Gamers are uncommonly attached to the past, a trend that has manifested in kitchy merchandise and rumors that refuse to die. While I can’t pass arbitration on the infatuation in terms of objective value (ego has yet to reach such levels of entitlement), I have noticed that this behavior often obscures newer, more credible releases from gamers’ eyes. These folks spend their days replaying Final Fantasy VII until the optical laser burns its way through the disc. Perhaps it’s the comfort of the familiar or the distrust of the new. For these gamers, I present this no-risk guide; a list of newer games containing all the elements that made the classics such fun.

If you liked Final Fantasy I - IX...

The first nine Final Fantasy games set the gold standard for JRPGs. Blending fantastically original settings, memorable characters, engaging leveling systems, and stellar soundtracks, these games forged a bond with players that is strong more than two decades after the initial game. A casual stroll around a fanfic message board or Deviant Art offers but a glimpse of the passion fans hold for the series.

...then you should play Lost Odyssey.

Lost Odyssey is a modern-day reimagining of all of the great Final Fantasy elements from years past, due in no small part to the pen of Final Fantasy scribe Hironobu Sakaguchi. Reviewers detracted the game for being too similar to previous Final Fantasy games, but for some reason that never bothers reviewers when dealing with games featuring space maries...

While I don’t view such similarities as a negative, they’re certainly obvious. Lost Odyssey features Kain-alike amnesiac Kaim and even Palom and Porom revivals Cooke and Mack. However, rather than being an insipid retread, Lost Odyssey is a refreshing update of all the concepts that now-dated hardware couldn’t do justice. Cities tangled in a mishmash of magic and machinery a la Final Fantasy VI look amazing on modern hardware, and drama is relayed much more effectively with full voice acting and cinematic camerawork. From the Uematsu-composed soundtrack to the battle system designed by ex-Nautilis (Shadow Hearts) developers, the game is in all ways a modern-day Final Fantasy in the tradition of games past. No Final Fantasy fan should overlook this.