Final Fantasy II is a turn-based RPG that ditches experience points for a use-based progression system—your stats grow based on what you do in combat. Swing swords and your attack rises; take hits and your HP climbs. You control Firion and two companions fighting the Palamecian Empire, which deploys hellspawn to conquer the world. Along the way you'll recruit allies and join a resistance group called the Wild Rose Rebellion. The game introduced chocobos and a character named Cid to the series. Story takes center stage more than most console RPGs of its era, with dialogue-heavy scenes driving the plot forward. Combat's standard menu-driven fare, but the stat system rewards specialization—you can't grind levels, only actions. If you want a Final Fantasy that plays by different rules, this one rewrote them.
