Final Fantasyis legendary in the world of turn-based RPGs. That’s not to say it’s always been smooth sailing, however. Several entries put some new twist on the normal gameplay, and certain shifts have garnered better reception than others.
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Many mechanics have divided or outright alienated fans. They tweak the formula a little too much, leading to cumbersome gameplay and/or undermining the solid systems already in place. Again, though, the franchise’s pattern means these mechanics are usually gone by the time the next game rolls around. In that way,Final Fantasy’s inability to settle is both a blessing and a curse.
5Proficiency
The series' second entry attempts to expand on the role-playing aspect, but it takes one step forward and two steps back. InFinal Fantasy 2,item efficacy hinges on how proficient the characters are. If they use a specific weapon type enough, then they deal more damage with that type. On paper, this is a great method of growth. It’s akin to similar systems likeKingdom Come: Deliverance, where the hero grows according to the player’s tendencies. Further, it helps each character feel distinct. Sadly, its application here is imperfect.
Leveling up proficiency works the same for all weapons. This includes magic items like sorcery rods. Players improve these by hitting enemies with them. This is not their intended function, so forcing it for the sake of leveling up is utterly contrived. This problem doesn’t just plague weapons, of course.
Proficiency extends to everything, from spells to stats. In many cases,leveling them up runs counter to how any logical person would play. Repeatedly using magic eats up characters' MP, making them ill-equipped for this kind of grinding. It’s even more nonsensical for HP. To level this up, the heroes must rack up damage points. The game calculates these at the end of every battle, so healing during the fight negates any progress in that respect.
These issues all underline the common problem: repetition. Grinding is fairly common in RPGs, but many of this game’s tools conflict with each other. As a result, players have to tackle them one at a time. What’s more is that it takes countless uses to become proficient, which means hours seeing to every solitary facet of progression. Sometimes, streamlining and automation aren’t so bad.
4Drawing Magic
Mostmagic systemssimply let players use whatever spells they’ve learned, andFinal Fantasylargely follows that line of thinking. As long as the characters know a spell and have enough MP, they can cast it. However, that’s not howFinal Fantasy 8does things.
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Here, the heroes derive magic entirely from enemies. Players must draw specific spells from their opponents. They then use that spell a certain number of times before having to draw it again. If they don’t want tougher enemies wailing on them during story battles, then they must farm spells from weaker enemies beforehand or refine them from items. Yes, it’s as repetitive as it sounds.
Stocking up on spells for every character is an annoying process. Fans are then loath to use those spells for fear of running out. The whole exercise takes the joy out of magic. Limiting it in this way is frustrating in itself andneedless in the series' greater context.
3Gambit System
For the franchise’s first foray into real-time combat,Final Fantasy 12opts for an unconventional approach. Players determine the party’s tactics before the battle even starts. Each character comes with several Gambit slots. Fans fill these slots with conditions and commands. For instance, if an ally is poisoned, then the selected character should cast a curative spell. Soon, the whole team is operating in tandem, acing every encounter with little outside input.
Suffice it to say, it’s a radical departure from the series' turn-based roots. On one hand, it invites the same strategy within the planning process.Seeing carefully-laid tactics in action without killing the momentum is immensely satisfying. On the other, it bogs the game down in micromanagement.FF12strengthens that sense by forcing fans to buy conditions and commands from designated stores. It feels like they’re jumping through more hoops than necessary just to dispatch a few enemies.Square Enixultimately achieved a much better balance between real-time and turn-based battles withFinal Fantasy 7 Remake: lessening the micromanagement, adding hack-and-slash elements, and letting fans pause to adjust their tactics.
2Auto-Battle
Behold the Gambit System without the strategy.Final Fantasy 13attempts to evolve the old gameplay style, but its method of doing so is to take control away from the player. Allies act of their own accord in combat; fans simply offer vague suggestions by switching job formations (or “paradigms”). The only fighter they directly command is the party leader, but even that’s not recommended.
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Rather than fumbling in menus and taking hits, the more viable strategy is to Auto-Battle. This is exactly what it sounds like. It lets the computer determine the best option. If characters know an enemy’s weakness, then they automatically select the best moves to exploit it. If party members are low on health, then they cast healing magic. The game is essentially playing itself, robbing fans of any agency. Combined with the rest of the mind-numbing linearity, this makesFF13a boring slog that even hardcore devotees can’t defend.
1Card Games
Long beforeThe Witcher 3introduced Gwent,Final Fantasytried its hand atcard battle minigames. The results came in two forms: Triple Triad inFF8and Tetra Master inFF9. Both involve placing monster-themed cards on a board. The number values on each side determine the card’s strength and whether it trumps any others nearby. These pastimes take their respective worlds by storm. Everyone is willing to match their decks against the player’s.
Despite this trend’s popularity, though, fans can have more fun by ignoring it. Both games are monotonous chores that sap the energy of both the setting and the players. It takes forever to accumulate any worthwhile deck, and opponents always seem to have better cards. Worse, the losers forfeit some of their decks, meaning these “friendly games” always carry crippling risks. In addition, the rules sometimes change depending on the time or region. These conditions would drive most players away.
Unfortunately,Final Fantasy 9doesn’t let them off the hook. At one point, the story requires them to win three successive matches. Such a random obligation is counterintuitive to the whole idea of a side activity. Tetra Master and, by extension, Triple Triad should remain as the distractions that they are.
