Final Fantasy 2

With the success of the original Final Fantasy, Square would one year later release Final Fantasy II in Japan. This game would not be released internationally until many years later.

Final Fantasy II featured gameplay much like that of the original, with a few notable exceptions. A new "World Memory System" allowed players to talk with NPCs and "memorize" important phrases, to be repeated again to different NPCs for more information. Final Fantasy II also had three main party members, with the fourth position rotating between multiple characters throughout the game. The most significant difference between the original, however, was one that many fans would later criticize. Final Fantasy II contained no experience based leveling, rather characters grew depending on actions they took. For example, a character using a specific weapon would become adept in it, and its attack would increase. Similarly, a character that repeatedly used magic would eventually be able to use stronger spells of the same kind. Similarly, stats increased depending on their overall "use" to the character in battle.

The story of Final Fantasy II took quite a departure from the original. The empire of Palamecia and its cruel dictator wish for total domination of the world, and will do anything to have it. Four characters, Firion, Guy, Maria, and Leon, have their parents brutally murdered by the Palamecians and must flee for their lives. Rescued by Princess Hilda, Firion, Guy and Maria quickly learn that their homeland was been taken over by Palamecia, and embark on a quest to end the empire’s reign.

Final Fantasy II introduced many elements that would become mainstays in series entries to come, such as the series mascot of the Chocobo, a character named Cid, and battle row positions of front and back, which affected battle damage.