Dragon Quest Creator on Key Difference from Final Fantasy

by

Both Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest are landmark Japanese role-playing games, and today they’re both published by Square Enix. Interestingly, many of the talented people who worked on both series eventually came together to create the classic game Chrono Trigger. However, despite their similarities, there’s a key difference that sets them apart, according to the creator of Dragon Quest.

In an interview with Game Informer, Yuji Horii discussed how Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest handle their main characters differently. He noted that Final Fantasy heroes are very talkative, while Dragon Quest aims to make players feel they are the hero. Horii observed this distinction when Final Fantasy first came out and it immediately caught his attention.

Yuji Horii Says FF’s Protagonists Talk A Lot More

Protagonists With Set Personalities

Horii points out that in Final Fantasy games, players mostly watch the main character’s story unfold, and this approach allows for diverse narratives. For instance, Final Fantasy 7 centers heavily on discovering who Cloud really is, making his identity key to the plot. Meanwhile, games like FF9 have protagonists who are much more outspoken and comedic, actively shaping the story through their personalities.

A hero from Dragon Quest would rarely begin speaking without a reason, while Final Fantasy VII shows how having a strong, individual character can create exciting new ways to tell a story. Both methods work well – Dragon Quest excels at immersing the player in the world, but FF7 demonstrates the benefits of a clearly defined protagonist.

Which Final Fantasy Game Is Yuji Horii’s Favorite

Tidus Wins The Cup

Horii respects the technical achievements of the Final Fantasy series, even if it differs from his own approach to game design. He considers Final Fantasy 10 to be the pinnacle of the series, and players familiar with FF10 will remember that its main character, Tidus, is known for speaking his mind.

Even after many years, Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy are still major forces in the gaming world. Dragon Quest 11 showed that the traditional Dragon Quest style is still very popular, while Final Fantasy has had a mix of hits and misses as it tries new things with each new game.

It’s debatable whether one approach to creating main characters is better than another, but it doesn’t really matter in this case. Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy have different aims, and even Yuji Horii recognizes that both approaches can lead to excellent games. It would be fantastic if he released Dragon Quest 12 to reignite those discussions.

Read More

2025-11-26 18:35