For over 15 years, the Final Fantasy series has reigned supreme in the realm of role-playing games (RPGs). With the upcoming release of the film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children on DVD January 10, 2006 and the latest game Final Fantasy XII on Playstation 2 in early spring, Pulse is proud to present a teary-eyed look back at the gaming franchise that has touched millions of lives worldwide.

Since Final Fantasy’s original Japanese release in 1987, there have been over a dozen entries in the series spanning across numerous gaming consoles (Nintendo, Gameboy, Super Nintendo, Playstation, Playstation 2). Each game offers an original story (none of which are related save Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2) set in an interactive world that can be fully explored. As is the case with most RPGs, the player controls a group of characters that must gain experience and fight evil forces to progress the storyline and eventually save the world. But what sets Final Fantasy apart from most RPGs is the series’ consistency in delivering a combination of inventive gameplay and addictive battle systems accompanied by an overall attention to detail in developing unique characters through engrossing fantasy stories.

What follows is a list detailing the very best of Final Fantasy.

Final Fantasy Tactics (Playstation, 1998)- While it is considered a spin-off in that it strayed from the usual battle system and graphical elements that defined the series, Tactics stands as a marvel in gameplay mechanics. Set in an ancient world, the player takes on the role of a knight in the military academy who learns of his father’s death at the end of a 50-year war. As the plot twists in true Final Fantasy form, the player builds and maintains an army battle by battle through use of an elaborate Job system. Character classes (Black Mage, White Mage, Dragoon, Samurai, Ninja, Calculator, etc.) are an important aspect of the battle system, which is set on a grid and plays as a combination of traditional RPG elements (experience, use of spells, items, and power-ups) and chess. The focus on strategic battles gives Tactics the greatest replay value of any Final Fantasy game.

Final Fantasy (NES, 1990)- The original game was ages ahead of its precursor, Enix’s Dragon Warrior, in every aspect. Final Fantasy introduced the now familiar four member party battles and the class system (Fighter, Thief, White Mage, Black Mage, etc.). The plot of the game is very basic: The princess of the land of Cornelia is kidnapped and four heroes are chosen to rescue her. In the beginning of the game, players decide which classes they want to make up their party and begin their quest. The game varies in difficulty depending on which classes you choose (Mages are generally weak compared to Fighters and Ninjas). But even if the stronger characters are chosen, Final Fantasy remains as one of the most difficult RPGs ever; there is no saving in dungeons, so players have to manage their hit points (HP) and magic carefully. Although the story isn’t as involving as those of its followers, respect must be paid where respect is due.

Final Fantasy IV (SNES, 1991)- Released in the U.S. as Final Fantasy II, this game gave birth to the plot-driven RPG. Here, the story combined seamlessly with the gameplay making it the gaming equivalent of reading a novel. Set in the kingdom of Baron, the dark knight, Cecil, questions his orders of violently seizing elemental crystals for the king. As a result, he is banished and the player takes control of Cecil and his companions on their quest to uncover the evil lurking behind the king’s plot. Once the player gains enough experience to make Cecil a Paladin, the game begins to truly kick ass. Final Fantasy IV also introduced American gamers to the chocobo for the first time, and from then on, exploring the world map became less of a chore. By riding these large yellow birds, players are allowed to explore the map without encountering the usual random battles. Selah!

Final Fantasy VII (Playstation, 1997)- This game is the reason why many people bought Playstation over Nintendo 64. Final Fantasy VII transcended all gaming boundaries and delivered over 40 hours of gameplay. In a classic struggle between nature and technology, the player takes on the role of Cloud Strife, an ex-soldier of the malignant Shin-Ra Corporation. The plot follows Cloud as he joins in the battle against Shin-Ra and the evil Sephiroth, the baddest motherfucker in video game history. After the revolutionary Final Fantasy VI (Final Fantasy III in the U.S.), Square Soft, the software company that developed the series, delivered what can easily be considered one of the greatest games of all time. An elaborate mix of good action, strategy, story, and revolutionary graphics, Final Fantasy VII has everything from intense motorcycle chases and boss battles to snowboarding and chocobo breeding.

Interestingly, at the time of the original game’s conception in the late ‘80s, Square was a struggling small-time software outfit. After some brutal failures, they looked to Enix’s RPG masterpiece, Dragon Warrior, for inspiration. Final Fantasy was the result, and it meant either the beginning or the end for the company—hence the title. Fortunately for those of us who can’t forget the importance of breeding chocobos and how to manage materia, it was the beginning of something very special.