Final Fantasy Games With The Most Over-The-Top Stories, Ranked

Most people expect Final Fantasy games to come bundled with over-the-top stories and wild twists that guarantee to keep fans engaged, and though these stories may seem nonsensical to some, they add to the epic nature of each experience.

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The best Final Fantasy games know how to make these larger-than-life stories work in the grand scheme of things, but some others falter under this burden and end up mostly confusing players. Either way, the grandiose nature of these narratives ensures high stakes and surprising story swerves.

8 Final Fantasy 16

The Story Is Great At First But Gets A Bit Too Over-The-Top For Its Own Good

Final Fantasy 16 is a spectacle that lets players enjoy many cinematic encounters accompanied by some pulse-pounding themes. The music and visuals in this game are off the charts, but players had mixed opinions about the story.

While the franchise's take on Game of Thrones was interesting early on, the focus on Ultima as the antagonist took away from a lot of the world's allure. This villain made the story feel quite over-the-top, with Clive eventually taking on a godlike being at the end of the scintillating tale in an attempt to bring peace and hope to the world.

7 Final Fantasy 5

The Heroes Head To The Interdimensional Rift And Battle The Embodiment Of Evil

Final Fantasy 5 prioritized gameplay over story, letting its narrative be goofier at times and letting fans chuckle at the hilarious shenanigans on display. However, as Exdeath's threat became too great to ignore, so too did the overall tone of the story.

The fact that the final stretch of the game takes place in the Interdimensional Rift is a testament to the wild nature of the plot later on. Exdeath turns out to be the embodiment of evil who took on the form of a tree to wreak havoc on multiple dimensions, eventually being killed for good by the new Warriors of Light.

6 Final Fantasy 6

Kefka Becomes A False God After Rending The World Asunder

One of the most epic and engaging Final Fantasy games of all time, the sixth mainline entry boasts an ensemble cast and features some of the most ambitious storytelling seen in a Final Fantasy title. Watching Kefka succeed and lay waste to the World of Balance is a harrowing moment that ushers in the dawn of Final Fantasy 6's second act.

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The lack of linearity means that the plot takes a backseat to the gameplay, but that takes nothing away from the story's over-the-top nature. Final Fantasy 6 is one of the best games in the series, with the heroes of this title banding together after this apocalyptic event, raiding Kefka's tower, and putting an end to this jester's tyranny after he absorbed the powers of the Warring Triad to become a false god.

5 Final Fantasy

The Heroes Must Travel Back In Time To Kill The Game's First Boss, Who Turns Into Chaos Itself

Despite Final Fantasy being the first entry in this legendary series, it's impressive to see that Square had a clear idea of the grand stories that would play a central role in each game. After killing Garland and taking out the Four Fiends, the Warriors of Light realize that they have to go back to where their adventure started to save the world.

It turned out that Garland had traveled back in time moments before his death to become Chaos, trapping the world in a loop of destruction that would only end if the source of this evil was killed. So, in a bombastic final sequence, the Warriors of Light travel back in time and put an end to Chaos' evil machinations once and for all.

4 Final Fantasy 4

The World Is Being Manipulated By People Living On The Moon, Where The Heroes Travel For The Final Encounter

A story-driven Final Fantasy title that is memorable for all the right reasons, many fans of the series love Cecil's journey in Final Fantasy 4, where he transforms from a conflicted Dark Knight and into a righteous Paladin who goes on a quest to save the world. Everyone assumes that Golbez is the game's major antagonist, but the title throws a curveball to players toward the end of the game.

It turns out that Golbez was being manipulated behind the scenes by a Lunarian named Zemus who wanted to eradicate humanity and take over their place on Earth. To stop this evil being from making his plans a reality, the party heads to the moon in a bombastic finale where Cecil and his friends use their bonds to come out victorious after a strenuous battle.

3 Final Fantasy 7

The Story Is Full Of Unreliable Narration, Complex Betrayals, Inhumane Experiments, And Kaiju Threats

Final Fantasy 7 kickstarts its narrative in the polluted city of Midgar, hammering in Shinra's many atrocities as the heroes make their way out of this city and head out on a grand adventure. It sets the tone for an epic story full of so many twists and revelations that are likely to make a player's head spin.

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From Cloud's mind unraveling in the Lifestream to Sephiroth summoning a massive meteor to take out the Planet, it's easy to see why Final Fantasy 7's over-the-top narrative was a joy to witness for many. Fans of the game loved taking on Sephiroth, a terrifying villain who eventually takes on the form of a twisted angel and boasts an attack that decimates all the planets in the solar system. It doesn't get much more over-the-top than that.

2 Stranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

The Over-The-Top Angst And Ambitious Twists Present In The Game's Narrative Makes It A Unique Title

From the very moment Stranger of Paradise was introduced to the masses, gamers were treated to one of the funniest reveals in video game history. It was clear that the story took itself too seriously, with Jack's hatred of Chaos being prevalent throughout the experience.

Stranger of Paradise gets even more over-the-top as the narrative progresses, establishing events that led to the start of the first game. It's a unique story for this reason alone, boasting incredibly high stakes that fans will have a great time with.

1 Final Fantasy 8

The Plot Twists Are Completely Out There And Make It One Of The Most Bizarre Final Fantasy Stories

One of the most beautiful PS1 video games of all time, Final Fantasy 8 came hot on the heels of its predecessor's success and let players enjoy another grand adventure. The writing could be all over the place, but the game's ambitious and unique storytelling chops were appreciated by those who liked how risky some of the revelations were.

It can be hard to justify the bizarre coincidence that every major character used to be a part of the same orphanage before they eventually lost their memories. The story gets even wilder after this, with Ultimecia being revealed as the true villain of the game, wanting to use her time compression powers to decimate the entire universe.

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