For instance, almost every Final Fantasy game has a character named Cid.Ĭommon Elements, Plots, and Themes in Final Fantasy Gamesįinal Fantasy games are not tied together in terms of story or characters, but they do feature many elements that fans of the series will recognize from one title to the next. Other games in the franchise are tied together, very loosely, by common themes, mechanics, monsters, creatures and character names. The Final Fantasy franchise does have a handful of direct sequels, like Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy XIII-2, and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. That means a new player can pick virtually any game in the series, play it, and not miss out on anything. While it's true that the Final Fantasy franchise does have a ton of history, the fact is that very few of the games actually tie together in terms of actual plots and characters. One of the most well-known spin-offs, Kingdom Hearts, was even developed in cooperation with Disney.ĭo You Need to Play Final Fantasy Games in Order?Īt first glance, a video game series with over three decades of history might seem like it has too much baggage to dive right into. The franchise spans fifteen main numbered titles, numerous spin-offs and side games, animated and live-action television shows, and movies. Final Fantasy is a role-playing game (RPG) franchise that features both fantasy and science fiction elements.