The Story of Final Fantasy

Starting life as a niche, Japan-only release borne out of desperation by a struggling Hironobu Sakaguchi in 1987, Final Fantasy is now one of the biggest and most well-loved videogame series ever made. Spanning almost 40 years, the franchise that initially set the standard for Japanese RPGs has continued to rewrite the rules of the genre across 16 main series games and countless spin-offs, gaining legions of loyal fans around the world in the process. In this celebration of all things Final Fantasy, we go back to the very beginning of the adventure with the help of some of the franchise’s key players. You’ll discover the story of the series’ genesis, its evolution and how it’s reinvented itself time and again in the pursuit of greatness. We bring you a host of fascinating features and in-depth interviews on all of the numbered games in the series – from the masterful FFVII to the divisive FFXIII – as well as taking a look back at some of the highs, lows and downright weird spin-offs, remakes and rebirths we’ve seen over the years. We also run down some of the series’ most iconic characters and bosses, look at how Final Fantasy has expanded into various different mediums – from movies to manga – and celebrate the franchise’s incredible music as we sit down with gaming’s most celebrated and successful composer, Nobuo Uematsu. Enjoy!