AlthoughFinal Fantasy 9is the game getting all the attention right now, on account of its 25th anniversary and the will-they won’t-they situation with its remake, it isn’t the onlyFinal Fantasygame in need of a remake. Sure, whileFF7needs the last title in its remake trilogy and any game from the series' golden era could do with some extra love (FF 6–10), spin-offs have proven reasonably beloved forFinal Fantasyfans. These spin-offs could be the best way to get the series as a whole to new fans, especially because ofFinal Fantasy’s anthology nature.
EachFinal Fantasywith a new number next to it is set in a brand-new world, and while some titles, likeFF10andFF13get direct sequels, for the most part these titles tend to be one and done, except for when these characters get to appear in a spin-off.World of Final Fantasyis an example of this, but none are quite as beloved as the PSP titles,Dissidiaand its sequel,Duodecim. WithFF9possibly not getting its remake, it could be time for Square Enix to turn to theDissidiaseries instead for future remakes.
Final Fantasy 9 Remake Might Not Happen
Square Enix Will Have To Turn Elsewhere After The FF7 Remake Project Is Done
There were many rumors about aFinal Fantasy 9remake, which began when Square Enix announced that it was planning something special for the game’s 25th anniversary. Leaks implied that it might be Square Enix’s next big announcement, but without said announcement and more leaks, there are fears theFinal Fantasy 9project has been canceledbefore it was ready to be announced. This would be a shame considering that it isn’t entirely clear what direction Square Enix will take the series after theFinal Fantasy 7remake project is finally completed.
FF9saw theFinal Fantasyseries adopt more stylized and cartoon-style graphics, compared to the edgier aesthetic of7and8
Although thesales numbers for theFinal Fantasyserieshave been impressive, the series is strangely at a cross road,with the somewhat divisive reception ofFF16and itsDevil May Cry-style combat and the somewhat disappointing performance ofFF7 Rebirth. While the reception has been generally positive, splitting theFF7 Remakeproject into parts and adding multiverses of all things has become more controversial as time has gone on. It isn’t clear what Squre Enix will do after this and whether a remake in the same style asFF7is on the cards.
Square Enix could avoid this altogether, especially since thesuccess ofClair Obscur: Expedition 33and its traditional JRPG style has introduced some uncomfortable questions forFinal Fantasy, which turned away from turn-based combat to better appeal to modern audiences. While this will eventually have to be addressed, if theFinal Fantasy 9remake is canceled, turning to a beloved spin-off could be the best way to tide things over.Dissidia Duodecimis the perfect project to remake especially because it would be a love letter toFinal Fantasyfansand a way to enter the online market.
Dissidia Duodecim Is The Perfect Game For Square Enix To Remake
Its Gameplay Can Be Largely Left The Same
Dissidia Duodecimisone of the PSP’s greatest hits, and the best thing about it is how it allowed all theFinal Fantasycharacters to interact in interesting ways while making them all fight with a unique system that has yet to be replicated or evolved.Dissidiahas always been a celebration of theFinal Fantasyseries, and if Square Enix is confused about where to go next, it’s the perfect way to properly analyze what it has already done.Dissidiaitself could largely be kept the same except with smoother controls, better graphics, and UI, and would function perfectly.
Duodecimis a prequel to the originalDissidia, but has the original’s story as well as its own.
It would also act as a great way to apologize for the disaster that wasDissidia NT, which ruined and seemingly killed the series.Duodceimwas such a unique 1v1 arena fighter, with its Bravery Breaking system, and with all the single-player content, it’s perfect for those who want to play through the story, even if it’s confusing, and for those who want to go online to test their skills. It kills two birds with one stone, and could earn a lot of good faith without needing to put in the same amount of effort asFinal Fantasy 7 Remake.
Massive budgets have always been a benefit of aFinal Fantasygame, but it seems these budgets are beginning to bite Squre Enix back. In theory,an arena fighter with all theFinal Fantasycast, which is essentially whatDissidiais, should be a much lower-budget projectand an easy way to make a profit, since the core audience is still there. It appeals to almost every kind ofFinal Fantasyfan because of the vast cast, and adding characters from laterFinal Fantasytitles beyond13could help add more content to the remake.
Dissidia Could Be The Best Way To Introduce The Whole Final Fantasy Saga
Iconic Characters Like Cloud Could Introduce The Rest Of The Series
Dissidiahas the draw of having characters that everyone knows, like Cloud and Tifa, and adding someone like Clive fromFF16afterBen Starr’s rise to fame, could be the perfect way tointroduce them to lesser-known characters, likeFF12’s Vaan orFF5’s Bartz. With its addictive gameplay and being put on PC day one, which is something theFinal Fantasyseries needs to start doing,Dissidiacould get people to go back to the classic games. It could be the perfect way to introduce a lot of these characters.
Dissidia Duodecimalso has the benefit of having the wholeFinal Fantasysaga, at least up to thirteen, and is a lot easier to go into once someone has played a single title in the series, which isn’t always the case for all the other titles. It has its own world, its own plot points, and its own relationships between characters, butthe characters themselves are from the rest of theFinal Fantasyseries. ADissidiaremake might be the only way a modern fan would realistically see someone like Firion fromFF2in action.
With all the changes in direction, it does feel likeFinal Fantasyfans need a bit of a love letter from Square Enix, and aDissidia Duodecimremake could be perfect for this without breaking the bank,especially if theFinal Fantasy 9remake is truly canceled. It could even be the start of an online service where Square Enix can add characters from games that came afterDuodecim’s initial release. Fans have always wanted something good out of theDissidiaseries, and it would do a lot to apologize forDissidia NT.
