Final Fantasyis a storied franchise that has stayed alive, in part, due to its ability to adapt. Being an anthology series without strict game-to-game continuity,Final Fantasycan range from steampunk, quasi-sci-fi stories like that ofFinal Fantasy 7, all the way to grimdark high fantasy, exemplified by the likes ofFinal Fantasy 16. This foundational versatility is reflected in the series' ever-changing gameplay, which allows it to change alongside mainstream trends.
The first several mainlineFinal Fantasytitles are turn-based games, tasking players with nurturing a party of powerful warriors and using tactics, forethought, and on-the-fly planning to achieve success. As the franchise evolved, it traipsed into the realm of action-RPGs, with entries likeFinal Fantasy 7 Crisis Core, and more recently, theFinal Fantasy 7remake saga, leveraging fast-paced, frenetic combat rather than a methodical turn-based formula.Final Fantasy 14offers yet another spin on the series' ever-shifting gameplay, leaning into the design pillars of traditional MMOs likeWorld of Warcraft. Following the success ofBaldur’s Gate 3, perhaps even another radical design shift should be submitted for consideration.
Final Fantasy Could Be a Great Fit for the Baldur’s Gate 3 Style of CRPG Design
Baldur’s Gate 3 Proves that the CRPG Formula Can Achieve Mainstream Success
Over the next few years, it’s incredibly likely that the games industry will see the advent of the “BG3-like” game. Of course,Baldur’s Gate 3isn’t the first game to make use of turn-basedCRPG mechanics, but it is certainly the most popular and commercially successful, making a strong case for the genre’s return to the mainstream. There’s nothing wrong with hard-hitting real-time combat alaFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, butBG3proves that its formula need not be relegated to the realm of niche or old-school RPGs.
Baldur’s Gate 3prizes detail over scope, with each of its explorable areas acting like meticulously mapped-out dioramas, chock-full of interactive elements, loot, and NPCs to engage with. It’s rather unlike the AAA RPG formula of games likeFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, or any number of big-budget open-world titles, which tend to focus on spectacle rather than interactivity. This makesexploration inBaldur’s Gate 3a joy, but the same philosophy is present in its combat encounters, which are deliberate, tactical, and multifaceted, showing that a turn-based game can have just as much, if not more, freedom than a real-time one.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s production valuesets it apart from other CRPGs, which don’t often feature the same abundance of detailed in-engine cutscenes and character animations. This is something that Square Enix, with its sizable budget, could emulate.
How Final Fantasy Could Put Its Own Spin On Baldur’s Gate 3’s Formula
Baldur’s Gate 3is a massive accomplishment for a number of reasons, with a major one being itssuccessful recreation of the classicDungeons and Dragonsexperience—as much as it can realistically be recreated in the video game medium, anyway. To this end, it is set within theD&Duniverse, with characters, locations, and mythological elements drawn directly from the storied tabletop RPG franchise. This works well forBG3, but the games that it inspires are sure to feature more original settings and premises.
It should go without saying thatFinal Fantasywould do a great job when it comes to this originality. Each new mainlineFFgame is at liberty to offer a radically distinct setting, tone, and narrative, so it would be easy to imagine a CRPG-influenced entry in the series honing in on that strength. Rather than medieval high-fantasy, aFinal FantasyCRPG could present a science-fiction setting, or asemi-modern one in the vein ofFinal Fantasy 15. This combination of franchise freedom and Square Enix’s abundance of talent and resources could makeFinal Fantasyand the CRPG genre a surprisingly good match.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
