The 10 HARDEST Final Fantasy Games To Complete

The 10 Hardest Final Fantasy Games to Complete

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we are breaking controllers as we remember the 10 Hardest Final Fantasy Games to Complete. Whether the entire game offers non-stop difficulty, or one particular section is borderline impossible, as long as the game is hard to complete, it’s gonna come up. Let’s go!

#10: “Final Fantasy VIII” (1999)

This is a tough entry, because although by today’s standards, it’s actually one of the easiest Final Fantasy games to completely cheese when taking advantage and abusing the game’s junction system, back when it first released, players were not aware of the potentially game-breaking level scaling. In a game and genre that is infamous for grinding, players were not warned anywhere in the game's material that the enemies and bosses would level up alongside the player, causing many players to get caught grinding, and eventually being completely walked through by basic enemies. Paired with the then-unfamiliar junction system, this combination created an experience that was frustratingly difficult for many first-time players.

#9: “Final Fantasy VI” (1994)

Traditionally, Final Fantasy VI was one of the easier games in the franchise, but the Pixel Remaster of Final Fantasy 6 introduced significant adjustments to enhance the game's difficulty level, addressing concerns about its previous ease. Enemies now act with increased speed and employ their special abilities more frequently during battles. These alterations have transformed the gameplay experience, presenting players with new challenges that demand a revised approach to combat strategy. Not to mention, it has a nice 60 hour full completionist run time, so it's also a time sink for most players.

#8: “Final Fantasy XIII” (2009)

Not the most beloved game in the series, Final Fantasy XIII had the mammoth task of taking the game in a new direction, getting players ready for the later entries. It was a job that required testing a whole new battle system and art style. It's a game heavily reliant on timing and precision control, and mastery of the mechanics is imperative for survival. Despite facing criticism for its linear storyline, Final Fantasy 13 boasts an extensive narrative. Just completing the main storyline alone demands over two full days of gameplay. Engaging with all the missions on Gran Pulse can extend this time well beyond the 100-hour mark. It’s long and hard… Don’t say it, Mat. Don’t say it.

#7: “Final Fantasy II” (1988)

As the first game garnered popularity for its grinding gameplay formula and challenging difficulty, it seemed reasonable to expect the sequel to continue in the same vein. Final Fantasy 2 did take on the difficulty of its predecessor, but chose to turn the knob up just a tiny bit and amplify it further. One of its defining features is the leveling system, which was quite innovative for its time. However, it operates at a slow pace that just doesn’t fly by today’s gaming standards.

#6: “Final Fantasy Tactics” (1997)

When it comes to spin-off titles and side games, Final Fantasy Tactics is not only considered Final Fantasy’s best spin-off game, but one of the best spin-off titles of all time. Its captivating storyline, combined with its exceptional gameplay and challenging combat, solidify its status as a standout entry. However, the game is not without its challenges, as difficulty spikes can be significant and unexpected, and we mean unexpected. To navigate these hurdles, players must exercise caution with their saves, utilizing multiple slots to prevent becoming trapped in particularly formidable battles. The potential for broken saves is stronger in this entry than probably any other in the series. It’s terrifying.

#5: “Final Fantasy Origins: Stranger of Paradise” (2022)

Although Final Fantasy Origins can be considered one of the easier Souls-Like games floating around, simply stepping into the arena of Souls-Like instantly bumps it up to the status of one of the hardest Final Fantasy games of all time. The Advent Chaos fight really ramps the difficulty up in order to teach the player what they need to know to conquer the game, and even after overcoming this challenge, the player is in no way out of the woods. The game will still feature frequent deaths, and a good handful of broken controllers. That being said, if you’re breaking your controllers... seek help.

#4: “Final Fantasy III” (1990)

The third installment, Final Fantasy 3, is often regarded as the series' most challenging entry, particularly in its Nintendo DS version. With its classic job system and punishing difficulty, it caters to hardcore JRPG enthusiasts. And masochists, let’s not forget them. However, its unforgiving nature may prove frustrating for many players. Much of Final Fantasy 3's difficulty stems from its length, as it was considerably longer than its predecessors. Those aiming for a complete experience are in for an even tougher journey, as a full completionist run typically demands around 73 hours of brutal gameplay. 73 hours back in 1990 may as well have been a life sentence.

#3: “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” (2024)

Our newest entry to the franchise, and following the newer trend of adding difficulty options to the game, this game comes with an easy difficulty, a normal difficulty, a dynamic difficulty, and the difficulty that we’re talking about today, hard difficulty. This difficulty is worth bringing up, not just because the enemies are way tougher, but because of the ingenious and borderline psychotic rule that items can’t be used. Completing a playthrough of FF7 Rebirth in hard mode is borderline impossible as an itemless run means MP can not be restored, and don’t even think about resting at a bench because guess what, that only restores HP. With only magic to cure yourself, and no way to restore that MP on the go, you’re looking at one of the toughest gaming challenges around.

#2: “Final Fantasy XI” (2002)

Including the MMO entries on this list might seem unfair, as these games inherently cater to players seeking hardcore challenges, but as mainline numbered entries, we’d be doing the series a disservice by moving the goalposts just to cater to the hardcore MMO haters - PLEASE don’t be mad at me, I can’t handle the mean comments. In Final Fantasy 11, a plethora of formidable bosses were gradually introduced, capable of obliterating unprepared parties, and obliterate they did. Some bosses, such as Absolute Virtue, became legendary for their extreme difficulty, to the point where they needed to be nerfed due to the obsession of countless players determined to conquer them - some players spending 18+ hours trying to take it down, and still failing.

#1: “Final Fantasy XIV” (2010)

I kinda gave this entry away in the last one, so it should be no surprise that the most recent Final Fantasy MMORPG would rank as the most challenging game in the franchise, and Final Fantasy 14 is THAT Final Fantasy MMORPG. The difficulty comes down to the fact that you can’t beat the hardest challenges alone. Players must assemble efficient raid parties to confront and defeat some of the toughest bosses in the game. The high-level challenges presented in the game's expansions emphasize the need for players to optimize their strategies if they hope to progress. For those unfamiliar with MMORPGs, Final Fantasy 14 can be daunting, but assistance from experienced players can make these battles more manageable and ultimately conquerable. That is, if you find some nice experienced players… I am not a nice experienced player, I am however a nice inexperienced player, if you want that?