All-Purpose Final Fantasy Thread

[Shareefruck]

I agree here. The card game in FFVIII was wonderful, and I actually enjoyed some of the little side missions you could do as well.

My only gripe about it is that I kind of just wish that the rules didn't constantly change before you could even get adjusted to them. I would have preferred if they just decided on one universal well considered set of rules that balances intuitiveness/simplicity/depth. The idea of it being regional is interesting, but it kind of doesn't work very well in practice (which seems to be a pattern in that game)

The battle in VIII is very "Oh cool, why didn't anyone think of that before? ........... Oh wait, maybe that's why." Seems like a few minor tweaks to it could have made it a lot better.

The battle mechanics in the earlier titles were quite a bit stronger than either of these games, IMO. IV is just baseline solid, if overly simple, but V, VI, VII, and even XII were a great combination of simple, natural, and understandable yet deep.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

My only gripe about it is that I kind of just wish that the rules didn't constantly change before you could even get adjusted to them. I would have preferred if they just decided on one universal well considered set of rules that balances intuitiveness/simplicity/depth. The idea of it being regional is interesting, but it kind of doesn't work very well in practice (which seems to be a pattern in that game)

The battle in VIII is very "Oh cool, why didn't anyone think of that before? ........... Oh wait, that's why."

Yeah, managing the rules of the card game is very tedious. Trying to manipulate them yourself is really annoying and I never really got the hang of it that well.

 

[The Head Crusher]

Started playing FFIX for the first time last week. Gotta say this game is rather underrated amongst FF fans. Vivi is probably the most likable character out of the FF games I’ve played.

Really? I found it to be the other way around. I found it to be one of the more overrated Final Fantasies (ducks to avoid thing thrown at me.) While there are memorable characters in it (Vivi and Dagger), I found it the hardest of the PS1 era games to get into. I still haven't finished it, even though I have made several attempts to do so over the years.

 

[PullHard]

I really like the atmosphere of IX and the characters grow on you more and more throughout

I have played it with earnest about ~10 times but only beat it once, the story doesn't really feel high enough stakes to keep pushing for A LOT of the game, IMO. There are definitely moments where you feel like "oh crap I wanna see what happens next, this is intense!" but they are rare. I think for people who don't enjoy it, that is probably a strong factor in their decision making process. I quite like it because as I said the atmosphere and characters are incredible.

 

[Papa Francouz]

Really? I found it to be the other way around. I found it to be one of the more overrated Final Fantasies (ducks to avoid thing thrown at me.) While there are memorable characters in it (Vivi and Dagger), I found it the hardest of the PS1 era games to get into. I still haven't finished it, even though I have made several attempts to do so over the years.

Haha, don’t worry, I won’t throw anything at you. I can understand that mindset completely. As someone who isn’t a super fan of the franchise, I feel the same way you do about FFX, which is apparently well-liked around here. I think this is a good example of how this series in particular can bring a little something for everyone throughout its history.

 

[Nizdizzle]

For me, FFIX was the only one I've played (8,9,10,10-2) that didn't have unbearable, cringy dialogue between the characters. While it was a bit childish at many points, the dialogue felt more... I dunno... North American? to me. VIII and X seemed to have tons of awkward dialogue and just felt off to me.

 

[Shareefruck]

For me, FFIX was the only one I've played (8,9,10,10-2) that didn't have unbearable, cringy dialogue between the characters. While it was a bit childish at many points, the dialogue felt more... I dunno... North American? to me. VIII and X seemed to have tons of awkward dialogue and just felt off to me.

This is definitely a thing. Localization was pretty p**-poor in general up to that point, and it seems like as soon as it got good, voice acting brought about just as many problems. And FFIX does have one of the better translations in the series. You almost need to use fan translations to get the most out of these types of games. It's more of a minor cosmetic/quality-of-life improvement than a core factor for me, though.

X is just outright bad, IMO. Not XIII or XV bad (which for me are the videogame-equivalent of Razzie-level awful), but I don't agree with it being elevated along with the other games. XII was easily superior to it. Honestly, I wouldn't really recommend anyone giving a shot to anything in the franchise outside of IV, VI, VII, IX, and Tactics (which I think is a pretty great decade-long run), while V, VIII, and XII are only moderately worthwhile, at least interesting and creatively ambitious attempts, while also being deeply flawed.

 

[Papa Francouz]

This is definitely a thing. Localization was pretty p**-poor in general up to that point, and it seems like as soon as it got good, voice acting brought about just as many problems. And FFIX does have one of the better translations in the series. You almost need to use fan translations to get the most out of these types of games. It's more of a minor cosmetic/quality-of-life improvement than a core factor for me, though.

X is just outright bad, IMO. Not XIII or XV bad (which for me are the videogame-equivalent of Razzie-level awful), but I don't agree with it being elevated along with the other games. XII was easily superior to it. Honestly, I wouldn't really recommend anyone giving a shot to anything in the franchise outside of IV, VI, VII, IX, and Tactics (which I think is a pretty great decade-long run), while V, VIII, and XII are only moderately worthwhile, at least interesting and creatively ambitious attempts, while also being deeply flawed.

I feel like we might’ve had this discussion before, but I started the series with X and it damn near turned me off from JRPGs as a whole.

Since then, I’ve gone back and given the series another shot, starting with VI. Then I played IV, then VII, then Tactics, and now IX, and I’ve grown a real appreciation for the series. I’ll give a special shoutout to XIV, too, because Square has given that game the perfect amount of love & care necessary to make it a truly commendable MMO.

 

[BigMac1212]

Okay I'm stuck.

Spoiler

At FFIX, I have to compete during the card tournament. Too bad I haven't been playing the game AT ALL! Now I'm being curb-stomped in the second round. Can you suggest ways to bolster my deck?

 

[Super Hans]

Okay I'm stuck.

Spoiler

At FFIX, I have to compete during the card tournament. Too bad I haven't been playing the game AT ALL! Now I'm being curb-stomped in the second round. Can you suggest ways to bolster my deck?

Spoiler

Pretty much every NPC in Treno will play cards with you. You should be able to grind for better cards, using just the ones you started with. Might take a while. And get this, after you win this tournament, the card game has zero use the rest of the game. Hands-down the worst part of FFIX.

 

[BigMac1212]

Spoiler

Pretty much every NPC in Treno will play cards with you. You should be able to grind for better cards, using just the ones you started with. Might take a while. And get this, after you win this tournament, the card game has zero use the rest of the game. Hands-down the worst part of FFIX.

Bummer. Thanks for the help.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Yeah, managing the rules of the card game is very tedious. Trying to manipulate them yourself is really annoying and I never really got the hang of it that well.

It actually isn't that bad. There is an NPC card player in Balamb, by the fishing docks that will reset the rules in Balamb. You can always ensure you have a clean slate there. In other areas, it just comes down to not spreading rules.

This is definitely a thing. Localization was pretty p**-poor in general up to that point, and it seems like as soon as it got good, voice acting brought about just as many problems. And FFIX does have one of the better translations in the series. You almost need to use fan translations to get the most out of these types of games. It's more of a minor cosmetic/quality-of-life improvement than a core factor for me, though.

X is just outright bad, IMO. Not XIII or XV bad (which for me are the videogame-equivalent of Razzie-level awful), but I don't agree with it being elevated along with the other games. XII was easily superior to it. Honestly, I wouldn't really recommend anyone giving a shot to anything in the franchise outside of IV, VI, VII, IX, and Tactics (which I think is a pretty great decade-long run), while V, VIII, and XII are only moderately worthwhile, at least interesting and creatively ambitious attempts, while also being deeply flawed.

I don't know what it is, but I absolutely loved X. Every minute of it. I thought it had some of the best music in the series, I enjoyed the story, I loved Blitzball and, I especially liked that it was packed with post game content (even more so on the recent re-release). X-2 on the other hand... cringe worthy at times. Not to mention, Omi and Logos are a blatant rip off of Solt and Peppor from Chrono Cross.

XIII is one, like IX, that I have tried to get into but I just can't.

I agree 100% on V, VIII and XII. While I personally really enjoyed VIII, it is a very flawed game. I give them credit for taking the home run swing on that title. In some aspects, I think they succeeded (music, card game). The story was a hot mess in the last 1/3rd of the game and I feel as if it didn't need to be. The junction system, while creatively very cool, can become incredibly broken as early as... immediately and it doesn't take much effort either.

I liked V but the job system was tedious and not fun.

XII is a game that I did not enjoy the first time but enjoyed it significantly more when it was re-released on PS4. Rabanastre is everything I want in a video game city - magical, big, exciting to explore... I loved it. I feel like the story as some gaps. I also believe it suffers from the same fate as VIII, the creative attempt to change the battle system is also the games downfall. I don't mind it but it certainly didn't appeal to the masses.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Just purchased the FF8 HD Remaster on the PSN Store for $20. Always liked this game back in the day and I’m looking forward to experiencing it in a new way.

Forgot how excellent the opening scene in this game is, also.

 

[member 157595]

Just purchased the FF8 HD Remaster on the PSN Store for $20. Always liked this game back in the day and I’m looking forward to experiencing it in a new way.

Forgot how excellent the opening scene in this game is, also.

I don't think anyone can say anything bad about the visuals or sound in FFVIII. The game looked and sounded great for the time, and the visuals certainly hold up better than VII's today.

It's the gameplay that is so polarizing. I hate it, others like it. To each their own.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I don't think anyone can say anything bad about the visuals or sound in FFVIII. The game looked and sounded great for the time, and the visuals certainly hold up better than VII's today.

It's the gameplay that is so polarizing. I hate it, others like it. To each their own.

Yeah, I agree about the gameplay. The speed-up function of the re-master makes drawing a lot better, but it still is a pain.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

It actually isn't that bad. There is an NPC card player in Balamb, by the fishing docks that will reset the rules in Balamb. You can always ensure you have a clean slate there. In other areas, it just comes down to not spreading rules.



I don't know what it is, but I absolutely loved X. Every minute of it. I thought it had some of the best music in the series, I enjoyed the story, I loved Blitzball and, I especially liked that it was packed with post game content (even more so on the recent re-release). X-2 on the other hand... cringe worthy at times. Not to mention, Omi and Logos are a blatant rip off of Solt and Peppor from Chrono Cross.

Yeah I'm learning how to properly manage the rules now. I never gave it enough effort back in the day.

Also, I know it was an old comment, but I agree about everything you said about FFX. It's my 2nd favorite FF behind VII. I like X more in a lot of ways. As you said, the post-game content there is just amazing and Blitz is a ton of fun. Although Tidus was annoying at times, I really liked the overall story. Especially Sin and the religious overtones of the game.

 

[Shareefruck]

I don't think anyone can say anything bad about the visuals or sound in FFVIII. The game looked and sounded great for the time, and the visuals certainly hold up better than VII's today.

It's the gameplay that is so polarizing. I hate it, others like it. To each their own.

The storytelling is pretty questionable as well, although in hindsight, it doesn't look nearly as bad next to the storytelling in XIII and XV as it does next to FFVI, VII, and IX.

 

[member 157595]

The storytelling is pretty questionable as well, although in hindsight, it doesn't look nearly as bad next to the storytelling in XIII and XV as it does next to FFVI, VII, and IX.

I haven't played XIII or XV so I'll take your word on those.

I really like IX and kind of want to play through it again, but at my age and with a family it's very hard to find tens of hours of free gaming time.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Just getting to über end-game in FFX for the first time.


After a lot of time I just maxed out Tidus’ (Tony) HP at 99,999. Going for as close to max stats as possible while keeping max HP on everyone.

Agility caps at 170 and Luck replaces Accuracy + Evasion (Still need +30 EV for Dark Aeons).

Sacrificing some Magic and MP to max HP. Long way to go still, but the Sphere Grid is mostly done now.

 

[samabam]

I always found stat maxing in FF X to be zen like and more fun than the grind in most other games. Killing Don Tomberry for Sphere levels, slowly but surely starting to be able to fight off the enemies that give that stat spheres, earning some dark crystals on the way to craft ribbon on an armor and most of all that you feel very directly how your characters progress. Say what you will about FF X as whole, but it's among my favourite endgame grinds in games of all time, I am not sure if I'd even call it a grind - getting the celestial weapons, now that was a grind, chocobo racing, lightning dodging, the butterfly hunt in Macalania (although that got easier in the HD Versions, in the PS2 version on my shitty TV I had a hard time even seeing those things)

 

[ForsbergMoDo21]

I haven’t played a FF game since X (excluding XI, which I don’t count). Are any of the games since worth playing? My favorites were VI, IV, and IX, as well as VII. VIII was ok and X was tolerable. I definitely gravitate toward story in the games and also prefer the more medieval aesthetics (knights and mages and crap—although my favorite is VI and that doesn’t fit the mold so much). I remember seeing X-2 come out and it was about characters being like JPOP stars or something and I checked out. Well, I seem to recall playing some of XII but disliking how it felt like an offline MMORPG and the story never hooked me.

 

[samabam]

I haven’t played a FF game since X (excluding XI, which I don’t count). Are any of the games since worth playing? My favorites were VI, IV, and IX, as well as VII. VIII was ok and X was tolerable. I definitely gravitate toward story in the games and also prefer the more medieval aesthetics (knights and mages and crap—although my favorite is VI and that doesn’t fit the mold so much). I remember seeing X-2 come out and it was about characters being like JPOP stars or something and I checked out. Well, I seem to recall playing some of XII but disliking how it felt like an offline MMORPG and the story never hooked me.

I think that FF XII starts very strong, the story is good, the fighting system is fun but after a certain point the story just stops and takes long, loooong pauses where you just have to power through areas that feel endless sometimes. I must have started it around 10 times but only finished it once there was always a point where I just didn't feel like continuing anymore, the fighting system starts to play itself and just progressing through the areas feels like a chore all the while story bits feel like few and far between.
XIII suffers from the same problems with areas that just drag on forever in later chapters with the difference that the story bits in between don't feel worth powering through these large areas.
XV just isn't for me, I don't feel like an open world suits a final fantasy all that well and I never progressed very far into it before giving up.
XIII-2 might be the best of the newer Final Fantasies, catching monsters and growing them is fun, but it just gets too convoluted for my taste and it has the same problems as XIII, a fighting system that looks flashy but isn't too engaging and areas that drag on too long so that they outwear their welcome.

 

[Shareefruck]

I haven’t played a FF game since X (excluding XI, which I don’t count). Are any of the games since worth playing? My favorites were VI, IV, and IX, as well as VII. VIII was ok and X was tolerable. I definitely gravitate toward story in the games and also prefer the more medieval aesthetics (knights and mages and crap—although my favorite is VI and that doesn’t fit the mold so much). I remember seeing X-2 come out and it was about characters being like JPOP stars or something and I checked out. Well, I seem to recall playing some of XII but disliking how it felt like an offline MMORPG and the story never hooked me.

XII was on its way to being solid but was derailed and ruined by executive meddling (it's no better than V, VIII or X, IMO). Matsuno (the guy behind FF Tactics) was in charge of it and then got fired after creative disagreements and being overruled by sell-outs, and that 100% correlates with the quality of the game plummetting. Had potential, though.

People say that XIV is good, but I haven't played it. Everything else is pure trash, although the first 90% of FFVII Remake is legitimately good if that counts, and is something of a return to form for the company.

XIII and XV are just as dumb as X-2, IMO.

The only thing playing the later games did for me was give me an appreciation for VIII that I didn't have before (there are some deal-breaking flaws in that game, but it also has a ton of admirable qualities that get taken for granted because it's surrounded by more complete works).

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I always found stat maxing in FF X to be zen like and more fun than the grind in most other games. Killing Don Tomberry for Sphere levels, slowly but surely starting to be able to fight off the enemies that give that stat spheres, earning some dark crystals on the way to craft ribbon on an armor and most of all that you feel very directly how your characters progress. Say what you will about FF X as whole, but it's among my favourite endgame grinds in games of all time, I am not sure if I'd even call it a grind - getting the celestial weapons, now that was a grind, chocobo racing, lightning dodging, the butterfly hunt in Macalania (although that got easier in the HD Versions, in the PS2 version on my shitty TV I had a hard time even seeing those things)

I agree about the zen-like quality. It's a very much in control experience. FFX is one of my favorite games ever in general, and the end-game is really enjoyable, IMO. Funny you say that about the butterflies, because I remember moving my PS2 from my bedroom to the better TV in the living room when I was trying to do that, LOL! (didn't make much difference, I still sucked at catching them!)

I used some old guides and put my own twist on their techniques and I think I came out with a pretty great system for completing the sphere grid. I still have some optimizing to do, but now that the grid is mostly complete I'll just need to run the rest of the characters through it.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I haven’t played a FF game since X (excluding XI, which I don’t count). Are any of the games since worth playing? My favorites were VI, IV, and IX, as well as VII. VIII was ok and X was tolerable. I definitely gravitate toward story in the games and also prefer the more medieval aesthetics (knights and mages and crap—although my favorite is VI and that doesn’t fit the mold so much). I remember seeing X-2 come out and it was about characters being like JPOP stars or something and I checked out. Well, I seem to recall playing some of XII but disliking how it felt like an offline MMORPG and the story never hooked me.

FF7 Remake