Summary
- In Final Fantasy games, the progression rhythm involves starting strong, getting weaker, then getting stronger again.
- Finding powerful weapons is a major thrill in RPGs like Final Fantasy, offering advantages in battles.
- Using strategies like magic, specific character abilities, and extra challenges can lead to becoming overpowered in the game.
One of the core elements that makes the Final Fantasy series so revered is the familiar rhythms that the games provide. Players will start off feeling strong but not too powerful, eventually up feeling quite weak and wanting to engage with a title’s unique systems to become stronger, before being strong (but not too strong) by the end.
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Yet rewards are on offer for those players willing to go even slightly off the expected path for one of the series' numerous bits of side content. These often lead a player to be completely overpowered and allow more downtime for the brain as they head into the game's last challenges. It’s a glorious rhythm to the series, but yes, if someone knows where to look, they will soon find themselves becoming extremely overpowered and breezing past even the most hideous monsters.
10 Final Fantasy 15
Easy For The Story, Less So Elsewhere
Final Fantasy 15
- Released
- November 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Language, Mild Blood, Partial Nudity, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Magic is the player's friend here. The combat might be a blur, but it is seldom difficult and just driving around can net Noctis and co. Valuable ability points. However, to make any boss fight redundant, magic and potions are easy to find, making the game significantly easier. It’s not quite as obvious as just leveling up, and the game provides some pretty unique challenges, especially with dungeon layouts.
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The extra challenges aren’t so simple though and, to its considerable credit, the game does have arguably the most innovative dungeon in the entire franchise. For a casual storyline playthrough though, just drive, do side quests, and stop off at every magic point, and players will easily get through arguably the most troubled installment in the franchise.
9 Final Fantasy 16
The King Of Dragons Speaks Loudly
Final Fantasy 16
- Released
- June 22, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
This game changes on a dime a fair way through its campaign. Picking up various Eikons provides protagonist Clive Rosfield with new abilities, and yet not all of them equal. The first four Eikons are good and complement each other well, but step forward, Bahumut. Its abilities require a different approach than the first four, but they make the game so very different and much easier. Appealing to good dodging and in general hanging back as opposed to charging in, it will see players approaching fights in a new way.
This often sees fights becoming a much safer affair, with fighting from a distance gaining much more credibility. The introduction of Odin, the last Eikon to be obtained, only further simplifies the game. That's not to say it isn’t fun or challenging, but if any Eikon makes an impact in pushing Clive into overpowered territory, it’s Bahamut.
8 Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
Experience Gains A Second Meaning
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
- Released
- March 22, 2011
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
The arcade-style beat-up side franchise that got killed when it became an actual arcade game, the Dissidia series was never too difficult. Obsessive use of dodging and simply doing a lot of fights will soon see players become more than a match for most opponents. Buying the most up-to-date equipment and experimenting with other moves in your armory won't hurt either. And yes, a lot of this will depend on the player’s ability to react.
These games are, arguably, not all that difficult, and when being overpowered is not a matter of strategy, then it can’t be considered too tough of a benchmark to achieve. Like with any title that is more reaction-based, the experience that both the player and the character get out od Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy can make this game rather easy.
7 Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings
Underrated, Overlooked, But Overpowered
Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings
- Released
- November 20, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Tactical, JRPG
This is a strange Final Fantasy title, in that it’s often mid-battle that players become overpowered. The real-time strategy sequel to Final Fantasy 12 was an intriguing but good title. If the Switch 2 does end up including mouse functionality, then this game will quietly be a great choice for a port. Careful use of summoning espers and leveling them up can make battles a cakewalk. The other crucial element of Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings is that random encounters, due to the longer time that battles generally take, will quickly leave players overpowered for the main story.
This game was a fun experiment and one which, alongside Harvestella, Square Enix should repeat if just for quality, albeit not for sales figures. But no, for being overpowered, players only need a brain and maybe a few additional extra encounters. It’s not difficult to do the homework here.
6 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring Of Fates
Fun While The Franchise Lasted
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring Of Fates
- Released
- March 11, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
The Crystal Chronicles franchise might be thoroughly dead by now, but the more active fighting style it introduced was quite fun. The strategy for these fights was somewhat lacking though, truth be told. Yes, jump into a dungeon, stock up on potions, and be sure to buy any pockets, allowing for more potions and magic to be stored, and players will be well on their way to being overpowered. Buy the strongest weapon and armor, and do the odd dungeon twice. That's about it.
Ring of Fates isn’t a difficult game by any means, albeit with the odd bit of extra time expenditure. It’s a shame the franchise died, it had charm and the dungeons were always quite intriguing to explore. Even the ill-fated Crystal Bearers title was wonderfully innovative.
5 Final Fantasy 2
You Dictate How You Develop
Final Fantasy II
- Released
- December 17, 1988
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
The true black sheep of the whole franchise, Final Fantasy 2 was ahead of its time. This game doesn’t let players just level up, it rewards them for their actions by advancing statistics depending on what they do in battle. It’s a strange system that frequently leads to unbalanced characters, but it’s all up to the player.
It’s tedious and less obvious than just ‘see enemy, kill enemy, fly,’ but the strategy still isn’t subtle. It will not be fun or quick, spells in particular take a very long time to level up, but time is the only enemy. The ugly step-child of the Final Fantasy franchise is not the hardest in which to make the game’s challenge redundant, depending on the player’s patience.
4 Final Fantasy 6
With Locke Locked In, You Don’t Need Anything Else
Final Fantasy 6
- Released
- October 11, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Partial Nudity
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Becoming overpowered in Final Fantasy 6 does require some strategy, but not much. If players are diligent in checking areas, then they'll soon end up with the Ultima Weapon and Valiant Knife, a combination which, when applied with a Genji Glove and Masters Scroll, turns Locke into a one-man army that can kill anything. It’ll help to level up, and players will need to find espers for strong spells, but that list is one that they will accidentally tick off without much difficulty.
Other characters and other strategies can work and become a bit more complicated, but there just isn’t that much logic. Locke is one of the main characters among the big cast and someone who players are encouraged to gravitate towards. They'll inevitably pick up at least one Genji Glove. The only challenging part of this is Ultima Weapon, which can be missed, but adequate replacements can also be found.
3 Final Fantasy 3
Walk Straight Ahead, You’ll Be Fine
Final Fantasy III
- Released
- April 27, 1990
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Final Fantasy 3 can be a problematic game if the right equipment isn’t found, or players aren’t diligent enough. Again though, this is a simple matter of time investment. Like a certain other game in the franchise, the final dungeon is a grind that players will have to endure. The numerous jobs don’t have any customization options in terms of bringing abilities over from former jobs and, for the most part, the most recent jobs the player has unlocked at any one time are the most powerful.
A side dungeon, which is quite easy to find, will reward the player with the best jobs, but again, none of this is difficult. It will require time investment and to ensure they look at pretty obvious side content, but being overpowered isn’t tough to accomplish.
2 Final Fantasy 4
You’ll Be Over The Moon
Final Fantasy 4
- Released
- July 19, 1991
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
The less strategy players need to be overpowered, the easier it is. Final Fantasy 4 is another game that requires more time investment than anything, and players will soon find their way to slaughtering everything. Ahead of the last dungeon, a lot of grinding will be needed, but to be overpowered it really is that simple: just grind. Nothing to it, no fancy strategies, just fight, over and over again.
The pixel remaster being the default option even made this easier by removing the option to change party members later on, which had been added in the GBA/PSP versions. It might take a while, but it isn’t difficult to become overpowered in this entry.
1 Final Fantasy 1
Braindead Strategy Rewards Well
Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Edition
- Released
- December 18, 1987
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- JRPG, Adventure
The original Final Fantasy is actually a tough game. It isn’t easy, but it’s a punishingly simple title. Players will find all of the answers in terms of strength right in front of them. There isn’t any real strategy to it: fight monsters for long enough—and often it isn’t even that long—and they'll become overpowered. Later games in the series usually require some sort of strategic leveling to do so, or keep key areas, like Final Fantasy 6’s Dinosaur Forest, a bit more hidden.
Final Fantasy 1, though, is the exception. Fight around the area the game is telling players to be in, and it’ll soon become easy. The additional dungeons provided by the Game Boy Advance and PSP versions make becoming overpowered a lot easier as well. It’s not an easy game, but there’s no strategy involved. Just for the love of god, start with a white mage in the party.
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