Final Fantasy is one of the most beloved game series of all time. FF VI stood out for the political tension and the collapse of a familiar world. But even in that world, another theme ran through its quieter scenes. Food appeared often enough to give the player a sense of ordinary life within a story ruled by conflict.
Nostalgia
After meals in earlier games like VI, the series prioritised food with far more visual detail in XV. The link between meals and emotion became clearer. A developer told The Guardian that the meals in XV “look like comfort food” and were meant to evoke memories of eating the same dishes. In other words, they were meant to feel nostalgic.
The earlier Final Fantasy games didn’t have the technology to present photorealistic plates of food, but its writers understood the effect of these moments. Nostalgia often stems from the way a story highlights parts of everyday life. Shared meals imply a shared culture.
Square Enix artists later spoke about their process for creating food in XV. Eater had a special feature dedicated to food in Final Fantasy. The game’s art director Tomohiro Hasegawa said the team created the meals in real life, going out to camp outdoors and cook the meals. The real life dishes were then photographed and scanned for in game simulations. This was one of the first examples of a developer going to such lengths to create realistic food. Food has been part of games for decades, ever since slot machines in casinos used cherries, lemons, and watermelons. Similar symbols are used today in online slots like Sweet Bonanza. But Square Enix’s dedication was something else.
Food as narrative
Back in Final Fantasy VI, food appeared in domestic and peaceful settings. These moments interrupt long stretches of travel or confrontation. A simple dinner scene breaks the tension. It also draws attention to the everyday concerns of people living under imperial rule. When Terra meets the Figaro brothers or when the group stops in towns away from the front line, a meal softens the tone.
Food also helps with characterization. Shadow quietly feeding his dog hints at a gentler side. These details don’t really appear with explanation, and they don’t need to – they humanize characters without it. In games like FF that presents its cast in short scenes rather than extended monologues, these kinds of touches matter.
At the time of the game’s release, narrative driven RPGs usually relied on text to convey personality. Food was a way to create an atmosphere without long exposition.
Food in other games
Many other games use food for atmosphere and character. The Witcher series treats meals as part of its grounded setting. Simple dishes in taverns reflect regional traditions and add to the sense of travel. Yakuza games use restaurant visits to build atmosphere and to tie characters to specific districts. Food acts as a marker of place.
In Dragon Age games, shared meals often appear in camp or during story scenes. They hint at group cohesion and offer a pause from long quests. Even when there’s limited visual detail, a brief reference to a meal can signal camaraderie or weariness.
Player connection
Food works as a familiar reference point. Most players understand the comfort of sitting down to a meal after a long day, even if without the stresses of war. When a game uses these scenes, it draws on players’ experiences.
In Final Fantasy VI, empathy was central to the structure of the story. The cast is large and players don’t spend equal time with each character. Scenes involving food help maintain balance. They allow characters to express vulnerability or hospitality without needing long dialogue.
Food also marks transitions. A stop at an inn or a family table can signal that a journey is about to continue. It sets an emotional tone without calling attention to itself.
Last word
The Final Fantasy developer’s interest in food stretches back decades, and for a simple reason: food suggests human connections. It reminds us that characters are more than their battles. Food signals memories, hope, loss, and continuity. Lofty themes, but then Square Enix has pretty lofty ambitions. When other developers are leaning on AI, the FF developer is aiming to make every aspect of its next game “very high quality”.
The project lead behind Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Naoki Hamaguchi, recently told GamesRadar that he hopes their human team are “good enough creators” so that no AI is needed. After the success of food in previous Final Fantasy games – not every series gets a feature in Eater – players will probably have more meals to savour soon enough. Hamaguchi doesn’t know yet whether it’ll be a new FF game or “completely new IP”, but it’s a safe bet that Square Enix’s next game will feature food.