10 WORST Final Fantasy Games For Newcomers
10 Worst Final Fantasy Games For Newcomers
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we are grabbing you by the shoulders, turning you around, and sending you towards a different title, I don’t want to spoil this series for you because I love it so much. These are the 10 worst Final Fantasy games for newcomers. Don’t touch these, go play “Final Fantasy X”.
"Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin" (2022)
Despite the title, "Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin" is not really the beginner-friendly starting point it might appear to be. Yes, the story explores the origins of Garland and ties directly into the events of the original "Final Fantasy", but the game is clearly aimed at players who already have some history with the series. For starters, the combat is far more demanding than many modern entries. While "Final Fantasy XVI" embraces action gameplay, it is relatively forgiving compared to the relentless difficulty found here. Success often depends on mastering the game's deep Job system rather than simply mashing attack buttons and hoping for the best. The adventure is also packed with references to earlier games, with levels inspired by iconic locations from across the franchise. Exploring a Mako Reactor or revisiting a version of the Flying Fortress is undeniably cool, but the nostalgia hits a lot harder when you actually know where those places came from.
“Final Fantasy XV” (2016)
Few games have a development story as chaotic as "Final Fantasy XV". After spending years trapped in development, changing direction multiple times, and evolving from "Final Fantasy Versus XIII" into something completely different, it is honestly a minor miracle the game was released at all. To its credit, plenty of players ended up loving the adventure, particularly the road-trip dynamic between Noctis and his friends. The biggest issue, however, is the storytelling. Important events often happen off-screen or are explained through supplementary material like the anime series and feature film, leaving newcomers wondering if they accidentally skipped a chapter somewhere. Because of this, the narrative can feel fragmented compared to some of the series' stronger entries. For first-time players, games like "Final Fantasy X", "Final Fantasy VII", or "Final Fantasy IX" often provide a smoother introduction. "Final Fantasy XV" has plenty of fans, but it is definitely one of those games that asks for a little patience before its strengths start to shine.
“Dissidia Final Fantasy“ (2008)
"Dissidia Final Fantasy" might feature some of the most iconic characters in the series, but it is a surprisingly poor place to begin your journey with "Final Fantasy". The entire game is built around celebrating the franchise's history, throwing heroes and villains from across multiple generations into one giant crossover battle. That sounds great if you already know who Cloud, Terra, Cecil, or Kefka are, but for newcomers, many of these appearances lack the impact they were designed to have. The story constantly references events, relationships, and rivalries from earlier games without spending much time explaining them. Even the combat can be intimidating, combining fighting game mechanics with RPG systems in a way that takes some getting used to. "Dissidia" works best as a victory lap for longtime fans. Starting here is a bit like attending a family reunion where you have never met any of the relatives before.
“Final Fantasy” (1987)
Right from the very first game, "Final Fantasy" established a tradition that the series still follows today: constantly trying new ideas. While the original NES release deserves respect for laying the foundation for one of gaming's most beloved franchises, actually recommending that version to a newcomer in the modern era would be slightly irresponsible. Between the slow pace, dated interface, and old-school difficulty spikes, it can feel more like a test of patience than an RPG adventure. If you have somehow never played the original, the PSP or Game Boy Advance versions are much friendlier places to start. They preserve the charm and simplicity of the classic while smoothing out many of its rough edges. Think of it as experiencing gaming history without also volunteering to experience all of gaming history's frustrations at the same time.
“Final Fantasy X-2” (2003)
Despite being one of the more accessible direct sequels in the franchise, "Final Fantasy X-2" is still a difficult game to recommend as somebody's first "Final Fantasy". A huge part of that comes down to how different it feels from both its predecessor and the rest of the series. For newcomers, it can feel like being introduced to a band through their weird experimental album instead of one of their greatest hits. The tone is much lighter, the pacing is faster, and the game throws players into a mission-based structure that can feel overwhelming if they are unfamiliar with Spira and its characters. While the combat system is excellent, it is also surprisingly demanding, encouraging players to constantly switch Jobs and adapt on the fly rather than relying on a single strategy. The three-person party is another major departure from the larger ensembles found throughout much of the franchise. These changes were clearly the result of Square experimenting with the formula, and many fans love the game because of that.
“Final Fantasy XII” (2006)
If your first exposure to "Final Fantasy" is "Final Fantasy XII", there is a good chance you'll come away with a completely different idea of what the series normally plays like. Rather than the traditional turn-based battles found in many earlier entries, or the fast-paced action combat of more recent games, "Final Fantasy XII" sits in a strange middle ground. Enemies roam the world freely, battles happen seamlessly in the environment, and characters often fight automatically based on instructions you've set beforehand. Much of the strategy comes from building effective Gambits, a system that lets you program your party's behaviour with conditional commands. It is a fascinating mechanic, but also one that can leave newcomers staring at menus wondering whether they are playing an RPG or secretly learning computer programming. The system eventually becomes incredibly rewarding, but it demands a level of patience that many first-time players may not be expecting from the series.
“Final Fantasy II” (1988)
"Final Fantasy II" occupies a strange place in the franchise. It deserves credit for introducing many ideas that would become series staples, including named characters, a more story-driven approach, and a world that feels far more alive than its predecessor. The problem is that it also contains some of the most divisive gameplay systems in the entire series. Instead of gaining traditional experience points, characters improve individual stats and weapon proficiencies through repeated use, which often encourages grinding in ways that can feel awkward or unintuitive. Exploration can be equally demanding, with dungeons full of near-identical rooms that seem designed to test your sense of direction more than your combat skills. For longtime fans, these quirks are part of the game's charm. For newcomers, they can be major obstacles. There is still a worthwhile adventure hidden underneath the rough edges, but it takes a bit more effort to appreciate than many other entries in the series.
“Final Fantasy VIII” (1999)
Most "Final Fantasy" games teach players that magic is a resource to cast and equipment is what boosts your stats. "Final Fantasy VIII" immediately decides to ignore both of those rules. The game's Junction system ties character growth directly to magic, allowing spells to be attached to stats like Strength, HP, and Magic itself. It is an incredibly flexible system once it clicks, but the game does not exactly hold your hand while explaining it. Many newcomers spend their first few hours wondering whether they should be casting spells, stockpiling them, or treating them like collectible trading cards. Then there is the enemy scaling. In most RPGs, getting stuck means fighting a few battles and coming back stronger. In "Final Fantasy VIII", enemies largely level up alongside you, which turns one of the genre's oldest solutions into a surprisingly ineffective strategy. It is a fascinating experiment and one that gives the game a unique identity, but it also makes "Final Fantasy VIII" feel like the series' eccentric cousin who insists on doing everything differently from the rest of the family.
“Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13” (2013)
Trying to start the "Final Fantasy XIII" trilogy with "Lightning Returns" is a bit like walking into the final episode of a TV series and expecting everything to make sense. The game wastes absolutely no time bringing newcomers up to speed. Within minutes, Lightning is back, the world is ending, familiar characters are behaving strangely, and the story expects you to understand why all of this is a very big deal. If you have played the previous two games, that's exciting. If you haven't, it can feel like you accidentally skipped several hundred pages of a book. The structure is just as unusual as the narrative. Rather than a traditional RPG adventure, "Lightning Returns" revolves around a constantly ticking countdown that gives players thirteen in-game days to save the world. Managing time becomes just as important as winning battles, making the experience feel closer to "Majora's Mask" than a typical "Final Fantasy". It is one of the franchise's boldest experiments, but definitely not one of its most welcoming entry points.
“Dirge Of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7” (2007)
Imagine being introduced to the "Final Fantasy VII" universe through the one game where you spend most of your time firing machine guns at monsters as a brooding vampire with a gun for a hand. That is essentially what happens if you start with "Dirge of Cerberus". While the game is technically part of the wider "Final Fantasy VII" story, it assumes players already know who Vincent Valentine is and why his past matters. The emotional weight of many scenes depends heavily on knowledge from the original game, where Vincent is not even a mandatory party member. The gameplay creates another hurdle. Instead of turn-based battles, character progression, and party management, "Dirge of Cerberus" is primarily a third-person shooter. It is one of the biggest genre shifts in the entire franchise and feels almost nothing like the series around it. Existing fans can enjoy it as an extra chapter in Vincent's story. Newcomers, meanwhile, may walk away wondering why everybody keeps insisting "Final Fantasy" is an RPG series.
