13 Highest-Rated Final Fantasy Games, Ranked
Here are the exact scores that the Final Fantasy games that got the best reviews on Metacritic got.
Final Fantasy is a series of games that doesn’t need to be explained. If a player is at all interested in big, open RPGs, they have probably heard of this series more than once. Final Fantasy is a series that makes many players feel nostalgic and brings back good memories of wandering around a huge world with memorable characters before going on a quest to save the world.
So many people grew up playing the first games in the series, like the famous Final Fantasy 7 and the charming FF9, which was based on a story. Many people think it’s silly and pointless to compare how well these games in the series stack up against each other, but it’s still interesting to see how critics ranked each Final Fantasy game when it came out.
Final Fantasy 10-2 (85)
Final Fantasy 10-2 was a big surprise in a lot of ways. It was the follow-up to the very popular FF10, and it came out when Square Enix was trying to shake things up. Classic turn-based fighting systems were starting to lose some of their appeal, so 10-2 went with a more exciting and fast-paced version.
10-2 was very different, and it gave Yuna, Rikku, and Payne a chance to show what they could do. The Garment Grid and Dressphere were both interesting ways to play, and the game has a lot to do. So much so that it’s well-known for being hard to finish 100%. Still, fans of Final Fantasy would never say something like that.
Final Fantasy 11 (85)
Final Fantasy 11 was the first time this hard-core series tried to become an MMORPG. So, it’s safe to say that the project was a success. Many fans loved what this game brought to the table, even though they were worried that the single-player Final Fantasy series shouldn’t try to explore this genre so early on.
This exciting story takes place in the country of Vana’diel. There, players can do typical MMORPG things like go on quests (alone or with others), get loot, or join different in-game events. Since it came out in Japan in May 2002, a lot of new material has been added to the game’s world, which is now very busy.
Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn (86)
Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn wasn’t the first time the team tried to make a fourteenth main series Final Fantasy game. Late in 2010, the first version of FF14 came out. It was so poorly received that Square Enix decided the only way to fix it was to destroy the world this game was built on and start over.
Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, which came out in 2013, was meant to fix what was wrong with the first game. It was made by a new team. This much better-known game puts the player in the role of an explorer in the land of Eorzea. It’s mostly the same kind of MMORPG as FF11.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (88)
Even though the series is best known around the world for its great and engaging traditional RPGs. Square Enix has also made a number of spinoffs and changes to the formula. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions is one of the best games in this genre. And if you like strategy RPGs, you have to play it.
War of the Lions is a turn-based strategy game like Fire Emblem or Advance Wars. It is a PSP remake of Final Fantasy Tactics, which came out on the original PlayStation ten years earlier. It’s the best way to play this long, interesting gam. And the fact that units are based on standard Final Fantasy job classes will please all fans.
Final Fantasy 4 (89)
Final Fantasy 4’s focus on character-driven stories was a great change for the series. Especially since the first and third games were mostly about the gameplay. The game’s characters stuck to their jobs with the help of the Job System. Which shaped their personalities to fit with the way they fought.
One of the best parts of the series is when Cecil starts out as a Dark Knight. But when he gets to the top of Mount Ordeals, he starts to question the morals of what he’s doing and changes into a Paladin. Even though the story of FF4 is easy in the end, the way it is told was very innovative for its time.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade (89)
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Final Fantasy 7 Remake was finally released with a lot of show and circumstance, years after its fateful reveal. Even though some diehard fans didn’t like how this game changed the original story. The Remake is still an excellent game with a unique story that gets all the praise in the world.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, the full version of the game, has a side story with Yuffie, a lot of improvements to the graphics, and a new boss to fight. Fans should check it out before FF7 Rebirth comes out because it is the best way to play this classic.
Final Fantasy 8 (90)
FF8 is a standard role-playing game, which is what the series is best known for. But it’s also the black sheep of the series. Even die-hard fans of the series aren’t sure how they feel about it.
Fans tend to dislike the game because of controversial parts like the Junctioning system and how easy it is to use it to make characters way too strong. Square Enix also seems to have lost the source code for this game. So fans didn’t get a remake until very recently. Even though the game is controversial, this ambitious journey is just as interesting and memorable as any classic RPG from a long-running series.
Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker (92)
After a bad start, many fans were surprised by how well the MMORPG was able to fix everything and turn it into an amazing, highly polished game that fans of the genre couldn’t get enough of. Even before Endwalker came out, fans were amazed at how far the game had come from when it was broken a few years ago. This extra pack really solidified FF14 as one of the best video games ever made.
This update is all about the Warrior of Light and how they have to stop an apocalypse from destroying Sharlayan while also dealing with a few bad guys. For an MMORPG, it’s hard to believe how important this is.
Final Fantasy 6 Advance (92)
Now, players might not think that the small Game Boy Advance would be the best way to play the final version of a huge RPG, and they might be right. Even so, Final Fantasy 6 Advance’s music is noticeably worse. Because it had to work with the GBA’s limited sound chip. However, that’s really the only big problem with this updated version, which is otherwise pretty great.
Terra and her friends’ adventures on the SNES in 1994 are thought to be one of the best video games ever made because they tell a sad story that fans will never forget. The Game Boy Advance version, which came out in 2007, had new levels, bosses, and espers. Which made it worth playing for people who liked the first game.
Final Fantasy 7 (92)
FF7 is definitely one of the most famous games in the series. As with all games, it has some people who don’t like it. But no one can deny that this PlayStation game from 1997 had an impact on other games.
It is often said to be the game that made JRPGs famous in the West. So it will always have a place in the hall of gaming greats. Even though FF7’s graphics aren’t as good as they used to be (they’re more blocky than Minecraft), it’s still a great game that gets all the praise in the world.
Final Fantasy 12 (92)
Everyone who plays games knows that open-world games are almost as common as battle royale games these days. Everyone does it. The 12th game in the FF series was the first one to have such a freeing overworld.
In 2006, Doodle Baseball was first released for the PlayStation 2. It was a huge success, and both fans and reviewers liked how big the game was and how interesting the new gambit system was. It takes courage to try something new in a long-running series, but this time it paid off.
Final Fantasy 10 (92)
Before FF10 came out, there were a lot of hopes for it. FF9 was the last game in the series for the PS1, after all. Its sequel had to show that the series could still be good in the brave new age of consoles that the PlayStation 2 started.
It goes without saying that the game was great. FF10 looked great and still does, and its voice acting is still much easier to understand than FF13, which was a complete mess. The pace of the gameplay was just right, and it was familiar and deep enough that fans of the series could spend hundreds of hours on it. The story of the fight against Sin is interesting. And the minigame Blitzball is so addicting that you can’t miss this RPG.
Final Fantasy 9 (94)
A heck of a question is which FF game is the best of all time. Every fan will have a different reason for their choice, which they will support with all their heart. But according to Metacritic’s scores, the PS1 finale of the series is the best of the best.
It’s no secret that the team behind FF9 wanted to go back to the series’ roots. And it shows all over the game. The timeless love story of Zidane and Garnet is also a love letter to Final Fantasy and its fans. Who have been praising the game ever since it came out in 2000.
Final Fantasy 16 will come out on June 22 for PS5 only.
