Favorite Final Fantasy

[Death Giant]

Which is your favorite F.F. game? Mine's F.F. 7.

[XiaoTie]

Final Fantasy 6 aaaaaaaaaaaaaaall the way.

[Cubey]

Final Fantasy 6, definately.

[ALOR]

Final Fantasy 3 hands down

[Tengu]

Japanese 3 or western 3, which is otherwise known as 6?

Also, shouldn't this be in Gaming (other)?

Anyway, for me it is either 6 or 7, depending on how do I feel at the time - they really are so very close in my eyes.

[Maroon]

I've only played up to 6, but I'm pretty sure the awesome ended there. Incidentally, FF6 is the only one I very nearly finished.

[DomaDoma]

Final Fantasy VI all the way. Gloriously hateable villain, best overworld music ever (the first overworld for so representing everything you're fighting for, and the third for the great leaping moment of hope), Cyan, General Leo, South Figaro, just the certain mythical touch to the whole thing... gorgeous.

Though from what I hear, once I finally shell out for a PS2, FFXII could be a serious contender for the title.

[Volug]

In order...

FF7
FF6
FF4
FF1
FF3
FF12
FF8
FF10
FF9
FF5
FF2
FF10-2

(haven't played 11)

[banjo1985]

Final Fantasy 8 for me, was the first one I played and still my favourite, even after playing all the others. I know most people will find it unbelieveable that I prefer it over 7 and 6 but I do.

I think it's because I got engaged with the characters and cared about what happened to them , not many games have done that to me before or since.

Worst in the series for me is X-2, a complete travesty that never should have been thought about let alone released.

[Sucrose]

Personal preference in the numbered FFs is probably FFVII (particularly the Midgar beginning part). FFVI is a pretty close second, but nostalgia for my first game carries it.

If you allow non-numbered FFs, my favorite might well be Final Fantasy Tactics, though VII might still edge it out.

[Teioh]

FFT all the way, not only being my favorite FF, but also my favorite game. Take an awesome battle system (if overly exploitable), add a plot that's good enough for a 8th grade novel (Hey, better than most games), add a very sweet musical score (not enough games go for classical), and some graphics that don't become painful to the eye as the game ages (I'm looking at you FF7), and you get my favorite FF.

[Volug]

I prefer Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. I don't know why people say that one sucks.... Final Fantasy Tactics though was pretty good still:smallamused:

[QueenOfMemnoch]

Final Fantasy 8 for me, was the first one I played and still my favourite, even after playing all the others. I know most people will find it unbelieveable that I prefer it over 7 and 6 but I do.

I think it's because I got engaged with the characters and cared about what happened to them , not many games have done that to me before or since.

Worst in the series for me is X-2, a complete travesty that never should have been thought about let alone released.

I agree completely. I got into Final Fantasy a bit late, say...about five years ago?
Anyways, my family isn't too much into gaming, so my brother had finally bought a Playstation ( last year we got a PS2 for Christmas...) and went out and randomly bought the first game he could find for it, which happened to be FFVIII.
He didn't end up liking it and gave it to me. I consumed the game, winding myself around Squall and the gang to the point where my stepmother called me obsessed.
Final Fantasy VIII was not only my first Final Fantasy, it was my first real video game experience. VII is amazing and a close second, but nothing can top the fond and nostalgic feelings I have for VIII.

X-2 made my brain cry.

[Danin]

Having played most of them, I do have to say that FF6 is my favorite so far. I enjoyed the game through and through with no real complaints about it. A close second is probably FF3 (I think thats it) with Cecil and Rosa. Although not the best by far, I just found it to be quite entertaining and pleasant to play. I don't understand the hype over ff7 having played it and only been disappointed.

[banjo1985]

Talking about obsessed, you know the card games from 8 & 9? I have the real life version of the card games from both of them. Rare and cost an absolute fortune but I'm obsessed with Triple Triad and Tetra Master, that's how much FF8 & 9 got to me. I'm accused of being ossessive of FF games but I don't mind, other than them only Grandia and Shadowhearts have involved me with characters on the same level.

I never understood the hype over 7 either. It was good, but not a patch on those around it and Cloud, Tifa etc didn't get me anywhere near as involved as Zidane, Vivi, Squall and Rinoa. The film however was enough to make up for it.

[Mr.Moron]

Tactics, easily and by a wide margin. Sure, it was poorly translated and the story was rather overcomplicated and dramatic before the rough localization. Despite that it was still a very interesting game, with some fun concepts in it. Also, I'll admit I like that sort of high drama "Don't blame me. Blame your self, or God!"

It's one of my favorite games of all time, stylistically speaking,probably tied with Valkyrie Profile. Those little sprites and blocky backgrounds somehow had a ton of character and set the mood of the game wonderfully. The music did an awesome job of enhancing the storytelling too, which is a relative rarity in games.

As a side-note the port to PSP seems to be one of the first FF re-release where the added movies really match the style of the game. I'm not willing to buy the system for one game, but it really does look wonderful.



I prefer Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. I don't know why people say that one sucks.... Final Fantasy Tactics though was pretty good still

Shallow Differences between classes, tacked-on and annoying judge system. Among other problems.

It was also just too light hearted for all us FFT fans who are still waiting for a true sequel to the non-stop sequence of backstabs, deaths, corrupted authority and secret schemes that was FFT.

[QueenOfMemnoch]

Ohh, I love the card games in eight and nine. Well, okay, eight, because I really only understood the game in eight.
Then again, I wasn't too fond of nine, either. With the exception of Vivi, Freya, and Kuja all the characters grated on my nerves. Besides, the person I borrowed it from was missing the last discs, and I only got to the end of the second disc.
Seven was good, like I said, and if anyone would hear my rants on Vincent, they wouldn't believe that eight was my favorite..

[Tirian]

I am impressed with the love for the pre-Playstation games. I admire the fits and starts of gameplay innovation to a certain defree, but I think that they were all improved upon in later releases that also included video and voiceover work. My recommendation is that anyone who is comfortable playing a UI as ancient as FFVI should track down a port of Ultima IV and see if you don't agree with me that the gameplay and "story" is far more engaging (although there is no character development and the story is profoundly non-linear).

I'll branch out on my own here, but I think that the game that grabs my attention the most is XII. It had its flaws as every FF game does -- with the license board all of my characters were identical before the game was over, and I never cast a Quickening and only summoned an Esper the one time that the story required it. But that gambit system was more interesting than materia and jobs put together, and being able to see and avoid the random battles was marvelously liberating. All of a sudden, out in the world map I was Vaan and not Cloud, Tifa, and Barett all at the same time. I hope they do more of that.

[BanjoTheClown]

Final Fantasy 9 of course. :smallsmile:

[Nerd-o-rama]

For story, Final Fantasy VI.

For gameplay, probably Final Fantasy V, although I never played Tactics, so that might trump it. I'm kupo for the Job System.

[Amotis]

7 and 9. The soundtracks of both leading the charge.

[ALOR]

Japanese 3 or western 3, which is otherwise known as 6?

sorry I'm old. FF3 to me has always been the western version or as you call it 6. regardless of whichever number you refer to it as , it's a great story and game.

[DraPrime]

FF7

It would have been FF10 since it was the first one I played. But since I absolutely hate Yuna it goes into 4th place.

[Mr.Moron]

For gameplay, probably Final Fantasy V, although I never played Tactics, so that might trump it. I'm kupo for the Job System.

Tactics is awesome. In my opinion it's really in a different class than the rest of the series, except maybe 6. However 6 gets so much endorsement there really isn't even any need to praise it. Really, play tactics! Literally stop whatever you're doing and go play Tactics.

[Hermit]

I really much prefer the older games over the 3D ones. 7 I liked but I think it's overrated, and 8 I liked but the storyline seemed needlessly complex and nonsensical. I'm about one of the five people in the world who really liked IX, in my opinion it's the best one since VI. I couldn't get into X at all, the characters just annoyed me. Haven't played XII yet, but it looks interesting at least.

[....]

I liked 10 the most.

It made me cry.

/shrug

(And Tidus isn't as whiney as people like to think. Imagine you just realized that if you defeat the Big Bad that threatens the world, you'll die. Not just die, you'll cease to exist. He still nutted up and fought Sin. Give him some credit.)

[Executor]

Final Fantasy Tactics. The story. The dialogue. The characters. That game was bloody Shakespearian.

After FFT, I generally like the games in this order.

FFVII
FFI
FFIII
FFX
FFXI
FFVI
FFX
FFVIII
FFIV
FFII
FFV
FFIX
FFX-2 (most pointless sequel ever!)

[Alex Knight]

FF X and X-2.

Yes. I said it. I liked X-2 because it gives Tidus and Yuna a happy ending :smalltongue:

And I actually like both of them and the storyline of Spira.

[Setra]

VI is my favorite, followed by Tactics...

I really wanna play the new version of Tactics, I hear the new translation is really good, and I liked the new script for FFVI a lot...

I'm a whore :smallfrown:

[Grod_The_Giant]

I loved Tactics...

[Volug]

And when it comes to boss themes.... Final Fantasy IV so blows everything away:smalltongue:

[Setra]

And when it comes to boss themes.... Final Fantasy IV so blows everything away:smalltongue:
Four words: Those who Fight Further

[Volug]

Four words: Those who Fight Further

Isn't it: FOR Those who Fight Further? Yeah, I think it was another version of the FF7 boss theme. It's pretty dang good, but FF IV's is better in my opinion.

Here's a list of boss themes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmvLofzM1oU)

Now we can discuss it further:smalltongue:

[Green Bean]

Tactics Advance. It was my first Final Fantasy game, and though I've played more of the others, it's a game I often find myself replaying (especially during road trips).

[Tengu]

Isn't it: FOR Those who Fight Further? Yeah, I think it was another version of the FF7 boss theme. It's pretty dang good, but FF IV's is better in my opinion.

Here's a list of boss themes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmvLofzM1oU)

Now we can discuss it further:smalltongue:

There are few things in FF8 that I consider excellent, but the boss battle there - Force Your Way - simply deserves such a name. Only very special/final boss battles from various Final Fantasies are better.

[Deepblue706]

My Order

FF6
FF4
FFT
FF8
FF7
FF10
FF9
FF12
FF5
FF2
FF1
FF3

[Reploid Knight]

Oh, man. This is like my favorite discussion of all time. It never gets old to me no matter how many times it happens.

Final fantasy 6! Sentimental value is high, cause it was the first RPG I ever played. Just this moment, I realize that is the experience I've been trying to get back to in my fifteen years as a gamer.

How enlightening...

Anyway, next favorites are tied at final fantasy tactics and FF9. Eight was the only final fantasy game I couldn't even make myself like. I never played X-2, or 11, though. From what I hear I didn't miss much.

I just bought FF12. Now I have to wait till monday to replace my poor PS2, which has been taken apart and reassembled one too many times.

[thubby]

story of 10, game play of 1-3

[The Extinguisher]

I'm the only person to like FF X-2. I even have a t-shirt.

Anyway, my two favourites are IX and IV. Though I will concede that for all the things that VIII did wrong, it had awesome music.

But IX all the way.
Kuja and the Iron Man Thong FTW!

[ForzaFiori]

The only ones i've played enough to be able to judge on are 7, 10, and 12.

While i have, at some point, played almost every one (i haven't played 9 or X-2 (dont plan on playing it ever)), most of those were like, 20 minutes at a friends house or something.
my favorite would have to be 7, and then 12 and then 10

[Alex Knight]

I'm the only person to like FF X-2. I even have a t-shirt.



Hey, I liked X-2 as well. :smallcool:

[The Extinguisher]

Liez!

T-shirts are the epitome of truth. And my t-shirt identifies me as the only person to like FF X-2. So it MUST be true.

[Nu]

FFIV is my favorite.

[Setra]

I'm the only person to like FF X-2. I even have a t-shirt.
I liked it... it's just not my favorite.

[banjo1985]

X-2 made me cry, and not in a good way :smalleek:

It's the only one I've ever really disliked, FF7 and Crystal Chronocles were a bit meh to me but they weren't bad.

I'm an FF8 diehard, it will probably always be my favourite, even if the draw system sucked and if you collected the right cards you were pretty much invincible...

[Volug]

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronacles isn't really good with one player... Have your tried beating the last boss on 1 player? Here is what its like...

YES I WIN!!
...he...has...another...form...
I can beat him though... heheheh..
WTF!!! THAT ALMOST KILLED ME!!
What are those bubble things? oh well...
4 hours later
....I'll...Kill...You...
WTF!!?!?!??!! HIS HEALTH IS A FULL!!!!
*Shuts of consol*

However if you play it with 4 people it becomes the best multiplayer game known to man... NO JOKE! It's the best thing I've played multiplayer wise. And with Crystal Chronacles coming out for the DS, ONLINE!!!! WOOT FRUIT!!

-------

FFIV is my favorite.
FF IV, IV ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FF VII is best though...... Yes, I have a reason.

[Qooroo]

Add me to the list of people who didn't like the 3D era. Seven is painfully overrated, in my eyes. Obnoxious characters, a homogenizing skills/magic system, a story that was neat, but centred too much on too many whiny brats. I played up until the "find the girl in the forest" part and then said screw it. Nine was the only 3D one I liked, and that's in no small part because it felt like a pre-3D one with 3D graphic. It's also why I'm eager to try Blue Dragon.

As far as favourites go, five is my favourite. Genuinely likeable, yet not obnoxious, protagonist, great system (I loved its incarnation of the job system), overall engaging experience. Six comes a close second, but I was forced to play it on the PS port, the loading times of which slowed down gameplay to the point where I couldn't get into it. I'm just waiting for the GBA port to come down in price.

[banjo1985]

I have Blue Dragon, it's nice. The stories quite similar to the old final fantasies, in that it's fairly basic but still manages to get you involed. It is ridiculously easy though, and the main character is a bit of a moron...but still, it's pretty good.

It's a nice change of pace, going back to the old final fantasy story-lines, simple kingdoms and villages in danger whilst some nasty bugger kills people just because he want's to. Happy days.

[Maroon]

Here's a list of boss themes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmvLofzM1oU)

Now we can discuss it further:smalltongue:
Man, I had some trouble recognising the remixed versions of 1 and 2, but I was humming along all the way through 3, 4 5 and 6.

7 and further, while decent, just felt wrong (and were alotted way too much track time). Final Fantasy ended at 6.

Seeing as we're making lists, here's mine:
1. FF6
2. FF4
3. FF5
4. FF3
5. FF1
6. FF2

[Tengu]

I won't miss the opportunity to say that I think 4 is extremely overrated by most people - the gameplay is rather annoying, the story is not so hip as people claim it to be, possessing mostly of stuff that you've seen coming from a mile away or horrible deus ex machinas (Zemus and then Zeromus, dubya tee ef?) and lacks that certain "it" that makes you involved in it (seriously, how many people even shed a tear when Tellah died?). The characters have nonexistant personalities and could as well be described by their job alone.

It was a great game when it came out, but it did not age well.

[Cruxador]

FF IX was my favorite. For me it just combined the best features of the old ones with the best features of the new ones. And it had good characters I could identify with.

[Setra]

Here's a list of boss themes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmvLofzM1oU)
I finally got around to watching this.

WOW where did the remixed version of some of the themes come from? The first two sound INCREDIBLE. Much better than the DS-music of FF3.

To be honest V has the least interesting boss music to me, listening to it, and IV is second. Though right now I'm kind of wishing they redid all the music like the first two.

That reminds me.. I need to finish FFII, the only FF I haven't completed, still have a save file :\ Well I don't include FFXI, though I plan to get around to playing that again.

[Volug]

I finally got around to watching this.

WOW where did the remixed version of some of the themes come from? The first two sound INCREDIBLE. Much better than the DS-music of FF3.

To be honest V has the least interesting boss music to me, listening to it, and IV is second. Though right now I'm kind of wishing they redid all the music like the first two.

That reminds me.. I need to finish FFII, the only FF I haven't completed, still have a save file :\ Well I don't include FFXI, though I plan to get around to playing that again.

Final Fantasy I & II for the GBA.
Also they just released new aniversary editions of FF I & II for the PsP recentally.
I'm playing the GBA ones right now, I'm on my second play through of I. And my team has 4 Red Mages!(You saw it coming...)

I'm still at the start on number II as well... I need to play it more.

And I like FF III for the DS.....

[DomaDoma]

Here's a list of boss themes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmvLofzM1oU)


When it's all orchestrated like that, I'd have to go with II, but in-game, yes, IV is totally the best. Especially in the last room of the final dungeon, where the random battles get that music as a subtle cue for you to watch it.

(Never played any of the first three, though - do they get new music for the Playstation port or something? Then II - but as I hear it's kind of lacking in, y'know, plot, won't get the game anyway.)

Taking into account the orchestrations, FFVI happens to have the crappiest regular battle theme in the house. I certainly found it wearing during the Jidoor-area level grind. Oh well, it's not like it didn't compensate.

[Deepblue706]

I won't miss the opportunity to say that I think 4 is extremely overrated by most people - the gameplay is rather annoying, the story is not so hip as people claim it to be, possessing mostly of stuff that you've seen coming from a mile away or horrible deus ex machinas (Zemus and then Zeromus, dubya tee ef?) and lacks that certain "it" that makes you involved in it (seriously, how many people even shed a tear when Tellah died?). The characters have nonexistant personalities and could as well be described by their job alone.

It was a great game when it came out, but it did not age well.

YOU SPOONY BARD!

I think you should take a closer look at 4. May not be golden, but you shouldn't say things like "the characters have nonexistant personalities" when Cecil is constantly questioning the morality of his actions, Kain is constantly having to struggle with his failures, Tellah ends up using a spell that he knows will kill him to avenge his daughter's death, and half of the characters sacrifice themselves just so that the hero doesn't die. Sure, just about everyone comes back at the end, but these dramatic events still had the same impact, at the moment they happened.

FF9, in my opinion, was more lacking in character development.

[Tengu]

Depending on the player - all those sacrifices barely moved me at all. And I am very easy to move.

[Setra]

Final Fantasy I & II for the GBA.
Also they just released new aniversary editions of FF I & II for the PsP recentally.
I'm playing the GBA ones right now, I'm on my second play through of I. And my team has 4 Red Mages!(You saw it coming...)

I'm still at the start on number II as well... I need to play it more.

And I like FF III for the DS.....
That's the GBA music? Really? The quality of the music seems much higher than the music of FFIII on the DS.

I like FFIII too, just saying, I just though they could have rewhatever'd the music better.

I'm not at the start of FFII, actually, I'm about 3/4 of the way through the game I'd wager, it's just kinda boring, even compared to FFI.

[Volug]

Its acually from the PsP though the GBA music is not half bad either.

[Tengu]

It is a bit ironic that 8 has (in my book) the best boss battle theme, but the worst normal battle theme (apart from the 8-bit ones, obviously), while 9 has the best normal battle theme and the worst boss battle theme.

[Setra]

It's funny to see how opinion wildly differs over the music of the games.
Its acually from the PsP though the GBA music is not half bad either.
To be honest I have played the GBA version, I just forgot what the music had sounded like, but yeah, PSP sounds about right.

[Nerd-o-rama]

It is a bit ironic that 8 has (in my book) the best boss battle theme, but the worst normal battle theme (apart from the 8-bit ones, obviously), while 9 has the best normal battle theme and the worst boss battle theme.
That's not what irony means...

Also, I like Don't Be Afraid (FFVIII's regular battle music). Have you listened to the orchestral concert version? It's very nice. As is pretty much any arrange of The Man With the Machine Gun besides the original. In fact, pretty much all of FFVIII's battle music is good, even if some of the special music (Premonition, Maybe I'm a Lion) is repetitive.

[Tengu]

That's not what irony means...


No, it does - it is ironic that just in the next game they improved the ordinary battle theme so much that it hopped from the worst to the worst, but also in the meantime paid so little attention to the boss battle theme that they created something that can hardly even be called music.

My favorite track from FF8, though, is Dance with the Balamb Fish - the one that you can hear initially at the space station and at Balamb after the invasion is over. It's a very light, playful waltz.

[Deepblue706]

Depending on the player - all those sacrifices barely moved me at all. And I am very easy to move.

That's interesting, because I'm hard to move, yet I was touched by Tellah's death, but not very much so by Aeris'. Really, I think 7 is, by far, the most overrated.

[XiaoTie]

Really, I think 7 is, by far, the most overrated.

Sadly, I agree. Then again, maybe it is because I also think that FF lost most of its "mojo" after the 6 (FFT being an exception).

[Setra]

That's interesting, because I'm hard to move, yet I was touched by Tellah's death, but not very much so by Aeris'. Really, I think 7 is, by far, the most overrated.
I find that humorous, as it was a complete reversal for me.

Seven may be overrated, but I still find it to be quite a good game. I honestly think VI is almost as overrated these days, as many people have gotten away from "OMGSEPHIROT!!!11111one", and many people are going "FFVI IS TEH BEST" and whatnot.

Of course the latter is an exaggeration but still, VI is quickly becoming overrated. Many people confuse overrated with bad though.

[Tengu]

Both 6 and 7 are overrated by their fans, those who think that 6 is God's gift to humanity being the more dedicated fans of the series, while those who prefer 7 are usually more casual, but that does not change the thing that they both are, in my book at least, smashing good games. Only Chrono Trigger, Tales of Phantasia and Xenogears come close - the last one would probably beat them both if only the second disk was not made the way it is.

[Setra]

the last one would probably beat them both if only the second disk was not made the way it is.
The second disk does not exist!! :smallfrown: There goes my therapy.

[Deepblue706]

I didn't say 7 was a bad game. Better than a lot of other games I've played.

6 definitely had weak points, but I think the Opera scene ALONE not only made up for that, but landed it into videogame history.

It seems to me that a lot of final fantasies start off great, but then just kinda go downhill as they progress.

FF4? I enjoyed a great amount of the game, but moon people? Spaceships? Old man pudding? WTF!

FF5? Lost my interest after they went to the other world.

FF7? I thought Shinra was pretty badass, and I enjoyed the Turks and that stuff...but the Weapons, and Huge Materia were not to my liking. Also, once Sephy decided to bring summon the meteor, I kinda thought he was less "spooky" and more "dumb". Jenova was neat, though.

FF8? The Dollet part was pretty sweet, and so were quite a few things to follow. The battles were just neat, in general. But by the end, I was asking myself "Okay, how many people are using mind control, again?"

FF9? During the performance that took place in the opening moments of the game, I thought this could quite possibly turn out to be something amazing. Unfortunately, I got really bored after the kidnapping. Might have been because I hated half the characters. No, wait. Actually, I hated them all, except Vivi.

FF10? Wakka used a flippin' beach ball. Also, Sin was dumb. And so was Seymour. I didn't care by the time Tidus found out "the big secret", because there was too much crap in this game. I think it's a shame, because the good parts of this game were actually very well done.

FF12? Pretty good stuff here and there, but I disliked how the dealt with just about everyone in the supporting cast (Vossler, Cid, Reddas, and countless others). Also, why was Penelo there, again? Wait, why even Vaan? Oh, yeah, the developers remembered how nobody bought Vagrant Story so they scrapped the idea of Basch being the main character, simply because they thought "Masculine Lead = Complete Failure". As a whole, I hate this game.

FF6 was the only game that is an exception to me - I enjoyed that one all the way through. Therefore, I think it's better than the rest. It's not amazing, though - no. Vagrant Story is.

In all honesty, I don't really like the Final Fantasy series. But, I do like it much more than most other game series. I'm probably not going to get XIII, or any other to follow, because I'm quite sure there's not going to be anything in them that appeals to my interests.

[Setra]

Really, I consider Final Fantasy the "Baseline" if you will, for comparison to cRPGs.

For example, Star Ocean 2 is about as good as FFVI, the characters and story aren't as good, but the gameplay is much more fun.

Or, Shadow Hearts is better than FFVI, I love the characters of FFVI more, but I feel that Shadow Hearts has more interesting gameplay and a better story.

Or Xenosaga is similar to FFX, almost like a movie where you hold a controller at times, but a nice movie.

Kind of like FFT is my comparison for Strategy RPGs (Or as I call them "Chess RPGs").

Disgaea has much better gameplay than FFT but an infinitely inferior story.

[Dark Demon Lord]

My favourite is 8. I think it's the game that really got me into the series. Sadly i got stuck before i could finish it but nevermind. The music was awesome aswell.

[Deepblue706]

Really, I consider Final Fantasy the "Baseline" if you will, for comparison to cRPGs.

For example, Star Ocean 2 is about as good as FFVI, the characters and story aren't as good, but the gameplay is much more fun.

Or, Shadow Hearts is better than FFVI, I love the characters of FFVI more, but I feel that Shadow Hearts has more interesting gameplay and a better story.

Or Xenosaga is similar to FFX, almost like a movie where you hold a controller at times, but a nice movie.

Kind of like FFT is my comparison for Strategy RPGs (Or as I call them "Chess RPGs").

Disgaea has much better gameplay than FFT but an infinitely inferior story.

Yeah, I really don't play a lot of RPGs. I'm still bitter about how so many people called Chrono Trigger a great game, when I was thoroughly disappointed by it. So, I kind of just expect most RPGs to be rather poor.

[Tengu]

Hmm. You must be one of those 10 people on the whole planet who played Chrono Trigger and didn't like it. I personally think it is a great game to introduce people to jRPGs, specifically because while there are better jRPGs, they have some aspects that might be not everyone's cake - while Chrono Trigger's quality is universal, the only people who might not like it are history maniacs who won't like radios and fridges in year 1000 AD and dinosaurs living along humans in prehistoric times.

[Skippy]

Hmm. You must be one of those 10 people on the whole planet who played Chrono Trigger and didn't like it. I personally think it is a great game to introduce people to jRPGs, specifically because while there are better jRPGs, they have some aspects that might be not everyone's cake - while Chrono Trigger's quality is universal, the only people who might not like it are history maniacs who won't like radios and fridges in year 1000 AD and dinosaurs living along humans in prehistoric times.

Wait, are you implying there are 10 people who don't like CT?? That much?

[Mr.Moron]

Really, I consider Final Fantasy the "Baseline" if you will, for comparison to cRPGs.

For example, Star Ocean 2 is about as good as FFVI, the characters and story aren't as good, but the gameplay is much more fun.

I disagree, SO2 was about the same or only a little bit less quality in the story department than FF6. And heck, we are talking about jRPG stories here anyway, heh. However, Star Ocean 2s characters were much more fun! Ashton alone beat was better than about 2/3rds the cast of FFVI



Disgaea has much better gameplay than FFT but an infinitely inferior story.

I found Disgaea to be very disappointing. I found the gameplay, along with all the "Classes" got stale quickly, on account of being very repetitive, even for a jRPG (and that's saying something). There was also an inexcusable lack of variety in the environments, music and missions on the main story. Provided it has a lot of charm, lots of room to build/stat up and good level of re-playability but I hardly call the game play itself anything special.


While we're mentioning non-FF console RPGs: Valkyrie Profile, Suikoden 2, Arc the Lad 2! Really, I loved those games.

I especially liked Valkyrie Profile, the game is crazy over-the-top dramatic and doesn't try to hide it. It revels in it's own ridiculously silly level of tragedy and somehow manages to get away with taking itself seriously while doing so. It had a really cool artistic style too, Lenneth's is still one of my favorite character designs.

[Setra]

I disagree, SO2 was about the same or only a little bit less quality in the story department than FF6. And heck, we are talking about jRPG stories here anyway, heh. However, Star Ocean 2s characters were much more fun! Ashton alone beat was better than about 2/3rds the cast of FFVI pWell I didn't say it was by a large margin. However Opera >>>>>> Ashton, so there. :smalltongue: Either way they're both good games, I just don't like Claude.




I found Disgaea to be very disappointing. I found the gameplay, along with all the "Classes" got stale quickly, on account of being very repetitive, even for a jRPG (and that's saying something). There was also an inexcusable lack of variety in the environments, music and missions on the main story. Provided it has a lot of charm, lots of room to build/stat up and good level of re-playability but I hardly call the game play itself anything special.Heh, that's odd, I found that FFT was much more repetitive than Disgaea, I suppose I'll just call it difference of opinion, but I loved the Master/Student system in Disgaea and made a character named Setra who mastered everything, to me that was fun, to you it would probably be boring. So yeah, difference of opinion.



While we're mentioning non-FF console RPGs: Valkyrie Profile, Suikoden 2, Arc the Lad 2! Really, I loved those games.

I especially liked Valkyrie Profile, the game is crazy over-the-top dramatic and doesn't try to hide it. It revels in it's own ridiculously silly level of tragedy and somehow manages to get away with taking itself seriously while doing so. It had a really cool artistic style too, Lenneth's is still one of my favorite character designs.I've never played Valkyrie Profile (Or Valkyrie Profile 2), but I do want to get a hold of it someday.

And I need to finish Suikoden 2 :\.

On another note, Shadow Hearts = Awesome.


Wait, are you implying there are 10 people who don't like CT?? That much?
Is such a high number of people who dislike CT possible?

[The Extinguisher]

I think that's a global number, from when it was released to now.

I think most of them are dead now. Something about mass lynchings. I didn't read the article.

[Mordan]

Different aspects of each of the FF games are what made them great, and I'm speaking from experience. I actually bought the first FF when FF:Mystic Quest came out, and got bother for the (at the time) rediculous price of $50. The original FF may not have been superior by today's standards, but being able to build your own party, then customize what you trained them with (yeah okay, so you bought your spells and skills) was a breakthrough at the time.

Two tried to introduce a little logic to the system, but failed miserably. The premise being if you cast magic a lot, you were going to get better at magic. They just didn't count on intelligent people sitting down and figuring out that they could boost themselves using a rubber band and a pencil eraser then going to bed.

J3 was a good game, and mostly they just tried to undo the damage done by 2.

FF4 was their first real attempt at putting some kind of story in to the game. Great so Cecil was a bad-guy but didn't know it, and everyone who came in contact with him either tried to kill him, or ended up dead. But that adds to the plight of the hero. It also introduced the revolving party system that we all now take for granted.

FF5 At the time a lot of space games and such where popular, so they tried to cater to thier audience. But honestly, where would FFT be if not for the groundbreaking that FF5 did for it? It had never been done before and I think they did an admirable job.

FF6 (or US3) The esper system was their first attemt at doing away with the jobs. The story line was for the most part engaging and the bad guy just rocked. It was a pleasure to beat Kefka down. And the story continuing past the end of the world was incredible. Most games you try to prevent the end of the world, not continue playing after failing to stop it. And the false ending 15 hours in to the game was a great joke on their parts.

FF7 Okay, so some people have gone overboard with their fanaticism for this one. And SE really did screw up the translations big time, but overall the game kicks butt. It's got an inventive system for combat and enhancement and they finally did away with the remnants of the job system that no one liked (until they redid it for a later game)

FF8 There was nothing truly unique about this game except for the card system. Even the story was completely linear with very few side quests. I think if they had held this one back for another 6 months it would have exceded a lot of everyone's expectations, but after running behind schedule and over budget it was do or die time.

FF9 I'm trying to remember, which one was this again?

FF10 Okay, the guy used a beach ball, instead of the stock bow and arrow for long distance attacks. It was still an incredible game, and the mini-games made it more then worthwhile, even with the introduction of the dreaded Poke-mon system to fill the arena. However, the point system to improve your characters on that chessboard is once again something new and unique that SE is trying to use to raise the bar.

FF11 They tried. I'll give them credit they tried.

FF12 Well, once again they've reinvented the genre and done something new. Did it completely work? No. Was it a great game and what we've come to expect from SE as it comes to FF games? Yes. It was still way above the standard of most current RPG games.

FFT The story was great, but personally I found it to be a grind to have to once again step back and mess with jobs and job requirements to get new jobs.

FFTA Another good game, even if the story was a little lacking, but aren't all of the FF stories lacking in one way or another. They did manage to branch out with both of the Tactics games and reach a new audience and introduce RPG games to people who might not have otherwise played them.

Going off-topic a little bit. The only Suikoden game I haven't played yet is S2, mostly because I can't find it and haven't been able to. When it released (in limited edition :smallfurious:) I was deployed and by the time I got back a year later, I couldn't find any. I own all the rest and still play them regularly. And yes, I play all of these games in hardcore method. I don't use the internet. I use my brain. I actually beat Teo without benefit of the internet. Granted it took me, a buddy with a notebook and a lot of time, but I did it. However, Chrono and even the Mana serious are great games in their own ways.

What this entire thread boils down is personal preferences. No one is right and no one is wrong. We each have our own ideas. Personally, I would like to see a game with materia, espers and jobs all rolled together with the battle system from 12. Maybe even in some kind of multi-player format.

[Dancing_Zephyr]

FFT. This is the only FF game that I remember that actually had political intrigue as the heart of its plot. It goes from a smallish scale to epic, just the way it should be, rather than revealing that you will save the world from the start. The plot was a little complex, but hey, if it wasn't it would have been a less interesting game. One drawback is the obscene easiness with T.G. Cid. (I know I could have not used him and made the game harder, but meh)

FF7 is a close second. FF5 follows that along with FF9. The rest of them are a fair distance behind IMHO.

[Arameus]

Final Fantasy VII is easily the best of the bunch. Best score, best cast, greatest highs and lows, and a pioneer not only for the series but for gaming in its heavy use of the then-advanced storytelling method, the FMV cutscene, which, in adition to many other advancements, had a heavy hand in placing the PlayStation firmly in the minds of gamers as a worthy console. Not to mention that the game is simply very, very fun to play, and delivers a rich, varied play experience that goes beyond merely throwing in more sidequests. Chocobos in particular haven't been done right since. Very notably, the villian actually had a motive for once, aside from simply being unspeakably evil for absolutely no good reason (see also: I, II, III, V, VI, IX, X) or, more plot-tastically, mind control (IV, VIII).

I'm of the belief that all the coolness available was wholely withheld from FFVI and given to VII, in addition to its own and VIII's share. As to what in the world went wrong beyond there, I guess I'd just say that Tetsuya Nomura blew his whole creativity load on VII, making it the only good FF he's made.

I really don't understand several people's picks for #1, especially VIII, X, and XII. I think the whole 'Compilation' is Square's way of outright admitting that VII is far and away the greatest thing its ever done, and the constant references and connections to VII that can be found in almost every game they've made since are more evidence to that. After all, there's a reason Zidane doesn't have any cameos. :smallamused: (And don't pull Dissidia on me; I'm aware.)

[Ozymandias]

I'm sure I missed something major, but to be honest, I think that the Super Nintendo, while not housing the best FF games (I did like V and VI), had the best RPGs of any system - Earthbound, Tales of Phantasia, Star Ocean, SMRPG, Live-A-Live, Bahamut Lagoon, Chrono Trigger and others. I like most of those better than the entire Final Fantasy series (I've only played about 75% or so of the main series, to be fair).

That's pretty digressive, though. My favorite is probably VIII - I understand that people get angry when the hero shows annoying or upsetting aspects, but I thought that Squall's character development was actually pretty well done (I may... unusual standards, relative to general opinions [E.G.I liked Raiden]). I thought Laguna's storyline was executed with just the right amount of tragedy, and the weaker aspects of the overall plot didn't really hurt it that much unless you are actively trying to be (maliciously) critical of the game. Plus, the cutscenes were so awesome. It's all matter of opinion, though.

I enjoyed FFVII, but I really wasn't wowed by it as apparently everyone else was (I admit I played VIII first). I don't really know why, but the whole milieu didn't really strike me so much as did that of FFVIII (or X, or XII). Midgar was pretty cool, but most of the rest of the game was more or less eh.


But really, my favorite was Mystic Quest.:smallwink:



I really don't understand several people's picks for #1, especially VIII, X, and XII. I think the whole 'Compilation' is Square's way of outright admitting that VII is far and away the greatest thing its ever done, and the constant references and connections to VII that can be found in almost every game they've made since are more evidence to that. After all, there's a reason Zidane doesn't have any cameos. :smallamused: (And don't pull Dissidia on me; I'm aware.)

See, the reason you don't understand is because the question is completely subjective.

In my opinion, Square doesn't have a "far and away" greatest thing - Chrono Trigger, a handful of un(officially)translated JRPGs, Xenogears, and a bunch of other games all vie for that title.