61-year-old Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, who is also one of the minds behind iconic games like Chrono Trigger, Parasite Eve, and Legends of Mana, recently spoke about what he believes makes for a good Final Fantasy game. The answer? Being politically aware.
"If I had to give some kind of core ingredient, I would say it's the story and world. These two are a must for any Final Fantasy and the common denominator across all of them. The world setting needs to contain some kind of thematic element that is loosely tied to current events," Sakaguchi explained in an interview with Inverse.
The world itself needs to have some kind of thematic backbone or message that gives a different perspective, or a thought-provoking prompt for players.
A quick glance at what is arguably the most iconic entry in the series proves how vital this pillar is. Final Fantasy 7, which is so popular that it's not just getting a remake, but a trilogy of reimaginings, tackles climate change with the villainous mega corporation Shinra bleeding the planet dry for power and wealth, driving people into urban slums with artificial sunlight.
Unfortunately, a growing narrative which continues...
