The Most Obscure Final Fantasy Game Is Actually An Anime Adaptation
Final Fantasy is known for its RPGs, but there are a lot of spin-off games that go outside the norm. One of the most obscure Final Fantasy games is actually an adaptation of an Anime series called Final Fantasy: Unlimited. The series featured an original story and setting and was not related to any specific Final Fantasy game. The series received two video game adaptations. One was a mobile game called Final Fantasy: Unlimited With U. The other was a PC game called Final Fantasy: Unlimited On PC.
Final Fantasy: Unlimited On PC was released in 2003 for Windows and was only released in Japan. The game was a card-based battle system that used still images and voice acting from the Anime series. The game was a mix of a card battle game and a visual novel.
Final Fantasy: Unlimited was not very successful and its intended 52-episode count was cut to 25, which left its story feeling unfinished. Western Final Fantasy fans spent years waiting for official translations of some of the early mainline entries, but each of them has now been localized. Many Final Fantasy games have not been localized, largely due to the advent of mobile gaming. Ironically, Final Fantasy: Unlimited's mobile game was approachable, as it adopted familiar turn-based RPG mechanics, where the PC game was strange both conceptually and in its execution.
Despite its troubled production and incomplete story, the Final Fantasy: Unlimited series remains a cult classic among some anime and video game fans. It suffered from uneven production values, early 2000s CG elements which have aged poorly, and two child characters who served mainly as annoying distractions. Still, the series has a certain charm, but even hardcore Final Fantasy: Unlimited fans are unlikely to have played its PC game, which essentially required winning card-based battles to have the story retold to the player.
So, while Final Fantasy: Unlimited On PC is not as well-known as some of the other Final Fantasy spin-offs, it is a unique and interesting game that is worth checking out if you are a fan of the series.
