Final Fantasyis one of gaming’s longest-running series, and it is full of iconic games. Although I would argue that most of these games hold up in their original form, it’s hard not to imagine what some of them would be like if given the fullFinal Fantasy 7 Remaketreatment. When I say aFinal Fantasygame needs a remake, it’s less a dig at the original, and more a statement about the potential the game has that I’d like to see expanded on.
One of myfavorite aspects ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthis how it expands on the characters from the original. Getting side quests that focused largely on Cloud and another party member did a lot to help flesh out both the characters as individuals and their relationships with one another. That said, story isn’t the only consideration here. I would also enjoy seeing certaingames remade with a new style of play or a visual update.
The OriginalFinal Fantasymay have kick-started the series, butit is missing some aspects that players have come to expect from the games in later installments. Perhaps the biggest missing elements here are well-developed characters and a strong story. The four Warriors of Light don’t have nearly as much personality as laterFFprotagonists, and the story lacks the emotional or thematic depth of many later games. This isn’t surprising given its age, or the fact that it was the first game in the series, but it does mean there is a strong argument for a remake.
RemakingFinal Fantasycould allow Square Enix to create a richer story and with more complex characters. Maybe we could even meetFF1’s retro-fitted Cid, completing the pattern seen in the following 15 games. If Square Enix doesn’t want to go as big as they did withFF7 Remake, I could also seeFinal Fantasybeing a great candidate for an HD-2D remake, similar to the recentDragon Questremakes, with maybe some more dialogue or additional scenes to flesh out the story.
I can imagine this choice will raise a few eyebrows, given thatFinal Fantasy XIVisn’t just one of the most recent games, it is also still currently supported. However, I do think there is a good argument for whyFFXIV, and at some pointFF11, could benefit from a remake. Namely,the fact that this game is an MMORPG.
I’ve heard a lot of great things aboutFinal Fantasy XIV’s story, but I haven’t been able to experience them for myself. I’ve played the free trial of the game, but without the time to truly dedicate myself to working through the hundreds of hours of contentFFXIVoffers,it’s hard to justify paying the game’s subscription fee. WereFinal Fantasy XIVa more traditional RPG, I would be able to work through it in smaller more manageable chunks without worrying about it being a constant drain on my finances.
I would love a streamlined remake ofFinal Fantasy XIVthat simply allows me to play through the game’s story content, without having to deal with the aspects of an MMO that don’t appeal to me. This would also be a great way to preserve the game’s story if the servers ever go down. While I don' t see that happening any time soon, it would still be nice to have another way to play for fans of the series who don’t want to commit to an MMO.
8Final Fantasy 2’s Story Could Use Some Additional Details
FF2 Left Out Details From The Story Present In Other Media
Similar to the firstFinal Fantasygame,I could seeFinal Fantasy 2’s story benefitting a lot from a remake. It’s not nearly as bare-bones as the original game’s story, butFF2does still feel like there are places where it could benefit from some additional depth. For example, the novelization ofFinal Fantasy 2explicitly states that Firion and Maria aremeant to have a romantic connection, something that I saw no real signs of when playing through the game. AnFF2remake would give the developers a chance to show moments like those that the original didn’t communicate.
Final Fantasy 2could be another good candidate for an HD-2D remake. This would allow Square Enix to add some depth to the story, butthey wouldn’t have to invent nearly as much new content as a game in the style ofFF7Remakewould require. Alternatively, having slightly fewer story elements than later games could makeFF2a good candidate for a fully modern remake, because it could be contained in a single game instead of having it stretched out across three likeFF7.
If anyFinal Fantasygame deserves to be split into three separate games, it’sFinal Fantasy 6.This game has a ton of characters with interesting stories, three of whom - Terra, Celes, and Locke - could arguably be considered protagonists. Even smaller characters like Seltzer and Shadow have interesting enough hints at their pasts that I’d love to see more from them. The game also has several clearly defined acts which I’ve already described as being perfect for amulti-game structure similar toFF7 Remake.
Final Fantasy 6is my personal favorite in the series, and I’ve seen many describe it as the best retroFFgame. I could see an argument that remakes should focus on the games that need updating more than the ones that are already great as is. While I can understand that perspective,I would love the chance to exploreFF6’s world in great depthwith the level of detail seen inFF7 RemakeandFF7 Rebirth.
AlthoughFinal Fantasy 4has already been remade once, I wouldn’t mind seeing a second crack at updating it. Honestly, at this point,the 3D remake ofFF4feels more dated than the original in some ways. It was released in 2007, so its specific 3D visual style feels very antiquated, whereas the original’s pixel art has a much more timeless quality.
There is also a difficulty issue with both the originalFinal Fantasy 4and the remake. The originalFF4is one of the easier games, an issue that theFF43D remakeattempted to address by ramping the difficulty up. This resulted in a game that was far too difficult, even after maxing out your levels. A newFF4remake could find a nice middle-ground where the game isn’t too easy, but it also has a more approachable mode than the 3D remake, with that version’s difficulty maybe being an option for players who want a challenge.
Final Fantasy 5is an interesting case for players outside of Japan. Although it originally came out on the Super Famicom in 1992,it didn’t make its way to the PlayStation in North America until 1999, and it took until 2002 for it to reach Europe. By this point, the series was already on toFinal Fantasy 8, so the game was largely overshadowed in markets outside of Japan by later entries in the series, especially the ever-popularFinal Fantasy 7.
FF5has a lot going for it, from charming characters to an expanded version of the Job system from the original game that allows a lot of customization for your party members.Final Fantasy 5deserves a chance to earn back the popularity it missed out onoutside of Japan due to its delayed release, and a remake would be the perfect chance. Players who skipped the original and never went back would also likely appreciate a chance to experience the game in a more modern style.
I have a soft-spot forFinal Fantasy 8as it wasmy firstFFgame, butI won’t deny that there are some obstacles to enjoying it in its original form. For one thing, it’s hard to sell a new player on the game when a lot of time is eaten up early on by learning how the polarizing Junction mechanics work. By either integrating these tutorials more smoothly into combat, or just updating the combat system altogether, a remake could allow players to also get interested in the game’s story while learning how to play.
While perhaps not as much as games likeFinal Fantasy 4’s 3D remake,Final Fantasy 8’s visuals are looking pretty dated at this point. The CG animations especially have that overly-smooth look to them that is pretty indicative of their time. As older 3D animation seems to age worse than pixel art, I could see Square Enix wanting to clean up these middle chapters in the franchise first before going back to the retro games.
Rumors of aFinal Fantasy 9remake have been circulating for a little while now. After the announcement ofFinal Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, theFF9remake feels almost inevitable, as it is the onlySquare Enix project named in the NVIDIA leakfrom 2021 that hasn’t yet been announced. Aside from feeling like a given at this point,there are reasons why aFinal Fantasy 9remake could be very exciting.
Final Fantasy 9featured much more stylized visualsas an homage to classicFinal Fantasygames. It would be awesome to see a modern take on this unique style, as it would no doubt be a big departure from other recent games in the series. I’m very interested to see what direction Square Enix decides to take with theFF9remake if it does end up being real.
With the recentannouncement ofFinal Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, it doesn’t seem like too far a stretch to think that other games in the series could be due for a remake. After all, theFF Tacticsremake is not nearly as massive or costly an endeavor as theFinal Fantasy 7 Remaketrilogy, soit would be easier for Square Enix to crank out updated versions ofFinal Fantasy Tactics Advance.
Final Fantasy Tactics Advanceand its sequel,Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, were both great games, so it would feel like a shame if the originalFF Tacticsgot an update and they didn’t. Since these games were never ported or remade, and they haven’t made their way to Nintendo Switch Online,they also aren’t readily available anymore. Remakes would solve this issue by making the games much easier to find.
Final Fantasy 10is the kind of game that I’d like to play a remake of, not because of any inherent flaws with the original,but simply because I’d love to have more of the game. I would love a chance to exploreFF10’s beautiful and unique world with the same detail and freedom shown off inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth. I would also be just as interested in seeing what a remake of Blitzball looks like as I would be in the rest of the game.
Visually,Final Fantasy 10isn’t as dated as some of the other entries on this list, but it is starting to show its age a bit. I can’t imagine players would balk at one of the most belovedFinal Fantasygames getting a visual overhaul. AsFF10originally broke the six-game streak of ATB combat to introduce turn-based combat, it would also be interesting to get a remake that once againre-introduced turn-based combat to the series.
