The video gaming community has struggled for decades to establish itself as a legitimate media for art. In order to gain credibility, many games attempt to showcase devices borrowed from other media types through a unique virtual lens. The Final Fantasy series by Square Enix is a clear example of the use of literary devices within a videogame. Square Enix has always used the device of interactive storytelling to set their game interface aside from others. Instead of focusing purely on the graphics or the gameplay (although the series excels in both), the games are best recognized for their elaborate plots and substantial characters. Final Fantasy XIII is director Motomu Toriyama's most recent installment in the series, and the game has added several groundbreaking innovations to the previous game engine used in Final Fantasy XII. XIII is best known for its unique split-narrative, its real-time/turn-based hybrid battle system, and its cutting edge visual graphics. The latter 2 achievements are only relevant within the video game community, but the first aspect of narration (although not unique to this game alone) expresses the literary evolution of video games. Final Fantasy XIII is a clear example of the literary value which a game can have, in addition to its video game exclusive components (such as gameplay and graphics).
The Final Fantasy series has included two full-length movies, several animated series', and dozens of web and printed comics, all revolving around the world which the video games made famous. Square Enix is currently in production for Final Fantasy XIV, but with sequels and spin-offs included, there have been well over thirty videogames released under the Final Fantasy name. Each major installment into the Final Fantasy archive is labeled with a roman numeral, dictating the chronology of production and release, rather than of the story itself. As a matter of fact, the stories of different Final Fantasy's are barely connected.
