Final Fantasy: One Story, Different Variations

by Darryl Silver

The Role Playing Video Game entitled Final Fantasy seems to be the same game it was since 1989: from saving the crystals to stopping global domination. Save Gaia from Terra by reviving the crystals and stopping the villain who threatens to destroy the world by either stopping time, changing time, taking the world over for Terra, or smashing a meteor into it.

In "The Final Fantasy," four heroes travel forth to revive the crystals of the elements to gain control of them. Then they go to the beginning of the destruction, which happens to be caused by a person they know from the Prologue. He tries Time Compression and fails.

In the second Final Fantasy, three children travel the world trying to save it from the evil empire. Many people die trying to stop the empire.

The third Final Fantasy features four nameless kids that go on a quest to revive the crystals. Square added the idea of Summoners and some of their trademarks into this game. Wark? Kwee! KUPO?!

Final Fantasy Four: a step forward? It is actually a better story then the first three. Put the story aside and you have one man against the Empire. Then, the player is put against a whole planet and its ruler, who seems to be a god.

Final Fantasy V: the almighty crystals finally break. This releases a man who controls the X-Zone, a spell in Final Fantasy 1 and 6. The man, X-Death, combines the two worlds and tries to suck everything into the X-Zone. Four heroes are out to stop the person who controls the X-Zone. Someone dies and that is as much emotion you get... Yarg.

Some people say the masterpiece of Square is Final Fantasy VI. It holds great characterization... but look at the heart of the game. At first you have the empire theme. Then you run into the God theme. Kefka, God of Destruction... have fun destroying a god. Gwah, ha, ha, ha.

Final Fantasy VII took one step forward and two steps back. People loved the story... and yet vets of the series hated it. Why did people hate the game? They hated it because it had a sci-fi setting. Taking the motorcycles and Midgar away, you have:

A) Empire Theme, which is Shin-Ra inc., and
B) the "destroy the God" theme. Sephiroth has cast Meteor and it is your job to cast Holy to counter it. Meteor and Holy can be found in any other Final Fantasy.

Square's belly flop is what some people call Final Fantasy VIII. You play as an insecure teen who is set out to:

A) Become good in SeeD-- that sounds new, but it is just leveling up your character.
B) Go out against Galbadia. This is another "against an Empire" theme. Then the heroes are put against the various sorceresses.
C) Destroy the last sorceress who casts a Time Compression spell. It is the same spell as Garland from the first game, only you get the butt end of the spell. This turns into killing a god.

Next up is the last game I played in the series, Final Fantasy IX. THE CRYSTALS ARE BACK. At least they say so, even though only one crystal turned up. When you start the game you are against the empire of Alexandria, named after the summoned monster, or eidolon, named Alexander. When Alexandria fades from memory it turns out that you need to defend the world from invaders from the planet Terra. And who else should lead them but Garland, who shows you the fiends from the first game as well.

So, within the nine games entitled Final Fantasy, I have seen three themes: better oneself to become the best, destroy the evil empire/planet, and then destroy a god. Though the series holds much emotion and many cute characters, it still holds the same plot.