imagine if the LotR movies were a turn based rpg with small beginnings and progressively developing story with twists, turns, major story beats and a big bad you fight in the end. That's a very skin deep explanation of what Final Fantasy is.
Can you just like, explain the universe like I'm a 5 year old I guess? I'm not looking for specifics just why the game / universe is appealing to people outside of the characters
Oh, sure. So the series has several universes, all of the main line games are disconnected from each of the others. The 'big' universes (in this case, the ones from the commander decks, so 6, 7, 10, and 14) all have a lot of really classic storytelling and memorable characters/moments from them.
My favorite is 6, and it has a grand story that includes found family, loss and redemption, and train suplexing. 7 is probably the most popular, with several games set in its universe (Though only the 'main' game is represented in the MTG set) and that's largely its characters carrying the weight.
Though it did have a strong environmental and anti-corporate message that resonated with people. Ten was arguably a love story at its core, more found family, and moving on from mistakes of the past. 14 is the big MMO, & so it has a following for being the big MMO, and having remarkably good story.
it’s kinda like the legend of zelda series but rpgs instead of action-adventures. each game is its own story within the same universe, and the games are largely disconnected, but with a lot of shared elements, callbacks, etc.
FF was many people’s first rpg experience so it’s hella popular/nostalgic
So in a nutshell, its kinda like a premade dnd campaign with some drama, epic battles and really cool npc’s. Some lean a bit more steam punk, some more futuristic, some more rustic fantasy. Every game is its own universe but there are some common aspects that keep them intertwined.
Every game is different and not set in the same universe, but the games share a "toolbox" of things (Monsters, Magic spells, Chocobos, ppl named Cid) to tell epic stories about scrappy friends saving the world. Pick a number between 1 and 16 and you can dive in blind to a different adventure!
There's a fun fan theory that the universe of FFXIV is a "hub universe" within the FF multiverse that can connect with any other universe, and that those other universes are where the other games "exist". FFXIV has it's own unique story but has a TON of crossover moments with other games.
Each numbers game is its own universe and story with shared elements as connective tissue(most have chocobos, summons, characters that fall into different classs etc) but their stories and characters are totally different.
1-6 are all pixel art turn based rpgs.
7-10 are all 3d turn based rpgs
1,3,5,11,12,14 all use a “job system which allows characters to mix and what their rolls in a party are and what abilities they haves
2,4,6,9,10 all have each character specific to a class
7,8 have very customizable characters with stats that lean in a direction.
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Also this meme -
Since every sequel is a different story with different characters and worlds there is little consistency except in core mechanics and themes.
The variety is very nice.
FF was many people’s first rpg experience so it’s hella popular/nostalgic
10 came at the generation shift to PS2 and is similarly well regarded but the games were dramatically different after this.
1-6 are accessible retro RPGS with surprising stories!
My favorite “connection” was the Kingdom Hearts games but the last one didn’t have any Final Fantasy characters 🥲
1-6 are all pixel art turn based rpgs.
7-10 are all 3d turn based rpgs
12,13 are less turn based RPGs but something new and different.
15,16 are both action RPGS closer to kingdom hearts
2,4,6,9,10 all have each character specific to a class
7,8 have very customizable characters with stats that lean in a direction.