Recurring elements in the Final Fantasy series
The Final Fantasy series features recurring thematic elements, including magical crystals and creatures such as the Chocobo and Moogle which have appeared in multiple roles.
Some settings and specific themes have been used in multiple installments and subseries, including the fictional world of Ivalice, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and the Fabula Nova Crystallis mythos.
These various elements have been positively received by critics over the series' lifetime, contributing to its overall worldwide success, with the gameplay and narratives frequently cited as setting a standard for RPGs.
[5] Final Fantasy series consists of multiple games that, while generally having separate settings and narratives, share common themes and motifs in their worlds and plots.
The first Final Fantasy writer was Kenji Terada, who was asked on board the project by staff who were fans of his work in anime.
[10] When Final Fantasy IV (1991) was pushed forward onto the next generation of game hardware, Terada's planned scenario was scrapped by the management and he parted with Square on poor terms.
[34] The first game to receive a direct sequel was Final Fantasy X; X-2 is set in the same fictional world of Spira while using a lighter tone than its predecessor.
[35][36] Final Fantasy XIII was also intended to be a standalone game, and was later expanded into the series' first official trilogy with the development of XIII-2 (2011) and Lightning Returns (2013).
[37] Final Fantasy XV was expanded into a multimedia series to avoid creating a video game series; named the Final Fantasy XV Universe, it is split between pre-release media including a feature film and original net animation, and post-release content including other spin-off games and downloadable content.
[49] 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.
Other recurring situations that drive the plot include amnesia, a hero corrupted by an evil force, mistaken identity, and self-sacrifice.
In-game items such as weapons follow this tradition: the two most notable are Excalibur and Masamune, derived respectively from the Arthurian sword and legendary Japanese swordsmith.
[7][8][54] A recurring concept within Final Fantasy settings is the use of important magical crystals; in early games, they represented the Japanese classical elements and were instrumental in keeping the world in balance.
[32] For Final Fantasy XVI, crystals were included as the equivalent to limited fuel sources, with their fading power triggering the plot's events.
Such magical technology is often used as a metaphor for overreaching, evil ambition, breaking the rules of the world, and stealing its energy no matter the cost.
[54][66] A second recurring race are the Moogles, whose Japanese name is Mōguri, a portmanteau of the words mogura (mole) and kōmori (bat); while frequently seen running shops or assuming some other background role, they have also appeared as party allies or playable characters.
[74] Cid was originally created as a character that would appear in multiple forms: his one common attribute was that he was an intelligent and wise figure "like Yoda from the Star Wars series".
[54] For Final Fantasy XV, a car dubbed "Regalia" was introduced as both a ground-based transport and later as a vehicle that could be converted to function as an airship.
[7][8][80] Final Fantasy XI, XIV, and its sequel A Realm Reborn used real-time command-based combat systems and removed random encounters, playing in a similar fashion to other contemporary MMORPGs.
[92][93] Final Fantasy XIII-2 continued using the Paradigm system with added gameplay functions based on criticism of the first game,[94] while Lightning Returns changed to a more action-based, single-character version that incorporated design elements cut from XIII.
[83] The Job Change system was initially proposed by Sakaguchi as he wanted to give players freedom to customize the party members.
[54][61][105] The artwork and character designs of the first Final Fantasy were created by Yoshitaka Amano, a noted artist who had worked with Tatsunoko Production on multiple anime series including Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, and also did illustrations for Vampire Hunter D.[107] Amano was brought on board the first Final Fantasy as general artwork designer, filling that role for II and III.
[111] As of Final Fantasy XV, Amano's artwork has been created fairly early in a game's development based on the basic themes.
[114][115] His greater involvement was also due to scheduling conflicts with Amano's overseas trips to open exhibitions in Europe and North America.
[20][117] Nomura returned for Final Fantasy X, designing the main cast and creating a setting influenced by the South Pacific, Thailand, and Japan.
[23][125][130][131][132] Naora had a presence within the series since Final Fantasy VII, for which he designed the kanji logo for the antagonistic Shinra Corporation.
[109] A notable outside collaborator was Hiromu Takahara, lead designer for Japanese fashion house Roen, who created the clothing for the main cast of Final Fantasy XV.
[119][146] 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.
[150][151] By contrast, IGN has commented that the menu system used by the games is a major detractor for many and is a "significant reason why they haven't touched the series".
[158] Kawazu would develop the concepts he created for Final Fantasy II into its own series, titled SaGa, and other franchises including The Elder Scrolls would adopt its usage-based skill systems.
