It's puzzling how Final Fantasy works.
It's puzzling how Final Fantasy works.
Lacking personal experience with the original release and recent news about the series, I’m still trying to grasp the various spin-offs, sequels, and remakes. Even basic Wikipedia checks leave me confused. For instance, why was a version of FF XIII available on Steam before XV launched in any form? And what’s the best starting point for someone interested in PC games from this universe? Thanks ahead of time.
Final Fantasy is mainly designed for consoles, but they've recently moved the XIII games to PC platforms.
According to what I understand, each full version represents a fresh series unrelated to previous ones. There are updates to specific versions labeled with their number and a -2 suffix (such as X-2) to show they build on the original story. Additionally, older games are being re-released as pure remakes. Treat them as standalone entries unless they’re clearly continuations of the series.
Most players don't relate. Each Final Fantasy game stands alone, with a few rare exceptions. They all have the common goal of collecting Crystals to safeguard the world. FFIV, FFVII, FFX, FFXII, and FFXIII are the only ones to have sequels or prequels so far (though I doubt Dissidia includes one). Only recently have the older titles been ported, beginning with the earliest FF Steam releases—III and IV—and moving forward. Feel free to begin with any game you like, but if you pick FFVII, skip Crisis Core and start right at the original!
Initially they served as ports to PC. XIII came out in 2009, XIII-2 in 2011 and LRFFXIII in 2013 for consoles. Now Japanese studios are showing renewed interest in PC gaming, leading many ports to adapt their games for the platform. This trend is typical for Japanese titles, which often feature complex or inconsistent narratives—Guilty Gear being a good example.
Choose your preferred visual style—play the original PS1 or PC version, the 1997 release of FFX emulation, or the first PS2 title from 2001. It’s the earliest PS2 game, likely just skip XIII. XV only has a demo on consoles and is slated for release from March to December 2016.
I wouldn't suggest beginning with XIII since it's a fairly disappointing entry in the series, though XIII-2 and Lightning Returns addressed many issues I had. If you like the classic turn-based battles, IX or VII are worth checking out. The game's direction appears to lean more toward action. If that suits you, consider the VII remake or XV. Should the remake succeed, Square has expressed interest in reviving more of the earlier games, making it a mutually beneficial choice if you're a fan of either title.