5 criminally underappreciated Final Fantasy games that are worth playing before FF7 Revelation
The article showcases two Final Fantasy titles dismissed by critics that Square Enix argues merit reconsideration. Final Fantasy Type-0, released on PSP in 2011, combined real-time combat mechanics with social simulation systems set in a military academy, blending influences from Crisis Core and Persona games. Western critics at the time were unreceptive to its high school drama elements, yet the author contends the game was an experimental precursor to the action-heavy direction later adopted by FF15 and FF16.
Monster of the Deep was a 2017 PlayStation VR exclusive that critics largely panned for its tedious fishing mechanics and gratuitous character cameos. Rather than defend it as a game, the author reframes it as a virtual tourism experience within the visually distinctive but criticised world of Eos from Final Fantasy 15, arguing its passive exploration value has aged better than its gameplay systems.
- Final Fantasy Type-0 blended action combat with social simulation mechanics ahead of its time, combining Crisis Core gameplay with Persona-like school drama set during wartime
- Monster of the Deep was a poorly-received VR fishing game that the author argues deserves appreciation as virtual exploration rather than traditional gameplay