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Final Fantasy games are typically set in high fantasy, sci-fi, or a mixture of the two in terms of settings. Some games have better world-building skills than others, which may be a bit unfair because they have spinoffs, including Final Fantasy 4. Even games with no spinoffs can have great lore, though, like Final Fantasy 16.
The following Final Fantasy games will be ranked based on how deep their lore goes and how lived-in these worlds are. Are they generic settings, or do they go above and beyond? Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy Tactics, and World of Final Fantasy are just a few examples, so let’s get to the bottom of this fantasy hole.
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Final Fantasy 13
As Above, So Below
Final Fantasy 13 was built on two worlds: one is a floating nest of civilization called Cocoon, which hangs over the less cultivated land of Gran Pulse. There are a lot of terms thrown into the game that are hard to parse since it is mostly a linear JRPG, but the two sequels did help expand the culture and lore to make things more sensible.
What started as a simple story of two worlds clashing later involved gods fighting over fate and the main character, Lightning, being thrust into a role of godhood herself. There’s time travel, alternate realities, cursed magic, and so much more. While Final Fantasy 13 is not the most beloved entry in the series, it’s hard not to applaud Square Enix for trying something different and expanding its ideas beyond the normal fantasy tropes.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
A Non-Stop Pilgrimage
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles was a spinoff action JRPG made for the GameCube, which let players create their hero and go at it alone or with three other friends. A full party was ideal because the lore explained that a miasma was poisoning the land, which is why it was important for four heroes to go on a journey to bring water to a powerful tree to quell the spreading darkness.
One player always had to carry the bucket of water to protect the party from the miasma, which was a good bit of lore to begin with. In this world, the miasma was never healed, forcing a seemingly never-ending pilgrimage to keep it at bay. Further sequels did not require the bucket, but overall, for such a small game, the team gave Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles an interesting gimmick and backstory, complete with a mix of races, too.
World Of Final Fantasy
A Celebration Of The Franchise
World of Final Fantasy was kind of like a celebration of the series right around the 30th anniversary. It featured two twins, Lann and Reynn, going into a book which contained a world inhabited by other Final Fantasy characters. Each game was represented by a hero and a small town or dungeon as if that were their entire game in one location.
Cloud from Final Fantasy 7, Bartz from Final Fantasy 5, and so on. Each kingdom has its own problems to solve with the help of the twins, who learned to control monsters by stacking them on their heads or riding them into turn-based battles. It’s a silly spinoff not meant to be taken seriously, but the idea of a magic land where all Final Fantasy games exist is a great idea for a game world.
Final Fantasy 14
To Eorzea And Beyond
Final Fantasy 14 did not start as a celebration of everything Final Fantasy, but it has certainly become one over time. Originally released in 2010, followed by a reboot in 2013, Final Fantasy 14 started on the continent of Eorzea, but with several expansions, the game is so much bigger now. Between patches, expansions, and world events, this game has pulled in a lot of lore from other games.
For example, there was a time when players could get Magitek Armor from Final Fantasy 6 or visit a different version of Ivalice from Final Fantasy Tactics. Beyond the homages, the world of Eorzea is quite extensive, from huge sweeping plains to giant mountains to bustling cities filled with diverse races and airships taking to the sky. Thanks to its size as an MMO, Final Fantasy 14 definitely gives off the vibe of a world that real-world players could imagine living in.
Final Fantasy 10
Sports And Religion
Final Fantasy 10 is different from the rest of the series as it features a tropical set of islands set in a vast ocean. Also, instead of warring kingdoms, everyone was united over one religion that forced Summoners every so often to go on pilgrimages to appease a whale-like god named Sin to stop his rampage. Instead of kingdoms, areas settled their disputes over an aquatic soccer-like game called Blitzball, and team loyalty was high.
Also, this was a world afraid of machines, as that’s how Sin originally appeared when humanity worshiped machines over gods. The sequel doesn’t expand the lore too much beyond going over what life is like after the finale, but overall, the tropical paradise of Spira in Final Fantasy 10 is a great one among all JRPGs.
Final Fantasy 9
The Definition Of Final Fantasy In The Gaming Dictionary
Final Fantasy 9 takes place on Gaia, which is an equivalent of Earth, filled with giant kingdoms and a diverse set of races. Exploring the world map feels more alive than most games in the series because airships can often be seen overhead, as that’s the major mode of transportation.
Even though the races aren’t detailed, and the kingdoms aren’t fully established, Final Fantasy 9 does a lot visually to paint a picture. It’s a full fantasy adventure that best represents the Final Fantasy series as a whole, with the only thing missing being visiting elemental crystals. It’s the small details that make the world light up, like the Moogle delivery system or explaining what a Black Mage is.
Final Fantasy Tactics
The Power Of Ivalice
Final Fantasy Tactics takes place in the land of Ivalice, far into a state where the world is in a rough shape. There are extinct races, like Moogles, once thriving floating continents now laid destroyed, abandoned mechanized robots, and so much more, all of which are uncovered through side quests. The cool thing about this game is that the universe was expanded upon to a main entry, Final Fantasy 12, which depicted the lost civilization from these side quests.
There were also two Final Fantasy Tactics sequels, although their version of Ivalice is more imaginary and confusing about how they fit into the timeline. Also, Vagrant Story, a hybrid turn-based and action JRPG, belongs in Ivalice as well. The core world of Final Fantasy Tactics is also impressive, with all of the political intrigue of warring families, but how Square Enix has expanded things is even more amazing.
Final Fantasy 7
An Expanding Universe
Final Fantasy 7, without a doubt, has the biggest solo universe within the franchise. There are spinoffs galore from games to movies to books and beyond. At its core, Final Fantasy 7 was about a group of vigilantes who wanted to save the planet from being sucked dry by an evil corporation, Shinra, or destroyed by a madman, Sephiroth, who thought it was his duty to reset civilization.
The sequels and prequels all help fill in the gaps between organizations and individual characters like Zack, an old ally of the protagonist Cloud, who got his own game via Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7. With a third remake on the way,Final Fantasy 7 is a universe far from complete, and it may never be.
