Final Fantasy

About Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy launched on December 18, 1987 as the very first entry in Square's legendary franchise. Players control four Warriors of Light tasked with restoring light to darkened elemental orbs by defeating four Elemental Fiends. This classic role-playing adventure originally hit the Family Computer and Nintendo Entertainment System before appearing on modern platforms like Wii U, Wii, and 3DS. You create your squad, choose classes, and name each hero before stepping into a world of towns, dungeons, and a connecting overworld map. It set the standard for turn-based combat and character progression that defined the genre for decades to come.

Gameplay

Sessions begin with class selection and party naming, followed by exploration across a grid-based world map and distinct dungeon floors. You move your four characters through towns to buy gear or save progress, then trigger random encounters on the world map. Combat is strictly turn-based where you select commands like Attack, Magic, Item, or Defend for each warrior against monsters and bosses. The party gains experience points and levels up, allowing them to learn new abilities or improve stats. Battles feel methodical rather than frantic, requiring you to manage health pools and magic resources carefully while navigating linear story paths to reach the final Elemental Fiend.

What Players Think

The PlayPile community views this title with deep respect despite its age. IGDB lists a score of 73.1 out of 100 based on 253 user ratings. Completion rates show most players finish the main quest, though average playtime hovers around 18 hours for a first run. Community moods lean toward nostalgic and appreciative, with many users citing it as a foundational experience. Review snippets frequently mention the charm of the sprite work and the simplicity of the combat system compared to modern titles. Some players note the game feels short by today's standards but praise its tight pacing and memorable soundtrack that remains popular years later.

PlayPile's Take

This game is for anyone wanting to understand RPG history or those who prefer slow-paced strategic battles over action-heavy gameplay. At $8.99 on Green Man Gaming, it is an affordable entry point into the series despite lacking the complex systems of modern titles. You will earn roughly 12 achievements by completing dungeons and defeating bosses. Do not expect open-world freedom or deep narrative twists typical of recent entries. The combat can feel repetitive if you dislike turn-based systems, but the story remains coherent and the world design holds up well today.

Storyline

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.