Editing Final Fantasy (section)

=== Gameplay ===
{{main|Recurring elements in the Final Fantasy series#Gameplay}}
In ''Final Fantasy'' games, players command a party of characters as they progress through the game's story by exploring the game world and defeating enemies.<ref name="GS-FFHistory-Main"/><ref name="GT-FFRetrospectiveXIII"/> Enemies are typically [[Random encounter|encountered randomly]] through exploring, a trend which changed in ''Final Fantasy XI'' and ''XII''. The player issues combat orders—like "Fight", "Magic", and "Item"—to individual characters via a menu-driven interface while engaging in battles. Throughout the series, the games have used different battle systems. Prior to ''Final Fantasy XI'', battles were turn-based with the protagonists and antagonists on different sides of the battlefield. ''Final Fantasy IV'' introduced the "Active Time Battle" (ATB) system that augmented the turn-based nature with a perpetual time-keeping system. Designed by [[Hiroyuki Ito]], it injected urgency and excitement into combat by requiring the player to act before an enemy attacks, and was used until ''[[Final Fantasy X]]'', which implemented the "Conditional Turn-Based" (CTB) system.<ref name="GS-FFHistory-Main"/><ref name="IGN-Evo"/><ref name="VM-FFHistory">{{cite web|url=http://www.virginmedia.com/games/features/finalfantasyhistory2.php |title=(Never the) Final Fantasy |first=David |last=Jenkins |publisher=[[Virgin Media]] |date=February 28, 2007 |access-date=August 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810220557/http://www.virginmedia.com/games/features/finalfantasyhistory2.php |archive-date=August 10, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> This new system returned to the previous turn-based system, but added nuances to offer players more challenge.<ref name="GT-FFRetrospectiveVII"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/reviews/final-fantasy-x |title=Final Fantasy&nbsp;X (PS2) Reviews |date=January 1, 2000 |website=[[1UP.com]] |access-date=August 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629031105/http://www.1up.com/reviews/final-fantasy-x |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Final Fantasy XI'' adopted a real-time battle system where characters continuously act depending on the issued command.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/p_ffxi_ps2 | title = Final Fantasy XI | first = Tom | last = Bramwell | website = [[Eurogamer]] | date = January 2, 2002 | access-date = August 4, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310202551/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/p_ffxi_ps2 | archive-date=March 10, 2009}}</ref> ''Final Fantasy XII'' continued this gameplay with the "Active Dimension Battle" system.<ref name="BRADY35">{{cite book |editor=BradyGAMES |title=Final Fantasy XII Official Strategy Guide |year=2006 |publisher=DKPublishing |isbn=0-7440-0837-9 |pages=35–36}}</ref> ''Final Fantasy XIII''{{'}}s combat system, designed by the same man who worked on ''X'',<ref name="IGNstaff">{{Cite news|url=http://ps3.ign.com/articles/706/706153p1.html |title=E3 2006: FFXIII Staff Check |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]]|first=Anoop |last=Gantayat |date=May 9, 2006 |access-date= December 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080403232803/http://ps3.ign.com/articles/706/706153p1.html |url-status=live |archive-date=April 3, 2008}}</ref> was meant to have an action-oriented feel, emulating the cinematic battles in ''Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children''. ''Final Fantasy XV'' introduces a new "Open Combat" system. Unlike previous battle systems in the franchise, the "Open Combat" system (OCS) allows players to take on a fully active battle scenario, allowing for free range attacks and movement, giving a much more fluid feel of combat. This system also incorporates a "Tactical" Option during battle, which pauses active battle to allow use of items.<ref name="XIIIbattle">{{cite web | last=Bramwell | first=Tom | date=June 7, 2006 | title=FF to look like Advent Children? | url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/news070606ffxiii | website=[[Eurogamer]] | access-date=July 27, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624094706/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/news070606ffxiii | archive-date=June 24, 2009 | url-status=live}}</ref>

Like most RPGs, the ''Final Fantasy'' installments use an [[Experience point|experience level]] system for character advancement, in which experience points are accumulated by killing enemies.<ref>{{cite book | title = Vintage Games | first1 = Bill | last1 = Loguidice | first2 = Matt | last2 = Barton | year = 2009 | publisher = Focal Press/Elsevier | isbn = 978-0-240-81146-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | title = Final Fantasy Anthology Official Strategy Guide | publisher = [[BradyGames]] | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-56686-925-0 | author = David Cassady.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | year = 2004 | title = Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania | publisher = Studio BentStuff | language = ja | isbn= 4-7575-1243-0 | author = Sutajio bento sutaffu.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | year = 2004 | title = Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania Omega | publisher = Square-Enix | language = ja | isbn= 4-7575-1161-2 | author = Sutajio bento sutaffu.}}</ref> [[Final Fantasy character jobs|Character classes]], specific jobs that enable unique abilities for characters, are another recurring theme. Introduced in the first game, character classes have been used differently in each game. Some restrict a character to a single job to integrate it into the story, while other games feature dynamic job systems that allow the player to choose from multiple classes and switch throughout the game. Though used heavily in many games, such systems have become less prevalent in favor of characters that are more versatile; characters still match an archetype, but are able to learn skills outside their class.<ref name="IGN-Evo"/><ref name="GS-FFHistory-Series"/><ref name="GT-FFRetrospectiveXIII"/>

[[Gameplay of Final Fantasy#Magic|Magic]] is another common RPG element in the series. The method by which characters gain magic varies between installments, but is generally divided into classes organized by color: "White magic", which focuses on spells that assist teammates; "Black magic", which focuses on harming enemies; "Red magic", which is a combination of white and black magic, "Blue magic", which mimics enemy attacks; and "Green magic" which focuses on applying [[status effect]]s to either allies or enemies.<ref name="GS-FFHistory-Main"/><ref name="GS-FFHistory-Series"/><ref name="VM-FFHistory"/> Other types of magic frequently appear such as "Time magic", focusing on the themes of time, space, and gravity; and "Summoning magic", which [[Evocation|evokes]] legendary creatures to aid in battle and is a feature that has persisted since ''Final Fantasy III''. Summoned creatures are often referred to by names like "Espers" or "Eidolons" and have been inspired by mythologies from [[Arabian mythology|Arabic]], [[Hindu mythology|Hindu]], [[Norse mythology|Norse]], and [[Greek mythology|Greek]] cultures.<ref name="GS-FFHistory-Series"/><ref name="GT-FFRetrospectiveXIII"/>

Different means of transportation have appeared through the series. The most common is the airship for long range travel, accompanied by chocobos for travelling short distances, but others include sea and land vessels. Following ''Final Fantasy VII'', more modern and futuristic vehicle designs have been included.<ref name="GT-FFRetrospectiveXIII"/>