The Best Way To Play Final Fantasy in Order

Playing Final Fantasy in order can be a great way to experience the series’ evolving story and gameplay mechanics. However, the sheer amount of games under the storied franchise can just be downright intimidating.

It has since become common to find someone on the verge of giving the franchise a chance but doesn’t know how to. They just don’t know which game they should begin with. And because of the nature of FF games, just because they are numbered does it mean that they should necessarily be played in numerical order.

So what is the best way to play Final Fantasy games? What is the best entry point of the franchise? Let us answer all that and more in this article.

Read on as we share how we think the FF franchise should be tackled. This is how we believe you should play Final Fantasy in order to appreciate the series to its fullest. 

The Best Entry Point in the Franchise

It’s worth noting that FF games are not direct sequels to one another, so you don’t necessarily need to play them in order to understand the story. However, playing them in order can help you appreciate the series’ progression and see how it has changed over time.

Additionally, there are several spin-off video games in the series, such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, that can be played at any time and don’t necessarily need to be played in order. In fact, there are also a lot of games for Android and iOS devices as well!

That said, if we were to give you one FF game to ease you into the franchise, it would be the upcoming Final Fantasy XVI.

Despite not being officially released yet, FFXVI is what we believe is the best entry point in the whole FF franchise. It is marketed as an action-RPG game rather than a traditional JRPG like most of the franchise’s entrants. This makes it more approachable, especially to Western countries. We invite you to read our article solely focused on that topic to know more. 

Titles That Will Ease You Into the Franchise

If you don’t want to wait any longer, Final Fantasy VII Remake can do just as well. Take note that we are referring to the newer FFVII releases rather than the classic ones. Its active time battle system, although more action-oriented, does stray that far away from the classic turn-based combat of older FF games, unlike FFXVI. This is a great middle point to get used to. 

Not only will it prepare you for the new approach Square Enix is moving forward with the franchise, but it also eases you into how the older titles play. Not to mention, FFVII is also what we believe is the best FF game to date. And after finishing the Remake, that is when you should try the classic FFVII to see the difference in the plot and how it manages to remain faithful to the source material.

FFX or FFXII can be great alternatives as well. Both games can ease you into the franchise with their cast of memorable characters and genuinely great gameplay. FFX, in particular, employs traditional turn-based combat, while FFXII alters it a bit but manages to retain its core concepts.

Nevertheless, giving these two excellent titles your time of day will give you an appreciation for the franchise. As a matter of fact, it might compel you to dive even further and give the classics a chance.

Try Out The Classics Right After

After playing the FF games mentioned above, you should already be a fan of the franchise. At the very least, you should now be curious about how the other FF entries play. That is your cue to now try the classics that captivated the previous generation of gamers. It is now time to give the classics that brought prominence to the JRPG genre a shot. 

Maybe start from the father of the franchise itself, Final Fantasy. Doing so will put you into the very roots of the storied series, opening your eyes to how everything really began. Starting from FFIX downward doesn’t seem like a bad idea as well.

Thankfully, there are now several accessible ports for all mainline FF games. It shouldn’t be that much of a problem to get a hold of any of the classics nowadays. Keep an eye out for collections to get the most value out of your money.

Give the MMOs a Shot if You Want More FF

By this point, you should already be a massive FF fan. You probably have already played 5 or more titles. If you want more FF in your life, but do not necessarily want to play every game in the franchise, it isn’t a bad idea to give the series’ MMOs a shot. 

As a matter of fact, some diehard FF fans started their whole journey into the franchise playing either FFXI or FFXIV. While we think that isn’t the best way of doing so, it has proven effective just the same. A word of warning, however. Getting captivated by MMO-style FF games practically means sacrificing hundreds of your precious hours to it at the minimum.

That is what we believe is the best way to play Final Fantasy in order. We understand that we didn’t mention every mainline FF game here, but you get the gist of it.

So, what do you think is the best way to approach the franchise? Let us talk more about this wonderful franchise in the comments section below!