ 751/ 751423p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-03-09. [5] Suzaku (2007). "New Crisis Core details" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070603042528/ http:/ / forums. adventchildren. net/ showthread. php?p=2795715). Crisis-Core.net. Archived from the original (http:/ / forums. adventchildren. net/ showthread. php?p=2795715) on 2007-06-03. . Retrieved 2007-03-09. [6] Suzaku (2007). "New Crisis Core Scans from Famitsu" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070723092310/ http:/ / forums. adventchildren. net/ showthread. php?p=2939910). Crisis-Core.net. Archived from the original (http:/ / forums. adventchildren. net/ showthread. php?p=2939910) on 2007-07-23. . Retrieved 2007-06-12. [7] "Game Grep - Crisis Core Review" (http:/ / www. gamegrep. com/ news/ 5050-ffvii_crisis_core_reviewed_given_875_out_of_10/ ). Gamegrep.com. 2007-09-05. . Retrieved 2007-01-06. [8] Boyke, Edward (2005-05-18). "Square Enix's E3 Press Conference Highlights" (http:/ / www. the-nextlevel. com/ feature/ square-enixs-e3-press-conference-highlights/ ). The Next Level. . Retrieved 2007-09-07. [9] "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII playable demo by the end of 2006" (http:/ / pspupdates. qj. net/ Crisis-Core-Final-Fantasy-VII-playable-demo-by-end-of-2006-/ pg/ 49/ aid/ 70886). PSP Updates. 2006. . Retrieved 2006-11-30. [10] "Jumpa Festa 2007 - Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ jf07/ titles/ ccff7/ ). Square Enix. 2006. . Retrieved 2006-11-30. [11] "Play.com (UK) : Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Special Edition)" (http:/ / www. play. com/ Games/ PSP/ 4-/ 5230505/ Crisis-Core-Final-Fantasy-VII/ Product. html). . Retrieved 2008-03-17. [12] "EB Games (Australia) : Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Bundle" (http:/ / www. ebgames. com. au/ PSP/ home. cfm). . Retrieved 2008-06-12. [13] "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Bundle (Europe)" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ europe-getting-crisis-core-psp-bundle). . Retrieved 2008-07-02. [14] "FFVII: Crisis Core sells 350,000 copies on first day" (http:/ / www. gamegrep. com/ news/ 5237-ffvii_crisis_core_sells_350000_copies_on_first_day/ ). Gamegrep.com. 2007-09-16. . Retrieved 2007-09-16. [15] Powell, Chris (2007-11-22). "Crisis Core is Square's best selling game this year" (http:/ / www. pspfanboy. com/ 2007/ 11/ 21/ crisis-core-is-squares-best-selling-game-this-year/ ). MaxConsole.net. . Retrieved 2007-11-22. [16] Sinclair, Brendan (2008-04-17). "NPD: March game sales skyrocket 57 percent" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 6189483. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-05-22. [17] "Results Briefing: Fiscal Year ended May 31, 2009" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ eng/ pdf/ news/ 20090525_01en. pdf#8). Square-Enix.com. May 19, 2009. . Retrieved 2009-07-21. [18] Spenser (2009-05-21). "What Square Enix Games Sold Well Last Year?" (http:/ / www. siliconera. com/ 2009/ 05/ 21/ what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/ ). Siliconera. . Retrieved 2009-05-21. [19] "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ psp/ 925138-crisis-core-final-fantasy-vii/ index. html). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2009-02-14. [20] "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ psp/ crisiscorefinalfantasy7?q=Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2009-02-14. [21] Malloc (2007-09-05). "Famitsu reviews Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core" (http:/ / www. maxconsole. net/ ?mode=news& newsid=20468). MaxConsole.net. . Retrieved 2007-09-07. [22] "Crisis Adverted: Final Fantasy Shines on the PSP!" (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ reviews/ 171508/ crisis-averted-final-fantasy-shines-on-the-psp/ ). . Retrieved 2009-02-14. [23] "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII for PSP Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ psp/ rpg/ crisiscorefinalfantasyvii/ review. html). . Retrieved 2009-02-13.

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[24] "IGN: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Review" (http:/ / psp. ign. com/ articles/ 860/ 860615p1. html). . Retrieved 2009-02-13. [25] D.F. Smith (2008-03-25). "X-Play reviews Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII" (http:/ / www. g4tv. com/ xplay/ reviews/ 1749/ Crisis_Core_Final_Fantasy_VII. html). G4tv.com. . Retrieved 2008-03-25. [26] "X-Play rereviews Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII" (http:/ / www. g4tv. com/ xplay/ features/ 21036/ Crisis_Core_Final_Fantasy_VII_ReReview. html). G4tv.com. 2008-04-01. . Retrieved 2008-04-01. [27] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ccff7/ [28] http:/ / www. crisiscore. com/ [29] http:/ / www. crisiscoregame. com/

''Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus'' Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

Developer(s)

Square Enix PDD 1, Ideaworks Game Studio (Mobile Version)

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Designer(s)

Takayoshi Nakazato

Artist(s)

Tetsuya Nomura Yukio Nakatani Yusuke Naora

Composer(s)

Masashi Hamauzu

Series

Final Fantasy Compilation of Final Fantasy VII

Native resolution 480i (SDTV) Platform(s)

PlayStation 2, Mobile

Release date(s)

January 26, 2006 August 15, 2006 PAL November 17, 2006 INT September 4, 2008 NA

Genre(s)

Third-person shooter

Mode(s)

Single-player, multiplayer (Japanese version only)

Rating(s)

BBFC: 15 CERO: B ESRB: T OFLC: M PEGI: 16+

Media

DVD-ROM

Input methods

Gamepad

''Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus''

177

Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (ダージュオブケルベロス -ファイナルファンタジーVII-Dāju obu Keruberosu -Fainaru Fantajī Sebun-) is a third person shooter game developed and published by Square Enix in 2006. It is part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII metaseries, a multimedia collection set within the universe of the popular 1997 video game Final Fantasy VII.

Gameplay

First-person view mode with a sniper's scope

Dirge of Cerberus is a third-person shooter (the first game of this genre developed by Square Enix) with RPG elements. Battles occur in real-time, with the HUD displaying information including Vincent's HP and MP, the currently selected item and the quantity thereof, and a cross-hair to aid in targeting enemies. Defeating enemies yields EXP, which is totaled at the end of each stage and can either be used to level up Vincent, increasing his statistics, or converted to gil, which can be used to purchase items and equipment upgrades at jukebox-shaped shops scattered throughout each stage, or the shop at the end of a stage, which also allows the purchase of additional equipment.

Unlike Final Fantasy VII, where a character could equip three types of equipment (weapon, armor and accessory), Vincent's equipment consists solely of his weapon, which has amalgamated the effects of armor and accessories through customization. Players can customize three weapons through the frame: a three barrel handgun he names Cerberus, as well as a rifle, Hydra, and a machine gun, Griffon, which are two new weapon types (also named after Greek mythological creatures) and the size of the barrel (short-, regular or long-barrel, with longer barrels affording targeting of enemies that are further away at the cost of weight). Accessories include a sniper scope, charms (such as the Cerberus charm) which can increase Vincent's defense and decrease the weight of the gun (which affects the speed of Vincent's actions) among other things, and materia, which returns from Final Fantasy VII and enables magic shots with special properties that use up MP. All weapons have limited ammunition, which is dropped by defeated enemies, but can also be bought at shops. Ammunition capacity can be increased through upgrades. Limit Breaks also return from the original game. Two of Vincent's Limit Breaks are available in Dirge of Cerberus: the Galian Beast, Vincent's first Limit Break, can be activated in two different ways: in the Japanese version of the game, it can be activated when the MP gauge is full. Upon transformation, the gauge slowly decreases and, once the gauge becomes empty, Vincent returns to human form. In the American and European versions of the game, the Galian Beast transformation can be activated through the use of an item called the "Limit Breaker". The effect lasts for around 30 seconds, upon which time the transformation reverses automatically. In all versions of the game, the transformation can be reverted by the player by pressing the L1 and R1 buttons at the same time. The other Limit Break is Chaos, Vincent's final and most powerful form, who serves as a major plot device and is playable only in the final stage of the game, when it is permanently enabled. Also, in specific areas of the game, such as in Training Mode, when Vincent's Limit Break is activated, instead of transforming into the Galian Beast, Vincent's body would pulse a color; his firing rate would increase, have an unlimited amount of ammunition, and all his attacks would be more powerful.

''Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus''

Miscellaneous Being modeled after many first-person and third-person shooters, the game takes a few liberties and implements minor features that are featured in many games that are similar in genre. A blinking disc icon appears whenever the game loads data from the disc, something akin to many console shooter games. The game can also be controlled using either the DualShock 2 controller or a USB mouse and keyboard. Bonus material is available in the game, and the method of unlocking bonus material consists of shooting Memory Capsules, which are well hidden and found during the course of the game. Memory Capsules found during the story mode unlock the game's cut scenes, while a variety of Memory Capsules found in the Extra Missions mode unlock various other features, such as a music player, an artwork viewer, a character model viewer and additional extra missions.

Plot Story The game begins during the climax of Final Fantasy VII. As Vincent, the protagonist, and Yuffie help to evacuate Midgar, Vincent finds Hojo, the scientist responsible for the antagonist of Final Fantasy VII, slumped at the controls of a Mako Cannon. As Vincent is about to finish him off, the cannon explodes, destroying Hojo and forcing Vincent to escape. Three years later, Vincent is in the city of Kalm, where a celebration is taking place to commemorate the events of Final Fantasy VII. Suddenly, the city is attacked by mysterious soldiers, who capture some of the citizens and kill the rest. Vincent, with the help of Reeve Tuesti and the World Regenesis Organization (WRO), an organization dedicated to helping Gaia recover from the events of Final Fantasy VII, fights the soldiers and forces them to retreat. Reeve reveals that the soldiers were members of Deepground, a military organization made up of super-soldiers. Reeve believes that Vincent is the best chance the WRO has of defeating Deepground, as he currently houses Chaos. Reeve sends Vincent to retrieve research on Chaos completed by Vincent's 'deceased' lover, Lucrecia. Based on the research, the group determines what Deepground has planned. There is a weapon called OMEGA weapon, which will activate when Gaia senses that it is in mortal danger; the weapon causes Gaia to gather the Lifestream and move to another planet, leaving the planet and everyone on it to die. Deepground plans to slaughter a large number of people at once to trick Gaia into activating OMEGA early. Vincent and the WRO launch a full-scale assault on Deepground's headquarters. During the assault, Vincent finds Weiss, leader of Deepground, slumped in his throne, lifeless. Momentarily, the Lifestream around the room surges, and Weiss emerges from his throne. It is revealed that Weiss is possessed by Hojo; before Hojo was killed in the Mako Cannon, he uploaded his consciousness into the worldwide network, then took possession of Weiss' body while he was online. Hojo and Vincent battle to a standstill; shortly after, Weiss' brother emerges from the Lifestream and pulls Hojo into the Lifestream. The death of Hojo triggers the activation of OMEGA. While the WRO continues to fight the remnants of Deepground, Vincent challenges OMEGA. After a long battle with OMEGA, it sprouts wings and tries to escape into space. Vincent gathers his strength and charges OMEGA. On contact OMEGA is destroyed; Vincent is nowhere to be found. Yuffie is seen to be calling Vincent and later asks Tifa about Cloud in hopes of finding Vincent's whereabouts. As life begins to return to normal, Vincent is found at Lucrecia's crystalline coffin, thanking her for being his reason to keep fighting.

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Characters Dirge of Cerberus centers around Vincent Valentine and a new cast of characters. Vincent's father Grimoire Valentine is mentioned several times throughout the game as the one who devised a thesis on Chaos but died in an experiment. The playable characters of Final Fantasy VII make cameo appearances, notably Cait Sith, who is controllable for a brief sequence. A new WEAPON is also introduced, Omega Weapon, which serves as an "ark" for the planet's Lifestream when a calamity arises. Supporting characters • Yuffie Kisaragi (ユフィ・キサラギ) also makes a return in Dirge of Cerburus. Having joined the World Regenesis Organization, Yuffie is in charge of the espionage and intelligence gathering. Yuffie works to fight against Deepground. She is the one who rescues Vincent from Rosso the Crimson in the Shinra Mansion, where the bloodthirsty Tsviet was about to kill him, and takes him back to the WRO Headquarters. Onboard the Shera, she still carries her motion sickness with her, and leads the troops from the airships to the ground for the Battle of Midgar to shut down a generator inside the ShinRa building. Then she and Vincent go into Deepground in attempt to kill Weiss but are stopped by Nero, who sucked Yuffie into Darkness and Vincent goes to save her, since Nero's darkness does not affect him. She and other AVALANCHE members aided Vincent in Omega's destruction and is seen last in Seventh Heaven, asking Tifa if she has heard from Cloud, most likely concerning Vincent's whereabouts. • Shalua Rui (シャルア・ルーイ Sharua Rūi) is a female scientist, who first appeared in a small role in Before Crisis. She is a WRO scientist with a prosthetic left arm, that serves as her life-support system, and a missing left eye. Shalua is a workaholic who is actually searching for her sister, Shelke. Upon meeting her, she was heart-broken over how little of her sister there was left and blamed herself for it. In order to make up, she helped Shelke escape the clutches of Azul, who had turned on her, in exchange for her life. Research shows that Shalua was a workaholic and often spent many of her hours at the WRO Headquarters; given the time she used to search for her "reason to live" which was assumed to be Shelke. • Reeve Tuesti, the former head of Shinra's Urban Development Department, leads the World Regenesis Organization (WRO; called World Restoration Organization in the Japanese version of the game), an operation dedicated to restoring the world and undoing the mistakes made by Shinra. Prominent members of WRO include Yuffie Kisaragi, in charge of espionage and intelligence gathering; Shalua Rui, WRO's chief scientist; and Cid Highwind, head of the WRO's airship division. Cloud Strife, Barret Wallace, and Tifa Lockhart also lend their support to the WRO during the second half of the game. • Grimoire Valentine (グリモア・ヴァレンタイン Gurimoa Varentain) is Vincent Valentine's father. He appears in flashbacks as Lucrecia's mentor, and later dies protecting her from Chaos. • Omega WEAPON appears as the game's final boss and is the result of Professor Hojo's plans to merge with Weiss and bring destruction upon the earth. • Other characters that were featured prominently or otherwise in Final Fantasy VII also return. Lucrecia Crescent is shown mainly in flashbacks, further fleshing out her story. Hojo returns as well in flashbacks, and he then reappears in the penultimate moments of the game. Red XIII also makes a brief cameo in the game's ending, though he does not speak.

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180

Tsviets The Tsviets (ツヴィエート Tsuviēto) are the highest ranking elite squad within Deepground and its chain of command. All of the members of the group are named after colors from different languages, hence the group's name, which is derived from "цвет", the Russian word for color. Five members appear in the single player mode of the game, and at least one more member appears in the online mode. • Weiss the Immaculate (純白の帝王ヴァイス Junpaku no Teiō Vaisu, lit. "Weiss the Immaculate White Emperor") The leader of the elite Tsviets of Deepground. All of the other Tsviets owe his or her loyalty to Weiss. He fights with two gunblades, and possesses all the abilities of the other Tsviets, the only exceptions being Nero's darkness and Azul's metamorphosis. He is controlled by Hojo's digitized mind, who invaded his body when Weiss was in "Synaptic Net Dive" mode, trying to find a cure to the Restrictors' virus that infected him after he overthrew them. Weiss's first appearance in the game is during a planet wide speech in which he declairs his intention to kill as many people as he and Deepground can. He is eventually defeated by Vincent; however, in the game's ending sequence, his body is seen carried off by an awakened Genesis, who addresses Weiss as his "brother" and tells him that "it is not yet time for slumber" and that they "still have much work to do". In the online version, Weiss is shown fighting both Azul and Rosso at the same time and winning while Restrictors watch. The Restrictors permanently kept Weiss chained to his throne in Mako Reactor Zero rather than risk the chance that Weiss find a way to all in a moment of weakness. This proved to be futile since he was the mastermind behind the death of Restrictors. Weiss means "white" in German. He is voiced by Dave Boat in English, and Joji Nakata in Japanese.

The Tsviets

• Nero the Sable (漆黒の闇ネロ Shikkoku no Yami Nero, lit. "Nero the Jet-black Darkness") is a 23 year-old man and second member of the Tsviets, whose face is always obscured. He is Weiss' younger brother and can control darkness as the only fully successful experiment from stagnant mako injection into a fetus. The power that resulted from this is a primordial darkness that is capable of swallowing and destroying anyone that is forced into it. Only being born from that darkness like Chaos can permanently survive in Nero’s darkness. He secretly leads Deepground under Weiss' name after the unification of the organization, when Weiss' state becomes unclear to the remaining Deepground soldiers. Nero deeply loves his brother and acts on Weiss/Hojo's desire to awaken Omega and destroy the planet. Nero has two wing-like blades on his back that are used as slashing weapons and four handguns, two for his hands and two built into the blades to allow for an impressive balance of long and short range attacks He can transform into the spider-like Arachnero (ネロ・ラフレア Nero Rafurea, Nero Raw Flayer). He eventually merges with Weiss to free the latter from Hojo's control. Nero means "black" in Italian and Sable is the tincture black in heraldry. He is voiced by Mike Rock in English, and Ryotaro Okiayu in Japanese. • Rosso the Crimson (朱のロッソ Aka no Rosso) is a red-clothed, psychotic 25 year-old woman and third recruit of the Tsviets. She fights with a double-bladed weapon capable of bursts of gunfire. Rosso moves with elegance and speed and does not care if she kills friend or foe to win. Even though there are several meetings with her over the course of the game, Vincent only fights her once, but she fights Cloud Strife in a cut scene. Overconfident and egomaniacal, she commits suicide after being beaten by Vincent: she collapses a part of the building with her on top of it so that she "shall not grant him the pleasure of killing Rosso the Crimson". Rosso means "red" in Italian, and she is given a Romanian accent in the English version, voiced by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, and Atsuko

''Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus'' Tanaka in Japanese. • Shelke the Transparent (無色のシェルク Mushoku no Sheruku) is a blue-eyed, 19 year-old girl trapped by mako in her 10 year old body and fourth recruit of the Tsviets. She fights with two electromagnetic sabers, and has a special ability named SND ("Synaptic Net Dive"), which allows her to project a residual image of herself within a computer network. She is initially emotionless, but becomes connected to Lucrecia's personality as the game progresses. She is also revealed to be Shalua's younger sister, and is referred to as Shelke Rui in the ending credits of the game. Shelke's job within the Tsviets was to locate Vincent Valentine. However, Shelke's body does not allow her to fight for very long and without the Mako stations in Deepground to support her, Shelke tires quickly. She is also the only member of the Tsviets who does not possess cells from Genesis. She later abandons the Tsviets in favor of aiding Vincent. Shelke means "orange" in Urdu. She is voiced by Kari Wahlgren in English and Fumiko Orikasa in Japanese. • Azul the Cerulean (蒼きアスール Aoki Asūru) is the blue-haired, 33 year-old final recruit of the Tsviets. He first appeared in Before Crisis as an ordinary man who wanted to be a SOLDIER. As the largest of the Tsviets, Azul uses a large cannon with disturbing ease. He is one of three Tsviets subjected to the Metamorphose experiment, allowing him to transform into the monstrous Arch Azul (真・アスール Shin Asūru, True Azul). He fights against Vincent three times during the game and is finally killed when Vincent, in Chaos form, impales him with his own cannon, and blasts him. He falls down into the abyss by the elevator. His greatest love is battle. Azul means "blue" in both Portuguese and Spanish. He is voiced by Brad Abrell in English and Tessho Genda in Japanese. Online mode characters The Restrictors are members of the 14th SOLDIER force, "Lost Force", and the former leaders of the Deepground before Weiss took over. The Restrictors destroyed "Ragnarok", the 13th and previously strongest force of SOLDIER, in a single night. Their weapons are two short gunblades. The Restrictors' leader governed over Deepground, implanting chips into the brain stems of all DGS recruits so they cannot turn against the group. The player character in the multiplayer mode is the exception to this, who was part of Weiss' plan to take control of the Deepground. At the end of the multiplayer mode, the entire Tsviet group managed to defeat Restrictor and take his place as the ruling force of the DGS. Though they succeeded, Restrictor's leader attempted to kill Weiss with the virus implanted within him. • Argento (アルジェント Arujento) is a member of the Tsviets seen only in the Japanese multiplayer mode. She has an eye-patch over her right eye. Although she wields a large sword as her weapon, her role is to observe others as an instructor. She conspired with Weiss to overthrow the Restrictors. Argento means "silver" in Italian, and it is revealed in the Compilation Ultimania, that Argento was the one who made all the weapons of the colored Tsviets. • Usher is a mysterious orange-haired SOLDIER who assists the player several times throughout the multiplayer mode. In the mode's ending sequence, Shelke deactivates her Synaptic Net Dive with the player's character and Usher disappears, thus revealing that he was only a simulation created by Shelke to guide the player into helping with their plan to overthrow the Restrictors.

Development Director Takayoshi Nakazato said that he was a big fan of the PC game Half-Life and wanted to turn it into an RPG, and he has done so, in the form of Dirge of Cerberus. This is the last game in chronological order in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and is often referred to by the staff of the game as "the ending finale to Final Fantasy VII". However, producer Yoshinori Kitase has recently stated in an interview with Electronic Gaming Monthly that it is not necessarily the end of Final Fantasy VII's story, but will provide resolution to Vincent's personal story, just as Advent Children resolves Cloud's. The game's secret epilogue also leaves the door open, introducing a mysterious

181

''Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus'' character named Genesis, or "G", who speaks in a cryptic fashion that suggests the story is not yet over. Genesis is introduced in the PSP title Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII as the main antagonist and central plot device. The North American and European releases of Dirge of Cerberus received a major overhaul in its globalization due to the fact that the developers were not satisfied with the final Japanese version; the developers also wanted to make the game more single player oriented. • Vincent's running speed is 1.2 times faster, and he can perform a double-jump and do ranged and melee attacks in midair. Also, his dive-roll dodge move is supplanted with a dash move. • Vincent's weapon can be customized to make it lighter, so there is no sluggishness when drawing his weapon. • Limit Breaks no longer detract from the magic bar; instead, a single-use item can be used to perform the attack. • "Easy Mode" has been removed, replaced with an "Extra Hard" mode. This new mode includes unlockables such as 40 special missions, a character-model viewer, and artwork and sound galleries. • Online Multiplayer support was removed due to the poor popularity of PlayOnline in America, and lack of PS2 HDD support in the U.S. Missions from the Multiplayer Mode were reworked into some of the missions that can be unlocked in "Extra Hard" mode, however, this contains none of the additional storyline presented in the Japanese Multiplayer Mode. • The game retains support for mouse and keyboard peripherals for PC First-person shooter-style gameplay.

International version Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII International (ダージュオブケルベロス -ファイナルファンタジーVII- インターナショナル Dāju obu Keruberosu -Fainaru Fantajī SebunIntānashonaru) was released by Square Enix in Japan on September 4, 2008 as part of their Ultimate Hits lineup. This version its the NA version relabeled to the Japanese market so it retains all of the new features incorporated into the western releases. Audio is in English, with Japanese/English text and subtitles. The cutscenes that were originally only available in the Japanese online Multiplayer Mode are NOT included. (neither NA/EU versions). The only difference between this and western releases it's the addition of Japanese text and subtitles plus the English ones.

Audio The soundtrack for the game was composed by Masashi Hamauzu. Vocal tracks were performed and composed by J-Rock singer, Gackt Camui for the theme songs, 'Longing' and 'Redemption'. The soundtrack was released on February 15, 2006 in Japan with a price of ¥ 3,300 and the limited edition of the soundtrack will be released on the same day with a price of ¥ 3,900. The CD consists of 2 CDs with 53 tracks. The limited edition of the soundtrack includes a 'Cerberus Complete Case' deluxe box which is designed to hold the soundtrack along with the 'Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII' PS2 game and the limited edition of Gackt's single for the game, 'Redemption'. The CD single for Gackt's single for the game, 'Redemption' was released on January 25, 2006, with a price of ¥1,200 (roughly USD 10.17). A limited edition was also released featuring two 'Redemption' video clips, one being Gackt's promotional music video and one being set to animation from the game, with a price of ¥1,950 (roughly USD 16.53). A supplemental soundtrack was released through the Japanese iTunes service and the Square-Enix Music Download page on August 22, 2006, for the price of ¥1,500. Titled "Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII Multiplayer Mode Original Sound Collections", this album consists of 27 tracks, including a handful of songs from the single player game which weren't included in the official sound track, as well as all of the original music composed for the multiplayer mode and two new songs composed by Ryo Yamazaki for the North American release of the game.

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Reception Reception Review scores Publication

Score

GameSpot

6.0/10

GameTrailers

7.2/10

IGN

7.0/10

Awards Entity

Award

Golden Video Game Awards 2009

Game of the Year

GamesRadar

Best Script

Gametrailers

Visual Excellence

Upon its release in Japan, the game received mixed reviews. Gaming magazine Dengeki PS2[1] rewarded the game with a 313/400 while Famitsu scored it a lower 28/40.[2] The Famitsu review was not made available until three weeks after Dirge of Cerberus was released, contrary to the Dengeki PS2 score. The game managed to ship 392,000 units in its first week.[3] As of November 2008, over 513,000 copies of the game have been sold in Japan alone.[4] As of August 31, 2008, 460,000 units were sold in North America and 270,000 units were sold in Europe.[5] Dirge of Cerberus received similarly mixed reviews from American critics. Gaming review sites IGN and Gamespot scored the game 7.0[6] and 6.0[7] respectively. IGN praised the presentation, storyline, and the fact that it can be very enjoyable, but also criticized the number of cutscenes, AI, and some mediocre level design. GameTrailers gave it a 7.2/10 praising the exact same aspects, but also criticizing the same cons. 1UP.com gave the game a D+[8] while Electronic Gaming Monthly collectively scored the game with a 4.6/10 average from three reviews.[9] G4's game review show, X-Play, gave the game a 2 out of 5 due to poor level design, weak gunplay, a tremendous amount of cutscenes and bad AI.[10] Similar reviews also cited poor gameplay as a major criticism. At Game Rankings, the combined reviews for the game are currently 60%.[11] The combined score from Metacritic is currently 57 out of 100 based on 51 reviews.[12]

''Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus''

Mobile phone tie-in Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode: Final Fantasy VII (ダージュオブケルベロスロストエピソード -ファイナルファンタジーVII- Dāju obu Keruberosu Rosuto Episōdo -Fainaru Fantajī Sebun-) is a Japanese third person shooter role-playing game was co-developed by Square Enix and Ideaworks3D, and published by Square Enix. Unveiled at E3 '06, the game was released on August 22, 2006 in North America[13] and July 26, 2007 in Japan.[14] First only available on Amp'd mobile phones, the game was eventually also made available on Verizon's V Cast network. It was also unveiled as a flagship title for NTT DoCoMo’s Foma 903i handset at the 2006 Tokyo Game Show. The title initially released a single player mode, with a multiplayer function launching at a later date. Screenshot of the Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode reveals a missing chapter of Dirge of Cerberus taking place mobile phone game. between two events of the latter. It involves the adventures of Vincent Valentine struggling to save the world from the evil Deepground Soldiers, a mysterious army of soldiers. Three years after Meteorfall from the original Final Fantasy VII, the world is threatened by the Deepground soldiers, a mysterious army of bloodthirsty warriors. Vincent learns that the soldiers are searching for him in the hopes of harvesting the Protomateria from his body. He decides to investigate the Shinra Mansion in an effort to uncover the truth about his own past—and the mystery behind the Protomateria as well. Reeve Tuesti's goal is to find information on the DG written by Dr. Lucrecia Crescent. On his way to the mansion, his chopper is attacked by the Deepground. He survives and makes his way to the Shinra Manor, fighting countless Deepground Soldiers and destroying a DG battle bot.

References • IGN Preview [15] • Press release [16] • Billy Young [17]. "Details Arise From Tetsuya Nomura Interview [18]." RPGamer [19]. December 1, 2004. Accessed on January 9, 2005.

External links • • • • • • •

Dirge Of Cerberus on IMDB [20] Official European site [21] Official US site [22] Official Japanese site [23] Official Japanese PlayOnline site [24] Dirge Of Cerberus Lost Episode: Final Fantasy VII E³ 2006 page at SQUARE ENIX [25] Dirge of Cerberus [26] at the Open Directory Project

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''Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus''

References [1] Famitsu/Dengenki Review Scores - Dirge of Cerberus, Tourist Trophy (http:/ / www. gamesarefun. com/ news. php?newsid=6016) at Games Are Fun [2] Japanese Sales Charts, Week Ending February 5 (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=8119) at Gamasutra [3] "Top 10 Weekly Software Sales (January 23 - January 29, 2006)" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20060205034213/ http:/ / m-create. com/ eng/ e_ranking. html). Archived from the original (http:/ / www. m-create. com/ eng/ e_ranking. html) on 2006-02-05. . [4] "Sony PS2 Japanese Ranking" (http:/ / www. japan-gamecharts. com/ ps2. php). Japan-GameCharts.com. . Retrieved 2008-12-20. [5] "Annual Report 2007" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ eng/ pdf/ ar/ 20070831_01. pdf#page8). Square-Enix.com. August 6, 2004. . Retrieved 2008-12-20. [6] Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII Review (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 724/ 724990p1. html) at IGN [7] Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII for PlayStation 2 Review (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ action/ dirgeofcerberusfinalfantasyvii/ review. html?om_act=convert& om_clk=tabs& tag=tabs;reviews) at Gamespot [8] Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3152877) review at 1UP.com [9] Reviews: Dirge of Cerberus (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3153273) EGM Review at 1UP.com [10] X-Play review (http:/ / www. g4tv. com/ xplay/ reviews/ 1251/ Final_Fantasy_VII_Dirge_of_Cerberus. html) [11] Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII Reviews (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ htmlpages2/ 924449. asp?q=dirge of cerberus) at Game Rankings [12] Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (ps2:2006): Reviews (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ ps2/ dirgeofcerberusfinalfantasy7?q=dirge of cerberus) at Metacritic [13] Square Enix (2006-08-22). "Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode -Final Fantasy VII- breaks down mobile gaming boundaries" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ company/ press/ 2006/ 0822/ ). Press release. . Retrieved 2008-04-22. [14] "What's New" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ whatsnew/ 0707. html) (in Japanese). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-04-22. [15] http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 548/ 548211p1. html [16] http:/ / faqsmovies. ign. com/ faqs/ binary/ dirgeofcerberus. zip [17] http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ bios/ byoung. html [18] http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q4-2004/ 120104g. html [19] http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ [20] http:/ / www. imdb. com/ title/ tt0481507/ [21] http:/ / www. dirgeofcerberus. eu. com/ [22] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ dcff7/ [23] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ games/ ps2/ dcff7/ [24] http:/ / www. playonline. com/ dcff7/ [25] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ e306/ titles/ dcff7_m/ [26] http:/ / www. dmoz. org/ Games/ Video_Games/ Roleplaying/ F/ Final_Fantasy_Games/ Final_Fantasy_VII_Series/ Final_Fantasy_VII_-_Dirge_of_Cerberus/ /

185

''Final Fantasy VII: Last Order''

186

''Final Fantasy VII: Last Order'' Last Order: Final Fantasy VII

Last Order logo and promotional artwork featuring Zack (front), Sephiroth (middle), and Jenova (back) ラストオーダー -ファイナルファンタジーVII(Rasuto Ōdā -Fainaru Fantajī Sebun-) Genre

Fantasy, Action, Science fiction, Cyberpunk Original video animation

Director

Morio Asaka

Producer

Masao Maruyama Jungo Murata Akio Ōfuji

Writer

Screenplay: Kazuhiko Inukai Kazushige Nojima Original story: Hironobu Sakaguchi Kazushige Nojima

Composer

Takeharu Ishimoto

Studio

Madhouse Square Enix

Licensor

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Released

September 14, 2005 (Japan) February 20, 2007 (North America)

Runtime

25 minutes

Last Order: Final Fantasy VII (ラストオーダー -ファイナルファンタジーVII- Rasuto Ōdā -Fainaru Fantajī Sebun-), also abbreviated as Last Order or LO, is a 2005 Japanese anime original video animation (OVA) produced by Madhouse and released by Square Enix. It is an alternate rendition of two flashbacks found within the 1997 PlayStation game Final Fantasy VII. Last Order was released in Japan with Advent Pieces: Limited, a special edition release of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, and is an addition to the North American limited collector's edition release of Advent Children. The OVA was not given an English dub, but is subtitled in the English release. Last Order is associated with the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, a series of prequels and sequels to the original Final Fantasy VII. Though not an official Compilation installment or canon within it, the OVA has nonetheless been

''Final Fantasy VII: Last Order'' included in official guidebooks. The Compilation of Final Fantasy VII includes the games Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, as well as the film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. Last Order's soundtrack was released with the music of Before Crisis, and select songs were later remixed for Crisis Core. The OVA was created due to the success of promotional commercials for Before Crisis. Production for Last Order lasted 6 months and the crew faced several challenges during the time period. Two events that occurred before Final Fantasy VII are detailed in Last Order. One event revolves around the Nibelheim scenario that focuses on Zack Fair, Cloud Strife, Sephiroth and Tifa Lockhart. The other involves Zack and Cloud on the run from the megacorporation Shinra. The OVA cuts back and forth between these two flashbacks, linked by the Turk leader Tseng's reflection on the Nibelheim event. Originally meant to focus on Zack, Last Order also highlighted Tseng's feelings and position in the Shinra company, as well as his moral values. 77,777 copies of Advent Pieces: Limited were released in Japan and had been sold out months in advance before the official release date. Last Order received a negative fan response due to changes in content and presentation from the original Final Fantasy VII. Because of this, the crew of Crisis Core avoided recreating certain scenes of Last Order. OverClocked ReMix created a Final Fantasy VII tribute album entitled Voices of the Lifestream, which included a disc themed after the OVA and entitled Order.

Background Last Order explores situations shown and referenced within Final Fantasy VII and other Compilation titles.[1] The world of Final Fantasy VII, referred to as "the Planet", is dependent on a flow of spirit energy called Lifestream for survival.[2] [3] Previously, the Planet had been inhabited by the Cetra (or "Ancients"), who were almost completely destroyed due to Jenova, an extraterrestrial lifeform that crashed onto the Planet and began infecting the Cetra.[4] Over time, the megacorporation Shinra Electric Power Company rises to power and begins extracting the Lifestream through Mako reactors, subsequently killing the Planet.[5] Shinra uses the Mako as an energy source[6] and to manipulate the strength and abilities of their paramilitary, SOLDIER.[7] Sephiroth, considered the strongest member of SOLDIER, was sent to investigate a Mako reactor in the secluded town of Nibelheim and is accompanied by the SOLDIER Zack and two grunts, one of whom is Cloud.[8] [9] Whilst there, Sephiroth spends most of his time reading in the Shinra Mansion, which had previously been used by the Shinra scientist Hojo to conduct his experiments. Through Hojo's log books, Sephiroth comes to learn of his past, in which he was injected with Jenova's cells. However, the scientists who unearthed Jenova mistakenly identified it as a Cetra, causing Sephiroth to believe he was one and that humans had betrayed him.[10] [11]

Plot Narrated by Tseng, leader of the elite espionage and assassination division known as the Turks, Last Order switches between the Nibelheim incident and Zack's escape to Midgar with his unconscious friend, Cloud Strife. During the Nibelheim event, Sephiroth, insane after discovering his origins, sets fire to the village of Nibelheim. After killing many villagers, he proceeds to the Nibelheim reactor where Jenova has been encased. Soon after he arrives, Tifa, a resident of Nibelheim, attacks him. Sephiroth knocks her aside continues to Jenova's body, preserved in a large glass tank filled with liquid. Zack follows Sephiroth into the reactor and fights him, but is eventually disarmed and injured too severely to attack further. Sephiroth returns to Jenova's body, but does not notice the military grunt Cloud approaching.

187

''Final Fantasy VII: Last Order''

Cloud is impaled by Sephiroth and hung over the reactor core, a scene also explored in other [12] [13] Final Fantasy VII series' titles

188 Cloud immediately impales Sephiroth with his sword, cracking Jenova's glass tank. He returns to Tifa and the two converse, while Sephiroth, still alive after receiving the injury, cuts off Jenova's head. He carries the head with him towards Cloud and they engage in battle. During the fight, Cloud is impaled through the stomach and hung over the reactor's core; in a feat of strength, he grabs Sephiroth's sword and moves himself down the blade to solid ground and hurls Sephiroth aside. Instead of continuing to fight, Sephiroth, with Jenova's head, jumps into the reactor core in an attempt to reach the "Promised Land". Though Zack and Cloud survive the ordeal, they are taken to the Shinra Mansion by Hojo for experimentation.

The other event detailed in Last Order illustrates Zack and Cloud's escape from Shinra. During their experimentation, Cloud had succumbed to Mako poisoning, caused by a surge of memories flooding through his mind.[14] Due to this, Cloud remains in an unconscious, non-reactant state. Zack escapes with Cloud from the Shinra Mansion with the intention of returning to Midgar, the headquarters of Shinra. However, Shinra orders their paramilitary and the Turks to find the two escapees. However, Tseng decides to capture them alive while Shinra's army is sent out to eliminate the pair. On a bluff overlooking Zack and Cloud, who had hitched a ride on a truck, Shinra operatives decide to ignore orders to wait for the Turks. One takes aim on the incapacitated Cloud and Zack, noticing, jumps in front of Cloud, yelling at him to escape.

Cast • Kenichi Suzumura voices Zack Fair,[15] a 1st class SOLDIER who faces Sephiroth and is brutally defeated. After being experimented on by Hojo, Zack attempts to escape Shinra with his friend, Cloud. The production crew used Last Order "to portray Zack properly" as light-hearted and young.[16] Suzumura described that Zack seemed much more alive in Last Order than in Advent Children.[17] • Takahiro Sakurai voices Cloud Strife,[15] a Shinra grunt who fights against Sephiroth after seeing his friends, Zack and Tifa, hurt and Nibelheim destroyed. Nearly dead due to wounds he sustained, Cloud is experimented on by Hojo and lapses into an unresponsive state. Zack escapes with him and protects him from members of the Shinra military unit. • Toshiyuki Morikawa voices Sephiroth,[15] a 1st class SOLDIER and a past friend of Zack. After discovering his origins, Sephiroth goes insane and "betray[s] those who had believed in him".[16] He attempts to bring his "mother", Jenova, and himself to the Promised Land. After engaging in battle with both Zack and Cloud, Sephiroth jumps into the Mako reactor core with Jenova's head. • Junichi Suwabe voices Tseng,[15] the leader of the Turks who narrates the OVA. Originally, the OVA was intended to focus on Zack, but Tseng became the "real highlight". Last Order details Tseng's changing feelings and position towards his job, as well as where he places his moral values.[16] • Ayumi Ito voices Tifa Lockhart,[15] a resident of Nibelheim and a childhood friend of Cloud. In a fit of rage, Tifa tries to kill Sephiroth, but he easily blocks her attacks and mortally wounds her. • Hiroshi Fujioka voices Zangan,[15] Tifa's martial arts instructor. After Tifa is injured by Sephiroth at the Mako reactor, Zangan retrieves her and carries her to safety. • Keiji Fujiwara voices Reno and Taiten Kusunoki voices Rude.[15] They are both members of the Turks under Tseng's command and operate as partners. • Nachi Nozawa voices Professor Hojo,[15] the head of Shinra's science department. Hojo takes Zack and Cloud for experimentation, instantly dismissing Tseng's discontent about using them.

''Final Fantasy VII: Last Order''

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• Daisuke Namikawa voices Turk (Rod), Ginpei Satō voices Turk (Two Guns), Hōchū Ōtsuka voices Turk (Martial Arts), Mayuko Aoki voices Turk (Shotgun), and Megumi Toyoguchi voices Turk (Gun),[15] all of which are Turks under Tseng's command that originally appeared in Before Crisis. Other roles include Keiji Okuda, Atsushi Imaruoka, Ryūji Mizuno, and Daisuke Kirii as members of Shinra's military units who attempt to apprehend Cloud and Zack. Yōhei Tadano and Katsuhisa Hōki voice villagers at Nibelheim.[15]

Production and release Last Order: Final Fantasy VII was produced and scripted by Madhouse[16] and directed by Morio Asaka.[19] The decision to create Last Order spawned from the positive reaction towards a popular promotional commercial created by Madhouse for Before Crisis. Madhouse was chosen to produce it partly because of the previous success with the commercial and that the president of the company was very enthusiastic about the project.[16] However, the main reason for choosing Madhouse was that the company "understood the significance" of making a Final Fantasy VII animation, as it was considered a large responsibility to animate "the most popular game in the FF [Final Fantasy] series".[16] Tetsuya Nomura, the character designer for the Final Fantasy VII series and co-director of Advent Children,[20] [21] [22] acted as the supervising director.[16] He had the ability to reject or accept concept drawings for Last Order. As a result, Nomura had a large quantity of images redrawn, to the extent where "the entire production was in jeopardy".[16]

Last Order was released on the collector's set of Final Fantasy VII [18] Advent Children in North America

Production lasted six months and the production crew considered the most challenging part of creating the OVA to be making "Nomura's drawings move on screen".[16] Due to Last Order being hand-drawn, the crew also faced difficulties with the size and thickness, as well as simplification, of lines. Another issue was the overall feel of each scene; original drawings were done by several artists, which left scenes with different feelings.[16] However, Akio Ofuji, a producer of Last Order,[16] [15] explained that they "wanted to make sure that the final product was of very high quality, so [they] worked with the production company day and night, straight through the deadline".[16] Nomura and Ofuji agreed that many scenes showing important events and feelings in Final Fantasy VII had been fragmented and disjointed, and so they had decided that those scenes would be the subject of Last Order, giving the audience of Advent Children (the film Last Order was released with) a "more enjoyable understanding".[16] They also used the film as an opportunity to portray Zack "properly" as a "handsome, light-hearted man [who] was in everyone's memory".[16] Last Order was originally released with the "Ultimate Edition" of the Advent Children movie, Advent Pieces: Limited, in Japan by Square Enix on September 14, 2005.[23] The OVA was included on the North American collector's set, referred to as Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Limited Edition Collector's Set, released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on February 20, 2007.[18] [24] The North America release did not come with an English dub and the OVA is subtitled.[15] The Compilation of Final Fantasy VII is a series of prequels and sequels to the original Final Fantasy VII game. Last Order is not part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII and is considered an outside work.[25] However, it has been continued to be associated with the Final Fantasy VII series since its creation,[26] and is mentioned alongside official installments in official guidebooks and Ultimanias.[16] [25] Compilation titles include the film Advent Children and games Before Crisis (mobile phone), Dirge of Cerberus (PS2), and Crisis Core (PSP). Like Last Order, Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode: Final Fantasy VII (a mobile phone spin-off of Dirge of Cerberus) is an outside work associated with the Compilation.[25]

''Final Fantasy VII: Last Order''

Music Last Order's score was composed, arranged, and produced by Takeharu Ishimoto, including the ending theme entitled Last Order.[15] The music was combined with the music from Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII on a single soundtrack and released in Japan on December 19, 2007.[27] The soundtrack was later made available in North America by Square Enix.[28] Tracks 13 through 27 on the disc contain the score from Last Order, while tracks 1 through 12 contain music from Before Crisis.[27] Select tracks on the soundtrack of Crisis Core contain music and remixes of music from the OVA.[29]

Response and cultural impact Only 77,777 copies of Advent Pieces: Limited were produced in Japan, and they are no longer available, having been sold out months in advance to its release.[30] They retailed for 29,500 Japanese yen, or 300 United States dollars, each[30] while the North American collector's edition retailed for $49.95.[31] Overall, Last Order garned mixed feedback. Chris Carle of IGN noted that Last Order was "the true meat of the new extras [in the Advent Children collector's set]… a traditionally animated chapter for FF [Final Fantasy] fans that centers on the story of Zack and Cloud" and that "it adds even more dimension to the story [of Final Fantasy VII]".[18] However, Hideki Imaizumi, the producer of Crisis Core, stated that they had received "considerable negative feedback" from fans, who were displeased with changes made to the Nibelheim event in Last Order. Due to this, the scene was redone for Crisis Core, and the production crew was careful to avoid making the same decisions.[1] OverClocked ReMix's four disc tribute album, Voices of the Lifestream, has a disc entitled Order. The name was chosen to coincide with Last Order, and the music is themed after it.[32]

External links • • • •

Advent Children Official Website (English) [45] Advent Children Official Website (Japanese) [46] Last Order: Final Fantasy VII [33] at the Internet Movie Database Last Order: Final Fantasy VII [34] (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia

References [1] McCarthy, Dave (April 28, 2008). "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII UK Interview" (http:/ / psp. ign. com/ articles/ 869/ 869858p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved March 8, 2009. [2] Bugenhagen: "Lifestream... In other words, a path of energy of the souls roaming the Planet. 'Spirit Energy' is a word that you should never forget."(Final Fantasy VII) [3] Cloud: "If the Spirit energy is lost, our Planet is destroyed..."(Final Fantasy VII) [4] Ifalna: "That's when the one who injured the Planet... or the 'crisis from the sky', as we call him, came. He first approached as a friend, deceived them, and finally...... gave them the virus. The Cetra were attacked by the virus and went mad... transforming into monsters. Then, just as he had at the Knowlespole. He approached other Cetra clans...... infecting them with... the virus..."(Final Fantasy VII) [5] Bugenhagen: "Ho Ho Hoooo. Spirit energy is efficient BECAUSE it exists within nature. When Spirit energy is forcefully extracted, and manufactured, it can't accomplish its true purpose."/Cloud: "You're talking about Mako energy, right?"/Bugenhagen: "Every day Mako reactors suck up Spirit energy, diminishing it. Spirit energy gets compressed in the reactors and processed into Mako energy. All living things are being used up and thrown away. In other words, Mako energy will only destroy the Planet..."(Final Fantasy VII) [6] Marlene: "The Shinra Electric Power Company discovered a way to use the Lifestream as an energy source."(Advent Children) [7] Sephiroth: "Normal members of SOLDIER are humans that have been showered with Mako. You're different from the others, but still human."(Final Fantasy VII) [8] Sephiroth: "Our mission is to investigate an old Mako reactor. There have been reports of it malfunctioning, and producing brutal creatures. First, we will dispose of those creatures. Then, we'll locate the problem and neutralize it."/Cloud: "Brutal creatures... Where?" /Sephiroth: "The Mako Reactor at Nibelheim."(Final Fantasy VII) [9] Marlene: "Anyway, there was one SOLDIER named Sephiroth, who was better than the rest."(Advent Children)

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''Final Fantasy VII: Last Order'' [10] Sephiroth: "...an organism that was apparently dead, was found in a 2000 year old geological stratum. Professor Gast named that organism, Jenova...X Year, X Month, X Day. Jenova confirmed to be an Ancient...X Year, X Month, X Day. Jenova Project approved. The use of Mako Reactor 1 approved for use..."(Final Fantasy VII) [11] Sephiroth: "You ignorant traitor. I'll tell you. This Planet originally belonged to the Cetra. Cetra was a itinerant race. They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on...At the end of their harsh, hard journey, they would find the Promised Land and supreme happiness. But, those that disliked the journey appeared. Those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an easier life. They took that which the Cetra and the planet had made without giving back one whit in return! Those are your ancestors."/Cloud: "Sephiroth..." /Sephiroth: "Long ago, disaster struck this planet. Your ancestors escaped... They survived because they hid. The Planet was saved by sacrificing the Cetra. After that, your ancestors continued to increase. Now all that's left of the Cetra is in these reports./Cloud: "What does that have to do with you?" / Sephiroth: "Don't you get it? An Ancient named Jenova was found in the geological stratum of 2000 years ago. The Jenova Project. The Jenova Project wanted to produce people with the powers of the Ancients...... no, the Cetra....I am the one that was produced."(Final Fantasy VII) [12] Square Enix. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. PlayStation Portable. (April 1, 2010) [13] Square Enix. Final Fantasy VII. PlayStation. (September 7, 1997) [14] Doctor: "I'll say it again, he's got Mako poisoning. I've never seen a case this bad...An immense amount of Mako-drenched knowledge was put into his brain all at once......"(Final Fantasy VII) [15] Last Order: Final Fantasy VII (http:/ / www. imdb. com/ title/ tt0489134/ ). [DVD]. Square Enix. April 10, 2009. . Retrieved March 10, 2009. [16] SoftBank, ed (2006) (in Japanese/English). Final Fantasy VII Advent Children: Reunion Files. Square Enix. pp. 94–95. ISBN 4-7973-3498-3. [17] SoftBank, ed (2006) (in Japanese/English). Final Fantasy VII Advent Children: Reunion Files. Square Enix. p. 59. ISBN 4-7973-3498-3. [18] Carle, Chris (February 16, 2007). "Double Dip Digest: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (Limited Edition Collector's Set)" (http:/ / dvd. ign. com/ articles/ 765/ 765583p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved August 5, 2008. [19] "Otakon Hosts Nana, Chobits Director Morio Asaka" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2007-06-13/ otakon-hosts-nana-chobits-director-morio-asaka). Anime News Network. June 13, 2007. . Retrieved August 24, 2008. [20] McLaughlin, Rus (April 30, 2008). "The History of Final Fantasy VII (page 8)" (http:/ / retro. ign. com/ articles/ 870/ 870770p8. html). IGN. . Retrieved February 28, 2010. [21] Gantayat, Anoop (May 4, 2005). "Tetsuya Nomura on Everything: Kingdom Hearts II, Final Fantasy VII and more." (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 610/ 610042p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved February 28, 2010. [22] McLaughlin, Rus (April 30, 2008). "The History of Final Fantasy VII (page 1)" (http:/ / retro. ign. com/ articles/ 870/ 870770p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved Ferbuary 28, 2010. [23] "Advent Children Delayed" (http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ news/ 2005-08-25/ advent-children-delayed). Anime News Network. August 25, 2005. . Retrieved July 3, 2008. [24] "Final Fantasy VII - Advent Children (Limited Edition Collector's Set) (2005)" (http:/ / www. amazon. com/ Final-Fantasy-VII-Children-Collectors/ dp/ B000K4WLXA/ ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8& s=dvd& qid=1239382346& sr=8-1). Amazon.com. . Retrieved March 4, 2009. [25] Studio BentStuff, ed (2008) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario. Square Enix. p. 226. ISBN 978-4-7575-2251-0. [26] McLaughlin, Rus (April 30, 2008). "The History of Final Fantasy VII (page 9)" (http:/ / retro. ign. com/ articles/ 870/ 870770p9. html). IGN. . Retrieved December 3, 2009. [27] "Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII- & Last Order -Final Fantasy VII- OST" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff7bc/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved March 18, 2008. [28] "Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII- & Last Order -Final Fantasy VII- Original Soundtrack" (http:/ / store. na. square-enix. com/ store/ sqenixus/ en_US/ pd/ productID. 128768400). Square Enix. . Retrieved December 4th, 2009. [29] "Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- OST" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff7cc/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved August 24, 2008. [30] Crocker, Janet; Smith, Lesley; Henderson, Tim; Arnold, Adam. "The Legacy of Final Fantasy VII" (http:/ / www. animefringe. com/ magazine/ 2005/ 12/ feature/ 01-3. php). AnimeFringe. . Retrieved August 5, 2008. [31] "Sony Double Dips With 'FF VII: Advent Children'" (http:/ / www. icv2. com/ articles/ news/ 9784. html). ICv2. December 19, 2006. . Retrieved August 5, 2008. [32] "Tracks: Voices of the Lifesteam" (http:/ / ff7. ocremix. org/ tracks/ ). OverClocked ReMix. . Retrieved March 10, 2009. [33] http:/ / www. imdb. com/ title/ tt0489134/ [34] http:/ / www. animenewsnetwork. com/ encyclopedia/ anime. php?id=5561

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''Final Fantasy VIII''

192

''Final Fantasy VIII'' Final Fantasy VIII

North American box art showing the characters Squall, Rinoa, and Seifer, with Edea in the background Developer(s)

Square

Publisher(s)

Square Square Electronic Arts PAL Square Europe (PlayStation) EU Eidos Interactive (Windows) NA

Designer(s)

Yoshinori Kitase

Artist(s)

Tetsuya Nomura Yusuke Naora

Writer(s)

Kazushige Nojima

Composer(s)

Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy

Platform(s)

PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, PocketStation, PlayStation Network

Release date(s)

PlayStation JP February 11, 1999 NA September 9, 1999 PAL October 27, 1999 Windows NA January 25, 2000 EU February 18, 2000 JP March 23, 2000 PlayStation Network JP September 24, 2009 NA December 17, 2009 [1] EU February 4, 2010

Genre(s)

Role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player

Rating(s)

CERO: B ELSPA: 11+ ESRB: T OFLC: M15+ PEGI: 16

Media

4 CD-ROMs (PlayStation) 5 CD-ROMs (Windows)

''Final Fantasy VIII''

193

System requirements Windows 266 MHz Intel Pentium II CPU, 64 MB RAM, video card with 4 MB RAM, 8X CD-ROM drive, 300MB free hard disk space, DirectX 6.1, Windows 95 operating system or above Input methods

Gamepad, keyboard, mouse

Final Fantasy VIII (ファイナルファンタジーVIIIFainaru Fantajī Eito) is a role-playing video game released for the PlayStation in 1999 and for Windows-based personal computers in 2000. It was developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) as the Final Fantasy series' eighth title, removing magic point-based spell-casting and the first title to consistently use realistically proportioned characters. The game's story focuses on a group of young mercenaries who are drawn into an international conflict, and seek to protect the world from a sorceress manipulating the war for her own purposes. The main protagonist is Squall Leonhart, a 17-year-old loner and student at the military academy Balamb Garden, who is training to become a "SeeD", a mercenary paid by the academy. The development of Final Fantasy VIII began in 1997, during the English localization process of Final Fantasy VII. The music was scored by Nobuo Uematsu, series regular, and in a series first, the theme music is a vocal piece, "Eyes on Me", performed by Faye Wong. The game was positively received by critics and was a commercial success. It was voted the 22nd-best game of all time by readers of the Japanese magazine Famitsu. Thirteen weeks after its release, Final Fantasy VIII had earned more than US$50 million in sales, making it the fastest-selling Final Fantasy title of all time until Final Fantasy XIII. The game has shipped 8.15 million copies worldwide as of March 31, 2003.[2] The game became available on PlayStation Network as a PSone Classics title in Japan on September 24, 2009, in the US on December 17, 2009, and in Europe on February 4, 2010.

Gameplay Like any Final Fantasy before it, Final Fantasy VIII consists of three main modes of play: the world map, the field map, and the battle screen. The world map is a 3D display in which the player may navigate freely across a small-scale rendering of the game world. Characters travel across the world map in a variety of ways, including by foot, car, Chocobo, train, and airship. The field map consists of controllable 3D characters overlaid on one or more 2D pre-rendered backgrounds, which represent environmental locations such as towns or forests. The battle screen is a 3D model of a location such as a street or room, where turn-based fights between playable characters and CPU-controlled enemies take place. The interface is menu-driven, as in previous titles, but with the typical weapon and armor systems removed and new features present, such as the Junction system. Also featured is a collectible card-based minigame called "Triple Triad."[3]

Junction system

''Final Fantasy VIII''

For Final Fantasy VIII, Hiroyuki Ito designed a battle system based on summon-able monsters, called "Guardian Forces", abbreviated in-game as "GF." Assigning ("junctioning") a GF onto a character allows the player to use battle commands beyond Attack with the main weapon, such as Magic, GF (to summon the junctioned GF and have it perform an action), and Item. While previous Final Fantasy titles provided each character with a limited pool of magic points that were consumed by each spell, in Final Fantasy VIII, spells are acquired ("drawn") either A battle against X-ATM092, an early boss; Zell from enemies in battle, Draw Points distributed throughout the game's will summon Shiva when the blue bar that has environments, or by refining items and cards. Spells are then stocked replaced his ATB is drained. on characters as quantified inventory (up to 100 per spell and limited to 32 distinct spells per character) and are consumed one by one when used. Characters can also junction these spells onto their statistics—such as Strength, Vitality, and Luck—for various bonuses, provided the character has junctioned a Guardian Force.[4] The junction system's flexibility affords the player a wide range of customization options. The character designer of the Guardian Forces, Tetsuya Nomura, felt they should be unique beings, without clothes or other human-like concepts. This was problematic, as Nomura did not want them to "become the actual monsters", so he took great care in their design. Leviathan was the first GF, created as a test and included in a game demo. After it received a positive reaction from players, Nomura decided to create the remaining sequences in a similar fashion.[5] The use of summoned creatures for anything other than a single devastating attack during battle was a significant departure for the Final Fantasy series. The junction system also acts as a substitute for armor and accessories used in previous titles to enhance the characters' statistics. Moreover, where earlier titles required weapons to be equipped and tailored to the character, each major character in Final Fantasy VIII features a unique weapon which can be upgraded, affecting its appearance, power, and Limit Break. [6]

Limit Breaks Characters in Final Fantasy VIII have unique special attacks called "Limit Breaks", as in Final Fantasy VII. While the Limit Breaks in Final Fantasy VII are triggered after sufficient damage has been received, in Final Fantasy VIII, the availability of Limit Breaks depends on a character's current health—a Limit Break is more likely to be available to a character with low health. The magic spell Aura increases the probability of Limit Breaks appearing, regardless of a character's remaining hit points, while various status afflictions can prevent Limit Breaks. They are similar to the Desperation Attacks of Final Fantasy VI, as they are randomly triggered when a character's health falls below a certain level and his or her Hit Points are in yellow instead of white.[7] Final Fantasy VIII also introduced interactive elements to complement Limit Break animations. These interactive sequences, which vary between character, weapon, and Limit Break range from randomly selected magic spells to precisely timed button inputs. Successfully completing an interactive sequence increases the resulting attack's potency.[8]

194

''Final Fantasy VIII''

Experience levels Final Fantasy VIII used an experience point and level system quite different from previous games in the series. While EXP is awarded after battling and defeating enemies, who are predominantly encountered randomly, and contribute to the continued strengthening and level-gaining of the characters, here the similarity ends. While levels in previous games required ever-increasing amounts of EXP to surmount (e.g., getting to level 2 might require 200 experience points, level 3 might require 400, etc.), characters in Final Fantasy VIII gain a level after accumulating 1000 points. Enemies around the world, An example of navigation on the field map furthermore, remain on equal levels with the characters, as opposed to most RPGs, where enemies from previously-visited locations in the game are often weak and easily defeated. Higher-level enemies are capable of inflicting and withstanding significantly more damage, may have additional special attacks, and carry additional magic spells, allowing for Junctioning bonuses which themselves far exceed the bonuses imparted by level-gain. In addition to gaining levels, Guardian Forces earn Ability Points (AP) after battles, which are automatically allocated to special abilities that Guardian Forces can learn. When a Guardian Force has learned an ability, that ability becomes available for any character or the character party, as is the case with field abilities. These abilities allow characters to attack more efficiently, refine magic spells from items, receive stat bonuses upon leveling up, access shops remotely and use additional battle commands.[6] [9]

Plot Setting Most of Final Fantasy VIII is set on an unnamed fantasy world with one moon. The planet comprises five major landmasses, with Esthar, the largest, covering most of the eastern portion of the map.[10] Galbadia, the second-largest continent, lies to the west,[10] and contains many of the game's locations. The northernmost landmass is Trabia, an Arctic region. Positioned roughly in the middle of the world map lies Balamb, the smallest continent,[10] the island on which the game begins. The remaining landmass is small and mostly desolate, riddled with rough, rocky terrain caused by the impact of a "Lunar Cry", an event where monsters from the moon fall to the planet.[11] [12] The southernmost landmass includes an archipelago of broken sections of land that have drifted apart. Islands and marine structures flesh out the rest of the game world, and a handful of off-world locations round out the game's playable areas. As part of a theme desired by director Yoshinori Kitase to give the game a foreign atmosphere, various designs were given to its locations using the style of internationally familiar places, while also maintaining a fantasy atmosphere. Inspiration ranged from ancient Egyptian and Greek architecture, to the city of Paris, France, to an idealized futuristic European society. Flags were also given to some factions, their designs based on the group's history and culture.[5] In contrast, in an interview with the Official UK PlayStation Magazine, Kitase stated that Triple Triad was added to the game because cards were a popular hobby in Japan.[13] In an interview with Famitsu, art director Yusuke Naora described that the game was generally designed to be a "bright, fresh Final Fantasy."[14] The designers felt a need to invert the atmosphere of previous games in the series, which had feelings of "light emerging from darkness".[14] This decision was easy for the developers to make, because most of them had worked on Final Fantasy VII and felt that a new direction was acceptable.[13] The world designs were also developed with the knowledge that most of the staff were now used to computer graphics, which was not the case with Final Fantasy VII.[14] The developers also noted that with Final Fantasy VIII, they attempted

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''Final Fantasy VIII'' to "mix future, real life and fantasy."[14]

Characters The six main playable characters in Final Fantasy VIII are Squall Leonhart, a loner who keeps his focus on his duty to avoid vulnerability; Rinoa Heartilly, an outspoken and passionate young woman who follows her heart in all situations; Quistis Trepe, an instructor with a serious, patient attitude; Zell Dincht, a martial artist with a passion for hot dogs; Selphie Tilmitt, a cheerful girl who loves trains and pilots the airship Ragnarok; and Irvine Kinneas, a marksman and consummate ladies' man.[3] Temporarily playable characters include Laguna Loire, Kiros Seagill, and Ward Zabac, who appear in "flashback" sequences, and antagonists Seifer Almasy and Edea Kramer. During the game's pre-production, character designer Tetsuya Nomura suggested the game be given a "school days" feel. Scenario writer Kazushige Nojima already had a story in mind in which the main characters were the same age; their ideas meshed, taking form as the "Garden" military academies. Nojima planned that the two playable parties featured in the game (Squall's present day group and Laguna's group from the past) would be highly contrasted with one another. This idea was conveyed through the age and experience of Laguna's group, versus the youth and naïveté of Squall's group.[5] To maintain a foreign atmosphere, the characters were designed to have predominantly European appearances. The first Final Fantasy VIII character designed was Squall. Desiring to add a unique angle to Squall's appearance and emphasize his role as the central character, Nomura gave him a scar across his brow and the bridge of his nose. As there was not yet a detailed history conceived for the character, Nomura left the explanation for Squall's scar to Nojima. Squall was given a gunblade, a fictional revolver–sword hybrid that functions primarily as a sword, with an added damaging vibration feature activated by use of its gun mechanism,[15] similar to a vibroblade.[16] His character design was complemented by a fur lining along the collar of his jacket, incorporated by Nomura as a challenge for the game's full motion video designers.[5] With Final Fantasy VIII came the inclusion of some designs Nomura had previously drawn, but had not yet used in a Final Fantasy game. These were the designs of Edea, Fujin and Raijin. The latter two had originally been designed for use in Final Fantasy VII, but with the inclusion of the Turks characters in that game, it was felt that Fujin and Raijin were unnecessary. Nomura had designed Edea before the development of Final Fantasy VII, based on the style of Yoshitaka Amano.[5]

Story Final Fantasy VIII begins as Squall duels with Seifer in a training session outside the Balamb Garden military academy. Meanwhile, Galbadia invades the Dollet Dukedom, forcing Dollet to hire assistance from the Balamb Garden branch of "SeeD", Garden's elite mercenary force. SeeD uses the mission as a final examination for its cadets;[17] with the help of his instructor, Quistis, Squall passes its prerequisite and is grouped with Seifer and Zell. Seifer disobeys orders and abandons his team, forcing Selphie to accompany Squall and Zell for the duration of the mission. After the mission, SeeD halts the Galbadian advance; Squall, Zell, and Selphie graduate to SeeD status, while Seifer is disciplined for his disobedience.[18] During the graduation party, Squall meets Rinoa, whose personality is apparently the opposite of his.[19] When assigned with Zell and Selphie to help Rinoa's resistance faction in Galbadian-occupied Timber, Squall learns that a sorceress named Edea is behind Galbadia's recent hostilities. Under orders from Balamb and Galbadia Gardens, Squall and his comrades — now joined by Rinoa, Quistis, and Irvine — attempt to assassinate Edea.[20] However, the sorceress thwarts the attempt, and the party is detained. During the attempt, Squall's party also learns that Seifer has left Garden to become Edea's second-in-command.[21] After the team escapes, Edea launches a missile attack on Trabia Garden. Fearing that Balamb Garden is the next target of Edea's revenge, the team splits into two units. Squall's group returns to Balamb to warn of the attack, but must first stop an internal Garden conflict incited by NORG, SeeD's financier.[22] Selphie's team travels to the

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''Final Fantasy VIII'' Missile Base to stop the launch, but fails. Squall inadvertently turns Balamb Garden into a mobile fortress, allowing the facility to evade the missiles; however, unable to control the Garden, it collides with the docks at Fishermans' Horizon.[23] While local technicians repair the Garden, the Galbadian Army invade in search of a girl named Ellone,[24] who had been staying at Balamb Garden until recently. Ellone eventually escapes to Esthar, the world's technological superpower. During Squall's meeting with Ellone, he learns that she had been "sending" him and his allies into flashbacks set 17 years in the past in a vain effort to alter the present.[25] The scenes center on Laguna and his two friends, Kiros and Ward. During the flashbacks, Laguna changes from a Galbadian soldier to the defender of a country village, and then moves from being the leader of a resistance movement against Sorceress Adel to the President of Esthar.[26] Meanwhile, Squall confronts his personal anxieties fueled by ongoing developments,[27] such as Headmaster Cid appointing him as SeeD's new leader,[28] and his increasing attraction to Rinoa. While investigating Trabia Garden's wreckage, Squall and his comrades learn that they, along with Seifer and Ellone, were all raised (with the exception of Rinoa) in an orphanage run by Edea; they later developed amnesia due to their use of Guardian Forces.[29] It is also revealed that Cid and Edea had established Garden and SeeD primarily to defeat corrupt sorceresses.[30] After these revelations, the forces of Balamb Garden and the Galbadian Army, led by Squall and Seifer respectively, engage in battle above the orphanage. After Balamb defeats Galbadia, the player learns that Edea is merely an unwilling tool for "Ultimecia",[31] a powerful sorceress from the future who wishes to compress time into a single moment; it is for this reason she has sought Ellone.[32] Edea loses a decisive battle against the SeeD, forcing Ultimecia to transfer her powers to Rinoa; Edea survives, but Rinoa enters a coma. Squall becomes obsessed with waking her and goes to Esthar to find Ellone, as he believes that she can help save Rinoa.[33] While Rinoa is being treated on Esthar's space station, Ultimecia uses her to free Sorceress Adel from her orbital prison. Ultimecia then orders Seifer to activate the Lunatic Pandora facility, inciting a rain of creatures from the moon that sends Adel's containment device to the planet.[34] [35] Having selected Adel as her next host, Ultimecia abandons Rinoa in outer space. Squall rescues her, and they return to the planet on a derelict starship. Upon their landing, delegates from Esthar isolate Rinoa for fear of her sorceress abilities,[36] forcing Squall to rescue her. President Laguna apologizes for the incident and announces Dr. Odine's plan to let Ultimecia possess Rinoa, have Ellone send Rinoa (and thus Ultimecia as well) to the past and then retrieve only Rinoa back to the present, enabling Ultimecia to achieve Time Compression, as it would allow Squall's group to confront Ultimecia in her time.[37] To do this, Squall's team infiltrates Lunatic Pandora, defeats Seifer and Adel, and has Rinoa inherit Adel's sorceress powers.[38] Time Compression is thus initiated; Squall and his allies travel to Ultimecia's era and defeat her. With Ultimecia defeated, the universe begins returning to normal; however, Squall is nearly lost in the flow of time as he witnesses the origins of the game's story. When a dying Ultimecia travels back in time to pass her powers to Edea, Squall informs Edea of the concepts of Garden and SeeD that she will create.[39] Afterward, he is able to properly recollect his memories and thus return to the present. The ending cinema depicts the events after Squall's return to the present. Seifer is once again reunited with Raijin and Fujin; Laguna visits Raine's grave (and remembers his proposal to her) along with Ellone, Ward, and Kiros; and a celebration takes place in the Garden, with Squall and Rinoa kissing one another under the moonlight.

Development Development of Final Fantasy VIII began in 1997 during the English language translation of Final Fantasy VII.[14] As with much of the production of Final Fantasy VII, series creator and veteran Hironobu Sakaguchi served as the executive producer, working primarily on the development of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and leaving direction of Final Fantasy VIII to Yoshinori Kitase.[40] Shinji Hashimoto was assigned to be the producer in Sakaguchi's place. From the beginning, Kitase knew he wanted a thematic combination of fantasy and realism. To this end, he aimed to include a cast of characters who appeared to be ordinary people. Character designer and battle visual director Tetsuya Nomura and art director Yusuke Naora strove to achieve this impression through the

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''Final Fantasy VIII'' inclusion of realistically proportioned charactersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a departure from the super deformed designs used in the previous title. Additionally, Naora attempted to enhance the realism of the world through predominantly bright lighting effects with shadows distributed as appropriate. Other measures taken included implementing rental cars for travel in-game,[14] and the use of motion capture technology to give the game's characters lifelike movements in the game's full motion video sequences.[13] Scenario writer Kazushige Nojima has expressed that the dynamic of players' relationships with the protagonist is important to him. Both Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII feature reserved, quiet protagonists in the form of Cloud Strife and Squall. With Final Fantasy VIII, however, Nojima worked to give players actual insight into what the character was thinking; a direct contrast with his handling of Final Fantasy VII, which encouraged the player to speculate.[41] This approach to Final Fantasy VIII is reflected by the frequent use of dialogue that takes place solely within Squall's mind, allowing the player to read his thoughts and understand what he is thinking or feeling even when he keeps those thoughts to himself. In 1999, the ballroom dance scene of Final Fantasy VIII was featured as a technical demo for the PlayStation 2.[42] In 2000, a PC version was released for Windows. This port featured smoother graphics, enhanced audio, and the inclusion of Chocobo World, a minigame starring Boko, a Chocobo featured in one of the side-quests in Final Fantasy VIII.[43] For most North American and European players, the PC version of the game was the only means of playing Chocobo World, as the game was originally designed to be played via the PocketStation, a handheld console never released outside Japan.[43] [44] [45] In 2009, Final Fantasy VIII was added to the PlayStation Store on the PlayStation Network.[46]

Music Regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu wrote the soundtrack for Final Fantasy VIII. He tried to base the songs off of the emotional content of when they would be played, asserting that expressing the emotions he desires is more important than improving skills: "I think it will be a shame if we won't be able to cry as we play our own game". He could not determine a character's emotions solely based on the plot, instead using images of appearance and attireâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;"It's important to know when their emotions are at their height, but it usually takes until a month before release for them to finish the ending dialog...!"[47] In response to a question by IGN music stating that the music of Final Fantasy VIII was very dark and perhaps influenced by the plot of the game, Uematsu stated "the atmosphere of music varies depending on story line, of course, but it's also my intention to put various types of music into one game".[48] The absence of character themes found in the previous two games was due to Uematsu finding those of Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy VII ineffective. Uematsu considers it reasonable to have character themes if each character has a "highlight" in the game, but he found Final Fantasy VIII only focused on Squall Leonhart and Rinoa Heartilly as a couple, resulting in the "Eyes on Me" theme.[48] The original soundtrack was released on four Compact Discs by DigiCube in Japan on March 10, 1999, and by Square EA in North America as Final Fantasy VIII Music Collection in January 2000.[49] It was republished worldwide by Square Enix on May 10, 2004.[50] An album of orchestral arrangements of selected tracks from the game was released under the title Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec Final Fantasy VIII on November 19, 1999 by DigiCube, and subsequently published on July 22, 2004 by Square Enix. The pieces were arranged and conducted by Shiro Hamaguchi for a live orchestra.[51] A collection of piano arrangements performed by Shinko Ogata was released under the title Piano Collections: Final Fantasy VIII by DigiCube on January 21, 2000 and subsequently re-published by Square Enix on July 22, 2004.[52] The score is best known for two songs: "Liberi Fatali", a Latin choral piece that is played during the introduction to the game, and "Eyes On Me", a pop song serving as the game's theme, performed by Chinese singer Faye Wong. Near the end of the production of Final Fantasy VII, the developers suggested to use a singer, but abandoned the idea due to a lack of reasoning based on the game's theme and storyline.[53] However, Nobuo Uematsu thought a ballad would closely relate to the theme and characters of Final Fantasy VIII. This resulted in the game's developers

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''Final Fantasy VIII''

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sharing "countless" artists, eventually deciding on Wong. Uematsu claims "her voice and mood seem to match my image of the song exactly", and that her ethnicity "fits the international image of Final Fantasy". After negotiations were made, "Eyes on Me" was recorded in Hong Kong with an orchestra.[47] The song was released as a CD single in Japan and sold over 400,000 copies,[54] setting the record for highest-selling video game music disc ever released in that country at the time. "Liberi Fatali" was played during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens during the women's synchronized swimming event.[55] The music of Final Fantasy VIII has appeared in various official Final Fantasy concerts. These include 2002's 20020220 Music from FINAL FANTASY, in which the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra played "Liberi Fatali", "Don't Be Afraid", "Love Grows", and "The Man with the Machine Gun", the 2004 Tour de Japon series, which featured "The Oath", the Dear Friends series that began that same year and included "Liberi Fatali" and "Love Grows", and the 2005 More Friends concert, which included "Maybe I'm a Lion".[56] [57] [58] [59] More recent concerts include the Voices â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Music from Final Fantasy 2006 concert showcasing "Liberi Fatali", "Fisherman's Horizon", and "Eyes on Me" and the international Distant Worlds concert tour that continues to date, which includes "Liberi Fatali", "Fisherman's Horizon", "Man with the Machine Gun", and "Love Grows".[60] [61] Several of these concerts have produced live albums as well.[62] Music from the game has also been played in non Final Fantasy-specific concerts such as the Play! A Video Game Symphony world tour from 2006 onwards, for which Nobuo Uematsu composed the opening fanfare that accompanies each performance.[63]

Reception and legacy Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator

Score

GameRankings

[64] 89.57% (PS) [65] 79.5% (PC)

Metacritic

[66]

90 out of 100

Review scores Publication

Score [67]

Edge

9 out of 10

Electronic Gaming Monthly

95 out of 100

[68]

Game Informer

9.5 out of 10

GameSpot

[69] 9.5 out of 10 (PS) [70] 6.7 out of 10 (PC)

GameSpy

90 out of 100 (PC)

IGN

[71]

[72] 9 out of 10 (PS) [73] 7.4 out of 10 (PC) [74]

Maximum PC

9 out of 10

Computer Gaming World

2 out of 5 (PC)

[75]

''Final Fantasy VIII''

200

Awards Entity

Award [76]

IGN

Best RPG of E3 1999

Computer Gaming World

20th Best Game of 2000

IGN

7th Best PlayStation Game

[77] [78]

Final Fantasy VIII received positive reviews from critics and was commercially successful. Within two days of its North American release on September 9, 1999, Final Fantasy VIII became the top-selling video game in the United States, a position it held for more than three weeks.[79] It grossed a total of more than $50 million in the 13 weeks to follow,[80] [81] making it the fastest-selling Final Fantasy title.[82] In Japan, it sold roughly 2.5 million units within the first four days of release.[83] More than 6 million units were sold in total by the end of 1999.[84] As of March 31, 2003, the game had shipped 8.15 million copies worldwide: 3.7 million in Japan and 4.45 million abroad.[2] The opening cut scene in Final Fantasy VIII was ranked second on Game Informer's list of "Top 10 Video Game Openings",[85] and first by IGN.[78] IGN additionally named the game's ending the third best of any game for the PlayStation,[78] while UGO.com named it one of the series' best and most memorable moments.[86] Final Fantasy VIII was voted by readers of Japanese magazine Famitsu as the 22nd best game of all time in 2006,[87] and named one of the 20 essential Japanese role-playing games by Gamasutra, stating "[t]here's a lot that Final Fantasy VIII does wrong, but there's even more that it does right".[88] Reviews of the gameplay have been mixed. IGN felt that it was the weakest aspect of the game, citing its Guardian Force attack sequences as "incredibly cinematic" but tedious,[72] sentiments echoed by Electronic Gaming Monthly.[68] They also regarded the battle system as intensely complicated, yet refreshingly innovative and something that "RPG fanatics love to obsess over".[72] Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine claims that the game's Junction system is a major flaw due to repetitive stocking of spells,[89] while the UK-based video game magazine Edge commented that the battle system consists of a "bewildering" number of intricate options and techniques that "most gamers will [...] relish".[67] GameSpot praised the game's battle system, commenting that the "possibilities for customization [with the Junction system] are immense".[69] In general, Final Fantasy VIII has been compared favorably to its predecessors. Though questioning the game's lack of voice overs for its characters, Game Revolution praised its storyline and ending.[90] For their part, Edge labeled Final Fantasy VIII "a far more accomplished game than FFVII". On the other hand, the magazine also felt that the game's length left its story unable to "offer consistently strong dialogue and sub-plots". Additionally, it found some of the story's plot twists "not... suitably manipulated and prepared", leaving it "hard not to greet such... moments with anything but indifference". Overall, Edge considered Final Fantasy VIII to be "yet another outstanding edition of SquareSoft's far-from-final fantasies", summarizing it as "aesthetically astonishing, rarely less than compelling, and near peerless in scope and execution".[67] Electronic Gaming Monthly offered similar comments, stating that the game's character development "is the best of any RPG's" and that "Final Fantasy VIII is the pinnacle of its genre."[68] UGO.com stated that while no other game in the series had stirred the controversy that Final Fantasy VIII had and that it was flawed, Final Fantasy VIII was a "daring, groundbreaking game [...] decidedly the most original console-style RPG ever created".[91] In 2002, IGN named the game the seventh best title for the PlayStation of all time, placing higher on the list than Final Fantasy VII and described as "[taking] all of its strong points, and [making] them better".[78] The PC port received mixed reception. Maximum PC praised the full motion video sequences as "phenomenal", adding that while the gameplay took getting used to, they enjoyed the teamwork emphasized by it, and that the game's visual presentation added to its appeal.[74] GameSpy stated that while the game was not a "huge leap forward" from the previous title, its gameplay and visual appeal worked for its benefit, though that on a computer the

''Final Fantasy VIII'' pre-rendered backgrounds appeared blurry and the controls at time difficult with a keyboard.[71] [92] GameSpot criticized the game for not taking advantage of the capabilities afforded to computers at the time, describing the PlayStation version as both looking and sounding superior, and recommending that the title was "not worth buying period" for the PC.[70] UGO.com also described the port as inferior to its original counterpart, adding that its presentation was in turn detrimental to the reception the game received as a whole.[91] Computer Gaming World praised some of the changes made to the game in light of previous titles and the inclusion of the Triple Triad sub-game, though heavily criticized the port as "lazy" and "disappointing", stating that it only served to emphasize the original game's flaws.[75] Despite their complaints however, they named the game the twentieth best game of 2000.[77] In March 1999, one month after the game's release, Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania was published, a book that features an in-depth guide to Final Fantasy VIII and interviews with the developers.[93] An origami book was released in November 1999.[94] On September 22, 1999, a CD-ROM titled Final Fantasy VIII Desktop Accessories was released. It contains desktop icons, computer wallpapers, screensavers, and an e-mail application. It additionally features an stand-alone edition of the Triple Triad minigame, which allowed players to compete against one another via a local area network.[95]

External links • Official North American website [96] • Official European website [97]

References [1] http:/ / www. thesixthaxis. com/ 2010/ 01/ 21/ final-fantasy-viii-coming-february-4th/ [2] "Titles of game software with worldwide shipments exceeding 1 million copies" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ ir/ e/ explanatory/ download/ 0404-200402090000-01. pdf#page=27) (PDF). Square Enix. p. 27. . Retrieved 2008-03-01. [3] Square Electronic Arts, ed (1999). Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 20, 24, 36. SLUS-00892GH. [4] Square Electronic Arts, ed (1999). Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 28, 33–35. SLUS-00892GH. [5] Studio BentStuff, ed (1999) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania. DigiCube/Square Enix. pp. 354–355. ISBN 4-925075-49-7. [6] Cassady, David (1999). Final Fantasy VIII Official Strategy Guide. BradyGAMES Publishing. p. 4. ISBN 1-56686-903-X. [7] Studio BentStuff, ed (1999) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania. DigiCube/Square Enix. p. 64. ISBN 4-925075-49-7. [8] Cassady, David (1999). Final Fantasy VIII Official Strategy Guide. BradyGAMES Publishing. pp. 6, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18–19. ISBN 1-56686-903-X. [9] Square Electronic Arts, ed (1999). Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 28–35. SLUS-00892GH. [10] "Final Fantasy VIII – World" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ ff8/ world. html). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2007-03-24. [11] Square Co.. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Centra Civilization A civilization in Centra 4000 years ago. These Centra people emigrated to other continents and founded the Dollet Empire to the west and Esthar to the east. Centra was destroyed 80 years ago by the Lunar Cry." [12] Studio BentStuff, ed (1999) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania. DigiCube/Square Enix. p. 40. ISBN 4-925075-49-7. [13] Staff (February 2001). "Final Fantasy VIII Kitase, Nojima, Naora and Nomura Interview" (http:/ / www. ffshrine. org/ ff8/ ff8_interview. php). Official UK PlayStation Magazine (71). . Retrieved 2009-11-15. [14] Staff (5 June 1998). "インタビューファイナルファンタジーVIII [Interview with Final Fantasy VIII]" (http:/ / members. tripod. com/ PlayStationJapan/ ff8iview2. html) (in Japanese). Famitsu Weekly. . Retrieved 2006-07-15. [15] Studio BentStuff, ed (1999) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania. DigiCube/SquareEnix. p. 43. ISBN 4-925075-49-7. [16] Samoon, Evan (July 2008). "Gun Show: A real military expert takes aim at videogame weaponry to reveal the good, the bad, and the just plain silly". Electronic Gaming Monthly (230): 49. [17] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Xu: Our client for this mission is the Dollet Dukedom Parliament. A request for SeeD was made 18 hours ago. Dollet has been under attack by the G-Army since about 72 hours ago." [18] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Headmaster Cid: Seifer. You will be disciplined for your irresponsible behavior. You must follow orders exactly during combat. But I'm not entirely without sympathy for you. I don't want you all to become machines. I want you all to be able to think and act for yourselves."

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''Final Fantasy VIII'' [19] Square Electronic Arts, ed (1999). Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 6–9. SLUS-00892GH. [20] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Squall: Our next mission... This is no ordinary mission. It's a direct order from both Balamb and Galbadia Garden. We're to... ...assassinate the sorceress." [21] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Squall: So, you've become the sorceress' lap dog? / Seifer: I preferred to be called her knight. This has always been my dream." [22] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Raijin: I dunno. At first, they were sayin' somethin' 'bout roundin' up the SeeDs, ya know!? Now, everyone's either sidin' with the Garden Master or the headmaster and fightin' everywhere, ya know!?" [23] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Squall: I'm terribly sorry. It was inevitable... We lost control of the Garden." [24] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Squall: Oh, and one more thing... It appeared that the Galbadians were searching for Ellone. That seemed to be their main objective in FH." [25] Square Co.. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Ellone: People say you can't change the past. But even still, if there's a possibility, it's worth a try, right?" [26] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Laguna: A fierce debate ensued about who should govern this country after Adel was gone. I wasn't paying close attention while they made me up to be this hero of the revolution, and I ended up being president." [27] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Squall: (I hate having nothing to do. It gets me thinking too much.) (I hope Selphie and the others are all right. Was it wrong for me to let them go? I wonder how Quistis and Irvine felt about it.) (That sorceress... Who is she? Why fire missiles at the Garden? Is Seifer ever coming back? I'll get even with him next time.)" [28] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Cid: This journey will involve many battles. A well qualified leader is needed for this. Therefore, I am appointing Squall as your new leader. From now on, Squall will be the leader. He will decide our destination and battle plan." [29] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Squall: ...Why is it that we forgot? We grew up together as kids... How's that possible...? / Irvine: How about this? ...The price we pay for using the GF. The GF provides us its power. But the GF makes its own place inside our brain... / Quistis: So you're saying that the area is where our memories are stored? No...! That's just a rumor the GF critics are spreading. / Zell: So if we keep relying on the GF, we won't be able to remember a lot of things?" [30] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Cid: She had been a sorceress since childhood. I married her, knowing that. We were happy. We worked together, the two of us. We were very happy. One day, Edea began talking about building the Garden and training SeeD. I became obsessed with that plan. But I was very concerned with SeeD's goal, that one day SeeD might fight Edea..." [31] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Edea: ...I have been possessed all this time. I was at the mercy of Sorceress Ultimecia. Ultimecia is a sorceress from the future. A sorceress many generations ahead of our time. Ultimecia's objective is to find Ellone." [32] Square Co.. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Rinoa: There was a sorceress inside me. Ultimecia, a sorceress from the future. She's trying to achieve time compression." [33] Square Co.. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Squall: Let's go, Rinoa. Let's go meet Ellone. Ellone will bring us together." [34] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Controller: The lunar world is a world of monsters. Didn't you learn that in school? As you can see, the monsters are gathering at one point. History's starting to repeat itself. The Lunar Cry is starting." [35] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Rinoa: But Edea's still... I can't guarantee anything, either, if Ultimecia possesses me again... You saw me. She controlled me in outer space and made me break Adel's seal." [36] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Descendant 1: Sorceress Rinoa. Hyne's descendant. / Descendant 2: Come with us. We must seal your power for the sake of the world." [37] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Doc Odine: There iz only one way to defeat Ultimecia. You must kill her in ze future. / ... / Ultimecia probably needs to go back further in time to achieve time compression. Only Ellone can take her back further into ze past. / ... / You will keep moving through ze time compression toward ze future. Once you're out of ze time compression, zat will be Ultimecia's world. It's all up to you after zat." [38] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Laguna: Adel will need to pass on her powers before being defeated. Rinoa, will you be willing to accept them?" [39] Square Co. Final Fantasy VIII. (Square EA). PlayStation. (1999-09-09) "Squall: Both Garden and SeeD were your ideas. Garden trains SeeDs. SeeDs are trained to defeat the sorceress." [40] Staff (5 June 1998). "インタビュー坂口博信 [Interview with Hironobu Sakaguchi]" (http:/ / members. tripod. com/ PlayStationJapan/ Sakaguchi. html) (in Japanese). Famitsu Weekly. . Retrieved 2006-07-15. [41] "Behind The Game The Creators" (http:/ / www. square-enix-usa. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#1). Square Enix North America. 2001. . Retrieved 2006-04-12. [42] Nelson, Randy (1999-03-02). "PS2: Demos to Die For" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 072/ 072823p1. html). IGN. IGN Entertainment. . Retrieved 2007-09-15.

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''Final Fantasy VIII'' [43] Square Electronic Arts, ed (1999). Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 38–40. SLUS-00892GH. [44] Calderman, Dan (2000). "Chocobo World Playable on PC" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q1-2000/ 010600c. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-08-10. [45] Staff (2009-09-23). "FFVIII PocketStation Opens Up Chocobo World" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 068/ 068855p1. html). IGN. IGN Entertainment. . Retrieved 2006-08-10. [46] Clements, Ryan. "TGS 09: Final Fantasy XIII PS3 Bundle" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 102/ 1027979p1. html). IGN. IGN Entertainment. . Retrieved 2009-11-24. [47] Maeda, Yoshitake (1999). Final Fantasy VIII Original Soundtrack (Limited Edition). DigiCube. [48] IGN Music. "Twelve Days of Final Fantasy XII: Nobuo Uematsu Interview" (http:/ / music. ign. com/ articles/ 741/ 741101p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-03-30. [49] "Final Fantasy VIII Music Collection" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff8music/ index. html). RPGFan. 2000-06-23. . Retrieved 2007-03-27. [50] Schweitzer, Ben (2006-06-17). "Final Fantasy VIII OST" (http:/ / rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff8ost/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2009-10-10. [51] Chandran, Neal (2009-07-27). "Final Fantasy VIII Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff8flwv/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2006-04-18. [52] Bradley, Ryan; Gann, Patrick (2004-02-25). "Piano Collections Final Fantasy VIII" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff8piano/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2007-03-27. [53] Mielke, James (2008-02-15). "A Day in the Life of Final Fantasy's Nobuo Uematsu" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ feature?pager. offset=0& cId=3166165). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2008-08-05. [54] Staff. "Nobuo Uematsu's Profile" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ uematsu/ profile/ index. html). Square Enix USA. . Retrieved 2009-12-01. [55] Sullivan, Meghan (2008-12-18). "Top Ten JRPG Composers" (http:/ / music. ign. com/ articles/ 937/ 937683p6. html). IGN. IGN Entertainment. p. 6. . Retrieved 2009-11-24. [56] "20020220 – Music from FINAL FANTASY" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ 20020220/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2007-04-01. [57] "Album Information – Tour de Japon: Music from Final Fantasy DVD" (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ albums/ dvds/ tourdejapon. shtml). SquareEnixMusic. . Retrieved 2007-04-01. [58] Schneider, Peer (2004). "Dear Friends: Music From Final Fantasy" (http:/ / music. ign. com/ articles/ 513/ 513292p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-04-01. [59] Gann, Patrick (2006-04-05). "More Friends music from Final Fantasy ~Los Angeles Live 2005~" (http:/ / rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ffmorela/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-05-20. [60] "VOICES – Music from Final Fantasy" (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ concerts/ voices. shtml). Square Enix Music Online. . Retrieved 2009-06-04. [61] "Concert Events- Music from Final Fantasy" (http:/ / www. dallassymphony. com/ Ticket/ ProductionDetail. aspx?perf=10709& kw=distant+ worlds). Dallas Symphony Orchestra. . Retrieved 2009-06-07. [62] Bogdanowicz, Robert; Maas, Liz (2002-06-23). "20020220 – Music from Final Fantasy" (http:/ / rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ 20020220/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-04-25. [63] Daiker, Brandon (2006-05-27), Play! A Video Game Symphony (http:/ / www. n-sider. com/ contentview. php?contentid=352), N-Sider, , retrieved 2008-04-08 [64] "Final Fantasy VIII for PlayStation" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ ps/ 197343-final-fantasy-viii/ index. html). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2009-10-29. [65] "Final Fantasy VIII for PC" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ pc/ 197342-final-fantasy-viii/ index. html). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2009-10-29. [66] "Final Fantasy VIII (psx: 1999): Reviews" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ psx/ finalfantasy8?q=final fantasy VIII). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2009-10-29. [67] Staff (September 1999). "Final Fatnasy VII". Edge (Future Publishing): 87. [68] "Final Fantasy VIII". Electronic Gaming Monthly (123): 188. January 1999. [69] Vestal, Andrew (1999). "Final Fantasy VIII for PlayStation Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasy8/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-07-13. [70] Kasavin, Greg (2000-02-02). "Final Fantasy VIII" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ finalfantasy8/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2009-11-25. [71] Koltookian, Gary (2000-02-02). "Final Fantasy VIII" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ legacy/ reviews/ ff8_b. shtm). GameSpy. p. 2. . [72] Lundigran, Jeff (1999). "Final Fantasy VIII Review" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 153/ 153847p1. html). IGN. IGN Entertainment. . Retrieved 2006-07-13. [73] Lopez, Vincent (2000-01-28). "Final Fantasy VIII Review (PC)" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 161/ 161737p1. html). IGN. IGN Entertainment. . Retrieved 2009-11-25. [74] Staff (April 2000). "Final Fantasy VIII". Maximum PC 5 (4): 85.

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''Final Fantasy VIII'' [75] Wolpaw, Erik (November 2000). "When Ports Go Bad – Final Fantasy VIII Is a Major Disappointment as a Port and as a Game". Computer Gaming World. [76] Staff (24 May 1999). "IGN.com Announces 'Best of E3' Awards Capcom, Microsoft, Midway and Rare Take Top Honors". PR Newswire. [77] Staff (December 2000). "Top 40". Computer Gaming World (196). [78] Staff (2002-01-22). "Top 25 Games of All Time: Complete List" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 080/ 080401p1. html). IGN. IGN Entertainment. . Retrieved 2009-11-25. [79] Staff (1999-10-05). "Final Fantasy VIII Tops Videogame Charts" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 071/ 071008p1. html). IGN. IGN Entertainment. . Retrieved 2006-03-16. [80] Sato, Yukiyoshi Ike (1999-12-14). "FFVIII Sells Six Million Copies Worldwide" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasy8/ news. html?sid=2440392& mode=all). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-03-16. [81] Staff (1999-12-19). "FF8 Breaks Sales Records" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 073/ 073032p1. html). IGN. IGN Entertainment. . Retrieved 2006-03-16. [82] Berardini, César A. (2006-04-26). "An Introduction to Square-Enix" (http:/ / features. teamxbox. com/ xbox/ 1554/ An-Introduction-to-SquareEnix/ p3/ ). TeamXbox. IGN Entertainment. . Retrieved 2008-10-16. [83] Staff (1999-09-07). "Final Fantasy VIII Is Out!" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 070/ 070170p1. html). IGN. IGN Entertainment. . Retrieved 2006-03-16. [84] Staff (1999-12-09). "Final Fantasy VIII Sells One Million" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080421065602/ http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ newswire/ news/ index19991206. htm). Gamasutra. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ newswire/ news/ index19991206. htm) on 2008-04-21. . [85] Staff (November 2008). "The Top Ten Video Game Openings". Game Informer (187): 38. [86] Staff. "Best Moments of Final Fantasy" (http:/ / www. ugo. com/ games/ final-fantasy-best-moments/ ). UGO.com. UGO Networks. . Retrieved 2009-11-25. [87] Campbell, Colin (2006). "Japan Votes on All Time Top 100" (http:/ / www. edge-online. com/ features/ japan-votes-all-time-top-100). Next Generation Magazine. . Retrieved 2006-03-11. [88] Kalata, Kurt (2008-03-19). "A Japanese RPG Primer – Final Fantasy VIII" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ view/ feature/ 3581/ a_japanese_rpg_primer_the_. php?page=9). Gamasutra. p. 9. . Retrieved 2009-11-25. [89] Staff (2000-01-01). "Final Fantasy VIII PS Review" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3119200& did=3). 1UP.com. UGO Networks. . Retrieved 2006-07-13. [90] Liu, Johnny (1999). "Game Revolution Review Page – Final Fantasy VIII" (http:/ / www. gamerevolution. com/ oldsite/ games/ sony/ rpg/ final_fantasy_8. htm). Game Revolution. . Retrieved 2006-07-16. [91] Staff. "The World of Final Fantasy – Final Fantasy VIII". UGO.com. UGO Networks. [92] Koltookian, Gary (2000-02-02). "Final Fantasy VIII" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ legacy/ reviews/ ff8_a. shtm). GameSpy. p. 1. . Retrieved 2009-11-25. [93] Studio BentStuff, ed (1999) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania. DigiCube/Square Enix. ISBN 4-925075-49-7. [94] Squaresoft, ed (1999) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy VIII Origami Book. DigiCube. ISBN 4-925075-59-4. [95] Sato, Yukiyoshi Ike (1999-09-01). "New FFVIII CD-ROM Announced" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasy8/ news. html?sid=2448835). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-01-08. [96] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ ff8/ [97] http:/ / www. final-fantasyviii. com/

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''Final Fantasy IX''

205

''Final Fantasy IX'' Final Fantasy IX

North American box art Developer(s)

Square

Publisher(s)

Square Square Electronic Arts PAL Square Europe EU Infogrames (Platinum) NA

Designer(s)

Hironobu Sakaguchi (Producer - Director - Concept Story) Hiroyuki ItĹ? (Director)

Artist(s)

Toshiyuki Itahana Yoshitaka Amano

Writer(s)

Kazuhiko Aoki Toshiyuki Momose

Composer(s)

Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy

Platform(s)

PlayStation

Release date(s) PlayStation JP July 7, 2000 NA November 14, 2000 EU February 16, 2001 AUS February 22, 2001 PlayStation Network JP May 20, 2010 NA TBA EU May 26, 2010 Genre(s)

Role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player, limited multiplayer

Rating(s)

CERO: A ELSPA: 11+ ESRB: T OFLC: M USK: 6+

Media

4 CD-ROMs

Input methods Gamepad

''Final Fantasy IX''

Final Fantasy IX (ファイナルファンタジーIXFainaru Fantajī Nain) is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) as the ninth installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2000 and is the third and last numbered Final Fantasy game for Sony's PlayStation. The game introduced new features to the series, such as the "Active Time Event", "Mognet", and a revamped equipment and skill system. In this early boss battle, Steiner attacks the enemy Set in the fantasy world of Gaia, Final Fantasy IX's plot centers on a while Zidane awaits the player's input. war between several nations. Players follow a young thief named Zidane Tribal, who joins with several others to defeat Queen Brahne of Alexandria, who started the war. The plot shifts, however, when the characters realize that Brahne is a puppet for an arms dealer called Kuja.

Final Fantasy IX was developed alongside Final Fantasy VIII, but took a different path to return to the style of the early Final Fantasy games with a more traditional fantasy setting; consequently, Final Fantasy IX was influenced heavily by the original Final Fantasy game, and features allusions to other titles in the series. The music was scored by the then regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu. The game has been subject to generally positive reviews, but received mixed opinions for being similar to the older Final Fantasy games in style. Final Fantasy IX was commercially successful, selling 5.30 million units worldwide as of March 31, 2003.

Gameplay In Final Fantasy IX, the player navigates a character throughout the game world, exploring areas and interacting with non-player characters. Most of the game occurs in towns, dungeons, caves, and similar areas, which are referred to as "field screens".[1] To aid exploration on the field screen, Final Fantasy IX introduces the "field icon", an exclamation mark appearing over their lead character's head, signaling that an item or sign is nearby.[1] [2] Players speak with moogles to record their progress, restore life energy with a tent, and The field icon indicates that an object can be purchase items[3] — a deviation from previous installments, which inspected, as is the case with this ticket booth. used a save point to perform these functions. Moogles may request that the playable character deliver letters to other Moogles via "Mognet".[1] Players journey between field screen locations via the world map, a three dimensional, downsized representation of Final Fantasy IX's world presented from a top-down perspective.[1] Players can freely navigate around the world map screen unless restricted by terrain, such as water or mountains. To overcome geographical limitations, players can ride emu-like chocobos, sail on a boat, or pilot airships. Like previous Final Fantasy installments, travel across the world map screen and hostile field screen locations is interrupted by random enemy encounters.[1] [4] Final Fantasy IX offers a new approach to town exploration with Active Time Events (ATE), which provide character development, special items, and prompts for key story-altering decisions.[1] At specific points, the player may view events that are occurring simultaneously. ATE is occasionally used to simultaneously control two teams when the party is divided to solve puzzles and navigate mazes.

206

''Final Fantasy IX''

Combat Whenever the playable character encounters an enemy, the map changes to the "battle screen". On the battle screen, the enemy appears on the opposite side of the characters; each battle uses the familiar Active Time Battle system that was first featured in Final Fantasy IV.[4] The character's command list is presented in a window opposite the ATB gauge list; while all characters can physically attack the enemy or use an item from the player's inventory, they also possess unique abilities. For instance, the thief Zidane can steal items from the enemy, Eiko and Garnet can summon "eidolons" to aid the party, and Vivi can use black magic to damage the opposition.[1] These character-specific commands change when the player goes into "Trance mode", which is activated for a short duration when an uncontrollable gauge fills as character sustains damage in a style similar to the Limit Breaks used in Final Fantasy VII. When the gauge is full, the character's strength is amplified, and the player can select special attack commands.[5] Zidane's "Skill" command list, for example, changes to "Dyne", allowing him to execute powerful attacks; Vivi's "Black Magic" command evolves into "Double Black", allowing him to cast two magic spells simultaneously.[1] Through the Configuration screen, the player can change the Battle Style from Normal to Custom, which allows two players to control any combination of characters during battle. However, two controllers must be plugged into the PlayStation.[5] A character's performance in battle is determined by numerical values ("statistics") for categories such as speed, strength, and magical power. Character statistics are driven by experience; when players win battles, they are awarded "experience points", which accumulate until characters gain "experience levels". When characters "level up", the statistics for their attributes permanently increase, which may also be amplified by the types of equipment the character is wearing. Winning battles also awards the player money (Gil), Tetra Master playing cards, and ability points (AP).[1]

Abilities and equipment Final Fantasy IX deviates from the style of customizable characters featured in the last two titles by reviving the character class concept, which designates a character to a certain role in battle.[6] [7] For instance, Vivi is designated as a black mage and is the only character who can use black magic, and Steiner is a knight and is the only character who can use sword skills.[1] [5] The basic function of equipment in Final Fantasy games is to increase character attributes; arming Zidane with a Mythril Vest, for example, increases his base defense statistic. In Final Fantasy IX, weapons and armor include special character abilities, which the character may use once the item is equipped (permitting that the ability matches their class). Once the character accumulates enough ability points in battle, the ability becomes usable without having to keep the item equipped.[1] In addition to granting abilities the equipment in Final Fantasy IX determines the statistical growth of the characters at the time of level up. Armor not only raises base defense or evasion statistics but raises defense and/or other statistics at level up.[8] Abilities are classified into action and support categories. Action abilities consume magic points (MP) and include magic spells and special moves that are used in battle. Support abilities provide functions that remain in effect indefinitely (e.g., the support ability "Antibody" nullifies poisonous attacks), and must be equipped with magic stones to be functional. The maximum number of these stones increases as the characters level up.[1] [5]

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''Final Fantasy IX''

Plot Setting Final Fantasy IX takes place primarily on the four continents of a world named Gaia (homonymous with Final Fantasy VII's Gaia, but not the same world). Most of Gaia's population reside on the Mist Continent, named so because the entire continent is blanketed in thick Mist. Lands outside the Mist Continentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Outer, Lost and Forgotten continentsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;are uncharted territories not explored until midway through the game. Several locations on the parallel world of Terra and the dream land of Memoria round out the game's areas. The Mist Continent features four factions: Alexandria, Lindblum, Burmecia, and Cleyra. Each country is separated by mountain ranges; the isolated Cleyran civilization, nestled in a giant tree in the desert, is protected by a sandstorm summoned by the village elders. Gaia is inhabited by humans and various non-human races. Alexandria and Lindblum are both populated by a mix of humans and anthropomorphic animals. The Burmecians are anthropomorphic rats who live in both Burmecia and Cleyra. The Cleyrans, who value dance, split from the Burmecians when the latter started to appreciate "the art of war". The dwarves are short humanoid creatures who appear as inhabitants of the village of Conde Petie on the Outer Continent. There is also a village of black mages that have gained sentient thought which reside in the Outer Continent as well. The Genomes, an artificial race of soulless vessels, inhabit Terra; they will house the once-dormant Terran souls when Terra assimilates Gaia. Summoners are similar to other humans, but with a horn on their forehead. In the story, only two summoners remain (Garnet and Eiko); the others were exterminated when the Terran warship Invincible destroyed their homeland of Madain Sari. Lastly, the Qu are large, seemingly androgynous humanoids,[9] who are recognized as fine gourmands. They inhabit marshlands throughout the world where they catch their main source of nutrition: frogs. In Final Fantasy IX, the game's developers sought to make the game's environment more "fantasy-oriented" than its PlayStation predecessors. Since the creators wanted to prevent the series from following a redundant setting, Final Fantasy IX distinctly breaks from the futuristic styles of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII by reintroducing a medieval setting.[4] In the game, steam technology is just beginning to become widely available; the population relies on hydropower or wind power for energy sources, but sometimes harness Mist or steam to power more advanced engines.[10] Continuing with the medieval theme, the game's setting is inspired by Norse and Northern European mythology. According to director Hiroyuki ItĹ?, "[The development team is] attracted to European history and mythology because of its depth and its drama".[11] The main Final Fantasy IX website says the development of the game's world serves as a culmination of the series by blending the "successful elements of the past, such as a return to the fantasy roots," with newer elements.[9]

Characters The eight main playable characters in Final Fantasy IX are Zidane Tribal, a member of a group of bandits called Tantalus masquerading as a theater troupe; Garnet Til Alexandros XVII (alias Dagger), the Princess of Alexandria who has a strange connection to "Eidolons", Vivi Orunitia, a young, timid, and kind black mage trying to find the meaning of his existence; Adelbert Steiner, the Captain of the Knights of Pluto and loyal servant of Alexandria and Princess Garnet; Freya Crescent, a dragon knight from the city of Burmecia looking for her lost love; Quina Quen, a Qu whose master wants him/her to travel the world so that s/he will learn about cuisine; Eiko Carol, a six-year-old girl living in Madain Sari, the lost village of the eidolon summoners, and along with Garnet, one of the last two remaining summoners; and Amarant Coral, a bounty hunter hired to return Garnet to Alexandria.[9] Other main characters include Regent Cid Fabool, the charismatic leader of Lindblum; Queen Brahne, Garnet's mother and the power-hungry Queen of Alexandria; General Beatrix, the powerful leader of the female knights of Alexandria; and antagonist Kuja, an arms dealer and enemy of Gaia. Other minor characters and groups also appear, such as Blank, Zidane's good friend and band partner but their significance and back-stories are revealed as the game progresses.

208

''Final Fantasy IX'' During development, the creators made the characters a high priority.[11] The return to the series' roots also affected the characters' designs, which resulted in characters with "comic-like looks".[11] Uematsu commented that the design staff attempted to give the characters realism while still appearing comic-like.[11] To accomplish this, and to satisfy fans who had become used to the realistic designs of Final Fantasy VIII, the designers stressed creating characters with whom the player could easily relate.[11]

Story Final Fantasy IX begins with Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe kidnapping Princess Garnet during her sixteenth birthday celebration. The group learns that Garnet, who is concerned about Queen Brahne's increasingly erratic behavior, actually wanted to escape to Lindblum to meet with Regent Cid,[12] and had planned to stow away on the theater ship. The Troupe's airship, Prima Vista, is damaged during the escape; it crashes in the Evil Forest, prompting Zidane to continue the trek to Lindblum without the rest of Tantalus.[13] Zidane and Garnet are accompanied by Vivi and Steiner, who became entangled with Tantalus during their escape from Alexandria. During their journey, Garnet adopts the alias "Dagger" and struggles to mingle with the locals.[14] The group learns of a factory inside the village of Dali, that manufactures soulless black mage warriors for Alexandria's use. Brahne dispatches three powerful ones called Black Waltzes to retrieve Garnet by force, but their mission ends in failure. In Lindblum, Zidane meets Freya and joins in Lindblum's Festival of the Hunt. Regent Cid has been turned into a bug-like oglop by his wife Hilda, for his womanizing behavior.[15] Wishing to protect Garnet from Brahne's newfound aggression, he had ordered Tantalus to kidnap her.[16] When the group learns that Alexandria has invaded Burmecia, Freya investigates the situation with Zidane and Vivi, while Dagger and Steiner head to Alexandria to ask Brahne to stop the war.[17] Both parties are powerless to stop her, and Dagger has her eidolons forcibly extracted from her body.[18] Brahne uses one of Dagger's eidolons, Odin to destroy Cleyra, escaping on Brahne's ship the Red Rose, they head to Alexandria to save Dagger. Ecaping from capture Steiner meets up with the others. They find Dagger and escape but not before gaining an ally in Beatrix. She stays behind with Freya and Steiner to help the retreat of Zidane, Dagger and Vivi. Their initial plan of going to Treno failed and they crashed into Pinnicle Rocks. Restoring her faith in herself and receiving the Eidolon Ramuh they continue towards Lindblum. Only to find that Brahne is attacking, destroying one of the districts with another of Dagger's stolen Eidolon, Atomos forcing Cid to surrender.[19] Afterward, Cid tells the party about Brahne's arms dealer, Kuja.[20] The party travels to the Outer Continent, the location of Kuja's headquarters, through an underground tunnel with the help of Quina.[21] There, the party meets a young summoner named Eiko, who assumes herself to be the last survivor of Madain Sari. They also discover a village inhabited by self-aware Black Mages. Their pursuit of Kuja leads them to the nearby Iifa Tree, an entity that dissipates fighting-stimulant Mist.[22] They also learn that Kuja uses Mist to create the Black Mages.[23] The party defeats the Iifa Tree's core and stops the Mist from flowing. When the party returns to Madain Sari, they confront Amarant, who was hired by Brahne to apprehend Dagger. Dagger slowly realizes that she is also a Summoner from Madain Sari. Amarant joins the party for his own reasons. At the Iifa Tree, Brahne turns against Kuja and intends to kill him with the eidolon Bahamut.[24] However, Kuja uses the airship Invincible to gain control of Bahamut, killing Brahne and defeating her army.[25] The party returns to Alexandria, and Garnet is crowned Queen. Afterward, Kuja assaults Alexandria with Bahamut. Eiko and Garnet summon the legendary eidolon Alexander, who overpowers Bahamut. Kuja attempts to control Alexander using the Invincible, but is foiled by a mysterious old man named Garland, who destroys Alexander and parts of Alexandria.[26] Kuja, still intent on mastering a powerful eidolon to defeat Garland, shifts his attention to Eiko.[27] The party learns of Kuja's Desert Palace and attempts an assault. However, Kuja imprisons the party and escapes with Eiko to extract her eidolons. During the extraction attempt, Eiko's guardian moogle Mog uses Trance to transform into her true form, the eidolon Madeen, disrupting the process.[28] Learning of the powers of Trance,[29] Kuja escapes to further his aim of defeating Garland.[30] The party rescues Eiko and also finds Hilda, who turns Cid

209

''Final Fantasy IX'' back into a human. He is now able to design an airship for the party that does not need Mist for power.[31] With Hilda's aid,[32] the party pursues Kuja to Terra by opening a portal. In the Terran town of Bran Bal, it is revealed that Garland was created by the people of Terra to orchestrate the process of assimilating Terra into Gaia, as Terra was a dying world. Garland created Genomes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; intelligent, sentient beings who lack souls â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to become future vessels for the souls of the Terrans.[33] The Iifa Tree's existence,[34] the phenomenon of Mist,[35] the eidolon's destruction,[36] and even Kuja and Zidane's true purpose of existence,[37] were part of the process. Angered by Garland's motives, the party confronts him. However, Kuja has now obtained enough souls to achieve Trance.[38] Trance Kuja ends Garland's life, but not before Garland warns him of his limited lifespan, and that Zidane was created to replace him.[39] Enraged by this revelation, Kuja destroys Terra while the party rescues the Genomes and returns to Gaia on the Invincible. The party discovers that Mist has returned and now envelops all of Gaia. Assisted by the combined forces of Burmecia, Lindblum, and Alexandria, they travel to the Iifa Tree, where they are teleported to a mysterious location called Memoria. The spirit of Garland guides the party to Kuja. When Kuja is defeated, he uses his Trance abilities to destroy the Crystal, the source of life,[40] prompting the appearance of Necron, the "Eternal Darkness" bent on destroying life.[41] After Necron is defeated, Memoria and the Iifa Tree collapse. Although Kuja teleports the party to safety, Zidane returns to save him, and is later assumed to have died with Kuja in the collapse.[42] Some time later, Alexandria has been rebuilt, and Tantalus arrives in Alexandria to perform "I Want To Be Your Canary" for Queen Garnet. Early scenes reveal what has happened to many of the main characters. Steiner and Beatrix have returned to their old posts as royal bodyguards and have also become romantically involved; Eiko has been adopted by Regent Cid and Lady Hilda; Freya is attempting to start over with her former love, Sir Fratley; Amarant is reunited with Lani while on his way to Alexandria; Quina has now become the head chef of the Alexandria Castle kitchen; and black mages looking identical to Vivi are identified as Vivi's sons. In between these scenes a monologue is given by Vivi where he reminisces about the adventures they had together and bids farewell to everyone, indicating his death due to his limited lifespan. The game reaches its final moments with the play being performed. During the performance, one of the performers removes his robe and reveals himself to be Zidane, saved by Kuja's barrier from the collapsing Iifa tree. Garnet rushes onto the stage and embraces Zidane and the credits roll.

Development and release Development of Final Fantasy IX began before Square had finished development on its predecessor, Final Fantasy VIII.[11] The game was developed in Hawaii as a compromise to developers living in the United States.[11] As the series' last game on the PlayStation, Sakaguchi envisioned a "reflection" on the older titles of the series. Leading up to its release, Sakaguchi called Final Fantasy IX his favorite Final Fantasy game as "it's closest to [his] ideal view of what Final Fantasy should be".[43] This shift was also a response to demands from fans and other developers.[11] Additionally, the team wanted to create an understandable story with deep character development; this led to the creation of Active Time Events.[11]

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''Final Fantasy IX''

In the game's conceptual stage, the developers made it clear that the title would not necessarily be Final Fantasy IX, as its break from the realism of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII may have alienated audiences. This led fans to speculate that it would be released as a "gaiden" to the main series.[44] By late 1999, however, Square had confirmed that the game would indeed be published as Final Fantasy IX, and by early 2000, the game was nearly finished. The developers made several adjustments to the game, such as changing the ending seven times.[11]

211

Vivi, Zidane, Garnet, and Steiner in a full motion video sequence; their features are comically exaggerated compared to the realistic style of Final Fantasy VIII.

Final Fantasy IX's release was delayed to avoid a concurrent release with then rival Enix's Dragon Quest VII. On October 7, 2000, a demo day for the North American version of Final Fantasy IX was held at the Metreon in San Francisco, California.[45] The first American release of the game was also at the Metreon; limited edition merchandise was included with the game, and fans cosplayed as Final Fantasy characters in celebration of the release.[46] In Canada, a production error left copies of Final Fantasy IX without an English version of the instruction manual, prompting Square to ship copies of the English manual to Canadian stores several days later.[47] The game was heavily promoted both before and after its release. Starting on March 6, 2000, Final Fantasy IX characters were used in a line of computer-generated Coca-Cola commercials. Figurines of several characters were also used as prizes in Coca-Cola's marketing campaign.[48] That same year, IGN awarded Final Fantasy dolls and figurines for prizes in several of their contests.[49] Final Fantasy IX was also the benchmark of Square's interactive PlayOnline service. PlayOnline was originally developed to interact with Final Fantasy X, but when those plans fell through it became a strategy site for Final Fantasy IX. The site was designed to complement BradyGames' and Piggyback Interactive's official strategy guides for the game, where players who bought the print guide had access to "keywords" that could be searched for on PlayOnline's site for extra tips and information. This caused fury among buyers of the guide, as they felt cheated for the expensive print guide. The blunder made GameSpy's "Top 5 Dumbest Moments in Gaming" list,[50] and Square dropped the idea for Final Fantasy X, which was under development at the time.

PlayStation Network Release On 2 April 2010, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy IX would be released as a PSOne Classic on the Japanese PlayStation Network, like its predecessors Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII, on May 20. Ami Blaire, the Vice President of Marketing for Square Enix posted on the PlayStation Blog May 7, 2010 that the game would be released in North America. It was released on the PlayStation Network on May 26, 2010 in Europe.

Music The music of Final Fantasy IX was created by Nobuo Uematsu, his last exclusive Final Fantasy score. In discussions with ItĹ?, Uematsu was told "It'd be fine if you compose tracks for the eight characters, an exciting battle track, a gloomy, danger-evoking piece, and around ten tracks or so." However, Uematsu spent an estimated year composing and producing "around 160" pieces for Final Fantasy IX, with 140 appearing in the game.[51] [52] Nobuo Uematsu composed with a piano and used two contrasting methods: "I create music that fits the events in the game, but sometimes, the event designer will adjust a game event to fit the music I've already written."[52] Uematsu felt Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII had a mood of realism, but Final Fantasy IX was fantasy, so "a serious piece as well as silly, fun pieces could fit in." He felt the theme was medieval music, and was given a break to travel in Europe for inspirationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;"looking at old castles in Germany and so on". The music was not entirely composed in the medieval mode; Uematsu claims that "it would be unbalanced" and "a little boring". He aimed for a "simple,

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212

warm" style and included uncommon instruments such as a kazoo and dulcimer. Uematsu also included motifs from older Final Fantasy games "because Final Fantasy IX was returning to the roots, so to speak" and incorporated ideas such as "the old intro for battle music" and arranged the Volcano theme from Final Fantasy and the Pandemonium theme from Final Fantasy II.[51] [52] Tantalus' band is also heard playing "Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony" from Final Fantasy VII near the beginning of the game. Uematsu was twice reported claiming without hesitation that Final Fantasy IX was his favorite score.[53] [54] The original soundtrack for the game has 110 tracks; an additional soundtrack, Final Fantasy IX Original Soundtrack PLUS, was released with 42 more new tracks. Like Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy IX features a J-pop ballad, Melodies of Life. The song was composed by Uematsu, written by Hiroyuki Ito (as Shiomi) in Japanese and Alexander O. Smith in English, and performed by Emiko Shiratori. The song itself was sung in Japanese for the Japanese release of the game, and in English for the North American and European releases.

Reception Although a top-seller at the time,[55] Final Fantasy IX did not sell as well as Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy VIII in either Japan or the United States.[56] [57] As of March 31, 2003, the game had sold 5.30 million copies worldwide.[58] The game was voted the 24th-best game of all time by readers of the Japanese magazine Famitsu[59] and 42nd by the users of the website GameFAQs.[60] Final Fantasy IX also achieved an average review score of 94% on Metacritic, the highest score a Final Fantasy game has received on the site.[61]

Critical response Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator

Score [62]

GameRankings

92% (51 reviews)

Metacritic

94 out of 100 (22 reviews)

[61]

Review scores Publication

Score [63]

Famitsu

38 out of 40

Game Informer

9.75 out of 10

[64]

[65]

GamePro

[5]

GameSpot

8.5 out of 10

IGN

9.2 out of 10

[4]

Awards 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards: • • •

[66] Console RPG of the Year Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction Outstanding Achievement in Animation 6th Annual Golden Satellite Awards:

•

[67] Best Interactive Product/Videogame

''Final Fantasy IX''

Reviews for the game were generally positive, with praise to the graphics and nostalgic elements. Critics pointed out that the strength of the game lies on the gameplay, character development, and visual representation. GameSpot noted that the learning curve is easily grasped, and the ability system is not as complex as in Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy VIII.[5] Each player character possesses unique abilities, which hinders the development of an over-powered character. GameSpot describes the battle system as having a tactical nature and the expanded party allowing for more interaction between players and between enemies.[5] Nevertheless, IGN disliked the lengthy combat pace and the repeated battles, describing it as aggravating, and RPGFan feels the Trance system to be ineffective as the meter buildup is slow and unpredictable, with characters Trancing just before the enemy is killed.[4] [68] The characters and graphics received positive reviews. Although IGN feels the in-depth character traits in Final Fantasy IX could be generally found in other Final Fantasy games, they are nevertheless engaging and sympathetic.[4] GameSpot finds the characters, up to their dialogue and traits, amusing and full of humor.[5] IGN also noted that the Active Time Event system helps to expand the player's understanding of the characters' personalities as they question many ideas and emotions.[4] Their super-deformed appearance, which also covers monsters of every size, contain detailed animation and design. They gave praise to the pre-rendered backgrounds, noting the careful attention given to the artwork, movement and animations as well as character interactivity. The movies are seen as emotive and compelling, and the seamless transition and incorporation to the in-game graphics helped to move the plot well.[68] On the other hand, critics acknowledged that the overall story is recycled from previous Final Fantasy installments and other role-playing games. However, the repeated elements such as evil kingdoms and enigmatic villains are believed by RPGFan as an attempt to emulate the elements of previous Final Fantasy plot and storyline.[68] The main villain, though considered by GameSpot to be the least threatening in the series,[5] is seen by IGN as a mixture of past villains through behavior and appearance.[4] Mixed reactions were given to the audio aspects of the game. Some reviewers, such as RPGFan feels the sound effect and music "uninspired, dull and annoying"; IGN and GameSpot acknowledges that only a handful of the tracks are memorable, while GamePro praised the audio for evoking "emotions throughout the story, from battles... to comedy".[4] [5] [65] They leveled criticism on composer Nobuo Uematsu who seemed to have only reused and simplified the scores of past series. Nevertheless, reviewers have come to agree that this and many other elements are part of the overall effort to create a nostalgic title for fans of the older Final Fantasy titles.[4] [5] [68] The strategy guide also gained criticism; it urged buyers to log on to an online site to gain the information, instead of providing it within the actual guide. The book's given links are no longer accessible on the PlayOnline website. Tetra Master was seen by GameSpot as inferior and confusing compared to Final Fantasy VIII's minigame Triple Triad, as the rules for it were only vaguely explained in the game and there were very few rewards earned from playing it despite its expansive nature.[5]

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References [1] Square Enix staff, ed (2000). Final Fantasy IX instruction manual. Square Co.. p. 29. SLUS-01251. [2] Square Nation. "INFORMATION & REVIEWS" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20061212043620/ http:/ / www. squarenation. com/ ffix/ ). Square Nation. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. squarenation. com/ ffix/ ) on 2006-12-12. . Retrieved 2006-08-19. [3] Cuellar, Jose (2001-02-07). "Magic of `Final Fantasy IX' creates best in series" (http:/ / www. nd. edu/ ~observer/ 02072001/ Scene/ 2. html). The Observer (Notre Dame). . Retrieved 2006-08-19. [4] Smith, David (2000). "Final Fantasy IX Review" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 162/ 162190p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-06-13. [5] Vestal, Andrew (2000-07-19). "Final Fantasy IX Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasy9/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-13. [6] Square Electronic Arts, ed (1997). Final Fantasy VII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 20–25. SCUS-94163. [7] Square Electronic Arts, ed (1999). Final Fantasy VIII North American instruction manual. Square Electronic Arts. pp. 20, 24, 36. SLUS-00892GH. [8] "Final Fantasy IX Max Stats Guide by FADFC" (http:/ / www. gamefaqs. com/ console/ psx/ file/ 197338/ 20745). GameFAQs. 2004-11-20. . Retrieved 2008-07-01. [9] "Final Fantasy IX" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFIX-gamesite/ ). North American Square Enix. . Retrieved 2007-06-09. [10] Man: I'll be joining a team of engineers who are developing a new engine that runs without Mist. The world outside the Mist Continent is uncharted territory, but there's no need to worry about our safety if we can explore it on an airship. Regent Cid is an advocate of technological advancement. Oh, sorry. I talked your ear off." [11] "The Final Fantasy IX Team Spills All" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 085/ 085276p1. html). IGN. 2000-09-20. . Retrieved 2007-06-16. [12] Garnet: I am actually... Princess Garnet Til Alexandros, heir to the throne of Alexandria. I have a favor I wish to ask of you... I wish to be kidnapped...right away. [13] Baku: So, you're leaving, eh? / Zidane: Yeah... I promised Garnet I'd kidnap her. [14] Garnet: I will be called Dagger from now on. [15] Regent Cid: "When Hilda found out about my little affair, she used her magic and turned me into an oglop. [16] Dagger: Uncle Cid hired Tantalus out of concern for my safety. [17] Dagger: I have to help Mother... I don't want to see anything happen to her... / Steiner: Very well. Princess, I will follow you wherever you choose. [18] Queen Brahne: Zorn, Thorn! Prepare to extract the eidolons from Garnet. [19] Minister Artania: Yes, Princess. The castle was spared. Regent Cid is alive. [20] Regent Cid: I believe Kuja is the only one supplying <gwok> Brahne with weapons. [21] Minister Artania: That he came from the north suggests he's from the Outer Continent. [22] Soulcage: I contaminate the other continents with Mist to stimulate the fighting instinct. [23] Zidane: What kind of weapons did Kuja make? / Soulcage: Kuja called them black mages, dark spawn of the Mist. [24] Queen Brahne: Kuja! So you finally decided to show your girly face here! You're all that stands between me and total domination! [25] Kuja: Excellent, Bahamut! Power, mobility... You truly are the best! You even hurt me...a little. And you, Brahne... Your tragic role in this drama now comes to an end! [26] Garland: You have gone too far, Kuja. I granted you the freedom to do as you wish in Gaia for one purpose alone. Now that you have lost sight of your mission, I will no longer tolerate your actions. [27] Kuja: I sense power from within her. Continue the extraction!" [28] Eiko: Mog saved me... I never knew that Mog was an eidolon. She always looked after me...disguised as a moogle. [29] Kuja: How can that--That moogle went into a Trance!? So...an eruption of anger against one's surroundings induces a complete Trance! It's not the will to live, nor is it the desire to protect another! [30] Kuja:I need an eidolon more powerful than Alexander! An eidolon with the power to bury Garland! His powers are so incredible; I cannot even come close. I must destroy him before Terra's plan is activated, or my soul will no longer be my own! [31] Hilda: Alright. I'll turn you back. But it's going to be much worse if you ever cheat on me again! / Regent Cid: I...I understand. Now turn me back! [32] Hilda: You may find a clue if you go to Ipsen's Castle. / Eiko: Did you ask Kuja about all of this? / Hilda: These are things he discussed voluntarily. [33] Garland: I constructed the Genomes to be vessels for the souls of the people of Terra when they awaken. [34] Garland: the Iifa Tree blocks the flow of Gaia's souls, while it lets those of Terra flow freely. [35] Garland: The role of the Iifa Tree is that of Soul Divider. The Mist you see comprises the stagnant souls of Gaia... [36] Garland: I feared Gaia's eidolons more than anything... However, I decided to deal with them before they became a major problem. [37] Zidane: So...Kuja is just an angel of death who sends souls to the Tree of Iifa. / Garland: Yes, my angel of death. But only until you came of age. [38] Kuja': The Invincible is mine! Now, I have the power to control all souls! Garland gave me everything without a fight. The old fool was too busy dealing with him. [39] Garland's voice: Do you think a defect like you could last forever...? / Kuja: ...What? What do you mean!?" / Garland's voice: I built you to last only until the worthy Genome, Zidane, grew. It was too dangerous to let you last any longer than that.

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''Final Fantasy IX'' [40] Kuja: It's the original crystal... This is where it all began... The birthplace of all things... Once I destroy it, everything will be gone. Gaia, Terra, the universe, everything... [41] Necron: I exist for one purpose... To return everything back to the zero world, where there is no life and no crystal to give life. [42] Zidane: ...Kuja's still alive. I can't just leave him. [43] IGN Staff (2000-04-05). "Interview with Hironobu Sakaguchi" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 077/ 077571p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-06-16. [44] NGO Staff (1999-05-24). "New Final Fantasy revealed" (http:/ / rca. vnm. zhdk. ch/ mirrors/ thegia/ sites/ www. thegia. com/ news/ n990524a. html). Gaming Intelligence Agency. . Retrieved 2007-06-16. [45] IGN Staff (2000-10-02). "Square EA Holds FFIX Demo Day" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 085/ 085810p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-06-15. [46] IGN Staff (2000-11-13). "Final Fantasy IX Goes on Sale Early" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 087/ 087740p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-06-15. [47] IGN Staff (2000-11-20). "Canadian Customers Get FFIX in French" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 088/ 088111p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-06-15. [48] IGN Staff (2000-03-31). "TGS: Final Fantasy IX Characters Do Coke" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 077/ 077377p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-06-15. [49] IGN Staff (2000-11-27). "Win Vivi from FFIX!" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 088/ 088315p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-06-15. [50] "The 25 Dumbest Moments in Gaming - Readers' Top 5" (http:/ / archive. gamespy. com/ articles/ june03/ dumbestmoments/ readers/ ). GameSpy. 2003-06-14. . Retrieved 2006-11-23. [51] "Nobuo Uematsu Interview by Weekly Famitsu" (http:/ / www. nobuouematsu. com/ nobrpg. html). Famitsu. . Retrieved 2007-06-17. [52] Zdyrko, Dave (2000-09-21). "The Final Fantasy IX Team Spills All" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20001203212500/ http:/ / psx. ign. com/ news/ 25276. html). IGN. Archived from the original (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ news/ 25276. html) on 2000-12-03. . Retrieved 2007-06-17. [53] Taylor, Stu. "“SMILE, PLEASE!”: NEO INTERVIEWS FINAL FANTASY COMPOSER, NOBUO UEMATSU" (http:/ / www. neomag. co. uk/ article. asp?IntID=14). Neo. . Retrieved 2007-06-17. [54] Fahey, Rob (2005-02-02). "Focus On: Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu" (http:/ / www. gamesindustry. biz/ articles/ focus-on-final-fantasy-composer-nobuo-uematsu). GamesIndustry.biz. . Retrieved 2007-06-18. [55] IGN Staff (2000-12-19). "Final Fantasy IX Is Number One" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 089/ 089238p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-03-07. [56] "Japan Platinum Game Chart" (http:/ / www. the-magicbox. com/ topten2. htm). the-magicbox.com. . Retrieved 2006-03-07. [57] "US Platinum Videogame Chart" (http:/ / www. the-magicbox. com/ Chart-USPlatinum. shtml). the-magicbox.com. . Retrieved 2006-03-07. [58] "Titles of game software with worldwide shipments exceeding 1 million copies" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ ir/ e/ explanatory/ download/ 0404-200402090000-01. pdf#page=27). Square Enix. 2004-02-09. pp. 27. . Retrieved 2008-03-01. [59] Campbell, Colin (2006-03-03). "Japan Votes on All Time Top 100" (http:/ / www. edge-online. com/ features/ japan-votes-all-time-top-100). Next Generation. . Retrieved 2006-08-26. [60] GameFAQs Site Staff (2005). "Fall 2005: 10-Year Anniversary Contest - The 10 Best Games Ever" (http:/ / www. gamefaqs. com/ features/ contest/ top10). GameFAQs. . Retrieved 2007-06-21. [61] "Final Fantasy IX" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ psx/ finalfantasy9). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2007-04-28. [62] "Final Fantasy IX Reviews" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ ps/ 197338-final-fantasy-ix/ index. html). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2006-03-11. [63] "Final Fantasy - Famitsu Scores Archive" (http:/ / fs. finalfantasytr. com/ search. asp?query=final+ fantasy). Famitsu Scores Archive. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [64] McNamara, Andy. "Final Fantasy IX review" (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ Games/ Review/ 200212/ R03. 0620. 1355. 35250. htm). Game Informer. . Retrieved 2008-03-23. [65] Uncledust (2000-11-15). "Review: Final Fantasy IX" (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ reviews/ 7357/ final-fantasy-ix/ ). GamePro. . Retrieved 2008-01-06. [66] "4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards: Winners" (http:/ / www. interactive. org/ awards/ annual_awards. asp?idAward=2001). interactive.org. . Retrieved 2006-03-11. [67] Witham, Joseph (2002-01-23). "Final Fantasy IX wins Golden Satellite Award" (http:/ / rpgamer. com/ news/ Q1-2002/ 012302c. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-08-27. [68] Sensei Phoenix (2000). "Final Fantasy IX Review" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ reviews/ finalfantasy9/ Final_Fantasy_9-2. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2007-06-16.

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216

Game quotes Square. Final Fantasy IX. (Square). PlayStation. (2000-11-14)

External links • Official North American Final Fantasy IX website (http://na.square-enix.com/games/FFIX-gamesite/) • Final Fantasy IX (http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_IX) at Wikia

''Final Fantasy X'' Final Fantasy X

NTSC box art Developer(s)

Square

Publisher(s)

Square Square EA PAL SCE Europe NA

Director(s)

Motomu Toriyama Takayoshi Nakazato Toshiro Tsuchida

Producer(s)

Yoshinori Kitase

Artist(s)

Tetsuya Nomura

Writer(s)

Kazushige Nojima

Composer(s)

Nobuo Uematsu Masashi Hamauzu Junya Nakano

Series

Final Fantasy

Aspect ratio

4:3 (NTSC) 16:9 (PAL)

Platform(s)

PlayStation 2

Release date(s)

July 19, 2001 December 20, 2001 INT January 31, 2002 AUS May 17, 2002 EU May 29, 2002 NA

Genre(s)

Role-playing game

''Final Fantasy X''

217 Mode(s)

Single-player

Rating(s)

CERO: 12+ ELSPA: 11+ ESRB: T OFLC: M15+ USK: 12+

Media

1 DVD-ROM

Input methods Gamepad

Final Fantasy X (ファイナルファンタジーXFainaru Fantajī Ten) is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) as the tenth title in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2001 for Sony's PlayStation 2.[1] The game marks the Final Fantasy series' transition from entirely pre-rendered backdrops to fully three-dimensional areas, and is also the first in the series to feature voice acting. Final Fantasy X replaces the Active Time Battle (ATB) system with a new Conditional Turn-Based Battle (CTB) system, and uses a new leveling system called the "Sphere Grid". Set in the fantasy world of Spira, the game's story centers around a group of adventurers and their quest to defeat a rampaging monster known as "Sin". The player character is Tidus, a blitzball star who finds himself in Spira after his home city of Zanarkand is destroyed by Sin. During the game, Tidus, along with several others, aids the summoner Yuna on her pilgrimage to destroy Sin. Development of Final Fantasy X began in 1999, with a budget of more than US$32.3 million and a team of more than 100 people. The game was the first in the main series not entirely scored by Nobuo Uematsu; Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano were signed as Uematsu's fellow composers. Final Fantasy X was both a critical and commercial success. It was voted by the readers of the Japanese video game magazine Famitsu to be the greatest video game of all-time. As of January 2004, the game has sold 6.6 million units worldwide. In 2003, it was followed by Final Fantasy X-2, making it the first Final Fantasy game to have a direct game sequel.

Gameplay Like previous games in the series, Final Fantasy X is presented in a third-person perspective, with players directly navigating the main character, Tidus, around the world to interact with objects and people. Unlike previous games, however, the world and town maps have been fully integrated, with terrain outside of cities rendered to scale. When an enemy is encountered, the environment switches to a turn-based battle area where characters and enemies await their turn to attack. The gameplay of Final Fantasy X differs from that of previous Final Fantasy games in its lack of a top-down perspective world map. Earlier games featured a miniature representation of the expansive areas between towns and other distinct locations, used for long-distance traveling. In Final Fantasy X, almost all the locations are essentially continuous and never fade out to a world map. Regional connections are mostly linear, forming a single path through the game's locations, though an airship becomes available late in the game, giving the player the ability to navigate the world of Spira faster. Like previous games in the series, Final Fantasy X features numerous minigames, most notably the fictional underwater sport "blitzball".[2]

''Final Fantasy X''

Combat Final Fantasy X introduces the Conditional Turn-Based Battle (CTB) system in place of the series' traditional Active Time Battle (ATB) system, first used in Final Fantasy IV. The new system was developed by battle director Toshiro Tsuchida, who had Final Fantasy IV in mind when developing the CTB system. Whereas the ATB concept features real-time elements, the CTB system is a turn-based format that pauses the battle during each of the player's turns. Thus, the CTB design allows the player to select an action without time pressure. A graphical timeline along the upper-right side of the screen details who will be A typical battle against a boss using a heads-up receiving turns next, and how various actions taken will affect the display to illustrate the battle information. subsequent order of turns. The player can control up to three characters in battle, though a swapping system allows the player to replace them with a character outside the active party at any time. "Limit Breaks", highly damaging special attacks, reappear in Final Fantasy X under the name "Overdrives". In this new incarnation of the feature, most of the techniques are interactive, requiring button inputs to increase their effectiveness.[3]

Final Fantasy X introduces an overhaul of the summoning system employed in previous games of the series. Whereas in previous titles a summoned creature would arrive, perform a single action, and then depart, the "aeons" of Final Fantasy X arrive and entirely replace the battle party, fighting in their place until either the enemy has been slain, the aeon itself has been defeated, or the aeon is dismissed by the player. Aeons have their own statistics, commands, special attacks, spells, and Overdrives. The player acquires five aeons over the course of the game, but three additional aeons can be obtained by completing various side-quests.[3]

Sphere Grid As with previous titles in the series, players have the opportunity to develop and improve their characters by defeating enemies and acquiring items, though the traditional experience point system is replaced by a new system called the "Sphere Grid". Instead of characters gaining pre-determined statistic bonuses for their attributes after leveling up, each character gains a "sphere level" after collecting enough ability points (AP). Sphere levels allow players to move around the Sphere Grid, a predetermined grid of interconnected nodes consisting of various statistic and ability bonuses. Items called "spheres" are applied to these nodes, unlocking its function for the selected character.[4] The Sphere Grid system also allows players to fully customize characters in contrast to their intended battle roles, such as turning the White Mage Yuna into a physical powerhouse and the swordsman Auron into a healer. The International and PAL versions of the game include an optional "Expert" version of the Sphere Grid; in these versions, all of the characters start in the middle of the grid and may follow whichever path the player chooses. As a trade-off, the Expert grid has fewer nodes in total, thus decreasing the total statistic upgrades available during the game.[5]

218

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Plot Setting Final Fantasy X is set in the fictional world of "Spira", and it consists of one large landmass divided into three subcontinents, surrounded by small tropical islands. It features diverse climates, ranging from the tropical Besaid and Kilika islands to the temperate Mi'ihen region to the frigid Macalania and Mt. Gagazet. Although it is predominantly populated by humans, Spira features a variety of races. Among them are the Al Bhed, a technologically advanced but disenfranchised sub-group of humans with distinctive green eyes and unique language. The Guado are less human in appearance, with elongated fingers and other differences. They also have a natural propensity for magic and conjuring monsters. Still less human in appearance are the large, lion-like Ronso, and the frog-like Hypello. A subset of the sentient races of Spira are the "unsent"â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the strong-willed spirits of the dead who remain in corporeal form. It is explained that the dead who are not "sent" to the Farplane by a summoner come to envy the living and transform into "fiends", the monsters that are encountered throughout the game. However, those with strong attachments may remain in human form as unsent. Other fauna in Spira, aside from those drawn from real animals, such as cats, dogs, birds, and butterflies, include the gigantic, amphibious "shoopuf", and the emu-like chocobo, which appears in most Final Fantasy games. Both are used primarily for transportation purposes. Most other unusual creatures encountered in Final Fantasy X are the aforementioned fiends. Spira is very different from the mainly European-style worlds found in previous Final Fantasy games, being much more closely modeled on Southeast Asia, most notably with respect to vegetation, topography, architecture, and names. Character designer Tetsuya Nomura has identified the South Pacific, Thailand, and Japan as major influences on the cultural and geographic design of Spira, particularly concerning the geographic location of the southern islands; Besaid and Kilika. He has also said that Spira deviates from the worlds of past Final Fantasy games in the level of detail incorporated, something he has expressed to have made a conscious effort to maintain during the design process.[6] Producer Yoshinori Kitase felt that if the setting went back to a medieval European fantasy, it would not seem to help the development team advance. While he was thinking of different world environments, scenario writer Kazushige Nojima suggested a fantasy world that incorporated Asian elements.[7]

Characters The seven main playable characters in Final Fantasy X are Tidus, a cheerful young teenager, the star blitzball player for the Zanarkand Abes. He has long resented his father, a renowned blitzball player who disappeared during Tidus's youth ; Yuna, the daughter of the High Summoner Braska, who defeated Sin to bring about the Calm, a time of peace. Yuna embarks on a pilgrimage to obtain the final aeon and defeat Sin; Kimahri Ronso,a young warrior of the Ronso tribe who watched over Yuna during her childhood ; Wakka, a blitzball player and devout follower of the Yevon order; Lulu, a stoic and self-possessed, but well-meaning Black Mage; Auron, a taciturn former warrior monk; and Rikku, a perky Al Bhed girl with extensive knowledge of machinery. The primary antagonists of the game are Maester Seymour Guado and the other maesters of the Yevon religion, while the enormous whale-like monster Sin serves as the primary source of conflict. Sub-character chief designer Fumi Nakashima's focus was to ensure that characters from different regions and cultures bore distinctive characteristics in their clothing styles, so that they could be quickly and easily identified as members of their respective sub-groups. For example, she has said that the masks and goggles of the Al Bhed give the group a "strange and eccentric" appearance, while the attire of the Ronso lend to them being able to easily engage in battle.[8]

219

''Final Fantasy X''

Story Final Fantasy X begins late in the story, with the main character, Tidus, waiting with his allies outside the ruined city of Zanarkand. Tidus narrates the series of events leading up to his present situation, which spans most of the game's storyline. It begins in Tidus' home city, the unruined and high-tech Zanarkand, where he is a renowned star of the underwater sport blitzball. During a blitzball tournament, the city is attacked by an immense creature shrouded in water known as Sin. The city is destroyed, and Tidus and Auron are taken by Sin to the world of Spira. After arriving in Spira, Tidus is rescued by Al Bhed divers in the area, and upon asking where he is from, one of them, Rikku, tells him that Zanarkand had been destroyed 1000 years earlier. After another attack by Sin, Tidus is separated from the divers and drifts to the tropical island of Besaid, where he meets Wakka, the captain of the local blitzball team. Wakka introduces Tidus to Yuna, a young summoner planning a pilgrimage to the ruins of Zanarkand to get the "Final Aeon", the only weapon capable of defeating Sin, who is described as mankind's punishment for their sins. Accompanying Yuna are her guardians, Lulu, Wakka, and Kimahri.[9] The party travels to gather aeons, defending against attacks by Sin. The party encounters Auron, who joins them. He reveals to Tidus that Yuna's father, Lord Braska; Tidus's father, Jecht; and himself made the same pilgrimage and defeated Sin ten years ago.[10] Tidus thought his father had died at sea ten years earlier.[11] Following more encounters with Sin, they are joined by Rikku, who is revealed to be Yuna's cousin.[12] Throughout the pilgrimage, Tidus and Yuna draw close through their shared experiences and mutual interest. When the party arrives in the Guado city Guadosalam, Seymour proposes to Yuna, and she informs the group of her intent to marry him to give Spira hope. Seymour's aide, Tromell, guides the group to Macalania's temple, where they see a message from Seymour's late father. He declares he was killed by his son, and that Seymour's evil nature will destroy Spira.[13] The group engages Seymour in battle and they kill him; soon afterward, Sin attacks the group and they lose track of Yuna. Rikku guides the group to the Al Bhed "Home", which is under attack by Yevonite soldiers. While searching Home's base, Tidus learns that a summoner must give their life to perform the "Final Summoning", leading to his desire to find a way to defeat Sin that would not result in Yuna's death. Using the Al Bhed's airship, they escape the base before it is destroyed. The group finds Yuna in Bevelle, where she is forced to marry the now unsent Seymour. They interrupt the wedding and escape with Yuna towards Mt. Gagazet, where Seymour has slaughtered the Ronso tribe; after defeating him again, the group heads to Zanarkand. Tidus learns that he, Jecht, and the Zanarkand they hail from are summoned entities akin to aeons.[14] Long ago, a summoner named Yevon had the city's surviving people become "fayth" so that he could use their memories of Zanarkand to create a new city in its image, removed from the warfare on the Spiran mainland.[15] Sin was also created, given form by Yevon to serve as armor; protecting himself and the fayth. While continuously summoning Dream Zanarkand, Yevon lost his humanity and became known as Yu Yevon, a being existing solely to maintain Dream Zanarkand's existence.[16] Sin's true purpose was not punishment for mankind's sins, but to prevent the discovery of Dream Zanarkand's existence by persistently attacking the people of Spira. Once the player completes Yuna's pilgrimage, Lady Yunalescaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Yevon's daughter and the first summoner to have defeated Sin[16] â&#x20AC;&#x201D;tells the group that the Final Aeon is created from the spirit of one close to a summoner. After defeating Sin, Yu Yevon's spirit possesses the aeon, transforming it into a new Sin.[17] The group decides against using the Final Aeon and they defeat Yunalesca. They then seek a new way to permanently destroy Sin that will not require any sacrifices. This leads the group to enter Sin's body and battle Seymour, Jecht's imprisoned spirit, and Yu Yevon. Sin's cycle of rebirth ends, and the spirits of Spira's fayth are freed from their imprisonment, dispersing the pyreflies of the aeons, Dream Zanarkand, and Tidus in the process. Afterward, in a speech to the citizens of Spira, Yuna resolves to help rebuild the world now that it is free of Sin. After the credits, there is a brief scene with Tidus underwater. He opens his eyes and begins swimming upward, and the screen fades to white. This scene segues into the sequel, Final Fantasy X-2, in which Yuna investigates Tidus' possible survival in order to continue their relationship.

220

''Final Fantasy X''

Development Development for Final Fantasy X began in 1999, costing approximately 짜4 billion (approximately US$32.3 million)[18] with a crew of more than 100 people, most of whom worked on previous games in the series. Executive producer Hironobu Sakaguchi has stated that although he had concerns about the transition from 2D to 3D backgrounds, the voice acting, and the transition to real-time story-telling, the success of the Final Fantasy series can be attributed to constantly challenging the development team to try new things.[19] Scenario writer Kazushige Nojima was particularly concerned with establishing a connection in the relationship between the player and main character. Thus, he penned the story such that the player's progress through the world and growing knowledge about it is reflected in Tidus' own understanding and narration.[20] The game was initially going to feature online elements, offered through Square's PlayOnline service. The features, however, were dropped during production, and online gaming would not become part of the Final Fantasy series until Final Fantasy XI.[21] [22] Map director Takayoshi Nakazato wanted to implement a world map concept with a more realistic approach than that of the traditional Final Fantasy game, in-line with the realism of the game's 3D backgrounds, as opposed to pre-rendered backgrounds.[23] As a player of the games in the Final Fantasy series, battle director Toshiro Tsuchida wanted to recreate elements he found interesting or he felt was entertaining, which eventually led to the removal of the Active Time Battle (ATB) system, and instead, incorporated the strategy-focused Conditional Turn-Based Battle (CTB) system.[24] Originally, Final Fantasy X was going to feature wandering enemies visible on the field map, seamless transitions into battles, and the option for players to move around the landscape during enemy encounters.[25] Battle art director Shintaro Takai has explained that it was his intention that battles in Final Fantasy X come across as a natural part of the story and not an independent element.[26] However, due to hardware and system limitations, these ideas were not used until Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII. Instead, a compromise was made, whereby some transitions from the field screen to battle arenas were made relatively seamless with the implementation of a motion blur effect.[27] The desire for seamless transitions also led to the implementation of the new summoning system seen in the game.[26] Yoshinori Kitase has explained that the purpose behind the Sphere Grid is to give players an interactive means of increasing their characters' attributes, such that they will be able to observe the development of those attributes firsthand.[28] Final Fantasy X features innovations in the rendering of characters' facial expressions, achieved through motion capture and skeletal animation technology.[29] [30] This technology allowed animators to create realistic lip movements, which were then programmed to match the speech of the game's voice actors. Nojima has revealed that the inclusion of voice acting enabled him to express emotion more powerfully than before, and he was therefore able to keep the storyline simple. He also said that the presence of voice actors led him to make various changes to the script, in order to match the voice actors' personalities with the characters they were portraying.[31] The inclusion of voice, however, led to difficulties. With the game's cut scenes already programmed around the Japanese voice work, the English localization team faced the difficulty of establishing English-oriented dialogue and the obstacle of incorporating this modified wording with the rhythm and timing of the characters' lip movements. Localization specialist Alexander O. Smith described the process of fitting natural-sounding English speech into the game as "something akin to writing four or five movies worth of dialogue entirely in haiku form [and] of course the actors had to act, and act well, within those restraints".[25]

221

''Final Fantasy X''

Music Final Fantasy X marks the first time regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu has had any assistance in composing the score for a game in the main series. His fellow composers for Final Fantasy X were Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano.[32] They were chosen for the soundtrack based on their ability to create music that was different from Uematsu's style while still being able to work together.[33] The game features three songs with vocalized elements, including the J-pop ballad "Suteki da ne", which translates to "Isn't it Wonderful?". The lyrics were written by Kazushige Nojima, and the instrumentals were composed by Uematsu. The song is performed by Japanese folk singer Rikki, whom the music team contacted while searching for a singer whose music reflected an Okinawan atmosphere.[34] "Suteki da ne" is also sung in Japanese in the English version of Final Fantasy X. Like "Eyes on Me" from Final Fantasy VIII and "Melodies of Life" from Final Fantasy IX, an orchestrated version of "Suteki da ne" is used as part of the ending theme. The other songs with lyrics are the heavy metal opening theme, "Otherworld", sung in English by Bill Muir, and "Hymn of the Fayth", a recurring piece sung using Japanese syllabary.[35]

Versions and merchandise The Japanese version of Final Fantasy X included an additional disc entitled "The Other Side of Final Fantasy", which featured interviews, storyboards, and trailers for Blue Wing Blitz, Kingdom Hearts, and Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, as well as the first footage of Final Fantasy XI.[36] An international version of the game was released in Japan as "Final Fantasy X International" in January 2002, and in PAL Action figures of the characters Tidus, Yuna, and territories under its original title. It features content not available in the Auron original NTSC releases, including battles with "dark" versions of the game's aeons and an airship fight with the superboss "Penance".[5] The Japanese release of Final Fantasy X International also includes "Eternal Calm", a 14 minute video clip bridging the story of Final Fantasy X with that of its sequel, Final Fantasy X-2.[37] The video clip was included in a bonus DVD for Unlimited Saga Collector's Edition under the name Eternal Calm, Final Fantasy X-2: Prologue. It was first released in Europe on October 31, 2003, and featured English voice-overs.[38] The international and PAL versions include a bonus DVD called Beyond Final Fantasy, a disc including interviews with the game's developers, and two of the game's English voice actors, James Arnold Taylor (Tidus) and Hedy Burress (Yuna). Also included are trailers for Final Fantasy X and Kingdom Hearts, a concept and promotional art gallery for the game, and a music video of "Suteki da ne" performed by Rikki.[39] In 2005, a compilation featuring Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 was released in Japan as Final Fantasy X/X-2 Ultimate Box.[40] Square also produced various types of merchandise[41] and several books, including The Art of Final Fantasy X and three Ultimania guides, a series of artbooks/strategy guides published by DigiCube in Japan. They feature original artwork from Final Fantasy X, offer gameplay walkthroughs, expand upon many aspects of the game's storyline and feature several interviews with the game's designers. There are three books in the series: Final Fantasy X Scenario Ultimania, Final Fantasy X Battle Ultimania, and Final Fantasy X Ultimania 立.[42] [43]

222

''Final Fantasy X''

223

Reception Final Fantasy X was well-received by the media, and enjoyed high sales figures. Within four days of its release in Japan, the game had sold over 1.4 million copies in pre-orders.[44] These figures exceeded the performances of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy IX in a comparable period,[45] and Final Fantasy X became the first PlayStation 2 game to reach two million and four million sold copies.[46] [47] In October 2007, the game was listed as the eighth best-selling game for the PlayStation 2.[48] The game has sold 6.6 million copies as of January 2004.[49] Final Fantasy X received the Best Game Award from the CESA GAME AWARDS for 2001-2002.[50] Final Fantasy X came in fifth on IGN's "Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time" list in 2007.[51] At the sixth annual Interactive Achievement Awards in 2003, it was nominated for "Outstanding Achievement in Animation" and "Console Role-Playing Game of the Year".[52]

Critical response Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator

Score [53]

GameRankings

91%

Metacritic

92 out of 100

[54]

Review scores Publication

Score [55]

Edge

6 out of 10

Eurogamer

9 out of 10

Famitsu

39 out of 40

Game Informer

9.75 out of 10

GameSpot

9.3 out of 10

GameSpy

4 out of 5

IGN

9.5 out of 10

[56] [57] [58]

[59]

[60] [32]

Japanese and Western critics have generally given Final Fantasy X high review scores. The Japanese video game magazine Famitsu and Famitsu PS2 awarded the game a near-perfect 39/40 score,[61] and readers of the former magazine voted it the best game of all time in early 2006.[62] Another Japanese gaming magazine, The Play Station, gave the game a score of 29/30. Famitsu, Famitsu PS2, and The Play Station expressed particularly favorable responses toward the game's storyline, graphics, and movies.[61] IGN's David Smith offered praise for the voice actors and the innovations in gameplay, particularly with the revised battle and summon magic system, the option to change party members during battle, and the character development and inventory management systems. They also felt that the game's graphics had improved on its predecessors in every area possible, and that the game as a whole was "the best-looking game of the series [and] arguably the best-playing as well".[32] Greg Kasavin of GameSpot praised the game's storyline, calling it surprisingly complex, its ending satisfying, and its avoidance of role-playing game clichĂŠs commendable. He also lauded the music, feeling it was "diverse and well suited to the various scenes in the game".[59] The visuals of the game were commended by GameSpy's Raymond Padilla, who referred to them as "top-notch", as well as giving praise to the character models,

''Final Fantasy X'' backgrounds, cut scenes, and animations.[60] The UK-based publication Edge rated the game considerably lower, criticizing it for not providing a next generation gaming experience. The magazine cited the game's battle system as "fractionally more complex" than in previous titles of the series, and the dialogue as "nauseating".[55] Andrew Reiner of Game Informer criticized the game's linearity and that players were no longer able to travel the world by chocobo or control the airship.[58] Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell noted that the game's puzzle segments were "depressing" and "superfluous", and that although the Sphere Grid was "a nice touch", it took up too much of the game.[56]

Legacy Due to its commercial and critical success, Square Enix released a direct sequel to Final Fantasy X in 2003, titled Final Fantasy X-2.[37] The sequel is set two years after the conclusion of Final Fantasy X, establishing new conflicts and dilemmas and resolving loose ends left by the original game. As a result of the title's popularity, Yoshinori Kitase and Kazushige Nojima decided to establish a plot-related connection between Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy VII, another well-received Final Fantasy game.[63] The advancements in portraying realistic emotions achieved with Final Fantasy X through voice-overs and detailed facial expressions have since become a staple of the series, with Final Fantasy X-2 and other subsequent titles (such as Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy XII) also featuring this development. Traversing real-time 3D environments instead of an overworld map has also become a standard of the series, as demonstrated in Final Fantasy XI, Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy XIII.

External links â&#x20AC;˘ Official US Final Fantasy X website [64] â&#x20AC;˘ Official European Final Fantasy X website [65]

References [1] "Final Fantasy X (10) [PS2 - Proto / Beta (http:/ / www. unseen64. net/ 2008/ 04/ 19/ final-fantasy-10-beta/ )"]. Unseen64.net. . Retrieved 2008-04-19. [2] Zdyrko, Dave (2001-11-26). "Final Fantasy X Preview" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 134/ 134008p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-12-14. [3] Tsai, Andy; Bomke, Christine. "Guides: Final Fantasy X - Game Systems" (http:/ / guides. ign. com/ guides/ 14008/ page_3. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-11-25. [4] Tsai, Andy; Bomke, Christine. "Guides: Final Fantasy X - Sphere Grid" (http:/ / guides. ign. com/ guides/ 14008/ page_15. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-11-25. [5] Clark, James Quentin (2008-10-06). "Final Fantasy X International" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ reviews/ finalfantasy10-intl/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-11-23. [6] "Character::Tetsuya Nomura-Character Designer" (http:/ / www. square-enix-usa. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#2). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [7] "The Producer::Yoshinori Kitase" (http:/ / www. square-enix-usa. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#1). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [8] "Character::Fumi Nakashima-Sub-Character Chief Designer" (http:/ / www. square-enix-usa. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#3). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [9] "Tidus (Final Fantasy X) Biography" (http:/ / stars. ign. com/ objects/ 142/ 14212110_biography. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-11-23. [10] Square Co. Final Fantasy X. (Square EA). PlayStation 2. (2001-12-20) "Tidus: Hey man, there's no way. That's just impossible. / Auron: Nothing impossible about it. Jecht, Braska, and I... Together we defeated Sin, ten years ago." [11] Square Co. Final Fantasy X. (Square EA). PlayStation 2. (2001-12-20) "Tidus: Sounds like him, but it can't be him. / Yuna: Why not? / Tidus: My old man, he died. Ten years ago, off the coast of Zanarkand. / Yuna: I'm sorry. / Tidus: He went out to sea for training one day... and never came back. And no one's seen him since then. / Yuna: Why, that's the day that Jecht came to Spira. It's true! I first met Jecht ten years and three months ago!" [12] Square Co. Final Fantasy X. (Square EA). PlayStation 2. (2001-12-20) "Rikku: Hey, do I look like Yunie, you think? / Tidus: (Huh?) / Rikku: Well, my dad's sister is Yunie's mother, you get it?" [13] Square Co. Final Fantasy X. (Square EA). PlayStation 2. (2001-12-20) "Jyscal: Listen to me very carefully, for I shall tell you the truth about my son, Seymour. His mind is closed even to me, a master of Yevon. But I can feel flames of darkness burning in his heart. He is using

224

''Final Fantasy X'' Yevon, the Guado, and even the summoners. If he is not stopped, he will surely bring destruction and chaos to Spira. I will leave this world soon, killed by my own son." [14] Square Co. Final Fantasy X. (Square EA). PlayStation 2. (2001-12-20) "Tidus: Wait... this is a dream. / Fayth: Precisely. / Tidus: A dream? Are you crazy? I don't have time to be dreaming now! / Fayth: You're wrong. It's not that you're dreaming. You are a dream." [15] Studio BentStuff, ed (2001) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy X Ultimania Ω. DigiCube. p. 84. ISBN 4-88787-021-3. [16] Studio BentStuff, ed (2001) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy X Ultimania Ω. DigiCube. p. 82. ISBN 4-88787-021-3. [17] Square Co. Final Fantasy X. (Square EA). PlayStation 2. (2001-12-20) "Yunalesca: Sin is eternal. Every aeon that defeats it becomes Sin it its place... And thus is Sin reborn. / Tidus: So that's why Jecht became Sin. / Yunalesca: Sin is an inevitable part of Spira's destiny. It is neverending." [18] Long, Andrew. "Financial Fantasy X" (http:/ / rpgamer. com/ news/ Q3-2001/ 071201c. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2008-11-21. [19] "Hironobu Sakaguchi - Executive Producer" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#14). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [20] "Kazushige Nojima - Scenario" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#11). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [21] PSM Staff (February 2001). "Monitor: Final Fantasy X Goes Offline". PlayStation Magazine (Future Publishing) (42): 18. [22] Avistetto, Jimmy. "Final Fantasy X Not Online-Capable" (http:/ / rpgamer. com/ news/ Q4-2000/ 112000b. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2008-11-23. [23] "Field::Takayoshi Nakazato-Director" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#6). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [24] "Toshiro Tsuchida - Director -Battle-" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#7). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [25] Birlew, Dan (2001). Final Fantasy X Official Strategy Guide. BradyGames. p. 268. ISBN 0-7440-0140-4. [26] "Shintaro Takai - Art Director -Battle-" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#8). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [27] "Takashi Katano - Main Programmer" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#10). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [28] Birlew, Dan (2001). Final Fantasy X Official Strategy Guide. BradyGames. p. 266. ISBN 0-7440-0140-4. [29] "Motomu Toriyama - Director -Event-" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#9). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [30] "Character::Koji Sugimoto-Main Programmer" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#4). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [31] GameSpot Staff (2001-11-30). "Final Fantasy X" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasy10/ news. html?sid=2829055& mode=all& page=2& q=). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-11-23. [32] Smith, Daniel (2001-12-18). "IGN: Final Fantasy X Review" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 164/ 164008p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-01-12. [33] Huang, Michael. "Interview by RocketBaby.net" (http:/ / www. nobuouematsu. com/ rbaby. html). nobuouematsu.com. . Retrieved 2008-11-23. [34] "Nobuo Uematsu - Sound Producer & Music" (http:/ / www. square-enix-usa. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#12). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [35] Gaan, Patrick; Schweitzer, Ben. "Final Fantasy X OST" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff10ost/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-11-26. [36] Chronologist (2001-07-19). "Final Fantasy X Ships, Includes FFXI Trailer" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ news/ 2001/ 1259. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-11-23. [37] Dunham, Jeremy (2003-11-24). "Final Fantasy X-2 Developer Interview" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 442/ 442025p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [38] Calvert, Justin (2003-09-10). "Final Fantasy X-2: Prologue for US and Europe" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ unlimitedsaga/ news. html?sid=6074857& om_act=convert& om_clk=newsfeatures& tag=newsfeatures;title;1). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-11-26. [39] Witham, Joseph. "Final Fantasy X International Europe Bound" (http:/ / rpgamer. com/ news/ Q1-2002/ 031602a. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2008-11-23. [40] Gantayat, Anoop (2005-07-01). "Square Enix Announces Ultimate Hits Collection" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 630/ 630790p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-11-23. [41] "Final Fantasy X" (http:/ / www. square-enix-shop. com/ usa/ list_product. cfm?game_cat_id=7). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2008-11-27. [42] IGN Staff (2001-08-20). "Final Fantasy X Ultimania Guide" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 097/ 097559p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-11-26. [43] "Final Fantasy X Ultimania Omega (Tankōbon Softcover)" (http:/ / www. amazon. com/ dp/ 4887870213?tag=schildnet0c& link_code=as3& creativeASIN=4887870213& creative=373489& camp=211189). Amazon.com. . Retrieved 2008-11-26. [44] IGN Staff (2001-07-19). "Final Fantasy X Sells Like Crazy; World Not Shocked" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 096/ 096716p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [45] IGN Staff (2001-07-24). "Final Fantasy X Approaches 2 Million Copies Sold" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 096/ 096825p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-11-24.

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''Final Fantasy X'' [46] IGN Staff (2001-01-07). "FFX Tops Sales Charts" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 100/ 100730p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [47] Varanini, Giancarlo (2002-01-30). "Final Fantasy X sales meet expectations" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasy10/ news. html?sid=2843955). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [48] Androvich, Mark (2007-10-26). "PS2 celebrates 7th anniversary" (http:/ / www. gamesindustry. biz/ content_page. php?aid=29985). Gamesindustry.biz. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [49] Calvert, Justin (2004-01-20). "Final Fantasy X-2 sells a million" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasyx2/ news_6086686. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [50] "最優秀賞は「FF10」!! 「第6回 CESA GAME AWARDS」授賞式" (http:/ / www. gpara. com/ news/ 02/ 10/ news200210280717. htm). GPARA.COM. . Retrieved 2009-05-28. [51] IGN PlayStation Team (2007-03-16). "The Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 772/ 772296p3. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [52] "AIAS ANNUAL AWARDS > 6TH ANNUAL AWARDS" (http:/ / www. interactive. org/ awards/ annual_awards. asp?idAward=2003). Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. . Retrieved 2008-11-19. [53] "Final Fantasy X Reviews" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ htmlpages2/ 197344. asp?q=final fantasy x). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [54] "Final Fantasy X (ps2: 2001): Reviews" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ ps2/ finalfantasyx?q=Final Fantasy X). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2008-11-23. [55] Editors of Edge magazine, ed (2002). Edge February 2002; issue 107. Future plc. pp. 76–77. [56] Bramwell, Tom (2002-06-16). "Final Fantasy X Review" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ article. php?article_id=3204). Eurogamer. . Retrieved 2008-11-23. [57] "Final Fantasy - famitsu Scores Archive" (http:/ / fs. finalfantasytr. com/ search. asp?query=final+ fantasy). Famitsu Scores Archive. . Retrieved 2008-07-16. [58] Leeper, Justin. "Final Fantasy X" (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ Games/ Review/ 200201/ R03. 0801. 1256. 47994. htm). Game Informer. . Retrieved 2008-11-23. [59] Kasavin, Greg (2001-12-14). "Final Fantasy X Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasy10/ review. html?om_act=convert& om_clk=tabs& tag=tabs;reviews). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-11-23. [60] Padilla, Raymond (2001-12-15). "Final Fantasy X Review" (http:/ / ps2. gamespy. com/ playstation-2/ final-fantasy-x/ 539181p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2008-11-20. [61] IGN Staff (2001-07-13). "Final Fantasy X Gets Rated in Japan" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 096/ 096564p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [62] Edge Staff (2006-03-03). "Japan Votes on All Time Top 100" (http:/ / www. edge-online. com/ features/ japan-votes-all-time-top-100). Edge. . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [63] Studio BentStuff, ed (2001) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy X Ultimania Ω. DigiCube. p. 191. ISBN 4-88787-021-3. [64] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFX/ [65] http:/ / www. ffx-europe. com/

226

''Final Fantasy X-2''

227

''Final Fantasy X-2'' Final Fantasy X-2

North American box art, depicting the main playable characters; Rikku, Yuna, and Paine. Developer(s)

Square PDD 1

Publisher(s)

Square

Other regions

Square Enix

Director(s)

Motomu Toriyama

Producer(s)

Yoshinori Kitase

Artist(s)

Tetsuya Nomura

Writer(s)

Kazushige Nojima Daisuke Watanabe

Composer(s)

Noriko Matsueda Takahito Eguchi

Series

Final Fantasy

Aspect ratio

4:3 (NTSC) 16:9 (PAL)

Platform(s)

PlayStation 2

Release date(s)

March 13, 2003 November 18, 2003 AUS/INT February 19, 2004 EU February 20, 2004 NA

Genre(s)

Console role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player

Rating(s)

CERO: 12+ ESRB: T (Teen) (13+) OFLC: M15+ PEGI: 12+

Media

1 DVD-ROM

Input methods

Gamepad

Final Fantasy X-2 (ファイナルファンタジーX-2 Fainaru Fantajī Ten Tsū) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for Sony's PlayStation 2. It was released in 2003 and is the sequel to the best-selling 2001 game Final Fantasy X. The game's story follows the character Yuna from Final Fantasy X as she seeks to resolve political conflicts in the fictional world of Spira before it leads to war.

''Final Fantasy X-2''

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Final Fantasy X-2 set several precedents in the Final Fantasy series aside from being the first direct sequel in video game form and the second sequel in the franchise, after the anime Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals. It was the first game in the series to feature only three playable characters, an all-female main cast, and early access to most of the game's locations. Additionally, it featured a variation of the character classes systemâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one of the series' classic gameplay conceptsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and is one of the few games in the series to feature multiple endings. Finally, it was the first Final Fantasy game in the series that didn't have any musical contributions in it from longtime composer Nobuo Uematsu. The game was positively received by critics and was commercially successful. After nine months of being released in Japan, it sold a million copies in North America, and approximately four million copies worldwide. Final Fantasy X-2 was voted as the 32nd best game of all time by the readers of Famitsu. The English version of the game won an award for "Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance" at the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences in 2004. The game has attained a rating of 86% on Game Rankings and an 85% rating on Metacritic.

Gameplay Though a direct sequel to Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X-2 does not duplicate its predecessor's gameplay; instead, it innovates on traditional elements. Like pre-Final Fantasy X installments, characters "level up" after a certain number of battles, by gaining pre-determined stat bonuses. The Conditional Turn-Based Battle system in Final Fantasy X has been replaced by a faster-paced variation of the Final Fantasy series' traditional Active Time Battle (ATB) system, which was originally designed by Hiroyuki Ito and first featured in Final Fantasy IV. Whenever a random enemy is encountered, the ATB system is used. Under this enhanced version of the ATB, playable characters may interrupt an enemy while they are preparing to take action, in lieu of waiting for an enemy's turn to finish before attacking. Furthermore, it is possible for both characters and enemies to chain attacks together for greater damage.

Navigation and quests Another departure from the gameplay of Final Fantasy X is in its world navigation system: players can visit almost every location in Spira from early in the game,[1] transported via the airship Celsius. This is a deviation from the overall Final Fantasy series, where the most efficient means of transportation is typically not obtained until late in the game.

An example of navigation on the field map

These two changes allow players to choose a less linear storyline. Unlike Final Fantasy X, in which a player's course through the game's world was largely straightforward, Final Fantasy X-2 is almost entirely free form. The game consists of five chapters, with each location featuring one scenario per chapter. Put together, the five scenarios in one locale form a subplot of the game, called an "Episode". Only a few scenarios per chapter are integral to the game's central plot, and are marked on the world navigation system as "Hotspots" ("Active Links" in the Japanese version).[1] By accessing only Hotspots, a player can quickly proceed through the game's story without participating in side-quests.

The game keeps track of the player's completed percentage of the storyline, increased by viewing the scenarios comprising each Episode. If 100% of the game is completed, an additional ending will be unlocked. The game features a fork in its plot, allowing the player to make a choice that changes what scenes they see and the number of percentage points they acquire afterward. It is impossible to see all of the game's content on a single play through, due to the fork in its storyline, although it is possible to achieve 100% storyline completion in a single playthrough.

''Final Fantasy X-2'' When you get to the fork in the plot, you need to choose the Youth League. If you choose New Yevon, even if you fully complete everything else, you will be stuck with 99.8% at game completion. When the game is completed for the first time, it unlocks a New Game Plus option that allows the player to restart the game with all of the items, Garment Grids, dresspheres and storyline completion percentage achieved previously. However, all character levels are set back to one. The field-map navigation system is largely unchanged from Final Fantasy X; it is still dominantly three dimensional with mostly continuous locations. A few upgrades have been implemented, providing the player with extended interaction with the environment through jumping, climbing and rotating camera angles. The game's sidequests include minor tasks and quests, optional bosses and dungeons, and the most minigames of any Final Fantasy at the time of its release.[2] These minigames include Gunner's Gauntlet (a third-person/first-person shooter game) and Sphere Break (a mathematical coin game involving addition and multiplication), as well as the fictional underwater sport blitzball originally featured in Final Fantasy X with a different control scheme. Director Motomu Toriyama has explained that one of the concepts at issue during development was providing a large variety of minigames, such that "if you bought Final Fantasy X-2 you wouldn't need any other game".[2]

Dresspheres and the Garment Grid Final Fantasy X-2 reintroduces the series' classic character class system (seen previously in Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy Tactics) through the inclusion of dresspheres. Because the party never grows beyond three characters, switching characters during battle is unnecessary. Instead, the player can switch character classes, providing access to different abilities. The playable characters are allowed to equip one dressphere at a time, each providing different battle functions and abilities. Characters can learn new skills for each A battle with an early boss, depicting the dressphere with the use of Ability Points (AP). AP is obtained by characters' default dresspheres defeating enemies and by the use of items and abilities for that sphere. Abilities to be learned are chosen in the main menu. During battle, AP is given to that ability until it is learned. Each character can access as many as six dresspheres at a time, depending on the specific properties of the Garment Grid they are wearing. The Garment Grid is a placard featuring a geometric shape connected by nodes. These nodes are slots that can be filled with dresspheres, allowing characters to change character classes during their turn in battle. Most Garment Grids possess Gates that when passed through grant the user a complimentary buff. As with equipped items, Garment Grids often provide characters with a variety of enhancements and extra abilities. The game features diverse Garment Grids and dresspheres which can be discovered as the game progresses. While normal dresspheres can be used by all three playable characters, each character can acquire a dressphere that only they can use. These dresspheres can only be activated after a character has changed into all of the classes designated to her Garment Grid in a single battle. When a character activates one of these dresspheres, the other characters are replaced by two controllable support units.

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Plot Setting While the setting of the original Final Fantasy X was decidedly somber, in Final Fantasy X-2, the main characters were fitted with a jovial Charlie's Angels-like motif. Aesthetically, the world of Spira is essentially unchanged in the two years since Final Fantasy X. Most areas from the original return (exceptions being the Omega Ruins and Baaj Temple), with few new locations. The only significant changes include the reconstruction of the village of Kilika and the clearing of the mist atop Mount Gagazet, revealing forgotten ruins. Additionally, the Palace of St. Bevelle is now accessible throughout the game, rather than only during mandatory storyline sequences. However, even with Sin gone, fiends are no less populous than before. Despite cosmetic changes, there are major differences in the ideology of Spira's people. After Sin's defeat came the arrival of an era known as "the Eternal Calm". The priests of the Yevon religion chose to expose the truth about the order,[3] leaving the population to decide for themselves how to live in a world without that particular religion, and without Sin, Advanced technology and the Al Bhed are now embraced by the population as a whole, and most have begun to pursue leisures such as attending musical concerts and participating in the sport of blitzball. Others have become hunters of ancient treasures, ranging from coins and machinery long buried under the sands on Bikanel Island to spheres in forgotten caves and ruins. Those who pursue the latter are known as "sphere hunters", of which many groups have formed. Despite the absence of Sin and the corrupt maesters of Yevon, Spira is not without conflict. Young people were especially quick to abandon Yevon and embrace machinery (called "machina" in the game), eager to see Spira develop, while many of the older generation felt that cultural changes were happening too quickly. As new ideals and practices began to sweep Spira, several new political groups emerged. Most influential among them were the Youth League, led by Mevyn Nooj, and the New Yevon Party, led by a former priest named "Trema" until his disappearance, and later by Praetor Baralai. The Youth League consists mainly of young people, determined to see Spira completely abandon its past practices, while the New Yevon Party consists of members both old and young who felt that changes should be gradual, their motto being "One thing at a time". Following their formation, both the Youth League and New Yevon sought High Summoner Yuna's support in the hopes of bolstering their The three faction leaders: Nooj (left), Gippal political presence. She chose to remain neutral, instead joining the (front), and Baralai (back) Gullwings, the sphere hunter group to which her cousins[4] Brother and Rikku belonged. She also began working with the excavation team of the Machine Faction, a neutral group of Al Bhed researching more advanced machina technology, and led by a young man named "Gippal". As time passed, tensions between the Youth League and New Yevon began to escalate towards violence. Meanwhile, Yuna sought spheres that she hoped would lead her to Tidus, her lost love who vanished during the ending of Final Fantasy X. After defeating Sin, Yuna initially retired to a quiet life on the island of Besaid, arranging appointments daily with the citizens of Spira. However, Rikku brought Yuna a video sphere discovered on Mt. Gagazet by her childhood guardian, Kimahri, now the elder of the Ronso Tribe. The sphere displayed a young man with a strong resemblance to Tidus, apparently locked inside a prison cell. Despite misgivings from Wakkaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;now married to his childhood friend, Luluâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Rikku convinced Yuna that she had fulfilled her duty to Spira and deserved to follow her heart.[5] Yuna then left Besaid to join the Gullwings and hunt for more clues about the identity of the man shown in

''Final Fantasy X-2'' the sphere in the hope that it might be Tidus. Whereas Final Fantasy X drew heavily on ancient Japanese culture and Asian settings,[6] Final Fantasy X-2 incorporated a number of elements from modern Japanese pop culture.[2] An exception, however, is the Trainer dressphere, featuring the game's main characters fighting alongside a dog, monkey and bird, the three animals befriended by the Japanese folk hero Momotarō in a traditional story. Another exception is the Samurai dressphere, which features each character fighting in traditional Japanese samurai armor.

Characters The three main playable characters of Final Fantasy X-2 are Yuna, Rikku, and Paine, whose team is abbreviated in-game as "YRP" ("YuRiPa" in the original Japanese version). Yuna and Rikku reprise their roles from Final Fantasy X, and though their personalities are much the same as before, Square decided that their appearances would be heavily altered to give a greater impression of activity. Furthermore, it was decided that the pervading cultural changes occurring in Final Fantasy X's world as they and others began trying to live positively would be reflected in the new clothing of these two characters. The character of Paine is a new creation designed for inclusion in Final Fantasy X-2, to accommodate the game's intended action-adventure style revolving around a trio of female characters.[2] Her personality is far more cynical and emotionally distant than that of her teammates, and she keeps her past a secret from them for much of the game. Several other major and supporting characters from Final Fantasy X appear in the game. Additionally, other new characters are introduced in Final Fantasy X-2, such as the Leblanc Syndicate, a group of sphere hunters who serve as the Gullwings' rivals for much of the game. The game's main antagonist is Shuyin, another new character.

Story Final Fantasy X-2 begins as Yuna, Rikku and Paine recover Yuna's stolen Garment Grid from the Leblanc Syndicate in the first of several encounters in which they vie for spheres. The game is punctuated by a narration of Yuna addressing Tidus, as though she is recounting the events of the game to him as they occur in a style reminiscent of Tidus' own narration in Final Fantasy X. Although Yuna's quest is to find clues that may lead her to Tidus, much of the storyline of the game follows the clash of the factions that have established themselves in the time since the coming of the Eternal Calm in Final Fantasy X, and the uncovering of hidden legacies from Spira's ancient history. A significant portion of the game's events are unnecessary for the completion of the main storyline, but much of the depth of the story—including characterization and background details—are featured in the optional content,[1] which generally follows how each part of Spira is healing in the time since the passing of Sin. As the game progresses, the hostilities between the Youth League and New Yevon build to a head. In the meantime, the Gullwings discover an ancient sphere containing images of an enormous machina weapon called "Vegnagun" that was secretly buried beneath the city of Bevelle. The weapon has enough power to threaten all of Spira,[7] [8] and, moreover, it is revealed to the player that Vegnagun is unable to distinguish friend from foe once activated.[9] The Gullwings then join forces with the Leblanc Syndicate to investigate the underground areas of the city in an attempt to destroy the machine before it can be used by either side in the upcoming conflict. However, discovering a large tunnel recently dug into the floor of the weapon's chamber, they realize that Vegnagun has apparently been moved to the Farplane, located at Spira's core. Disagreements between Spira's factions are soon punctuated further after the disappearance of Baralai, Nooj, and Gippal—the leaders of New Yevon, the Youth League and the Machine Faction respectively. Returning to the underground areas of Bevelle, the Gullwings discover the missing faction leaders discussing Vegnagun and learn that the machine's artificial intelligence allows it to detect hostility and to respond by activating itself and fleeing.[10] Additionally, it is revealed that Nooj had come to Bevelle with the intention of destroying Vegnagun previously, prompting it to flee to the Farplane.[11] The player then learns that Paine had once been friends with all three men, assigned to be their sphere recorder while they were candidates for the Crimson Squad, an elite group intended to be

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''Final Fantasy X-2'' assigned leadership of Crusader chapters across Spira.[12] Two years earlier in a cave beneath Mushroom Rock Road called "the Den of Woe," just before the failed Operation Mi'ihen, the squad's final exercise was conducted. Within the cave, the various squad candidates were swarmed by pyreflies and driven to kill one another. The only survivors were Paine, Baralai, Gippal, and Nooj, who were themselves targeted by the Order of Yevon afterward when they revealed having seen images of Vegnagun while in the cave. Soon after, Nooj shot his surviving comrades and left them to die, severing the friendship the group had with one another. However, at this time, it is revealed that he was not acting of his own accord when he shot them. The feelings that drove the squad members to kill one another are revealed to have been the despair of the game's antagonist, Shuyin, who died 1000 years earlier.[13] Before the four survivors could leave the cave, the spirit of Shuyin—requiring a host in order to interact with the world physically[14] —had possessed Nooj, and later forced him to shoot his comrades.[15] In the time since, Shuyin had been subtly goading Nooj on a subconscious level, coercing him to approach Vegnagun so that he could use Nooj's body to control it.[14] Nooj's will was too strong for him to be completely controlled, and his desire to destroy the large machina prompted it to flee.[14] Now desiring a new host, Shuyin leaves Nooj's body and possesses Baralai's, pursuing Vegnagun to the Farplane. Nooj and Gippal follow in pursuit, asking Yuna to keep things under control on the surface. In doing so, the player must fight and defeat each of Yuna's aeons from Final Fantasy X, their spirits now corrupted by Shuyin's despair on the Farplane.[16] During this mission, Yuna falls into the Farplane and A screenshot of Yuna's concert, which prompts meets Shuyin, who mistakes her for a woman named "Lenne". Feeling the memories of Lenne to emerge from the affection toward him that is not her own and finding herself unwilling Songstress dressphere. to move away from him, she listens as Shuyin describes how he "awoke" after he had died, alone and unable to find Lenne. He then expresses anger that Spira's citizens have not yet come to understand the heartache that war can cause, and reveals that he has developed a plan to use the old, but still operational Vegnagun to destroy all of Spira, ending the possibility of there ever again being a war. In so doing, he believes that he will be making the world a better place.[17] The player learns that 1000 years before the game, Shuyin was a famous blitzball player in the high-tech metropolis of Zanarkand, and the lover of a popular songstress and summoner—Lenne. Shuyin's memory would then form Tidus in Dream Zanarkand in the events of Final Fantasy X. The two lived during Zanarkand's war with the more powerful Bevelle, and during the course of the war, Zanarkand ordered all summoners to the front lines, separating the couple. Believing that Lenne would die in battle, Shuyin decided that the only way to save her was to infiltrate Bevelle, commandeer Vegnagun, and use it to destroy Zanarkand's enemies. However, Lenne perceived Shuyin's intentions, and—unwilling to allow him to take the lives of many others for her sake—followed him.[18] When she caught up to Shuyin in Bevelle, he had only just begun to operate Vegnagun's control panel, an organ integrated into its head. Before he could use the giant cannon located in its mouth to destroy the city, Lenne asked him to stop. Shuyin did as she asked, but a group of Bevelle soldiers arrived a moment later and shot the couple. Fatally injured, Shuyin failed to hear Lenne saying that she loved him before they died.[19] Over the course of the following 1000 years, Shuyin's despair and resentment over his failure to save Lenne bonded to pyreflies and caused him to constantly experience the anguish of that moment.[20] Over time, his despair became so powerful that it began acting on its own,[21] and he came to believe that—in addition to helping the world—he would fade away with Lenne if he destroyed Spira. Now with an understanding of Shuyin's hatred for war, Yuna manages to return to the surface and the Gullwings organize a concert to which everyone in Spira is invited, supporters of the Youth League and New Yevon alike. Additionally, the Songstress dressphere worn by Yuna is revealed to be made up of Lenne's memories, resulting in a

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''Final Fantasy X-2'' sphere screen projecting them to everyone in attendance during the concert. Witnessing images of Shuyin and Lenne's last moments, Spira's citizens begin to understand the unproductive nature of their disagreements. The player then learns that it was because of Lenne's memories that Shuyin had mistaken Yuna for Lenne and she had felt affection toward him.[22] Although the factional fighting has ceased, Shuyin has nearly carried out his plan to use Vegnagun's cannon to destroy the planet from beneath its surface. Joining forces with the Leblanc Syndicate once again, the Gullwings make their way to the Farplane and find Gippal and Nooj already battling Vegnagun. Working together, they manage to disable the giant machina before its cannon can fire at Spira. Finally confronting Shuyin, Lenne's consciousness emerges from the Songstress dressphere and convinces him to abandon his mission and be at peace. Thanking Yuna, Lenne guides Shuyin's spirit to peace on the Farplane. Subsequently, the fayth once located in Bevelle appears before Yuna and thanks her as well. He then asks her if she would like to see "him" again. If the player replies with "Yes" and a sufficient percentage of the game's optional storyline has been completed, the fayth locates Tidus's scattered pyreflies and sends them to Besaid, where they reform; thus, when Yuna returns home, she is reunited with Tidus. Players who achieve 100% completion in addition to reviving Tidus see an additional reunion scene in Zanarkand.

Development Development of Final Fantasy X-2 began in late 2001 in response to the success of Final Fantasy X, particularly fan reaction to the Eternal Calm video included in the Japanese version of Final Fantasy X International.[2] [23] [24] It was released in Japan shortly before the merger between Square and Enix.[25] The production team was one third the size of the previous installment. This was because the team was already familiar with the material and it allowed them to give a hand-crafted feel to the game. In designing the game, a significant number of character models, enemies, and location designs from Final Fantasy X were reused. Character designer Tetsuya Nomura has explained that this allowed the game to be developed in one year and at half the normal scope Final Fantasy titles are normally produced.[26] Maya and Softimage 3D were the two main programs used to create the graphics.[27] Producer Yoshinori Kitase and director Motomu Toriyama have explained that the objective in mind when designing Final Fantasy X-2 was to embrace the concept of change as the game's theme and establish a more upbeat atmosphere than its predecessor.[2] To portray the drastic change in Spira, the developers excluded summons, redesigned towns, and included vehicles. The low-flying vehicles were added to allow the player quicker access and mobility to the areas that were already available in the previous title.[27] Because of the emphasis on a more optimistic setting, the game's dressphere system (inspired by the magical girl sub-genre of anime and manga) was implemented, and the atmosphere of J-pop introduced right from the game's opening sequence. Additional allusions to popular culture in general were featured, such as the style of Charlie's Angels.[2] Though work on the opening song and motion capture began early in development, the opening sequence was actually the last portion of the game to be completed.[27]

Audio For Final Fantasy X-2, regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu was replaced by Noriko Matsueda and Takahito Eguchi of The Bouncer fame.[2] Among the game's more notable tracks are two vocalized songs: the J-pop-style "Real Emotion" and a more slowly-paced ballad, "1000 Words". The English versions of the songs are sung by Jade Villalon of Sweetbox. She released extended versions of the songs she sang as bonus tracks on the Japanese release of her album, Adagio. The Japanese versions of the songs are sung by Kumi Koda, a Japanese music artist who also performed motion capture for the "Real Emotion" opening full motion video[27] and provided the voice of Lenne in the Japanese version of the game. Koda also released her own English versions of the songs on her CD single Come with Me. While similar, the lyrics of Koda's versions differ from those sung by Jade Villalon.

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Versions and merchandise As with Final Fantasy X, an expanded international version was produced for Final Fantasy X-2. This version of the game, titled Final Fantasy X-2 International + Last Mission, introduces two new dresspheres, an additional "Last Mission" at a location called "Yadonoki Tower," and the option to capture numerous monsters and characters including Tidus, Auron and Seymour from Final Fantasy X—as well as several supporting characters from both games—during battle.[28] This version was never released outside of Japan, although the English voices were used for the main story in the International version (not in the Last Mission). Due to this change, parts of the Japanese subtitles were changed or altered to fit the voice-overs. This was detailed in the official strategy book for the International version (see below). In 2005, a compilation featuring Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 was released in Japan under the title Final Fantasy X/X-2 Ultimate Box.[29] Several action figures, books and soundtracks were released by Square Enix. Among the books that were published were three Ultimania guidebooks, a series of artbooks/strategy guides published by Square Enix in Japan. They feature original artwork from Final Fantasy X-2, offer game-play walkthroughs, expand upon many aspects of the game's storyline, and feature several interviews with the game's designers. There are three books in the series: Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania, Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania Ω, and Final Fantasy X-2: International+Last Mission Ultimania. A similar three-book series was produced for Final Fantasy X. Gaming peripheral company Hori produced PlayStation 2 controllers modeled after the Tiny Bee guns Yuna uses in Final Fantasy X-2. These controllers were released only in Japan. They were re-released in a new silver box to coincide with the release of Final Fantasy X-2: International+Last Mission.

Reception Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator

Score [30]

GameRankings

86% (72 reviews)

Metacritic

85 out of 100 (45 reviews)

[31]

Review scores Publication

Score

1UP.com

[32] A [33]

Allgame

[34]

Edge

7 out of 10

Electronic Gaming Monthly

A-

Eurogamer

8 out of 10

Famitsu

34 out of 40

Game Informer

8.75 out of 10

GamePro

4.2 out of 5

Game Revolution

B+

GameSpot

8.1 out of 10

[35] [36] [37] [38]

[39]

[40] [1]

''Final Fantasy X-2''

235 [41]

GameSpy

[42]

GameZone

9.6 out of 10

IGN

9.5 out of 10

Official PlayStation Magazine (US)

A+

[43]

[44]

Within nine months of its Japanese release, Final Fantasy X-2 sold a million copies in North America, and nearly four million copies worldwide.[45] It was voted as the 32nd best game of all time by readers of the Japanese video game magazine Famitsu,[46] which also gave it a 34 out of 40.[37] The English release of Final Fantasy X-2 won the Seventh Annual Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences award in 2004 for "Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance" in recognition of the character Rikku.[47] Multimedia website IGN felt that the game's shift in tone is "part of what makes [it] so intriguing," labeling the storyline "a deep political drama" that "always manages to keep from taking things too seriously."[43] They also commented that the game "treats its history with intelligence"[43] and "its returning characters...just as clever".[43] Further positive reaction came from RPGamer, with one staff reviewer summarizing X-2 as "a light-hearted fun game" that "may ... be the most enjoyable thing to come from the series in several years",[48] while another regarded its battle system as innovative and "very simple to navigate".[49] The game's stylistic changes from past Final Fantasy titles sparked negative comments, with some perceiving it as a change in the spirit of the franchise. Among these were the game's status as Final Fantasy's first direct sequel and the change from a tragic atmosphere in Final Fantasy X to a dominantly lighthearted tone in Final Fantasy X-2.[1] In the words of one reviewer, "Final Fantasy X opens with the destruction of an entire city, whereas Final Fantasy X-2 begins with...a pop concert".[50] In their review, gaming website GameSpot commented that "Some of the missions ... come off as downright silly and a bit tacked on". Additionally, they felt that the game's non-linear style makes it "[lack] the singular narrative thrust of Final Fantasy X or other typical RPGs, and the storyline can feel a little nebulous and disjointed as a result". Moreover, GameSpot commented that "trivial minigames have been creeping into the Final Fantasy games at an alarming rate over the last few years, and in this regard, X-2 is definitely the most egregious offender in the series". Despite these comments, they praised the battle system as a "welcome addition", while regarding its voice-overs and localizations as "outstanding".[1] Another aspect of the game that has attracted criticism is the reuse of graphical designs from Final Fantasy X.[1] [32] [35] [43] [51] One reviewer at RPGamer commented that "there is little question that the graphics in Final Fantasy X-2 could rival just about any other RPG on the market ... [but] one does not get ... [the impression] that the graphics have been improved in any significant way since Final Fantasy X",[51] while GameSpot said "X-2 doesn't look that much better than X did two years ago".[1] Electronic Gaming Monthly regarded this reuse of code as "[tripping up] in the one area where Final Fantasy titles usually shine".[35] The game's soundtrack was met with mixed feelings, because Final Fantasy X-2's score was the first in the series without input from Nobuo Uematsu,[52] composer of all previous games in the main series, and because of the change to a distinct J-pop atmosphere.[32] [35] [51] [53] While IGN commented that the music provided an "appropriately fitting backdrop"[43] and 1UP.com suggested that it "certainly is in keeping with the new flavor",[32] others, such as Electronic Gaming Monthly, regarded it as "too bubbly."[35] One staff member at RPGamer suggested that "the absence of Uematsu proves deafening," and "the soundtrack that accompanies this nonsensical adventure manages to encapsulate the shallow nature of the game perfectly."[51] Moreover, some reviewers felt that the outfits worn by the main characters are too revealing and aimed at making the game more appealing to Final Fantasy's largely male audience.[49] [54] Despite the negative comments it has received, Final Fantasy X-2's critical reception has been largely positive, with IGN summarizing it as "a brilliant and addictive romp through Spira that we're certainly glad to experience",[43] and GameSpot commenting that it is "every bit as poignant, endearing, and engrossing as its forebears," with strengths

''Final Fantasy X-2'' that "ultimately make ... X-2's minor flaws forgivable".[1] The game maintains an 86% approval rating on GameRankings[30] and an 85% rating on Metacritic, both only slightly down from its predecessor.[31]

External links • Official North American website [55] • Final Fantasy X-2 [56] at Wikia

References [1] Shoemaker, Brad (2003). "Final Fantasy X-2 for PlayStation 2 Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasyx2/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-07-30. [2] Dunham, Jeremy (2003). "Final Fantasy X-2 Developer Interview" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 442/ 442025p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-07-16. [3] Studio BentStuff, ed (2004) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy X-2: International+Last Mission Ultimania. DigiCube/Square Enix. p. 583. ISBN 4-7575-1163-9. [4] Rikku: Hey, do I look like Yunie, you think? / Tidus: (Huh?) / Rikku: Well, my dad's sister is Yunie's mother, you get it? Square Co. Final Fantasy X. (Square EA). PlayStation 2. (2001-12-20) [5] Rikku: Well, look, I really want Yuna to go. / Wakka: She can't do that. / Rikku: Why not? / Wakka: Because she's booked solid for three months, ya! And everybody wants to see her. / Rikku: Oh yeah? Well, what about what she wants? / Wakka: Well, yeah, but.. Okay, maybe once things calm down, y'know? / Rikku: And what if they don't, Wakka? What then, huh? I don't believe it. After everything Yuna did for us! Why can't she just do what she wants to do now? Why? You know, every time I visited here, I wondered... why is it, that when everyone's out making their dreams happen and everyone's getting their chance, Yuna's dreams are on hold? / Wakka: Gee, it's not like... / Rikku: What do you know anyway, tubby? Yuna? / Yuna: I want... (I want to journey again. But... if I leave, I'll be disappointing everyone else.) I want... I'll go. Square Co. Eternal Calm Final Fantasy X-2: Prologue Square Enix U.S.A. 2002 [6] "Behind The Game The Creators" (http:/ / www. square-enix-usa. com/ games/ FFX/ btg/ creators. html#1). Square Enix North America. 2001. . Retrieved 2006-04-12. [7] Nooj: Some advice: That ... thing ... The colossus you saw is known as Vegnagun. It possesses overwhelming destructive power. It must not be touched! Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [8] Baralai: I know why you've come. You're here to destroy the weapon that threatens all Spira: Vegnagun. Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [9] Maechen: Although Vegnagun was constructed during the Machina War, there is no record of it ever being used. One could argue that the coming of Sin made war a secondary concern. But the real reason was that Vegnagun was nothing short of a titanic failure. You see, it was quick to respond to hostility, but lacked the ability to discern friend from foe. A weapon that slaughters indiscriminately would be far too dangerous for actual use in combat. Incidentally, this is why Vegnagun was never considered as a measure to combat Sin. Instead it was locked away under Bevelle. Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [10] Baralai: The thing's more sensitive than its size would lead one to believe. It detects hostility, and in an instant, springs to life! Should one even think of harming it, it awakens like a frightened child. Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [11] Baralai: I'm a little confused. You came to claim it for yourself, didn't you? But Vegnagun awoke. Why? Because deep down you hated it. Did you come here to use it or destroy it? Well? / Nooj: Both.Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [12] Paine: They're old friends. The three of them were candidates for the Crimson Squad. And I was the recorder assigned to their team. Yevon created the Squad and started training members two years ago. It was supposed to be an elite fighting force. The best were to be assigned leadership of Crusader chapters across Spira... Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [13] Paine: This is what destroyed the Squad. Despair strong enough to crush the minds of those it touches. What just happened to us happened to them, too. Here. They felt Shuyin's despair. They went mad, and they died. They killed each other! Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [14] Studio BentStuff, ed (2003) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania Ω. Square Enix. p. 87. ISBN 4-7575-1161-2. [15] Paine: It was Shuyin. Two years ago, the guys encountered Shuyin's memories and learned of Vegnagun. After we escaped, they said they would uncover the truth behind it. But then... Nooj shot us. We thought he'd betrayed us. But Nooj wasn't Nooj. I understand now: Shuyin was using him the whole time. Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [16] Fayth: Yuna. I'm sorry. We weren't strong enough to stop him. We wanted to at least warn someone... but instead, we were dragged into the darkness. We're no better than fiends. Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [17] Shuyin: Lenne. We disappeared together, but when I awoke, I was alone. I looked for you for so long. While I wandered, I realized something: Spira hasn't really changed at all. Everyone's still fighting over nothing. Still dying like they used to. A thousand years have passed, and they can't leave the hatred behind. I'm through waiting. I'll fix it. This world continues to fail us, and what's worse, I failed to protect you. Vegnagun will make that all go away. And we'll fade together again, together. Help me do it, Lenne. Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18)3

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''Final Fantasy X-2'' [18] Studio BentStuff, ed (2003) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania Ω. Square Enix. p. 86. ISBN 4-7575-1161-2. [19] Paine: "The man she loved, he struggled to save her. He fought till his very last breath for her. I think that Lenne's final words might have been happy ones: 'I love you.'" ... / Yuna: "But wait... Everything is all wrong. He never heard. The one person she wanted to tell ... He never heard her words." Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [20] Shuyin: I wanted to rest forever, but the pyreflies make me relive that moment.... Again and again and again. Square Co.. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [21] Fayth: It may look like him, but the real Shuyin died long ago. Even after a thousand years, his hate and misery linger on. His feelings grew so strong, they began to act on their own... Eventually, they became a shadow - a shade that wants only to vanish, but cannot. Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [22] Buddy: Lenne, huh? / Shinra: Yeah, the girl from the Songstress dressphere. ... / Rikku: So, the reason Shuyin keeps calling Yuna "Lenne" is-- / Paine: Because of that dressphere? Square Co. Final Fantasy X-2. (Square Enix U.S.A.). PlayStation 2. (2003-11-18) [23] Fox, Fennec (2002-10-23). "More Final Fantasy X-2 Details" (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ news/ 26766/ more-final-fantasy-x-2-details/ ). GamePro. . Retrieved 2010-01-24. [24] Studio BentStuff, ed (2001) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy X Ultimania Ω. DigiCube/Square Enix. p. 191. ISBN 4-88787-021-3. [25] IGN Staff (2002-11-29). "Square and Enix Meet the Press" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 378/ 378959p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-03-10. [26] GameSpot Staff (2003). "Square Enix considering Kingdom Hearts sequel" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasy7/ news_6026421. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-07-31. [27] ed. Rico Komanoya, ed (2004). "Final Fantasy X-2". Japanese Game Graphics: Behind the Scenes of Your Favorite Games. New York, NY: Harper Design International. pp. 20–25. ISBN 0-06-056772-4. [28] "Final Fantasy 10-2" (http:/ / www. ffinsider. net/ final-fantasy-10-2/ ). Final Fantasy Insider. 2005. . Retrieved 2007-08-26. [29] "アルティメットヒッツ" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ uh/ ). Square Enix Japan. . Retrieved 2007-08-26. [30] "Final Fantasy X-2 Reviews" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ ps2/ 562386-final-fantasy-x-2/ index. html). GameRankings. . Retrieved 2006-07-30. [31] "Final Fantasy X-2 Reviews" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ ps2/ finalfantasyx2?q=Final Fantasy X-2). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2006-07-31. [32] 1UP Staff. "Final Fantasy X-2 Review" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3112507). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2008-08-11. [33] "Final Fantasy X-2 Overview" (http:/ / www. allgame. com/ game. php?id=42205). Allgame. . Retrieved 2009-03-08. [34] "Final Fantasy X-2 Review" (http:/ / www. gamesradar. com/ ps2/ final-fantasy-x-2/ review/ final-fantasy-x-2/ a-20060223105918765090/ g-2005120717011439077758). GamesRadar (Edge Magazine). . Retrieved 2009-03-08. [35] Bettenhausen, Shane. "Final Fantasy X-2 Review" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3117623). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2008-08-11. [36] Fahey, Rob (2004-02-27). "Final Fantasy X-2 Review" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ r_finalfantasyx-2_ps2). Eurogamer. . Retrieved 2009-03-08. [37] "Final Fantasy - Famitsu Scores" (http:/ / fs. finalfantasytr. com/ search. asp?query=final+ fantasy). Famitsu Scores Archive. . Retrieved 2009-03-08. [38] "Final Fantasy X-2" (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ NR/ exeres/ 2B8DADC3-7680-4441-AE47-A8F57B97E731. htm). Game Informer. December 2003. . Retrieved 2009-03-08. [39] MAJORMIKE (2006-07-11). "Review: Final Fantasy X-2" (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ reviews/ 31761/ final-fantasy-x-2/ ). GamePro. . Retrieved 2006-07-31. [40] "Final Fantasy X-2 video game review for the PS2" (http:/ / www. gamerevolution. com/ review/ ps2/ final_fantasy_x-2). Game Revolution. . Retrieved 2009-03-08. [41] "GameSpy: Final Fantasy X-2 Review" (http:/ / ps2. gamespy. com/ playstation-2/ final-fantasy-x-2/ 6368p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2009-03-08. [42] Knutson, Michael (2003-12-05). "Final Fantasy X-2 Review" (http:/ / ps2. gamezone. com/ gzreviews/ r21274. htm). GameZone. . Retrieved 2009-03-08. [43] Dunham, Jeremy (2003-11-07). "Final Fantasy X-2 Review" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 458/ 458474p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-07-31. [44] "Final Fantasy X-2 PS2 Review" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3112873). 1UP.com. 2004. . Retrieved 2007-08-26. [45] Calvert, Justin (2004). "Final Fantasy X-2 Sells a Million" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasyx2/ news_6086686. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-03-16. [46] Campbell, Colin (2006). "Japan Votes on All Time Top 100" (http:/ / www. edge-online. com/ features/ japan-votes-all-time-top-100). Next Generation. . Retrieved March 11, 2006. [47] "FINAL FANTASY X-2 wins for Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance at Seventh Annual AIAS awards" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ company/ press/ 2004/ 05032004/ ). Square Enix North America. 2004. . Retrieved 2006-03-12. [48] Alley, Jake (2003). "Final Fantasy X-2 - Review" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ ff/ ffx-2/ reviews/ ffx-2strev1. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-07-31. [49] Przestrzelski, Steve (2004). "Final Fantasy X-2 - Review" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ ff/ ffx-2/ reviews/ ffx-2strev4. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-07-31.

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[50] Daquila, John (2003). "Final Fantasy X-2 - Review" (http:/ / www. thejadedgamer. net/ ?q=node/ 413). The Jaded Gamer. . Retrieved 2006-03-16. [51] Raven, Red (2003). "Final Fantasy X-2 - Review" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ games/ ff/ ffx-2/ reviews/ ffx-2strev3. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2006-07-31. [52] Mattich, Ryan (2003). "Final Fantasy X-2 - Review" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ reviews/ finalfantasy10-2/ ffx2. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2006-07-31. [53] Oda (2004). "Final Fantasy X-2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; J-pop Charlie's Angels! We like!" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20051028072710/ http:/ / news. gameplay. co. uk/ newsitem. php?itemid=1077705915). Gameplay. Archived from the original (http:/ / news. gameplay. co. uk/ newsitem. php?itemid=1077705915) on 2005-10-28. . Retrieved 2006-04-12. [54] Aoibhell, Lassarina (2003). "Final Fantasy X-2 Review" (http:/ / www. rpgplace. net/ contrib/ rina/ reviews/ ffx2. php). The RPG Place. . Retrieved 2006-04-12. [55] http:/ / www. square-enix-usa. com/ games/ FFX-2/ [56] http:/ / finalfantasy. wikia. com/ wiki/ Final_Fantasy_X-2

''Final Fantasy XI'' Final Fantasy XI

[1]

Developer(s)

Square PDD 3

Publisher(s)

PlayStation 2 Sony Computer Entertainment Windows (PC)/Xbox 360Square (pre-1 April 2003) Square Enix

Distributor(s)

Ubisoft Australia (AUS) Square-Enix (NA/EU/JP)

Designer(s)

Hiromichi Tanaka Koichi Ishii

Artist(s)

Tetsuya Nomura Nobuyoshi Mihara Tamae Kisanuki

Writer(s)

Masato Kato

Composer(s)

Naoshi Mizuta Kumi Tanioka Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy series

Platform(s)

PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360

''Final Fantasy XI''

239

Release date(s)

PlayStation 2 JP May 16, 2002 NA March 23, 2004 Windows (PC) JP November 7, 2002 NA October 28, 2003 PAL September 17, 2004 Xbox 360 NA April 18, 2006 JP April 20, 2006 PAL April 20, 2006

Genre(s)

Massively multiplayer online role-playing game

Mode(s)

Multiplayer

Rating(s)

ESRB: T (Teen) (13+) PEGI: 12+ USK: 12+ OFLC: G8+ (PC) and PG (Xbox 360) CERO: B (Ages 12 and up)

Media

DVD-ROM, CD-ROM

System requirements Windows (PC) Pentium III 800 Mhz CPU, Windows 2000/XP, 128 MB RAM, DVD-ROM drive, DirectX 8.1, Nvidia GeForce with 32 MB or ATI Radeon 9000 or higher, 9.5 GB free hard drive space. Internet (TCP/IP) connection required. Input methods

Keyboard, mouse, joystick, Gamepad

Final Fantasy XI (ファイナルファンタジーXI Fainaru Fantajī Irebun), also known as Final Fantasy XI Online, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed and published by Square (later Square Enix) as part of the Final Fantasy series. It was released in Japan on Sony's PlayStation 2 on May 16, 2002, and was released for Microsoft's Windows-based personal computers in November 2002. The PC version was released in North America on October 28, 2003, and the PlayStation 2 version on March 23, 2004. In Europe, only the Windows version was released, on September 17, 2004. An Xbox 360 version was released worldwide in April 2006 for all regions, as the system's first MMORPG and the first cross-platform MMORPG.[2] All versions require a monthly subscription to the game and the Xbox 360 version does not require an Xbox Live Gold account to play.[3] The story is set in the fantasy world of Vana'diel, where tasks can be performed to improve a character's powers or to complete quests. Players are able to customize a character that they will guide through the story. There are also thousands of quests that allow players to gain various rewards, as well as a growing number of player versus player competitions. Previously Square Enix had announced that more than 500,000 users, using more than one million characters, were playing the game as of January 2004. As of 2006, between 200,000 and 300,000 active players logged in per day, and the game remains the dominant MMORPG in Japan.[4] As of 2008, in an announcement for three additional expansions in development, SE noted Final Fantasy XI still has a strong user base of around 500,000 subscribers.[5] In April 2009, Square Enix announced that the total number of active characters exceeded 2 million for the first time in game history.[6]

''Final Fantasy XI''

Gameplay Final Fantasy XI, in addition to being an MMORPG, differs from previous titles in the series in several ways.[7] Unlike the predefined main characters of previous Final Fantasy titles, players are able to customize their characters in limited ways, including race, gender, face, hair color, body size, job, and allegiance. Also diverging from previous games in the series, all battles are real time, and enemies are no longer randomly encountered, a trend continued in FFXII and FFXIII.[8] There are 32 public game worlds, a cluster of servers, available for play with approximately 15,000 to 20,000 players in each.[9] The servers are named after summoned monsters from previous Final Fantasy titles, such as Ifrit and Diabolos. Players have the ability to move between servers, though Square-Enix charges a "world transfer" fee to do so.[10] There are no region-specific or system-specific servers, and unlike most online games, players of different languages play in the same world and can interact through automatic language translation from a library of translated phrases.[11] The game servers are run by Square-Enix as part of their PlayOnline network.

Interface Players have the option of using any combination of a keyboard, mouse, and controller to play Final Fantasy XI. If a player using a PlayStation 2 or an Xbox 360 does not have a keyboard, the game provides a method for communication within the game. The heads-up display in Final Fantasy XI consists of a log window, menus, and several game information elements. The log window at the bottom of the screen displays system messages, battle messages, and text input by other players. Players may choose to filter what appears in the log window. "Menus" allow the player to access different commands, status windows, and configuration options. The "action command A player engaged in a text-based conversation menu" appears just above the log window and gives the player several options to interact with the game world. Several menu options are available through the use of keyboard shortcuts, as well.[12] Square Enix also allows players to communicate by text messaging with people playing the game online.[13]

Basic gameplay Gameplay in Final Fantasy XI consists of two major components: missions, through which the main storyline of the game is told, and quests, which do not advance the main storyline, but fill out the game's fantasy world.[14] Missions are undertaken to advance in rank, access new areas, gain new privileges and advance the various storylines. Each nation and expansion has its own set of missions and quests, which a player must complete to advance in rank; a player may only complete missions for his home country, though it is relatively simple to change allegiances to a different nation. Quests may be undertaken for various rewards and fame. At release, over one hundred quests were available to play and new quests are added frequently.[15] Battles in Final Fantasy XI take place in the same world in which players move around, unlike previous Final Fantasy games in which a battle would take place in a new screen. Monsters within the game operate under a system of "claim" and "enmity". A monster is "claimed" the moment a player performs any offensive action upon it, including physical or magical attacks or offensive job abilities. With some exceptions, once a monster is "claimed" it can only be attacked by players in the party or alliance of the player that claimed it. A monster will focus its attention on whoever has built up the most enmity. Players have several means at their disposal, from spells to abilities to items, to build up enmity and shed it to their advantage in battle. Players obtain in-game money known as gil by defeating a type of monster called Beastmen, though, unlike previous Final Fantasy games, these monsters leave only small amounts.

240

''Final Fantasy XI''

241

Unlike many MMORPGs, there is no way to attack other players. However, since 2004, several ways of competing with other players have been added. The system of player competition is known as "Conflict", and occurs only with the permission of both players.[16] The first form of competition was called "Ballista", in which players scored points by throwing petras into a castle-like structure known as a "Rook".[17] [18] In February 2006, a second form of competition was released called "Brenner", in which players steal the opposing team's flames and place them in a container on their own side. By maintaining these flames, points are awarded which determine the winner. New battle events have also been introduced including "Salvage", "Einherjar", and "Pankration".[19] Square Enix has also instituted a "marriage ceremony" for those who wish to do so (same-sex character couplings are not permitted).

Party System Players are forced to band into parties in order to defeat more powerful monsters. A regular party has room for six members. Like in many other games, a well balanced party will consist of several archetypes- namely a healer, a tank (the party member with high defense that will be the main target of the monster), and the damage dealer. A well balanced team working together is the only way to defeat many of the game's enemies.

Job system Final Fantasy XI's job system is largely adapted from Final Fantasy III.[20] Each job has unique abilities, which must be activated by the player in order to come into effect, last a limited time, and have a "cooldown" period before they can be used again; traits, which are passive abilities that are always in effect; and a special "2-hour" ability that performs some extraordinary function and has an extraordinary 2-hour-long cooldown period to go with it. Players are able to change their jobs any time they wish inside their 'Mog House' or 'Rent-a-Room', and are also able to get a â&#x20AC;&#x153;support jobâ&#x20AC;? once they reach level 18 by completing a cetain quest. In order to learn additional skills and try different combinations, though the job will be half the level of the player's main job.[21] Players are able to improve their job abilities through defeating monsters or completing quests. As of April 2008, a player may choose from 20 different jobs.[21] The first six job classes available were: Job Name

Description

Warrior

Specializing in the arts of battle, Warriors (WAR) are masters of all aspects of melee combat.

Monk

With their bodies that double as deadly weapons, Monks (MNK) attack enemies with explosive strength.

White Mage

Armed with the most efficient recovery spells, White Mages (WHM) can ensure a party's survival in the most dire of situations.

Black Mage

Through devastating magic spells, Black Mages (BLM) bring tremendous firepower to the battlefield.

Red Mage

Red Mages (RDM) are called the Jack of All Trades by many, and this is an accurate description as they are skilled in both melee and magic attacks.

Thief

As treasure hunters specialized in covert attacks, Thieves (THF) aim for the perfect opportunity to attack the enemy.

Upon achieving level 30 in any of these jobs, a player may opt to complete quests to unlock the following extra jobs:

''Final Fantasy XI''

Job Name

242

Description

Paladin

Like Warriors, Paladins (PLD) engage in close-range combat, but these holy knights also specialize in shields and can cast white-magic, making them the premier "tank" (damage absorbing) job.

Dark Knight

Dark Knights (DRK) are powerful damage dealers who augment their damage by using select Black Magic spells to steal attributes from their enemies.

Beastmaster

Based on their knowledge of monsters, Beastmasters (BST) can charm the beasts of Vana'diel to fight alongside them, call beasts to their side, and intimidate creatures foolish enough to attack them.

Ranger

With unparalleled tracking abilities and the highest skill with ranged weapons, Rangers (RNG) are experts in the field of hunting and hurting their enemies from far away.

Bard

The mighty minstrels of Vana'diel, Bards (BRD) use songs as the job's main advantage to boost the party's fighting capabilities and break the will of their enemies.

Summoner

The heretic mages known as Summoners (SMN) have unlocked the secrets of the forbidden magic of Vana'diel by defeating and creating pacts with mystic Avatars that possess unspeakable power.

Samurai

The Samurai (SAM) focus on the mastery of quickly raising their tactical points to unleash a barrage of weaponskills, inflicting massive damage to their foe.

Ninja

Strict training in the forbidden arts of the Far East have transformed Ninja (NIN) into cold, hard, killing machines. High evasion and the ability to create shadow copies of themselves make Ninjas a good "tank" choice in many situations.

Dragoon

With their lances in hand and their faithful wyvern by their sides, Dragoons (DRG) surprise their enemies with their extraordinary jumping abilities.

Blue Mage

A Blue Mage (BLU) can employ the legendary arts of the Aht Urhgan Immortals, a unit of elite imperial special forces, to master the attacks of the many enemies throughout Vana'diel and use them in combat.

Corsair

Descendants of the dauntless pirates that once scourged the seas of the Near East, Corsairs (COR) rely on the Hexagun as their main weapon and use their luck-based abilities to increase the odds for the entire party.

Puppet Master

The wandering performers known as Puppet Masters (PUP) entertain crowds and confound their enemies with a customizable puppet known as an automaton.

Dancer

Dancers (DNC) are front-line healers that can both benefit the party and enfeeble monsters with their dancing skills.

Scholar

Extensive knowledge of ancient magical theory has granted Scholars (SCH) the ability to wield dual schools of magic as well as influence the weather to boost elemental attacks.

Crafting and hobbies In addition to completing quests and missions, players can participate in several side-minigames and other activities.[8] One such minigame is fishing, where players can measure their strength against the fish they attempt to catch. Another is clamming, where players collect as many fish or sea creatures as possible without going over their bucket's size limit. Gardening allows players to raise plants in their residence, or "Mog House" as it is known in the game.[22] The raising and breeding of Chocobos was a long-requested activity enabled in the summer 2006 update.[23] Chocobo racing began in March 2007, which allowed for the racing of player-raised Chocobos against non-player characters (NPCs). Winning racers can earn "Chocobucks", which can be used to buy, for example, items that assist Chocobo breeding.[24]

The raising, breeding, and racing of Chocobos was a much requested addition to the game

An important part of the game is the accumulation of items, especially rare ones, which allow players to create powerful weapons, armour and food. There are many ways to obtain items, such as harvesting, excavating, logging, mining, defeating monsters, and digging by using Chocobos. Square Enix attempted to increase the opportunity for

''Final Fantasy XI'' players to find rare items in order to equalize the game and stop the practice of "gil selling", or exchanging real money for in-game items.[25] The item auction system was shut down temporarily once due to some players exploiting the system.[26] Items can be created by consuming elemental crystals (obtained by fighting monsters) with other ingredients in a process called "synthesis".[27] Recipe results can vary widely based on the player's skill, the quality of the player's equipment worn, and the ingredients used. There is large speculation (though nothing evidently documented as of yet) about the moon phase, direction the player is facing, in-game day (every day of the week is assigned an element), and even time of day the synthesis is performed to either increase or reduce the results of the recipe.

Game economy Final Fantasy XI has a largely player-based economy, with a heavy reliance on "Auction Houses" in each of the major cities of Vana'diel. There are certain economic controls in place mainly in the form of fees for putting items up for auction. Transportation, auction house, item storage, and fees do not go to players; these gil sinks effectively remove money from the economy to prevent inflation. The city of Jeuno used to levy a tax on bazaar purchases inside the city, but it was removed in a patch in the December 2008 version update.[28] This tax remains in place in the areas of Aht Urghan Whitegate and Al Zahbi. Square Enix has stated that the trade of items for real currency is officially a violation of the Terms of Service for Final Fantasy XI.[29] In early 2006, Square Enix discovered that a group of players had found a way to generate game currency and exchange it for real currency, which, in turn, drove up prices for all items across the game. In response, 700 accounts were permanently banned and 300Â billion gil was removed from circulation.[30] In July 2006, Square Enix banned or suspended over 8,000 other accounts for similar manipulation and commerce.[31] Since 2006, Square Enix has regularly banned accounts found to be in violation of the terms, some of them using third-party tools, effectively removing billions of gil from the in-game economy.

Plot Setting The world of Final Fantasy XI is known as Vana'diel. It consists of two main landmasses with two smaller islands flanking them, which in turn are surrounded by small islands. It features diverse climates, ranging from the northern glaciers to the southern deserts.[32] The four main cities in Vana'diel are Bastok, San d'Oria, Windurst, and Jeuno. The expansion Treasures of Aht Urhgan added the large Aht Urhgan Whitegate/Al Zahbi city area. The rest of Vana'diel is made up of a number of outdoor, dungeon, and minor town areas split into various regions. While most areas are accessible by walking, various modes of transportation, ranging from the classic Final Fantasy Chocobo and airships to special spells, facilitate movement across the game world. The events of the game are set 20 years after the Crystal War, when the nations of San d'Oria, Bastok, and Windurst on the main continent of Vana'diel fought and defeated the Shadow Lord and his army of beastmen. A parallel world named Dynamis, in which the beastmen succeeded in conquering Vana'diel, can also be explored. It is described as a dream world created by the Avatar of Dreams, Diabolos.

243

''Final Fantasy XI''

Characters The five playable races in Final Fantasy XI are Elvaan — strong melee fighters, reasonable healers but weak in black magic Hume — a race resembling humans, with no notable strengths or weaknesses Galka — an asexual race, though masculine in appearance, they resemble large pale lizards; their face however, is slightly ursine. Strong and tough, but weak with magic; they reproduce through reincarnation Mithra — cat-like humanoids, of which only the females are playable characters, agile and dexterous, but lacking in charisma Tarutaru — tiny humanoids with incredible power over magic, but physically weak.[8] In addition to the player races, there are two primary non-playable races known as the Zilart, an ancient race which is the focus of the first two game expansions, and the Kuluu, a race of beings similar to the Zilart and thought to be inferior to it. There is also a huge supporting cast of NPCs who give quests and missions and appear in the game's storylines. The game features several typical Final Fantasy monsters, including races such as Goblins, Sahagins and Tonberries. Some of these creatures follow the Shadow Lord, a source of the game's conflict.[33] Shantotto, a Tarutaru non-player character, is the heroine and sole character representing Final Fantasy XI in Dissidia: Final Fantasy, where she is voiced by famed voice actress Megumi Hayashibara in the Japanese version and Candi Milo in English.[34] [35]

Story Players begin the game as residents of one of the three main countries, San d'Oria, Bastok, and Windurst, and must help band the nations together against the resurrected Shadow Lord. The expansion Rise of the Zilart reveals that the Crystal War and the resurrection of the Shadow Lord had been masterminded by the Zilart princes Eald'Narche and Kam'lanaut, who survived the extinction of their race. The two Zilarts plan to become Gods by opening the path to paradise, and the player is charged with thwarting their plans. Chains of Promathia revolves around the dead Twilight God Promathia, who had originally cursed the Zilart race, and the attempts of various factions to either complete or stop his resurrection. The wyrmking Bahamut is involved in these events, and intends to destroy Vana'diel to prevent Promathia from absorbing the life of the world. Treasures of Aht Urhgan concerns the Empire of Aht Urhgan which opens up to the nations of midlands after years of self-imposed isolation. As a new and powerful nation, it is of concern to the nation of the player, who is sent as a representative. The player then becomes embroiled in the intrigues of the Empress's court and the growing fears of war and darkness coming to Aht Urhgan. Wings of the Goddess primarily occurs in the era of the Crystal War, 20 years in the past from the main Final Fantasy XI setting. Players discover and cross mysterious time portals, and are led to help the Regal Feline Cait Sith reduce the suffering of the era. The Wings of the Goddess storyline is still ongoing as of 2010.

244

''Final Fantasy XI''

Development The idea to develop Final Fantasy XI as an online game was conceived by Hironobu Sakaguchi when establishing Square Pictures headquarters in Hawaii. Impressed by western MMORPGs that he discovered there, such as EverQuest, Sakaguchi convinced Square to begin the development of their own MMORPG and suggested that it be based on the Final Fantasy series.[36] The team responsible for Chrono Cross was assigned to the development of Final Fantasy XI after the English localization of the former title.[37] The game was the first developed under Square's new philosophy to develop for "all platforms and media".[38] Hiromichi Tanaka, the producer of the game, has stated Final Fantasy XI is heavily influenced by Final Fantasy III, especially in its battle and magic systems.[20] According to Tanaka, Square put in Final Fantasy XI what they could not put in the first Final Fantasy titles due to technical limitations, thus making Final Fantasy XI the "most [representative] Final Fantasy of all the installments".[37] The game was developed and ran on the Nvidia GeForce 4 Ti GPU, which Final Fantasy XI is the most representative title the President of Square Yōichi Wada described as the most powerful of the Final Fantasy series, according to producer Hiromichi Tanaka. graphics processor available at the time.[39] The game cost two to three billion yen (~$17–25 million) to create along with the PlayOnline Network Service and was assumed to become profitable over a five year timespan.[40] By creating a unified game world instead of different ones balkanized by language, development costs were cut 66%.[41] [42] Since recurring monsters of the series are known by different names in the Japanese and English versions of the other installments, it was decided for Final Fantasy XI to use both Japanese and English names for different varieties of the same monsters.[41] It was originally announced that there would be a simultaneous release on the PlayStation 2 and PC as well as concurrent Japanese and American release, but this was later changed.[43] There was also discussion of an Xbox release, but it was abandoned mainly because of its small 8 GB hard drive.[9] Originally announced in January 2000 at the Yokohama Millennium Conference, there was a great deal of negative press.[44] There were questions raised about naming the game the eleventh in the series, since it was not clear whether the game would have a structured story, which it ended up having, and the title of Final Fantasy Online was suggested.[45] Following an August 2001 beta test in Japan, a public Japanese beta test was done in December 2001.[46] Following its PC release, Final Fantasy XI was listed as one of IGN's most anticipated PlayStation 2 games of 2004.[47] Sony launched a multi-million dollar ad campaign to promote Final Fantasy XI along with the PlayStation 2 hard drive add-on which the game required.[48] Having been released on the PlayStation 2 as well as the personal computer, it became the first cross-platform MMORPG ever created.[49] On June 14, 2002, the game server was down for four hours for maintenance to the database servers, bug fixes on the text interface, and a new patch for the game client.[50] This is thought to be the first patch ever released for a console game.[51] Other early issues included complaints by American players that experienced Japanese players had already completed all the quests. Square Enix responded by adding new servers in order to have game worlds with fewer expert players.[15] Final Fantasy XI is one of the first cross-console video games, and has continued to update its software to allow the game to run on new consoles. Square Enix noted that Nintendo's use of "friend codes" was the primary reason Final Fantasy XI was not brought to the Wii.[52] In December 2006, the PlayStation 2 versions of PlayOnline and Final Fantasy XI were able to install and run on the PlayStation 3. The Vana'diel Collection 2008 discs for the PlayStation 2 had installation issues on the PlayStation 3, causing them to be unusable at first since they weren't on Sony's list of

245

''Final Fantasy XI''

246

HDD compatible titles in the firmware the PlayStation 3 at the time. This problem was fixed on December 18, 2007 when Sony released firmware update 2.10 for the PlayStation 3. This allowed all backwards compatible models - 20 gig model #CECHB01, 60 Gig model #CECHA01 and 80 gig model #CECHE01 - to play FFXI. After working with Microsoft to resolve Final Fantasy XI's incompatibility issues with Windows Vista, Square Enix released a downloadable version of the PlayOnline client which is compatible with the operating system, although small bugs have appeared.[53]

Expansions All the expansions, including Rise of the Zilart,[54] have been released on PlayStation 2 (except in Europe), PC, and Xbox 360. Title Rise of the Zilart (ジラートの幻影 Jirāto no Gen'ei, lit. Phantoms of the [55] Zilart)

Year JP

2003 NA

2003 PAL

2004 [56]

Chains of Promathia (プロマシアの呪縛 Puromashia no Jubaku, lit. [60] Curse of Promathia)

2004 NA

Notes When news was first circulated about an expansion to Final Fantasy XI, it was thought that the game's title would be Final Fantasy XI: Vision of Girade and it was unclear whether it would be a free upgrade or [55] not. The Xbox Live version was also beta tested to see how their online playing system supported [57] Final Fantasy XI. A demo version of the Xbox 360 release of the game was the first game on the [58] Xbox 360 to require the use of its hard drive addition. The game introduced the Dragoon as well as the [59] Samurai and Ninja.

On November 7, 2006, a new version of "Vana'diel Collection" for 2007 was released including the [61] original game and both expansions. Forty new areas were made available to explore, as well as new [62] quests and missions, but no new jobs for characters to learn or new game mechanics.

2004 PAL

2004 Treasures of Aht Urhgan (アトルガンの秘宝 Atorugan no Hihō, lit. Hidden Treasure [63] of Aht Urghan)

2006 NA

2006 PAL

The game was also released on the Xbox 360 bundled with all three of the expansions released to date, and on the PC as "Vana'diel Collection 2007". The expansion included three new jobs; Puppetmaster, Corsair, [64] and Blue Mage. The expansion's final update in Fall 2007 finally allowed the player to advance to the rank of "Captain."

2006 Wings of the Goddess (アルタナの神兵 Arutana no Shinpei, lit. Divine Soldiers of [65] Altana)

2007 NA

2007 PAL

2007

The fourth expansion of Final Fantasy XI was announced on May 12, 2007 at the Square Enix Party event [66] in Japan. The expansion shipped for PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 on November 20; the PC version was delayed until November 21 due to manufacturing issues. The expansion went live and became playable on November 22, 2007. On November 20, 2007, Square Enix updated Final Fantasy XI in preparation for the expansion. This update included a new large-scale battle known as "Campaign" and [67] various new spells and job abilities. The Dancer and Scholar jobs were introduced in the expansion, [68] and their equipment known as "artifact armor" was released in the March 10th, 2008 update.

Add-ons In 2009, three add-on scenarios were released for download for all platforms and regions: • A Crystalline Prophecy: Ode to Life Bestowing (Release date: March 22, 2009).[69] • A Moogle Kupo d'Etat: Evil in Small Doses (Release date: July 6, 2009).[69] • A Shantotto Ascension: The Legend Torn, Her Empire Born (Release date: November 9, 2009).[69] Masato Kato, the original scenario writer of Final Fantasy XI and the expansion pack Rise of the Zilart, will return to work on these add-on scenarios. A separate development team has been established for these new chapters, so that updates for Wings of the Goddess can continue to be released in parallel. Unlike traditional expansion packs, these chapters, conceived as interactive "novelettes", will focus on deepening the storylines of existing locations rather than introducing new areas.[70]

''Final Fantasy XI''

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On November 10, 2009, Square Enix released a 2009 collection of games. Titled Final Fantasy XI: Ultimate Collection, this collection includes all four main expansions as well as the three add-on scenarios. It was released for PC and Xbox 360. In February 2010, Square Enix announced a new series of add-on scenarios to be released in the second half of 2010: • Vision of Abyssea (Release date: Summer 2010).[71] • Scars of Abyssea (Release date: Second half of 2010).[71] • Heroes of Abyssea (Release date: Second half of 2010).[71]

Music The music of Final Fantasy XI was scored by Nobuo Uematsu, Naoshi Mizuta, and Kumi Tanioka.[72] Composer Yasunori Mitsuda was also asked to contribute, but he was busy scoring Xenosaga.[44] The expansion packs were scored by Mizuta alone after Tanioka left to pursue other projects and Uematsu left Square Enix. The opening of the game features choral music with lyrics in Esperanto.[44] According to Uematsu, the choice of language was meant to symbolize the developers' hope that their online game could contribute to cross-cultural communication and cooperation. He also noted the increased difficulty of scoring a game for which there was no linear plotline, a major change from the previous Final Fantasy games. It was the first game in the series for which he composed while he was no longer a Square employee.[73] New music has been employed for special events, such as a holiday score titled Jeuno -Starlight Celebration- which can be heard in the city of Jeuno each mid to late December since 2004. Unlike its immediate predecessor, Final Fantasy XI features almost no voice acting. Vocalizations are portrayed by battle cries and related sounds. Text descriptions are instead utilized to express player communication.

Uematsu emphasized cross-cultural communication in his composition

The game's music has been released in CD form several times and has been featured in Final Fantasy concerts. Some of the game's music has been released on iTunes for download, such as the vocal "Distant Worlds", which was released on the Japanese iTunes Music Store on September 13, 2005, having been put in the game in a July 2005 patch.[74] A compilation CD box was released on March 28, 2007, titled Final Fantasy XI Original Soundtrack Premium Box, which included the four original soundtracks from Final Fantasy XI and its three expansion sets, as well as the previously unreleased tracks from the game and the unreleased Final Fantasy XI Piano Collections.[75] Dear Friends -Music from Final Fantasy-, a 2004–2005 concert series, featured "Ronfaure" from Final Fantasy XI. A ten-track album of music inspired by Final Fantasy XI entitled Music from the Other Side of Vana'diel was released by The Star Onions on August 24, 2005.[76]

Reception Sales and subscriptions The user base for the PlayStation 2 version was truncated initially because of limited sales of the PlayStation 2's hard drive and network adapters that were needed for the game.[77] The Japanese release of Rise of the Zilart was the number one selling game when it debuted with 90,000 copies sold in the first week.[77] The Final Fantasy XI All-in-One Pack was number 36 and Wings of the Goddess was number 40 on the top 50 best-selling Xbox 360

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games in Japan as of December 2007.[78] For the Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;September 2004 financial period, Square Enix saw online gaming, particularly Final Fantasy XI, sales increase by 101 percent and operating profit increase by 230.9 percent.[79] Revenues held steady from subscription services in the summer of 2006; in the fall, however, Square acknowledged that online subscription revenues were "unsatisfactory", despite the steady performance of Final Fantasy XI.[80] [81] In December 2003, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada announced that there were over 200,000 subscribers to Final Fantasy XI, allowing the company to break even and start making a profit.[82] There were between 200,000 and 300,000 active players daily in 2006.[83] As of August 14, 2006 the Xbox 360 version was the sixth most played game on Xbox Live.[84]

Critical reaction Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator

Score [85]

GameRankings

83%

Metacritic

85 out of 100

[86]

Review scores Publication

Score [87]

Famitsu

38 out of 40

GameSpot

8.2 out of 10

GameSpy

4 out of 5

IGN

8.8 out of 10

[88]

[89] [90]

Famitsu rated Final Fantasy XI 38 out of 40.[87] Computer and Video Games Magazine noted that it was one of the most welcoming MMORPG's despite the cumbersome initial registration and setup.[91] IGN called it a well done but unoriginal game and also noted that North American players were forced to play with already much more experienced Japanese players who had already completed the game's various quests.[15] GameSpot criticized it at release for having an unconventional control system, a lengthy installation, and having no player versus player (PvP) aspects.[92] Other elements receiving criticism include the EXP grind, which involves constant battles to access different parts of the game, and overcrowded camp sites.[93] The expansions have been mostly positively received, with praise for the amount of content added, but increasing signs that the graphics of the game are becoming outdated.[94] [95] IGN review of the Xbox 360 release was similar, noting that it was a large amount of game content, but had a protracted setup process and elements of the game design that require a large time investment.[96]

Awards and legacy Final Fantasy XI was awarded the grand prize from the Japan's Consumer Entertainment Software Association (CESA) for 2002â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2003 along with Taiko no Tatsujin.[97] It has also received GameSpy's 2003 PC MMORPG Game of the Year Award and IGN's Game of the Month for March 2004, citing the game's huge customization and its successful cross-platform and cross-language game world.[98] [99] Final Fantasy XI was referenced in the online game Minna no Golf Online in the form of a Final Fantasy XI-themed lobby.[100] At 2009's Electronic Entertainment Expo, Square Enix revealed Final Fantasy XIV Online, which will be Square Enix's next MMORPG.

''Final Fantasy XI'' The game has spawned several written adaptations and related merchandise. Starting in 2003, a series of Final Fantasy XI novels was written by Miyabi Hasegawa and released in Japanese,[101] German,[102] and French.[103] Additionally, in 2004, Adventure Log, a webcomic by Scott Ramsoomair, was commissioned by Square Enix starting in 2007.[104] Final Fantasy XI PlayOnline Visa and MasterCard credit cards were available in Japan, with features including no annual fees as long as cardholders remain PlayOnline subscribers and various other rewards.[105] There have also been posters with limited edition phone cards and keychains released, also exclusively in Japan.[106] Several T-shirts have been made available for order in North America,[107] and various stuffed animals have also been made available to order of different races from the series.[108] A Vana'diel clock which displayed the in-game time was also marketed, as well as CDs of the game's music.[109]

External links • European official website [110] • American official website [111] • Promotional website for Final Fantasy XI from Square Enix [112]

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"Final Fantasy XI First Patch" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 361/ 361927p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [52] Miller, Ross (2007-02-01). "Square Enix blames Wii friend codes for lack of FFXI" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2007/ 02/ 01/ square-enix-blames-wii-friend-codes-for-lack-of-ffxi/ ). joystiq. . Retrieved 2008-03-10. [53] "Support for Microsoft Windows Vista" (http:/ / www. playonline. com/ homeus/ headline/ news01. html). PlayOnline. 2007-03-22. . Retrieved 2007-03-22. [54] Coleman, Stephen (2005-05-17). "Final Fantasy XI Coming to Xbox 360" (http:/ / games. ign. com/ articles/ 615/ 615266p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15.

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''Final Fantasy XI'' [55] IGN Staff (2002-11-20). "Final Fantasy XI Expansion Disc?" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 377/ 377902p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [56] Coleman, Stephen (2003-10-28). "Final Fantasy XI Ships" (http:/ / games. ign. com/ articles/ 456/ 456961p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [57] IGN Staff (2005-06-08). "Final Fantasy XI Team Works on New Project" (http:/ / xbox360. ign. com/ articles/ 623/ 623561p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [58] Carless, Simon (2005-05-16). "Microsoft Reveals Square Enix Support, 'Selected' Backward Compatibility For Xbox 360" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=8084). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2006-08-16. [59] IGN Staff (2003-03-27). "Last Bits of FFXI Expansion Info" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 391/ 391211p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-03-11. [60] "Final Fantasy XI Chains of Promathia" (http:/ / www. gamefaqs. com/ console/ ps2/ data/ 920507. html). GameFAQs. 2005-01-01. . Retrieved 2008-02-29. [61] Hatfield, Daemon (2006-11-07). "Final Fantasy XI Collection Updated" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 744/ 744565p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-03-08. [62] Jeremy Dunham (2004-09-28). "Final Fantasy XI: Chains of Promathia" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 551/ 551985p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-03-11. [63] "Final Fantasy XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan" (http:/ / www. gamefaqs. com/ console/ ps2/ data/ 930028. html). GameFAQs. 2007-01-01. . Retrieved 2008-02-29. [64] Allakhazam.com Staff (2007-06-12). "Editorial: E3: Interview with FFXI Developers" (http:/ / ffxi. allakhazam. com/ sdetail. html?story=10045). Allakhazam. . Retrieved 2008-03-11. [65] benleslie5 (2008-01-07). "Tokyo Gameshow 07" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pages/ unions/ home. php?union_id=ATA). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-02-29. [66] Square Enix staff (2007-05-12). "Official Site for "Wings of the Goddess"!" (http:/ / www. playonline. com/ ff11us/ index. shtml). PlayOnline. . Retrieved 2007-05-12. [67] "Nov. 20, 2007 (JST) Update Details" (http:/ / www. playonline. com/ pcd/ update/ ff11us/ 20071120wwnX41/ detail. html). PlayOnline. 2007-11-20. . Retrieved 2008-02-29. [68] Cody Bye (2008-03-02). "Final Fantasy XI: Dancer and Scholar Interview" (http:/ / www. tentonhammer. com/ node/ 28307). Ten Ton Hammer. . Retrieved 2008-03-11. [69] "'A Crystalline Prophecy' Site Updated and Advance Order Date Announced!" (http:/ / www. playonline. com/ ff11us/ addon/ ). Square Enix. March 16, 2009. . Retrieved March 25, 2009. [70] "The Adventure Continues With Three All-New Final Fantasy XI Expansion Chapters!" (http:/ / blog. square-enix. com/ ff11/ 2008/ 11/ the_adventure_continues_with_t. html). Square Enix. November 22, 2008. . Retrieved November 22, 2008. [71] http:/ / www. playonline. com/ ff11us/ addon/ index. html [72] Gann, Patrick (2004-09-23). "Final Fantasy XI Rise of the Zilart OST" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff11-zilart/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2008-03-07. [73] Fahey, Rob (2005-02-25). "Focus On: Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu" (http:/ / www. gamesindustry. biz/ articles/ focus-on-final-fantasy-composer-nobuo-uematsu). Gamesindustry.biz. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [74] IGN Music (2005-05-10). "Final Fantasy Soundtracks" (http:/ / music. ign. com/ articles/ 611/ 611637p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [75] "Final Fantasy XI Original Soundtrack PREMIUM BOX" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ music/ sem/ page/ ff11box/ info. html). Square Enix. 2007. . Retrieved 2007-03-27. [76] "Square Enix Music" (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ companies/ staronions/ discography. shtml). Square Enix. 2005-05-10. . Retrieved 2008-02-29. [77] Fahey, Rob (2003-04-28). "Japan Charts: Final Fantasy XI add-on goes in at number one" (http:/ / www. gamesindustry. biz/ articles/ iwata-pledges-to-keep-revolution-software-prices-down). Gamesindustry.biz. . Retrieved 2009-02-29. [78] "Lifetime sales of Top 50 Xbox 360 Software in Japan" (http:/ / www. n4g. com/ xbox360/ News-95272. aspx). Famitsu. 2007-12-09. . Retrieved 2008-02-29. [79] Gantayat, Anoop (2004-11-18). "Square Enix Strong on Online, Mobile Content" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 567/ 567333p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [80] Dobson, Jason (2006-08-18). "Square Enix Revises Revenue, Profit Projections Down" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=8951). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2006-08-16. [81] Graft, Kris (2006-08-18). "Squeenix Slashes Profit Forecast by 43%" (http:/ / www. edge-online. com/ news/ squeenix-slashes-profit-forecast-43). Next Generation Magazine. . Retrieved 2002-02-29. [82] IGN Staff (2003-12-11). "Final Fantasy XI Breaks Even" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 442/ 442564p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [83] Woodard, Christopher (2006-03-24). "GDC: Creating a Global MMO: Balancing Cultures and Platforms in Final Fantasy XI" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ features/ 20060324/ woodard_01. shtml). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2006-08-16. [84] Hryb, Larry (2006-08-14). "Halo 2, CoD 2 Remain Most-Played Xbox Live Games" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=10465). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2006-08-16.

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''Final Fantasy XI'' [85] "Final Fantasy XI—PC" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ pc/ 555735-final-fantasy-xi/ index. html). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2008-02-21. [86] "Final Fantasy XI" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ pc/ finalfantasyxi?q=Final Fantasy XI). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2008-02-21. [87] "Famitsu Hall of Fame" (http:/ / geimin. net/ da/ cross_review. php). GEIMIN.NET. 2006-01-01. . Retrieved 2008-03-07. [88] Komili, Onur (2003-10-28). "Final Fantasy XI Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ finalfantasy11/ review. html?om_act=convert& om_clk=gssummary& tag=summary;review). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2008-02-29. [89] Vassar, Darryl (2003-11-13). "Final Fantasy XI (PC)" (http:/ / pc. gamespy. com/ pc/ final-fantasy-xi/ 6369p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2008-03-01. [90] Komili, Onur (2003-12-01). "Final Fantasy XI Review" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ objects/ 014/ 014009. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [91] PC Zone Staff (2004-10-15). "Final Fantasy XI Online" (http:/ / www. computerandvideogames. com/ article. php?id=110629). ComputerAndVideoGames.com. . Retrieved 2008-02-29. [92] Kasavin, Greg (2003-11-14). "Final Fantasy XI" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ pc/ rpg/ finalfantasy11/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [93] Kudou-Yusaku (2006-07-21). "Final Fantasy XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan Review" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 720/ 720371p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [94] Dunham, Jeremy (2004-09-28). "Final Fantasy XI: Chains of Promathia" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 551/ 551974p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-02-29. [95] Kudou-Yusaku (2006-06-21). "Final Fantasy XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan Review" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 720/ 720371p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-02-29. [96] Onyett, Charles (2006-05-03). "Final Fantasy XI" (http:/ / xbox360. ign. com/ articles/ 704/ 704744p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-08-14. [97] IGNPS2 (2003-10-30). "CESA Announces Game Awards" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 457/ 457248p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [98] IGNPS2 (2004-03-31). "Game of the Month: March 2004" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 503/ 503215p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [99] "Final Fantasy XI USA Awards" (http:/ / www. playonline. com/ ff11us/ guide/ development/ awards. html?pageID=development). PlayOnline. 2006-01-01. . Retrieved 2006-08-17. [100] IGN Staff (2004-01-15). "Minna no Golf Merges with FFXI" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 463/ 463244p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-15. [101] Amazon.co.jp staff. "ファイナルファンタジー11―星の誓い (文庫)" (http:/ / www. amazon. co. jp/ exec/ obidos/ ASIN/ 4757714246/ gilgameshwar-22/ ref=nosim). . Retrieved 2007-07-21. [102] Amazon.de staff. "Final Fantasy XI: Final Fantasy XI Bd. 1. Das Lied des Sturms: Bd 1 (Broschiert)" (http:/ / www. amazon. de/ Final-Fantasy-XI-Lied-Sturms/ dp/ 3833214554/ ref=sr_1_1/ 028-2841423-2968523?ie=UTF8& s=books& qid=1184261621& sr=1-1). . Retrieved 2007-07-21. [103] fleuvenoir.fr Staff. "Fiche livre "Final Fantasy XI T-1"" (http:/ / www. fleuvenoir. fr/ sf-fantasy-poche-jeux-video-fiche-livre-9782265085596. html). . Retrieved 2007-07-21. [104] PlayOnline staff (2007-03-08). "Final Fantasy XI Newsletter Issue 18" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ffxi/ newsletter/ 18/ index. html). PlayOnline. . Retrieved 2009-08-27. [105] IGN Staff (2002-02-07). "Final Fantasy XI Credit Cards" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 324/ 324220p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-16. [106] IGN Staff (2002-01-18). "Final Fantasy XI Moichandising Begins" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 101/ 101067p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-08-16. [107] "Final Fantasy XI" (http:/ / shopcdsbooks. com/ Merchant2/ merchant. mvc?Screen=CTGY& Store_Code=SQX& Category_Code=ffxi). Square Enix. 2006-01-01. . Retrieved 2006-08-17. [108] "Final Fantasy Section" (http:/ / www. toysnjoys. com/ ff_plushes. html). Toys n' Joys Online. 2005-01-01. . Retrieved 2008-02-25. [109] "Final Fantasy XI Vana-Diel Clock" (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ news/ 36993/ hori-unveils-final-fantasy-xi-vanadiel-clock/ ). Home Visions. 2008-01-01. . Retrieved 2008-02-24. [110] http:/ / www. playonline. com/ ff11eu/ [111] http:/ / www. playonline. com/ ff11us/ [112] http:/ / www. finalfantasyxi. com/

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''Final Fantasy XII''

253

''Final Fantasy XII'' Final Fantasy XII

European cover art Developer(s)

Square Enix PDD 4

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Distributor(s)

Designer(s)

Yasumi Matsuno Hiroyuki Itō Hiroshi Minagawa

Artist(s)

Akihiko Yoshida Nao Ikeda

Writer(s)

Daisuke Watanabe Miwa Shoda

Composer(s)

See Music

Series

Final Fantasy INT Ivalice Alliance

Aspect ratio

16:9 / 4:3

Ubisoft Entertainment

Native resolution 480i Platform(s)

PlayStation 2

Release date(s)

March 16, 2006 October 31, 2006 PAL February 23, 2007 INT August 9, 2007 NA

Genre(s)

Role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player

Rating(s)

CERO: A (original release), B (International) ESRB: T OFLC: M PEGI: 16+

Media

DVD-ROM

Input methods

Gamepad

Final Fantasy XII (ファイナルファンタジーXII Fainaru Fantajī Tuerubu) is a single-player role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2. Released in 2006, it is the twelfth title in the

''Final Fantasy XII''

254

Final Fantasy series. The game introduced several innovations to the series: battles occur without a transition to a separate screen; a customizable "gambit" system automatically controls the actions of characters; and a "license" system determines which abilities and equipment are used by characters. Final Fantasy XII also includes elements from previous games in the series, such as summoned monsters, Chocobos, and airships. The game takes place in the fictional location of Ivalice, where the empires of Archadia and Rozarria are waging an endless war. Dalmasca, a small kingdom, is caught between the warring nations. When Dalmasca becomes annexed by Archadia, its princess, Ashe, creates a resistance movement. During the struggle, she meets Vaan, a young adventurer who dreams of commanding an airship. They are quickly joined by a band of allies; together, they rally against the tyranny of the Archadian Empire. Final Fantasy XII received universally high scores, and earned numerous awards in various categories from noted video game publications. Selling more than two million copies in Japan, it became the fourth best-selling PlayStation 2 game of 2006 worldwide. As of March 2007, the game has shipped over 5.2 million copies worldwide.[1] A sequel, Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, was released for the Nintendo DS in 2007.

Gameplay Throughout the game, the player directly controls the on screen character from a third-person perspective to interact with people, objects, and enemies. Unlike previous games in the series, the player can also control the camera with the right analog stick, allowing for a 360째 view of the surroundings.[2] While in towns and cities, the player may only see from the perspective of Vaan, although any character may be controlled in the field. The world of Final Fantasy XII is rendered to scale relative to the characters in it; instead of a caricature of the character roaming around miniature terrain, as found in the earlier Final Fantasy games, every area is represented proportionally. The player navigates the world by foot, by Chocobo,[3] or by airship.[4] Players may save their game to a memory card using save crystals or gate crystals, and may use the latter to teleport to other gate crystals.[5] An in-game bestiary provides incidental information about the world of Final Fantasy XII.[6] Final Fantasy XII restructures the system of earning gil, the currency of the Final Fantasy games. Instead of gil, most enemies drop "loot" which can be sold at shops.[7] This ties into a new battle mechanic which rewards the player with improved loot for slaying a particular type of monster multiple times in a row.[8] Selling different types of loot also unlocks a bazaar option in shops, which provides items at a lower cost, or items exclusive to the Bazaar.[7]

Combat

A standard battle; blue lines depict the player's targets and red lines depict those of the enemies.

Unlike the previous Final Fantasy games which used a turn-based system, battles in Final Fantasy XII occur in the open field; however, menus are still used to issue commands to the characters. Combat unfolds in real time, using a new system called "Active Dimension Battle" (ADB), which allows the player to battle in the overworld instead of in a separate battle screen.[9] The player may issue commands to any of the three characters in the battle party at will; however, certain "guest" characters are controlled by the game's AI.[10] Battle commands include Attack, Magicks & Technicks, Mist, Gambits, and Items. Using these abilities, the player must destroy enemies before being defeated.

"Random encounters" have been eliminated in Final Fantasy XII; the transition to a separate battle screen like in other Final Fantasy titles is absent.[9] Instead, enemies are visible in the overworld before an engagement and the player may choose to fight or avoid them in open combat. A battle begins when the party comes within range of an

''Final Fantasy XII'' aggressive enemy (or vice versa), if the party attacks a non-aggressive enemy, or if a story event initiates a confrontation.[9] When a character or enemy begins to perform an action, target lines connect characters to other party members or enemies; different colors represent the type of action.[11] The player may switch any active character with an inactive character at any time, unless the active character is targeted by an attack or ability. Characters who are knocked out may also be substituted. The absence of a transition to a battle screen means the traditional victory scene is also eliminated, though a successful "Boss" battle does present the player with a "Congratulations" screen and the participating characters in their victory poses.[12] Another new feature in Final Fantasy XII is the "gambit" system, which allows the player to program each character to perform certain commands in battle in response to specified conditions.[13] Using gambits, the player may set reactions to different stimuli for each character. Each gambit consists of three parts: a target, an action, and a priority. The target specifies which ally or foe to act on and the condition for applying the action. For example, the target "Ally: HP < 70%" causes the character to target any ally whose HP has fallen below 70%. The action is the command to be performed on the target. The priority determines which gambit to perform when multiple gambits are triggered. This rudimentary AI programming scheme allows the characters to act on their own, although player-inputted commands are always given top priority.[13] In Final Fantasy XII, a mysterious phenomenon known as "Mist" is the key energy which allows the player to cast summoning magic and perform "Quickenings". After defeating one in combat, the player will be able to summon an "Esper" to the battlefield.[14] Similar to Final Fantasy X, the summoned creatures become active participants in battle,[14] as opposed to the cinematic attacks seen in previous games in the series. Unlike Final Fantasy X, however, Espers follow hidden gambits, rather than the player's direct command.[14] The summoner remains an active member in the fight, able to attack and cast support magic, instead of leaving the party or standing idle while the summoned creature fights.[14] An Esper will leave the battle if either the summoner or itself is knocked out, its time limit expires, or it executes its special attack.[14] Some Espers have origins in Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and others are derived from the final bosses of previous Final Fantasy games, such as Chaos, the final boss of the first Final Fantasy, and Zeromus, the final boss of Final Fantasy IV. Final Fantasy XII introduces "Quickenings", a new Limit Break system unique compared to those in previous games in the series.[15] Characters learn Quickenings by progressing to specific panels on the License Board.[15] Each character can learn three Quickenings, which are unique to that character.[15] Characters may string together Quickenings into large combo attacks, called Mist Chains, via timed button presses.[15] If a Mist Chain reaches a certain length, a final strike will be initiated at the end of the Quickening cycle, called a Concurrence.[15]

License Board As in many role-playing games, characters level up each time they earn a set number of experience points from defeating enemies; each "level" gained increases the character's statistics, thus improving their performance in battle.[16] Statistics include hit points, the amount of damage a character can receive; strength, the power of the character's physical attacks; and magic, the potency of the character's magical spells.[16] The License Board; raised panel icons indicate In addition to leveling up, players may improve their characters via the acquired licenses. License Board. The License Board is an array of panels that contain "licenses"â&#x20AC;&#x201D;permits which allow a character to perform certain actions.[17] The board is split into two parts; the upper part contains Magick, Technick, Accessory, and Augment (stat increases and other permanent buffs) licenses, and the bottom part is filled mostly with Weapon and Armor

255

''Final Fantasy XII'' licenses.[18] To use a Magick, Technick, or piece of equipment, the character must obtain its corresponding license by spending the required amount of LP (License Points) to permit its use.[17] LP are earned in battle along with the experience points. Like the Sphere Grid in Final Fantasy X, all characters may obtain all licenses on the board; however, each Quickening and Esper license may only be activated by a single character.[19]

Plot Setting Final Fantasy XII is set within the land of Ivalice during an age when "magic was commonplace" and "airships plied the skies, crowding out the heavens". At this time, magicite, a magic-rich mineral, is commonly used in magic spells[20] and in powering airshipsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a popular form of transportation in Ivalice.[21] Ivalice is divided into three continents:[22] Ordalia, Valendia, and Kerwon.[2] Ordalia is located in the western part of Ivalice. The Rozarrian Empire makes its home in the vast inland plains of this continent as the eastern portion of it is largely desert or "jagd"â&#x20AC;&#x201D;lawless lands so devoid of Mist (the ethereal manifestation of magicite) that airships cannot fly over them.[23] Valendia is the home of Imperial Archadia, where vast and lush plains dot the landscape.[24] Central to the story is Dalmasca, a small kingdom between the two continents and Empires. Located in the middle of the Galtean Peninsula of Ordalia, Dalmasca is surrounded by an expanse of desert. The temperate climate of Dalmasca differs from the cold environs of Kerwon and the lush plains of Valendia and Ordalia.[25] During this time, Ivalice is beset by the pending war between the forces of Rozarria and Archadia. Caught between the two powerful Empires, Dalmasca and a number of smaller nations have already been subjugated by Archadia two years before the game begins. According to the game developers, design inspiration came from a mix of medieval Mediterranean countries as demonstrated by the architectural styles found throughout Ivalice along with many of the races populating the region.[26] The art team visited Turkey, which influenced the game's Mediterranean-style setting.[27] The developers also used styles and deco from other sources including areas in India and New York City.[27] [28] Of note is the use of Sanskrit in the city of Bhujerba. Phrases such as "svagatam" (welcome) and titles like "parijanah" (guide) are lifted directly from Sanskrit. Hideo Minaba, developer and co-art director with Isamu KamikokuryĹ?, mentions that the team tried to bring out Arabic culture in the design of the game.[29] War is a prominent theme of the game and the developers confirmed that the cutscene battles are influenced by Ancient Rome.[28] When asked to comment on the fan observation of a Star Wars influence, Minaba replied that although he was a fan of the Star Wars series, it was not necessarily an influence to the game's designs.[27]

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''Final Fantasy XII''

Characters The six main playable characters in Final Fantasy XII are Vaan, an energetic orphan of Rabanastre who dreams of becoming a sky pirate; Ashe, a determined princess of Dalmasca who lost her husband in the Archadian invasion; Basch, a disgraced knight of Dalmasca charged with treason for slaying the king; Balthier, a gentlemanly sky pirate who pilots his airship, the Strahl; Fran, Balthier's partner and a Viera exile whose knowledge extends to legends and myths; and Penelo, Vaan's childhood friend who accompanies him on journeys to keep an eye over him.[30] The Archadian Empire is ruled by House Solidor, headed by Emperor Gramis.[31] The family also consists of two siblings, Vayne and Larsa, the former a military genius and the latter a charismatic seeker of peace. Judge Magisters, upholders of Archadian law,[31] protect House Solidor and execute every command and order issued by the ruling family. The technological marvels of airships and synthetic nethiciteâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a Cast of Final Fantasy XII form of magicite that absorbs Mistâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;are thanks to Doctor Cid, a prominent researcher from Archadia.[31] The Resistance against Archadia includes Dalmascan knight Vossler, an ally of Basch; Marquis Halim Ondore IV, the game's narrator and ruler of the skycity Bhujerba; Reddas, a sky pirate based in the port at Balfonheim; and the Rozarrian Empire, of which Al-Cid Margrace is a prince of the ruling family.[31] The mythos of Final Fantasy XII revolves around a character known as Dynast-King Raithwall, the man who once united Ivalice to create the Galtean Alliance. Basch was initially meant to be the main character of the story, but the focus was eventually shifted to Vaan and Penelo when the two characters were created later in development.[32] The development team explained that their previous game, Vagrant Story, which featured a "strong man in his prime" as the protagonist had been unsuccessful and unpopular; the change regarding Final Fantasy XII from a "big and tough" protagonist to a more effeminate one was thus decided after targeting demographics were considered. With the casting of dorama actor Kouhei Takeda for the voice acting and motion capture, Vaan became less feminine and more "active, upbeat bright and positive".[32] [33] Comments were made about the similarity between main character designer and background design supervisor Akihiko Yoshida's creations and those of Tetsuya Nomura, another Square Enix character designer. Yoshida feels this connection is sparked by the style of color used by both artists, which involves a color consistency between the characters and the environments.[33] The designers stated that non-human characters and races feature a prominent role in the game,[29] which was influenced by an interest in history among the developers.[27]

Story Final Fantasy XII begins in Dalmasca's capital city of Rabanastre, where the happiness from the union of Princess Ashe of Dalmasca and Prince Rasler of Nabradia is interrupted by the Archadian Empire's invasion of Nabradia. In the subsequent war, Nabradia and Dalmasca are subjugated by Archadia; Prince Rasler is killed, and the Dalmascan king Raminas, after signing a treaty of surrender, is apparently assassinated by the Dalmascan captain Basch. Reks, a young knight under Basch's command, bears witness to the assassination, but later dies of his injuries. Marquis Ondore announces that Basch has been executed and Princess Ashe has committed suicide.[34] Two years later, Vaan, the younger brother of Reks, is living a life of a street urchin in Rabanastre. Despite his friend Penelo's objections, he infiltrates the Rabanastre palace during a dinner celebrating the appointment of Archadian

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''Final Fantasy XII'' Prince Vayne Solidor as consul. During the infiltration, Vaan encounters Balthier and Fran, a pair of sky pirates who are after the magicite that Vaan took. Their escape attempt fails when a battle breaks out between Imperial troops and Dalmascan Resistance forces, and they end up in the sewers where they stumble upon the Resistance leader, Amalia. Vaan, Balthier, and Fran are captured by the Archadians and detained at the Nalbina Dungeons. In Nalbina, the three encounter Basch, imprisoned but still very much alive, and they escape with him; Basch tells them that his twin brother, Judge Noah Gabranth, had posed as him on the night of the treaty and was the true assassin. While skeptical at first, Vaan eventually believes him.[35] With the help of Balthier and Fran, the party then travels to Bhujerba, where Penelo is revealed to have been kidnapped by Ba'Gamnan, a bounty hunter trying to catch Balthier. While rescuing Penelo, the party meets Lamont, a curious Archadian boy who is in truth Vayne's younger brother, Larsa.[36] Basch is also able to confront the Marquis, who captures the party and detains them onboard the Archadian airship Leviathan, headed by Judge Ghis. On the Leviathan, the party is reunited with Amalia, who is revealed to be the Princess Ashe.[37] Ghis takes Vaan's magicite, which is actually a symbol of royal Dalmascan lineage, and sends it to Archadia. The company escapes from the airship after defeating Ghis and returns to Bhujerba; however, lacking the magicite, Ashe has no proof of her identity and Ondore suggests that Ashe remain hidden in Bhujerba.[38] Instead, Ashe escapes and attempts to collect the treasures of Dynast-King Raithwall, which would prove her royal blood.[39] The party acquires the Dawn Shard, a piece of "deifacted Nethicite", from Raithwall's Tomb, but Ghis seizes it. The small piece of magicite destroys the Leviathan, Ghis, and his fleet, while Vaan, Ashe, and the others barely escape. The party later encounters Larsa, who wants to make a peace treaty between Dalmasca and the empire; Ashe initially objects, but Larsa convinces her to seek a treaty in order to protect Dalmasca. She goes to Mt. Bur-Omisace to seek Gran Kiltias Anastasis' approval of her as queen of Dalmasca.[40] The party learns in Mt. Bur-Omisace that many other influential people also hope to avert war.[41] Larsa, who had been investigating Vayne's connection with the manufacted Nethicite,[42] had made contact with Al-Cid Margrace, a member of the Rozarrian Empire ruling family, to convince the two Empires to cease their war. They plan to announce Ashe's status as Dalmascan Queen and to persuade the Archadian emperor Gramis not to go to war, but Al-Cid brings Larsa news that stops the plan cold: the Emperor has been killed, supposedly by Archadian Senate Chairman Gregoroth.[43] [44] With Anastasis' aid, Ashe retrieves the Sword of Kings, which can destroy Nethicite. While she obtains the sword, Anastasis is killed by a corrupted Judge Bergan and Larsa is brought back to Archadia. After defeating Judge Bergan, Ashe's party travels to Archades and the Draklor Laboratory, Doctor Cid's base of operations. Cid escapes and leaves clues that lead them to Giruvegan,[45] the supposed location of the Sun-cryst, the source of all deifacted Nethicite.[46] While the whole party is able able to enter Giruvegan, only Ashe encounters the makers of the Sun-cryst, the immortal Occuria, who pull the strings of history; they give her the Treaty Blade to cut pieces of her own.[47] In a cutscene, it is revealed that Doctor Cid's Nethicite research was augmented by knowledge from the Occurian heretic, Venat, who had allied with Cid and Vayne in order to put the "reins of History back in the hands of Man".[48] Vayne aims to become the new Dynast-King by using manufacted Nethicite to conquer all of Ivalice.[49] Cid, revealed to be Balthier's father, was obsessed with researching the Nethicite's power after his own visit to Giruvegan and initial encounter with Venat. Also in the cutscene, Balthier tells Ashe about another thing Doctor Cid did to him long ago: he made Balthier a Judge, a shocking "part of my past that I'd rather forget."[50] Ashe is faced with the choice to heed the Occuria and take pieces of the Sun-cryst for her revenge or to destroy it and end the Occurian control over history. Still undecided, Ashe and the party travel to the Pharos at Ridorana Cataract, where the Sun-cryst is located, accompanied by the pirate Reddas. At the top of the tower they face Gabranth,[51] who admits to killing her father in an attempt to force her to give in to her hate.[52] After they overpower him, Cid arrives and fights the party; they defeat him, but before he dies he uses Nethicite shards to harness the full power of the Sun-cryst. Reddas sacrifices himself to destroy it.[53]

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Ashe learns from Al-Cid that a war between Archadia and the Resistance group led by Marquis Ondore is about to take place in Rabanastre. The Sky Fortress Bahamut, an enormous, Nethicite-fueled airship armed with incredibly powerful weapons, had absorbed the incredible amount of Mist released by the destruction of the Sun-cryst and now hovers above Rabanastre. Infiltrating the sky fortress with the aid of the Resistance, Basch confronts Gabranth, who is impressed by Basch's loyalty.[54] The party encounters Vayne and Larsa in the midst of an argument over Vayne's plot for power, to which Larsa objects strongly;[55] Larsa and Gabranth ally with the party to destroy Vayne and Venat. After Vayne's defeat, Ashe announces the end of the war,[56] and Larsa takes over the Imperial Army.[57] The party escapes Bahamut, now out of fuel after the final battle, with Gabranth's body and Larsa. Balthier and Fran remain onboard the Bahamut, steering it away from Rabanastre to prevent a collision, though contact with them is lost. In the following year, Ashe becomes Queen of Dalmasca, and Basch replaces Gabranth as Judge Magister, serving as guardian to Larsa, now Emperor of Archadia. Vaan acquires his own airship, which he operates with Penelo. Balthier and Fran escape from Bahamut and survive to recover the Strahl and go to Bervenia. The game ends with Vaan and Penelo setting out to visit them, having no idea that they are embarking on another adventure.[58]

Development Development for Final Fantasy XII began in 2001.[59] Final Fantasy Tactics creator Yasumi Matsuno, originally announced as producer and co-director (along with Hiroyuki Itō[60] ), was forced to bow out of both roles midway through the creation of Final Fantasy XII due to health concerns.[61] In his place, Hiroyuki Itō and Hiroshi Minagawa took over directorial duties while Akitoshi Kawazu, of SaGa series fame, became the executive producer with Square Enix president Yōichi Wada.[62] [63] Matsuno's departure was regretted by series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, who declined to play Final Fantasy XII beyond the introduction.[64]

Akitoshi Kawazu (left) and Hiroshi Minagawa at the Final Fantasy XII London HMV Launch Party in 2007

The desire to move away from random encounters was present since the beginning of development.[65] This desire fueled the development of the Active Dimension Battle system so players could seamlessly move from battle to exploration. The gambit system was conceived early on as a way to facilitate this change.[65] Battle system designer Hiroshi Tomomatsu states that it gradually moved away from a complex and rigid formula to the more flexible form seen in the final version of the game.[66] Itō drew inspiration for gambits from plays in American football where each team member has a specific job to do based on the conditions and desired outcome. As for the license system, he explained that needing "licenses" to perform certain actions was a natural extension of the rigid structured society of Archadia, as epitomized by its Judges.[65] At the early stages of development, Minagawa revealed that numerous ideas and features were planned for the game, but were dropped from the final stages due to certain constraints and hardware limitations. Some of these included the ability for a second player to join in the gameplay, enabling for a two-player mode. Another idea that was given a considerable amount of thought was the ability to recruit non-player characters to join in the mob hunts. Due to the technical limitations of the console and multiple number of characters joining the fray, the development phase took longer than expected, causing delays.[67] On November 15, 2005, a playable demo of the game was shipped with the North American release of Dragon Quest VIII.[68] To commemorate the release of Final Fantasy XII, playable demos of the English version were available at DigitalLife's Gaming Pavilion in New York on October 11, 2006, a day dubbed "Final Fantasy XII Gamer's Day".[69] Additionally, Square Enix gave fans the chance to cosplay as characters from Final Fantasy XII. Each

''Final Fantasy XII'' person was asked to show Square Enix three photos of his or her costume for a chance to win a trip to New York and participate in the Final Fantasy XII Gamer's Day event.[70] During the English localization process, Alexander O. Smith, who had previously worked on Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy X, acted as producer and translator.[71] While still preserving the meaning behind the Japanese script written by Daisuke Watanabe and Miwa Shoda, Smith made the decision to use different dialects of English to reproduce the regional differences in pronunciation found in the Japanese version.[72] [73] He also tried to distance the game from the "flat reads" found in other dubbed work by casting voice actors who had experience in theatre work.[73] In terms of general changes, the localization team introduced widescreen 16:9 ratio support and reinserted scenes that were left out of the original Japanese version to preserve an "All Ages" CERO rating.[74] As of July 30, 2008, Final Fantasy XII holds the guinness world record for longest development period in a video game production. The record states it took a total of five years, spanning from 2001 until its release in 2006. Final Fantasy XIII is expected to beat the record when it is finally released.[75] At a Final Fantasy XII "postmortem" at MIT in March 2009, Minagawa mentioned that a large part of the development process was devoted to the creation of custom tools for the game.[76]

Music Hitoshi Sakimoto composed most of the game's soundtrack; Masaharu Iwata and Hayato Matsuo created two and seven tracks respectively, while Nobuo Uematsu, following his departure from Square Enix in 2004, only contributed the theme song.[77] Sakimoto experienced difficulty following in Uematsu's footsteps, but he decided to create a unique soundtrack in his own way.[78] [79] "Kiss Me Good-Bye", the theme song for Final Fantasy XII, was performed in both English and Japanese by Angela Aki.[80] Uematsu noted that Aki's style of playing the keyboard while singing reminded him of his childhood idol, Elton John, which was one of the reasons he chose her.[81] The English version of the song was featured in both the Japanese and North American versions of the game. In addition to the theme song, violinist Taro Hakase composed and performed the game's main instrumental theme, Symphonic Poem "Hope".[82] Two promotional soundtracks were released before the original soundtrack, Symphonic Poem "Hope" and The Best of The Final Fantasy XII Soundtrack, on March 1 and March 15, 2006, respectively. The former contains all the music used in the game's trailer performed by Taro Hakase, including Symphonic Poem "Hope".[83] The original soundtrack itself was released in Japan on May 31, 2006.[84] It consists of 4 CDs with 100 tracks, and includes promotional tracks not in the final version of the game.[85] The CD single for "Kiss Me Good-Bye" was released on the March 15, 2006.[86] A limited edition was also released, featuring a DVD containing the music video for "Kiss Me Good-Bye".[86] Tofu Records has released an abridged version of the original soundtrack, which contains 31 songs, including "Kiss Me Good-Bye".[87]

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Versions and merchandise On March 16, 2006, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan released a special Final Fantasy XII package, which contained a PlayStation 2 game system, the Final Fantasy XII game, a standard DualShock controller, and a vertical console stand.[88] The Japanese third-party manufacturer Hori also released Final Fantasy XII memory cards on the day of the game's release; stickers of Final Fantasy XII characters are included.[89] Game peripheral maker Logicool (Logitech's Japanese branch) released a special edition Final Fantasy XII controller alongside the title on March 16.[90] Suntory produced "Final Fantasy Bottles of Final Fantasy XII Potions XII Potion"—a drink containing such ingredients as royal jelly, chamomile, sage, thyme, and marjoram. The drinks became commercially available in Japan on March 7, 2006. Suntory also released a Final Fantasy XII Premium Box, which came with a Final Fantasy XII collector's card. The Potion was a limited edition product and is no longer available.[91] Studio BentStuff published three Ultimania books: Final Fantasy XII Battle Ultimania and the Final Fantasy XII Scenario Ultimania on June 16, 2006, and Final Fantasy XII Ultimania Ω on November 24, 2006. The Battle Ultimania provides a description and analysis of the new battle system and its components, as well as developer interviews.[92] The Scenario Ultimania describes the main scenarios in the game, profiles on the characters and areas in Ivalice, developer interviews, and details on each location.[92] The last guide, the Ultimania Ω, includes voice actor interviews, the complete story of Final Fantasy XII including additional character profiles, a collection of artworks and illustrations, the complete play guide,[93] and a novella written by Benny Matsuyama, author of Hoshi wo Meguru Otome from the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω Guide.[94] Another Ultimania edition, the Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System Ultimania, was released on September 6, 2007, as a guide book for the international version of the game.[95] For the North American release, a "Collector's Edition" was available through GameStop and EB Games.[96] This edition includes the original game packaged in a metallic case along with a special bonus disc, which contains Final Fantasy XII developer interviews, an art gallery, U.S. and Japanese trailers, and a featurette entitled "History of Final Fantasy", which gives a brief overview of most released and upcoming Final Fantasy games.[97] On January 26, 2007, Square Enix Product Blog revealed full-color Gabranth, Ashe, Balthier, and Vaan figures.[98] An international version of the game called Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System was released in Japan on August 9, 2007 as part of both Final Fantasy 20th anniversary and Ivalice Alliance.[99] The game includes twelve License Boards available (instead of the original one), each corresponding to a different Zodiac sign and job. The battle system as a whole has been tweaked; guest characters and summons are controllable by the player, and pressing the L1 button accelerates the game's speed. Additionally, the game features the English voices and the widescreen 16:9 ratio support of the North American version, as well as a bonus disc based on the one initially released with the North American version. There is also a "New Game+" option, "New Game- (minus)" (where characters do not gain experience), as well as "Trial Mode", which allows the player to hunt monsters in 100 different maps to gain items and money.[100] [101] [102] [103]

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Reception Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator

Score [104]

GameRankings

91 of 100

Metacritic

92 of 100

[105]

Review scores Publication 1UP.com

Score [106]

Edge

9 of 10

Electronic Gaming Monthly

9.0/10

Eurogamer Famitsu

[107]

10 of 10

40 of 40 [108]

Game Informer

9.25/10

GameSpot

9.0 of 10

IGN

[109] [4]

9.5 of 10

[110]

Play Magazine

10/10

X-Play

5 of 5

[111]

Final Fantasy XII sold more than 1,764,000 copies in its first week in Japan, almost equaling the sales of Final Fantasy X in its first week.[112] The total number of copies sold stood over 2,150,000 after five weeks of release.[113] A Square Enix conference report stated that Final Fantasy XII sold more than 2.38 million copies in Japan in the two weeks since its March 16, 2006 release,[114] In North America, Final Fantasy XII shipped approximately 1.5 million copies in its first week.[115] As of March 2007, the game has shipped over 5.2 million copies worldwide.[1] It is the fourth best-selling PlayStation 2 game of 2006 worldwide.[116] On March 16, 2006, Final Fantasy XII became the sixth game to receive a perfect score from the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, making it the first Final Fantasy game and the first PlayStation 2 title to do so. It is also the second Yasumi Matsuno title to garner a perfect score, the first being Vagrant Story. The game was praised for its graphics, scenarios, game system, and the freshness it brought to the Final Fantasy series.[117] The game was critically acclaimed by many reviewers outside of Japan even before its release in those territories. It was praised for its seamless transitions between full motion video segments and the in-game engine,[118] and was voted number one for Best Art Style on IGN's weekly Top Ten.[119] Newtype USA named Final Fantasy XII its "Game of the Month" for November 2006, praised the gameplay, graphics, and story, and called it "the best RPG to have been released for any Sony platform".[120] Although GameSpot lauded the gambit and license systems as an innovative and in-depth way for the player to control the characters, it criticized them for being too complicated and difficult to adjust to, especially for newer players of the series. The reviewer also criticized the sometimes tedious back and forth travel. On the other hand, GameSpot took particular note of the "excellent" voice cast.[109] IGN praised the game's rich storyline and artistic direction, shown through its "sheer depth of character". It also assuaged criticism that the gambit system would "let the game play itself", countering that gambits do not function without a player. However, it noted that, while "still

''Final Fantasy XII'' extremely strong", Final Fantasy XII has one of the series' weaker soundtracks.[4] Executive producer Akitoshi Kawazu was pleased by Famitsu's rating but admitted that he thought the game was not perfect; he felt that the storyline did not meet some fans' expectations.[121] Kawazu expressed his frustration and regrets regarding the storyline, citing creative differences between the PlayOnline and Final Fantasy Tactics members of the development team.[122] Final Fantasy XII was recognized by the website GameSpot as the "Best PlayStation 2 Game" in their Best Games and Worst Games of 2006 feature, as well as nominated in the "Game of the Year" and "Best Role-Playing Game" categories.[123] It also achieved "PS2 Game of the Year" and "PS2 RPG of the Year" in GameSpy's Game of the Year 2006,[124] and won "Best PS2 RPG" and "PS2 Game of the Year" in the IGN Awards.[125] [126] Final Fantasy XII was named the "Best Game" in the 2006 Edge Awards,[127] and it was also nominated for "Role-Playing Game of the Year" in the 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.[128]

Sequel A sequel to Final Fantasy XII was released for the Nintendo DS in 2007, entitled Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings. It takes place one year after the events of Final Fantasy XII, following the adventures of Vaan.[129] Fortress, a spin-off action game initially developed by GRIN before being handed over to another, is currently in development by an undisclosed studio.[130]

External links • • • •

Final Fantasy XII Official website for North America [131] Final Fantasy XII Official website for Europe [132] Final Fantasy XII [133] at Wikia Fainaru fantajî XII [134] at the Internet Movie Database

References [1] "2007 profile" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ common/ images/ sqex_07profile_e. pdf#page=6) (PDF). Square Enix. October 2007. p. 6. . Retrieved 2008-04-28. [2] Square Enix, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII North American instruction manual. Square Enix. p. 12. [3] Square Enix, ed. Final Fantasy XII North American instruction manual. Square Enix. p. 14. [4] Dunham, Jeremy (2006-10-27). "Final Fantasy XII review" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 741/ 741991p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-03-04. [5] Square Enix, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII North American instruction manual. Square Enix. p. 15. [6] Square Enix, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII North American instruction manual. Square Enix. p. 19. [7] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. p. 288. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [8] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. pp. 41–42. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [9] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. pp. 35–36. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [10] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. p. 37. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [11] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. pp. 38–39. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [12] Studio BentStuff, ed (2006) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy XII Battle Ultimania. Square Enix. ISBN 4-7575-1697-7. [13] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. p. 29. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [14] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. p. 44. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [15] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. p. 58. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [16] Square Enix, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII North American instruction manual. Square Enix. p. 17. [17] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. p. 18. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [18] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. p. 20. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [19] Square Enix, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII North American instruction manual. Square Enix. p. 23. [20] Sage Knowledge 12 of 78 (Hybrid Gator Bestiary entry) Magicite - Common name for stones containing magickal power, or as it is commonly manifest, Mist. Square-Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [21] Sage Knowledge 14 of 78 (Steeling Bestiary entry) Airships - Currently, they are one of the most popular forms of transportation in Ivalice. Square-Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31)

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''Final Fantasy XII'' [22] Sage Knowledge 29 of 78 (Sleipnir Bestiary entry) Ivalice - The region consisting of the three continents of Valendia, Ordalia, and Kerwon, blessed throughout with verdant natural landscapes and climatic conditions supporting a great variety of life. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [23] Sage Knowledge 30 of 78 (Urstrix Bestiary entry) Ordalia - Continent on the western edge of Ivalice. The vast plains in the interior are home to the great Rozarrian Empire. To the east of Rozarria, the land is arid and largely desert. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [24] Studio BentStuff, ed (2006) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy XII Scenario Ultimania. Square Enix. pp. 44–45. ISBN 4-7575-1696-7. [25] Studio BentStuff, ed (2006) (in Japanese). Final Fantasy XII Scenario Ultimania. Square Enix. pp. 48–49. ISBN 4-7575-1696-7. [26] Niizumi, Hirohiko (2003-11-19). "Final Fantasy XII gets star treatment in Tokyo" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasy12/ news. html?sid=6083932). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2006-11-02. [27] IGN Staff (2003-11-20). "Final Fantasy XII Q&A (page 2 of 4)" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 441/ 441293p2. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-02. [28] "Final Fantasy XII Interview" (http:/ / www. ffshrine. org/ ffxii/ ff12_interview. php). Final Fantasy Shrine. 2003-11-19. . Retrieved 2006-11-02. [29] Sugawara, Aki (2003-11-20). "Feature: A Final Fantasy XII Interview (page 2)" (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ features/ 31808/ a-final-fantasy-xii-interview-page-2/ ). GamePro. . Retrieved 2006-12-14. [30] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. pp. 6–9. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [31] BradyGAMES, ed (2006). Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide. DKPublishing. pp. 10–15. ISBN 0-7440-0837-9. [32] "Sortie française de Final Fantasy XII : le Compte rendu" (http:/ / www. ffring. com/ articles/ divers-sortie-francaise-de-Final-Fantasy-XII. html) (in French). ffring.com. 2007-02-28. . Retrieved 2007-04-17. [33] IGN Staff (2003-11-20). "Final Fantasy XII Q&A (page 1 of 4)" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 441/ 441293p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-02. [34] Ondore: Prayer, too, for the noble Princess Ashe, who, wrought with Grief at her Kingdom's Defeat, has taken her own Life. Know also that Capt. Basch fon Ronsenburg, for Incitement of Sedition and the Assassination of H.R.M. King Raminas, has been found Guilty of High Treason and put to his Death. Square Co. Final Fantasy XII. (Square EA). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [35] Vaan: You don't have to keep apologizing. Really, it's all right. I know it wasn't your fault. I see that now. You didn't kill my brother. It was the Empire. My brother trusted you. And he was right. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [36] Larsa: Vayne Solidor, the Consul, is my brother. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [37] Ghis: Come now, come now. Have you forgotten your manners? This is hardly the courtesy due... The late Princess Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca. Square Co. Final Fantasy XII. (Square EA). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [38] Ondore: You may yet be a Princess, but without proof of your identity, you are powerless. You will remain with me. We do nothing till the time is right. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [39] Ashe: I'm going to retrieve the Dawn Shard. It's the proof that I need. I know where it's hidden. I'll return his airship later. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [40] Larsa: Lady Ashe, let us go to Bur-Omisace. With the blessing of His Grace the Gran Kiltias Anastasis... you may rightly wear your crown, and declare the restoration of the Kingdom of Dalmasca. As Queen, you can call for peace between the Empire and Dalmasca... and stop Marquis Ondore. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [41] Anastasis: In Archadia, Larsa. In Rozarria, Al-Cid. They dream not of war. Should empire join with empire, the way will open for a new Ivalice in our time. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [42] Larsa: Dalmasca would be the battlefield! What if Nethicite were used on Rabanastre? You know my brother would do this! Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [43] Al-Cid: The Emperor Gramis is no more. His life was taken. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [44] Drace: A viper amongst our Senators!? / Vayne: With Chairman Gregoroth as its head. He confessed and passed his own sentence. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [45] Cid: Am I right? I am, aren't I. A worthy daughter of the Dynast-King! You would do well to go to Giruvegan. Who knows? You may receive a new Stone for your trouble. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [46] Gerun: Seek you the Sun-cryst, slumb'ring star. In tower on distant shore it dreams. The mother of all Nethicite, the source of its unending power. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [47] Gerun: Now take this sword, this Treaty-Blade. Occurian seal, mark of your worth. Cut deep the Cryst and seize your Shards. Wield Dynast-King's power! Destroy Venat! Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [48] Venat: Indeed. What claim does Gerun have on history's reins... seated on throne immortal, rent from time? Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [49] Bergan: Hark! Ivalice hails her true Dynast-King, Vayne Solidor! He shall defy the will of the gods, and see the reins of History back in the hands of Man! Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [50] Balthier: He was obsessed with Nethicite... He'd babble nonsense, blind to aught but the Stone's power. He'd talk about some 'Eynah,' or was it 'Venat'?...That's when he lost his heart to Nethicite, lost himself. And I suppose that's when I lost my father. Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [51] Ashe: In all Dalmasca's history, not once did we rely on the Dusk Shard. Our people resolved never to use it, though their need might be dire. That was the Dalmasca I wanted back... I will destroy the Sun-cryst! I will discard the Stone! Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square

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''Final Fantasy XII'' Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [52] Gabranth: Yes, it was I who wore Basch's face- who cut down the Life of Dalmasca. Lady Ashe! Your father's murderer is here! Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [53] Reddas: ...2 years past, he took the Midlight Shard and used it not knowing what he did... and Nabudis was blown away. Cid ordered this of him to learn the Nethicite's true power. That man swore never to let such terrible power be used again. He forsook his Judicer's plate, and his name. / Gabranth: Judge Zecht! Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [54] Gabranth: You confound me, brother! You failed Landis, you failed Dalmasca... all you were to protect. Yet you still hold on to your honor. How? / Basch: I had someone more important to defend. And defend her I have. How is it that you have survived? Is it not because you defend Lord Larsa? Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [55] Vayne: Observe well, Larsa. Watch and mark you the suffering of one who must rule, yet lacks the power. / Larsa: No. No, brother. I will not. Though I lack your power, I will still persist.Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [56] Ashe: This is Ashelia Dalmasca. I confirm what Judge Magister Gabranth and Larsa Solidor have said here. Please. Stand down your attack. The war is over. Ivalice looks to the horizon. A new day has dawned. We are free! Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [57] Larsa: Attention. This is Larsa Ferrinas Solidor. My brother Vayne has died with honor in battle. The Imperial Fleet is now under my command! Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [58] Balthier's note: Something more valuable: the Cache of Glabados. I await in Bervenia.Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [59] Ricciardi, John (2006-03-15). "Final Fantasy XII Launches in Japan" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3148802). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2007-07-24. [60] http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q1-2001/ 012201c. html [61] Niizumi, Hirohiko (2005-08-01). "FFXII producer steps down" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 2005/ 08/ 01/ news_6130121. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-03-10. [62] Gantayat, Anoop (2005-08-01). "Changes to Final Fantasy XII Staff" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 638/ 638050p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-01. [63] Square Enix, ed. Final Fantasy XII North American instruction manual. Square Enix. p. 40. [64] EGM staff (2007). Electronic Gaming Monthly 216, June 2007. Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc.. p. 53. [65] Interview with Hiroyuki Itō Final Fantasy XII Collector's Edition Bonus DVD. [DVD]. Tokyo: Square Enix. 2006. [66] Interview with Hiroshi Tomomatsu Final Fantasy XII Collector's Edition Bonus DVD. [DVD]. Tokyo: Square Enix. 2006. [67] Nickel, Thomas (2006). "Interview with Hiroshi Minagawa" (http:/ / www. g-wie-gorilla. de/ content/ view/ 170/ 18/ ). g-wie-gorilla.de. . Retrieved 2007-06-17. [68] Gantayat, Anoop (2005-12-18). "Hands On: Final Fantasy XII" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 677/ 677339p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-03-10. [69] Cordeira, Jim (2006-09-13). "Final Fantasy XII kicks off at DigitalLife" (http:/ / www. gaming-age. com/ news/ 2006/ 9/ 13-21). Gaming Age. . Retrieved 2006-09-13. [70] "Final Fantasy XII Cosplay Contest 2006" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070315231526/ http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ news/ 2006/ ff12-contest/ ). Square Enix. 2006-09-14. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ news/ 2006/ ff12-contest/ ) on 2007-03-15. . Retrieved 2006-09-14. [71] Loor, Jeffrey (2006-11-01). "The latest installment..." (http:/ / arstechnica. com/ gaming/ reviews/ 2006/ 11/ ff12. ars). Ars Technica. . Retrieved 2007-03-06. [72] Shoemaker, Brad (2006-05-11). "E3 06: Final Fantasy XII English Version Update" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasy12/ news. html?sid=6150657). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-03-10. [73] Interview with Alexander O. Smith Final Fantasy XII Collector's Edition Bonus DVD. [DVD]. Tokyo: Square Enix. 2006. [74] Alfonso, Andrew (2006-09-23). "TGS 2006: Final Fantasy XII Dev Team Interview" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 734/ 734868p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-11-04. [75] Parsons, Doug (2008-12-22). "Record Breaking Final Fantasy Series" (http:/ / gamers. guinnessworldrecords. com/ news/ 300708_ffiv. aspx). Guinness World Records. . Retrieved 2008-06-30. [76] http:/ / www. messageboardchampion. com/ ?p=407 [77] Niizumi, Hirohiko (2004-11-01). "Nobuo Uematsu leaving Square Enix" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 2004/ 11/ 01/ news_6111914. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-03-10. [78] Interview with Hitoshi Sakimoto Final Fantasy XII Collector's Edition Bonus DVD. [DVD]. Tokyo: Square Enix. 2006. [79] IGN Music (2006-10-24). "Twelve Days of Final Fantasy XII: Hitoshi Sakimoto Interview Part I" (http:/ / music. ign. com/ articles/ 741/ 741502p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-03-10. [80] Gantayat, Anoop (2005-07-30). "Square Enix 2005: FFXII Songstress Revealed" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 637/ 637986p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-01. [81] Gantayat, Anoop (2006-03-16). "FFXII Jacks Shibuya" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 696/ 696511p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-09-01. [82] Niizumi, Hirohiko (2005-12-01). "Japanese Final Fantasy XII gets premium price" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasy12/ news. html?sid=6140662). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-03-10.

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[95] Studio BentStuff (2007-08-06). "「ファイナルファンタジーXII インターナショナルゾディアックジョブシステムアルティマニア」表紙公開" (http:/ / www. bent. co. jp/ main/ news/ 20070806. htm). bent.co.jp. . Retrieved 2007-08-18. [96] Sinclair, Brendan (2006-10-31). "Final Fantasy XII lands at retail" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasy12/ news. html?sid=6160785). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-03-10. [97] Hatfield, Daemon (2006-10-31). "Final Fantasy Ships for the XIIth Time" (http:/ / ps2. ign. com/ articles/ 742/ 742843p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-03-10. [98] "FINAL FANTASY XII PLAY ARTS" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ se-shop/ blog/ 200701. html) (in Japanese). Square Enix. 2007-01-26. . Retrieved 2007-03-28. [99] "Square Enix Party Press Conference Announcement" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ company/ press/ 2007/ 0514_3/ ). Square Enix. 2007-05-14. . Retrieved 2007-07-14. [100] Boulette, Bryan (2007-05-09). "Final Fantasy IV Remake, XII International Announced" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q2-2007/ 050907a. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2007-05-09. [101] KujaFFman (2007-05-10). "FFXII International: Plus d'infos (MàJ)" (http:/ / www. ffworld. com/ ?rub=news& page=voir& id=764) (in French). Final Fantasy World. . Retrieved 2007-05-10. [102] KujaFFman (2007-05-12). "FFXII International: Des détails" (http:/ / www. ffworld. com/ ?rub=news& page=voir& id=771) (in French). Final Fantasy World. . Retrieved 2007-05-12. [103] GameSpot (2007). "Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System" (http:/ / uk. videogames. games. yahoo. com/ ps2/ previews/ final-fantasy-xii-international--zodiac-job-system-2d2cfd. html). Yahoo! Video Games. . Retrieved 2007-05-29. [104] "Final Fantasy XII Reviews" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ htmlpages2/ 459841. asp). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2008-03-23. [105] "Final Fantasy XII" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ ps2/ finalfantasyxii). Metacritic. 2006-10-31. . Retrieved 2007-12-07. [106] "[[1UP.com (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3154731& p=2)] review"]. 1UP.com. 2006-10-27. . Retrieved 2009-02-09. [107] Fahey, Rob (2006-10-31). "Final Fantasy XII" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ r_finalfantasyxii_ps2). Eurogamer. . Retrieved 2007-12-07. [108] "[[Game Informer (http:/ / www. gameinformer. com/ Games/ Review/ 200612/ R06. 1027. 1216. 33677. htm?CS_pid=281437)] review"]. Game Informer. 2006-10-30. . Retrieved 2009-02-09. [109] Kasavin, Greg (2006-10-31). "Final Fantasy XII for PlayStation 2 Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps2/ rpg/ finalfantasy12/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-03-04. [110] "Play magazine review" (http:/ / www. playmagazine. com/ index. php?fuseaction=SiteMain. showGamePage& Game_ID=407). Play magazine. 2006-10-30. . Retrieved 2009-02-09. [111] "G4 Reviews - Final Fantasy XII" (http:/ / www. g4tv. com/ xplay/ reviews/ 1292/ Final_Fantasy_XII. html). 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''Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings''

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''Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings'' Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings

North American cover art for Revenant Wings. Developer(s)

Square Enix Think & Feel Inc.

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Designer(s)

Motomu Toriyama

Artist(s)

Ryoma Itō

Writer(s)

Motomu Toriyama

Composer(s)

Hitoshi Sakimoto

Series

Final Fantasy series Ivalice Alliance

Platform(s)

Nintendo DS

Release date(s)

April 26, 2007 [1] November 20, 2007 [2] PAL February 15, 2008 NA

Genre(s)

Tactical role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single player

Rating(s)

CERO: A ESRB: E10+ PEGI: 12+

Media

1024 Megabit Nintendo DS Game Card

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (ファイナルファンタジーXII レヴァナント・ウイング Fainaru Fantajī Revananto Uingu) is a real-time strategy RPG developed by Square Enix and Think & Feel Inc. for the Nintendo DS. It is a sequel to the best-selling 2006 PlayStation 2 role-playing game Final Fantasy XII. One year after the events of Final Fantasy XII, the protagonist Vaan is now a sky pirate possessing his own airship. He is joined in a new quest by his friend and navigator Penelo, other returning characters from the original title, as well as new characters such as Llyud, a member of the Aegyl race who have wings protruding from their backs.[3] Their treasure-hunting adventures take them to the purvama (Floating Continent) of Lemurés and the ground below, where the story begins. Revenant Wings is the first title announced in the Ivalice Alliance series of video games. The North American release of the game was rebalanced to be more difficult than the Japanese version, and was released on November 20, 2007.[4]

''Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings''

Gameplay After completing a prologue sequence, the player starts the game with an airship, named after their clan (with a default name of Galbana, or Beiluge (ベイルージュ) in the Japanese version). The airship is used as a base where the player can check on their current mission and view other tasks, customize equipment in the synthesis shop, or travel between the four islands of Lemurés. The airship's interior can also be customized by the player.[5]

Battle system Revenant Wings is a real-time strategy game, but with elements reminiscent of the turn-based Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Advance.[6] It can be played entirely with the Nintendo DS stylus. Battles are initiated when the player begins a mission or chooses to fight a melee battle in a particular area. The characters attack automatically once the enemy is within range. The player is given the option to give commands to the characters by tapping on them with the stylus. Possible commands include changing the character's target, setting their gambit, or using various abilities.[7] Each character is distinguished according to three types: melee, ranged and flying. Melee characters attack at a close range, and ranged from afar, while flying are able to travel unbound to terrain. The types oppose each other in the manner where melee wins over ranged, ranged wins over flying and flying wins over melee.[8]

Summoning Summoning magic returns from Final Fantasy XII in Revenant Wings and has a larger role; director Motomu Toriyama stated that Revenant Wings has more summons, or Espers, than any previous Final Fantasy game.[3] Summon abilities are learned via the new Ring of Pacts system, which is used to allow the summoning of Espers. Each slot in the Ring of Pacts is placed with an Auracite to create a pact with the Esper.[8] The number of summons available to the player is fifty-one, and they are classified in different categories, with each character able to summon a large number depending the party's combined capacity.[9] Summoning Espers to aid in battle is accomplished by using a Summon Gate located in the play field area. The ability to summon the different creatures depend on the Affinity of the player characters. Additionally, two Espers per character are automatically summoned at the beginning of each battle where Espers are allowed. Espers can be linked to battle groups using a system reminiscent of the earlier Squaresoft game Bahamut Lagoon. Summons are ranked from 1 to 3, with Rank 1 and 2 able to manifest in large numbers, as opposed to Rank 3 which summons only one entity. Before the battle begins, players can select five Espers to possibly summon through Esper Gates in the upcoming battle (Esper Troupes); one Rank 3 Esper, two Rank 2 Espers, and two Rank 1 Espers. Summons are also differentiated by varying elements, which are fire, water, earth, and lightning. Recovery and non-elemental are two other types.[8]

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''Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings''

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Synthesizing An element of alchemy and synthesizing is used in the game, where the player obtains recipes and materials necessary for the synthesis process. Only Leader Characters can obtain the materials, of which high grade material enhances the equipment to which it is synthesized more than a low grade of material.[8]

Plot Setting A few locations in the Ivalice of Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance return in Revenant Wings, along with a new setting: Lemurés. Described in the official website as a legendary purvama (Floating Continent) raised into the skies by the god Feolthanos long before the events of the game due to the Cloudstones, this land is ruled by magical stones known as the "Auraliths", which erected a barrier to shield the Purvama from the rest of the world. In time, the "Legend of The purvama Lemurés the Floating Land" became an ambition for sky pirates who seek the island and what riches are on it. The ruins of Lemurés are where the Aegyl reside; the Aegyl are a human-like race with wings sprouting from their backs and a life-span of forty years. Due to being shielded within Lemurés, the Aegyl have no knowledge of the outside world but what they learn from intruding sky pirates. The magicite in Lemurés are known as Auracite. Fragments of Auralith, Auracites are used in the Ring of Pacts to summon beasts known as the Yarhi, referred by others of Ivalice as Espers.[8] However extended use of Auracite can purge the user of his or her anima, which becomes a new Yarhi and continues the cycle until the user becomes a soulless shell devoid of feeling.

Characters The characters are designed by Ryoma Itō, who was also the character designer for Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Itō based some of his designs on those of Final Fantasy XII character designer Akihiko Yoshida. Itō "traded secrets" with him, with the confidence he gained from Final Fantasy XII creator Yasumi Matsuno's praise on his tampering with Final Fantasy Tactics Advance's Moogle designs.[10] Revenant Wings added four additional main playable characters to the six in Final Fantasy XII: Kytes and Filo, two orphans from Rabanastre; Llyud, a resident of Lemures; and Ba'Gamnan, a sinister bounty hunter who has a grudge against Vaan and company for meddling in his affairs. Kytes and Filo appeared as a NPCs in XII, while Ba'Gamnan had been a recurring antagonist. All three characters gain larger roles in this game.[10] Summon designs have also been changed. The lizard design of Salamander, for example, was changed to be boar-like to ensure that the designs would come out well in the game graphics. Each summon has three Ranks,[9] and the designs of each Rank are so that there are relations between one Rank and another.[10]

Itō's design for Vaan.

''Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings''

Story Revenant Wings begins a year after the events of Final Fantasy XII, with Vaan flying his own airship with Penelo after Balthier and Fran "stole" the Strahl, visiting them in Bervenia, accompanying them inside to obtain the Cache of Glabados.[11] There, they encounter the Esper Ifrit and defeat him before obtaining the treasure, two strange crystals, taking leave when the building begins to collapse on itself. Balthier soon drops Vaan and Penelo back in Rabanastre where they, along with Kytes and Filo, witness a strange object flying overhead: a derelict airship. After sneaking aboard the airship and defeating the Bangaa headhunter Ba'Gamnan, Vaan and gang christen the airship whatever the player decides, default Galbana, and find themselves on the purvama Lemurés by accident. While looking around the unknown ruins, they meet Llyud of the Aegyl race and learn that his people are locked in battle with sky pirates who are raiding the island for treasure. Lemurés is said to possess summoning crystals called Auracite. Deciding to aid the Aegyl in defending Lemurés, Vaan's group learn that the pirates were recruited by the mysterious Judge of Wings, who seeks out the three Auraliths, grand masses of Auracite that protect Lemurés from the outside world. In their pursuit of the villain, the gang are eventually reunited with the friends they made during their previous adventure and face enemies, old and new, while learning the truth behind the Eternal, the god Feolthanos, the Auracite's true purpose, the truth behind the Galbana and the mysterious Judge of Wings.

Development The game was directed and its story written by Motomu Toriyama, who also directed Final Fantasy X-2 and has been directing Final Fantasy XIII.[12] According to Toriyama, the game is aimed at Nintendo DS owners who are not experienced with Final Fantasy games, and will remove "overly complicated elements from the battle system...that will allow [the player] to defeat the enemies with minimal controls."[13] The game features a sprite-based graphics engine with 3D backgrounds and character designs by Ryoma Itō (Final Fantasy Tactics Advance). Producer Eisuke Yokoyama cited Warcraft and Age of Empires as sources of inspiration and expressed a desire to "extract the pure 'fun' of those games" and bring it to Final Fantasy.[14] For the North American localization, Revenant Wings was rebalanced to make it more difficult, because the North American market is judged as "more familiar" with the real-time strategy genre.[14]

Audio Revenant Wings was scored by Final Fantasy XII composer Hitoshi Sakimoto, joined by Kenichiro Fukui, who had arranged the English version of "Kiss Me Good-Bye". Most of the music for the game is arrangements from the previous title. While the Nintendo DS has more technical limitations than the PlayStation 2, Sakimoto considers that it is not particularly noticeable in practice.[15] Unlike in Final Fantasy XII, the music is entirely dynamic and context-dependent. Each track possesses different parts, such as a peaceful or a battle one, which are activated when the actions of the players require it and are looped until the context is changed again.[16]

Reception

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''Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings''

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Reception Review scores Publication

Score

1UP.com

B+

Electronic Gaming Monthly

8 of 10

Famitsu

32 of 40

GameSpot

8.5 of 10

GameZone

8.5/10

IGN

8.3 of 10

Nintendo Power

7.5 of 10

X-Play

4/5

As of August 8, 2008, Revenant Wings has sold 1.04 million units worldwide, with 540 thousand units sold in Japan, 220 thousand units in North America, and 280 thousand in Europe.[17] It was the best-selling Japanese console game in the week of its release, then the second best-selling in the following week.[18] The Japanese version of the game scored 32/40 in the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.[19] The game also received praise from reviewers of Dengeki DS & Wii Style. Praise was given to the mission-based storyline and battles for being "simple and more involved". The large number of characters who can enter the fray at one given time gives a sense of involvement for the player as if they were "close to the action", and the game's difficulty may appeal even to those who "do not normally play role-playing games". The only criticism found was with the usage of the stylus; as its usage in selecting areas on the battlefield can be difficult.[20] The North American version of the game scored mainly positive reviews. Nintendo Power gave it a 7.5/10, IGN gave it a 8.3/10, 1up gave it a B+[21] , Gamespot and GameZone both gave it a 8.5/10, and X-Play gave it a 4/5. Electronic Gaming Monthly also gave it generally favorable reviews, with staff giving it scores of 8, 7.5, and 6 (all out of 10). The reviewers praised the game's combination of role-playing and strategy, but criticized the screen size relative to the amount of action.[22] IGN named it Nintendo DS Game of the Month for November 2007.[23]

External links • Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings official website for Japan [24] (Japanese) • Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings official website for North America [25] • Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings official website for Europe [26]

References [1] Square Enix staff (2007-07-09). "Square Enix brings together fresh new faces and timeless classics at E3 2007" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ company/ press/ 2007/ 0709/ ). Square Enix NA. . Retrieved 2007-07-10. [2] Matt Berti (2007-12-05). "A mélange of release dates for Europe" (http:/ / squarehaven. com/ news/ 2007/ 12/ 05/ A-melange-of-release-dates-for-Europe/ ). Square Haven. . Retrieved 2007-12-05. [3] Gantayat, Anoop (October 30, 2006). "Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings Update" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 742/ 742592p1. html). IGN. News Corporation. . Retrieved October 31, 2006. [4] Jeriaska (2007-07-14). "Square Enix gesticulates in regards to Revenant Wings bonus content" (http:/ / squarehaven. com/ news/ 2007/ 07/ 14/ E3-2007-Square-Enix-gesticulates-in-regards-to-Revenant-Wings-bonus-co). . Retrieved 2007-07-15.

''Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings'' [5] soul (April 4, 2007). "New Revenant Wings Scans" (http:/ / www. forever-fantasy. net/ modules. php?name=News& file=article& sid=318& mode=& order=0& thold=0). "Forever Fantasy" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070826143051/ http:/ / www. forever-fantasy. net/ modules. php?name=Conteudo& pid=183). Archived from the original on 2007-08-26. .. . Retrieved April 4, 2007. [6] Sullivan, Meghan (May 1, 2007). "Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings: Pre-Battle Jitters" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 784/ 784719p1. html). IGN. News Corporation. pp. 1â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2. . Retrieved May 3, 2007. [7] Xcomp (December 7, 2006). "FFXII: Revenant Wings, Battle System and the Egul Race" (http:/ / xcomp. gamebrink. com/ ?p=474). "Xcomp's Yuuenchi" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20061213083705/ http:/ / xcomp. gamebrink. com/ ?p=474). Archived from the original on 2006-12-13. .. GameBrink.Com (http:/ / www. gamebrink. com/ ). . Retrieved December 7, 2006. [8] "Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff12rw/ ) (in Japanese). Square Enix. 2007. . Retrieved March 28, 2007. [9] Morcos, Antoine (March 2, 2007). "FFXII : Revenant Wings : les invocations" (http:/ / www. jeux-france. com/ news19453_ffxii-revenant-wings-les-invocations. html) (in French). Jeux-France.com (http:/ / www. gamekyo. com). PressĂ&#x2030;lite. . Retrieved March 15, 2007. [10] Balistrieri, Emily (March 16, 2007). "Previews: FFXII: Revenant Wings" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ previewPage?cId=3158063). 1Up.com. Ziff Davis. . Retrieved March 30, 2007. [11] Balthier's note: Something more valuable: the Cache of Glabados. I await in Bervenia.Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII. (Square Enix). PlayStation 2. (2006-10-31) [12] Freund, Josh (September 20, 2006). "Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (DS) scan, details - Update #1" (http:/ / www. gamesarefun. com/ news. php?newsid=6917). GamesAreFun.com (http:/ / www. gamesarefun. com/ ). . Retrieved September 21, 2006. [13] IGN Staff (September 21, 2006). "TGS 2006: Final Fantasy XII Update" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 733/ 733945p1. html). IGN. News Corporation. . Retrieved September 21, 2006. [14] Harris, Craig (May 16, 2007). "Interview: Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 788/ 788948p1. html). IGN. News Corporation. . Retrieved May 17, 2007. [15] Shea, Cam (February 15, 2007). "Hitoshi Sakimoto AU Interview" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 765/ 765357p1. html). IGN. News Corporation. . Retrieved July 6, 2007. [16] Kulata, Kurt (May 16, 2007). "Second thoughts on Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings" (http:/ / www. siliconera. com/ 2007/ 05/ 16/ second-thoughts-on-final-fantasy-xii-revenant-wings/ ). Siliconera (http:/ / www. siliconera. com/ ). . Retrieved July 6, 2007. [17] "Annual Report 2008" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ eng/ pdf/ ar/ 20080808_01. pdf#page=11). Square-Enix.com. August 8, 2008. . Retrieved 2008-12-20. [18] "Top 30 Japanese Console Game Chart" (http:/ / www. the-magicbox. com/ topten. htm). The Magic Box (http:/ / www. the-magicbox. com/ ). 2007. . Retrieved July 6, 2007. [19] Parkin, Simon (May 28, 2007). "First Impressions - Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ final-fantasy-xii-revenant-wings-first-impressions?page=2). Eurogamer. Eurogamer Network. pp. 2. . Retrieved July 6, 2007. [20] Gantayat, Anoop (April 16, 2007). "FFXII: Revenant Wings Reviewed" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 780/ 780805p1. html). IGN. News Corporation. . Retrieved April 16, 2007. [21] Parish, Jeremy (2007-11-16). "Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ reviewPage?cId=3164440). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2008-08-02. [22] Electronic Gaming Monthly, Issue 223; HOL. 2007 [23] Harris, Craig (2007-11-30). "Nintendo DS Game of the Month: November 2007" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 838/ 838955p1. html). IGN. News Corporation. . Retrieved 2007-12-01. [24] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff12rw/ [25] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ffxiirw/ [26] http:/ / www. ff12revenantwings. eu. com/ en/

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''Final Fantasy XIII: Fabula Nova Crystalis''

274

''Final Fantasy XIII: Fabula Nova Crystalis'' Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII

Genre(s)

Role-playing video game

Developer(s) Square Enix Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Platform(s)

PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360

First release Final Fantasy XIII JP December 17, 2009 NA March 9, 2010 EU March 9, 2010

Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII (ファブラノヴァクリスタリスファイナルファンタジーXIIIFabura Nova Kurisutarisu Fainaru Fantajī Sātīn) is the collective name of a series of games made under the Final Fantasy XIII label by Square Enix. Made in the same vein as the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII and the Ivalice Alliance, Fabula Nova Crystallis (which means "the New Tale of the Crystal" in Latin) is based on various worlds and different characters, but each game will be "ultimately based on and expand upon a common mythos." According to Square Enix, they all take place in the same world but in different time periods and there is no cooperation between the teams of the various titles, the only connection being a "vague crystal theme".[1]

Plot and setting The compilation appears to revolve around "crystals that lead the world towards the future." Appearing as normal objects, the Crystals are an integral part of each world as represented in the games, although they will not be the central focus; instead, they will provide a background to other, more specific plots. However, the functionality of the Crystals has led the series' designers to pay special attention in creating the visual look of these worlds. Co-producer Shinji Hashimoto says "Consider that development is simultaneously ongoing for three FFXIII's—each not only on different platforms (advertised as PS3 for FF Versus XIII and FFXIII (as well as Xbox 360 for FFXIII in the USA, Europe and Australia only), and PSP for FF Agito XIII), but [featuring] different worlds and stories that are bound by a common mythology [of the crystal]. By gaining inspiration from the mythology, these independent FFXIIIs evolve uniquely. The Fabula Nova Crystallis project is not a collection of sequels or ports but several original titles that exist alongside each other".

''Final Fantasy XIII: Fabula Nova Crystalis''

Development The current games in development within Fabula Nova Crystallis are: • Final Fantasy Agito XIII (PSP) [2] • Final Fantasy Versus XIII (PS3) The development for each title is being handled within Square Enix through separate teams. This is reflected in the approach to making each title independent from the others while sharing a common backdrop. However, the character designs for the three officially revealed games are by Tetsuya Nomura, who is also the director of Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Each title will have its own style of gameplay: Final Fantasy XIII is an RPG, Final Fantasy Versus XIII is more action-oriented like Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy Agito XIII is an action-RPG more like Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII with multiplayer elements. Square Enix president Yōichi Wada likened the Fabula Nova Crystallis compilation to that of the likes of Star Wars and has stated that it could span a decade.[3] Final Fantasy XIII director Motomu Toriyama stated in the Playstation Magazine Australia that the Fabula Nova Crystallis series is slated to be a multi-platform series, not exclusive only to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PSP.[4]

Released games Final Fantasy XIII, the first title in the series, was released in Japan on December 17, 2009, as a PlayStation 3 exclusive within the territory. It was released in North America and Europe on March 9, 2010, for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles.

References [1] "LEVEL May 2007 Interview" (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ fabula-nova-crystallis/ interviews/ level-may-2007-transcript. php). FinalFantasy-XIII.net (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ ). 2007. . Retrieved 8 March 2010. [2] "【速報】『ファイナルファンタジーアギトXIII』のPSP版発売が決定 - ファミ通.com" (http:/ / www. famitsu. com/ game/ news/ 1217142_1124. html). Famitsu.com. . Retrieved 2008-10-13. [3] Craig "American Idle" Hansen. "Final Fantasy: A Retrospective" (http:/ / www. dignews. com/ ps2/ ps2-features/ final-fantasy-a-retrospective-feature-10). . Retrieved 2006-10-31. [4] Jeriaska (2007-04-16). "Toriyama: Fabula Nova Crystallis cannot be stopped" (http:/ / squarehaven. com/ news/ 2007/ 04/ 16/ Toriyama-Fabula-Nova-Crystallis-cannot-be-stopped/ ). SquareHaven.com. . Retrieved 2007-04-21.

• Latest Status Info (http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=78873711&action=Request+ Status) • IGN: Famitsu with More on Fabula Nova (http://ps3.ign.com/articles/708/708994p1.html)

External links • Fabula Nova Crystallis Official portal site (http://www.square-enix.co.jp/fabula/)

275

''Final Fantasy XIII''

276

''Final Fantasy XIII'' Final Fantasy XIII

European Final Fantasy XIII box art featuring Lightning Developer(s)

Square Enix PDD 1

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Director(s)

Motomu Toriyama

Producer(s)

Yoshinori Kitase

Designer(s)

Motomu Toriyama Toshiro Tsuchida

Programmer(s)

Kazumi Kobayashi

Artist(s)

Tetsuya Nomura Nao Ikeda Isamu Kamikokuryou

Writer(s)

Motomu Toriyama Daisuke Watanabe Yukie Hirano Harunori Sakemi

Composer(s)

Masashi Hamauzu Ina Wroldsen Arnthor Birgisson

Series

Final Fantasy Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII

Engine

Crystal Tools

Native resolution 720p (PlayStation 3)[1] [1]

576p (Xbox 360) Platform(s)

PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Release date(s)

[2]

December 17, 2009 [3] March 9, 2010 [4] EU March 9, 2010 NA

Genre(s)

Role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player

Rating(s)

CERO: B [5] ESRB: T [6] OFLC: M PEGI: 16

''Final Fantasy XIII''

277 Media

Blu-ray Disc (PlayStation 3) 3 DVD DL (Xbox 360)

Input methods

Gamepad

Final Fantasy XIII (ファイナルファンタジーXIIIFainaru Fantajī Sātīn) is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Released in 2009 in Japan and 2010 in North America and PAL regions, it is the thirteenth installment in the Final Fantasy series. The game introduced a few innovations to the series: a fast-paced combat mechanic, a "Crystarium" system determining which abilities are developed for the characters, and a customizable "Paradigm" system to control which abilities are used by the characters. Final Fantasy XIII also includes elements from the previous games, such as summoned monsters, chocobos and airships. The game takes place in the fictional floating world of Cocoon whose government, the Sanctum, is ordering a purge on civilians who have supposedly come into contact with those from the much-feared world below, Pulse. Lightning, a former soldier from Cocoon, begins her fight against the government in order to save her sister, who has been branded a l'Cie - unwilling servants to the beings known as the fal'Cie, who maintain order on both Cocoon and Pulse - and thus has become an enemy of Cocoon. Lightning is soon joined by a band of allies, and together the group also become l'Cie after their encounter with a Pulse fal'Cie. Together, they rally against the Sanctum, while also trying to discover their "focus" as l'Cies - the tasks they must complete before their time comes to an end. First appearing at E3 2006, Final Fantasy XIII is the flagship title of the Fabula Nova Crystallis collection of Final Fantasy games and is the first game to use Square-Enix's Crystal Tools engine. Square Enix describes the theme of the game as "those who resist the world".[7] Final Fantasy XIII received mostly high scores from noted video game publications but was criticized by many for its linear progression. It became the fastest-selling title in the history of the series, and has sold over 5.55 million copies worldwide.

Gameplay Battle system The concept for Final Fantasy XIII's battle system was to maintain the strategic nature of command-based battles. The system stemmed from a desire to create battles similar to those found in Final Fantasy VII Advent Children.[8] Like those in Final Fantasy XII, enemies are integrated into the world environment, but by contrast, battles do not take place in the same field. Instead, there is a short transition and players are transported to a new battle screen, separate from the main playing world but visually similar to the current location.[9] Battles use the Active Time Battle (ATB) system of previous Final Fantasy games, but with some changes. The first battle system was shown during the E3 2006, but it was only a prototype. A new interface was shown in September 2009 by Square Enix in various Japanese magazines and trailers (depicted in the image adjacent). In battle, the player can only control one character at a time out of a party of up to three.

The Final Fantasy XIII battle system, with the option to use "Paradigm Shift"

The player selects several actions at once, which are then performed in the order selected by the lead character when the ATB bar has filled. Each action takes a specific number of slots, and the ATB bar increases throughout the game from two slots to a

''Final Fantasy XIII'' maximum of six.[10] There are no separate Magic Points, or MP, for magical attacks as in previous Final Fantasy games. The player also has the option to select less than the maximum number of possible actions, or to prematurely stop the filling of the ATB bar and perform as many actions as can be done with the current ATB amount. Only the lead character can be controlled; the other one or two characters present in the battle are controlled by the game. The player may also select an "autobattle" command which fills the ATB slots with actions chosen by the game. Actions cannot be performed outside of battle, and the characters' health, measured in Health Points (HP), is fully restored after each battle.[10] During battles, the player can at any time select the "Paradigm Shift" command, and then select different roles for the characters out of options previously set up in the main menu. These roles correspond with the character classes or jobs of previous Final Fantasy games. There are six roles, those of Commando, or warrior; Ravager, or black mage; Medic, or White Mage; Saboteur, which performs magic attacks that weaken enemies; Synergist, which casts magic that strengthens allies; and Sentinel, a role which has increased defense and protective abilities. Each of the six playable characters can initially take on only three roles, but later in the game may assume any of them. When enemies are struck by attacks or spells, their "chain counter", measured in percentage between 100 and 999, increases. Each enemy has their own chain counter, which resets back to 100 if another attack is not performed in time. Attacks by different roles have different effects, with some raising the chain by larger amount while others give the player longer before the chain counter resets. The amount of damage performed by an attack is multiplied by the chain percentage before it is applied to the enemy. When the chain counter reaches a preset amount, different for each enemy, the enemy is placed into "Stagger State". In this mode, the chain is increased by 100 and the enemy begins to glow. Depending on the enemy, other effects may also occur, such as lowered defense or allowing the enemy to be launched into the air with certain attacks. The Stagger State lasts only a limited amount of time before ending and resetting the chain counter back to 100, although the counter may still be increased during Stagger.

The Crystarium The leveling system for the game is called the Crystarium system which resembles the Sphere Grid in Final Fantasy X.[11] Instead of gaining experience points after winning a battle, characters gain Crystogen Points (CP) which can then be spent in order to unlock abilities and increase attributes such as maximum HP. Every character has a Crystarium, and within it, different sections corresponding to each Role the character has available. The Crystarium is not initially available within the game, and only becomes available through story sequences. After that point, levels in the Crystarium become unlocked as the story progresses, essentially capping the amount of growth that can be achieved in the middle of the game -no matter how many Chrystarium Points a player can accumulate, he or she cannot take their chosen character(s) to the next level of abilities and enhancements until such time as they complete a major part of the story, usually involving the defeat of either a Main Boss or a Eidolon. Every character initially specializes in up to three Roles, and the other Roles are not available in their Crystariums until much later in the game; the Roles that the character does not specialize in have much smaller upgrade paths, providing fewer strength, magic and HP upgrade points, as well as fewer abilities than a specialist has access to. This structure serves to ensure that the playable characters each become unique in their powers and abilities, with one character being the best Synergist, another character the best Healer, and so on, and so on.

Summons The classic summoned creatures called Eidolons (as they were named in Final Fantasy IV DS and Final Fantasy IX) return in Final Fantasy XIII. Each character possesses only one Eidolon that is summoned from a crystal that sprouts from the character's mark of l'Cie.[10] The Eidolons include series staples Odin, Shiva, Alexander, and Bahamut, and newcomers Hecatoncheir and Brynhildr.[12] When summoned, the Eidolon stay in battle while the characters accompanying the summoner leaves the party.[13] There is also a new feature called "Gestalt Mode" (known as "Driving Mode" in Japan), which when activated joins the summoned and its summoner; Snow can ride and steer the

278

''Final Fantasy XIII'' combined Shiva Sisters which is a motorcycle, Vanille's Hecatoncheir can transform into a bipedal mech with machine gun turrets in which she can control, and Sazh can ride and steer Brynhildr as a race car. This changes the pace of the combat significantly. Not all summons turn into mechanical vehicles: Odin's Gestalt Mode changes him into a horse for Lightning to ride, Bahamut's Gestalt Mode is a flight mode for Fang, while Alexander's Gestalt Mode changes him into a large tower which surrounds the enemy and fires lasers at them from all sides.[14] The summons play a major role in the game's storyline as well, much like Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX and Final Fantasy X.[15]

Plot Setting The setting of Final Fantasy XIII is primarily focused on the world of Cocoon, a sphere that floats above the surface of Pulse, the world below. Both worlds are controlled by fal'Cie (pronounced /Ë&#x2C6;fĂŚlsiË?/), mechanical beings with godlike power, each based around a crystal and created by a God-like figure called the Maker.[10] The Cocoon fal'Cie are additionally responsible for keeping Cocoon floating, as well as providing light and water. Each fal'Cie handles a specific task. The fal'Cie have the capability of marking the humans, also created by the Maker, that live in Pulse and Cocoon as their servants. These servants, called l'Cie, are branded with a symbol representing either Pulse or Cocoon, and are additionally given a "focus", or task to complete.[16] If the l'Cie complete their task in time, they are transformed to crystal; otherwise they become mindless monsters called Cie'th.[17] The l'Cie are not explicitly told their focus, but are instead given visions that they must interpret. If l'Cie falter in their quest, they may be set upon by an Eidolon, large mechanical monsters. If the l'Cie defeat these creatures in battle, the Eidolon then fights for them. The transformation to crystal upon completion of their focus is not always permanent; l'Cie crystals can be turned back into humans by fal'Cie and given another focus. Similarly, Cie'th can eventually stop being monsters, and are transformed into a different kind of crystal, from which other l'Cie can learn their focus and complete it in their stead. The worlds of Pulse and Cocoon are at war with each other, though at the opening of the game there has been no sign of anyone from Pulse in Cocoon in centuries, since the last time Pulse invaded. In the aftermath of that invasion, which ripped a large hole in Cocoon, the Cocoon fal'Cie lifted parts of Pulse into the sky to repair the damage. The people of Cocoon live in fear of another invasion, and violently reject anything having to do with Pulse. Cocoon is ruled by the Sanctum government, which encourages this hatred of Pulse. The fal'Cie do not rule the humans directly, instead making their wishes known to the Sanctum. The Sanctum oversees two military branches, the regular military and PSICOM, the special forces in charge of dealing with anything having to do with Pulse. The fal'Cie have given the humans advanced technology, including flying airships and mechanical creatures, though a form of magic also exists. This magic is only normally only accessible to l'Cie, fal'Cie, and various monsters in Cocoon and Pulse, though distilled chemical forms can be used by normal humans.

279

''Final Fantasy XIII''

Characters Playable characters • Lightning (ライトニング Raitoningu): A 21 year-old former sergeant of the Guardian Corps, Lightning sought the Pulse fal'Cie, Anima, in order to ask it to save her sister Serah, whom the fal'Cie had turned into a l'Cie. However, much to her dismay, Lightning was turned into a l'Cie herself. Her l'Cie mark is in the center of her chest. Lightning has long pink hair and is 171 cm tall (5'7").[18] Born as Claire Farron (Éclair Farron (エクレール・ファロン Ekurēru Faron) in the original Japanese language version[19] ) she began using her code name after the death of her parents in an attempt to emotionally reinforce herself so The playable cast of Final Fantasy XIII (From left to right) Sazh that she could protect Serah, but that only caused Katzroy, Snow Villiers, Hope Estheim, Lightning, Oerba Yun Fang, tensions to rise between them. Lightning is very Oerba Dia Vanille independent and determined, but she is also shown to have a compassionate side. Lightning wields a gunblade called the Blaze Edge which is a combination of a gun and a sword, one collapsing into the other. She can also manipulate gravity with a device on her thumb (though due to Sazh's interference, this device becomes damaged).[20] In battle, Lightning is very agile and uses acrobatic moves. As a l'Cie, she can summon the Eidolon Odin to fight by her side in battle, who can assume a horse-like form that she can ride on.[21] While riding, Lightning dual wields Odin's detachable sword. Her strongest unique special attack is called Scene Drive in the Japanese version [22] and Army of One in the North American version.[23] Lightning is voiced by Maaya Sakamoto in the Japanese version and by Ali Hillis in the English version. • Snow Villiers (スノウ・ヴィリアース Sunō Viriāsu): Before becoming a l'Cie, Snow is the 21 year-old leader of Team Nora, a resistance group fighting against the government of Cocoon.[24] He stands at a tall 200 cm (6'5"),[18] and has light blonde hair under a black beanie.[25] He was nicknamed "Mr. 33 cm" by the development team of Final Fantasy XIII in reference to his shoe size.[26] He uses his fists to take down opponents, focusing on brute force compared to the fast and agile Lightning.[27] Snow bears the mark of the l'Cie on his lower left arm, through which he has the power to summon the twin Shiva Sister (シバシスター Shiba Sisutā) Eidolons, Nix (二クス Nikusu) and Stiria (スティリア Sutiria), who can combine into a motorcycle form for Snow to ride while toting a large gun. Unlike most grapplers, Snow changes his runes on his coat rather than buying new gloves. Snow is voiced by Daisuke Ono in the Japanese version and by Troy Baker in the English version. • Oerba Dia Vanille (ヲルバ＝ダイア・ヴァニラ Oruba-Daia Vanira): A 19 year-old mysterious but upbeat young girl with orange-brown hair worn in pigtails. Her name stands for "Vanille of the Dia clan, from the village of Oerba," with "Vanille" being French for vanilla. Originally residing from Oerba Village located on Gran Pulse, Vanille is a Cocoon exile at the start of the game and is subsequently rescued by Team Nora. She has a childlike innocence and is shown to be very compassionate, but at times she can also be very stubborn, and has a tendency to cry whenever she regrets a mistake. Vanille also serves as the game's narrator.[16] Her weapon is a form of foldable fishing rod with multiple lines that can be reeled and used to attack enemies.[28] [29] She has been a l'Cie for a long time, one of two l'Cie given the Focus to summon the Eidolon Ragnarok, and her l'Cie mark is located on her upper left thigh. In battle, Vanille excels at using magic based attacks from a distance. Her Eidolon is Hecatoncheir, a multiple-limbed, earth-elemental summon who can transform into a bipedal mech armed with

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''Final Fantasy XIII'' machine guns that she can pilot.[30] [31] Vanille is voiced by Yukari Fukui in the Japanese version and by Georgia van Cuylenburg in the English version, in which she has an Australian accent. • Sazh Katzroy (サッズ・カッツロイ Sazzu Kattsuroi): A 40 year-old former airship pilot of the Military, Sazh wields dual pistols (which can be combined to form a collapsible rifle), and his strong point is striking enemies from a distance. His l'Cie mark is on his chest. He has a six-year-old son named Dajh with whom he is very close. When Dajh inadvertently became a l'Cie and was taken by Sanctum, saving him became Sazh's main motivation.[32] Sazh has a pet baby chocobo that lives inside his afro. Sazh is described as having good judgment and moral discernment. He has a gentle personality and is easily moved to tears, and joins the party early in the game. His Eidolon is Brynhildr,[33] a female fire-elemental knight who can transform into a race car.[34] Tetsuya Nomura based Sazh's appearance on Lionel Richie.[35] Sazh is voiced by Masashi Ebara in the Japanese version and Reno Wilson in the English version. • Hope Estheim (ホープ・エストハイム Hōpu Esutohaimu)[17] : A 14 year-old boy with silvery-blonde hair and orange, yellow, and green clothing. He uses collapsible boomerangs in battle. During the Purge, his mother, Nora, offers to help Snow and Team Nora fight off PSICOM. She falls to her death during the battle, and though Snow honors her final request to protect her son, Hope nonetheless despises Snow in a grief-induced rage for his connection to his mother's death. His l'Cie mark is on is on the back of his left wrist and his Eidolon is the holy-elemental summon Alexander,[36] which transforms into a fortress in Gestalt Mode, and is able to blast enemies from afar with multiple cannons.[37] Hope is voiced by Yūki Kaji in the Japanese version and by Vincent Martella in the English version. • Oerba Yun Fang (ヲルバ＝ユン・ファング Oruba-Yun Fangu): A raven-haired 21 year-old woman who comes from Oerba Village, donning clothing resembling the traditional Indian Sari adorned with tribal accessories, and bearing the mark of a l'Cie on her right shoulder. Her name stands for "Fang of the Yun clan, from the village of Oerba." Though she is a l'Cie from Pulse, she originally works for the Cocoon Sanctum under Cid. It later turns out she is one of the two l'Cie given the focus to summon Ragnarok. She wields a spear that can transform into a sansetsukon in battle, and her Eidolon is Bahamut, who can take flight in his Gestalt-mode. As revealed by Tetsuya Nomura in an interview, during the early stages of development she was originally scripted to be a male character.[38] Fang is voiced by Mabuki Andou in the Japanese version and by Rachel Robinson in the English version, in which, like Vanille, she also has an Australian accent. Antagonists • Jihl Nabaat (ジル・ナバート Jiru Nabāto): An intelligent but cruel Lietenant Colonel of PSICOM with knee-length blonde hair and glasses. Nabaat is first seen in the trailers interrogating the captive Vanille and Sazh. She sees the l'Cie as subhuman and is bent on exterminating them. As the henchwoman of Galenth Dysley, Nabaat is the final obstacle between the main party and Galenth; however, she is killed by Dysley when he decides she has outlived her usefulness[39] Nabaat is voiced by Mie Sonozaki in the Japanese version and by Paula Tiso in the English version. • Yaag Rosch (ヤーグ・ロッシュ Yāgu Rosshu): An intimidating-looking man with a scar on his forehead and silver hair that is tied back in a ponytail. Rosch is a PSICOM Director who questions his orders from the Sanctum, though he feels he must follow his orders for the sake of the people of Cocoon. He is mortally wounded after fighting the main party in the Proudclad; after begging them to save Cocoon, Rosch sacrifices himself to ensure the main party is not pursued by monsters.[40] Rosch is voiced by Hiroki Tōchi in the Japanese version and by Jon Curry in the English version. • Cid Raines (シド・レインズ Shido Reinzu): An Air Force Brigadier from the Sanctum who commands the warship Lindblum. Like Rosch, Cid doubts the government in its current state and believes that Cocoon should be run by its people instead of the fal'Cie. However, he himself had been turned into a l'Cie with the Focus of helping Lightning's group to overcome various trials. As he wanted to save Cocoon from destruction (which is the Focus

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''Final Fantasy XIII'' of Lightning's group), he decided to abandon his Focus and fight Lightning's group, becoming a Cie'th-like being in the process. Upon his defeat, Cid is retrieved by Galenth with the Focus of creating chaos in Eden, which he does until he asks Rygdea to put him out of his misery.[41] [42] Cid is voiced by Yuichi Nakamura in the Japanese version and by Erik Davies in English version. • Galenth Dysley (ガレンス・ダイスリー Garensu Daisurī): The main antagonist of the game, Lightning and the group's archnemesis, and Primarch of the Sanctum, the Cocoon Government. He's a cruel older man. In reality, he is actually the Cocoon fal'Cie Barthandelus, known as Baldanders (バルトアンデルス Barutoanderusu) in the original Japanese version, intending to use Ragnarok in order to destroy Orphan and Cocoon so the Maker would return to this world. He is mortally wounded by Lightning's group - like Orphan, he too is eager to end his existence to help bring back the Maker, and fights the player party with the intent of making sure that they are strong enough to defeat Orphan afterwards - causing it to be assimilated into Orphan. Dysley is voiced by Masaru Shinozuka in the Japanese version and by S. Scott Bullock in the English version. • Orphan (オーファン Ōfan): A wheel-like, sun-elemental fal'Cie who is the power source of Cocoon and who also holds the small planetoid in its preternatural orbit above Pulse. Orphan's defeat is the Focus of Lightning's group. Orphan desires nothing more than its own destruction above all else (the Fal'Cie are seemingly "programmed" to be unable to self terminate, nor can other Fal'Cie raise a hand against one another), so that the Maker will return to the world with Cocoon's demise. In the game's final battle, Orphan is killed by the party. Orphan's shell is voiced by Masaru Shinozuka in the Japanese version and by Julia Fletcher and S. Scott Bullock in the English version, while its true form is voiced by Hiro Shimono in the Japanese version and by Michael Sinterniklaas in the English version. Other characters • Serah Farron (セラ・ファロン Sera Faron): Though mentioned by her given name in earlier news, Yoshinori Kitase confirmed her appearance and full name during Gamescom 2009. Serah is Lightning's younger sister and engaged to Snow - a relationship of which Lightning strongly objects. Serah is the first Pulse l'Cie in Cocoon by the Fal'Cie Anima, and her mark is located in her left arm and also given the Focus to lure most potential l'Cie to the ruins where Anima resides. She turns to crystal after unknowingly fulfilling the Focus through Lightning and Snow as they attempt to find a means to save her in the fal'Cie's place. After the defeat of Orphan, Serah returns to normal and is reunited with her sister and Snow. Serah is voiced by Minako Kotobuki in the Japanese version and by Laura Bailey in English version. • Rygdea (リグディ Rigudi): A captain working under Cid Raines' command, who kills him at his command. He later heads to Orphan's Cradle along with the Cavalry to bring an end to Orphan. However, Dysley turns him into a Cie'th before he can reach Orphan. Rygdea is voiced by Yasuyuki Kase in the Japanese version and by Josh Robert Thompson in English version. • Dajh Katzroy (ドッジ・カッツロイ Dojji Kattsuroi): Sazh's son, whose mother died when he was three years old. The baby Chocobo that rides around in Sazh's afro actually belongs to Dajh, who bought it at a gift shop during their travels. When Dajh unexpectedly becomes an l'Cie, he is taken from Sazh by Jihl Nabaat as a martyr for Cocoon to use his power of sensing "Pulse" to track down other l'Cie. He is turned into a crystal after completing his Focus.[43] Like Serah, Dajh returns to normal after the defeat of Orphan, and is reunited with his father. Dajh is voiced by Shōtarō Uzawa in the Japanese version and by Connor Villard in English version. • NORA (ノラ Nora): The resistance group lead by Snow. In the Japanese version, NORA is in reference to the word "noraneko", meaning stray cat. In the English version, it is an acronym that stands for "No Obligations, Rules, or Authority." In the Jump Festa 2009 and the official global trailer,[44] the four known members of NORA are featured in the first Final Fantasy XIII demo. The members of NORA are seen participating in the hijack of the captives' train and the resulting battles, though Maqui does not participate in the fighting. Gadot, Lebreau, and Maqui were designed by Nao Ikeda, who based their clothing on the athletic clothing styles of basketball, beach

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''Final Fantasy XIII'' volleyball, and snowboarding, respectively.[45] The four known members of NORA are featured in the first Final Fantasy XIII demo. • Gadot (ガドー Gadō): A man with an orange mohawk and Snow's childhood friend; he uses a machine gun in battle and is quick to engage. Gadot is voiced by Yoshikazu Satō in the Japanese version and by Zack Hanks in the English version. • Lebreau (レブロ Reburo): A black haired woman whose demeanor is made out to be that of invincibility. She also runs a bar as a means of garnering monetary resources for NORA. She is also said to be Snow's childhood friend.[46] Lebreau is voiced by Yū Asakawa in the Japanese version and by Anndi McAfee in the English version. • Maqui (マーキー Mākī): An adolescent boy who is not so brazen as Snow or Gadot, but who has a knack for machinery and can therefore provide more secretive funds to NORAs operations. He and Serah were friends before Maqui joined NORA. He seems to idolize Snow to the point of emulating his attire. Maqui is voiced by Makoto Naruse in the Japanese version and by Daniel Samonas in the English version. • Yuj (ユージュ Yūju): A young man with blue hair who is described as up to date with fashion and style. He is also commissioned to protect the Pulse exiles. Yuj is voiced by Wataru Hatano in the Japanese version and by Jeff Fischer in the English version.

Story As Snow leads the resistance group, NORA, in an attempt to stop the purging of civilians, the mysterious Lightning fights her way past PSICOM soldiers with the aid of Sazh to find a Pulse fal'Cie, Anima, who turned her sister, Serah (who is also Snow's fiancée), into a l'Cie. Through a chain of events, these three, along with two exiles, Vanille and Hope, are forced by the fal'Cie of Pulse to become l'Cie, and with that became enemies of humanity with the Focus of bringing about the downfall of the Orphan, who provides the fal'cie Eden with the energy it needs to run Cocoon. Lightning and the group will have to stop the Sanctum's Primarch Dysley, the human incarnation of the Cocoon fal'Cie Barthandelus, from arranging Orphan's destruction which would supposedly result in Cocoon's demise.

Development Final Fantasy XIII was first shown at the 2006 E3 convention.[47] Along with Final Fantasy Versus XIII and the PlayStation Portable game Final Fantasy Agito XIII, Final Fantasy XIII is part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII project,[48] but is not a prequel or sequel to any of the other installments. Square Enix explained that although all three games take place in the same universe, they are not directly related in terms of story.[49] The game runs on the Crystal Tools engine, a seventh generation multiplatform game engine built by Square Enix for its future games. The engine and the game were originally slated to be used with the PlayStation 2 but were later moved to the PlayStation 3.[25] Final Fantasy XIII is developed by Square Enix's Product Development Division 1 (led by Yoshinori Kitase). As such, the development team resembles that of Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, rather than Final Fantasy XII. Several of the game's developers have worked on previous installments of the series. Yoshinori Kitase, director of Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII and producer of Final Fantasy X and Dissidia: Final Fantasy among others, once again returned as producer for the game. Motomu Toriyama, director of Final Fantasy X-2 and director and scenario writer of Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, directed the game and wrote the story. Eiji Fujii, previously the movie director of Final Fantasy XII, returned in this position. Isamu Kamikokuryō, previously the co-art director of Final Fantasy XII, returned as well, with Tetsu Tsukamoto designing the weapons. The main programmers will be Kazumi Kobayashi and Yoshiki Kashitani. Occasionally, developers from Final Fantasy Versus XIII assisted with the development of Final Fantasy XIII.[50] Final Fantasy X's battle director Toshiro Tsuchida returned as the battle system director for the game.[51]

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''Final Fantasy XIII'' According to art director Isamu Kamikokuryou, many additional areas that were functioning in an unreleased build, from Team Nora's secret base, to Lightning's home and even a zoo, were cut from the game owing to concerns about the game's length and volume.[52] Kamikokuryou additionally remarked that the volume of content cut was, in itself, enough to make another game.[52] In an interview in Famitsu, Square Enix said the audio and video in Final Fantasy XIII will be compressed onto 3 DVDs in the Xbox 360 version while the PS3 version will be uncompressed and be on one 50Gb Blu-ray Disc.[53] [54]

Initial screenshots of the Xbox 360 version released by Square Enix to compare to the PlayStation 3 version were revealed shortly after to be screenshots from the PlayStation 3 version, with the Xbox 360 control icons pasted on top.[55] Square Enix apologized, claiming there would be no need to enhance the Xbox 360 screenshots and that a mistake was made,[56] and later released screenshots that did come from the Xbox 360 version.[55] Though the screenshots were of low quality, including one with a mouse pointer over it,[57] analysis of the new screenshots and later technical analysis by DigitalFoundry of both versions of the game revealed that the Xbox 360 version runs at 576p, as opposed to the PlayStation 3's native resolution of 720p.[58] Both versions can be upscaled to 1080p.

Music Masashi Hamauzu composed the game's soundtrack. His previous work on the series was as a co-composer for Final Fantasy X and as the main composer for Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII.[59] The game was the first main-series Final Fantasy game to not include any compositions by original series composer Nobuo Uematsu; although he was originally announced to compose the main theme of the game, this role was taken over by Hamauzu after Uematsu signed on to compose the soundtrack to Final Fantasy XIV. The score features some orchestral recordings by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, orchestrated by Yoshihisa Hirano, Toshiyuki Oomori and Kunihito Shiina.[60] [61] The song "My Hands," from British singer Leona Lewis' second album Echo, was chosen to replace Final Fantasy XIII's original theme song, "Kimi ga Iru Kara" by Sayuri Sugawara for the game's international release.[62] Square Enix President Yoichi Wada has stated that it would have been better if the American branch of the company had produced a theme song from scratch, but the lack of staff led to the decision of licensing an existing song instead.[63] Music from the game has been released in several albums. The main soundtrack album, Final Fantasy XIII Original Soundtrack, was released on four Compact Discs in 2010 by Square Enix.[64] The album sold 16,000 copies the day of its release.[65] Selections from the soundtrack have been released on two gramophone record albums, W/F: Music from Final Fantasy XIII and W/F: Music from Final Fantasy XIII Gentle Reveries, both in 2010 by Square Enix.[66] [67] An album of arranged pieces from the soundtrack, Final Fantasy XIII Original Soundtrack -PLUS-, was also released by Square Enix in 2010.[68] The theme song for the Japanese version of the game, "Kimi ga Iru Kara" (君がいるから?, "Because You're Here"), was released as a single by For Life Music in 2009.[69]

Release and post-release During Sony's media briefing at the 2008 E3, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XIII would have downloadable content available for North America, Europe, and Japan. A playable demo of Final Fantasy XIII is included in Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete (released on April 16 in Japan and June 2 for North America[70] ) on Blu-ray Disc for PlayStation 3, along with new trailers of Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Final Fantasy Agito XIII.[71] The demo, however, was only released in Japan and is not reflective of the actual game as it was created using an old build of the game.[72]

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Square Enix confirmed at a Japanese press event that Final Fantasy XIII would be released on December 17, 2009 in Japan. Japanese alcoholic beverage distributors Suntory also planned to release the Final Fantasy XIII Elixir to promote the game's release.[73] At the same press event, Square Enix also announced that it would be bundling Final Fantasy XIII in Japan with a limited edition white 250GB PlayStation 3 Slim with a pink colour print of Lightning on the surface of the console, which will release on the same day.[74] On the same day the game released in Japan, a Final Fantasy XIII PlayStation Home personal space, called "Eden - Primarch's Vigilarium", was made available for free in the Japan Home until January 13, 2010 along with a costume and personal space furnishings.[75] This space and the furnishings were released to the Asian, European, and North American versions of PlayStation Home on March 11, 2010.[76] Producer Yoshinori Kitase, along with other creators of the game, put together a video with interviews and new footage on November 13, 2009. The conclusion of A can of Final Fantasy XIII Elixir the video announced that the game is to be released on March 9, 2010, for both [3] featuring the game cover version of Europe and North America. An international trailer for the game showing both Lightning. gameplay and pre-rendered scenes was released on January 14, 2010 featuring the game's theme song for Europe and North America, "My Hands", by Leona Lewis. One month prior to the game's release, Square Enix had begun promoting the game via a tour bus where gamers could preview and play the game.[77] Collector's edition for PAL territories received a limited collector's edition for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It includes the Final Fantasy XIII Original Sound Selection, a soundtrack CD that includes a selection of music tracks from the game that are especially chosen for this Limited Collector’s Edition by composer Masashi Hamauzu. The CD is presented inside a slipcase featuring artwork from Final Fantasy XIII, and also liner notes that are written by the composer. The Collector's Edition also includes The World of Final Fantasy XIII, a hardback book featuring character artwork, CG-rendered artwork and environments from across the game production. It also includes exclusive art prints—3 highly collectable art prints showing artwork of the Eidolons, powerful summoned allies of the lead playable characters in Final Fantasy XIII. Finally, the Collector's Edition includes unique "Brand of the l’Cie" decal, a collectible decal featuring the symbol from the game's storyline. While the game was released on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in western regions, the game remains a PlayStation 3 exclusive in Asian territories.[78] Final Fantasy XIII is also the first game in the Final Fantasy series to receive its official release in Chinese language. The localization is handled by Sony Computer Entertainment Asia division and using the original Japanese audio with Traditional Chinese subtitles.[79] Both consoles have special limited editions based on the game. A special Playstation 3 Slim version was launched in Japan with a pink colour print of Lightning on the white surface of the console, by the time of its release. For the western release, a special Xbox 360 Elite with the silver strip on the hard drive emblazoned with the Final Fantasy XIII logo, and a limited quantity of themed faceplates, created by designer Tetsuya Nomura, was made available through a select few retailers in Europe, North America, and Australia. Both editions have a 250 GB hard drive and come with a copy of the game.

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Reception Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator GameRankings

Score [80]

85.27%Â (PS3) 82.11% [81] (360)

Metacritic

[82] 83/100 (PS3) [83] 82/100 (360)

Review scores Publication

Score [84]

1UP.com

A-

Edge

5/10

Eurogamer

8/10

Famitsu

39/40

Game Informer

9.25/10

GameSpot

8.5/10

GameSpy

4.5/5

GamesRadar

10/10

GameTrailers

8.6/10

GameZone

8.5/10

IGN

8.9/10

Official PlayStation Magazine (UK)

9/10

Play Magazine

7.9/10

PSM3

70%

VideoGamer.com

7/10

X-Play

4/5

Dengeki

120/100

IGN UK

8.3/10

[85] [86] [87] [82]

[88]

[89] [90] [91] [92] [93]

[94] [95]

[96]

[97]

[98] [99]

[100]

Final Fantasy XIII sold in excess of one million units on its first day of sale in Japan,[101] and had sold over 1,600,000 copies in Japan at the end of 2009.[102] Square Enix had anticipated high sales for the game and shipped close to two million units for its launch.[103] The game had sold more than 1 million copies in North America in its release month and became the fastest selling title in the UK of 2010. In March 2010, Square Enix stated that Final Fantasy XIII became the fastest selling title in the franchise's history.[104] By April of the same year, American game sales for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 reached an estimated 800,000 and 500,000 units respectively.[105] As of

''Final Fantasy XIII'' May 18, 2010, Final Fantasy XIII had sold 5.55 million copies worldwide.[106] Famitsu rated the game at 39/40, with three reviewers giving the maximum 10/10 and one reviewer giving 9/10.[87] Dengeki praised especially the battle system, stating that the battles are by far the most exciting in the series, and concluded Final Fantasy XIII deserved a score of 120, and that 100 would not be enough.[99] The game was voted as the second best game of 2009 in Dengeki online's reader poll,[107] and in January 2010, was voted the best game ever in Famitsu's reader poll.[108] The game's Metacritic aggregates score stands at 83 for the PlayStation 3 and 82 for the Xbox 360, signifying "generally favorable" reviews.[82] [83] Universal praise was given to the technical milestone for the series achieved by the game's graphics and presentation. Electronic Theatre remarked that "there are very few moments when the visual and aural superiority fails to astound",[109] and Edge Magazine felt that Cocoon in particular was an "inspired setting [...] blessed with a vibrancy and vivid colour that often leaves you open-mouthed".[85] Art design also added to the positive reception of the graphics, being described as "magnificent".[88] Further praise was given to the CGI cutscenes,[97] [110] [111] and the almost seamless transition of visual quality between these and the realtime gameplay.[97] Many also appreciated the game's soundtrack,[88] [111] with Masashi Hamauzu providing "a score with catchy hooks and blood-pumping battle melodies",[110] though some felt the replacement of one of the game's theme songs with one from Leona Lewis was unfortunate.[111] The game's new battle system received widespread praise. The increased pace of battles was appreciated, several reviews describing it as "thrilling";[86] [111] Edge Magazine's description of the battle system summarised it as "among the genre's finest".[85] The roles provided by the Paradigm Shift feature also added depth to the battle system and contributed to the fast pace,[86] and having the AI automate the other two party members' actions meant battles in the game "may be the most involving the series has ever seen".[84] The story, characters and voice acting were mostly received well. Wired remarked that the story was "a little more human and less esoteric than in previous games".[110] 1UP felt that the story was "hardly world-class writing", but that the writers clearly knew the medium well and had attempted to avoid clichĂŠs.[84] Reviewers felt that the characters worked well together,[88] [84] and that the interactions among them as the game progressed made up for shortcomings in the story.[86] Many praised the main character, Lightning, described by GameSpot as "a likeable, strong-willed beauty",[88] while minor criticism was reserved by some reviews for certain characters in particular, with several commenting on Snow's personality.[84] While critics generally praised Square Enix's attempt to revitalise the Final Fantasy series formula, many reacted negatively to the linear nature of the game, especially in the first ten chapters on Cocoon,[84] [112] an issue which many felt was compounded by the large reduction of towns and interaction with non-player characters.[113] Play Magazine remarked that the environment, "while greatly detailed, feels flat and lifeless [...] little more than wallpaper thrown over a tunnel that players walk through."[95] GamePro described gameplay as "a long hallway toward an orange target symbol on your mini-map that triggers a cutscene, a boss fight, or both."[113] 1UP criticised the linear aspect as the game's "biggest shortcoming", rendering the first section "superficial."[84] EuroGamer felt the lack of any distraction or exploration makes the game "the RPG equivalent of a corridor shooter" but also remarked, among other reviewers, that every entry in the Final Fantasy series is linear to an extent, and suggested the series' games only offer the "illusion of choice and exploration."[86] Eurogamer indicated the removal of this illusion means the game "[loses] a measure of excitement and romance."[86] Nevertheless, reviewers at Edge Magazine and elsewhere, who awarded the game lower scores as a result of these aspects, also remarked positively that, after the lengthy opening chapters, the game "hits a sweet spot," and, in addition to the singular narrative, the game offers "hunting side-quests and the simple joy of exploring to see what visual marvel is around the next corner."[85] By contrast, reviews such as those by GamesRadar and CVG greatly appreciated its linear nature, the former stating that "the streamlined, focused structure eliminates potential tedium without dumbing anything down",[90] while the latter felt it "a clever move",[111] the player not being "[bogged] down with mundane number crunching, finicky and repetitive levelling-up" and game-controlled party members keeping the game "fresh".[111] Many also noted the

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''Final Fantasy XIII'' gradual unfurling of the player's abilities over this first part of the game, from battle gameplay to selecting the party leader;[86] [84] combined with its linear nature, some reviews went as far as to describe these chapters as "boring" until the world of Gran Pulse was revealed.[85] [110] [112] Reviewers such as VideoGamer felt that this was due to the production team's stated influence by Western games, such as the FPS genre,[97] while others felt this was an attempt to appeal to a wider audience than the traditional RPG.[113] After release, game director Motomu Toriyama felt that the lower-than-expected review scores for a main Final Fantasy series game were as a result of reviewers approaching the game with a Western point-of-view, and that these reviewers were more used to games in which the player was given an open world in which to explore; he noted that this expectation contrasted with the vision the team set out to create, in that it "becomes very difficult to tell a compelling story when you're given that much freedom".[114]

External links • Final Fantasy XIII Official Japanese website [115] • Final Fantasy XIII Official North American website [116] • Final Fantasy XIII Official European website [117]

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"Square Enix Pre-E3 Event Features New Games, New Details" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q2-2006/ 050806c. html). RPGamer. . Retrieved 2008-10-10. [48] Roper, Chris (2006-05-08). "E3 2006: Final Fantasy XIII Official" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 705/ 705652p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2006-05-08. [49] Brudvig, Erik (2006-05-08). "E3 2006: Eyes-on Final Fantasy XIII Trailer" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 705/ 705978p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-10-10. [50] Bramwell, Tom (2008-06-19). "FF Versus XIII reports "are false"" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ ff-versus-xiii-reports-are-false). Eurogamer. . Retrieved 2008-10-10. [51] Moses, Tenacious (2007-02-27). "New details on Final Fantasy Versus XIII" (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ news/ 102088/ new-details-on-final-fantasy-versus-xiii/ ). GamePro. . Retrieved 2008-10-10. [52] "Nora's Secret Base And Lightning's Home Cut From Final Fantasy XIII" (http:/ / www. siliconera. com/ 2010/ 01/ 13/ noras-secret-base-and-lightnings-home-cut-from-final-fantasy-xiii/ ). . [53] "PS3 and 360 Differences Announced - Final Fantasy XIII: News, Trailers & Screens ~ Final Fantasy-XIII.net" (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ 2009/ 12/ 09/ final-fantasy-xiii-ps3-and-360-differences-announced. html). Final Fantasy XIII. . Retrieved 2010-01-27. [54] "Confirmed: FFXIII 360 to ship on 3 DVDS" (http:/ / www. vg247. com/ 2010/ 02/ 02/ confirmed-ffxiii-360-to-ship-on-3-dvds/ ). VG247. . [55] "These Are The Xbox 360 Final Fantasy XIII Shots You Were Looking For" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ 5475017/ these-are-the-xbox-360-final-fantasy-xiii-shots-you-were-looking-for). Kotaku. . [56] "Square Enix responds to doctored Final Fantasy XIII screens" (http:/ / www. gamegrep. com/ news/ 30015-square_enix_responds_to_doctored_ffxiii_screens/ ). . [57] "New 360 FF13 Screenshots feature nasty JPEG Compression, Mouse Pointer" (http:/ / www. uffsite. net/ news/ 375/ new-360-ff13-screenshots-feature-nasty-jpeg-compression-mouse-pointer. html). uffsite.net. 2010-02-17. . Retrieved 2010-02-19. [58] "Digital Foundry: Face-Off: Final Fantasy XIII" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ digitalfoundry-final-fantasy-xiii-face-off). Eurogamer. 2010-03-05. . Retrieved 2010-03-05.

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"Final Fantasy XIII OST" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff13/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2010-05-31. [65] "『FF XIII』サウンドトラックが初日TOP3入り" (http:/ / www. oricon. co. jp/ news/ rankmusic/ 72857/ ). Oricon. 2010-01-28. . Retrieved 2010-02-03. [66] "W/F：Music from Final Fantasy XIII" (http:/ / store. jp. square-enix. com/ detail/ SE-M0001). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2010-05-31. [67] "W/F：Music from Final Fantasy XIII -Gentle Reveries-" (http:/ / store. jp. square-enix. com/ detail/ SE-M0002). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2010-05-31. [68] "Final Fantasy XIII Original Soundtrack Plus" (http:/ / squareenixmusic. com/ albums/ f/ ff13plus. shtml). Square Enix Music Online. . Retrieved 2010-05-31. [69] Gann, Patrick (2009-12-12). "Sayuri Sugawara - Because You're Here" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ff13-single/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2010-05-31. [70] "Advent Children Blu-Ray Set For June In North America" (http:/ / www. psxextreme. com/ ps3-news/ 4815. html). PSXExtreme. . Retrieved 2009-03-29. [71] Tanaka, John (2008-08-01). "Final Fantasy XIII Demo Announced" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 896/ 896050p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-10-10. [72] "FFXIII Advent Children Demo: Not Worthy Of The Fans?" (http:/ / www. psxextreme. com/ ps3-news/ 4940. html). PSXExtreme. 2009-04-13. . Retrieved 2009-04-16. [73] "FINAL FANTASY XIII ELIXIR発売に関するお知らせ" (http:/ / release. square-enix. com/ news/ j/ 2009/ 09/ afiv24qfe. html). Square-Enix. . Retrieved 2009-09-29. [74] "First Look At The Final Fantasy XIII PlayStation 3" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ 5366512/ first-look-at-the-final-fantasy-xiii-playstation-3). Kotaku.com. 2009-09-24. . Retrieved 2010-01-27. [75] "'FINAL FANTASY XIII' personal space, with period limitation no charge!" (http:/ / babelfish. yahoo. com/ translate_url?doit=done& tt=url& intl=1& fr=bf-home& trurl=https:/ / playstationhome. jp/ world/ special/ ff13. html& lp=ja_en& btnTrUrl=Translate). Sony Computer Entertainment. . 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291

''Final Fantasy XIII: Agito''

292

''Final Fantasy XIII: Agito'' Final Fantasy Agito XIII

Developer(s)

Square Enix

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Designer(s)

Hajime Tabata (director) Kousei Itou (producer)

Artist(s)

Tetsuya Nomura (character design) Yusuke Naora (art director)

Composer(s)

Takeharu Ishimoto

Series

Final Fantasy series Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII

Platform(s)

PlayStation Portable

Release date(s) TBA Genre(s)

Console role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player, multiplayer

Media

UMD, Download

Final Fantasy Agito XIII (ファイナルファンタジーアギトXIII Fainaru Fantajī Agito Sātīn) is a video game for the PlayStation Portable [1] which, alongside Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII, makes up the compilation Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy XIII so far. The game is not a sidestory to Final Fantasy XIII; it is part of one story which will have shared themes and myths around which all the Final Fantasy XIII games will be centered.[2] Agito is Latin for "to put in motion"[3] (more accurately, "I put in motion"). While a release outside of Japan has not been announced, Hajime Tabata is trying to appeal to the North American players in his direction of the game.[4]

Gameplay The battle system will be similar to that of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII but will make use of the ATB system and allow control of multiple characters. A compass has also been revealed in recent screenshots. Characters have been shown traversing dungeons of mechanical foes and soldiers. Playable characters alongside the nameless lead (nicknamed "Card-Kun") are shown in the screenshots with rather high HP and low MP costs to their magic spells in their command list. Like in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, names of foes are stated under "Target" on the upper-left-hand side of the screen. A recent article by Weekly Famitsu[5] stated that each of the twelve students will have their own summon that can be swapped out and controlled by the player. The summons can also level up; so far, the only confirmed summon is Odin, used by the de facto main character.

''Final Fantasy XIII: Agito''

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Plot The game's plot is thought to be "massive" and is still being finalized as of June 2009.[6] [7] The game is set in a magic school named Peristerium School of Magic, and will gradually expand to the larger world outside of the school. It is described as an online RPG, but not "massively multiplayer".[8] It has been revealed that Orience is the name of the world and that the antagonizing military country is called Milites. A peace treaty is supposed to be in effect with the world's four countries, but Cid of Milites has sent his l'Cie soldiers to war with the neighboring countries. Other areas have been revealed called Rubrum, Anaze, and Kogai.[9] From the IGN Impressions [10] of the trailer that was debuted at Square Enix's closed door party, DKÎŁ3713, it was revealed that there is a militaristic nation that, due to the machination and rallies of their leader, began conquering all of its neighboring nations. The nation went unimpeded until they came across a lone island kingdom isolated from the rest of the continent that was apparently being protected by a giant crystal and is also said to worship a god named Suzaku. However, for reasons unknown, the crystal shatters, seemingly leaving the nation vulnerable to attack. The kingdom's fear is realized when a cloaked figure, supposedly the hero, along with other warriors, appears with a massive army in formation in front of him. The trailer continues with random bits of fighting in CG along with gameplay and ends with the main character sticking a flag, most likely that of the kingdom, into the ground, rallying his allies. It is also confirmed that the nation's military has been destroyed.[11]

Characters Twelve characters have been revealed so far, all appearing to be students. Their weapons include a longsword, a katana, handguns, a shotgun, a mace, a bow and arrow, a spear, a scythe, an extending flail, martial arts, a flute which commands a moogle, and a deck of cards. Cards, katana and flail appear to be close friends, as they've been seen fighting together and conversing in images and trailers.

Development The twelve characters and a Moogle; artwork

The decision to create Final Fantasy Agito XIII was made after the made by Tetsuya Nomura. other two Final Fantasy XIII games had already been decided upon, and was made in response to the popularity of the mobile phone game Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII.[12] It was then decided to make it exclusive to mobile phones.[12] Unveiled at EÂł '06, the game "[offered] players easy on-the-go access to the Final Fantasy XIII universe.[13] Utilizing gameplay functions only available through mobile phones, it was supposed to provide players with a unique take on a story accessible anywhere their real-life adventures may take them."[14] Developers had been planning a release on the next generation of cell phones as phones available at the time could not offer all the capabilities they would need.[6] An issue developers had grappled with was whether or not to make the command buttons used in the game visible.[12] The game was in development with the idea of making it a "full-fledged numbered game".[6] However, on August 2, 2008, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy Agito XIII will be released on the Sony PlayStation Portable platform,[15] with development of the mobile phone version discontinued.[1]

''Final Fantasy XIII: Agito''

External links • Final Fantasy Agito XIII Official Japanese website [16]

References [1] "『ファイナルファンタジーアギトXIII』のPSP版発売が決定" (http:/ / www. famitsu. com/ game/ news/ 1217142_1124. html). Famitsu. 2008-06-02. . Retrieved 2008-06-01. [2] Gifford, Kevin (2008-06-18). "Square Talks Dissidia, Summer Event Plans" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3168304). 1UP.com. . Retrieved 2008-06-21. [3] Mueller,Greg (2006-05-09). "E3 06: Final Fantasy Agito XIII First Impressions" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ mobile/ rpg/ finalfantasyagitoxiii/ news. html?sid=6149692& om_act=convert& om_clk=newsfeatures& tag=newsfeatures;title;2). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-06-21. [4] "Crisis Core -Final Fantasy Vii- | Square Enix Members" (http:/ / member. square-enix. com/ na/ features/ crisiscore/ 01/ cc_qa3. php). Member.square-enix.com. . Retrieved 2008-10-13. [5] "Becoming Agito, More Info On Final Fantasy Agito XIII" (http:/ / www. psphyper. com/ psp/ becoming-agito-more-info-on-final-fantasy-agito-xiii/ #more-1571). . Retrieved 2008-11-24. [6] Gantayat, Anoop (2007-03-02). "Final Fantasy Agito XIII Goes Next Gen" (http:/ / wireless. ign. com/ articles/ 770/ 770022p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-04-01. [7] Kohler, Chris (2008-06-18). "Final Fantasy Versus XIII On Hold as Square Enix Struggles" (http:/ / blog. wired. com/ games/ 2008/ 06/ final-fantasy-v. html). Wired. . Retrieved 2008-06-21. [8] Gantayat, Anoop (2006-05-17). "Famitsu with More on Fabula Nova" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 708/ 708994p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-08-26. [9] "New Chinese Famitsu Final Fantasy XIII, Versus and Agito Scans" (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ 2008/ 10/ 23/ new-chinese-famitsu-final-fantasy-xiii-versus-and-agito-scans. html). Finalfantasy-xiii.net. 2008-10-23. . Retrieved 2009-01-06. [10] http:/ / psp. ign. com/ articles/ 896/ 896052p1. html [11] "Becoming Agito, More Info On Final Fantasy Agito XIII" (http:/ / www. psphyper. com/ psp/ becoming-agito-more-info-on-final-fantasy-agito-xiii/ ). PSPHyper. 2008-10-24. . Retrieved 2009-01-06. [12] Kristine S. (2006-06-02). "An Interview with the People behind Final Fantasy XIII" (http:/ / ps3. qj. net/ An-Interview-with-the-People-behind-Final-Fantasy-XIII/ pg/ 49/ aid/ 50304). Qj.net. . Retrieved 2006-06-02. [13] Buchanan, Levi (2006-05-09). "E3 2006: Square Seriously Mobile" (http:/ / wireless. ign. com/ articles/ 706/ 706077p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-06-21. [14] Square Enix staff (2006). "FINAL FANTASY Agito XIII for Mobile Phones" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ e306/ titles/ fabula/ agito/ ). Square Enix. . Retrieved 2007-08-26. [15] Kitmitsu (2008-06-02). "Final Fantasy Agito XIII Coming to PSP" (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ 2008/ 08/ 02/ final-fantasy-agito-xiii-coming-to-psp. html). finalfantasy-xiii.net. . Retrieved 2008-06-01. [16] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ fabula/ agito13/

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''Final Fantasy XIII: Versus'' Final Fantasy Versus XIII

Developer(s)

Square Enix

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Director(s)

Tetsuya Nomura Takeshi Nozue (movie director)

Producer(s)

Shinji Hashimoto

Artist(s)

Tetsuya Nomura (character design)

Composer(s)

Yōko Shimomura

Series

Final Fantasy series Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII

Engine

Crystal Tools

Platform(s)

PlayStation 3

Genre(s)

Action RPG

Mode(s)

Single-player

Media

Blu-ray Disc

[1]

Input methods Gamepad

Final Fantasy Versus XIII (ファイナルファンタジーヴェルサスXIII Fainaru Fantajī Verusasu Sātīn) is an action role-playing game[2] developed and published by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation 3 video game console.[3] [4] Alongside Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Agito XIII, the game is a part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII compilation. Unveiled at E3 2006, the game focuses on a mysterious protagonist who is the last heir of a dynasty ruling over the only remaining city to control crystals. Under unforeseen circumstances, he makes a stand against marauders seeking to take the crystal as their own.[5] Final Fantasy Versus XIII is, according to its developers, a wholly independent story unfolding with different characters and a different visual design. Although it is set within the same Final Fantasy XIII universe, it is unrelated to any other entry within the compilation and is thus neither a sequel nor a prequel to any other entries in Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy XIII.[6]

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Gameplay There is scarcely any information surrounding the gameplay and battle system of Final Fantasy Versus XIII because no formal footage has been shown by Square-Enix of the gameplay online or within video game magazines. Within recent interviews in Japanese video game magazines, director Tetsuya Nomura has stated that Versus XIII's gameplay will be a realistic derivation of Kingdom Hearts's battle system with some The main character, Noctis, with eleven floating elements of a third-person shooter aspect. Nomura has also stated that weapons surrounding him. the game will depart from the light and magical aesthetic of his previous directorial games (i.e. Kingdom Hearts) and opt for a darker, bleaker world that is intended to counter previous Final Fantasy installments. According to Nomura, the world of Final Fantasy Versus XIII is based on the modern Shinjuku district.[7] In formulating a realistic world, Nomura has stated that he wants the characters to be "believable" and thus realistic. As a testament towards his desire for realism, in the PlayStation Premier trailer, in contrast to previous Final Fantasy titles, Versus XIII had a greater display of graphic violence with an instance of blood.[8] Nomura has also stated in Dengeki PlayStation that he aims to create previously unseen "tricky" battle sequences, reminiscent of the CGI film, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children.[5] He has also stated that the development team have been implementing a traversable world map, used in the main Final Fantasy series up until its removal in Final Fantasy X.[9] Nomura later commented, in an interview conducted via Twitter, that players will be able to control an airship around the world map.[10] On March 17, 2010, producer Shinji Hashimoto published a small Q&A with director Tetsuya Nomura asking questions sent in by fans on the Japanese Square-Enix Twitter page. Nomura confirmed that a world map was in Versus XIII and that the development team had recently gotten the airship working on it. The inclusion of the world map has led many gamers to believe that Final Fantasy Versus XIII will be less linear than Final Fantasy XIII.[11]

Setting Final Fantasy Versus XIII involves Noctis Lucis Caelum, the last heir to an isolated nation, which holds the last Crystal protected by kings. Its isolation is due to the city's resistance; to protect itself against invading heretics.[12] The game has been said to initiate at the "clearing" of a long cold war between warring nations that revolved around the crystals.[13] The official trailer starts with the words, "This is a fantasy based on reality." The trailer shows modern technology such as cars, freeways, and automatic weapons and bears a striking resemblance to the real world today. Very little information regarding the plot of the game has been revealed since E3 2006; however, Square Enix representatives have commented that Versus may be the darkest Final Fantasy game yet.[5] [14]

''Final Fantasy XIII: Versus''

Characters Main Characters • Noctis Lucis Caelum (ノクティス・ルシス・チェラム Nokutisu Rushisu Cheramu) The protagonist of Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Noctis is the last heir to the Caelum Dynasty, which rules over the only remaining city-state that controls the Crystals. Noctis attempts to protect his city-state against those who seek to conquer it and take the Crystals by force. Nomura has A close up of Noctis' face as he draws his weapon in compared Noctis's family to the modern-day Japanese battle. mafia.[15] [16] The color of his eyes have been shown to change from blue to crimson during battle; according to Nomura, the color changes are both intentional and significant.[13] Noctis's full name is Latin for "Light of the Night Sky," [17] [18] and his nickname is "Noct".[18] Noctis wields many weapons, ranging from swords, spears, and lances to guns. He controls them with telekinesis (through the power of the Crystal), using them for both attack and defense. Nomura has stated that each weapon has a different usage and is not directly limited by normal standards of attack; for instance, some weapons are also usable as shields.[19] Noctis also has the ability to teleport or to suddenly move at a high speed, though it is unknown what role this skill will have in the actual gameplay. Noctis's personality is different from other characters in the Final Fantasy franchise and is one that Nomura had wanted to try out for a long time.[20] In the past, protagonists were given strong personalities while distinctive ones were delegated to the supporting cast, but Nomura states that Noctis's idiosyncrasies mark a departure from this tradition.[20] Although his character is said to be hard to define given his complexities,[18] [21] a good measure of his personality can be sensed from his first meeting with Stella.[22] Noctis hides his shyness underneath a façade of coolness in front of her, which creates a cold and unsociable impression.[22] However, he smiles and acts more openly around his friends,[18] [21] a testament to Nomura's statement that "[Noctis] is not the least bit a silent, gloomy little boy."[20] • Stella Nox Fleuret (ステラ・ノックス・フルーレ Sutera Nokkusu Furūre) A young woman with blonde hair, Stella is said to be the daughter of the Fleuret family of the country Tenebrae (Latin for "darkness")[16] [22] and an enemy to Noctis, though her allegiances are under suspicion. Fleuret is the French name of the fencing foil, a direct reference to Stella's weapon of choice, a rapier. Like Noctis, she is able to A close up of Stella performing a magic attack. materialize weapons from thin air, as she is shown summoning her rapier from a rune similar to one used by Noctis to summon his sword, though Stella's rune is golden while Noctis's is blue. Like that of Noctis, a good measure of Stella's personality can be sensed during her first meeting with Noctis.[22] For instance, in their discussion about the power they share and its connection to an old legend,[16] Stella is very open about the matter while Noctis seems reluctant to talk about it, suggesting that they keep it a secret.[22] Stella is described to be ladylike and extremely polite[7] but direct in her manner — a reflection of her proper but strong upbringing.[16] [22] She acts according to her beliefs, and doesn't shy away from problems.[7] [16] Nomura states that she will be the first to stand out from other female characters in the Final Fantasy franchise,[7] although it is not specified how.

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Other characters Noctis has three companions who have been revealed in the video game magazine Famitsu.[23] The first is a man with light brown hair and glasses who is seen wearing a suit and driving the protagonist's car. The second is a bulkier man with dark brown hair and a scar on the left side of his face. The third is a younger man with blond hair who is seen carrying a shotgun and teasing Noctis. These three people are Noctis' friends; they speak casually and amicably with him, and they also accompany him during his travels.

The hero Noctis and his three companions.

Another character, shown in a white robe, is seen facing off with Noctis. Noctis approaches the character with intent, implying that they are enemies.[24] Soldiers have been seen in the trailers as well. These unknown warriors wear medieval-styled armor but carry assault rifles that resemble modern automatic weapons.[25] Another man, older than Noctis and dressed in a business suit, is shown leading a meeting with several other men. He is seated at the head of a long table in a large room that resembles a cathedral.[24]

Development Final Fantasy Versus XIII began development as early as 2003, two or three years prior to E3 2006 in conjunction with Final Fantasy XIII, after the PlayStation 3 Final Fantasy VII Technical Demo was completed.[26] Led by Tetsuya Nomura, the game was developed by the team responsible for the Kingdom Hearts games as well as Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. As with Final Fantasy XIII, development initiated on the PlayStation 2 but was later shifted to the PlayStation 3 when the development team determined that the PlayStation 2's hardware would not suffice for the "visual expression" that the team had initially decided upon and that the single DVD format did not have the adequate storage requirements. As such, most of the development was restarted on the PlayStation 3.[26] Versus XIII was considered unsuitable as an iteration of the main Final Fantasy series due to the concept and thinking behind the game's plot and structure.[27] Along with Final Fantasy XIII, the game utilizes the Crystal Tools engine—an engine specifically designed by Square Enix for the seventh generation of video game consoles. However, in early 2007, Square Enix had announced they had licensed Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 for use in their future next generation titles, like The Last Remnant. Some speculated that Final Fantasy Versus XIII would be developed using the Unreal Engine 3, however, Square Enix has stressed the White Engine—later renamed Crystal Tools—would be used in Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII in the Fabula Nova Crystallis compilation.[28] [29] It was announced that the game would use the PlayStation 3's motion-sensitive SIXAXIS controller.[19] Reports of June 2008 that Final Fantasy Versus XIII had been put on hold so that the Versus team could assist work on the main title, Final Fantasy XIII, were later debunked by Square Enix, stating that this was a mistranslation of an interview from Famitsu[30] and misinterpretation of the article, and that both games are moving along at their original schedules; occasionally, Versus developers assist with Final Fantasy XIII development.[31] Square Enix announced at its DKΣ3713 party in August 2008 that the demo of Final Fantasy XIII, as well as new trailers of Versus XIII and Agito XIII, would be released in the highly-anticipated Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete Blu-ray Disc.[32] Square Enix announced the release date of the new Advent Children Blu-ray release to be some time during March 2009 (later changed to April 16) and asked fans to disregard previous release dates.[33] Famitsu released a 50-minute DVD entitled "Re: Riplai" on December 13, 2008, including trailers from the Fabula Nova Crystallis series and other Square Enix titles.[34]

''Final Fantasy XIII: Versus'' On December 19, 2009, gameplay footage of Final Fantasy Versus XIII was shown as part of a trailer shown at Jump Festa 2010 in Japan.[35]

See also • Final Fantasy XIII • Final Fantasy Agito XIII

External links • Final Fantasy Versus XIII Official Japanese website [36]

References [1] Jackson, Tyrell (February 22, 2008). "GDC: Square-Enix announces Crystal Tools" (http:/ / www. psu. com/ GDC--Square-Enix-announces-Crystal-Tools-News--a2847-p0. php). PlayStation Universe. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [2] "Final Fantasy Versus XIII" (http:/ / uk. ps3. ign. com/ objects/ 826/ 826846. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-12-12. [3] "Square Enix unveils the next generation of Final Fantasy" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ company/ press/ 2006/ 0508_1/ ). Square Enix. May 8, 2006. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [4] McWhertor, Michael (July 14, 2008). "No Changes On Final Fantasy Versus XIII Being PS3 "Exclusive"" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ 5025156/ no-changes-on-final-fantasy-versus-xiii-being-ps3-exclusive). Kotaku. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [5] Dengenki (2006). "Dengeki E3 2006 Interview" (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ fabula-nova-crystallis/ interviews/ dengeki-e3-2006-english. php). Final Fantasy-XIII.net. . Retrieved 2009-03-08. [6] Brudvig, Erik (May 8, 2006). "Final Fantasy XIII Preview" (http:/ / uk. ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 705/ 705978p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [7] "Dengeki Final Fantasy Versus XIII Interview Translated" (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ 2008/ 08/ 31/ dengeki-final-fantasy-versus-xiii-interview-translated. html). Final Fantasy-XIII.net. August 31, 2008. . Retrieved 2010-02-10. [8] "INTERVIEW: Tetsuya Nomura" (http:/ / www. edge-online. com/ magazine/ interview-tetsuya-nomura). Edge. June 25, 2007. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [9] "Kitase and Nomura interview (updated)" (http:/ / www. ff-xiii. net/ index. php?page=article& article=195). FF-XIII.net. November 20, 2007. . Retrieved 2010-01-05. [10] Yoon, Andrew (March 17, 2010). "Yep, there's a world map in Final Fantasy Versus XIII" (http:/ / playstation. joystiq. com/ 2010/ 03/ 17/ yep-theres-a-world-map-in-final-fantasy-versus-xiii). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2010-03-18. [11] Gantayat, Anoop (March 18, 2010). "Tetsuya Nomura Interviewed at Twitter" (http:/ / www. andriasang. com/ e/ blog/ 2010/ 03/ 18/ tetsuya_nomura_twitter_interview). Andriasang. . Retrieved 2010-03-18. [12] Haynes, Jeff (May 8, 2006). "Final Fantasy Versus XIII Preview" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 705/ 705990p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [13] IGN Staff (January 10, 2007). "Final Fantasy XIII Update" (http:/ / uk. ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 754/ 754310p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [14] LEVEL magazine (May 2007). "LEVEL May 2007 Interview Transcript" (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ fabula-nova-crystallis/ interviews/ level-may-2007-transcript. php). Final Fantasy-XIII.net. . Retrieved 2009-03-08. [15] Gantayat, Anoop (2007-03-02). "Tetsuya Nomura on FF Versus XIII" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 769/ 769776p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2010-02-10. [16] Gifford, Kevin (2008-10-22). "Tetsuya Nomura Discusses FF Versus XIII Characters" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3170824). 1UP. . Retrieved 2010-02-10. [17] "Final Fantasy XIII: His name is Snow" (http:/ / gamekyo. com/ newsen29267_final-fantasy-xiii-his-name-is-snow. html). GameKyo. . Retrieved 2009-03-03. [18] "スクウェア・エニックスのクローズドメガシアター、注目の最新情報をまとめてお伝え！" (http:/ / www. famitsu. com/ event/ tgs/ 2008/ 1218808_1829. html) (in Japanese). Famitsu. October 9, 2008. . Retrieved 2009-03-03. [19] Gantayat, Anoop (January 19, 2007). "Final Fantasy XIII Update" (http:/ / uk. ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 756/ 756757p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [20] "Versus guy's name coming soon and you might not like him" (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ 2008/ 02/ 07/ versus-guy-s-name-coming-soon-and-you-might-not-like-him. html). Final Fantasy-XIII.net. February 7, 2008. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [21] Famitsu (October 11, 2008). "TGS08: Nomura Interview: What you should know about Noctis" (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ 2008/ 10/ 11/ nomura-interview-what-you-should-know-about-noctis. html). Final Fantasy-XIII.net. . [22] IGN Staff (October 22, 2008). "New Final Fantasy Versus XIII Details" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 922/ 922527p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-04-01.

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''Final Fantasy XIII: Versus'' [23] "Famitsu: Final Fantasy XIII, Versus & Agito scans" (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ 2008/ 10/ 22/ famitsu-final-fantasy-xiii-versus-agito-scans. html). Final Fantasy-XIII.net. October 22, 2008. . Retrieved 2010-02-10. [24] "Final Fantasy Versus XIII DKS3713 Trailer" (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ video/ dks3713-trailer-final-fantasy/ 43746). GameTrailers. December 16, 2008. . Retrieved 2010-02-10. [25] "Final Fantasy Versus XIII Dengeki Special Edition Trailer" (http:/ / www. gametrailers. com/ video/ dengeki-special-final-fantasy/ 29006). GameTrailers. December 15, 2007. . Retrieved 2010-02-10. [26] Gantayat, Anoop (2007-05-31). "Gaimaga Blows Out Final Fantasy XIII" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 710/ 710761p1. html). IGN. pp. 1. . Retrieved 2010-02-10. [27] Gantayat, Anoop (2007-05-31). "Gaimaga Blows Out Final Fantasy XIII" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 710/ 710761p2. html). IGN. pp. 2. . Retrieved 2010-02-10. [28] Jenkins, David (January 25, 2007). "Square Enix Licenses Unreal Engine 3" (http:/ / www. gamasutra. com/ php-bin/ news_index. php?story=12531). Gamasutra. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [29] Goldstein, Hilary (January 25, 2007). "Final Fantasy Meets Gears of War" (http:/ / au. xbox360. ign. com/ articles/ 758/ 758363p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-04-01. [30] Kitmitsu (June 18, 2008). "Final Fantasy Versus XIII Development Temporarily Suspended" (http:/ / finalfantasy-xiii. net/ 2008/ 06/ 18/ final-fantasy-versus-xiii-development-suspended. html). FinalFantasy-XIII.net. . Retrieved 2008-06-18. [31] Bramwell, Tom (June 19, 2008). "Final Fantasy Versus XIII Development Temporarily is Not Suspended" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ article. php?article_id=155677). Eurogamer.net. . Retrieved 2008-06-19. [32] Haynes, Jeff (August 2, 2008). "DKΣ3713 Private Party Impressions" (http:/ / uk. ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 896/ 896066p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-04-30. [33] Miller, Ross (January 19, 2009). "FFXIII demo, special edition 160GB PS3 coming April 16 to Japan" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2009/ 01/ 19/ ffxiii-demo-special-edition-160gb-ps3-coming-april-16-to-japan/ ). Joystiq. . Retrieved 2009-04-30. [34] "Square Enix将发售DKΣ3713影象合集" (http:/ / www. game518. com/ tvgame/ PS3/ 200811/ 25-2848. shtml) (in Chinese). Game518. November 25, 2008. . Retrieved 2009-04-30. [35] Sal (December 19, 2009). "Final Fantasy Versus XIII real-time trailer shown at Jump Festa ‘10" (http:/ / scrawlfx. com/ 2009/ 12/ final-fantasy-versus-xiii-gameplay-trailer-shown-at-jump-festa-10). ScrawlFix. . Retrieved December 19, 2009. [36] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ fabula/ versus13/

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''Final Fantasy XIV''

301

''Final Fantasy XIV'' Final Fantasy XIV

Final Fantasy XIV title logo, designed by Yoshitaka Amano Developer(s)

Square Enix PDD 3

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Designer(s)

Hiromichi Tanaka (producer) Nobuaki Komoto (director)

Artist(s)

Akihiko Yoshida

Composer(s)

Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy

Engine

Crystal Tools

Platform(s)

PlayStation 3 [1] [3] Microsoft Windows

[1]

[1] [2] [3]

Release date(s) TBA 2010[3] Genre(s)

Massively multiplayer online role-playing game

Mode(s)

Multiplayer

Media

Blu-ray Disc, DVD

Input methods Gamepad, Keyboard and Mouse

Final Fantasy XIV (ファイナルファンタジーXIV Fainaru Fantajī Fōtīn), also known as Final Fantasy XIV Online, is the fourteenth installment in the Final Fantasy series, due for release in 2010 for PlayStation 3[1] [2] [3] and Microsoft Windows.[3] [4] The game is developed and published by Square Enix and will be released simultaneously in all regions.[5] Like Final Fantasy XI, Final Fantasy XIV is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game. The game takes place in a land called Hydaelyn, mainly in a region named Eorzea, which will have an aesthetic blend of sci-fi and classic fantasy elements.[5] [6] The game will be released in Japanese, English, French, and German.[7] It has been confirmed that closed alpha testing began on March 11, 2010. This was announced at VanaFest 2010, an event to commemorate the eighth year of Final Fantasy XI.[8] The PlayStation 3 release of Final Fantasy XIII contained a key for a chance to access a beta, to be held later in the year.[9]

Gameplay The battle and job systems will be different from the one previously used in Final Fantasy XI, which utilized experience points and level-based progression. Final Fantasy XIV is being designed to utilize a Skill-based Progression[10] system similar to that of Final Fantasy II. Character races will resemble and allow players to create avatars similar to ones in Final Fantasy XI.[5] Group play has been de-emphasized, and now solo and group play have been balanced.[5] Weapon use will alter "character development".[5]

''Final Fantasy XIV'' The North American official website[11] was updated October 7, 2009 and explains about the Job System, also known as The Armoury System. By wielding different weapons and even crafting tools, players will be able to take on the role of their choosing such as Gladiator or Thaumaturge. In general, the different roles are divided into four disciplines: Disciples of War (masters of combat arms), Disciples of Magic, Disciples of the Land (gatherers of material resources and students of the natural order), and Disciples of the Hand (crafters who invest their creative ingenuity in synthesis and industry). The crafting system will be a part of the Armory System; when a player decides to wield a Blacksmith hammer, their appearance will change and they will become a blacksmith. The same goes for harvesting tools; a player will be able to equip them and their appearance will change. They will then take on the role of a resource gatherer. Square Enix is looking for a way to allow users to transfer their game names to the new MMORPG.[5] The developers say that, in addition to Final Fantasy XI, games that have also influenced Final Fantasy XIV include World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, Diablo and Warhammer Online; however, they have also stated that their most important influence is player feedback.[5] Chocobos will also return, but in a different role than in Final Fantasy XI.[5] In a DVD included with the September 2009 edition of Famitsu magazine, Nobuaki Komoto announced that while Final Fantasy XIV will include XI's job system, it will return to focus on weapons and skills, and will not have experience points or a leveling system. This would have been the third time since Final Fantasy II that the series had seen this kind of change. However, as revealed by game-play footage during the first open Alpha tests, players will accumulate experience points towards a player "Physical Level". The players physical level will affect attributes such as HP (health/hit points), MP (magic/mana points), Strength, Intelligence, and other similar basic stats. There are no specific job-levels though, as seen in FFXI. The setting will also be changed from that of XI; while still set in a "high fantasy" world, the setting will be more modern than that of its predecessor and will include higher technology. The game will also include races "familiar" to players of Final Fantasy XI, but with new names and "other changes".[12] The game, currently in an alpha build, features an in-game compass and overhead map.[13]

Plot Eorzea's nations used to be constantly at war with each other until fifteen years ago when the Garlean Empire, a mysterious nation from the east, razed the mightiest of the city-states, Ala Mhigo. The nations decided to band together if they were to repel the invaders, but the Empire never came, leaving a state of détente throughout the land. The resulting peace has led to a wide swath of soldiers and mercenaries suddenly without a job, and so they're now forming guilds and going by a new name: adventurers.[14] [15]

City states • • • •

Ul'dah Limsa Lominsa Gridania Ishgard

Characters So far there are five confirmed playable races in Final Fantasy XIV, all similar to the races from Final Fantasy XI. The goal of the developers was to create an atmosphere of aesthetic familiarity to players of FFXI.[5] Hyur (ヒューラン Hyuuran): A race that is more or less human. They are divided into the Midlanders and the Highlanders. The Midlanders place a heavy emphasis on education, and are generally considered to be the most cultured people of the world. Physically larger and bulkier than their Midlander cousins, the Highlanders once governed the grand city-state of Ala Mhigo, which was invaded and razed by the Garlean Empire. The Highlanders now subsist as mercenaries, and it seems that only males of their clan will be playable.

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''Final Fantasy XIV'' Elezen (エレゼン Erezen): An elf-like race and the original inhabitants of Eorzea. They are divided into the Wildwood and the Duskwight Elezen. The Wildwood live in the forests and possess a keen sense of sight - a contributing factor in their unparalleled expertise as archers. The Duskwright are a reclusive clan who dwell in caves and caverns, which has given them a heightened sense of hearing. The two clans seem to dislike each other immensely. Lalafell (ララフェル Raraferu): Physically diminutive humanoids of high agility and intelligence from the southern regions. They are divided into the Plainsfolk and the Dunesfolk. The Plainsfolk are a very earthy clan who thrive on the prairies. The Dunesfolk literally live on the backs of enormous beasts of burden and are known for wearing gemstones in their foreheads that signify their zodiacal signs. Roegadyn (ルガディン Rugadin): A physically large and muscular race who hail from the northern regions. They are divided into the Sea Wolves and the Hellsguard. The Sea Wolves were once a band of fearsome pirates, but have since largely abandoned that lifestyle; presently they are normally employed as sailors or naval mercenaries. The Hellsguard dwell in a volcanic region and are said to be masters of the magical arts. It seems that only males of this race will be playable. Miqo'te (ミコッテ Mikotte): Cat-like humanoids who are divided into two religious sects: the Seekers of the Sun, who are dedicated to the sun goddess Azeyma the Warden, and the Keepers of the Moon, who are dedicated to the moon goddess Menphina the Lover. It seems that only females of this race will be playable.

Classes The Classes will be divided up in to 4 "Disciplines". The Crafting Professions such as Gardeners and Blacksmiths have been included as classes, and the character will change into that job if it has the specific item equipped (i.e. If the character equips a hammer, he or she will become a blacksmith). Below is a list of the so far announced classes.[16] Disciples of War • • • • • •

Gladiator Marauder Pugilist Archer Lancer Musketeer

Disciples of Magic • Thaumaturge • Conjurer Disciples of the Land • Fisher • Botanist • Miner Disciples of the Hand • • • •

Carpenter Blacksmith Armorer Goldsmith

• Tanner • Weaver • Alchemist

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''Final Fantasy XIV'' • Culinarian

Game Alpha Stage As from early April 2010 Final Fantasy XIV entered into its Alpha testing stage, which involves players from different parts of the world logging on at different times and testing what the development team at Square Enix had created. Square Enix have said that about 10% of the game is actually playable in the Alpha test stage.

Development Final Fantasy XIV, previously codenamed Rapture (ラプチャー),[17] was first mentioned in August 2005, when Square Enix announced they had begun working on a new MMORPG, but neither confirmed nor denied that it was a sequel to Final Fantasy XI, or that it was Final Fantasy-related.[18] Hiromichi Tanaka, producer of the MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, stated in April 2006 that developers were working to make Rapture a worldwide release for the PlayStation 3 and Windows Vista,[19] before announcing in February 2007 that the game was being developed for the Xbox 360 and for personal computers, and that it might be brought to the PlayStation 3 at some stage as well.[20] Square Enix announced at GDC 2008 that the new MMO was being targeted at all aforementioned systems and hinted that Mac and Linux clients would not be out of the question.[21] On June 2, 2009, at the Sony E3 Conference, Final Fantasy XIV was officially announced for the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows through a trailer mixing pre-rendered CGI and actual in-game sequences running from the Crystal Tools engine.[5] [22] The game will be produced by the same team working on Final Fantasy XI including Hiromichi Tanaka, and will be directed by Nobuaki Komoto.[22] Akihiko Yoshida is the art director, and Nobuo Uematsu is composing the music.[1] The game will have cross-platform servers between PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows, making all servers accessible from any country. The game will be beta tested for longer than the 4 months that Final Fantasy XI was.[5] The PlayOnline system will not be used for the game, but a solution is in the works for those wishing to easily switch between FFXIV and FFXI.

External links • Official website [23]

References [1] "Final fantasy xiv" (http:/ / www. us. playstation. com/ News/ PressReleases/ 520). Sony. 2009-11-19. . Retrieved 2009-11-19. [2] "Final fantasy xiv Press Release" (http:/ / release. square-enix. com/ news/ j/ 2009/ 06/ nq6nzldaj. html). Square Enix. 2009-06-03. . Retrieved 2009-06-03. [3] "Results Briefing Session - The Fiscal Year Ended 31 March, 2010" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ eng/ pdf/ news/ 20100518_02. pdf#Page=19). Square Enix Holdings. . Retrieved 2010-05-18. [4] "FFXIV Knowledge Guide" (http:/ / www. ffxivbase. com/ index. php/ component/ content/ article/ 38-about-final-fantasy-xiv/ 61-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-game-thus-far. html). FFXIVBase. 2009-06-02. . Retrieved 2009-06-03. [5] Dunham, Jeremy (2009-06-04). "E3 2009: Final Fantasy XIV - What We Know" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 991/ 991483p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-07-02. [6] Ralph, Nate (2009-06-03). Wired.com "Final Fantasy XIV Online Q&A Sheds Light on New MMORPG" (http:/ / www. wired. com/ gamelife/ 2009/ 06/ final-fantasy-xiv-qa/ #more-12434). Wired (magazine). Wired.com. Retrieved 2009-10-16. [7] "New Content Added To Final Fantasy XIV Website" (http:/ / pc. ign. com/ articles/ 101/ 1011835p1. html). IGN. 2009-08-09. . Retrieved 2009-09-28. [8] "Closed alpha test date for FFXIV" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ ffxiv-testing-to-begin-11th-march). Eurogamer. 2010-03-02. . Retrieved 2010-03-02. [9] Surprise bonus for FFXIII on PS3 | Games Industry | MCV (http:/ / www. mcvuk. com/ news/ 37904/ Surprise-bonus-for-FFXIII-on-PS3) [10] No experience, levelling in FFXIV News | MMO | Eurogamer (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ no-experience-levelling-in-ffxiv) [11] http:/ / na. finalfantasyxiv. com/ Final Fantasy XIV Official Site updated [12] Welsh, Oli (2009-08-04). "No experience, leveling in FFXIV" (http:/ / www. eurogamer. net/ articles/ no-experience-levelling-in-ffxiv). Eurogamer. . Retrieved 2009-08-04.

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''Final Fantasy XIV'' [13] Onyett, Charles (2009-08-19). "GC 2009: Final Fantasy XIV Hands-on" (http:/ / ps3. ign. com/ articles/ 101/ 1015764p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-09-28. [14] 1UP.com (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ newsStory?cId=3175435) [15] Final Fantasy XIV Plot (http:/ / www. ffxivbase. com/ index. php/ ffxiv-story-lore/ 72-ffxiv-story-line/ 162-main-ffxiv-story. html) [16] http:/ / na. finalfantasyxiv. com/ Accessed 2009-10-08 [17] Tong, Sophia (2009-06-02). "Final Fantasy XIV Online Trailer Impressions" (http:/ / e3. gamespot. com/ story/ 6210893/ final-fantasy-xiv-online-trailer-impressions). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2009-06-03. [18] Ransom-Wiley, James (2006-07-18). "Square Enix won't confirm Final Fantasy XI-2" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 07/ 18/ square-enix-wont-confirm-final-fantasy-xi-2/ ). joystiq.com. . Retrieved 2008-03-08. [19] Ransom-Wiley, James (2006-04-19). "Square Enix snubs Xbox 360, targets PS3 & Vista for new MMORPG" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2006/ 04/ 19/ square-enix-snubs-xbox-360-targets-ps3-and-vista-for-new-mmorpg/ ). joystiq.com. . Retrieved 2008-03-08. [20] Ransom-Wiley, James (2007-02-08). "Square Enix confirms new MMO for Xbox 360 & Vista, maybe PS3" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2007/ 02/ 08/ square-enix-confirms-new-mmo-for-xbox-360-and-vista-maybe-ps3). joystiq.com. . Retrieved 2008-03-08. [21] Tanaka, Hiromichi (2007-07-14). "E3 Square Enix Interview with FFXIclopedia" (http:/ / forums. ffxiclopedia. org/ viewtopic. php?t=5032). ffxiclopedia.org. . Retrieved 2008-05-14. [22] Satoshi Nakamura, Mamoru (2008-02-18). "Game Developers Conference 2008 local report" (http:/ / game. watch. impress. co. jp/ docs/ 20080225/ gdc_cry. htm). GameWatch. . Retrieved 2008-03-08. [23] http:/ / www. finalfantasyxiv. com/

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Compilations and re-releases ''Final Fantasy I'' and ''II'' compilations Final Fantasy Iâ&#x20AC;˘II Developer(s)

Publisher(s)

SquareSoft [1] TOSE (PS and GBA) JP

Square Co. (Famicom) Square Co. (PS) EU Infogrames (PS) NA Square Enix (PS) Nintendo (GBA) NA Square Enix (PSP) JP

Series

Final Fantasy series

Platform(s)

Famicom, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation Portable

Release date(s) Famicom JP February 27, 1994 PlayStation JP October 31, 2002 EU March 14, 2003 NA April 8, 2003 Game Boy Advance JP July 29, 2004 [2] AUS November 18, 2004 NA November 29, 2004 EU December 3, 2004 PSP (I) JP April 19, 2007 NA June 26, 2007 EU February 8, 2008 PSP (II) JP June 7, 2007 NA August 24, 2007 EU February 8, 2008 Genre(s)

Role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single player

Rating(s)

PS: ESRB: T (Teen) ELSPA: 11+ GBA: ESRB: E (Everyone) USK: Free for all OFLC: G8+ PEGI: 3+ PSP: ESRB: E10+ (I)/T (II)

''Final Fantasy I'' and ''II'' compilations

Media

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4 megabit cartridge (Famicom) 2x CD-ROM (PlayStation) NA 1x CD-ROM (PS) 128 megabit cartridge (GBA) JPPAL

SquareSoft's console role-playing games, Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II have been rereleased several times in collective works which include both games. Final Fantasy I•II is a compilation of two Square Co. console role-playing games for the Nintendo Family Computer: Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II. As both games had originally appeared on the Famicom, there were few substantial changes between the originals and the compilation versions. Final Fantasy I–II was the last cartridge Square released for the Famicom, in early 1994, and was released in a limited edition box including various bonuses, such as maps and hint books. The compilation was never officially released outside of Japan. PlayStation versions of the two games were released in Japan in 2002 by Square. Each game was either sold separately, or combined in the form of the Final Fantasy I & II Premium Package (ファイナルファンタジーI・II プレミアムパッケージ), a special edition collection which included both games as well as three collector's figurines. This collection, without the special packaging and figurines, was next published as Final Fantasy Origins in Europe by Infogrames in 2003. Later in the same year, the two games were combined onto one disc and released in North America by Square Enix under the same name. It was the first time either game had been officially released in Europe, and the first time Final Fantasy II had been officially released in North America. The PlayStation remakes were later put onto the same cartridge when they were ported to the Game Boy Advance as Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls (known as Final Fantasy I + II Advance (ファイナルファンタジーI・IIアドバンス) in Japan). The port featured similar graphics / sound to the PlayStation version (though slightly inferior due to the Game Boy Advance's capabilities). The Game Boy Advance version of Final Fantasy contains four extra dungeons featuring bosses from later Final Fantasy titles, plus a few gameplay tweaks (including an MP system and easier difficulty setting). This version of Final Fantasy II included an extra side-story after finishing the game but the overall gameplay was not altered from the PlayStation version.

Changes and additions Famicom As Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II had originally been released for the Nintendo Entertainment System, very few changes were rendered from the original releases in the compilation version: a typographical error was corrected in Final Fantasy and two monster designs were subtly altered in Final Fantasy II. The first game basically borrows almost all of the graphical changes made to the English version (most notably the monsters "Beholder" and "Medusa", which use the altered sprite in subsequent remakes).

PlayStation The PlayStation versions of the game were most similar to the WonderSwan Color remakes that were produced separately in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Other than minor changes to take advantage of Sony's superior hardware, such as a higher screen resolution which meant that the graphics in the PlayStation version were slightly more detailed, and the remixed soundtracks, the PlayStation versions were basically identical to the earlier WonderSwan versions. Both games have added CGI FMV cut scenes, and added content. It also includes art galleries of Yoshitaka Amano's illustrations. As for the tomb at Elfheim (or Elf Land on the NES version), the tomb reads "Here lies Erdrick" on the American NES version of Final Fantasy I, a reference to the Dragon Warrior game. It reads "May Link rest in peace," on the

''Final Fantasy I'' and ''II'' compilations American Final Fantasy Origins (reference to the hero of the Legend of Zelda series). It reads "May Erdrick rest in peace," on the PAL Final Fantasy Origins version. (Interestingly, the text referencing Link was only slightly changed in Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn Of Souls, even though that version was made for a Nintendo system. In the Dawn of Souls and PSP versions, it reads "Here lies Link.") While the original version of Final Fantasy I has only one save slot and the WonderSwan Color version has only eight, the Final Fantasy Origins and PlayStation Portable versions have as many save slots as the player has available through PlayStation memory cards. The GBA version only has three save slots. The Origins version has been released on the PSN Store in Japan.

Game Boy Advance Both games were faithful in content to the original NES versions, and the package, while graphically similar to the WonderSwan Color adaptation of the first game, also contains the Bestiary feature, which allowed the player to view images and statistics of enemies that they had defeated in both games, and which first featured in the PlayStation package. However, the package lacked the ability to choose between easy and normal games as was available in Final Fantasy Origins, although not in the original. Many reviewers complained that the first game appeared to default to "easy", making the heroes level-up much more easily and rendering enemies much easier to defeat, especially in comparison with the NES original. Many items were cheaper, the party began with more money, and defeating enemies brought greater rewards. Others praised the reduced difficulty level, saying that the high difficulty level (especially in comparison to later titles) was its primary weakness. In Final Fantasy II, magic degrading as physical strength grew and vice versa was removed; unlike the changes to Final Fantasy I however this was generally better received among players. Another thing that was added to both games is the ability to save the game at any point out of battle, and later resume from that same point, while the originals only allowed this under certain conditions. This was not a feature in Final Fantasy Origins or the original versions of the games. Final Fantasy I also featured four extra dungeons known as the "Soul of Chaos" dungeons. These dungeons are accessible by restoring power to the Crystals by defeating each of the Elemental Fiends; the death of each Fiend unlocks a dungeon terminating in a selection of four bosses each from Final Fantasy III, IV, V, and VI. Final Fantasy II featured a completely original feature found in none of the previous remakes. Once completed, a bonus storyline entitled Soul of Rebirth would be accessible to the player, A battle against a Soul of Chaos boss in the GBA version. This one is Shinryuu from Final Fantasy V featuring a number of characters who had been killed off during the course of the main story. The game only features four areas and most of the time will be spent training up for a second encounter with the last boss. An Ultima tome can be achieved but it requires the killing of the extremely powerful Ultima Weapon. Additionally, the airship parts in both use Mode 7.

308

''Final Fantasy I'' and ''II'' compilations

PlayStation Portable Final Fantasy I and II were released separately on Sony PlayStation Portable. They were complete remakes of both versions with more revised storylines and better graphics thanks to the PlayStation Portable's capabilities. Final Fantasy I and II were released on the 20th Anniversary of the Final Fantasy series, along with Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions which also bears the 20th Anniversary logo.

iPhone Ports of the PlayStation Portable versions of Final Fantasy I and II were released as downloadable apps on the iPhone App Store.

Audio The soundtracks of the PlayStation compilation have been enhanced to Final Fantasy IX quality from their original NES or WonderSwan Color representations. The games have both undergone gameplay streamlining. The Final Fantasy Origins versions of Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy II are based on the Bandai WonderSwan Color versions. The upgraded soundtrack for Final Fantasy I was arranged by Nobuo Uematsu, while the upgraded soundtrack for Final Fantasy II was arranged by Tsuyoshi Sekito, the music composer for Brave Fencer Musashi. The tune "Battle Scene 3" from the original Final Fantasy II has been removed for the remakes. Instead, a new boss fight song is present. The soundtrack for the Game Boy Advance version is essentially the same as the PlayStation version.

Reception As of August 31, 2005, Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls has sold 290,000 units in Japan, 500,000 units in North America, and 150,000 units in Europe.[3] Most reviewers applauded Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls as one of the most successful retro packs of recent years, lauding the enhanced graphics, features and gameplay.[4] Others believed that the games had aged badly and listed the changes in difficulty as a major weakness of the package. GameSpot awarded the package 7.2 out of 10, stating that "though each game is showing its age a bit, the combined package is still worthwhile for old-school RPG fans and patient neophytes."[5] It was rated the 76th best game made on a Nintendo System in Nintendo Power's Top 200 Games list.[6] IGN rated the game at 8.5, saying that the games play "brilliantly" even years after their initial release.[7] Gamespy called the gameplay "primitive" by Game Boy Advance standards, but held up remarkably well and was still lots of fun.[8] The Playstation release was given a 9.0, or "Outstanding", citing the extensive improvements made to the games and the many new options added to them.[9]

External links â&#x20AC;˘ Final Fantasy Origins [10] official site â&#x20AC;˘ Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls [11] official site

References [1] Kennedy, Sam (2007-01-24). "Tose: Gaming's Dirty Little Secret" (http:/ / www. 1up. com/ do/ feature?cId=3156447). 1UP.com. Ziff Davis. . Retrieved 2007-08-11. [2] Luke Van Leuveren (2004-11-14). "Updated Australian Release List - 14/11/04" (http:/ / palgn. com. au/ article. php?id=1750). PALGN. . Retrieved 2008-07-10. [3] "Annual Report 2005" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ eng/ pdf/ ar/ 20050831_01. pdf#page10). Square-Enix.com. August 31, 2005. . Retrieved 2008-12-20. [4] Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls for Game Boy Advance - GameRankings (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ gba/ 920240-final-fantasy-i-and-ii-dawn-of-souls/ index. html) [5] Bethany Massimilla (2004-12-01). "Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ gba/ rpg/ finalfantasyiii/ review. html). gamespot.com. . Retrieved 2008-02-10.

309

''Final Fantasy I'' and ''II'' compilations [6] "NP Top 200", Nintendo Power 200: 58â&#x20AC;&#x201C;66, February 2006 [7] Jeremy Dunham (2004-11-30). "Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls" (http:/ / gameboy. ign. com/ articles/ 569/ 569570p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-02-10. [8] Darryl Vassar (2004-12-01). "Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls (GBA)" (http:/ / gba. gamespy. com/ gameboy-advance/ final-fantasy-gba-rumored/ 569939p2. html). Gamespy. . Retrieved 2008-02-10. [9] Jeremy Dunham (2003-04-15). "Final Fantasy Origins" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 400/ 400156p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-02-10. [10] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFORIGINS/ [11] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ DOS/

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''Final Fantasy IV'' (Nintendo DS)

311

''Final Fantasy IV'' (Nintendo DS) Final Fantasy IV

North American box art Developer(s)

Square Enix Matrix Software

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Designer(s)

Takashi Tokita Hiroyuki Itō

Artist(s)

Yoshitaka Amano

Composer(s)

Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy

Engine

Modified Final Fantasy III engine

Platform(s)

Nintendo DS

Release date(s)

December 20, 2007 July 22, 2008 AUS September 4, 2008 EU September 5, 2008 NA

Genre(s)

Role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player, multiplayer

Rating(s)

CERO: A ESRB: E10+

Media

Nintendo DS Game Card

Final Fantasy IV (ファイナルファンタジーIV Fainaru Fantajī Fō) is a role-playing video game for the Nintendo DS. It is an enhanced remake of the original Final Fantasy IV, which was released in 1991. It was released as part of the campaign for Final Fantasy series 20th anniversary on December 20, 2007 in Japan and in North America on July 22, 2008. The game was released in Europe on September 5, 2008. The game was developed by Matrix Software, the same team responsible for the Final Fantasy III remake, and was supervised by members of the original development team: Takashi Tokita served as executive producer and director, Tomoya Asano as producer and Hiroyuki Itō as battle designer. Animator Yoshinori Kanada storyboarded the new cut scenes. Final Fantasy IV was well-received by critics and fans alike; it was praised for being sufficiently faithful to the original while expanding on many gameplay and story elements.[1] [2] [3]

''Final Fantasy IV'' (Nintendo DS)

312

Gameplay Final Fantasy IV retains the original Active Time Battle System from the initial Super Nintendo release. Similar to the previous remake of Final Fantasy III on the Nintendo DS, the control of stylus is limited and optional in order to retain the same control input while allowing other players to use the Nintendo DS's unique touch control scheme. However, the remake features a new ability system known as the Augment System, or the Decant Ability System (デカントアビリティシステムDekanto Abiriti Shisutemu) in the Japanese version. The system allows for certain character-only abilities Similar to Final Fantasy III for the DS, Final to be transferred to other characters who did not have them in the Fantasy IV features an opening full motion video sequence with an orchestrated theme song. original and previous releases of Final Fantasy IV. Up to three abilities can come from temporary party members. When leaving the party, temporary characters will yield abilities of their own, the number of which is dependent on how many abilities they were given. There are also other abilities; some scattered around the world, and some that become available after certain story events. This new system entails another new feature: command menu customization. All commands in a character's battle menu, except the Items command, can be replaced with augments. This includes individual abilities that are ordinarily contained in a group (e.g. Curaga can be added directly to Rosa's command list, rather than only being accessible through the White Magic sub-list). The Augment System was devised to replace the system in Final Fantasy IV Advance where the characters that were temporary in the original version became playable again at a certain point. The developers felt that this system changed the game too much.[4] Other exclusive enhancements to the DS version of the game include: • Minigames: Unlike the main game, the minigames are stylus-control only. Their function, aside from being fun diversions, is to increase the power of Rydia's personal Eidolon, Whyt (ポーチカ Pōchika, Pochika in the Japanese version), who takes her places in the battle line-up, and acts under computer control according to abilities set to him by the player. The minigames can be played in either single-player or wireless (not Online) multiplayer. • New Game Plus[5] : Allows players to start a new game with certain enhancements, such as rare or secret items and equipment, carried over from a previous completed game. Certain other new features are only available in a New Game Plus, such as hidden bosses on the face of the moon and the summit of Mt. Ordeals. • Namingway: Because of the voice-acted scenes, he can no longer change character names. After realizing this, he travels the world, changing his name to fit each occupation he takes up. Examples of his name changes include "Mappingway" (charting the maps on the lower screen), "Campingway", and "Weddingway". Following Namingway around the world and engaging in his sidequest yields numerous rewards. • Fat Chocobo, Bestiary, Video/Music Player: Like Namingway, because of new enhancements (in this case, the item limit being removed), Fat Chocobo can no longer serve his original purpose. Instead, he can be called in order to access the new bestiary and video/music player, as well as the Whyt minigames. Any full motion video that has been viewed in the game's story may be replayed. The music player includes Edward strumming his harp and giving information on the selected track.[6] • New Translation: The English translation of previous incarnations was replaced with a new one. The new translation, by the same translator responsible for retranslating Final Fantasy VI Advance and the DS version of Chrono Trigger, features a notably different version of the Mysidian legend. Members of the localization staff

''Final Fantasy IV'' (Nintendo DS)

313

also appear in the game's hidden Developers Room and refer to a famous line from the original translation.

Plot and setting According to director Takashi Tokita, the scenario writer and lead game designer of the original release, three quarters of the original script had been left out of the original Super Famicom version.[5] [7] In a Q&A feature in the official Square Enix Members page, Tokita corrected this by saying that the original story script was never cut, but during the development of the original release, the game's text could not fit and had to be revised to a quarter of its intended size.[8]

Story

Cecil walking through Kaipo

The original storyline of Final Fantasy IV is retained, and some of the previously missing script has been worked into the DS version in the form of flashbacks, including both Golbez becoming Zemus's pawn and the childhoods of Cecil, Kain, and Rosa. There are also brand new scenes.

Audio In June 2007, Square Enix held a casting for a vocalist to sing a rendition of Final Fantasy IV's "Theme of Love" composed by Nobuo Uematsu.[9] Megumi Ida was selected from approximately 800 applicants to perform the theme song[10] "Tsuki no Akari" (月の明り Tsuki no Akari, literally "moonlight"). The song was arranged by Kenichiro Fukui, with the lyrics penned by scenario writer Takashi Tokita.[11] The song only appears in the Japanese release of the game, over the ending credits - international versions cut the song in its entirety and replace it with a music track from the game itself.

Voice cast One of the biggest enhancements to the DS version of Final Fantasy IV is voice acting, which can be turned off if the player so desires. [12]

Character

Japanese voice actor

English voice actor

Cecil

Shizuma Hodoshima

Yuri Lowenthal

Rosa

Yūko Kaida

Kirsty Pape

Kain

Kōichi Yamadera

Liam O'Brien

Rydia

Noriko Shitaya

Daniella Macey

Tellah

Gorō Naya

Lee Everest

Edward

Ryō Horikawa

Sam Riegel

Palom

Rie Kugimiya

Megan Harvey

Porom

Rie Kugimiya

Hunter MacKenzie Austin

Yang

Tesshō Genda

Jackson Daniels

Edge

Hiroya Ishimaru

Taliesin Jaffe

Cid

Ichirō Nagai

Stephen Martello

Fusoya

Banjō Ginga

Michael McConnohie

Golbez

Takeshi Kaga

Anthony Landor

''Final Fantasy IV'' (Nintendo DS)

314 Scarmiglione Cagnazzo Barbariccia Rubicante Anna

Konishi Oonishi

Dameon Clarke

Takeshi Aono

Michael McConnohie

Yūko Kaida

Kirsty Pape

Norio Wakamoto

Lee Everest

Hitomi Akino

Zarah Little

Mysidian Elder Ryuji Saikachi Kluya Zeromus

William Frederick

Banjō Ginga

Ralph Lister

Ryō Horikawa

Michael McConnohie

Development The official developer blog (maintained by producer Tomoya Asano) has outlined several key features of the remake. As in the original, players can reform their party with whomever they choose as party leader. When the player enters the menu, the party leader will now appear on the bottom screen where the player can read their thoughts about what is happening in the story at that time (the development team suggests players check this feature often for humorous anecdotes).[13] Other developer blog entries have focused on the art and programming of the game. According to the art director, Matrix tried to make each location of the game feel unique. For example, the desert kingdom of Damcyan has taken on a Middle-Eastern flair, Fabul has been given a Chinese feeling, and Eblan has been given the feeling of a Ninja residence, which was not possible in the Super Famicom edition due to limited data capacity.[14] Final Fantasy IV displays more characters and enemies on screen during battle compared to Final Fantasy III, which required the modeling team to reduce the number of polygons per character[15] The main programmer also suggests that the game is much larger than Final Fantasy III from a data standpoint, and compressing all the data to fit on a 1Gb ROM was difficult largely due to the voice data.[15]

Reception As of July 9, 2008, the game has sold 612,044 copies in Japan.[16] Worldwide it has sold 1.1 million copies.[17] Final Fantasy IV was well-received by critics. It was a nominee for Best RPG on the Nintendo DS in IGN's 2008 video game awards.[18]

External links • • • • • •

Square Enix Final Fantasy IV for Nintendo DS Official Site [19] (Japanese) Square Enix Official Developer Blog [20] (Japanese) Square Enix Final Fantasy IV for Nintendo DS Official US Site [21] Final Fantasy IV [89] at Wikia Translated Developer Blog [22] RPG Land Review [23]

''Final Fantasy IV'' (Nintendo DS)

References [1] Anderson, Lark (2008-07-11). "Final Fantasy IV Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ds/ rpg/ finalfantasyiv/ review. html). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [2] Bozon (2008-07-09). "Final Fantasy IV Review" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 887/ 887583p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [3] Di Fiore, Elisa (2008-07-25). "Final Fantasy IV" (http:/ / ds. gamespy. com/ nintendo-ds/ final-fantasy-iv/ 894006p1. html). GameSpy. . Retrieved 2009-12-11. [4] "Official Blog: Character Abilities" (http:/ / ff4developers. cocolog-nifty. com/ column/ 2007/ 10/ post_588d. html). Square Enix. 2007-10-05. . Retrieved 2007-10-05. [5] "Final Fantasy IV Update" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 789/ 789326p1. html). IGN. 2007-05-17. . Retrieved 2007-09-30. [6] "Official Blog: Jukebox" (http:/ / ff4developers. cocolog-nifty. com/ column/ 2007/ 11/ post_a9a4. html). Square Enix. 2007-11-02. . Retrieved 2007-11-02. [7] x3sphere (2007-05-16). "Final Fantasy IV DS remake not just pretty graphics" (http:/ / www. exophase. com/ ds/ final-fantasy-iv-ds-remake-not-just-pretty-graphics-1044. htm). exophase.com. . Retrieved 2007-09-30. [8] Square Enix (2008-09-05). "Final Fantasy IV Fan-powered Q&A Part 1" (http:/ / member. square-enix. com/ na/ features/ ff4/ 02/ ). member.square-enix.com. . Retrieved 2008-09-27. [9] Square Enix staff (2007-05). "「愛のテーマ」ヴォーカリスト募集要項" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20070703210548/ http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff4ds/ guideline. html) (in Japanese). Square Enix Japan. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff4ds/ guideline. html) on 2007-07-03. . Retrieved 2007-05-12. [10] "Megumi Ida performs Theme of Love" (http:/ / ff4developers. cocolog-nifty. com/ column/ 2007/ 11/ post_ab3b. html). Matrix Software. 2007-11-16. . Retrieved 2007-11-16. [11] "‘Tsuki no Akari’ a highlight of Final Fantasy IV DS" (http:/ / www. siliconera. com/ 2008/ 07/ 20/ tsuki-no-akari-a-highlight-of-final-fantasy-iv-ds/ ). Siliconera. 2007-07-20. . Retrieved 2008-07-21. [12] Gantayat, Anoop (2007-09-28). "Final Fantasy IV Voice Cast Announced" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 823/ 823567p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2007-09-30. [13] "Official Blog: Party Leader Thoughts" (http:/ / ff4developers. cocolog-nifty. com/ column/ 2007/ 09/ post_2447. html). Square Enix. 2007-09-19. . Retrieved 2007-09-19. [14] "Official Blog: Art Direction" (http:/ / ff4developers. cocolog-nifty. com/ column/ 2007/ 10/ post_17ec. html). Square Enix. 2007-10-12. . Retrieved 2007-10-12. [15] "Official Blog: Programming" (http:/ / ff4developers. cocolog-nifty. com/ column/ 2007/ 10/ post_0b00. html). Square Enix. 2007-10-27. . Retrieved 2007-10-27. [16] Weekly Famitsu, issue 1020 [17] "Results Briefing: Fiscal Year ended May 31, 2009" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ eng/ pdf/ news/ 20090525_01en. pdf#8). Square-Enix.com. May 19, 2009. . Retrieved 2009-07-21. [18] "IGN DS: Best RPG 2008" (http:/ / bestof. ign. com/ 2008/ ds/ 7. html). IGN.com. 2008-12-15. . Retrieved 2008-12-19. [19] http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ ff4ds/ main. html [20] http:/ / ff4developers. cocolog-nifty. com/ column/ [21] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ff4/ [22] http:/ / robotbling. gametrailers. com/ gamepad/ index. php?action=viewblog& id=163016 [23] http:/ / rpgland. com/ games/ reviews/ final-fantasy-iv-import-review/

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''Final Fantasy Chronicles'' Final Fantasy Chronicles

Final Fantasy Chronicles box art Developer(s)

Square, TOSE

Publisher(s)

Square Electronic Arts

Series

Final Fantasy Chrono

Platform(s)

PlayStation

Release date(s)

Genre(s)

Console role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single player

Rating(s)

ESRB: T (Teen)

Media

2 CD-ROMs

[1]

June 29, 2001

Final Fantasy Chronicles is a compilation of Square's console role-playing games Final Fantasy IV and Chrono Trigger, released for the North American Sony PlayStation on June 29, 2001.[1] TOSE ported both titles from the Super Nintendo Entertainment System; each had been previously released as individual Japanese PlayStation ports in 1997 (Final Fantasy IV) and 1999 (Chrono Trigger).[2] [3] Several bonus features were added to each game, such as art galleries, bestiaries, and cutscenesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;including computer-generated full motion video used at the beginning of Final Fantasy IV and anime scenes used throughout Chrono Trigger.[4] Final Fantasy Chronicles was received well by players and critics, who praised the peripheral features and the fact that Square was offering RPG classics to a new generation of gamers.[4] [5] [6] Conversely, reviewers sharply criticized "long and frequent loading" between areas and battles due to poor emulation.[5] [6] Enough copies of Chronicles were sold to warrant a second release as part of Sony's Greatest Hits in June 2003.[7]

Gameplay In Final Fantasy IV and role-playing game genre. "screens": the overworld, explore locations such as other enemies.[8] [9]

Chrono Trigger, the player controls a set of characters, closely following the console The methods of viewing and controlling the characters are separated by three different where the characters traverse to different locations; the field map, where the characters towns and dungeons; and the battle screen, where the characters fight with monsters or

''Final Fantasy Chronicles''

Final Fantasy IV Final Fantasy IV introduced the Active Time Battle, a system designed by Hiroyuki Ito. It centers around the player inputting orders for the characters in "real time" during battles.[10] Each character is balanced through certain strengths and weaknesses; for instance, a strong magic user may have low defense, while a physical fighter may have low agility.[8]

Chrono Trigger Chrono Trigger's gameplay deviates from traditional role-playing games in that, rather than random encounters, most enemies are openly visible on field maps or lie in wait to ambush the party. Contact with enemies on a field map initiates a battle that occurs directly on the field map itself rather than on a separate battle screen.[9] Chrono Trigger uses an updated form of the Active Time Battle introduced in Final Fantasy IV, with additions such as "Techs" that rely on enemy positioning and abilities of characters.[9] [11] Other features are the employment of time travel and a "New Game Plus" option.[12] [13]

Development Final Fantasy Chronicles features two previously-released ports by TOSE; Final Fantasy IV and Chrono Trigger were released separately, and Final Fantasy IV was re-released as a part of Final Fantasy Collection, all published in Japan.[14] Chronicles was designed and directed by Kazuhiko Aoki, supervised by Fumiaki Fukaya, and produced by Akihiro Imai.[15] It was created as a follow-up to Final Fantasy Anthology, a compilation of Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI.[5] [16] The original Final Fantasy IV was released in North America as Final Fantasy II in 1991, with various "Easytype" modifications.[17] These were removed in the Final Fantasy Chronicles version, and the game was re-localized, achieving a script closer to the Japanese script by Takashi Tokita.[15] Chrono Trigger, released in 1995, was already localized by Ted Woolsey, but the Final Fantasy Chronicles version has additional modifications.[5] A primary addition to both games is full-motion video. Final Fantasy IV features computer animated cutscene sequences, while Chrono Trigger features anime-style sequences designed by Akira Toriyama that "help further tell the story of Chrono Trigger." Final Fantasy IV was given gameplay features such as a two-player mode, a "Sprint Feature" to "enhance and quicken gameplay", and the "Memo File" system to "reduce saving time." Chrono Trigger, instead of added gameplay features, has an "Extras Mode". This features databases such as a bestiary and a gallery of artwork created in development.[18]

Promotion and merchandising A compilation of Final Fantasy IV and Chrono Trigger was in consideration in December 2000, with Final Fantasy Anthology's success a key decision factor.[16] Final Fantasy Chronicles was announced by Square Electronic Arts on April 17, 2001. Jun Iwasaki, president, mentioned an "overwhelming number" of requests to re-release Chrono Trigger, and believed the compilation of it and Final Fantasy IV would "appeal to fans of the original games and introduce a new generation of gamers to some of our classic titles."[19] Final Fantasy Chronicles was released on June 29, 2001 to take advantage of Columbia Pictures' marketing campaign for Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.[20] An event was held on July 10 in San Francisco, primarily to celebrate the film The Spirits Within and release of Final Fantasy Chronicles. It featured a cosplay contest, a memorabilia raffle, and booths to play Final Fantasy Chronicles and Final Fantasy X.[21] Music from Final Fantasy Chronicles is a set of two separately-released compact discs published by TokyoPop. Final Fantasy IV Official Soundtrack and Chrono Trigger Original Soundtrack were both released on August 21, 2001. Final Fantasy IV Official Soundtrack is nearly the same release as Final Fantasy IV: Original Sound Version, the soundtrack album for the original game, except that the songs were rerecorded by TOSE, resulting in minor

317

''Final Fantasy Chronicles''

318

differences, some song titles were slightly changed, and a 45th track was added, "Theme of Love (Arranged)", which had previously only been released as a piano version on the second track of Piano Collections Final Fantasy IV. This release has the catalog number TPCD 0210-2, and its 45 tracks had a length of 62 minutes.[22] Chrono Trigger Original Soundtrack was the corresponding album for Chrono Trigger. The album was heavily based on Chrono Trigger Original Soundtrack, the soundtrack album for the PlayStation release of Chrono Trigger; the first 21 tracks of the album out of 25 were identical to Chrono Trigger Original Soundtrack, while the next three tracks corresponded to tracks 22, 23, and 29 of the Original Soundtrack and the final track was the same as the first track of Brink of Time, an arranged album of Chrono Trigger music. The album is 1:13:03 long, and has a catalog number of TPCD 0209-2.[23] In addition to the albums, a strategy guide for Final Fantasy Chronicles written by Dan Birlew and was published by BradyGames on July 2, 2001.[24]

Reception Reception Aggregate scores Aggregator

Score [25]

GameRankings

87%

Metacritic

89 of 100

[26]

Review scores Publication

Score [25]

Electronic Gaming Monthly

8.33 of 10 [27]

GamePro

5 of 5

GameSpot

9 of 10

IGN

9.4 of 10

Official PlayStation Magazine (US)

4 of 5

[28] [5] [4]

[6]

Awards [4]

IGN Editors' Choice

[28]

GamePro Editors' Choice

[27]

EGM Silver Award

Final Fantasy Chronicles was commercially and critically successful, becoming the top selling PlayStation title for two weeks, and scoring an average of 89% in Metacritic's aggregate, a review tallying website.[26] [29] Gaming website IGN rated it 9.4 and awarded an "Editor's Choice Award", calling the game a "must buy" for RPG fans.[4] GameSpot reviewer Brad Shoemaker gave the game an 8.5, but cited "muffled sound effects" in Final Fantasy IV, and was displeased with frequent loading in Chrono Trigger. He added that the visuals were "stupendous" when the games were originally released, but they now look dated and will "turn off those looking for a bigger thrill for their gaming dollar".[5] Marcus Lai of Gaming Age was disappointed with a lack of additions, calling the ports "barebone games" and claiming that the full motion videos are "nice touches to both games but don't add much".[30]

''Final Fantasy Chronicles''

External links • Official website [31] at Square Enix North America [32] • Final Fantasy Chronicles [33] at MobyGames

References [1] "Final Fantasy Chronicles" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasychronicles/ tech_info. html?om_act=convert& om_clk=stats& tag=stats;techinfo). GameSpot (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ). . Retrieved 2008-06-29. [2] "Chrono Trigger for PS" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ chronotrigger/ index. html?q=Chrono Trigger). GameSpot (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ). . Retrieved March 3, 2007. [3] "Final Fantasy IV for PS" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasy4/ index. html?q=Final Fantasy IV). GameSpot (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ). . Retrieved March 3, 2007. [4] IGN Staff (2001-07-18). "IGN: Final Fantasy Chronicles Review" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 166/ 166322p1. html). IGN.com. . Retrieved 2008-06-29. [5] Shoemaker, Brad (2001-07-06). "Final Fantasy Chronicles for PlayStation Review - PlayStation Final Fantasy Chronicles Review" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasychronicles/ review. html). Gamespot. pp. 1–2. . Retrieved 2008-06-29. [6] Kennedy, Sam, ed (2001). Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine August 2001; issue 47. Ziff Davis Media Inc.. p. 107. [7] "Final Fantasy Chronicles", ASIN B00005LOXE [8] Square Co., ed (1991). Final Fantasy II instruction manual. Square Co.. p. 74. SFS-F4-USA-1. [9] "Epic Center: Chrono Trigger". Nintendo Power 74: 53. July 1995. [10] Johnson, Robert (2003-04-28). "Final Fantasy IV Review" (http:/ / www. gamesarefun. com/ gamesdb/ review. php?reviewid=197). GamesAreFun. . Retrieved 2006-09-10. [11] Square Co.. Chrono Trigger. (Square Soft). Super Nintendo Entertainment System. (1995-08-22) "Menu screen: Active Time Battle 2.0" [12] "Chrono Trigger: A New Standard for RPGs". Nintendo Power 73: 37. June 1995. [13] Studio BentStuff, ed (2009) (in Japanese). Chrono Trigger Ultimania (http:/ / www. chronocompendium. com/ Term/ Supporting_Material_Translation. html#Chrono_Trigger_Ultimania). Square Enix. pp. 581. ISBN 978-4757524699. . [14] "Final Fantasy Collection" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasycollection/ index. html). GameSpot (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ). . Retrieved March 9, 2007. [15] Square Enix staff, ed (2001). Final Fantasy Chronicles instruction manual. Square Enix. p. 54. SLUS-01360. [16] Wanlin, Matthew. "Classic Square Titles to be Ported to the PlayStation?" (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ news/ Q4-2000/ 121900a. html). RPGamer (http:/ / www. rpgamer. com/ ). . Retrieved July 2, 2007. [17] Kelley, Ian. "FF4j/FF4j Easytype Changes FAQ" (http:/ / www. ffcompendium. com/ h/ faqs/ ff4versions. txt). FFCompendium (http:/ / www. ffcompendium. com/ ). . Retrieved 2006-09-12. [18] N/A. "FINAL FANTASY CHRONICLES" (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFC/ ). Square Enix North America (http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ). . Retrieved June 2, 2007. [19] IGN staff. "Chrono Trigger and FF IV Confirmed for US Release" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 093/ 093510p1. html). IGN PlayStation (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ ). . Retrieved July 2, 2007. [20] Final Fantasy game, film converge in July.(Brief Article) | Video Business | Find Articles at BNET.com (http:/ / findarticles. com/ p/ articles/ mi_hb5057/ is_200104/ ai_n18411606) [21] Ahmed, Shahed. "Final Fantasy fan day" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ps/ rpg/ finalfantasychronicles/ news. html?sid=2779055). GameSpot (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ ). . Retrieved July 2, 2007. [22] Square Enix Music Online. "Final Fantasy IV Official Soundtrack: Music from Final Fantasy Chronicles - Album Information" (http:/ / www. squareenixmusic. com/ albums/ f/ ff4official. shtml). Square Enix Music. . Retrieved 2008-02-23. [23] Gann, Patrick (2006-10-05). "Chrono Trigger Official Soundtrack: Music From Final Fantasy Chronicles" (http:/ / www. rpgfan. com/ soundtracks/ ctchronicles/ index. html). RPGFan. . Retrieved 2009-04-23. [24] Birlew, Dan (2001-07-02). Final Fantasy Chronicles Official Strategy Guide. BradyGames. ISBN 0744000734. [25] "Final Fantasy Chronicles Reviews" (http:/ / www. gamerankings. com/ ps/ 477343-final-fantasy-chronicles/ index. html). Game Rankings. . Retrieved 2008-06-29. [26] "Final Fantasy Chronicles (psx: 2001): Reviews" (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ games/ platforms/ psx/ finalfantasychronicles?q=final fantasy chronicles). Metacritic. . Retrieved 2008-06-28. [27] Hsu, Dan "Shoe", ed (2001). Electronic Gaming Monthly August 2001; issue 145. Ziff Davis Media Inc.. p. 112. [28] "UNCLEDUST" (2001-06-26). "Review: Final Fantasy Chronicles for PlayStation on Gamepro.com." (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ reviews/ 14924/ final-fantasy-chronicles-final-fantasy-iv/ ). GamePro. . Retrieved 2008-06-29. [29] "Final Fantasy Chronicles Tops the Charts" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 096/ 096465p1. html). . July 13, 2001. . Retrieved March 28, 2007. [30] "Final Fantasy Chronicles Review for PlayStation" (http:/ / www. gaming-age. com/ cgi-bin/ reviews/ review. pl?sys=psx& game=ffc). Gaming Age (http:/ / www. gaming-age. com/ ). . Retrieved July 2, 2007. [31] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ games/ FFC/

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[32] http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ na/ [33] http:/ / www. mobygames. com/ game/ final-fantasy-chronicles

''Final Fantasy VII'' (Famicom) Final Fantasy VII

The title screen of the game Developer(s)

ShenZhen Nanjing Technology

Publisher(s)

ShenZhen Nanjing Technology

Platform(s)

Nintendo Family Computer

Release date(s) 2005[1] Genre(s)

Console role-playing

Mode(s)

Single-player

Media

2-megabyte cartridge

Input methods Game controller

Final Fantasy VII (simplified Chinese: 最终幻想7; traditional Chinese: 最終幻想7; pinyin: Zuì Zhōng Huàn Xiǎng 7) is a Chinese unofficial, unlicensed remake of the 1997 console role playing game Final Fantasy VII, originally developed by Square for the PlayStation. The two-dimensional "port"[2] was developed and published by the Chinese company ShenZhen Nanjing Technology[3] for the SUBOR entertainment system, a clone of Nintendo's Famicom console. The cartridge itself is unique, structurally different from licensed Famicom cartridges in terms of hardware and programming. The game features many gameplay elements of the original Final Fantasy VII, including a three-member party structure and adaptations of the game's subsystems. The items, spells and equipment available to the player are based upon those in the original game, and although a large number have been omitted along with optional characters and some side quests,[4] [5] the original story was reproduced in very minute detail.[6] The game was received with mixed reception, cited as an impressive achievement but at the same time criticized for its difficulty and choice of a target console.

''Final Fantasy VII'' (Famicom)

321

Gameplay In Final Fantasy VII, the player directs the protagonist throughout the game world with a group of three interchangeable party members, exploring areas and interacting with non-player characters.[5] Most of Final Fantasy VII occurs within the city of Midgar for the first act, later expanding to towns, dungeons, caves, and similar areas for the rest of the game. Players can save their game at any time when not in combat to the game's single save slot for later playing.[1] Starting from the second act, players can journey between field screen locations via the world map, a downsized representation of Final Fantasy VII's world. Players can freely navigate the world map screen unless restricted by geographical obstacles, such as water or mountains. To overcome this, players can ride emu-like chocobos and various vehicles available to them, though usage is limited.[6] As in other Final Fantasy-related games, travel across the world map screen and hostile areas is frequently interrupted by random enemy encounters.[7] The player's character engaged in a cutscene

Combat Whenever the protagonist encounters an enemy, the map changes to the "battle screen". On this, the enemy appears opposite to the three characters in the party; each battle uses a turn-based battle system similar to that featured in Final Fantasy III.[8] All characters can physically attack the enemy, use spells from equipped materia, or use an item in one turn. Combat ends when the player either defeats all enemies and the game returns to the area map, or all party members are defeated in which case the game ends and returns to the title screen. If one of the party members successfully flee, the battle also ends.[7] A character's performance in battle is determined by numerical values for categories such as speed, strength, and magical power. Character statistics are driven by experienceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;players are awarded "experience points" for winning battles, which accumulate until characters gain "experience levels". When characters "level up", the statistics for their attributes increase permanently, which can also be amplified by the types of equipment the character is wearing. Winning battles may reward the player money (Gil) and items.[9]

Equipment and abilities Each character brings one materia into the party when they join, carrying one spell that can be used in combat. Materia have a limited number of uses before they must be recharged at one of the game's magic shops. Like party members, materia gain experience when used, and can be levelled up to a maximum level of nine.[7] Characters can swap materia among themselves, with unequipped materia being used mid-battle for such things as healing party members, compensating for the limited amount of healing items.[6] Weapons follows the same principle as materia in terms of attack power, In this battle, the player directs the party to gaining experience and levelling up. Unlike materia, they cannot be swapped attack the enemy or replaced, and have unlimited usage. In addition to weapons, each has four types of armor that can be equipped for defense, which can be purchased at armor shops or found in chests scattered throughout the game. Armor directly affects the vitality statistic, which will in turn affect the amount of health gained when leveling up.[9] Also available in the game are curative items, which can be purchased at designated shops or found in chests. These items can be used in or out of combat to restore health (HP), materia usage (CP), or revive fallen party members.[9]

''Final Fantasy VII'' (Famicom)

Development The official and authorized Final Fantasy VII game was developed by Square and released worldwide in 1997 for the PlayStation. At an unknown date, ShenZhen Nanjing Technology developed an unauthorized remake of the game, for the Famicom.[4] The game was released in 2005, and both the box and manual make reference to Final Fantasy VII Advent Children as the game's full title,[10] a statement supported by the game's manual.[1] Despite the name on the box and cartridge, the title screen simply states "Final Fantasy VII," and the game itself includes no content or plot elements from the film.[5] The game was developed for the SUBOR entertainment system, a clone of the Famicom, though can also be played on Famicom and Nintendo Entertainment System consoles through the use of an adapter.[11] Due to the Famicom's restricted hardware capabilities, the remake is entirely two-dimensional. Special compensation was made for some of the in-battle sprites such as Cloud Strife's, combining two 16x24 pixel sprites side-by-side instead of the usual single sprite to account for weapons such as Cloud's sword or Barret's gun.[6] While most Japanese games use only 8x8-pixel hiragana or katakana fonts, and most Chinese games use 4-color 16x16-pixel tiles stored in dedicated CHR ROM pages, this game uses its own several-hundred 16x16-pixel monochrome font instead. The script itself is strewn in chunks across the code; at the beginning of each piece of text for dialog boxes is a three digit number preceded by an @-symbol, signifying which character portrait to display.[4] [6] The cartridge's circuit board layout is unique compared to most Famicom games, using a single two megabyte PRG (program) ROM chips.[6] [12] A RAM chip instead of a ROM for the character graphics data, similar to the "UNROM" method used in some Nintendo games.[13] As a result, the data is strewn across the PRG ROM in various banks. The cartridge features one 8-kilobyte battery-backed RAM chip, used for the game's single save slot. Many of the game's graphics are borrowed from other games, mostly other Final Fantasy titles and including Super NES graphics converted to four-color palettes used by the Famicom's hardware. Much of the game's music is borrowed from other games as well, in many cases shortened significantly to a few repeating notes.[6]

Reception While the game has received praise for covering the entire story within the game, it has been described as extremely difficult, with an inconsistent battle rate and fights that take a long time to complete. The game's limited healing options and slow growth rate for abilities and weapons compound this, with one reviewer recommending "play it — but cheat".[6] The game has also drawn close comparison to Final Fantasy III in regards to both its appearance and handling.[10] Despite these issues, interest has been shown regarding the release of a patch to translate the game into English.[14] Final Fantasy VII has additionally gained mention on several major gaming websites, including Gameworld Network,[2] Chinese Baidu,[10] and Japan-based Gpara.com.[15] The game has received praise from various sources. Journalist Derrick Sobodash stated that while the game would not be an entirely new experience for those that played the original Final Fantasy VII, he added that "...this title can hold its own against the other NES Final Fantasy games", further calling the effort "surprisingly professional".[6] Kotaku editor Luke Plunkett cited the Famicom game as "...an achievement I have no hesitation in labeling Herculean", further calling it "...a triumph of the human spirit".[16] Boing Boing Gadgets and Wired News writer Joel Johnson described the game as "more than just a knock-off — it's an act of true skill and commitment by an unknown team of Chinese coders".[17] GamePro named it one of the thirteen best fan-made video game remakes, placing first on their list and described as "the video game equivalent of the Human Genome Project" despite its flaws.[18]

322

''Final Fantasy VII'' (Famicom)

External links • Gpara coverage (Japanese) [19]

References [1] Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Instruction Manual. p. 1. (in Chinese) [2] Bianco, Karn (2008-02-26). "Video: Final Fantasy VII On The NES" (http:/ / pcgames. gwn. com/ news/ story. php/ id/ 15116/ Video_Final_Fantasy_VII_On_The_NES. html). Gameworld Network. UGO Networks. . Retrieved 2008-03-08. [3] simplified Chinese: 深圳市南晶科技有限公司; pinyin: Shēn Zhèn Shì Nán Jīng Kē Jì Yǒu Xiàn Gōng Sī [4] Orland, Kyle (2008-02-22). "Final Fantasy VII ported to the Famicom. Finally!" (http:/ / www. joystiq. com/ 2008/ 02/ 22/ final-fantasy-vii-ported-to-the-famicom-finally/ ). Joystiq. Weblogs, Inc.. . Retrieved 2008-02-22. [5] Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Instruction Manual. pp. 5–12. (in Chinese) [6] Sobodash, Derrick. "From Polygons to Pixels: Final Fantasy VII" (http:/ / cinnamonpirate. com/ 2008/ 02/ from-polygons-to-pixels-final-fantasy-vii/ ). CinnamonPirate.com. . Retrieved 2008-11-12. [7] Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Instruction Manual. pp. 2–3. (in Chinese) [8] Vestal, Andrew. "The History of Final Fantasy" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ features/ vgs/ universal/ finalfantasy_hs/ ). GameSpot. . Retrieved 2007-09-28. [9] Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Instruction Manual. p. 4. (in Chinese) [10] "FC Rom - 《最终幻想VII》(南晶科技)" (http:/ / hi. baidu. com/ tszone_fc/ blog/ item/ 9a9500a8a3273db2ca130c96. html) (in Chinese). Baidu. 2007-11-18. . Retrieved 2008-03-06. [11] Sobodash, Derrick (2008-03-24). "You thought FF7 was a hoax?" (http:/ / cinnamonpirate. com/ 2008/ 03/ you-thought-ff7-was-a-hoax/ ). CinnamonPirate.com. . Retrieved 2008-05-18. [12] Edwards, Benj (2008-08-07). "Inside Nintendo's Classic Game Console" (http:/ / www. pcworld. com/ article/ 148391/ inside_nintendos_classic_game_console. html). PC World. . Retrieved 2009-05-09. [13] Why Game Paks Never Forget. Nintendo Power. June 1991. p. 29. [14] Sheffield, Brandon (2008-02-24). "News: FF VII Famicom, with video" (http:/ / www. insertcredit. com/ archives/ 002248. html). insert credit. . Retrieved 2008-03-02. [15] Staff (2008-02-22). "Gpara coverage of FFVII Famicom" (http:/ / www. gpara. com/ kaigainews/ eanda/ 2008022602/ ) (in Japanese). GPara.com. . Retrieved 2008-03-13. [16] Plunkett, Luke (2008-02-25). FFVII "On NES Is A Triumph Of The Human Spirit" (http:/ / kotaku. com/ 360174/ ffvii-on-nes-is-a-triumph-of-the-human-spirit). Kotaku. FFVII. Retrieved 2008-03-04. [17] Johnson, Joel (2008-02-25). "Amazing Unlicensed Backport of Final Fantasy VII...to the NES" (http:/ / gadgets. boingboing. net/ 2008/ 02/ 25/ amazing-unlicensed-b. html). Boing Boing Gadgets. . Retrieved 2008-03-04. [18] Noble, McKinley (2009-12-03). "13 Fantastic Fan-Made Game Remakes and Demakes" (http:/ / www. gamepro. com/ article/ features/ 213137/ 13-great-fan-made-game-tributes-page-2/ ). GamePro. . Retrieved 2009-12-22. [19] http:/ / www. gpara. com/ kaigainews/ eanda/ 2008022602/

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Spinoffs ''Chocobo'' series The Chocobo series is a spin-off series of games first developed by Square Co., and later by Square Enix, featuring a super deformed version of the Final Fantasy series mascot, the Chocobo, as the protagonist. These games include Mystery Dungeon installments and a variety of minigame collections, over a wide variety of video game consoles.

Games Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon

Developer(s)

Square Co. TOSE (WonderSwan)

Publisher(s)

Square Co. Bandai (WonderSwan)

Composer(s)

Masashi Hamauzu

Series

Chocobo series Fushigi no Dungeon series

Platform(s)

PlayStation, WonderSwan

Release date(s)

Genre(s)

Console role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player

Media

1 CD-ROM (PlayStation) 1 Cartridge (WonderSwan)

December 23, 1997 (PlayStation) JP March 4, 1999 (WonderSwan)

Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon (チョコボの不思議なダンジョンChokobo no Fushigina Danjon, lit. "Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon") is a console role-playing game made for the Sony PlayStation and Bandai WonderSwan and released only in Japan. The game is vaguely linked to the Final Fantasy series of adventures with the series' trademark mascot, the chocobo. The game is a roguelike dungeon crawl and part of the Fushigi no Dungeon series. The game consists of a chocobo wandering through randomly generated dungeons, picking up items

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and battling enemies. The PlayStation version is almost all sprite-based, with some polygon-based objects. The title character in Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon is a yellow chocobo named Poulet (プーレ Pūre, a pun on the Japanese "pureiyā" meaning "player" and the French word "poulet" meaning "chicken"), but the player can rename him. The layout of the game consists of three dungeons: A ten-level dungeon, a 30-level dungeon, and an infinite dungeon which recycles enemy types every 100 levels. The game received a large fanbase due to its tie-in to the Final Fantasy franchise as well as some animation and effects such as summoning the mainstay creatures of the series, including Ifrit and Bahamut in super deformed style. This game marks the solo composing debut of Masashi Hamauzu, who prepared both the soundtrack and an arrangement album named Coi Vanni Gialli. As of March 31, 2003, the PlayStation version has shipped 1.14 million copies in Japan, according to Square Enix.[1]

Chocobo's Dungeon 2 Chocobo's Dungeon 2 Developer(s)

Square

Publisher(s)

Square Square Electronic Arts

Composer(s)

Tsuyoshi Sekito Kumi Tanioka Kenji Itō Yasuhiro Kawakami

Series

Chocobo series Fushigi no Dungeon series

Platform(s)

PlayStation

Release date(s)

December 23, 1998 November 30, 1999

Genre(s)

Console role-playing game

Mode(s)

Single-player, multiplayer

Rating(s)

ESRB: Everyone

Media

1 CD-ROM

Chocobo's Dungeon 2, originally released in Japan as Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon 2 (チョコボの不思議なダンジョン2Chokobo no Fushigina Danjon 2, lit. "Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon 2") is the 1998 PlayStation sequel to 1997's Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon. Unlike its predecessor, the game, titled Chocobo's Dungeon 2, was released in North America in late 1999. In Chocobo's Dungeon 2, the player controls a chocobo named Chocobo. The game is part of the Fushigi no Dungeon series. The game was planned to be released for Bandai's WonderSwan Color handheld in 1999, but it was apparently cancelled.[2] In this game, the mazes for the dungeons are randomly-generated, though certain portions have specific patterns, such as the mazes and rooms in Cid's tower. This means that each time the player enters the same dungeon, the path through the maze will be different, although the same items and monsters will be encountered. If played slowly, there are some small gaps near the edges of these mazes and in certain corners if approached correctly Chocobo can pass through them and skip to a later part of the level. In the beginning of the game, Chocobo can only carry a few items. If he dies in the dungeon, the player loses all accumulated items and must start over. As the game progresses, the player will be able to rent storage space in town and send extra items there. Items in storage are not lost if the character dies.

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Chocobo can be equipped with various saddles for armor, and strap-on claws for weapons. There are also special furnaces where the player can forge unique weapons and Recycle Boxes where the player can combine items to get a new, randomly produced item. There are also feathers which provide various special abilities. Items can also be bought and sold in town. There are several secondary characters, most of which will be recognizable to Final Fantasy veterans, including Final Fantasy mainstay Cid, a young white mage girl, Shiroma, and Mog, a moogle. Chocobo can also assume the form of some of the monsters from the game if he steps on certain traps. If the player lets the credits run at the end of the game, he or she will then be given the ability to play a new form of the game where it is possible to play any of the dungeons as one of the support characters. This second playthrough also has a secret dungeon with 30 levels. There are many characters in Chocobo's Dungeon 2, and each of them helps Chocobo in a different way at one point in the game. For example, Mrs. Bomb lets Chocobo stay at her house. Some characters join Chocobo and can be controlled by a second player or the AI. These include Mog, Shiroma, and Cid. There are also characters that Chocobo can summon by collecting feathers, such as Titan, Sylph, Ramuh, and Bahamut. Chocobo's Dungeon 2 is mostly based in a village. There is a beach near the village and a vast sea. Towering over the village is a large tower covered in ivy, Cid's Tower. North of the village is a huge forest, a swamp and a looming mountain, Snow Mountain. When progressing through the game, the overworld changes a few times. At the start of the game, Mog takes Chocobo treasure hunting. They enter a monster-filled dungeon, and Mog flicks a switch that separates him from Chocobo. Chocobo then meets the white mage Shiroma. She claims she has important work to do in the dungeon and leaves. Then Chocobo reenters the dungeon and finds Shiroma again. Shiroma decides to help Chocobo find his friend Mog. They succeed but due to Mog's greed he ends up sinking the dungeon into the sea and destroying Shiroma's home, forcing them to go to a nearby village where Shiroma's "Aunt Bomb" lets Mog and Chocobo stay; however, Shiroma is then kidnapped and Chocobo must save her. Chocobo gets the help of the local inventor Cid after helping him clear out the imps taking over his tower. Not as successful as its predecessor, the game still managed to sell 592,730 copies in Japan by December 2004.[3] Chocobo's Dungeon 2 was received with generally average reviews, such as IGNs 6.5 rating, and calling the game "boring" and "It lacks just about every feature that is important in a masterful role-playing experience".[4]

Chocobo World Chocobo World is a PocketStation mini-game released as part of Final Fantasy VIII.

Chocobo Collection Chocobo Collection Developer(s)

Square ParityBit (Chocobo Stallion) [5] Denyusha Co.(Dice de Chocobo)

Publisher(s)

Square

Series

Chocobo series

Platform(s)

PlayStation

Release date(s)

December 22, 1999

Genre(s)

Compilation

Mode(s)

Single-player, multiplayer video game

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3 CD-ROMs

Chocobo Collection (チョコボコレクションChokobo Korekushon) is a compilation release of three games released for the PlayStation in 1999. It was released as a 10th anniversary to the first appearance of the Final Fantasy series chocobo mascot in 1988's Final Fantasy II. Although one of the games had received a stand-alone release in North America, the collection was only released in Japan. The games in the collection include: • Chocobo Racing — a racing game similar to the Mario Kart series • Chocobo Stallion (ja:チョコボスタリオン Chokobo Sutarion) — an expanded version of the chocobo raising and racing element found in Final Fantasy VII. It was developed by ParityBit (Derby Stallion series) with a staff that included the character illustrator for Legend of Mana, Shinichi Kameoka. Chocobo Stallion was also released as a stand-alone in Japan. • Dice de Chocobo (ダイスDEチョコボ Daisu de Chokobo) — a board game developed by Denyusha Co..

Hataraku Chocobo Hataraku Chocobo

Developer(s)

Square

Publisher(s)

Square

Composer(s)

Yōko Shimomura

Series

Chocobo series

Platform(s)

WonderSwan

Release date(s)

Genre(s)

Life simulation game

Mode(s)

Single-player

Media

Cartridge

September 20, 2000

Hataraku Chocobo (はたらくチョコボHataraku Chokobo) is a WonderSwan occupation simulation game developed by Square Co., Ltd. in 2000. はたらく (usually: 働く, romanized: hataraku) means work, labor, or practice; an accurate translation of the title might be "Chocobo on the Job". The soundtrack was composed by Yōko Shimomura. It was not released outside of Japan.

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Chocobo Land: A Game of Dice Chocobo Land: A Game of Dice Developer(s)

Square

Publisher(s)

Square

Series

Chocobo series

Platform(s)

Game Boy Advance

Release date(s)

Genre(s)

Strategy

Mode(s)

Single-player

Media

Cartridge

December 13, 2002

Chocobo Land: A Game of Dice (チョコボランドChokobo Rando) is a remake of the original PlayStation game Dice de Chocobo, a board game-based video game and spin-off title in the Final Fantasy series. This remake was released for the Game Boy Advance in Japan in 2002. The player acts the role of Chocobo, who is trying to beat this board game world in order to return his friends and himself to the real world. From the overworld map, the player can select the region to play in. Each region has its own board design and opponent; as the player progresses through the game, they will face more (up to three) computer controlled opponents at a time. Replaying a region after completing it for the story earns the player more playing pieces. The style of play for Chocobo Land is very reminiscent of Monopoly. The player begins each match on Start, which is a round space with a rainbow-colored border. They are given a certain amount of Crystals and the option of buying the pieces they would like to start with (in the first match, the player will only be able to buy Carbuncles). Chocobo Land is notable for being the first Square game developed for a Nintendo system since Treasure Hunter G in 1996. The game was given a 28 out of 40 by Famitsu magazine.[6]

Choco-Mate A mobile game titled Choco-Mate was released sometime before 2003. [7]

Chocobo de Mobile Chocobo de Mobile (チョコボdeモバイルChokobo de Mobairu) is a mobile game released on 14 December 2006. This title has been released only in Japan, and features mini-games such as baseball and racing.[8] [9]

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales was released for the Nintendo DS.

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon (Wii) Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon was released for the Wii in Japan and was released in the United States on July 8, 2008.[10]

''Chocobo'' series Cid to Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon Toki Wasure no Meikyū DS+ Square Enix has announced it will bring the Wii game Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon to the Nintendo DS in Japan in fall 2008. It will feature a new story line centering on the character of Cid, as well as new jobs for characters to learn.[11] Square Enix has announced that the game will be released in Japan on October 30.[12]

Chocobo to Mahō no Ehon: Majō to Shōjo to Gonin no Yūsha The sequel to Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales; the title translates to "Chocobo and the Magic Picture Book: The Witch, the Girl, and the Five Heroes".

See also • Chocobo • Mystery Dungeon

External links • Official Chocobo game series website for Japan [13] (Japanese) • Chocobo Collection [14] at MobyGames

References [1] "February 2, 2004 - February 4, 2004" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ ir/ e/ explanatory/ download/ 0404-200402090000-01. pdf#page=27). Square Enix. 2004-02-09. p. 27. . Retrieved 2008-05-22. [2] Yukiyoshi Ike Sato (December 1999). "Square WonderSwan games update" (http:/ / www. gamespot. com/ news/ 2447101. html). GameSpot.com. . Retrieved 2008-10-24. [3] "Sony PS1 Japanese Ranking" (http:/ / www. japan-gamecharts. com/ ps1. php). Japan-GameCharts.com. . Retrieved 2008-12-15. [4] David Zdyrko (January 24, 2000). "Chocobo's Dungeon 2 Review" (http:/ / psx. ign. com/ articles/ 161/ 161529p1. html). IGN.com. . Retrieved 2007-06-28. [5] Denyusha staff (2005). "Denyusha Co.,Ltd" (http:/ / www. denyu-sha. co. jp/ english/ product/ consume_game. html). Denyusha Entertainment Software Company (http:/ / www. denyu-sha. co. jp/ ). . Retrieved February 3, 2007. [6] Freund, Josh (December 4, 2002). "GAF - News - New Famitsu scores" (http:/ / www. gamesarefun. com/ news. php?newsid=2666). GamesAreFun.com. . Retrieved 2009-01-11. [7] Square Enix staff (2003-08-04). "Square Enix IR Roadshow Document" (http:/ / www. square-enix. com/ jp/ ir/ e/ explanatory/ download/ 0404-200308040000-01. pdf) (PDF). Square Enix Japan. . Retrieved 2006-07-06. [8] Square Enix staff (2006-12-16). "ケータイで「チョコボ」のミニゲームもりだくさん♪" (http:/ / www. square-enix. co. jp/ jf07/ titles/ chocobo_m/ ) (in Japanese). . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [9] Spencer (2007-01-08). "Chocobo de Mobile shows that chocobos can do anything" (http:/ / www. siliconera. com/ 2007/ 01/ 08/ chocobo-de-mobile-shows-that-chocobos-can-do-anything/ ). . Retrieved 2007-06-26. [10] IGN Staff (2008-03-31). "Uncover Lost Memories with Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon" (http:/ / wii. ign. com/ articles/ 863/ 863357p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved 2008-03-31. [11] John Tanaka (2008-07-08). "Square Enix Announces New Chocobo Titles" (http:/ / ds. ign. com/ articles/ 886/ 886958p1. html). IGN. . Retrieved July 8, 2008. [12] Gamekyo.com (2008-07-26). "Square Enix Announces Cid to Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon Toki Wasure no Meikyū DS+ release date in Japan" (http:/ / www. gamekyo. com/ news28401_chocobo-and-the-magic-storybook-more-pics. html). . Retrieved 2008-07-26. [13] http:/ / www. chocobo. com [14] http:/ / www. mobygames. com/ game/ chocobo-collection

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''Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series''

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''Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series'' Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles logo Genre(s)

Action role-playing, city-building

Developer(s)

The Game Designers Studio, Square Enix

Publisher(s)

Nintendo, Square Enix

Creator(s)

Akitoshi Kawazu

Platform of origin

Nintendo GameCube

First release

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles JP August 8, 2003

Latest release

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers JP November 12, 2009

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (ファイナルファンタジークリスタルクロニクル Fainaru Fantajī Kurisutaru Kuronikuru) is a series of video games by Square Enix. Created by Akitoshi Kawazu, the Crystal Chronicles series is a spin-off series of the Final Fantasy media franchise.

Titles • • • • • •

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (GameCube) (2003) Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (Nintendo DS) (2007) Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (WiiWare) (2008) Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time (Nintendo DS, Wii) (2009) Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord (WiiWare) (2009) Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers (Wii) (2009)

The series also comprises a browser game, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King - Everyone's Kingdom, and a manga, titled Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles ~Hatenaki Sora no Mukō ni~.

''Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series''

World The titles in the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series take place in an unnamed world inhabited by four humanoid races. The titles take place at different points in the world's history.

History Ring of Fates, takes place during the legendary "Golden Age" where all the races lived in peace,[1] and when the Great Crystal—into which "all fates are etched"—protected the people from the "malefic glow of the blood-red moon".[2] [3] The world is protected from miasma by the Great Crystal, which uses memories as the source of its protective effect.[4] Rebena Te Ra stands as an illustrious city and capital of the Age. Thousands of years later, a meteor strikes and fragments the Great Crystal, setting up the events of Crystal Chronicles. In this time, the world is covered in a noxious gas known as "miasma", to which direct exposure can prove fatal to humanoids. Monsters are immune, but towns, villages and other settlements throughout must be protected from the ill effects of miasma by fragments of the Great Crystal, which generate a barrier that miasma cannot penetrate. The crystals' effect last for about a year before they must be recharged with the liquid substance "myrrh" obtained from "myrrh trees". Due to its close proximity to the Meteor's point of impact, Rebena Te Ra is a monster-filled ruins that was rendered as such almost immediately after the Meteor fell. My Life as a King takes place shortly after Crystal Chronicles and portrays the world as free from the effects of miasma as kingdoms are rebuilding. Years later, the events of Crystal Bearers occur following the apparent extiction of the Yukes in a war with the Lilties who became the world's ruling race. Through the Liltie world order, technology is run by the crystals and magic was made illegal and an arrestable offense, especially in the case of the Crystal Bearers.

Races The world of Crystal Chronicles is inhabited by four humanoid races: Clavats, Lilties, Selkies, and Yukes. The Clavats (クラブァト Kurabato) are biologically similar to humans and are a very peaceful race.[5] In Crystal Chronicles, Clavats' main advantage in battle is their high defense, they fight with swords, and use shields as their race-exclusive armor. They also wield axes, as seen first in Echoes of Time. The Lilties (リルティー Rirutī) are a proud, stout race of warriors and knights. In the past they ruled the world in an empire,[6] founded off the weapons forged from materials of the Cathurigian mines. The Lilties have a unique, flower-like appearance and are the shortest race in the game—as an adult Lilty is noticeably shorter than most other characters, though they are redesigned for Crystal Bearers to be more human like in size and physique. Of the four races, Lilties are the most powerful with a naturally high attack stat that lets them do heavy damage. In Crystal Chronicles, they take the longest time to cast a spell, equip gauntlets as their race-exclusive armor, and use spears as weapons. Lilties can also use hammers in Ring and Echoes and are use urns for various reasons in Rings. By the events of Crystal Bearers, the Lilties are the dominant race of the world. Selkies (セルキー Serukī) are taller than Lilties, around the same height as Clavats, and usually have silver, blue, yellow or light purple hair. They are a rugged race that dress in furs and stolen goods, and are mostly thieves. They usually put their own interests first and are often scorned by the other tribes.[7] In the past, the Selkies were under the control of the Liltian empire and migrated from their ancestral homes to search for a safer place to live. It is said that they come from the sea. Selkies are the speediest of the races and tend to take enemies down with a hit-and-run tactic. In Crystal Chronicles, Selkies' race-exclusive armor is belts and they use rackets as weapons. In Ring of Fates, Selkies attack with bows are the only species able to double jump. By the events of Crystal Bearers, the Selkies tend to be at odds with the Lilties every so often. Yukes (ユーク Yūku) are tall, slender creatures adept in magic with helmets that usually cover their faces. They also have long, feathered, striped arms and small, vestigial wings.[8] Yukes are powerful magic casters, but are weak

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''Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series'' physical attackers. In Crystal Chronicles, Yukes use hammers as weapons and their race-exclusive armor is helmets. Their "Defend" command in the game is possibly the most useful for Yukes, as it makes them immune to all physical and magical attacks. Yukes can use the "magic needle" ability in Rings and equip spell books as done in Echoes. Prior to the events of Crystal Bearers, the Yukes were seemingly driven into extinction after their crystal was destroyed.

Music Crystal Chronicles, Ring of Fates, and Echoes of Time have had released soundtrack albums to date, and Crystal Chronicles and Ring of Fates each have an associated single. Kumi Tanioka is the main composer for the series, having composed the three released soundtracks. Hidenori Iwasaki is filling that role for The Crystal Bearers, while the composers have not been announced for the other unreleased titles. Nobuo Uematsu, the main composer for the regular Final Fantasy series, contributed one track to the Ring of Fates soundtrack. Yae and Donna Burke sang the Japanese and English versions of the theme song for Crystal Chronicles, respectively, while Aiko sang the theme song for Ring of Fates. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Original Soundtrack was released by Pony Canyon in 2003, as was its single, "Kaze no Ne", and a promotional album Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles - A Musical Journey. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates Original Soundtrack and the double A-side "Hoshi no Nai Sekai"/"Yokogao" were released by Pony Canyon in 2007. The latest release is that of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time Original Soundtrack by Square Enix in 2009. All the albums and the singles received generally positive reviews, although the Crystal Chronicles album was the most universally appreciated of the three soundtracks. Unlike the soundtracks to the numbered Final Fantasy games, no songs from the Crystal Chronicles soundtracks have appeared in any compilation albums produced by Square Enix or any official Final Fantasy concerts. "Morning Sky", the opening theme for Crystal Chronicles, was played in the first Games in Concert performance in Utrecht, Netherlands on November 26, 2006.

Reception The Crystal Chronicles series has received positive reviews, the reviewers like the multiplayer action, graphics, and the music of the games. What the reviewers generally dislike is the single player modes and the lack of a good story to most of the games. Sales for the Crystal Chronicles games have been very good.

External links • Official developers' blog [9] • Official developers' blog [10] (Japanese) • Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (Series) [11] at the Final Fantasy Wiki (Wikia)

References [1] Daujam, Mathieu (2004). "Secrets - Scenario - The Myth of the Original Land". Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Official Guide. piggyback interactive. p. 136. ISBN 1-903511-58-5. "A few years after their departure, the Tipa caravanners start hearing tales of the world as it was in the days before miasma. Sometimes presented as legend, sometimes as a fairy tale, the main thrust of the tales remains the same. Whether mentioned by Stiltzkin or later by Mio, whether appearing as part of the annual Diary summary, or in the books hidden in Moschet Manor, the tales all point to the same conclusion." [2] Daujam, Mathieu (2004). "Secrets - Scenario - The Myth of the Original Land". Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Official Guide. piggyback interactive. p. 136. ISBN 1-903511-58-5. "Originally, the entire planet was bathed in the blessed aura of a great crystal that stood in the spot now occupied by Mount Vellenge. Touchstone of the Becoming, and keeper of all forms of Duration, the destiny of all humankind converged in this crystal. The role of the crystal at that time was simple: it protected the people with its glow. It was by the grace of memory that mankind could be inscribed in Duration while evolving in a natural state of Becoming."

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[3] "FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Ring of Fates PAL Street Date Announcement" (http:/ / www. mcvuk. com/ press-releases/ 34437/ FINAL-FANTASY-CRYSTAL-CHRONICLES-Ring-of-Fates-PAL-Street-Date-Announcement). January 18, 2008. . Retrieved March 10, 2008. [4] Daujam, Mathieu (2004). "Secrets - Scenario - The Myth of the Original Land". Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Official Guide. piggyback interactive. p.Â 136. ISBNÂ 1-903511-58-5. "With no miasma to tarnish it, the crystal shined brightly, a beacon for everyone who wanted to live in peace. Strengthened by such confidence and animated by such harmony, men and women were able to experience life in the fullest sense of the word. They were free to travel the world, explore new horizons, have unexpected encounters... and therefore create numerous precious memories. These memories, whether happy or painful, revealed the richness of human existence. They would spontaneously purify the crystal and ensure its perpetual renewal..." [5] "A gentle people that value harmony above all. Many of Tipa's residents belong to this tribe of unity and friendship. They are gentle by nature and dislike conflict. When disputes arise, they do whatever they can to resolve them. It is said that tranquility follows them wherever they go." Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles instruction booklet, The Game Designers Studio, Inc (2003/4). [6] "Little warriors [that] have lived all over the world since ancient times. Long ago, they ruled the world, and many still believe themselves to be superior to others. Though they can be hotheaded, they are also confident and down-to-earth. Liltian merchants are some of the best around." Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles instruction booklet, The Game Designers Studio, Inc (2003/4). [7] "Rugged individuals [that] clothe themselves in fur decorated with stolen goods. Unlike other tribes, they believe in putting themselves first. Many Selkies are agile and athletic, traits they put to good use as thieves Though the other tribes tend to scorn them, some Selkies now reside in Clavatian villages." Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles instruction booklet, The Game Designers Studio, Inc (2003/4). [8] "Mysterious tribe of great lore and wisdom. Many of these sages live quietly in Shella. In the ancient wars, they were able to resist the invading Liltian armies thanks to their magical prowess. Now they spend their days, teaching magic to others. Some say that Yukes assumed their current form to augment their magical talents." Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles instruction booklet, The Game Designers Studio, Inc (2003/4). [9] http:/ / na. square-enix. com/ ffccnews/ [10] http:/ / www. ffccnews. jp/ [11] http:/ / finalfantasy. wikia. com/ wiki/ Final_Fantasy_Crystal_Chronicles_(Series)

''Final Fantasy: Dissidia'' Dissidia: Final Fantasy

Reversible cover of the NA/EU/AUS version of Dissidia: Final Fantasy Developer(s)

Square Enix

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Artist(s)

Tetsuya Nomura Yoshitaka Amano

Writer(s)

Daisuke Watanabe Harunori Sakemi

Composer(s)

Takeharu Ishimoto

Series

Final Fantasy

Platform(s)

PlayStation Portable

''Final Fantasy: Dissidia''

334 Release date(s)

December 18, 2008 [1] August 25, 2009 [2] EU September 4, 2009 [3] AUS September 3, 2009 NA

Genre(s)

Action role-playing game Fighting game

Mode(s)

Single-player, two-player

Rating(s)

CERO: C ESRB: T OFLC: PG PEGI: 12

Media

UMD, Download

Dissidia: Final Fantasy (ディシディアファイナルファンタジー Dishidia Fainaru Fantajī) is an action RPG/fighting game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable as part of the campaign of the Final Fantasy series 20th anniversary. Information on the game was first released during the "Square Enix Party" event of May 2008. The game features characters from different Final Fantasy games and centers around a great conflict between the heroes and villains, as the god of discord, Chaos, tries to wrest control of their worlds from the forces of good. It was released in Japan on December 18, 2008, in North America on August 25, 2009, in Australia on September 3, 2009 and in Europe on September 4, 2009. It was then re-released as an international version in Japan, based on the North American port, as Dissidia Final Fantasy: Universal Tuning, on November 1, 2009.[4] Dissidia was well-received commercially and critically, with positive reviews and sales of over 1 million copies worldwide.

Gameplay Dissidia: Final Fantasy's genre has been described as "dramatic progressive action" and its graphics are in three dimensions. It has wireless one-on-one multiplayer and fights revolving around the use of individual special skills of characters to do damage to opponents. Players can also customize their characters with equipment.[5] Character movement is fully functional within the three-dimensional field map. Characters are able to perform special maneuvers using the An early screenshot of the Warrior of Light environment by pressing the Triangle button, similar in function to the fighting Garland. Reaction Command feature of Kingdom Hearts II. Traps with a variety of ill effects can be found throughout the arena. Similar to many fighting games, the aim is for the player to reduce their opponent's HP to zero. A character's offensive (and, to a lesser extent, defensive) power is shown in numerical form called BRV or "Bravery Points". Both characters start out with a set amount of BRV, and each must steal BRV from their opponent by attacking them with the basic "BRV attack" to add it to their own total and gain the upper hand. Players can then use the "HP attack" to cause direct damage to their opponent; HP damage is equal to the player's current amount of Bravery. However, once an HP attack is used, the character's own BRV is reduced to 0 and then slowly recovers to its starting amount. A character whose BRV total has been depleted (past 0 BRV and into the negatives) is forced into "Break mode", where, aside from not being able to cause HP and BRV damage (But being able to gain BRV), all attacks made against them cause critical damage and the opponent gets all of the BRV in the "Bravery Pool" (a number that can be seen at the bottom of the screen), massively boosting their BRV amount.

''Final Fantasy: Dissidia'' One main feature of the combat system is the "EX Gauge", which can be filled in a variety of ways, such as inflicting damage on opponents, taking damage from opponents, and obtaining EX cores scattered around the field of play. Once the EX Gauge is filled, the character can enter their "EX Mode", significantly increasing their power and enabling new attacks, including the "EX Burst", an unavoidable and very damaging special attack similar to the Limit Break mechanic seen in many games in the series. The player on the offense charges up the attack by following the on-screen instructions, while the player on the defense can reduce the amount of damage taken by continuously pressing the circle button. Once the EX Burst is executed, EX Mode ends. For the characters from the games that had a Limit Break system, their EX Bursts are based on their most powerful attacks (such as Cloud's Omnislash); for the other characters hailing from the games that did not have a Limit Break system, their EX Burst is more original. In a gameplay mode exclusive to Western releases, the Arcade mode converts the game in a traditional fighting game, with all RPG elements removed and characters' abilities being stripped down to the basics to balance the playing field. Within the Arcade Mode, there are three tiers: Normal, Hard, and Time Attack; beating any tier of the Arcade mode will reward the player with PP (player points) and special items that can be used in story mode. All characters, including villains, are playable in Arcade mode; for example, Golbez, Sephiroth, Kuja, and Jecht are available for use in this mode from the start, but they still need to be bought via the PP Catalog for use in other modes.[6]

Plot The story revolves around two gods: Cosmos, the goddess of harmony, and Chaos, the god of discord. Creating a world from pieces of other worlds, they have been locked in eternal conflict, summoning several warriors to battle in a never-ending cycle of death and rebirth until the balance tipped in favor of Chaos. As the war seems to be nearing its end, the ten warriors of Cosmos band together to strike back at Chaos's minions and restore harmony.[7] Cosmos gives the ten warriors the task of retrieving the ten crystals that will help them defeat Chaos. They each set out on a journey called a "Destiny Odyssey," where their respective stories are told and interlink with one another. During their "Destiny Odysseys," the heroes encounter their personal villains, defeating them through epiphanies about themselves that help them obtain their crystals. Following the "Destiny Odysseys" is the "Shade Impulse," where all ten warriors are in possession of their crystals, but arrive too late to save Cosmos, who is apparently killed by Chaos. The heroes begin to fade away, but are saved by the power of the crystals, allowing the heroes to use what time they have left to strike back against the villains and defeat Chaos once and for all. In the end, the warriors return to their respective worlds, allowing harmony to reign under Cosmos, who somehow survived Chaos's attack and has a new-found sense of faith in the future as there is still conflict in the world.

Characters The game unites both protagonists and antagonists from installments of the main Final Fantasy series, their stories narrated by the first Final Fantasy game's Cid of the Lufaine (voiced by Bunta Sugawara in the Japanese version, and Rodger Parsons in the English version). Other than the gods and their champions, the player also deals with crystal-like dopplegangers called Manikins. The game has an overarching storyline that requires playing through all of the characters to complete. The game contains twenty-two total playable characters: eleven heroes and eleven villains, one of each representing Final Fantasy through Final Fantasy X, and two secret characters: a heroine representing Final Fantasy XI, and a villain representing Final Fantasy XII. Initially, only the ten main heroes will be playable in all gameplay modes; the ten main villains are playable in Arcade mode, but must still be unlocked for access in all other gameplay modes. All characters' lip movements are in-sync with spoken dialogue in both Japanese and English. Interestingly, in all Western releases of the game, no matter what language the game text may be in, the audio is always in English, with subtitles in the player's native language; there are no voices in any other language.

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''Final Fantasy: Dissidia''

336

Characters' equipment can be customized, and they can gain EXP and gil from battles.[8] Many of the characters can transform into different forms, mostly as part of their EX Modes. For example, Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII transforms into his One-Winged Angel form as seen in Final Fantasy VII Advent Children when entering EX Mode, where as Cecil from Final Fantasy IV can switch between his Dark Knight and Paladin forms at any time.[9] All characters have an alternate costume; examples include a design for the Onion Knight that makes him resemble Luneth from the Nintendo DS version of Final Fantasy III,[10] Terra with her original green hair as she appeared in her original game, Cloud in his Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children outfit and Squall's SeeD uniform as seen in Final Fantasy VIII.[11] Summons are accessible using Summon Stones. There are forty different summons, each with a different effect on Bravery Points.[12] Hero

Manikin

Original game

Japanese Voice actor

English Voice actor

Warrior of Light False Hero

Final Fantasy

Toshihiko Seki

Grant George

Firion

Imitation Liegeman

Final Fantasy II

Hikaru Midorikawa

Johnny Yong Bosch

Onion Knight

Counterfeit Youth

Final Fantasy III

Jun Fukuyama

Aaron Spann

Cecil Harvey

Delusory Knight

Final Fantasy IV

Shizuma Hodoshima

Yuri Lowenthal

Bartz Klauser

Fallacious Wanderer Final Fantasy V

Sōichirō Hoshi

Jason Spisak

Terra Branford

Phantasmal Girl

Final Fantasy VI

Yukari Fukui

Natalie Lander

Cloud Strife

Imaginary Soldier

Final Fantasy VII

Takahiro Sakurai

Steve Burton

Squall Leonheart

Transient Lion

Final Fantasy VIII

Hideo Ishikawa

Doug Erholtz

Zidane Tribal

Capricious Thief

Final Fantasy IX

Romi Park

Bryce Papenbrook

Tidus

Ephemeral Vision

Final Fantasy X

Masakazu Morita

James Arnold Taylor

Shantotto

Lady of Antiquity

Final Fantasy XI

Megumi Hayashibara

Candi Milo

Cosmos

Villain

Dissidia: Final Fantasy Sumi Shimamoto

Manikin

Original game

Japanese Voice actor

Kathleen McInerney

English Voice actor

Garland

False Stalwart

Final Fantasy

Kenji Utsumi

Christopher Sabat

The Emperor

Imitation Despot

Final Fantasy II

Kenyu Horiuchi

Christopher Corey Smith

Cloud of Darkness Counterfeit Wraith

Final Fantasy III

Masako Ikeda

Laura Bailey

Golbez

Delusory Warlock

Final Fantasy IV

Takeshi Kaga

Peter Beckman

Exdeath

Fallacious Tree

Final Fantasy V

Tarō Ishida

Gerald C. Rivers

Kefka Palazzo

Phantasmal Harlequin Final Fantasy VI

Shigeru Chiba

Dave Wittenberg

Sephiroth

Imaginary Champion

Final Fantasy VII

Toshiyuki Morikawa

George Newbern

Ultimecia

Transient Witch

Final Fantasy VIII Atsuko Tanaka

Tasia Valenza

Kuja

Capricious Reaper

Final Fantasy IX

Akira Ishida

JD Cullum

Jecht

Ephemeral Phantom

Final Fantasy X

Masuo Amada

Gregg Berger

Gabranth

Warrior of Antiquity

Final Fantasy XII

Akio Ohtsuka

Keith Ferguson

Final Fantasy

Norio Wakamoto

Keith David

Chaos

''Final Fantasy: Dissidia''

Development On April 6, 2007, Square Enix filed for United States trademark registration of "DISSIDIA"; the mark's relation to Final Fantasy was omitted.[13] [14] Some sites speculated this was an edition of Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII.[15] [16] The title was connected with Final Fantasy when Square Enix introduced Dissidia: Final Fantasy on May 8, 2007 with an official Japanese website. The game was produced by Yoshinori Kitase and directed by Yousuke Shiokawa[17] and features music by Takeharu Ishimoto. Takeshi Nozue being the movie director.[18] Tetsuya Nomura is responsible for the character designs, which change much of the look and style of Yoshitaka Amano's illustrations.[19] [20] Nomura comments to the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu that Tidus is designed to look younger than he was in Final Fantasy X to "match the design touch of the rest of the Dissidia" cast.[21] Jecht was chosen instead of Seymour to be the villain representing Final Fantasy X because Seymour has little in-game interaction with Tidus, whereas Jecht, as Tidus' father, would prove much more suitable. On May 8, for its western localization, director Takeshi Arakawa and producer Yoshinori Kitase announced that the release date for the Western world would be August 25, 2009 (starting in North America), and that it will include a number of tweaks, including re-adjustments in gameplay, new gameplay events, an arcade gameplay mode, a shortened tutorial, new moves for playable characters, and extra cutscenes featuring cameos from several other characters from the main characters' original games that do not appear in the Japanese version.[22] On May 14, SCEA announced a Dissidia: Final Fantasy-themed PSP bundle. This includes a "Mystic Silver" PSP system, a copy of Dissidia: Final Fantasy, a 2GB memory stick, and a copy of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. It was also released on August 25, 2009.[23] For the Dissidia: Final Fantasy US release, Gamestop released the game with two additional covers for anyone who reserved it before it came out.[24] On August 24, 2009, it was announced that there will be an international version of the game. Named Dissidia Final Fantasy: Universal Tuning, this revision of the game will be a direct port of the North American version of the game, retaining all the extra features added, and was released in Japan on November 1, 2009. Both English and Japanese voices are available in battle, with the player deciding which language the characters will speak.[4]

Audio The Dissidia: Final Fantasy Original Soundtrack was released on December 24, 2008,[25] and is available in both regular and special editions, similar to the game itself. The main theme of the game is "The Messenger" by Your Favorite Enemies. In one interview with the developers, it was stated that the game contains twice the amount of dialogue featured in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.[8] The tracks "Cosmos" and "Chaos - Last Battle 1" are also performed by Your Favorite Enemies. "The Messenger" is the main theme song of the game, with lyrics from both "Cosmos" and "Chaos - Last Battle 1." "Cosmos" features female vocals, while "Chaos" is dominated by male vocals. In YFE's documentary on the conception of the songs for Dissidia, lyricist and vocalist Alex Foster admitted that the lyrics have Dissidia Final Fantasy sampler no direct connection to themes of the game; rather, he left it up to the listeners to interpret the lyrics based on their own thoughts and ideas.[26] Other tracks are often remixes done by Ishimoto of past Final Fantasy music originally composed by Nobuo Uematsu.

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For the North American release of Dissidia Final Fantasy, Amazon.com offered a 10-track soundtrack sampler disc with pre-orders.

Tracklist Disc 1 No. Title

Japanese title

Length

1. ""DISSIDIA -opening-" from DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY"

「DISSIDIA -opening-」from DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY