Summary
Ever since its debut in 1987 on the original NES, theFinal Fantasyfranchise has become one of the most influential and respected in the industry. One of the biggest reasons for that is its uncanny ability to create games with unique settings, all of which have featured a wonderful sense of imagination and atmosphere. These games are ranked based on their art style, themes, esthetics, and music, as these elements often blend together in Final Fantasy to create their inviting settings.
Whether it’s the cyberpunk dystopia oftheFinal Fantasy 7universe, or the traditional high fantasy ofFinal Fantasy 9, this iconic series has proven how adept it is at creating atmospheric, compelling worlds to get lost in. The eclectic mixture of different styles and tones has solidified the legacy of the series, as these huge worlds have made use of some of the most talented artists in the industry to create truly mesmerizing experiences.
After skipping the entire N64 generation due to a dispute between the two companies, Square finally returned to Nintendo hardware withFinal Fantasy: Crystal Chroniclesfor the GameCube. This delightfully charming action RPG makes use of a cartoonish art style, with sharply defined characters and a warm, inviting aesthetic that was made even better by its 2020 remaster for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation.
Crystal Chronicles’colorful, lush landscapes are a delight to look at, and it’s almost impossible not to be charmed by its music, as it uses a unique, folksy sound that feels wholly different from otherFinal Fantasysoundtracks. It is simply a joy to walk around in, as the combination of quirky characters and lovingly detailed art direction is an absolute slam dunk.
Much like the Fabula Nova Crystallis subseries, the Ivalice Alliance is a distinct side of theFinal Fantasyuniverse that uses familiar elements, but wrapped up in a unique package.Final Fantasy 12is a keypart of the Ivalice series, utilizing a fascinating art style that mixes elements of Byzantine and Middle Eastern mythology.
Its rich, highly detailed world and painted look is absolutely gorgeous, as the well-designed characters and 3D models blend seamlessly. Featuring a world rife with political turmoil and betrayal, the world ofFinal Fantasy 12effortlessly melts into an almost Shakespearean play, with a gravitas that draws one in like no other game in the franchise. It looks and feels like nothing else, as its dense worlds are easy to get lost in.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthis the second chapter in Square-Enix’s quest to remake the PS1 classic,launching as a PS5 exclusivein 2024 and proving just how far this team has come since the first chapter in 2020. Maximizing the power of the PS5,Rebirth’sphoto-realistic world and massive scope is something to behold, as it chronicles the party’s journey from the dangerous outskirts of Midgar to the tragic fate that awaits them at the Forgotten Capital.
The atmosphere ofRebirthand its world is one word, dread. Its somber, muted colors work in tandem with its remarkable music score, as the expansive open world of Gaia flows in wonderfully natural ways. Wandering through its vast, dangerous fields towards a confrontation with Sephiroth balances out the rest of the game, which relies on a mixture of melodrama and slapstick, which theFF7universe has consistently used as a way to showcase its seemingly doomed world.
Making the jump from PS1 to PS2, theFinal Fantasyfranchise was looking to expand beyond the limitations of previous hardware. And in doing so, it created what is still one of the most atmospheric, tantalizing RPG worlds of all time withFinal Fantasy 10.
Drawing from Polynesian and Okinawan mythology and geography,Final Fantasy 10is still one of the most visually distinct games in the franchise. Its colorful world, warm musical score, and stunning art direction are all wonderfully vibrant. Wandering through Spira with tracks like “Besaid Island” or"Thunder Plains"creates a sense of imagination and wonder, one that feels unlike any other entry in the franchise.
Seeking to recapture that old familiar feeling, Square positionedFinal Fantasy 9as a nostalgictrip to the past, by crafting a game that celebrated everything that made the series so beloved. Its commitment to traditional medieval fantasy melds perfectly with its steampunk-influenced world, as the old-style architecture blends seamlessly into a world powered by steam and steel.
With its absolutely gorgeous pre-rendered backgrounds, a technique the franchise had started using withFinal Fantasy 7, exploring stunning locations like Lindblum, Alexandria, and Burmecia with Nobuo Uematsu’s lush soundtrack shows just how adept Square had become at this type of game by then. They knew what vibes made sense with what story, and their tale of adventure and betrayal unfolds in a world that truly feels alive. The backgrounds, music, character design, and art direction are all absolutely flawless, and clearly the work of a team operating at a high level.
From the bloody opening moments, which see a dead Chocobo and a massacre unfold in real-time,Final Fantasy Type-0is still one of the mostfascinating and intriguing gamesin the franchise. Telling the harrowing tale of Class Zero and its struggle against the Militesi Empire,Final Fantasy Type-0utilizes its themes of war and tyranny within its world, as the downtrodden sense of despair is prevalent throughout every pore of the game.
Type-0unfolds at a sullen pace, as its tone and style are considerably darker than previous entries. The dark hand of the Militesi Empire is far-reaching, and its powerful image permeates the very core ofType-0, influencing its oppressive energy. Featuring some excellent music and character designs,Final Fantasy Type-0has a consistent underlying dread that is remarkably unfamiliar territory for the series, as its atmosphere is one of fear and paranoia as opposed to heroic adventure.
Trading in knights and swords for mercs and assault rifles,Final Fantasy 7took the seriesin a bold new direction when it launched for the PS1 in 1997. Where previous entries' atmosphere was reliant on music and scenario,Final Fantasy 7builds its ambiance in layers, with each element compounding on top until its dark, dystopian sci-fi world springs to life in outstanding detail. Pitting a group of rebel freedom fighters against a tyrannical empire is nothing new for the series, butFinal Fantasy 7wraps it all up in a cyberpunk landscape that feels wholly different.
Midgar is a city on the edge, as the slums of Sector 7 are at the mercy of Shinra and their propaganda, which reaches well beyond those walls and into the very heart of the planet Gaia.Final Fantasy 7isn’t just a game about class warfare, it’s a game that explores how that actually affects real people, and being able to see it firsthand contributes to the game’s magnificent sense of place. The world of Gaia is haunting in many ways, as Cloud and the gang are exploring a dead world being harvested for the wonders it produces. Exploring its numerous towns and cities, and seeing the devastation wrought by Shinra and Sephiroth, is just one of the reasons that the world ofFinal Fantasy 7feels as real as it does.
