TheFinal Fantasyseries is one of the most beloved lines of RPGs you can play today. There are tons of fantastic games with even more incredible stories for you to experience across multiple decades at this point. While everyone who loves the series has a dedicated favorite, that doesn’t stop you from also having a game or two from the series that really challenges you.
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With how much the series has experimented with over the years, it only makes sense that you might find yourself facing a steep challenge when entire systems have completely changed. Exactly which game is the hardest is a good question, and one you’re about to find the answer to.
10Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Considering those who hadn’t touched the Final Fantasy series for a while hopped back into the series with this game, it only makes sense that some really struggled. The freshaction-based approach to this RPG’s combatis a serious change from the original game.
Even on the easier settings, it wouldn’t be a surprise to hear about you struggling against some of the bosses in this game, and that goes double for the extra optional challenges. Adventuring might be more straightforward, but dynamic combat kept a few people stuck on some tough fights here and there.
9Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Crystal Chronicles is a loved and often underrated side game from the series, but it’s one that could give some people a lot of trouble. The gameplay was unlike pretty much anything the main series offered at the time, creating a bit of a learning curve for dedicated players.
The game does increase in difficulty at a pretty fair rate, but if you struggle with the mechanics and how combat works, you’re going to struggle for quite some time. Luckily,you can tackle this game with some friends, something that might keep things easier or at the very least more entertaining while you struggle.
8Final Fantasy 8
When it comes to Final Fantasy 8, the difficulty is a rather interesting topic. Most people probably wouldn’t consider it one of the hardest games at a glance, but it is another game that took a bold swing.
If you do not come to grips with the junction system, you are going to have a rough time.
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The system is unlike anything Final Fantasy had done before or since, as it forces you to learn something fairly complex without a great tool to teach you. Understanding how to use the system well and how different spells and abilities work will take a lot of practice, so you might end up needing a guide to get anywhere.
7Final Fantasy 4
There seems to be some consensus that Final Fantasy 4 is one of the hardest games in the series. Those who played it on the original SNES or Game Boy Advance may be incredibly confused by that statement, but the truth is, it’s the DS port of the game that really makes people struggle.
For whatever reason, the DS version was changed to be incredibly unforgiving in comparison to the other versions. You’ll want to experiment with non-attack spells throughout your playthrough and spend plenty of time grinding if you hope to ever see Cecil’s journey through to the end.
6Final Fantasy Dissidia NT
Unlike the mainline games in the Final Fantasy series, Dissidia NT is a fighting game. If you have tried a fighting game at any point, you’ll know exactly why this game can be considered to be quite tough.
Being successful in a fighting game requires a lot of practice with multiple characters. The game is at least manageable on lower difficulties, but it’s not uncommon to hear people discussinghow brutal the game can be as you progresswith the difficulty rating.
On the bright side, you can enjoy the main story without too many worries.
5Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics is,unsurprisingly, a tactical gamethat requires you to think about each and every move you make. While a game like that may be simple to veterans of that genre, those trying it for the first time are likely to have a serious struggle with the title, especially if they’re playing the original.
The major issue is how much the game demands of you in the early hours. If you’re able to handle a bombardment of information and mechanics early on, you’ll probably end up breezing through the rest of the game.
4Final Fantasy 5
If you go into Final Fantasy 5 with no idea of what the game is like and no guide to help you, you’re in for a great challenge. This game utilizes the famous job system that is so beloved, meaning you have tons of different character classes for each of your characters.
If you appreciate having to experiment with different jobs and team compositions to succeed, you’ll enjoy the game. The thing is, it can take a long time to figure out the best way to handle tricky battles, leading to a lot of game-overs throughout that process.
3Final Fantasy 13
People have had a lot of criticism of Final Fantasy 13 over the years, but the game does deserve some credit for trying something new. With a hugely different battle system from what came before, Final Fantasy 13’s combat can be really hard for players to come to grips with.
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Those who think the game plays itself clearly didn’t put in the effort to experiment with the paradigm shift system, one that is tricky to master, but worthwhile to learn. A lot of players find themselves stuck on plenty of early game fights because they don’t learn the system, don’t let that be you!
2Final Fantasy 3
Final Fantasy 3 wasthe game that introduced the job systemto the series in a major way, but many people still haven’t experienced the game. There’s a good reason for that, and that reason is the sheer difficulty of the game.
Modern versions of the game have made plenty of quality-of-life improvements, but the classic version is mind-numbingly difficult. You have to grind a lot, and even with all that grinding, it’s not uncommon to be obliterated by foes when you least expect it, losing tons of progress at the same time.
1Final Fantasy 2
Much like many of the other early Final Fantasy games, Final Fantasy 2 has a few big ideas that created a lot of difficulty. Without the help of a guide, you will feel like you’re forever stuck grinding in the strangest ways for meager gains.
It doesn’t help that there seem to be plenty of bugged-out spells that either do nothing or so little that it’s hard to understand what is happening. Chocobos and Cid may have made their first appearances in this game, but it might be worth passing over this one if you aren’t interested in something so tough.
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