Highlights
- Final Fantasy Tactics: War of The Lions is an underrated gem with a compelling narrative and excellent turn-based strategy gameplay.
- Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age introduced an open world and innovative gameplay changes that deserve more attention.
- Final Fantasy Type-0 offers a unique and somber tale with a focus on action gameplay, making it a standout in the franchise.
The Final Fantasy series is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed franchises out there with dozens of games, tie-ins, and spin-offs. It stands out as one of the longest running and most successful video game series of all time. While Final Fantasy has had tons of different changes and new ideas throughout the years, it has always remained true to its identity, and always produced excellent games.
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The series has a ton of popular mainstream entries, such as Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy XV, which usually grab the attention of the entire video game world. Unfortunately, and as is the case with any franchise this massive, there are some underrated games which slip through the cracks and barely get played or talked about. Most games under the Final Fantasy moniker are excellent, which makes it a shame that the following games are so underrated, as they definitely deserve more attention.
5 Final Fantasy Tactics: War of The Lions
One Of The Best Strategy Games Out There
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
- Released
- May 10, 2007
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix , Tose
- Genre(s)
- Tactical
Final Fantasy Tactics: War of The Lions is recognized as one of the best turn-based strategy games around, yet when it comes to the Final Fantasy pantheon, it seems to be forgotten. This is one of the best games in the entire franchise, featuring a compelling narrative centered around war, class divide, and friendship. With the story following around Ramza and Delita, the game captures the two friends' different journeys and how they deal with the conflict encapsulating their nations.
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The game has a robust class system and offers tons of player choice in terms of equipment, abilities and how a they shape their roster. The gameplay is standard turn-based strategy but executed to near perfection. While War of the Lions is still revered by strategy game fans, it doesn't get nearly enough attention in the mainstream Final Fantasy franchise and deserves it for sure.
4 Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age
Features One of The Best Final Fantasy Villains
When it comes to mainline Final Fantasy games, Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age is oft forgotten, and for no good reason. FF12 was a trailblazer, the first in the franchise to introduce an open world for players to explore. Ivalice was a vast sprawling world embedded with diverse terrain which players can navigate on their airship or on foot. The game also introduced tons of new gameplay changes, pivoting the franchise from the traditional turn-based combat to a more fast-paced version where players can set up gambits for their units. This allows characters to react to different actions in combat with certain responses.
Beyond this, the game included changes to the loot system, and how the characters level up. The story was more mature than some of the previous entries, and Vayne Solidor was a fantastic villain. It didn't feature a singular standout protagonist, instead there were six different characters in the spotlight. While FF12 received a mixed reception at launch due to the dramatic changes to the franchise formula, players have now warmed up to it and its merits are more apparent.
3 Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Light-Hearted Yet Intricate Strategy
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is one of the most underrated, and oft forgotten, turn-based strategy games out there, normally losing the spotlight to the likes of Fire Emblem and Tactics Ogre. Nevertheless, Tactics Advance is a charming and endearing game with intricate strategic gameplay. The story, while cookie-cutter, is fun and feels like a fantasy novel adventure. The character sprites are crafted exceptionally well, and it can clearly be seen that a lot of love went into this game.
Tactics Advance also has a unique law system, whereby player actions are judged by an arbitrator who may card them, resulting in them being jailed. This happens when forbidden weapons or abilities are used, adding some nuance to the gameplay; use the powerful weapon and risk going to jail. The game also has a ton of different classes for players to use, and the equipment system and how it ties into in-game abilities is a welcome addition too.
2 Final Fantasy Dimensions
Underrated, Yet Solid Mobile Game
Final Fantasy Dimensions is one of the best RPGs on mobile platforms. While most players may discount Final Fantasy Dimensions by virtue of it being a mobile game, they shouldn't; this is an incredible game. Dimensions features a classic Final Fantasy story based around the struggle between the forces of good and evil for control of the crystals. The game has an expansive, episodic story and the clash between the Warriors of Light, the Warriors of Darkness, and the Avalon Empire is told masterfully and would hold up against most console and PC games too.
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The gameplay is classic Final Fantasy, similar to FF4, and players control a rotating team of up to five party members. It's simply solid, refined JRPG gameplay, with some cool additions such as Fusion Abilities, which allow players to merge different abilities. Overall, this is a great game, and holds up against any classic JRPG. Consequently, it should not be ignored simply for being a mobile game. Everything from the art, to the music, plot, and combat holds its own in the genre.
1 Final Fantasy Type-0
This PSP Release Depicts A Somber Tale
Final Fantasy Type-0 might not be one of the best games in the franchise, but it is easily one of, if not the most underrated. Type-0 is one of the more unique games under the Final Fantasy moniker, it features a group of main characters based in a magical training academy. The game leans heavily on themes of politics, violence, and sorrow, with a key feature of the game being regret and holding onto memories of the past. While other games in the franchise also feature darker elements, Type-0 is at the forefront, especially its extremely tragic climax. Moreover, it doesn't have as fantastical a setting as most games in the series, and lacks comedic relief too.
The game play is what truly sets Type-0 apart. Similar to Crisis Core Final Fantasy, another fellow PSP release, it leans more on action rather than turn-based combat. Players can swap on a whim between a roster of characters, and can summon monsters to fight with them. The game has a unique combat system, and the new weaponry and progression elements that might take getting used to, but all in all, this game is well worth a playthrough.
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