With the remake of Final Fantasy VII around the corner for 2020, it made me reflect on how much this series really meant to me and I figured it’d be something nice to share with you, especially if you’re wondering why Final Fantasy means so much to me or others that are into this franchise.

1. Bonding with my dad

I've been fortunate to have a father who's into games and raised me right, by showing me games, especially Final Fantasy. I still remember discussing strategies with my dad, when playing Final Fantasy Tactics, or when he encountered Vincent in FFVII and I thought he had renamed him after me. I asked, "dad, why did you name him Vincent?" He said, "I didn't, that's just his name." I was so shocked because I'd never heard anyone with my name before and to have a character in one of the one of the greatest games I've ever played share my name, it was great! We also played a lot of VIII and X, seeing those stories unfold, with those graphics at the time, had me amazed. 

2. Educating me

My dad believed that by having me play Final Fantasy and Pokemon as a kid, I'd learn many things that would be applicable to school, especially in learning spelling, new words, and developing a mind for problem solving. 

Well, I'd like to think dad was right. While, I have my faults and was never a straight A student, I always did well in English, especially on spelling tests. 

3. Creating a universe that's made me experience every emotion

Whether it being amazed at the diverse, weird, and imaginative worlds and creatures, crying at riveting moments of the story, or being swept away with the emotion of the characters, Final Fantasy has made me feel all of these things with their various games. 

4. Creating iconic characters 

I mean, I already told you about the character Vincent. He's such a badass and when I was young I read somewhere that his birthday was October 27th, it seems to have since been changed, but I really loved seeing that. But I guess that's a lot more of a personal note, than anything.

Still, whether it be Cloud's giant buster sword, Sephiroth's incredibly long sword, or Squall's gunblade (yeah, not Leon!), this series just oozes cool ideas, that people remember and attribute to the series, even if they've never played a Final Fantasy game, which I think says a lot about the franchise!  

5. Helping me sleep

So, this might seem like a super awkward thing to say, but Final Fantasy has helped me sleep. How? Well, I actually have something called tinnitus, which means I have eternal ringing in my ears, namely just my right ear. It makes it harder for me to concentrate, be in a quiet room, or sleep. I've currently had it for almost 10 years and have had it for the entirety of my adult life. When I was first diagnosed, I really struggled with sleeping. I still do. But, before it was atrocious. I was told that having white noise of any kind, would help alleviate the issues I was facing. It's then I turned to Final Fantasy, given that have some of the best music I've ever heard, if not the best. The sweeping melodies, ethereal tones, and beautiful messages, just send my heart into a delight! I personally go to sleep many nights to Final Fantasy XIII's piano collection soundtrack. 

6. Helped me design Otherworlds 

Every artist has their muses. A big one for me of course is none other than Final Fantasy. From the grand otherworldly places you explore, to the strange monsters, and more! On a more systems basis, Final Fantasy: Tactics helped me with creating an in depth character creation system that is reminiscent of their job class system. The result means nearly a million combinations to make your character truly the way you'd want! FFXV gave me the idea for further developing the scan mechanic I already have in Otherworlds and for expanding upon enemy weaknesses and resistances, to provide more tactical gameplay. 

7. Bonding with the love of my life 

While this might be the end of this article, it's about the start of a beautiful journey between my girlfriend, Abby and I. When we started dating, FFXV came out and it was the first game we played together. The opening screen started off great, with a beautiful song. Then as we played, the story pulled us right in!

We already loved the characters from watching the anime series, so seeing them in the game, and the interactions they had was exciting for us. Coming across giant monsters for the first time, had my awe in wonder. There's also some tense moments, especially when it gets dark and daemons appear, making it impossible to survive without seeking shelter.

Also, all of the diners we ended up going to in game, had made us want to explore and go to diners in any town we go to! So now, because of FFXV, we have discovered some of our favorite restaurants that we've EVER been to. It also feels like a memorable experience every time we go to a new town, because instead of eating at say, a random chain restaurant like anywhere else, we get one of a kind food with a one of a kind experience. Nonetheless, we both had a great time with this game, and it's for that reason that not only did FF leave a great impact on me, but it always has, and hopefully always will.

So, what series means a lot to you and why? Let me know in the comments below!

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