The Escapist Final Fantasy Timeline

[The Escapist Staff]

The Escapist Final Fantasy Timeline

We take a look at the history of perhaps the best-known JRPG series, Final Fantasy.

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[GloatingSwine]

Nitpick time: Final Fantasy X-2 is not actually the first direct sequel to a Final Fantasy game. Legend of the Crystals is. It's a sequel to Final Fantasy V, somewhat disguised by the fact that things in it are not just lost in translation but actively strangled, shot, stamped on, and buried in an unmarked grave at midnight in translation.

 

[KEM10]

There is also no Tactics, or any handheld release for that matter.

 

[Amethyst Wind]

No Dirge of Cerberus either, though that might be understandable.

What I'm not greatly happy about is the lack of Ergheiz.

 

[Anacortian]

The space-to-time ratio appears a bit distorted in the very beginning. Also, if Square re-released Chrono Trigger under the name "Final Fantasy, why is it not included in the Canon?

 

[unacomn]

You forgot the 1980-1986, the period where Ultima 0 trough 4 were released that directly inspired Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy.

 

[Sabrestar]

Interesting to see artwork of the US versions of FF2 and FF3 (aka FFIV and FFVI) representing the actual FFII and FFIII. Sticking with the familiar perhaps?

I think the credit given to X2 as the first direct sequel probably owes more to the obviousness of it, and the following-on of the exact same characters and the same plotlines (though I've not played Legend of the Crystals so I can't speak to that one).

Spoiler: Besides, I think there's a touch of argument for FFIX

Besides, I think there's a touch of argument for FFIX having at least a tangential sequelish relationship to FFI by virtue of a character reappearance and a quick throwaway line that suggests it's the same character. A weak argument to be sure, but an argument nonetheless.

 

[samilisco]

There's no mention of the Ivalice Aliance games. I understand tactics etc are not straight rpgs, but Ivalice could be an IP on its own merits. Should probably feature in there.

 

[CrystalShadow]

Also the complete absence of the Gamecube/Wii Crystal chronicles series except for 'my life as a king?'

Seriously?

3 'full' RPG's, and the only thing mentioned is a wiiware spinoff?

Wow.

 

[DJDarque]

Nitpick time: Final Fantasy X-2 is not actually the first direct sequel to a Final Fantasy game. Legend of the Crystals is. It's a sequel to Final Fantasy V, somewhat disguised by the fact that things in it are not just lost in translation but actively strangled, shot, stamped on, and buried in an unmarked grave at midnight in translation.

That was the four part anime thing right? I think I remember watching that a long time ago as a kid.

There is so much missing from this timeline it's ridiculous.

 

[Rayansaki]

Crisis Core is the best FF game ever, everyone knows that!

 

[Fightgarr]

That was rather incomplete. No mention of the main members of the team leaving to create mistwalker. No mention of Nomura taking over for Amano. No mention of Nobuo's formation of The Black Mages. Nothing about any of the handheld games or even the Gamecube Crystal Chronicles games. No mention buying out the Ogre Tactics team thus creating Final Fantasy Tactics as well as one of the only worlds to be revisited in the franchise multiple times, Ivalice.
It's all well and good, but when compared to the level of detail they gave the Warcraft[ timeline, this one lacks any kind of detail.

 

[Scytail]

Wow, you all are a bunch of babies. If you read the little paragraph right before the timeline it says "Our timeline reviews some of the major events in the Final Fantasy saga, but can only scratch the surface of this behemoth of a franchise."

Im sure the spinoffs and half sequals they made dont quite count as major events.

The space-to-time ratio appears a bit distorted in the very beginning. Also, if Square re-released Chrono Trigger under the name "Final Fantasy, why is it not included in the Canon?

What "canon" are you talking about? A game can only have canon if there is one storyline that links it all together. In FF you have the major games that have no connection to each other.

 

[Tanis]

None of the offshoots...huh.

I'm wondering, did whoever put this together just watch the DVD from 'FF12 - Collector's Edition' and use that info only?

 

[beema]

Why did you use the images from the American FF3 release (FF6) for the Japanese FF3? Same for FF2... that was odd. They are completely different games. A lot of the blurbs on the games were pretty useless as well. I'm thinking 6 and 12 especially.

 

[Ignatz_Zwakh]

There's a distinct lack of FF Tactics on this timeline...

 

[MomoHime64]

Uh, the FFIII moogle is the moogle from the box art of FFVI... Sure, VI was released as III in America, but come on. I wouldn't be a FFFan if I didn't complain about this.

 

[L3D]

American time format on dates ಠ_ಠ
Is it just because the writer is accustomed to use it, or is the writer trying emphasize the months for some reason...

Nobody else uses that backwards and illogical time format, and it's a Japanese game, so why not use ISO 8601 as in YYYY-MM-DD?

 

[Nfritzappa]

Way to phone it in for FFVI