Summary
Final Fantasyhas some of the bestvillainsin RPGs. They can be memorable based on their power levels, design, quotes, and more. One of the more iconic series villains is Sephiroth fromFinal Fantasy 7,who may be the poster child for villains in the series.
As cool as it is to fight against villains, it can be even more engaging whenFinal Fantasygames let players take control of villainsfor long or short stretches. There are many scenarios where this has happened, from spinoffs to mainline games.
There will be some Spoilers ahead, particularly forFinal Fantasy 10andStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin,because some of these instances are a bit obscure.
Final Fantasy 4: The After Yearswas originally released in Japan as a series of episodes on mobile devices, but then its big break came on the Wii via the digital store. It was a sequel to the original game, which reused the same 16-bit aesthetic, taking place years in the future withfamiliar characters like Ceciland Rosa having children.
The playable roster is huge, includingGolbez,who was a major villain in the original game but has now changed his ways. He’s not just a temporary party member like he technically was in the first game, as Golbez is a major party member and one of the strongest in the game.
The originalFinal Fantasy 7gave fans a flashback with Cloud as a young, budding member of SOLDIERwhoSephirothassistedin a few fights.Sephiroth wasn’t fully playable, as his attacks were mostly automatic, but he was playable inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth,which remade this flashback sequence in greater detail.
Not only is this flashback longer, but players can take direct control of Sephiroth for quite a while, and he is powerful.Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisisis a mobile game retelling every game that takes place in theFinal Fantasy 7universe, and there are some more moments where Sephiroth is playable in those, too. However,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthfeels like the top choice for playing as this storied villain.
Final Fantasy 10’smain villain is a whale-like monster named Sin,who reappears to force Summoners to go on a pilgrimage to stop him every so often. However, there isanother villain,Seymour, who hides in plain sight, and the people of Spira love him.
Seymour can even join the party for one boss fight, and his magic is some of the strongest in the game. His turn to villainy isn’t that unexpected, because he’s almost too beloved, but regardless, it was an interesting choice to add him to the game’s roster.
The original release ofFinal Fantasy 15does not feature any playable villains unless fans want to count Aranea, who did antagonize the party for a bit before joining them temporarily.The main villain of the game, though, isArdyn, who eventually got his own prequel DLC calledEpisode Ardyn.
His turn in the main game is a bit odd, and his motives are puzzling, but his DLC does a decent job of giving fans some closure. His weapon and magic rival that ofNoctis’, the main characterof the game, but his time is short-lived, as the DLC is only about two hours long.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin’sentire campaign revolves around playing as a big villain from the originalFinal Fantasy,Garland, although this is a twist. At the start, players are made to believe the game is a reimagining of the original game starring a new batch ofLight Warriors, with Jackas the star.
By the end, it turns out the game was a prequel, and Jack becomes Garland to reset the time loop and wait for new Light Warriors to finally break the curse. It’s a decent surprise for the franchise, and the gameplay is a neat twist on the Soulslike genre.
TheDissidiafranchise was builtas a fighting game that pits the heroes from the mainlineFFgames against their villains.Dissidia 012 Final Fantasyis the second and best game in the series, offering players a huge playable roster and a story mode that gives both heroes and villains time to shine.GolbezandSephirothare playable, for starters,and instead of Seymour,Final Fantasy 10is represented byJecht.
Then there isGarlandfrom the first game,The EmperorfromFinal Fantasy 2,Cloud of DarknessfromFinal Fantasy 3,ExdeathfromFinal Fantasy 5,KefkafromFinal Fantasy 6,UltimeciafromFinal Fantasy 8,KujafromFinal Fantasy 9, andGabranthfromFinal Fantasy 12. No one is there to representFinal Fantasy 11on the villains roster, but a side villain fromFinal Fantasy 5,Gilgamesh, is a secret unlock, along withDissidia 012 Final Fantasy’soriginal villain,Feral Chaos.
1Itadaki Street: Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary
A Level Playing Field
Last but not least, another crossover game,Itadaki Street: Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary,which is a more chill party game experience. It can best be described asMonopolyif it were an RPG, offering playablevillains and heroes from theDragon QuestandFinal Fantasyfranchises.
Golbez, Gilgamesh, Kefka, and Sephirothare all playable in the game, in their most adorable forms to date.Itadaki Streetwas only released in Japan, along with its two predecessors, on the PS2 and PSP, but it’s not that challenging to work out the text if players want to bring a copy out West.
