Final Fantasy: Every Numbered Game Ranked

Final Fantasy VI - confusingly known as Final Fantasy III to those in North America - is essentially the structural inverse of Final Fantasy XV. A linear first half, which intimately explores the characters of the principal cast balloons out into a pioneering open-ended second act, as you piece everything back together in preparation to take on the ultimate evil, coulrophobe's nightmare Kefka.

It's also the opposite of FFXV in terms of quality, in that it's not complete arse. Final Fantasy VI was the crossroads for Final Fantasy, the point Square-Enix let it blossom from the best the JRPG genre had to offer into something truly its own. Steampunk takes over from the usual high-fantasy trappings, and there is a greater confidence in letting bat-and-rat infested caves and sewers take a backseat to elaborate set-pieces where combat is not the focus. Who can forget the astonishing opera sequence, replete with its own synthesised aria?

It's a struggle to find a single flaw with Final Fantasy VI. Though there are over a dozen main characters, none is underserved by the main plot nor their plethora of associated sidequests. Battles are faster and more dynamic than ever, as party members now strike a perfect balance between unique abilities and full customisation of secondary skills. Nobuo Uematsu is arguably at his peak here too; the use of recurring leitmotifs throughout FFVI's score lend profound weight to scenes and characters which could otherwise appear campy in a 16-bit environment. This is Final Fantasy at (just about) its finest.