Final Fantasy II
A Radical Departure
After the massive success of the first game, Square could have played it safe. They didn't. Final Fantasy II threw out the traditional experience-point leveling system entirely, opting for a radical new proficiency-based system where characters' stats grew based on the actions they took in battle. It was a bold, ambitious, and controversial design choice that showed the incredible creative spirit of the team. Combined with a more dramatic, character-driven story, this game cemented Final Fantasy's reputation as the RPG series that was never afraid to reinvent itself.
Game Details: Final Fantasy II
| Release Date | December 17, 1988 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Square |
| Publisher | Square |
| Genre | RPG |
| Platform | Family Computer |
| Players | 1 Player |
| Original Price | 6,500 yen |
| Key People | Hironobu Sakaguchi, Nobuo Uematsu, Yoshitaka Amano |
| Tagline | "A tale of empires and rebellion. A revolutionary way to grow." |
| Significance | Famous for its ambitious and unique proficiency-based leveling system, a departure from traditional RPG mechanics. |
| Trivia | The character "Cid" makes his first appearance in the Final Fantasy series in this game, becoming a recurring character throughout the franchise. |
| Gameplay Video |