There are 16 Final Fantasy main entries, but many spinoffs make for some of the worst entries in the Final Fantasy franchise. Square Enix’s classic franchise boasts vast, magical realms filled with epic adventures, unforgettable characters, and innovative gameplay. However, like any long-standing franchise, Final Fantasy has had its fair share of spinoffs that didn’t quite hit the mark. These ten spinoffs left fans scratching their heads and longing for the epic adventures and memorable characters the mainline Final Fantasy games are known for. In this article, we’ll look lightheartedly at the ten worst Final Fantasy spinoffs that Square Enix would love to sweep under the rug.
The 10 Worst Final Fantasy Spinoffs
This series is no stranger to some odd spin-off titles, but here is our list of the ten Square Enix doesn’t want you bringing up anytime soon.
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII
- The Good: This game dives deep into Vincent Valentine’s epic tale, giving him a longer backstory in Final Fantasy VII.
- The Bad: The multiplayer mode is as exciting as watching paint dry on a Monday morning staff meeting.
Let’s start with a spinoff that attempted to capitalize on the success of one of the most beloved entries in the series. Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII put players in control of Vincent Valentine, a brooding, gun-wielding protagonist. Unfortunately, an exciting, action-packed adventure could have been a convoluted mess with clunky controls and a confusing storyline. Dirge of the Cerberus is one of the worst Final Fantasy spinoffs. It felt like an awkward attempt to shoehorn a side character into the spotlight, and fans were left disappointed.
Final Fantasy: All the Bravest
- The Good: This game is like a Final Fantasy fan’s dream come true, bringing together a colossal ensemble of characters from the entire series. It’s like creating your all-star squad to save the world, complete with spiky-haired heroes and mystical mages.
- The Bad: The gameplay is as shallow as a kiddie pool, with battles that repeat more often than your great aunt’s stories at family reunions.
If you’ve ever wanted to experience a Final Fantasy game where all you do is mindlessly tap on the screen, Final Fantasy: All the Bravest is the spinoff for you! This mobile game stripped away any semblance of strategy or depth, reducing battles to mind-numbingly repetitive button mashing. The game’s reliance on microtransactions to unlock additional characters and content also left a sour taste in fans’ mouths.
Final Fantasy XIII-2
- The Good: You’ll have the power to rewrite history and explore different eras like a time-traveling guru.
- The Bad: Hold onto your sanity as you navigate a tangled and perplexing story.
After the divisive reception of Final Fantasy XIII, Square Enix decided to give it another shot with Final Fantasy XIII-2. Unfortunately, the sequel failed to address many criticisms against its predecessor. The storyline became even more convoluted, the characters lacked depth, and the time-travel mechanics only added to the confusion. Final Fantasy XII-2 is one of the worst Final Fantasy spinoffs. It felt like a desperate attempt to salvage a faltering franchise rather than a genuine effort to create a compelling game.
Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest
- The Good: This game is a welcoming haven for RPG rookies, with simple mechanics that even a goldfish could grasp. The story unfolds like a straight arrow.
- The Bad: Don’t expect memorable characters; they’re about as remarkable as plain white toast at a breakfast buffet.
While Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest was initially intended to introduce the series to a younger audience, it ended up being a watered-down, simplified experience that disappointed fans of the mainline games. The gameplay was overly simplistic, the story lacked depth, and the characters were forgettable.
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Echoes of Time
- The Good: This game boasts a solid multiplayer mode.
- The Bad: Be ready for a repetitive gameplay experience as monotonous as doing laundry on a never-ending loop.
The Crystal Chronicles subseries aimed to bring multiplayer action to the Final Fantasy universe. However, Echoes of Time failed to live up to its potential. The game suffered from repetitive quests, uninspired dungeons, and a lackluster story. Despite its focus on multiplayer, the game lacked the necessary features to facilitate engaging cooperative play. Mythic Quest left players feeling disconnected and underwhelmed, making it one of the worst Final Fantasy spinoffs.
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
- The Good: The game bends reality and tickles your brain cells with a physics-based gameplay mechanic.
- The Bad: It has a shallow story, uninteresting characters, and a lack of challenge.
The Crystal Bearers Continuing with the Crystal Chronicles spinoffs, we have The Crystal Bearers. This game took an exciting concept and squandered it. The game introduced players to Layle, a character with telekinetic powers in a crystal-dominated world. While the premise had potential, the execution fell flat. The game’s controls were clunky, the story was disjointed, and the open-world exploration lacked depth. Creating a captivating spinoff within the Crystal Chronicles universe was a missed opportunity.
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles My Life as a King
- The Good: Unleash your creative power as you craft and govern your kingdom with endless customization and strategic possibilities.
- The Bad: This game lacks engaging challenges and thrilling surprises. It leaves you yearning for more in the blink of an eye.
In this spinoff, players took on the role of a young king responsible for rebuilding their kingdom. However, the gameplay boiled down to a repetitive cycle of constructing buildings and sending adventurers off on quests with little variety or excitement. Crystal Chronicles is one of the worst Final Fantasy spinoffs. The game’s lack of meaningful interactions and strategic depth left players feeling like they were merely going through the motions of being a king rather than experiencing a compelling gameplay experience.
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles My Life as a Darklord
- The Good: Embrace your inner mischief and unleash your devious genius as you command a horde of traps and monstrous minions to protect your tower from heroes.
- The Bad: This game falls short of delivering complex gameplay and exhilarating challenges and offers a never-ending cycle of monotonous missions.
As a direct sequel to My Life as a King, My Life as a Darklord follows the story of the king’s daughter, who takes on the role of the villain. However, this spinoff suffered from many of the same issues as its predecessor. The gameplay remained monotonous, and the lack of meaningful choices or consequences made the experience feel hollow. It was a disappointing attempt to build upon the foundation of My Life as a King.
Final Fantasy: Type-0 HD
- The Good: The game features a vibrant world teeming with a diverse roster of captivating characters, each armed with unique skills and personalities.
- The Bad: The game has a puzzling narrative, frustratingly uneven difficulty, and endless repetitive missions.
Type-0 HD was an updated version of a previously Japan-only release. It attempted to bring the original game’s darker and more mature tone to a broader audience. Unfortunately, the game struggled to find its footing. It’s got a convoluted plot and a large ensemble cast that made it difficult to connect with the characters. FF: Type-o HD is one of the worst Final Fantasy spinoffs. The gameplay was also hit-or-miss, with some enjoyable action sequences and frustrating mechanics that detracted from the overall experience.
Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light
- The Good is a delightful world adorned with an enchanting art style. This game allows you to personalize your characters with various skills through a one-of-a-kind job system.
- The Bad: This game has a sluggish pace, a lack of formidable challenges, and a forgettable story.
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Rounding out our list is Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light, a spinoff that aimed to capture the nostalgia of classic Final Fantasy games. However, the result felt more like a watered-down imitation than a worthy tribute. The game lacked the depth and complexity that fans had come to expect, with simplified gameplay and a forgettable storyline. It was a disappointing attempt to recreate the magic of earlier Final Fantasy titles.