18 recognizable monsters in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

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.