Then and now
From the Behemoth to the Tonberry, Final Fantasy is full of recurring iconic creatures, and now that we've dumped dozens of hours into Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, we've slayed many a familiar face (for the good of the people, of course!) during our time in Eorzea.
As we've stated before, A Realm Reborn is full of nostalgic references to previous Final Fantasy games, and many of its enemies are instantly recognizable. The following are but a few of the creatures you may recognize from past games in the series, and you'll find side-by-side comparisons of how they appeared in their original form versus how they look after decades of technological advancements.
Adamantoise
First appeared as: a boss in the Snow Cave dungeon in Final Fantasy II. Afterwards, the Adamantoise became a common enemy type in the game.
Ahriman
First appeared as: one of the final bosses of Final Fantasy III. He was the keeper of the Dark Earth Crystal in the World of Darkness.
Antlion
First appeared as: a normal enemy type in Final Fantasy II.
Behemoth
First appeared as: a boss in Final Fantasy II. After defeating him, Behemoths appear as normal enemies in the forests near Mysidia.
Bombs
First appeared as: a regular enemy in Final Fantasy II. As you're no doubt painfully aware, these little guys have a tendency to blow themselves up when a fight's not going their way.
Cactuar
First appeared as: a normal enemy in Final Fantasy VI. In the original SNES translation, they were called "Cactrots," and could be found in a desert near Maranda in the World of Ruin, where they introduced 1,000 needles to all would-be adventurers.
Chocobo
First appeared as: sentient modes of transport in Final Fantasy II. These lovable birds could only be found in a forest south of Kashuan, and would immediately run away when dismounted. Of course, they're not enemies so much as they are mounts in FFXIV: ARR.
Drake
First appeared as: dragons in the original Final Fantasy. They've appeared in a variety of forms throughout almost every game in the series, though the one pictured here from FFXIV is of original design.
Gigas
First appeared as: a normal enemy type in the original Final Fantasy. They were originally titled "Giants," and there were various types--fire, ice, flood--each with a unique elemental affinity.
