8 Most Underrated Final Fantasy Games

Final Fantasy, believe it or not, is a game series that dates back all the way to the 80s. It's one of the longest-running and most successful franchises in the history of the medium, and if we're comparing it to other art form mainstays, it's more or less the video game equivalent to Star Wars in terms of its popularity and longevity.

Despite that, there are tons of games in the series that don't get the proper attention they deserve. That's because there are just so many of them. Spin-offs that became series of their own, mobile games that are better than they had any right to be and so on.

We're going to check out the most underrated games in the long-running Final Fantasy franchise.

8 Final Fantasy: Type 0

The Darkest Final Fantasy

I first played Final Fantasy: Type-0 on a fan translation, and while that certainly had its hurdles, the game itself was just magic. And that's because it came after the somewhat disappointing Final Fantasy XIII trilogy, which to this day, remains one of the more baffling decisions by any company in the history of video games. That game got 3 titles? I digress. What makes Final Fantasy: Type-0 so special is the mature story, great characters, and really engaging gameplay.

Rather than a traditional party system, you'll take control of a class of military students caught up in an intense war. You decide on a handful to take with you each mission, and each character plays completely differently. One will use guns, while the other is a hand-to-hand master, while another might use a whip or a spear, or dual swords. It makes each character feel so unique, and there really is a character for everyone. Then there are the innovative strategy battles in the open world, the amazing boss fights, and an ending which, is without a doubt, the biggest gut punch I've ever seen in the finale of a game. I mean...damn. That's all I can say about it. Go play it, and you'll see what I mean.

7 Final Fantasy VIII

Black Jacket, Black Sheep

While it was critically acclaimed at launch, in the years since, this one has become the undoubted black sheep of the franchise. I know it rated and sold well, but I've been in the battlefields of Final Fantasy Reddits. We are the few and the proud that defend this one. The Junction system was confusing and the story itself has been endlessly maligned, but that's because this is a different kind of Final Fantasy. This was the thinking man's Final Fantasy. The Junction system required you to have a deep understanding of what the game was trying to do with its battle system and those that knew how to properly engage it could absolutely break the game if they set up their characters correctly.

Story wise, it's easily the most complex game in the series, with time travel, multiple dimensions and memory loss all boiled into a game that even goes to the outreach of space. It's a daring one for sure, but I find it to be one of the best in the series. Squall's one of the best characters in the series and his arc is incredibly emotional and believable and his love story with Rinoa is an all-timer. I also loved the multiple villains we get along the way, from the 80s-style teen movie villain of Seifer to the aura-filled presence of Edea and then more intimidating ones like Adel and Ultimecia. The way it all weaves together ends in the best final dungeon in a JRPG, period, followed by a mesmerizing final fight and an incredible ending sequence that still gets interpreted to this day.

6 Final Fantasy IV

No Zero to Hero

Before Final Fantasy VI took the world by storm, the series started taking that storytelling thing a little bit more seriously with Final Fantasy IV. And it was apparent from the start. The characters were more defined, the storylines darker, the enemies more dangerous and overall, a sense of maturity hit the series that the previous three games never really achieved.

The story of The Dark Knight Cecil is one for the ages, filled with amazing highs and very few lows and yet, it's never talked about with the grandeur of games like VI, VII and X. And damn well it should be. The remake went a long way in modernizing and while it's easily the hardest game in the series, it's one that deserves your attention if you're up for a long romp in the world of Final Fantasy.

5 Final Fantasy XV

The Kingsguard Boys

I'm probably one of the bigger Final Fantasy XV apologists out there, and I think it's easily one of the lesser appreciated games in the series. I was dying for a new Final Fantasy when this came out and while it was a massive departure in so many ways from the older games in the series, it still had that magic to it. Granted, it takes a while to get to, as the opening hours are pretty slow, but once you start cooking here, it gets really good, really fast.

The story is fun, if a bit unfinished, and the heart of that story is Noctis and his 3 Kingsglaive bodyguards, who these days, are all fully playable and give you completely different combat experiences depending on who you choose. They are the Final Fantasy answer to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and that's a complement. Further, the combat system is awesome and incredibly deep. The problem is the game doesn't tell you anything outside "hold this button to attack." There are actually multiple attack types per weapon, with hidden moves that you can pull off depending on your timing and what direction you're pressing while attacking. This comes in handy against some of the epic bosses you'll face in the game, of which there are plenty. Yes, it's still technically unfinished, but it's a wild ride with, again, a phenomenal ending. There's a trend here.

4 Final Fantasy Tactics: Advance

The Power of Friendship and RNG

Final Fantasy Tactics: Advance is one of the more maligned games in the series' long and illustrious history. The tone was changed significantly from the dark, political turmoil of the first game and overall, it felt like a game produced for the masses and not for the fans of the first game. And that's all true, the tone is far more light-hearted and the writing is pretty cheesy at times and feels out of place with what is happening in the world.

I wouldn't come to this one for the story, but the gameplay. Because the system of the judges is something that no other game really does to my knowledge. At the beginning of every battle, a Judge appears and determines the rules for the fight. They can be a variety of things, from limiting spells you can use to letting it be an all-out war where nothing is off limits. You never know what you're going to get and because of that, the game is endlessly replayable.

3 Final Fantasy XIII-2

Searching for the Main Character

Final Fantasy XIII-2 is nobody's favorite Final Fantasy by my estimation, but it's a fascinating game in the series lexicon that deserves a try if you've never given it the time of day. I'm still shocked that this story got 3 games to stretch its wings, but if there is one game in the series that is really worth playing, it's the 2nd title. It's a decidedly smaller feeling than the 1st and 3rd entries in the trilogy, but that's not a bad thing. This more contained story of Serah and Noel as they search for Lightning, and it's a wild journey that introduces a compelling villain in Caius Ballad and a fascinating combat system.

This time around, you've got the Final Fantasy XIII combat mixed with Pokémon. Sounds strange, right? And it is at first, but this combat flexibility was so needed in the first game. It lets you break up your basic attacks with special moves from the different monsters you can capture along the way, and it gives the combat an awesome flow that the first game never achieved, in my opinion. The journey is a classic Final Fantasy-feeling one, and although you've only got two characters here, they're really good ones. The relationship between Noel and Serah is one that fuels every moment of the story. I would argue you could skip the first game entirely and just watch a recap and play this one. It's that good.

2 Dissidia Final Fantasy

One Big Party

Dissidia Final Fantasy is a dream come true for many fans of the series. While it's far from a traditional Final Fantasy game, it's got the name, it's got the characters, it's got the Limit Breaks, so it qualifies. Here, all the different heroes over the years come together in a war of the gods for the ages. That means all the favorites from both sides are showing up with this brawl for all. Cloud, Squall, Yuna, Terra and more face off against Kefka, Ultimecia, and, of course, Sephiroth, among others in an arena fighter with some really cool ideas.

There are two damage types, so you need to constantly figure out the best way to approach a battle, whether by stacking damage or going for the kill outright. It's a low-key game in terms of budget, and it's on the PSP, but the sequels improved that quality even more. Still though, there is something really special about the first one.

1 Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

Shut Up and Fight

The main character of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is Jack, and you need to know two things about Jack: he came here to talk to people and kill Chaos, and he's all done with talking. Introducing the most thoroughly ridiculous character in Final Fantasy history, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins stars Jack in a wild reimagining of how the first game's story came to be. You don't come to this one for the story though, you come for the gameplay.

The combat here is among the best of any game. That's because Team Ninja is at the controls and this is Final Fantasy combat unleashed. Every class you can imagine, every spell, is all available for you to wrought upon classic Final Fantasy enemies like Cactuars, Bombs and so much more. It's wildly challenging, but you can play through the whole thing with a friend if you so choose. It's super fast-paced, emphasizing parrying and defensive maneuvers, but the depth of it is truly wild. You can juggle jobs on the fly, multiple weapons, endless techniques and combos to master and some incredibly hard bosses too. It's a ridiculous game through and through, but it's so fun to play and so many wrote it off before even picking up the controller.