All-Purpose Final Fantasy Thread

[Rodgerwilco]

A handful of us have been getting into a bit of a discussion about various Final Fantasy titles in the E3 thread so I figured I'd make a general FF thread rather than continuing it over there.

The discussion started from a point about FF9 being generally overlooked among the rest of the games for various different reasons, despite being a great game which seems to be pretty much agreed upon.

Some of the things I wanted to discuss were :

- What's everyone's favorite Final Fantasy game?
- If you played older Final Fantasy titles (X and previous) do you enjoy the new era of Final Fantasy games?
- Do you still play the old Final Fantasy games (X and older)?
- What does everyone think of the Final Fantasy VII Remake?

and obviously anything else Final Fantasy related.

Click to read more...

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

IV was the first one I played and to this day it's still my favourite, though I love IX, and Tactics Advance.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

IV was the first one I played and to this day it's still my favourite, though I love IX, and Tactics Advance.

Tactics seems to be somewhat overlooked as well. I love the storyline there.

I've not played FF IV, to be honest with you. lol.

 

[Shareefruck]

I'd probably rank the ones I've tried like this

Masterpieces
1. Final Fantasy VI (A pretty untouchable and perfect gaming experience)

Brilliant Games
2. Final Fantasy IV (Might be a bit on the cheesy/melodramatic/simplistic side, but everything just feels so masterfully sensible/tasteful and has such a timeless classic feel to it)
3. Final Fantasy Tactics (pretty much perfect style/game-play/storytelling-- Though Tactics Ogre is almost the same game but better)

Great Games
4. Final Fantasy VII (messy and unpolished as hell, especially all of the terrible mini-games shoe-horned in, but the mood/character development/storytelling is pretty great despite being convoluted, especially in localization, the whole thing oozes magic, and I found the mechanics simple, interesting, and fun)
5. Final Fantasy IX (great look/feel/polish/overall package but doesn't feel transcendent)

Good Games
6. Final Fantasy V (weaker story, but one of the deepest/strongest battle systems)
7. Final Fantasy VIII (great look/feel/sound/daring ambition, frustrating/weak story/characters/pacing)

Okay Games
8. Final Fantasy XII (didn't finish it, somewhat underrated, but lacked the magic of FF and the two main characters sucked)
9. Final Fantasy X (didn't finish it, wasn't crazy about it, lacked the magic of FF, but it was okay)

Negative Experiences
10. Final Fantasy III (only played some of it, a few good ideas from what I could see, but wasn't that playable/interesting beyond that)
11. Final Fantasy XV (only played some of it, had a few good ideas, but I hated the sensibilities that it had and a lot of it just felt goofy and cringe-y rather than appealing)
12. Final Fantasy I (only played some of it-- loved the opening word crawl, wasn't that playable/interesting beyond that, way too grind-y)

Didn't play enough of the others to be certain, but completely uninterested in them and seemed terrible from what little exposure I had.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

FFX is my favorite by far. Though I loved 6-9 as well.

The newer ones I'm not the biggest fans of due to the combat style but I still get insanely hyped for each one.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I'd probably rank the ones I've tried like this

VI (might be a perfect gaming experience)

IV (might be a bit cheesy, but something just feels perfect about it)
Tactics (love the style/gameplay/story)

VII (messy and unpolished as hell, but the mood/characters/storytelling is pretty great despite convolutedness)
IX (love the look/feel/polished)
V (weaker story, but one of the deepest/strongest battle systems)

VIII (stronger look/feel/sound/daring ambition, weaker story/characters)

XII (didn't finish it, but it lacked the magic of FF and had a few glaring weaknesses (like the music/two main characters)
X (didn't finish it, it was okay, but wasn't crazy about it, and it lacked the magic of FF-- music has a lot to do with that)

III (only played some of it, only a few good ideas from what I could see)
XV (only played some of it and disliked a lot of it, only a few good ideas from what I could see)
I (only played some of it)

Didn't complete a lot of these because I wasn't too into them. The other ones look/sound really bad to me, although I haven't played them enough to give them a fair shot.

That's a solid list. I agree about 6. It's for sure one of the most well-rounded games I've played. And Tactics is also a somewhat overlooked game along with 9. The storyline was great and I absolutely loved the battle system, particularly the job system.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

FFX is my favorite by far. Though I loved 6-9 as well.

The newer ones I'm not the biggest fans of due to the combat style but I still get insanely hyped for each one.

FFX is second for me. I'm playing through the HD Remaster right now and i'm loving it a lot.

I can't get into the new Final Fantasy games. I don't know if I was too accustomed to the older style or what, but I just can't get into them. They just don't "feel" like a Final Fantasy game to me.

 

[Osprey]

I can't enjoy any of them because of the name. Why are they called Final Fantasy if they keep making them? They should've stopped after the first one. Isn't Final Fantasy II a contradiction, to say nothing of Final Fantasy XXIII? Y'all are fans of a big contradiction and false advertising! Each time, Square is like, "You thought that the last one was the final fantasy, but, wait, here's another!" Also, what happens when the series gets to Final Fantasy XXX? Does it become a whole different kind of game at that point? Y'all are mindlessly playing and not asking important questions.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

FF games I love: VII, VI, IX, XII
FF games I hate: XIII, X, VIII

Everything else either falls in-between or I haven't played enough of.

 

[Gardner McKay]

I'd probably rank the ones I've tried like this

Masterpieces
1. Final Fantasy VI (A pretty untouchable and perfect gaming experience)

Brilliant Games
2. Final Fantasy IV (Might be a bit on the cheesy/melodramatic/simplistic side, but everything just feels so masterfully sensible/tasteful and has such a timeless classic feel to it)
3. Final Fantasy Tactics (pretty much perfect style/game-play/storytelling-- Though Tactics Ogre is almost the same game but better)

Great Games
4. Final Fantasy VII (messy and unpolished as hell, especially all of the terrible mini-games shoe-horned in, but the mood/character development/storytelling is pretty great despite being convoluted, especially in localization, the whole thing oozes magic, and I found the mechanics simple, interesting, and fun)
5. Final Fantasy IX (great look/feel/polish/overall package but doesn't feel transcendent)
6. Final Fantasy V (weaker story, but one of the deepest/strongest battle systems)

Good Games
7. Final Fantasy VIII (great look/feel/sound/daring ambition, frustrating/weak story/characters/pacing)

Okay Games
8. Final Fantasy XII (didn't finish it, somewhat underrated, but lacked the magic of FF and the two main characters sucked)
9. Final Fantasy X (didn't finish it, wasn't crazy about it, lacked the magic of FF, but it was okay)

Negative Experiences
10. Final Fantasy III (only played some of it, a few good ideas from what I could see, but wasn't that playable/interesting beyond that)
11. Final Fantasy XV (only played some of it, had a few good ideas, but I hated the sensibilities that it had and a lot of it just felt goofy and cringe-y rather than appealing)
12. Final Fantasy I (only played some of it-- loved the opening word crawl, wasn't that playable/interesting beyond that, way too grind-y)
Didn't play enough of the others to be certain, but completely uninterested in them and seemed terrible from what little exposure I had.

Nice list! It is interesting to see the games get ranked so differently depending on the person.

Favorites
1. FF VII - It was my first FF game and the first game I got with my playstation. It was unlike anything I had ever played. It was quirky. It had its odd moments. It was charming. Side note - I actually really, really like the mini-games. Especially snowboarding.
2. Tactics - I think this is the most underrated game in the FF series. Hands down it had the most complex battle system, it had a great story and it was such a unique/fresh perspective on a game.
3. FF X - There were some parts of the game I didn't care for. I thought that this game some of the best, if not the best music in the entire series. The sphere grid was different but it allowed for great character customization. Also, it had tons of post game content with respect to extra bosses and such. To me, that is always an important part of the game.

Second Tier
4. FF VIII - The story takes a terrible turn halfway through the game. Disc 3 is absolutely annoying. The difficulty was so broken. Not just junctioning but also with limit breaks. However, I loved exploring Balamb Garden and the music in Balamb may be my single favorite track in the entire series. Triple Triad is the most addicting thing in any of the FF series and I had tons of fun exploring to find the CC group. I rate the first half of the game like a 9.9. I loved it. I rate the second half of the game a 5. It just got so weird. However, combine those two + triple triad, still one of my favorites.
5. FF XII - Another game I didn't play when it was first released. I just couldn't get into it. However, I absolutely loved, loved, loved the remaster. I still have some stuff to do in the game (just haven't had time to sit down and play with the baby). Rabanstre is such a beautiful city. The game is magical in many ways and it still had that FF feel to it. The battle system took a bit of getting used to but it actually wasn't as bad as I remembered.
7. World of Final Fantasy - I really enjoyed this game. Took a bit of getting used to, Lann was annoying and Tama was SUPER annoying. But, the game mechanics were good and it was a serious nostalgia blast.
6. FF VI - If I had played this game earlier in my life I am sure I would rate it higher. However, the fact that I can play this game for the first time in 2015 and still really like the game says something. I recognize it is a really good game but it just isn't one of my all time favorites. It is similar to Chrono Trigger. I played Chrono Trigger when it was released and it is easily in my top 3 favorites of all time. If someone played Chrono Trigger today, they likely won't feel the same way but understand why it is such a good game. Make sense?

Meh
7. FF XV - It was a beautiful game. It really was. It was fun. The story was so weak. SOOOO weak. Parts of the game were such a chore to go through. SE made a beautiful blockbuster game that lacked substance. That is really all I can say.
8. FF V - It was quirky and fun but I hated the battle system.
9. FFI - It lacked a lot but for its time I can see it being a good game. Very simple but done right.

Those I dislike and those that should be burned with fire never to see the light of day again
10. FF XIII - I have tried over and over to want to like this game. It is just so boring. Battle system isn't innovative. It is f***ing stupid. Not a fan.
11. FF IX - Another one I can't get into. I don't think its a bad game (unlike 13) I just find it more boring than XIII BUT I can understand why many folks like it.
12. FF Tactics Advance - Burn this f***ing game with fire. Destroy every copy. What the hell is that child like bullshit? I hated it. Everything about it. They stripped away all of the good stuff from the original FF and took it down to a preschool level. Then, they made a sequel to this piece of trash but not the original FFT?

 

[syz]

I can't enjoy any of them because of the name. Why are they called Final Fantasy if they keep making them? They should've stopped after the first one. Isn't Final Fantasy II a contradiction, to say nothing of Final Fantasy XXIII? Y'all are fans of a big contradiction and false advertising! Each time, Square is like, "You thought that the last one was the final fantasy, but, wait, here's another!" Also, what happens when the series gets to Final Fantasy XXX? Does it become a whole different kind of game at that point? Y'all are mindlessly playing and not asking important questions.

It's called Final Fantasy because it was the last thing Square was going to make before bankruptcy. They keep calling it Final Fantasy because that's how marketing works.

Also yes, I'm fun at parties.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Nice list! It is interesting to see the games get ranked so differently depending on the person.

Favorites
1. FF VII - It was my first FF game and the first game I got with my playstation. It was unlike anything I had ever played. It was quirky. It had its odd moments. It was charming. Side note - I actually really, really like the mini-games. Especially snowboarding.
2. Tactics - I think this is the most underrated game in the FF series. Hands down it had the most complex battle system, it had a great story and it was such a unique/fresh perspective on a game.
3. FF X - There were some parts of the game I didn't care for. I thought that this game some of the best, if not the best music in the entire series. The sphere grid was different but it allowed for great character customization. Also, it had tons of post game content with respect to extra bosses and such. To me, that is always an important part of the game.

Second Tier
4. FF VIII - The story takes a terrible turn halfway through the game. Disc 3 is absolutely annoying. The difficulty was so broken. Not just junctioning but also with limit breaks. However, I loved exploring Balamb Garden and the music in Balamb may be my single favorite track in the entire series. Triple Triad is the most addicting thing in any of the FF series and I had tons of fun exploring to find the CC group. I rate the first half of the game like a 9.9. I loved it. I rate the second half of the game a 5. It just got so weird. However, combine those two + triple triad, still one of my favorites.
5. FF XII - Another game I didn't play when it was first released. I just couldn't get into it. However, I absolutely loved, loved, loved the remaster. I still have some stuff to do in the game (just haven't had time to sit down and play with the baby). Rabanstre is such a beautiful city. The game is magical in many ways and it still had that FF feel to it. The battle system took a bit of getting used to but it actually wasn't as bad as I remembered.
7. World of Final Fantasy - I really enjoyed this game. Took a bit of getting used to, Lann was annoying and Tama was SUPER annoying. But, the game mechanics were good and it was a serious nostalgia blast.
6. FF VI - If I had played this game earlier in my life I am sure I would rate it higher. However, the fact that I can play this game for the first time in 2015 and still really like the game says something. I recognize it is a really good game but it just isn't one of my all time favorites. It is similar to Chrono Trigger. I played Chrono Trigger when it was released and it is easily in my top 3 favorites of all time. If someone played Chrono Trigger today, they likely won't feel the same way but understand why it is such a good game. Make sense?

Meh
7. FF XV - It was a beautiful game. It really was. It was fun. The story was so weak. SOOOO weak. Parts of the game were such a chore to go through. SE made a beautiful blockbuster game that lacked substance. That is really all I can say.
8. FF V - It was quirky and fun but I hated the battle system.
9. FFI - It lacked a lot but for its time I can see it being a good game. Very simple but done right.

Those I dislike and those that should be burned with fire never to see the light of day again
10. FF XIII - I have tried over and over to want to like this game. It is just so boring. Battle system isn't innovative. It is ****ing stupid. Not a fan.
11. FF IX - Another one I can't get into. I don't think its a bad game (unlike 13) I just find it more boring than XIII BUT I can understand why many folks like it.
12. FF Tactics Advance - Burn this ****ing game with fire. Destroy every copy. What the hell is that child like bull****? I hated it. Everything about it. They stripped away all of the good stuff from the original FF and took it down to a preschool level. Then, they made a sequel to this piece of trash but not the original FFT?

Our Favorites tier is exactly the same, but for my FFX is #2 and FFT is #3. All Brilliant games in their own respect. Three very different games, but very good games in their own right.

I agree about FF7, I think it has the best side-games/missions. Chocobo breeding/training, the Golden Saucer games, the weapons, and optional characters made the game great outside of the storyline, which was stellar in my opinion. I love the context of it within society, as the idea of conserving natural resources and draining the planet was really gaining traction around that time. I thought the characters were well-thought out and even the two optional characters had deep-ish stories. Vincent in particular.

FF8 could have been the undisputed masterpiece if the 2nd half of the game had been developed better. It's almost like they ran out of time in development and just cranked out an ending real fast. I could NOT stand the draw/junction system and is my main issue with the game. Triple Triad is one of the main redeeming qualities of this game, as it was a simple and complex game, and the cards could actually be very useful if refined.

Haven't played World of Final Fantasy yet.

Agree on the rest of your list, except I would put FF9 into the "Meh" category personally.

 

[Shareefruck]

Just a bunch of random thoughts and opinions about what was asked in the OP...

The irony behind it being called Final Fantasy and how close it came to being true, instead repeatedly revolutionizing gaming over and over again for about a decade is a really charming quirk.

For the record, I grew up with VII and VIII (was absolutely obsessed with VII and thought it was the greatest thing in the world), had no real awareness of the ones that came before it and didn't give them a shot until around 2010. Sure, they're a little less accessible and easy to get into, but over time, I started to see more hard-to-ignore flaws about VII and started to appreciate and love the older ones as tighter and more artistically sensible and understated experiences. It's not a nostalgia thing.... at all, IMO-- the things that they lack in comparison to the modern ones are trivial and superficial conveniences that do not matter in the grand scheme of things. IV-IX in general, are really creatively inspired and get me all kinds of passionate just thinking about them. Playing through that stretch, in order, would be a really cohesive way to experience the franchise, IMO, because there really is a beginning, middle, and end to that stretch. IV is the first time they got everything right and laid down a lot of the groundwork that makes it work, VI is the perfected culmination of the stuff before and after it, VII reached the masses and shot for the stars, and IX was a perfect send-off/loveletter to the series before it morphed into a completely different thing that lost a lot of its niche qualities.

VIII is a really weird one. It's a rare case where wild and outlandish fan theories are a lot more interesting and make a lot more sense than anything communicated by the actual game (which is a completely stupid mess, story-wise).... to the point where I feel inclined to just believe the made up interpretations of it. The battle mechanics and changes to the series are really creative, daring and interesting, but also don't really work well in practice, and the characters are pretty one-dimensional and sometimes really unlikeable. Despite that, everything else about it is still an incredible ambitious effort that is up to the high standards that the franchise has set. I used to HATE it when I was younger, but I appreciate it a lot more after seeing what an actual bad/forgettable Final Fantasy looks like. It almost feels like a twisted, Avant Garde subversion of the series, in some ways. At times I feel that way, but other times I just think it's dumb and stupid and bad.

I would probably have a very different, and probably more unforgiving opinion of the franchise if Nobuo Uematsu didn't elevate the material with his music. I think he's the single biggest driving factor of the series that has held up best.

VII could desperately use a remake, there is a lot that can be improved, and obviously I'm anticipating it alot, but if I was a betting man, I'd probably lean closer towards it being an annoying abomination that ****s on the original than on it being amazing. The newer games are forgettable and annoying for the most part, and I'd expect the remake to lean in the same direction and have the same shallow and cringe-y sensibilities. Hope I'm wrong.

I don't even like the visual sensibilities of the new ones. Too much focus on photo-realism and flashiness and not enough focus on actual presentation/style/art-direction/scale/world building. In my opinion, IX is still probably the best looking one.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

VI and IX are essentially the only ones in the series that I loved.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

VI and IX are essentially the only ones in the series that I loved.

That's because they are far and away the best ones! Well IV and V are really solid too.

I played every FF since the first way back when I was learning English.

They really lost me at X. I hated it back then and I still hate it. The fact that it is the template for the disaster that is XIII and gets none of the hate XIII always bugs me.

XV was pretty good though, XII was a major step up in terms of story (poor execution really hurt it) but XIII showed that any hope was misplaced, this franchise is not interested in telling interesting stories. I am not sure XV had a plot in-game .

I like XV enough that I am open to playing VIIR even though I think it one of the weakest games in the franchise.

 

[Shareefruck]

That's because they are far and away the best ones! Well IV and V are really solid too.

I played every FF since the first way back when I was learning English.

They really lost me at X. I hated it back then and I still hate it. The fact that it is the template for the disaster that is XIII and gets none of the hate XIII always bugs me.

XV was pretty good though, XII was a major step up in terms of story (poor execution really hurt it) but XIII showed that any hope was misplaced, this franchise is not interested in telling interesting stories. I am not sure XV had a plot in-game .

I like XV enough that I am open to playing VIIR even though I think it one of the weakest games in the franchise.

XII kind of felt like Yasumi Matsuno and his Tactics team were well on their way to making a great game as per their track record, and then these cartoonish Square Enix goons came in and went "Whoa whoa whoa, what do you think you're doing?" and ended up ransacking the place.

 

[Warden of the North]

Ive played I, VI, VII, VIII, X, XII, XIII, XV and beaten VII, VIII, X, XII. VII was my introduction to the series and remains my favourite. I think I like XII 2nd best. I cant find my PS2 copy, which is annoying the heck out of me, as I want to replay it. Guess I'll have to wait until I upgrade my PC and play it there.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Just a bunch of random thoughts and opinions about what was asked in the OP...

The irony behind it being called Final Fantasy and how close it came to being true, instead repeatedly revolutionizing gaming over and over again for about a decade is a really charming quirk.

For the record, I grew up with VII and VIII (was absolutely obsessed with VII and thought it was the greatest thing in the world), had no real awareness of the ones that came before it and didn't give them a shot until around 2010. Sure, they're a little less accessible and easy to get into, but over time, I started to see more hard-to-ignore flaws about VII and started to appreciate and love the older ones as tighter and more artistically sensible and understated experiences. It's not a nostalgia thing.... at all, IMO-- the things that they lack in comparison to the modern ones are trivial and superficial conveniences that do not matter in the grand scheme of things. IV-IX in general, are really creatively inspired and get me all kinds of passionate just thinking about them. Playing through that stretch, in order, would be a really cohesive way to experience the franchise, IMO, because there really is a beginning, middle, and end to that stretch. IV is the first time they got everything right and laid down a lot of the groundwork that makes it work, VI is the perfected culmination of the stuff before and after it, VII reached the masses and shot for the stars, and IX was a perfect send-off/loveletter to the series before it morphed into a completely different thing that lost a lot of its niche qualities.

VIII is a really weird one. It's a rare case where wild and outlandish fan theories are a lot more interesting and make a lot more sense than anything communicated by the actual game (which is a completely stupid mess, story-wise).... to the point where I feel inclined to just believe the made up interpretations of it. The battle mechanics and changes to the series are really creative, daring and interesting, but also don't really work well in practice, and the characters are pretty one-dimensional and sometimes really unlikeable. Despite that, everything else about it is still an incredible ambitious effort that is up to the high standards that the franchise has set. I used to HATE it when I was younger, but I appreciate it a lot more after seeing what an actual bad/forgettable Final Fantasy looks like. It almost feels like a twisted, Avant Garde subversion of the series, in some ways. At times I feel that way, but other times I just think it's dumb and stupid and bad.

I would probably have a very different, and probably more unforgiving opinion of the franchise if Nobuo Uematsu didn't elevate the material with his music. I think he's the single biggest driving factor of the series that has held up best.

VII could desperately use a remake, there is a lot that can be improved, and obviously I'm anticipating it alot, but if I was a betting man, I'd probably lean closer towards it being an annoying abomination that ****s on the original than on it being amazing. The newer games are forgettable and annoying for the most part, and I'd expect the remake to lean in the same direction and have the same shallow and cringe-y sensibilities. Hope I'm wrong.

I don't even like the visual sensibilities of the new ones. Too much focus on photo-realism and flashiness and not enough focus on actual presentation/style/art-direction/scale/world building. In my opinion, IX is still probably the best looking one.

- Agreed about VII, I was really engrossed with it, I still am, to a degree, as I have it permanently tattoo'd on my body at this point... lol.

- VIII feels to me like they had a really good story going on, but then ran out of time and had to just cram together an ending. I remember being absolutely flabbergasted as a young guy just repeatedly saying "wtf..." periodically from disc 3 onward. lol. I don't really like the characters, i didn't like the fact that there was no variety in the race of the characters (I always enjoyed there being some non-human character, for some reason).

- Uematsu is an undisputed legend. His ability to use music to elevate these games to another level is just crazy. I have literal goosebumps as I type this (no joke).

- Sadly, I share your opinion on the re-make. I was incredibly excited for it when it was first announced, as many were, but over time I've begun to become less and less excited about it, particularly after seeing some of the titles that SE has churned out lately...

 

[Rodgerwilco]

That's because they are far and away the best ones! Well IV and V are really solid too.

I played every FF since the first way back when I was learning English.

They really lost me at X. I hated it back then and I still hate it. The fact that it is the template for the disaster that is XIII and gets none of the hate XIII always bugs me.

XV was pretty good though, XII was a major step up in terms of story (poor execution really hurt it) but XIII showed that any hope was misplaced, this franchise is not interested in telling interesting stories. I am not sure XV had a plot in-game .

I like XV enough that I am open to playing VIIR even though I think it one of the weakest games in the franchise.

Just wondering, what was it about X that lost you? I really love X and it's probably my second favorite FF title.

As I'm playing through the FFX HD Re-master right now I cringe at a lot of the dialogue, especially Tidus', but gameplay and story-wise I really love it. Everything after that went way downhill, in my mind, but I can see how FFX could be considered the hinge of the downturn.

 

[NyQuil]

Final Fantasy Adventure - released as Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden in Japan.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Just wondering, what was it about X that lost you? I really love X and it's probably my second favorite FF title.

As I'm playing through the FFX HD Re-master right now I cringe at a lot of the dialogue, especially Tidus', but gameplay and story-wise I really love it. Everything after that went way downhill, in my mind, but I can see how FFX could be considered the hinge of the downturn.

I don't think X is the downturn. I believe that the battle system was great. Graphically it was really nice for its time. The music is unbelievable. Again, very well may be my favorite in the series. I really enjoyed the story. I can see how some of the dialogue and voice acting could really get on peoples nerves. Additionally, I know people did not like the sphere grid (it didn't bother me). Not to mention, the amount of post game content was awesome. Absolutely awesome.

What does bug me about some FF games, namely VIII, X, XII and XV, there are no optional characters to recruit. Your team is more or less predetermined for you. I don't like that. I love games with tons of optional characters and different story lines. It gives it such great replay value. I think that is part of the reason Star Ocean 2 was such a masterpiece, there were two main characters and you could play the game from either perspective. To really understand everything, you had to play the game twice, once as each character. Each character also had different optional team members available to them.

I don't know if IX or XIII had optional team members. I do hope that in 15 years when we finally see FFXVI, there will be some optional characters to recruit.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I don't think X is the downturn. I believe that the battle system was great. Graphically it was really nice for its time. The music is unbelievable. Again, very well may be my favorite in the series. I really enjoyed the story. I can see how some of the dialogue and voice acting could really get on peoples nerves. Additionally, I know people did not like the sphere grid (it didn't bother me). Not to mention, the amount of post game content was awesome. Absolutely awesome.

What does bug me about some FF games, namely VIII, X, XII and XV, there are no optional characters to recruit. Your team is more or less predetermined for you. I don't like that. I love games with tons of optional characters and different story lines. It gives it such great replay value. I think that is part of the reason Star Ocean 2 was such a masterpiece, there were two main characters and you could play the game from either perspective. To really understand everything, you had to play the game twice, once as each character. Each character also had different optional team members available to them.

I don't know if IX or XIII had optional team members. I do hope that in 15 years when we finally see FFXVI, there will be some optional characters to recruit.

I don't think it was the down-turn either, but I can see how some people may have that attitude toward it.

The voice-acting was god-awful in a lot of areas and the dialogue was just plain bad in certain spots, but I cut SE some slack, as FFX was their first project with voice acting. I agree with you on all points about FFX, I'm actually surprised to see a number of people saying that they disliked it so much.

I agree with you about the optional characters. I always loved optional playable characters and how their stories fit into the storyline (love Vincent's part in the overall storyline of FF7). I feel that Chrono Cross is one of the greatest RPG games ever in terms of optional characters. Going back and forth between the timelines and picking up different characters was so great.

 

[Randallooch]

Great, replayable classics: FFIV, FFVI, FFVII, FFIX, FFXII

Good enough for 1 engrossing playthrough: FF1, FFV, FFVIII, FFXV, FF Tactics, FF Tactics Advance

Meh, take it or leave it: FFII, FFIII, FFX

Unplayable, not worth the time or money: FFX-2, FFXIII, FFXIII LR

I feel the series has really gotten out of touch with what made it so special. It could be shying away from amazing characters, story-telling, classic RPG feel, or the fact that I've gotten older and my tastes have changed. Probably both.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Great, replayable classics: FFIV, FFVI, FFVII, FFIX, FFXII

Good enough for 1 engrossing playthrough: FF1, FFV, FFVIII, FFXV, FF Tactics, FF Tactics Advance

Meh, take it or leave it: FFII, FFIII, FFX

Unplayable, not worth the time or money: FFX-2, FFXIII, FFXIII LR

I feel the series has really gotten out of touch with what made it so special. It could be shying away from amazing characters, story-telling, classic RPG feel, or the fact that I've gotten older and my tastes have changed. Probably both.

I definitely think part of it is being out of touch, but I think the landscape of gaming has changed a lot as well. Before switching over to Square Enix, Squaresoft was cutting edge in some regards, they were doing some things in games that other developers weren't. The turn-based system of gaming went by the way-side in favor of open combat systems, which I think changes the game a LOT, for me at least.

I think our tastes changing as we get older probably plays into it as well (I am only 26, so I was pretty young playing through FF6-FFX)

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Final Fantasy Adventure - released as Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden in Japan.

I actually had this so it’s technically my first FF even though it’s a Mana game.