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00:06Welcome to MojoPlays and today we're looking at what I think is the greatest JRPG series of all
00:11time and ranking the teams from top to slot. We're ranking every Final Fantasy party. We're
00:17doing all mainline entries plus a few little spin-offs I refuse to not talk about. Let's go.
00:22Before we continue, we publish content all week long so be sure to subscribe and ring the bell
00:27to get notified of our latest videos. Final Fantasy
00:35The original Final Fantasy party is a bit tricky to praise because there's not exactly a lot going
00:40on there. The four warriors of light mostly stand around like heroic cardboard cutouts silently
00:44saving the world without ever stopping to say hey this is weird right? You can pick their jobs which
00:50give them a little bit of flavor but personality wise they're basically blank fantasy action figures.
00:55That worked fine for the time but compared to later Final Fantasy groups full of drama,
00:58jokes, trauma and questionable haircuts this crew feels pretty bare bones.
01:02Important? Absolutely. Interesting? Well let's not get carried away.
01:10Final Fantasy 3
01:20After finally adding some actual personality to the heroes in the previous game, Square somehow
01:25looked at that progress and went nah let's try silent strangers again. The party in Final Fantasy
01:303 ends up feeling strangely disconnected with the four orphans joining forces mostly because the plot
01:35says so. Even in the remake where extra dialogue was added, their conversations still come across a
01:39bit awkward, like co-workers making small talk in a broken elevator. There's not much chemistry
01:44holding the group together so they often feel more like placeholders than real characters.
01:48Just like the original crew from Final Fantasy, they do the job, save the world and somehow leave
01:52almost no lasting impression while doing it.
02:01Final Fantasy 13
02:10For a game packed with dramatic speeches, emotional music and characters constantly talking about fate,
02:17the party in Final Fantasy 13 somehow still manages to feel really dull. The cast spends so much time
02:22arguing, moping or explaining confusing lore that hanging out with them can start to feel like
02:25being trapped in the world's pettiest group therapy session. None of the characters are completely
02:30terrible on their own, but together they never really click in a memorable way. A lot of their
02:34conversations drag on far longer than they need to, and the emotional moments rarely land as hard as
02:39the game clearly wants them to. By the end, surviving the dialogue almost feels tougher than fighting the
02:43actual enemies.
02:48Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
02:54What makes the party in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles stand out is how chaotic and weirdly
02:59wholesome it feels compared to the rest of the franchise. Most Final Fantasy games are packed with
03:03speeches about destiny and saving the universe, while this one's more about dragging a magical chalice
03:08across the countryside with your mates like some cursed camping trip. The multiplayer turns every dungeon
03:12into organized panic, especially when one person runs off, another forgets the objective, and
03:16somebody's definitely blaming lag for dying. It creates the feeling of a real adventure, instead of a
03:21perfect hero squad. Honestly, any game that can test friendships over bucket carrying deserves at least a little
03:26special respect.
03:33Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin
03:39Hey look, five people who got kicked out of an MMA class for being too intense.
03:43In Final Fantasy Stranger of Paradise, Jack leads the charge by storming through every scene,
03:48like he's seconds away from punching the concept of chaos itself in the face. Meanwhile, Jed, Ash, Neon,
03:54and Sofia somehow match his energy, turning every conversation into this bizarre mix of sincerity
03:58and unintentional comedy. The whole game runs on loud music, angry vibes, and pure confidence,
04:03yet it weirdly works. What starts off feeling ridiculously slow becomes kind of lovable.
04:08It's hard not to enjoy a party that treats every problem like it owes them money.
04:26The students of Class 0 and Final Fantasy Type 0 highlight everything I hated about group projects
04:31at uni, but also everything I loved about them. The game throws a huge cast at you, and while some
04:36characters definitely get more attention than others, the team still has a very strong overall
04:39vibe. They operate like actual soldiers, which gives the story a harsher edge compared to the
04:44usual crystal-saving adventures the series loves so much. Everyone fights differently too, so swapping
04:49between weapons and playstyles keeps things interesting. The hardest part is honestly remembering who
04:54everybody is. Half the time it feels like the game expects you to memorize an entire classroom
04:58before the first day. Yeah, I'm okay. But Machina, the crystal. Yeah, I saw. Final Fantasy 10 Part 2.
05:24FF 10 Part 2 takes the sad emotional ending of its predecessor and responds by handing the cast pop
05:30songs, costume changes, and way more confidence. Do I like the story? Not really. Is the cast
05:35infectious and fun? Goddamn it, yes they are. Yuna is no longer quietly carrying the fate of the world
05:41on her shoulders every five minutes. Instead, she finally gets to figure out who she actually wants
05:44to be, which makes her feel far more human. Riku brings non-stop chaos and energy to the group,
05:50while pain balances things out by looking permanently tired of everybody's nonsense.
05:54The dress-sphere system also helps the party stand out, since changing jobs feels tied to the
05:58characters growing into new versions of themselves. It is sillier than Final Fantasy 10, but honestly,
06:04that charm is exactly why people still remember it.
06:13Final Fantasy 5
06:21The cast of Final Fantasy 5 is definitely likeable enough, but the game feels far more interested in
06:26its big adventure and job system than digging too deeply into the characters themselves.
06:30Barts and the gang have their moments, yet a lot of their personal stories end up sitting quietly in
06:35the background while the plot races ahead to the next crystal-related disaster. That does not make
06:39the game bad at all, because honestly, Final Fantasy 5 is still one of the most fun entries in the
06:44series.
06:44It just means the party never reaches the emotional highs of some other games on this list.
06:49Considering Final Fantasy 2 and Final Fantasy 4 already pushed stronger character writing beforehand,
06:53the lighter approach here feels a little noticeable in comparison, but still great.
07:05Final Fantasy 2
07:13This entry might be remembered for some questionable gameplay ideas, but one thing Final Fantasy 2
07:18absolutely got right was making the party feel like actual people for once. Instead of another group of
07:23silent fantasy mannequins wandering around from crystal to crystal, the heroes finally had names,
07:28personalities, and reasons to care about what was happening. Sure, the writing was still pretty
07:32simple compared to later games, but at least these characters felt alive enough to remember after
07:36the credits rolled. It was a huge step forward for the series. Without this game, a lot of the
07:41stranger character-driven stories later in Final Fantasy probably wouldn't exist. Praise where praises do.
07:53Final Fantasy 16
07:55No dying. Now, if you don't mind, we have an army to chase.
08:02FF16 feels like the series looked at modern action games and decided it wanted to throw giant monster
08:08fights, political drama, and emotional damage into one enormous blender. Does it work? Sort of?
08:14The cast is a huge reason the game works so well. Everyone has clear motivations from the beginning,
08:18so the characters feel more grounded than the usual choose-hero-save-crystal setup. Clive carries enough
08:24emotional baggage to charge extra at the airport, Jill brings a quieter sense of compassion and Sid steals
08:29almost every scene he appears in by sounding like the coolest man alive. Their relationships grow
08:33naturally as the story gets darker and messier. Combined with the brutal world and flashy combat,
08:38the party ends up feeling mature, believable, and surprisingly human for a game featuring people who can turn into gods.
09:15What if everybody was stressed, politically manipulated, and one bad meeting away from disaster?
09:20That is Final Fantasy Tactics. The story is packed with war, betrayal, and enough backstabbing to make
09:26family dinners in Ivalus completely unbearable. Ramza stands out because he actually tries to do the
09:31right thing, even while the world around him keeps rewarding terrible people. Meanwhile, Dalita slowly
09:36turns into the human version of the ends justify the means, which makes their rivalry way more interesting
09:41than a standard hero-versus-villain setup. Characters like Agrius, Mostadio, and the ridiculously overpowered
09:46Orlando all add their own flavour, helping the cast feel layered, memorable, and constantly caught in
09:51the messiest politics imaginable. And we've seen some pretty many more of it.
09:59How to Proceed
10:00Final Fantasy 8
10:07Back when FF8 first released, plenty of fans treated it like the awkward cousin of the series that showed
10:12up wearing leather jackets and talking about feelings. Over time though, people have warmed
10:16up to it a lot, and the cast is a huge reason why. The characters feel surprisingly believable,
10:21even when the plot starts doing some pretty strange things. Yes, the whole orphanage reveal is still
10:26one of the weirdest small world moments in RPG history, but thankfully, it doesn't ruin the group
10:30chemistry. Squall especially ended up aging better than expected. Underneath all the brooding and
10:34dramatic staring into the distance, he actually feels human. The party's relationships and personal
10:38struggles helped FF8 stand out in a franchise full of memorable casts.
10:47Final Fantasy 12
10:49As if I'd know, why not ask Magello to get you in? Or go see old Dallin in Lowtown?
10:56Why the sudden interest Vaughn? I told you, I'm going to take back what's ours.
11:02The party in Final Fantasy 12 is interesting on paper, but the game often feels way more focused on
11:06politics, kingdoms, and giant plot developments than letting the characters properly shine.
11:10Because of that, the group can come across a little disconnected at times, like everybody
11:14accidentally boarded the same airship and just decided to keep travelling together.
11:18That doesn't change the fact that there are still some of the most genuinely great personalities of
11:23the series in the mix. Balthier practically steals every scene he appears in, and Fran has a mysterious
11:29edge that helps the party stand out. The problem is that the rest of the cast rarely reach the same
11:34level of charm. Those two hold it up, and hold it up this high on the list.
11:38With that much nether sight in one's grasp, you could destroy all of Ivalice if you wished it.
11:49Final Fantasy 14 A Realm Reborn
11:51Final Fantasy 14 pulling itself back from disaster is still one of the greatest comeback stories in
12:03gaming. What started as a complete mess, somehow transformed into one of the most beloved MMORPGs
12:08ever made. And a massive reason for that is the cast. Spending hundreds of hours with these
12:13characters makes them feel less like quest givers, and more like weird co-workers you accidentally
12:17became emotionally attached to. I could go through the list of amazing characters you come across,
12:22but there's hundreds, and I can't pronounce half their names. Thancred balances charm with genuine heart,
12:28Hishtola constantly sounds like the smartest person in the room,
12:31Urangir talks like every sentence was translated from ancient scrolls five minutes before recording.
12:36Alpha Naud and Alessai bounce off each other especially well, with one acting diplomatic and
12:40thoughtful while the other looks permanently ready to throw hands. Together they give Final Fantasy 14
12:45a ton of personality and warmth in every corner of the map.
12:56Final Fantasy 4
13:02FF4 was the moment the series finally realized players might actually enjoy characters with emotions
13:07instead of silent heroes politely staring at monsters. The game leans heavily into drama,
13:12redemption, sacrifice, and enough plot twists to keep everybody permanently stressed out.
13:17What really helps the story work is the cast. Cecil's journey from guilty dark knight to actual hero
13:22gives the game a strong emotional core, while the rest of the party all bring their own goals and
13:27struggles into the adventure as well. Even the stranger additions to the group somehow end up feeling
13:31lovable by the end. Watching these characters grow together makes the world feel far more alive than
13:36earlier games, and it set the standard for storytelling that later Final Fantasy titles would build upon.
14:03The Final Fantasy 15 party had all the ingredients needed to become
14:08one of the greatest groups in the series. Noctis, Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto genuinely feel like close
14:14friends instead of random heroes forced together by destiny and crystal nonsense, even though they're
14:19kind of forced together by destiny and nonsense. Half the charm of the game comes from the road trips,
14:24terrible camping meals, awkward jokes, and everybody bullying Prompto at least once an hour. The problem
14:29is that the story itself starts to feel rushed and uneven later on, almost like huge chunks of character
14:34development were left at the petrol station somewhere. Because of that, the emotional moments don't
14:38always hit as hard as they should. Even so, the chemistry between the four leads is strong enough
14:43to carry a huge part of the experience on its own.
14:54It's more than I can take. Final Fantasy 10
15:08When Final Fantasy 10 arrived on the PS2, it felt like the series had suddenly discovered steroids,
15:13voice acting, and emotional trauma. The game looked incredible for its time. The real reason people
15:19still love it is the cast. Tidus might still divide players to this day, mostly thanks to one laugh
15:24heard around the world, but the chemistry between the party members is pretty hard to deny. Watching the
15:29group slowly grow closer while traveling through Spira gives the story a ton of heart. Yuna's quiet determination
15:34balances perfectly against Tidus' loud optimism, while characters like Oren, Waka, and Lulu help round out the team.
15:40Together, they make Final Fantasy 10 feel personal, emotional,
15:44and surprisingly human beneath all the giant monster fights and spiky hair.
15:57Final Fantasy 9
16:13By the time you get to Final Fantasy 9, the series suddenly feels a lot warmer, stranger, and way more
16:17emotionally charming than expected. The party is packed with lovable weirdos, and somehow they all
16:22work together perfectly. Even Quina, who mostly seems motivated by eating absolutely everything
16:26in sight, ends up becoming oddly memorable. What really pushes this cast over the top is Vivi.
16:31His story starts off simple, but slowly turns into one of the most emotional character arcs in the
16:36entire franchise. For a game filled with goofy monsters, theatrical villains, and giant chickens,
16:41it also hits surprisingly hard when it wants to. The whole group feels alive, making the adventure
16:45incredibly easy to get attached to from start to finish.
16:57Final Fantasy 7
17:09You can't really have a conversation about iconic Final Fantasy parties without eventually landing on
17:14Final Fantasy 7. This was the game that launched the series into another galaxy of popularity,
17:19and the cast is a huge reason why people still talk about it decades later. Even with a translation
17:24that occasionally reads like somebody speed read a dictionary, the characters still manage to become
17:28legendary. Cloud's moody identity crisis, Tifa's emotional support, energy, Aerith's warmth,
17:33and Barret yelling at everything inside all help the group stand out immediately. Every party member
17:38feels distinct, memorable, and important to the journey. Honestly, these characters became so famous,
17:43that even people who've never touched an RPG probably recognize at least one of them somewhere from
17:48the internet memes or Smash Bros arguments.
17:54Final Fantasy 6
18:01Final Fantasy 6 throws a gigantic cast at the player and somehow still manages to make almost
18:06everybody feel important. Most RPGs struggle to properly handle four or five heroes, while this game
18:12casually juggles an entire traveling circus of emotional damage, thieves, warriors, and people
18:17suplexing trains. Terra's search for identity gives the story a strong emotional core to keep coming
18:23back to, while Locke spends half the game trying to hold onto his ideals without completely falling apart.
18:28Even side characters get memorable moments that stick with players long after the credits roll.
18:33The sheer amount of personality packed into the adventure is honestly ridiculous for a Super
18:37Nintendo game. Anybody who skipped Final Fantasy 6, because it looks old, is missing one of the
18:42strongest casts the franchise has ever produced, and I can't push it any further. Play this goddamn game.
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