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00:00Boy, oh boy.
00:03The price of freedom is steep.
00:05Welcome to Mojo Plays, and today we're counting down our picks for the most memorable cutscenes from the Final Fantasy franchise
00:12that continue to inhabit that nostalgia center in our collective brains.
00:17Before we begin, we publish new content all week long, so be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
00:36Tifa and Cloud, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
00:40Think we can steer with this?
00:42Worth a try.
00:47Here goes.
00:50It speaks volumes that the story of Final Fantasy 7 has endured to the modern day via this series of remakes and rebirths.
00:58This 2024 iteration featured a number of notable cutscenes, including one with the likes of Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart at the helm.
01:06The scenario is utterly romantic, as the pair ascend into the night sky on a sky gondola, fireworks bursting across the horizon.
01:15It's all a setting for love to finally blossom between the pair, as Cloud and Tifa share a kiss.
01:22The modern graphics lend this romance option a whole new lease on life when compared to the original Final Fantasy 7,
01:29lending further credence to this game's rebirth.
01:33We should probably head back to our rooms.
01:36Yeah, probably.
01:39The Sorceress Parade, Final Fantasy 8.
01:46Rainbow!
01:50Rainbow!
01:52The old school Final Fantasy games always knew how to save a memorable sequence for the end of a disc.
01:58The Sorceress Parade cutscene from Final Fantasy 8 closed out disc 1 with some very serious business.
02:05Squall Leonhart and his party have split up in an attempt to assassinate the sorceress Edea.
02:12Their plan ultimately fails, but it's the epic nature of the cutscene that lends the party's plan some serious gravitas.
02:19The execution feels large-scale, making the most out of the original PlayStation's graphic capabilities.
02:26It also effectively sets up the stakes that are about to be set up against Squall and his friends on disc 2.
02:33Three-Way Fight, Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion.
02:39Don't take Sephiroth lightly.
02:43No deal.
02:46The original Crisis Core from 2007 was a fine prequel to the fan-favorite Final Fantasy 7.
02:52However, a 2022 remaster effectively made what was already good, great.
02:58This applies particularly well to the cutscenes, which are rendered fantastically well.
03:04The three-way fight between Sephiroth, Genesis, and Angeal is a game highlight,
03:09featuring some smooth camerawork, effective voice acting, and exciting visuals.
03:14The musical score lends the battle a separate layer of tension as the trio battle back and forth.
03:20It all comes together as perfectly as any Final Fantasy fan could probably dream.
03:26Enough!
03:29Huh?
03:31Angeal.
03:33Out of my way!
03:35Odin Summon, Final Fantasy 9.
03:48Stallwarts of the Final Fantasy franchise are very used to the awesome cinematics that accompany summoned creatures and eidolons.
03:56Odin has notched a number of Final Fantasy appearances over the years,
04:00but he's actually featured within the story of Final Fantasy 9.
04:04This personification of the Norse Allfather rides his eight-legged steed Sleipnir down the settlement of Clyra.
04:11Total destruction is the end result,
04:14as Odin obeys the summoning command of Queen Brawn and descends in dramatic fashion from the sky.
04:20It's short, sweet, and totally awesome.
04:26Sin's Attack on Zanarkand, Final Fantasy X and X-2 HD Remaster.
04:42The original Final Fantasy X from 2001 was the first to debut on the PlayStation 2,
04:47and made good on that console's visual upgrades.
04:51Fast forward to 2013, however,
04:53and both that game and Final Fantasy X-2 received remasters for the PlayStation 3.
04:59It was here where Sin's Attack on Zanarkand becomes even more impressive,
05:03capturing chaos in a way that was never seen before.
05:07It's here where Sin's Attack on Zanarkand becomes even more impressive,
05:11capturing chaos and splattering it all across the screen.
05:14The reaction shots and terror of the crowd feels palpable,
05:18as Zanarkand is assaulted on all sides, greatly helped by the upgraded score.
05:31The Nibelheim Narrative, Final Fantasy VII franchise.
05:38The incident at Nibelheim has been an intrinsic aspect of the Final Fantasy VII mythos
05:45ever since the original game was released back in 1997.
05:49That epic flashback sequence sets up the madness of Sephiroth,
05:53as well as the horribly mutated experiments that have been created by the mad Professor Hojo.
05:58The blocky graphics of the OG are charming,
06:01while the 2024 remaster lends the Nibelheim Narrative an even darker and more extreme aesthetic.
06:07Final Fantasy VII Rebirth also increases the cinematic nature
06:11of this important and compelling character-building moment,
06:14but who are we kidding? It's all great stuff.
06:22A Kingly Sacrifice, Final Fantasy XV.
06:32There are a few ways more effective at gaining an audience's attention than a heroic sacrifice.
06:38King Noctis Lucius Callum does just that at the end of Final Fantasy XV.
06:44The mood is dark, dreary, and sad,
06:47but it's all there for the sake of the audience's attention.
06:50The game is a great example of that.
06:52It's not just a game, it's a story.
06:55It's not just a game, it's a story.
06:59The mood is dark, dreary, and foreboding as Noctis approaches his fate.
07:04Players can almost feel the rain and the chill in the air.
07:08Despite Noctis defeating Ardyn in the final battle,
07:11his life is the cost that must be paid to fulfill Bahamut's prophecy
07:15and restore peace to the land of Eos.
07:17Where this game might have lacked in some areas,
07:20it nailed in its cinematic storytelling.
07:28Eiffreit and Bahamut, Final Fantasy XVI
07:53It isn't too often that a Final Fantasy cinematic
07:56features two different summoned creatures going at it,
07:59but the 16th main installment of the franchise did just that.
08:03The fan-favorite summons of Eiffreit and Bahamut
08:06engage in an epic clash
08:08as Clive Rossfield summons the former
08:10to protect his brother Joshua from the latter's rage.
08:13The end results are as impressive as it gets,
08:16as Clive shrugs off a megaflare
08:18before getting ready to throw down in his new, blazing form.
08:23An apt introduction for arguably the game's best boss fight.
08:33Waltz for the Moon, Final Fantasy VIII
08:42Love stories between leads are as important to the Final Fantasy franchise
08:46as chocobos and airships.
08:49The relationship between Squall Leonhart and Rinoa Hartley
08:52is placed center stage during this ballroom dance sequence.
08:56It's a meet-cute that harkens back to wartime dances
08:59between servicemen and eligible female dates.
09:03Eyes on Me plays as Squall and Rinoa eventually dance in sync
09:07as their interest in each other blossoms.
09:09It honestly doesn't matter if you want this one
09:12of the OG Final Fantasy VIII or its 2019 remaster.
09:16This is classic stuff.
09:25Kuja's Introduction, Final Fantasy IX
09:34Sometimes, the Big Bad isn't necessarily the loudest
09:38or the most resonant voice in the room.
09:40Sometimes, evil arrives with a whisper in the ear.
09:44Kuja's Introduction expertly implies his antagonistic intentions
09:49without a word spoken.
09:51Instead, the music and visuals do the talking
09:54as Kuja steps out amidst the raindrops to the fallen party members.
09:58Queen Brawn may think she rules Alexandria,
10:01but it's Kuja who emerges as the true threat.
10:05And as he ascends out of sight,
10:07players are left acutely aware they're in for a rough time.
10:15Seymour summons Anima,
10:17Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X and X-2 HD remaster.
10:33It's pretty much a given at this point
10:35that a cutscene featuring a summon is going to be badass.
10:39However, the cinematic that signifies the arrival of Anima
10:43is on a whole other level.
10:45This demonic visage of darkness and death
10:48is as creepy as summons get.
10:50Her hideous toothy maw and covered eyes
10:53also lend off the vibe that's almost Lovecraftian in nature,
10:57like an Elder God from the Formless Deep.
11:00Seymour summoning Anima beefs up his status
11:03as one of the primary antagonists,
11:05proving to all that he is not to be trifled with.
11:09KEFKA DESTROYS THE WORLD
11:11FINAL FANTASY VI
11:19The initially buffoonish appearance of Kefka
11:22belies what is truly one of Final Fantasy's most memorable villains full stop.
11:27The level of his mad hunger for power
11:30is exemplified particularly well during this climactic sequence,
11:34whereby he succeeds in turning the world into ruin.
11:37The gravitas of the situation is handled incredibly well,
11:41even by the Super Nintendo and original PlayStation's
11:44comparatively limited processing abilities.
11:47The music, atmosphere, and fantastic writing,
11:50this is old-school video game storytelling at its very best.
11:55Tidus and Yuna in Macalania,
11:58Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X and X-2 HD Remaster.
12:13There's a fatalistic sense of urgency
12:15in the way that the story unfolds,
12:17and the way that the characters interact with each other
12:21There's a fatalistic sensibility to this otherwise romantic scene
12:25between Tidus and Yuna.
12:27This lake-bound kiss that occurs near the end of the game
12:30is a last-ditch connection between the pair,
12:33as the final battle looms and uncertainty beckons.
12:37The pop music soundtrack here doesn't feel out of place,
12:40rather adding to the sweetness of the moment.
12:43Meanwhile, the graphics of both the original Final Fantasy X
12:46and its HD Remaster from 2013
12:49both service the scene in a wonderful way,
12:52tugging at our collective heartstrings each and every time.
13:08Sephiroth Supernova,
13:10Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII Remake.
13:20The Supernova ability may not be the sole property of Sephiroth,
13:24but his version is definitely the one that first comes to mind.
13:28We all remember where we were when this epic-length spell
13:32was first cast on our party.
13:34The animation time is long, around two minutes.
13:38Basically, a cutscene hanging from the wall.
13:41It's a long cutscene,
13:43but it's also a long cutscene.
13:45The animation time is long, around two minutes.
13:48Basically, a cutscene, hence its inclusion.
13:51That sense of growing dread as the planets align,
13:54watching them be decimated one by one,
13:57all before the literal sun is forced into the faces of Cloud and company.
14:01It's ludicrously epic.
14:04Sephiroth.
14:11Cloud vs. Sephiroth,
14:13Final Fantasy VII Remake.
14:15Careful now.
14:17That which lies ahead does not yet exist.
14:25There are few antagonistic pairings as iconic to the Final Fantasy franchise
14:30as Cloud Strife and Sephiroth.
14:32The VII installment's extended universe ensures that the evil of the one-winged angel
14:37will probably live on forever in the hearts of the Final Fantasy faithful,
14:41and that devotion paid off in a big way with the game's 2020 remake.
14:46The voice acting and upgraded visuals bulk up this standoff in a huge way,
14:51raising the stakes to a point where we practically forget we're playing a game.
14:55The cinematic attention to detail is evident with each sword strike, lunge, and parry
15:00as Cloud and Sephiroth indulge in their deadly dance of blades.
15:11Not yet.
15:20The opera scene, Final Fantasy VI.
15:24I am thankful, my beloved,
15:31for your tenderness and grace.
15:38Come on, admit it.
15:40We know that at least some of you out there have sung along to the lyrics presented for the opera sequence.
15:45This old-school cinematic for the Maria and Draco event is beyond charming,
15:50a cinematic that stirs the soul all thanks to the music composed by Nobuyu Uematsu and Yoshinori Kitase.
15:57It speaks volumes that these little sprites can conjure up such huge emotions
16:02for a scene that could have, in lesser hands, been a throwaway minigame.
16:06Instead, the opera scene went on to become one of the franchise's most beautiful and heartfelt moments.
16:13Then it's a duel!
16:21The Black Waltz, Final Fantasy IX.
16:32The character of Vivi Ornateur from Final Fantasy IX
16:35has to be one of the most immediately lovable in the entire franchise.
16:39Yet, it's the cuteness of his design and the tragic backstory of his creation
16:44that makes this cinematic boss encounter so intense.
16:47Vivi's sentience sets him apart from other Black Mages
16:51and it also allows them to become inspired,
16:54to wake from their subservient status and assist the party.
16:57There's also an element of tragedy here, however,
17:00since so many of the Black Mages fall in battle
17:04and Vivi is forced to step up to the challenge that awaits him.
17:10Cecil becomes a Paladin, Final Fantasy IV.
17:23There's no denying that the original Final Fantasy is a classic
17:27and a super important first step for the franchise's eventual dominance.
17:31However, gamers in North America probably didn't become addicted to Final Fantasy's storytelling
17:38until Final Fantasy II.
17:40This was the American version of Final Fantasy IV
17:43and possessed memorable character motivations and dynamics from the start,
17:47courtesy of the Dark Knight Cecil Harvey and his childhood friend, Cain Hywin.
17:52Cecil's graduation from Dark Knight to Paladin
17:55became notable for being one of the first instances
17:58where gamers truly became invested in the journey of a Final Fantasy protagonist.
18:07It was a defining moment in RPG gaming history,
18:27a time and place where everyone can recall their shocked silence,
18:31the death of Aerith Gainsborough.
18:34The emotional resonance of the scene is a constant throughout every iteration of Final Fantasy VII,
18:39the death of the little flower girl who had grown so close to the party.
18:43The image of Sephiroth descending upon Aerith
18:46and running her through with the Masamune Sword is a powerful one.
18:50It's similar to Zack's death in Crisis Core
18:53in that it speaks to the stakes at play,
18:55as well as to the mortality within the Final Fantasy franchise.
18:59Aerith's death also elevated the RPG experience for younger kids.
19:03Forcing them to face some tragic, real consequences within the game's storytelling.
19:18Snowy March, Final Fantasy VI
19:31It may seem silly, on the surface at least,
19:34to have a game's prologue sequence at the top of our list.
19:37But, then again, there are few old-school openings as capital-E epic as Final Fantasy VI.
19:45The score from Nobuo Uematsu immediately sets the score with some dark, dreadful overtures.
19:51Then, Uematsu's score for the Snowy March hits
19:54and we're immediately thrust back into our childhoods.
19:57The conversation between Biggs and Wedge may lay out some important initial info,
20:02but the visual of their magitek armor trudging through the snow alongside Terra
20:06is the one that lives, rent-free, within our hearts forever.
20:20What's your favorite Final Fantasy cutscene?
20:23Let us know in the comments.