The Final Fantasy series is made by Squaresoft, arguably one of the best of all role playing games1 developers. The series currently has eight incarnations plus numerous spin-offs into fighting and strategy style games. The core games have a huge cult following in the US and Japan. These fans, who sometimes go by the term 'Final Fanatics' or 'Otaku'2, are fiercely loyal, and sometimes quite irritable, due to lack of free time for healthy activities, such as social stimulation, sunlight, and sleep.
The Games
The Final Fantasy games usually centre on a main character, who for some reason or other is forced to go on a quest to save the world. The quest usually starts as something simple, like walking into a run-down bar. But it then develops into something more grandiose, like averting an apocalyptic meteor, for example. During the journey the player will meet several characters who accompany the party, for reasons of adventure, love, or revenge. Every game reaches some point where there's absolutely no chance of good prevailing. However, this is an epic tale and good somehow always pulls through in the end.
From one game to another there is no continuity. None at all. The settings have become more technologically advanced as time and sequels progress, which has led to major controversy over which game is the best.
In Case it Comes up Conversation...
If you're ever in a conversation where the topic suddenly switches to which of the games is the best, leave the room immediately. Not that the games are bad mind you, in fact, they're quite good. But that kind of discussion can only lead to one of two possible outcomes: serious injury (any fanatic will not hesitate to gnaw his or her own leg off if it proves that their favourite sequel in the series is best), or the end of civilisation. If do you stay to argue your point without sustaining injury, the end of the world as we know it will surely occur before any kind of settlement can be reached.
1 See also Dungeons and Dragons.
2 Otaku is the much broader term signifying interest in all things related to Japanese pop-culture.
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