Final Fantasy: Building The Perfect Sequel (1 Feature From Each Game)

The core of a Final Fantasy game has always been its battle system. Story, content and exploration are important, but none would matter if the mechanic that drove the game forward was poorly executed.

Thankfully, Final Fantasy IV nailed it, to the extent that the turn-based Active Time Battle (ATB) system that it pioneered was barely modified for the next five games in the series.

Simple to understand, ATB enabled characters to take action once the gauge under their name gradually filled, with the time taken to do so determined by their Speed stat. This was replaced with a new system in every game from Final Fantasy X onwards, evolving into a fully real-time action-based system with no wait between inputs by the time XV came around.

Such continuous tweaking was indicative of a major quandary for Square Enix, as the ‘standing still and taking turns’ back and forth element of ATB has definitely been past its sell by date as a concept for some time.

The replacement of it with a ‘hack and slash’ system more akin to something like Dynasty Warriors is not universally appreciated by series purists, however. This has seen the strategic timing of combat success replaced by button mashing and dexterous block responses.

A return to ATB, in a modernised rather than its traditional form (like in X-2 or the upcoming VII remake), would therefore be highly welcomed, giving the formula a long overdue homecoming.