Final Fantasy and Philosophy: The Ultimate Walkthrough

Launched in 1987, Final Fantasy now ranks as one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. The beloved series’ next installment is currently set to release in early 2010, but not before the first, unauthorized book probes the philosophical themes behind the game’s compelling characters and stories.  

FINAL FANTASY AND PHILOSOPHY: The Ultimate Walkthrough (Wiley; October 2009; $17.95 / Paper; ISBN: 978-0-470-41536-8) takes players on a stimulating whirlwind through the game’s core issues. Philosophical giants such as Machiavelli, Marx, Foucault, and Kafka are used to deconstruct Final Fantasy’s fictional characters including Mages, Moogles, fiends, and Kefka.  Crucial topics such as the three major moral theories, nihilism, madness, environmental ethics, shintoism, and the purpose of life are unpacked for fans, critics, students, and professors alike.

Broken into five parts, the book combines essays written by academics from around the world exploring the game’s most puzzling and fascinating themes, including:

- Does Cloud really exist (or should we really care)?
- Is Kefka really insane?
- Do game characters fear death?
- Are Moogles part of a socialist conspiracy?
- Does the end of the game justify the means?

In the vein of other books in the successful Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, FINAL FANTASY AND PHILOSOPHY uses pop culture phenomena to creatively uncover our driving world views. As series editor William Irwin said in USA Today, “"We like to say the books are about smart popular culture for smart fans.” For the millions of devoted Final Fantasy followers, this new book is sure to deliver an entertaining and informative dose of fun.