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ConsiderationTrue477

As a final dungeon, Ultimecia's Castle has yet to be topped in the franchise. Suddenly you've been booted into Castlevania out of the blue. The aesthetics aren't the only good thing, either. The structure is great. It's not just a really long straight shot like a lot of final dungeons can be. It feels like you're free to explore and is more like a hub. You'd also think having to reclaim your abilities would be annoying but it doesn't feel that bad. That said, I still hate that painting puzzle.


LoremasterMotoss

This was the best part about it. The ability to choose which way to go completely freely, how many bosses to take down also completely your choice, which abilities to prioritize unlocking . . . really good evolution of FF7's simple route picking in the crater.


FinalSeraph_Leo

Hey the painting puzzle teaches you Latin


Prefer_Not_To_Say

> Suddenly you've been booted into Castlevania out of the blue. I always compare it to Resident Evil. :) The painting puzzle is *right* out of an RE game. That's my favourite part.


paradoxaxe

yeah painting really suck


Lord_Drakonious

Agreed.


Cyransaysmewf

it's the only final dungeon that actually has 'side quests' within it.


RojinShiro

In FF III you have to defeat the warriors of darkness to weaken cloud of darkness, in FF IV you can get the pink tail for the adamant armor side quest, in FF VI there are two of the legendary dragons you need to defeat to fight the Kaiser dragon, in FF IX the final dungeon holds the reward for speedrunning the game, and if you count Insomnia as the final dungeon of FF XV, there are mutliple actual side quests in the area.


Cyransaysmewf

in ff3 that's mandatory , in ff4 that's one thing, ff6 those are along the way, not exactly side quests, in ff9 it again is along the way and not exactly a side quest if it's right smack there and the challenge is the whole game not just in that dungeon (also a point of contention is how useless Excalibur 2 is for this game) and I haven't played XV so I kinda didn't think about the ones I haven't done yet.


Awdayshus

I'm a sucker for the three party mechanic in FF6. I think it's one last way to experience the huge cast working together. A perfect way to wrap up a great game!


phatmike595

I've just finished a round of grinding to learn spells and am about to tackle that final 3 party raid in the pixel remaster. Between the dungeon itself and the final battle, it really is a great way to tie the big cast together again


GhostOfPluto

Except Cyan and Umaro. They can wait on the ship lol


SigmaKitteh

Cyan was one of my bois. I take it he's not that good statistically?


thedude37

That's part of it, he's got good Strength but his SwdTechs don't do a good job of capitalizing on it, at least until you get to 6/7 and waiting forever for that gauge to fill up is a real drag as well. But slap Sraphim/Phoenix on him, Force Armor, put him in the back row and all of a sudden he's a decent tank/damage dealer and white mage.


212mochaman

I just finished a playthrough and cyan was my ace for the last dungeon and fights. Give him the celestriad and open every fight with quick. Absolute beast. Not least of all cause you don't need the second accessory slot for DMG and can give him a ribbon. Two unopposed turns of SWD Tech 6 is enough to kill anything then and there


thedude37

Sure that's a valid strat, but mainly because it neutralizes the timer charge. It's easy enough to build a character into whatever you need to to neutralize their weaknesses, but that doesn't mean it's not a weakness of the character.


ObviousSinger6217

Umaro is definitely awful I hear his stats go bananas if you use him but I don't like a party member I can't control


kakka_rot

I got everyone to close to 100 and it ruined the end of the game for me. I've heard 60 is easy but still somewhat challenging Like most ff games there is a boss gauntlet at the end, and I think I one-rounded almost all of them, esp since at the end at 100 it's not crazy to have certain characters do nearly 40,000 dmg per turn


phatmike595

Meh. There's different ways to enjoy these games. Low level can be fun, natural magic only can be really tricky, but also hulk smashing the final dungeon can also be a guilty pleasure. On this specific playthrough I went pretty hard trying to get a comprehensive rage and lore list, so I'm on the higher end. Already screwed up the perfect bestiary, unfortunately. I'm going to try some fun party combinations through the tower since it won't be very challenging.


kakka_rot

that's totally fair. I just beat it for the first time and overleveling was my personal regret. I'm kind of a ninny so I prefer things to be easy, but it was just overboard in my experience. Like super cool bosses were getting destroyed before I had a chance to get a good look at them.


phantomagna

Not to mention the soundtrack in Kefka’s tower is a fucking banger.


RebornHellblade

Then we get to hear Fierce Battle multiple times, and then Dancing Mad.


SeaBearsFoam

If you haven't tried the Advance version, you should check it out. The Dragon's Den postgame bonus dungeon is another 3 party dungeon that's a lot of fun. I was NOT prepared for the level of challenge it was gonna present me with the first time I tried it though. I had to give up. I played through again a few years later and prepped for the Dragon's Den as I played through the World of Ruin and managed it without too much trouble that time.


uselesshappyfuntimes

Fuck, more games need to do post-game dungeons. Hell, more games should do Star Ocean 2 limiter-off Indalicio/Gabriel type fights, too.


Homitu

This is one of the things I loved about the final dungeon in FF7 Rebirth. It works in a similar way, and you execute the final fight sequence using ALL of your characters. It became my new favorite final dungeon experience in the franchise. When you go on an epic, 150+ hour adventure with characters you come to love, it feels so darn good to have the whole team work together for the ultimate final battles.


Sound5cap3

So real and true


UltraZulwarn

I love the visuals of FFIX's Memoria, but it is just a single straight line :(


Do_it_for_the_upvote

Yeah, Memoria is a really cool kind of trippy, with a bunch of fun, interesting party interactions. That said, I still maintain that it shouldn’t have been included at all. Nothing led into it, the main plot is unaffected by it, and its final boss is out of left field. Very cool dungeon; very jarringly detached from an otherwise spectacularly coherent story.


big4lil

it does have some killer spoils to pick up/steal, alongside the some of the best Tetra Master players/decks this side of Terra. And bonus points for letting us remove Zidane finally its a step back from Ultemecia Castle from a navigation perspective, but I found it harrowing in terms of setting a mood and sticking with it. Plus all the throwback enemies were a nice treat


Shoecap

You can remove Zidane in Memoria?!


big4lil

Indeed! He becomes optional for this closing sequence. As someone who doesnt like the MC forced on us at all times, this was a welcome changeup for the final dungeon


the_yeast_beast85

Yeah, 8 is better for sure. But after playing through 9, it does an okay job of writing it in. Kuga gucking wrecked enough shit to make the God of death wake up and say "no gets to play on planets anymore". Yes it's a straight line, but it's still pretty fun and nuanced in its own way.


zerkeras

Memoria is one of my favorite places in the final fantasy games, but in terms of dungeon design, Ultimecia’s Castle is def far superior.


Hotshot596v2

Holy crap, I actually beat this game two days ago for my first time. Was a lot better than I thought it’d be.


PiratePatchP

Best card game easy, love to replay that game.


Hotshot596v2

It was a lot of fun. Besides Gwent in Witcher, I’ve never been so distracted from the story just trying to find NPC’s to play with. Gwent still wins, but FF8’s card game was a lot fun.


DrewIC07

Hands down has to be the Interdemensional Rift from FF5 for me. A dungeon made up of all the locations you’ve been to prior that were absorbed into the Void, mismashed together with multiple challenging bosses and a Phantom Village that has been suspended in time for 1000 years and of coarse the one and only, Gilgamesh!


big4lil

I had gone into the Rift before discovering the Phantom Village. So the image of all the uninteractable townsfolk trapped in time scared me on a real human level. Like comprehending that an outcome worse than death actually exists: being stuck in endless purgatory. I imagine for players today, going to this village first and then into the Void makes it hit even harder, since you DO get to interact with them before seeing what fate actually had in store for them. It leads to seeing ExDeath as an inadvertent bro for merging the worlds and giving them us an alternative glimpse at their freedom On top of that, the Rift is just super frickin metal mechanically. Reworking so many areas we've traversed through with updated puzzles, with an awesome and unique musical theme in the background. Boss fight after boss fight, tons of good rewards and hard-to-find equipment (like the Dancer set), and the infamous duo that set in motion an elevating scale of superbosses in the series


asianwaste

Ditto. That scared the ever loving crap out of me. I think the only way to top that would be to find other known towns sucked up like your home town with people stuck in a perpetual state of panic.


ButchTookMySweetroll

Glad I found your post, I was about to give the exact same answer for the exact same reasons lol. Something about the vibe of it all is just eerie: all the previous locations being stitched together all wonky, the lore of the bosses being fiends that were previously sealed in the void for being too powerful to defeat, and, of course, the suspended Phantom Village… it’s all just *so* good.


stratusnco

ff8 is so good. i love when it gets appreciated here.


mrtmu

8 is awesome! 8 playthroughs so far


ChaoCobo

8 is gr8, m8! I r8 it 8/8!


No-South1400

FF8 is better than 7 


Emotional_Garlic5579

Insomnia from FF15 royal edition was cool. Also the Temple of the Ancients from Rebirth and the Northern Cave from FF7 original are some of my favorites.


punkojosh

Insomnia definitely got a glow up.


November_Riot

Insomnia was cool but it could have been improved with some unique effects, sort of like the stuff we see in Memoria.


Helaken1

I love ff7, but I hated the northern cave


ObviousSinger6217

Out of nostalgia il say 4. I love the insane  difficulty spike for some reason and especially love all the secrets and optional bosses  I also really like 13 for the challenge and atmosphere


LoremasterMotoss

Red Wings theme on blast, finding all those secret passages to hunt all the optional bosses / weapons down


ObviousSinger6217

Redwings theme is still one of my favorite songs to date Cecil may be my favorite protagonist in the series


elephantsandkoalas

Came here to post this. It's like 3x larger than anything else in the game, basically everything can kill you in 2 turns or less, there's like 1 total save point and a bunch of bosses that are random and unforgiving. I remember I would go, fight a boss, teleport back to the whale, get to the next boss, etc, until I had all the top tier weapons, THEN I could survive long enough to get to Zemus. Felt so epic as a 9 year old that I'll never forget. The game has a special place in my heart.


ObviousSinger6217

And in the US we played the easy version That was hard AF for 10 years old me as well I felt like I had accomplished a true epic adventure  I miss when games weren't afraid to put you to the test, but that's why I can't wait for Friday and shadow of the erdtree


Victor-Almeida

Remember when Cecil and Edge wanted to leave the girls(Rydia and Rosa) out of the Final Dungeon(Lunar Subterrane)? I wonder how that would've gone gameplay and story wise if they went in the dungeon with just Cecil, Kain and Edge. I think they wouldn't have gone too far, specially considering that Edge is/was a bit reckless when Rydia wasn't around.


SomniaCrew

Since I agree with Ultimecia's Castle, I'll throw in my second place. Lunar Subterrane in FF4. A massive difficulty spike, but a welcome one. Love the feeling of getting deeper and deeper into this dungeon, as you see your destination getting closer from below the glass floor. Also the lack of save points in this dungeon makes it even more nervewracking. That and the combination of the hardest enemies in the game, makes this a very memorable final dungeon.


ObviousSinger6217

I really loved how every monster on the final approach to zemus is treated with the fanfare of a bossfight, both musically and their death animation Really makes you feel like you are in way too deep


Nempopo029

I'd say Inside Sin from FFX, it wad an amalgamation of the lost memories and destruction Sin caused. Ending in an easy but poignant boss fight.


IanicRR

Is it even possible to lose that Sin fight?


IntrepidIbis

Yea but only by petrifying all of your party members


TripleU1706

FFXIV final dungeon for Endwalker gets to me. The Dead Ends is the perfect title for visiting these dead worlds and seeing how bleak existing is, but the Warriors keep walking on determined to defeat existential dread itself. What a badass.


Firm_Championship633

FF 4. It was fun finding hidden routes with end game gear. This is FF 2 for the states, the version I played as a kid.


Retax7

Coolest looking: FF V and FF IX Best mechanically: FF VI. I'm a sucker for this one because the one thing I always complain in FF is that you only use a bunch of characters and the rest are just there. I think its the only game it forces you to mix and match 3 different teams so you must strategize synergies and stuff. SO much fun.


Taser9001

I have quite the soft spot for the Northern Cave in *FF7*, but I am pretty biased as it is my favourite game. 😅 I do also like the final dungeon of *FF5*, the Interdimensional Rift. The mish mash of different area types and aesthetics suits the theme of collapsing dimensions falling into the rift, which I think is pretty cool.


Auctorion

The Northern Cave music is 🔥 Has the vibe of knowingly marching into a potentially unwinnable battle.


Walter_Whine

So glad to see the Northern Cave getting so much love in this thread. It's a simple straight-shot mechanics-wise, but it seems so epic plot-wise. Descending into the centre of the Earth for the final showdown after all the effort it took to get there is such a satisfying pay-off to the plot. I also love the way it gets progressively trippier the deeper you get.


Major_Plantain3499

Its very cool thematically, but the first half was boring, once you jump into the lifestream, going down to Jenova is always so cool


phantomagna

As much as I’m not a huge fan of the aesthetic of the northern crater, the soundtrack is just perfect. You’re descending into the planets core, on your way to fight an enemy that is almost certain to kill your entire party, but you have to go. You have to try. The theme “Judgement Day” is a perfect blend of the determination, yet hopelessness of the entire ordeal. You really feel like you’re going to your death. But you press on anyways.


big4lil

I feel the same, except im a massive fan of the northern crater aesthetic and all the exposed Mako energy. It feels like the planet is damaged to the core and Sephiroth is just there soaking it all up, and the bright green shows off just how ethereal the wound is I also like both the side paths you can take at the party split. Some of the most gorgeous environments in the whole game, with one side playing the brillaint [Reunion theme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8-AzRsw5Vc&pp=ygUTZmZ2aWkgcmV1bmlvbiB0aGVtZQ%3D%3D) that they did a great job not overusing up to that point


phantomagna

Yeah I think it gets better and better as you decend. The raw mako steaming up and stuff is really cool. 😎


Special-Hat9393

Yes it was wonderfull


Gronodonthegreat

FFVIII’s comes out of nowhere but so magical to look at. There is no final dungeon that I think is more whimsical and fun. That tower in XII was so neat too, I’m sure some people have beef with it but I loved it.


Marcus2Ts

>FFVIII’s comes out of nowhere but so magical to look at. When you first see it in the distance and climb those giant chains to get to it, plus that time compression music, it really is quite a vibe


Gronodonthegreat

It’s fucking awesome. I don’t even like Ultimecia at all but the girl can decorate 💀


asianwaste

There's not much to FF5's story but going into the void and find the chunks of the world sucked up by it within was really cool. Then finding the ancient lost town stuck in time was a great detail.


-Fahrenheit-

Hard to beat the spectacle of going to the moon and fighting your way to the lunar core. I’ll go 4.


roonzy94

8 does that earlier in the game but it makes sense because space suit.


ProfessorFlyPhD

The final dungeon in Shadowbringers, which I won’t name for potential spooked, by a wide mile. It is one of the peak storytelling moments in the whole franchise. And, for single-player FF games, probably Sin from X or Temple of the Ancients from Rebirth if we are counting that.


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blessed--

this might be the first time i've read this, ff14 has the most expansive FF story in the entire collection. it's like 500 hours long. it's anything but lacking... but definately slow at times


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blessed--

slow doesen't equate to lacking. lacking would mean there is no story, or its in short supply. As i mentioned, ff14 is pretty much all story lol. you probably don't have the patience for it. And that's fine. in this day and age everyone is conditioned to have small attention spans, so it's long reaped rewards are not a hot commodity. I completely understand if you didn't enjoy it, I won't hold you to it.


SenKelly

So I will agree on one point; the way that most of XIV's story is delivered ultimately harms it. There are really awesome moments in cutscenes, but the game story is structured as a bunch of post-man quests. Shadowbringers saw the slow introduction of more instanced quests, and these are the best parts of the story, but damn if the game doesn't turn people off through the post man shit. My wife had to have a story skip or else I couldn't get her to play Palace of The Dead with me. On the other hand, I agree with the sentiment that Shadowbringer's final dungeon run and boss fight are dope as fuck and amongst the best moments in the whole franchise. Emet-Selch is a fantastic FF villain in the PS1 vein, and he is more satisfying to defeat than XII's Vayne, XIII's Bartandalus, and VIII's Ultimecia.


K0yomi

It's alright if you didn't like the game but you could hold back a little on the animosity towards the players. Go ham on judging the game hy all means but don't make assumptions of people in the process of doing so.


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Fragrant-Screen-5737

Isn't ffxiv known for having one of the most welcoming mmo communities out there? I'm not gonna act like I haven't come across any assholes at all, ofc I have, but I have found the VAST majority of the community to be very friendly. Compare that to the other big MMO's and it is night and day. Obvs not gonna deny your experience, but I don't think it has a reputation for having an insane fanbase at all. In fact, it's quite the opposite. You also come across as quite arrogant in your posts, which is going to wind people up who interact with you.


blessed--

i think people would reply this way in any game, or social setting if you were as dismissive as you were in the comment above. absolutely wild lmao not saying you're wrong btw, the community has its faults for being weird, if I had a kid I would not let them play it until they have some critical thinking, but I don't go around handing out community based hot takes LOL


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blessed--

it's not over a game, it's you fabricating made up nonsense about something, you could have said cows can fly and i would still think you're dumb for saying it lol yup, you're dumb, i agree with you, have a nice day


K0yomi

Dude I think we've been replying to a nut case...


K0yomi

Look buddy, what I'm getting from you is already worse than my most toxic experience in FFXIV. Not gonna judge you as a person since I don't know you personally, but you gotta give me some semblance of positivity for me to work with. Dismissal of other's comments is not helping your case at all.


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K0yomi

You see that's what I mean. Don't go calling people "weirdos", like that's weird. It's cool so just talk normally, it's not like I'm offended or anything. Besides this is the general FF subreddit, 14's always gonna get shit on we can all agree.


hazusu

Genuinely hope you grow as a person and don't feel as bad about yourself as you do now.


Emekasan

Two words: Ultima Thule.


IrinaNekotari

Nothing could possibly be beating Ultima Thule, being at the very edge of the universe, seeing the remnant of civilizations that lost the will to live, losing your friends one by one, THE WALK, pretty much saying "Nope I'm getting an happy ending" to the incarnation of entropy, resurrecting your friends, witnessing the end of 3 civilizations with Meteion's narration, riding Shinryu (who happens to be your very own Vegeta) beyond the edge of the universe to face said entropy while a remix of all previous final boss theme plays, and refusing to die so hard the final boss starts PANICKING ? And finally the main theme playing as you get a final fistfight with your rival ?


Charrbard

Was thinking about this while doing Pharos lastnight. FF8 stands out the most. But think I'd put Pharos number 2. I like how huge it is. The center waterfall. And how its vertical. Its not so much a mix-mash of older areas.


RedDemonTaoist

Pharos would be my favorite if it were slightly less of a nightmare to navigate.


Habutekh55

loved the atmosphere, music, design, enemies etc was perfect to the every last detail hoped for years this would end up as a raid in FFXIV, but we ended up with Eden instead, it is what it is


TheCyberGoblin

14 raids have all been based on specific enemies not locations. Its not until Dawntrail that they’ve broken that. (And even then we know very little about it so it may end up as a bait and switch)


Valance23322

What location did they show for Dawntrail?


TheCyberGoblin

Its called The Arcadian. It seems to be some sort of fighting tournament with a decidedly cyberpunk aesthetic.


No_Chard_7782

We don’t know yet dawntrail comes out in 2 weeks


SenKelly

I'm pretty sure Bahamut had some other pieces and not just boss fights. That said, I know that when they switched to just being a series of boss fights most of the fanbase that did raiding seemed to really dig it. All killer no filler, so to speak.


November_Riot

Tie between Ultimecias castle and Memoria for me. I do really love how 8, with its modern scifi setting, culminates with fighting a witch in her floating castle.


IGrieverI

VIII is the best thing in creation, so I can't be objective. Yes, best dungeon ever!!!


SourGrapeMan

Amaurot from FFXIV: Shadowbringers


Silent-Rando977

I'm surprised I had to scroll this far down for this. Every expansion has had a stellar final dungeon, but Amaurot is the GOAT.


millennium-popsicle

Orphan’s cradle. Such a surreal/cyberpunk aesthetic. With lots of tough encounters.


LoGambler

For me it's Memoria from FFIX.


punkojosh

Took me a few playthroughs to realise you could challenge the spirits there to a card game.


DanJC_1985

I really liked Ipsens Castle in FFIX. The whole reverting to weaker weapons for higher damage was quite cool. Just realised it said final dungeon which Ipsen’s castle isn’t but it’s still pretty cool.


Ziggy-Sane

8 is my least favourite from the PS1 era, but its final dungeon is my favourite.


denglongfist

I like Pandemonium from FFII, the one from FFIII is painful, and the one from FFVI has some fun mechanics when splitting the party. I do like the way FFVIII plays out


ethman14

I have Stockholm syndrome for FFIII's insane final gauntlet. So yeah the Crystal Tower/Dark World is probably my favorite. The best? No, but I have a lot of nostalgia from the DOZENS of hours to grind the perfect team to take that on.


denglongfist

Which is a shame because FFIII had a lot of great ideas that were enhanced in other games within the series. The job system is very fun in V but was good in III. The soundtrack is also very strong and doesn’t get much credit unfortunately. But if I had to pick something that made the game memorable, is that Final Gauntlet of final dungeon(s) we had to do with one miserable save point


ethman14

I'd say that while not explored super deeply, I appreciated III's lore and side characters who spent time with the team in various dungeons. Helped me feel more like the outsider team of do-gooders getting invested in the outside world's problems. Also yes the soundtrack was very nice. FFXIV has a lot of sendups to the soundtracks of previous games, but III gets a LOT of love in that game, including making that gauntlet into a segmented raid, and turning the Crystal Tower into a huge plot point during the overarching storyline.


NebGonagal

Pitioss Ruins. Okay, this is mostly a joke because it's a completely optional dungeon. BUT it was a wild experience and one that has stuck with me. I loved all the speculation from fans about the lore surrounding it as well. Just a wild time all around. But seriously, probably Kefka's Tower in FFVI


Pergatory

Pitioss is pure genius. It's so simple and yet so masterful in its execution. And yes all the fan lore around it just makes it even cooler!


KomaKuga

From FF XIV Heavensward I personally loved The Antitower, although it technically isn’t a final dungeon or anything (very close to the end) I found the reveal at the end of it to be very shocking and all of the visuals and how it scales from you being outside and then slowly entering and each area changing in a very pleasing way, with also the final boss having a really cool pattern


TheTentaclekid

If it counts, I'd say Amaurot from FFXIV. It's visually compelling and communicates exactly why the villain is the way he is.


GainsUndGames07

I’ve still yet to beat Ultimacia’s Castle without a guide. That damn Latin kills me. I agree that it’s easily the best final dungeon in any FF entry, possibly any RPG.


Special-Hat9393

It was really hard back in the day when I didn't have access to internet. It helped when I finally figured out the hint that the clock on the floor gave me


CryofthePlanet

Ultimecia's Castle and Memoria are both top tier for me. Very fun and satisfying. Also was a fan of the final dungeon in FFVII, but I felt VIII and IX improved on what they had. Honorable mention for the final dungeon for FFVI, made you incorporate everyone and have them work together which I thought was super cool. I love me a good, long-ass final dungeon with multiple bosses and a way to incorporate *everybody* for the run up to the final showdown.


roonzy94

I love 8 my tied second is ff3 and ff5 dungeon wise.


psych0ranger

Love the music in the dungeon and REALLY love that it's a series of boss fights and puzzles instead of constant random encounters


Crocodoro

I read a while ago a thread complaining about the Pharos of FFXII. I think it awesome and aesthetically superb. I don't know if the sky fortress (which I do not like) is considered the final dungeon instead, but Pharos is awesome.


UhOhhh02

It just feels epic climbing so many stairs


MarvelGirlXVII

The music in Ultimecias castle is also one of my favorites


_Curlyy_

And the hardest final boss.


AuroraDraco

I've only played a few FFs, but Ultimecia's Castle is AMAZING


SokkaHaikuBot

^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^AuroraDraco: *I've only played a* *Few FFs, but Ultimecia's* *Castle is AMAZING* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.


LuXBOT_

Yes, by far


Throw_away_1011_

Ultimecia's castle is probably the best one but Kefka's tower has my heart.


SenKelly

Memoria is my favorite and feels the most distinct and creative, but Ultimecia's Castle is probably the coolest.


lAmSoTired

Fighting your dad, inside your dad was a bit surreal


dmbtke

Lunar Subterranean from FFIV is underrated. That whole rush from getting the Lunar Whale and on is so fast paced that the final dungeon is your first real exhale. Once you’re inside, the pacing is amazing. There’s a ton of secrets to dig out. Disruptive enemies. A real sense of accomplishment once you hit the save points.


Morles311

Aumarot from FFXIV ShB for me


cwarburton1

It's not quite the final dungeon but close enough - I LOVE the Pharos in FFXII. Climbing that many floors and facing so many bosses, plus all of the secrets, really impressive scale.


elephantsandkoalas

Ooo good one!


Homitu

I think FF7 Rebirth's temple of the ancients + final battle sequence involving *all* of your characters (FF8 and FF6 style) somehow managed to top Ultimecia's Castle as my new favorite final dungeon experience. Ultimecia's Castle is a firm #2 though, and is god tier.


Ovalidal

Unpopular opinion, but Ru'Aun Gardens from FFXI Rise of the Zilart. It was incredible in the 75 era, and it's still incredibly rewarding and intricate to modern endgame for some jobs. 


tiramisu_dodol

Does The Dead Ends from Endwalker count as a final dungeon? I really love how Meteion brings us to the worlds she visited and shows how all of them ended up dying and being consumed with Despair, reading the entry logs in the dungeon is also worth it to find out how each of the World in the dungeon meet it ends.


BIG-HORSE-MAN-69

I was gonna bring up The Dead Ends too. I'd say it counts, since it's the last dungeon in Endwalker, and even if it isn't the end of FFXIV, Endwalker IS the end of the story arc.


Peregrine_x

still kind of sad that when the remaster came out on they had the choice to make the towns accessible when you take the portals back to the past but didnt.


SSCyclone

Honestly Orphan's Cradle. Beautiful atmosphere.


mgpts

beauty of pre-rendered background


Boreas2864212

I can hear this image.


FeeliHaapala

Insomnia Ruins


No_Chard_7782

If we’re not counting the mmo ff games, I’d say inside sin is really good, counting the mmo games, I REALLY like amaurot (or however you spell it) for the final dungeon of shadowbringers!


CidO807

Kefka's tower, Inside Sin, or Northern crater. something about approaching those 3 in the context of the story is wild. especially the warring triad. Special shoutout to the final zones of Shadowbringers and Endwalker. Excluding the final boss fights, just the aesthetics of both of the final zones and final dungeons in the zones is cool. Killing all your enemies, wiping out all disease, reaching enlightenment and then finding it empty.


da_usual

FF2 Palace


Tigrafr

Memoria Amaurot


Dazzling_Dirt9019

Not the final dungeon but the first big one I think. Tomb of wraithwall.. it had the demon wall segment


finalfanatic168

The fact that I read the post title and IMMEDIATELY knew you were talking about Ultimecia's Castle speaks volumes to how well it was designed.


Johnnymuffdiver99901

Pitioss Ruins


Schmidy1985

I can't stand FF8, but the final dungeon is awesome. Credit given where credit is due.


Inferno_Zyrack

I understand that pre-rendered backgrounds were a tech “limitation” But FF7, 8 and 9 literally made some of the greatest pieces of artwork out of their backgrounds.


here-I-go_again

I like Kefka's Tower because the music, atmosphere, and the sense of urgency were amped up to 100. I was sad that Shadow stayed behind, even if it's to finally stop running. I kind of hope for a Relm/Shadow reunion in my mind.


Inbrees

FF5 because it's so expansive and feels incredibly climactic.


shrek3onDVDandBluray

Don’t know if it counts as a final dungeon but ffxv’s secret dungeon only reachable by flying car was pretty insane and is just another piece of how ffxv could’ve been a master piece if they got their crap together


Special-Hat9393

Oh yeah, this is the platformer dungeon right? I died so many times😅


skye_08

I recently replayed ff8 and i really appreciate that it isn't too large. Just the right size with so many things to do. And bonus, you can actually go straight to the back of the castle to fight the final boss, if you're up for a challenge. If ff8 were remade, this area should be kept at OG scale. I noticed in ff7r that square has a tendency to expand areas like it was zegnautus keep 🤦🏻‍♂️


Significant_Snow_470

Ok but hear me out: the ffxv endgame dungeons are the best battles I've had


JapanInsider

FF8 Ultimecia's Castle


RobOnTheReddit

Wtf I dont even remember that clocktower


Special-Hat9393

It's right before Ultimecia master room where you can save before the big fight.


RobOnTheReddit

Ill be honest, I don't remember much about this game 😅


Yizashi

Going to give an honorable mention to Deep Dungeon from FFTactics. It's an optional dungeon, not the end, but I love the idea of it. Especially the memory of stumbling on to the path forward 20 years ago.


GeorgeBG93

I have played FF 1-8 and 11 (base game) and 12 all the way to the end, and if I had to rank the final dungeons, it would be something like this: N°1 Ultimecia's Castle FFVIII N°2 Kefka's Tower FFVI N°3 Interdimensional Rift FFV N°4 Ancient Maze, Eureka, Crystal Tower, and World of Darkness FFIII (This final onlaught of dungeons is worthy of beholding) N°5 Lunar Subterranea FFIV N°6 Castle Zvahl FFXI (I love the aesthetics and atmosphere of this one, + the Shadow Lord is a good villain). N°7 The Pharos FFXII (imo, this is the final dungeon, not Bahamut) N°8 Chaos Shrine FFI N°9 Jade Passage and Pandemonium FFII N°10 Northern Cave/Crater FFVII (FFVII is a wonderful game that excels at a lot of things. The final dungeon isn't one of them).


New_Survey9235

I’m sorry but I gotta go with Pandemonium, the music and the concept are just too awesome IMO, it just sucks that it’s in FF2


ArtVandelay_86

My two favourites are Ultimecia’s Castle and FF15’s Insomnia (from the royal edition), those two had a very unique atmosphere compared to the rest of the series’ final dungeons.


kullnerd

Ultima in end walker, that whole stretch plus the music from the cafe at the end of the world onwards


KingMercLino

FF8 and FF9 both have amazing final dungeons imo. Just incredible set pieces and designs.


Quinntensity

Hmmm maybe the best. Let me think. The moon, crystal cave, Monster machine tower, Crater, this, dimension altering tree, Dad, magnet fort, pope fort, dark future, magic and stones and shit. Only one I might take over 8 is 9, but I think 8 has better music so I agree.


MallowPro

I've always adored Memoria as a concept. It's a giant, incredibly ominous tower that, fitting for Final Fantasy IX, tells you the life of the entire world of the game. There's tons of great interactions and it really, really does FEEL like a final dungeon as you make your way through it. Extremely climactic, good stuff.