In modern times, mainline Final Fantasy titles have started to skew more toward mature audiences. This is mostly found in their more realistic aesthetics, but attempts are also being made to convey more mature themes like war and politics. Even spin-offs have been affected, with some like World of Final Fantasy more light-hearted as others like Final Fantasy Type-0 go so far as to receive an “M for Mature” ESRB rating. M-ratings, or “17 and up” ratings, are reserved for games that tackle difficult imagery and subject matter that a child would struggle to process. It seems like Final Fantasy is trying to break into this space after using “E for Everyone” and “T for Teen” ratings for decades, and it’s doing so on several fronts.
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Final Fantasy Type-0
The first Final Fantasy game to be rated M is Final Fantasy Type-0, an action-RPG released for PSP in 2011. Initially available only in Japan, it was later ported to consoles and PC, then released globally in 2015. While the tone for large swathes of the game match that of other Final Fantasy’s, its subject matter was considerably darker than the norm. The JRPG genre is no stranger to young adults, teenagers, and even children fighting to save the world. However, this case featured a playable cast of explicit child soldiers. Class Zero is a group of supersoldiers raised in isolation by their mysterious professor to defend the magical Dominion of Rubrum in the land of Orience.
When the Militesi Empire launches an assault on the other Crystal States of Orience, Class Zero is expected to lead defensive and counter-offensive efforts. Final Fantasy Type-0’s narrative is based on real historical documents, and the game does its best to portray the horrors of war. The opening features a protracted sequence of a young soldier dying alongside his Chocobo. Type-0 remains light on gore, owing partially to its PSP roots, but there is a lot more blood on display than any Final Fantasy before it. It’s also routine to absorb the life essence of fallen enemies, and the game’s story and summoning mechanics evoke a culture of martyrdom. Type-0 is still on the reserved end of M-rated games, but it fits that rating.
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Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
The upcoming Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is a more traditional example of an M-rated game. Final Fantasy Origin strikes the tone of the average PS3 or Xbox 360 third-person shooter with plenty of showy violence, swearing, and dark subject matter. It’s also the first entry in the series to use the F-word, an upgrade from Final Fantasy 15’s limited use of swearing. The player takes control of Jack and leads his crystal-bearing party on a quest to restore order to a fantasy world. On their way, they face mystical threats and typically deal with enemies in a brutal fashion reminiscent of developer Team Ninja’s past action games.
The influence of Team Ninja is primarily the reason why this game got a mature rating despite being a Final Fantasy 1 reimagining, but it’s far from the only one. According to the ESRB website, Final Fantasy Origin will feature scenes of people being maimed and killed, with lots of blood and gore involved. This has not been seen in the trailers, but matches the generally dark tone that Stranger of Paradise goes for. Even though the player’s finishing moves are acted out using blood-red crystals in place of blood, the sight of Jack tearing into a human enemy still won’t be pretty. That said, Final Fantasy Origin’s themes seem to be fairly straightforward.
Final Fantasy 16
According to a European newsletter spotted shortly after the game’s reveal, Final Fantasy 16 will be targeting a PEGI 18 rating in Europe. The last Final Fantasy title to have this was Final Fantasy Type-0, which ended up receiving an M-rating in North America. FF16 can be expected to do the same, which comes as something of a surprise considering its return to the classic fantasy setting. Protagonist Clive Rosfield serves as a soldier for the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, intending to serve as his younger brother Joshua’s right hand when he becomes the Archduke. These plans go awry when Joshua is killed during an incident, leading Clive to become a mercenary and seek his revenge.
All of this occurs during the game’s first act, demonstrating FF16’s commitment to being more mature. It will return to the political, religious, and militaristic drama of Final Fantasy Type-0, and places Clive right in the middle of it. The different cultures and beliefs of the various nations of Valisthea will be explored, and they range from theocracies to brutal militaristic cultures that hate and persecute those who can summon Eikons. Combine that with a revenge plot that channels some of Final Fantasy Origin’s aggression toward a more personal cause, and Final Fantasy 16 may be the darkest FF yet. Fans will hopefully get to see more of this mature story unfold when Final Fantasy 16 next appears in the news.
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