Final Fantasy

:This article is about the Final Fantasy series as a whole. For the video game Final Fantasy, see Final Fantasy (video game)

Graphics and technology

The 8-bit and 16-bit generations

Final Fantasy began on the Nintendo Family Computer (also known as the "Famicom," and known internationally as the Nintendo Entertainment System) as Final Fantasy in 1987, and was joined by two sequels, Final Fantasy II and Final Fantasy III (Final Fantasy III was only released in Japan. A remake of Final Fantasy II was released on the Playstation and Game Boy Advance), over the next three years. On the main world screen, small sprite representations of the leading party member were displayed because of graphical limitations, while in battle screens, more detailed, full versions of all characters would appear in a side view perspective.

Related Topics:
Nintendo Family Computer - 1987 - Playstation - Game Boy Advance - Sprite

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The same basic system was used in the next three games, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, and Final Fantasy VI, for the Super Famicom (known internationally as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System). These games utilized updated graphics and effects, as well as higher quality music and sound than in previous games, but were otherwise similar to their predecessors in basic design.

Related Topics:
Super Famicom - Super Nintendo Entertainment System

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The text of the Japanese versions of early Final Fantasy games was comprised purely of kana. Much of the dialogue was simply clumps of text, making it especially hard for older gamers and foreigners learning Japanese. Finally, in Final Fantasy V, the games began to use kanji. This would continue to get more advanced in Final Fantasy VI, and the trend would continue to make the games much more erudite.

Related Topics:
Kana - Kanji

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

CD/DVD-based generations

1997 saw the release of Final Fantasy VII for the PlayStation and not Nintendo 64 as originally anticipated. The characters and entire game world were now 3-dimensional, with fully pre-rendered backgrounds. Final Fantasy VII was also the first Final Fantasy game to use full motion video sequences, part of the reason why the game spanned a full three CD-ROMs. However, Final Fantasy VII's FMVs often lacked consistency, with characters appearing tiny and very indistinct in one scene, and extremely detailed in the next.

Related Topics:
1997 - PlayStation - Nintendo 64 - As originally anticipated - 3-dimensional - Pre-rendered - Full motion video - CD-ROM

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Released shortly after Final Fantasy VII, the spinoff title Final Fantasy Tactics, once again utilized sprites for the characters. As the only real user-interaction outside of battle was menu-driven, the developers saw no need for fully 3D-rendered overhead graphics.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Starting with Final Fantasy VIII, the series adopted a more photo-realistic look. The full motion video sequences utilized a display technique wherein video would play in the background while the polygon characters would be composited on top.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Final Fantasy IX returned briefly to the more stylized design of earlier games in the series, but maintained most of the graphical techniques utilized in the previous two games in the series.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Final Fantasy X was released on the PlayStation 2, and made use of the much more powerful hardware to render certain cutscenes in real-time, rather than displayed in pre-rendered video. Final Fantasy X was the first game in the series to use voice overs to any degree. Final Fantasy X-2 utilized the same game engine as Final Fantasy X, and was aesthetically not much different.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Final Fantasy XII is scheduled to be released in the first quarter of 2006 in Japan for the PS2. Final Fantasy XII will utilize only half as many polygons as Final Fantasy X in exchange for more advanced textures and lighting. This will also allow the game to use a free rotating camera.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~