Final Fantasyis one of the most epic RPG series of all time. Some of the games can hook players in right away with a good starting line, or an action-packed cutscene. One game that deserves an honorable mention isKingdom Heartswhich is technically a spinoff of theFinal Fantasyseries.
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The first game has one of the best opening lines ever with, “I’ve been having these weird thoughts lately like is any of this for real or not?” That is followed by a great CG movie with “Simple and Clean” by Hikaru Utada being blasted in the background. ThatKingdom Heartsintro is great but so are these intros toFinal Fantasygames.
8“The World Lies Shrouded In Darkness.” (Final Fantasy 1)
This line is based on the PSP’s opening although it is close to the NES’ original line of “The world is veiled in darkness.” After this passage in the PSP version, the game continues with “The winds die, the seas rage, and the earth decays.”
It may sound like a generic setup now, but that’s because a lot of RPGs learned from the first game in this series. It lets players know out the gate that things are dire and it’s up to them to save the day. This is the beginning of the four Warriors of Light.
7“Owww…I Didn’t See That Hole There.” (Final Fantasy 3)
This line is also based on a PSP version of the series. It’s not as dramatic as the first game’s line which is why it was included. It’s a funny way to open any game with a protagonist, inthis case Luneth, falling into a hole without any context.
Also, saying “owww” after falling for who knows how long is an odd thing to mutter wherein most people would probably curse in reality. This is based on an early RPG though wherein strong language had yet to be used, so it is understandable.
6“The Ancient War of the Magi…” (Final Fantasy 6)
The entire quote, based on the Game Boy Advance port, would be too long to recap here, but the scroll is on the level of the text crawl in theStar Warsmovies. The first fiveFinal Fantasygames have the Earth in off-balanced situations but magic is never in danger of fading away.
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Final Fantasy 6’sopening instead explains that magic has been dead for a thousand years and has been relaxed with technology. This is the first big leap in thematic genres withFinal Fantasy 7taking an even bigger swing. In many ways,Final Fantasy 6almost feels like a dry run forFinal Fantasy 7like with Magicite and Materia.
5“Get Down Here Merc!” (Final Fantasy 7)
This line is based on the remake ofFinal Fantasy 7instead of the original PS1 version. In the original game, Barretyells to Cloud, “C’mon newcomer, follow me.” Both lines are good as they establish that Cloud, the new main character is joining a pre-existing group.
It’s one of the most exciting openings in this series, giving players little context to the world. Sometimes a cold open is the best approach for a large-scale story be it in a video game, movie, anime, or whatever.
4“How Are You Feeling?” (Final Fantasy 8)
Final Fantasy 8has an existing opening as well with a sleek battle sequence in CG.Squall and Seiferare shown fighting with their swords while an epic tune, “Liberi Fatali” plays in the background. This is beforeStar Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menacetoo which also features an epic duel to amazing music.
The battle ends with Squall getting cut and him waking up in bed. Dr. Kadowaki says this line to Squall, which is kind of funny given the epic scene that happened previously. Not many main characters get owned in their openings.
3“Listen To My Story.” (Final Fantasy 10)
This was the first time players got to see an end-game scene upfront. The game begins with a somber piano tune, panning around the party as they sit quietly by a fire in some ruins. Finally, Tidus,the main characterofFinal Fantasy 10, starts going off about how this is his story.
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At this point, it should be clear that Squaresoft is getting more experimental with how they opened their games for better or worse.Final Fantasy 10is far from a depressing game by any stretch, making this dark intro feel odd.
2“When I Awoke From My Dreamless Sleep, I Was Just In Time To Witness The End Of The World. ” (Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13)
Lightning Returnsis the last game in theFinal Fantasy 13trilogy. It starsLightning once againwho ascended into godhood at the end of the first game. She plays a side character in the sequel but is now the world’s last hope in defending time from caving in on itself in this finale.
The gameplay is similar toThe Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Maskwherein everything players do has a consequence. This opening line is just as foreboding as the first game in the series, clueing players in that they are in for a grim ride.
1“Bring It!” (Stranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin)
Jack, the protagonist, screams this line at Tiamat before he and his party rush into battle. It’s another example of a game starting with a cold open before things get dialed back. Jack is one of the wildest main characters in a spinoff or mainlineFinal Fantasygame.
He quickly became a meme after the first trailer debuted because he says “Chaos” so much in it. Jack is brash and unafraid to speak his mind inStranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, leading to someother great memes.
