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Your views on the Final Fantasy games?

Three of your favorite FF titles in the series?


  • Total voters
    482

Cutty Flam

Banned
I’ve been thinking about this for months and months now, and I might decide to give Final Fantasy a go and try to immerse myself into the FF series, possibly this year. I don’t know where to start really or know much about the franchise so I decided to make this thread asking some questions for the fans; to hear their thoughts on this longstanding and highly acclaimed franchise in the gaming industry

-What are your favorite Final Fantasy games? What are the 3-5 games on your list?

-Which would you say had the best characters, side quests, story?

-FF game with the best boss fights?

-Are there any that were overrated or definitely not as good as you thought they should have or could have been?

-Is there any one game in the series that you would consider to be the perfect example of what a Final Fantasy game is all about?

-Underrated FF games in your opinion?

-Is the first FF you ever played your favorite one?

-Who are your favorite protagonists and favorite villains?

-Which one has the best items and exploration in its overworld?

-Which has the most impressive OST?

These are all just questions for the long time fans of the series, or anyone who has played a FF or two

-Is there a FF game that focused solely on story and the main characters + NPCs and everything seemed to branch off from that center focus?

-Is FF the best RPG series in gaming as a whole?

-Do you enjoy nutritional yeast on your toast for additional taste and B vitamins?

I don’t have much else to add, never played a single second of any of the games, never watched any gameplay at any point. All I know is what was shown on a commercial or two over the years so I’m basically oblivious to 99.999% in the series itself
 

German Hops

GAF's Nicest Lunch Thief
I suppose it depends on my mood, but overall: (in no particular order)

1) Tactics (awesome story AND awesome gameplay, but a bit heavy going)

2) V (Some of the most enjoyable turn based battles I have ever experienced, shame about the story)

3) XIII (a thrummingly good return to form, but it takes a while for it to get really good.)

4) VII (Best story- until it was milked to death)

5) VI (1st half is mind blowing. 2nd half is comparability uneventful)

6) X (got to say, I actually thought playing as Tidus was an interesting idea. For once, the main protagonist mirrors your confused "bwuhh?!")

7) IV (Good overall, but the enemies are demanding enough to make you use all your mp and potions in one battle, and seeing as you level up fairly slowly, there's no grinding past the problem.)

8) XII (Yay for identical characters, a badly told plot, and the worst main character of the series? I mean, don't get me wrong, on paper FFXII has everything, but I just don't find it fun))

9) VIII (overcomplicated mechanics. Nuff said.)

10) I (Not terrible. Fun. Very fun. Just... You know, overshadowed, not to mention it has no plot whatsoever)





I will say that I LOVE ALL ENTRIES IN THE MAIN SERIES AND ANYTHING THAT CONTINUES A MAIN GAMES STORY!!!!!!!

46b44c381dd053886fcc63978500f517.jpg
 

DelireMan7

Member
  1. Final Fantasy X
  2. Final Fantasy VII
  3. Final Fantasy VI

I have played VI, VII, X, X-2, XII, XV

Final Fantasy X was my first entry in the franchise and it blew me away. Story, World, characters, music... everything was great and it stays my reference for JRPGs.

I played VI and VII on the late (around 2010 for VII and 2018 for VI).
VII also was a revelation. The story is just amazing and so is the soundtrack.

VI also left its impression but the years didn't play in its favor. The navigation in menu, especially for gears comparison, was a bit frustrating. Still a unique experience.

I played XII last year and while it has an interesting battle system it failed on the story and music department for me. Also half of the main cast was more than questionable while the other half (Fran, Balthier, Bash) was amazing.

I played XV on release and was a bit disappointed but still took a lot of pleasure. I replayed it last year and... I had still a lot of pleasure. It has some flaws (mainly due to the standard open world formula) but also many great things. The soundtrack is really strong, the friendship bound between the party is amazing and really touched me and the story got me pretty emotional especially on the second part. It would be on the fourth position on my list.

I played X-2 on release but don't remember a lot. But I remember once I past over the "JPOP mood" I liked it. I plan to replay both X and X-2 this year.

Also I am eager to play IX and XIIIs. Not interested in VIII. Would like to play XIV but MMO...
 
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royox

Member
-What are your favorite Final Fantasy games? What are the 3-5 games on your list?
6,9 and 14 are my top 3.
-Which would you say had the best characters, side quests, story?
6 kills the Characters and Sidequests part. After some world-breaking event and a little timeskip all your characters (+ than 10) are scattered in the world and it's your choize to find them and prepare for the final battle. Each one of them has an own character arc and a reason why they would or would not join you again. Even the MAIN CHARACTER doesn't want to join back to the party cause she's taking care of a bunch of orphan kids.

For main Story my nowadays choice is FFXIV Shadowbringers. It was 10/10 material, dark, deep, with biggest plot twist of the saga, best villain...best everything.
-FF game with the best boss fights?
FF14, no absolute Doubt. Any other option comes from people that never played FFXIV so it's instantly wrong. If somebody thinks otherwise I invite you to find any boss battle video on youtube, search Knights of the Round, Warrior of Light (Elidibus), Alexander Prime, Shynryu or Shiva (Shadowbringers).
-Are there any that were overrated or definitely not as good as you thought they should have or could have been?
VIII is a FFVII wannabe with the worst magic system of the saga (extraction...wtf) and the most boring cast of characters.
If we talk about overrated and "not as good as I thought it should be" the winner is XV no doubt, it was released incompleted, with plot holes everywhere, the main story is never explained and suddently you are in the final boss battle and still don't understand what is happening. Then the game gives you a "the end" and you have to wait 5 years for a "Royal Edition" with 4 paid DLC, Multiplayer DLC and an extra DLC not included on the Royal that explains all the villain motivations.
-Is there any one game in the series that you would consider to be the perfect example of what a Final Fantasy game is all about?
FF6. FF is about the characters, the party, how they are so diferent but find a reason to fight together and save the world/universe/kingdom. Also one of the last charismatic villains this saga had before 14 arrived.
-Underrated FF games in your opinion?
FF14, because people think "it's not a real FF cause it's an MMO" and they never play it and they are missing the best FF since the PS1 era.
-Is the first FF you ever played your favorite one?
No. I played 8 first (it's shit), then 7 (good) then 6 (my favourite). 6 is just...SO GOOD.
-Who are your favorite protagonists and favorite villains?
Protags: Sabin (6), Edgar (6), Locke (6), Thancred (XIV), Alphinaud + Alisaie (the twins of FFXIV)

Villains: EMET-SELCH (XIV). That's it, no villain in the whole saga gets close to Emet. Any other answer is from people that didn't play FFXIV Shadowbringers so it's instantly wrong.
tumblr_puprvlpkvu1vshemho1_500.gif


-Which one has the best items and exploration in its overworld?
Most of the classic FF (from 1 to 9) have almost the same items and exploration in overworld (a mini-overworld where you can walk or drive) but exploration wasn't the strenght of those games. I should say FFXV gets the golden medal on this regards as it's the 1st FF with pure open world and some exploration...the only downside is that the open world is a barren landscape with invisible walls in the sky and the same gas station copypasted like 10 times. Also FFXI and XIV, because they are MMO also have free world exploration but the normal one of any MMO.
-Which has the most impressive OST?
FFXIV, hands down. Any other answer regarding this topic is coming from people that never played FFXIV so it's instantly wrong.
These are all just questions for the long time fans of the series, or anyone who has played a FF or two
let's do it then!
-Is there a FF game that focused solely on story and the main characters + NPCs and everything seemed to branch off from that center focus?
The FFXIII trilogy is literally this description. Everything is about the MC party and in the last 2 games specifically about Lightning (finding Lightning+Lightning becoming a literal goddess).

Another game that now is doing this is FFXIV. Yes, it's an MMO but our main character is becoming the center of everything happening since the Heavensward expansion. We became THE WARRIOR OF LIGHT, and seems like the evil guys are just throwing everything they can against us as we are the last wall stopping them from completing their mission.

-Is FF the best RPG series in gaming as a whole?
Wouldn't say that, I think it's a series with some of the best JRPG ever made...but Dragon Quest, Star Ocean, Tales of..., Persona...there are a bunch of JRPG sagas with amazing games (and shitty games too).
-Do you enjoy nutritional yeast on your toast for additional taste and B vitamins?
I only put Nutella on my toasts. Nutella or Honey + Butter...you cannot get more delicious stuff than that.
 
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cireza

Banned
Even if I enjoyed the older games (I to IX), I can only really replay X, XIII trilogy and XV nowadays. I think they are all great games and I have a lot of fun playing these.

I think the XIII trilogy is my favorite.

In terms of exploration, I think FF XIII-2 and Lightning Returns are my favorite games. They have interesting regions, not to big, filled with interesting content. Overworld maps never were that great in my opinion. I really enjoyed FF XV open-world as well.

In terms of combat, FF XIII, XIII-2, Lightning Returns and X are my favorite. They have the more interesting battle system. In X, it is turn based and really strategic. In XIII trilogy, it is more about management and I loved it. Real time action in XV was rather uninteresting.
 
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Hudo

Member
Hmm, IMHO:

-What are your favorite Final Fantasy games? What are the 3-5 games on your list?
My top three:
1. Final Fantasy VI
2. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (The speed up feature is essential, IMHO)
3. Final Fantasy IX

-Which would you say had the best characters, side quests, story?
Best characters:
I would probably go with Final Fantasy VI. Although, Final Fantasy IX is also really good in that regard.
I would've said Final Fantasy XII but Vaan (and Penelo to a certain degree) were out of place. You can see that both not the protagonists.

Best side quests:
I gotta say Final Fantasy XIV. I was never really feeling it with the side quests in FF games, tbh.

Best story:
Gotta go with Final Fantasy XII. I really like the more high-level political intrigue and the style of Yasumi Matsuno. And FF12 has probably the best voice acting and delivery I have heard.

-FF game with the best boss fights?
Final Fantasy XIV, easily.

-Are there any that were overrated or definitely not as good as you thought they should have or could have been?
Overrated is a bit hard to say because all FF games have a certain amount of hate coming towards them. But I really think that releasing FF 15 like that was a mistake.

-Is there any one game in the series that you would consider to be the perfect example of what a Final Fantasy game is all about?
Yeah, Final Fantasy IX. And even Hironobu Sakaguchi backs me up on this. Dude said in one interview that FF9 encapsulates what Final Fantasy "is" for him.
It's fantasy, it's a bit whimsical, it has an interesting cast of characters and good battle mechanics. It's an adventure, not too pretentious and not too epic but still "large scale".

-Underrated FF games in your opinion?
I really liked Final Fantasy 2 because of Akitoshi Kawazu's design of the RPG mechanics, where you level up stats as you use them instead of leveling up your character. Obviously you could abuse that like a motherfucker but that's what makes games fun. Balance should always come after fun. Also the soundtrack, man. The Rebel Army Theme is still my jam.


-Is the first FF you ever played your favorite one?
Nah, my first FF I have ever played was Final Fantasy X on PS2. Was OK but certainly not my favorite.

-Who are your favorite protagonists and favorite villains?
Protagonists: Balthier, Ashe, Zidane, Terra and Edgar.
Villains: Kefka, The Judges, Seifer (ok he's not strictly a villain and more of an antagonist) and Solus Zos Galvus

-Which one has the best items and exploration in its overworld?
That's a bit hard to answer because not all Final Fantasy games have an "overworld". And some have an overworld that are just somewhat bigger areas sequenced together.
For exploration I'd either go with Final Fantasy XI or Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy IX. I know that I obsessed over the items/gear in Final Fantasy XII.

-Which has the most impressive OST?
For me, I can say that I listened to Final Fantasy VI's OST the most. But I would say that the soundtrack in general is one of the major strengths of Final Fantasy. There isn't really a Final Fantasy game with bad/boring music.
 

Myths

Member
5, 12, and 6. 9 then 3 PSP. Whatever else. 😎🤝

5 has the best job system. 13 the best OST, followed by 12. 6 had a great art style (at least in my head anyway).
 
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Spaceman292

Banned
I suppose it depends on my mood, but overall: (in no particular order)

1) Tactics (awesome story AND awesome gameplay, but a bit heavy going)

2) V (Some of the most enjoyable turn based battles I have ever experienced, shame about the story)

3) XIII (a thrummingly good return to form, but it takes a while for it to get really good.)

4) VII (Best story- until it was milked to death)

5) VI (1st half is mind blowing. 2nd half is comparability uneventful)

6) X (got to say, I actually thought playing as Tidus was an interesting idea. For once, the main protagonist mirrors your confused "bwuhh?!")

7) IV (Good overall, but the enemies are demanding enough to make you use all your mp and potions in one battle, and seeing as you level up fairly slowly, there's no grinding past the problem.)

8) XII (Yay for identical characters, a badly told plot, and the worst main character of the series? I mean, don't get me wrong, on paper FFXII has everything, but I just don't find it fun))

9) VIII (overcomplicated mechanics. Nuff said.)

10) I (Not terrible. Fun. Very fun. Just... You know, overshadowed, not to mention it has no plot whatsoever)





I will say that I LOVE ALL ENTRIES IN THE MAIN SERIES AND ANYTHING THAT CONTINUES A MAIN GAMES STORY!!!!!!!

46b44c381dd053886fcc63978500f517.jpg
XIII never gets good. Apart from that I agree.
 

Zheph

Member
Finally a great topic :D
-What are your favorite Final Fantasy games? What are the 3-5 games on your list?
Final Fantasy VIII, I loved everything about it.
My top FF are VIII, VII, X, VIIR.
-Which would you say had the best characters, side quests, story?

Best Characters I would say FFX (I know people focus on that laugh scene with Tidus but he is a great character).

Side Quests that's hard... I guess XIV is the best here but for a solo game... probably FF7 ? The Gold Saucer helps

Story... I like 6 or 7 story the best
-FF game with the best boss fights?
FF7R
-Are there any that were overrated or definitely not as good as you thought they should have or could have been?
FFXIII Trilogy
-Is there any one game in the series that you would consider to be the perfect example of what a Final Fantasy game is all about?
Very hard question... I would say that FF6 has a very good package
-Is the first FF you ever played your favorite one?
Nope, 8 is my favourite but I started with 7
-Who are your favorite protagonists and favorite villains?
Cloud (FF7) Squall (FF8) Tidus (FFX)
Seymour (FFX) Kuja (FF9) Zenos (FFXIV)
-Which one has the best items and exploration in its overworld?
I love 7 and 8 overworld the most
-Which has the most impressive OST?
FF8 / FFXIV / FF7R (you can't really go wrong with OST and FF)
-Is there a FF game that focused solely on story and the main characters + NPCs and everything seemed to branch off from that center focus?
FFXIII does that but usually they do a decent job at that (maybe not in XV)
-Is FF the best RPG series in gaming as a whole?
There are so main entries now with a lot of variety in it so its hard to call that. Also lot of amazing JRPG elsewhere
-Do you enjoy nutritional yeast on your toast for additional taste and B vitamins?
Never tried :(
 

kraspkibble

Permabanned.
the ones i've played i thought sucked. shit load of text thrown at you explaining stuff and then all you're really doing is running down corridors. i wanted to play XV but i just can't take it seriously with all these dudes with ridiculous hair styles and gigantic swords. also despite having a car they travel around on big chickens.

probably the only one i've somewhat enjoyed would be XIV but again...the chickens are just so silly. also you have creepy little kids and grown men dressing up as cats. it's just so weird. it was my first MMORPG so i enjoyed that kind of gameplay but the whole setting, look, and feel is so creepy. i just started playing WoW/ESO.
 

Manji Uzuki

Member
VII has the best story, XII is very different but I think is tremendously underated. Great world building and addictive gameplay. VI is the best by far of the 2D ones . I also love Tactics.

Most FF games are great to be honest. I would only not recommend the first 3 unless you are a lot into very classic JRPGs and XIII which has an interesting combat system but takes lot of time to really open up and his characters and storytelling are quite bad IMO
 

TintoConCasera

I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
I've only beaten I (GBA) and VI. VII and XII bored me and I never bothered trying the other ones.

For me there are far better JRPG franchises, like SMT or Dragon Quest.
 

Sub_Level

wants to fuck an Asian grill.
VII for the New Threat mod.
VIII for the nostalgia.
XIV for the story, art design, bosses, music, dungeons and just sort of all around being the best in series.

IV through XII is all quality stuff tho. Yes even X-2.
 

Tschumi

Member
They're a fantastic body of work, but their usual gameplay model is a bit dated - to me - and their attempts to revamp it are hit and miss. My enjoyment of the games lies on this pivot quite heavily. I very much prefer the games, like XII, that tried to do away with that more typical battle style.

I wish i had enough time in my life to enjoy all the stories (well, excluding those that aren't crash hot by all accounts)

Persona's my fave.
 
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Zheph

Member
They're a fantastic body of work, but their usual gameplay model is a bit dated - to me - and their attempts to revamp it are hit and miss. My enjoyment of the games lies on this pivot quite heavily. I very much prefer the games, like XII, that tried to do away with that more typical battle style.

I wish i had enough time in my life to enjoy all the stories (well, excluding those that aren't crash hot by all accounts)

Persona's my fave.
Don't you think their latest battle system (VIIR) is amazing and a great way forward?
 

Casanova

Member
Have been considering picking up Final Fantasy too (only one I ever played was the original FF7), but all of this roman numeral gatekeeping is pissing me off.
 
S

Sidney Prescott

Unconfirmed Member
They're cool, but not my thing. I have watched some playthroughs before, but never had any strong urge to play the games myself. I strongly considered giving the Final Fantasy VII Remake a whirl.
 
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The golden age of Final Fantasy is IV through XII. Where to start is a difficult question though. Unfortunately VII, which would be the obvious choice, has aged poorly and never got a proper remake. Still, it's the essential game for understanding the trajectory of the series.

If you have a high tolerance for SNES games, the best place to start might be IV (play the PSP version) or VI, the early classics. Then move on to VII and play them in order. That's probably what I would recommend.

IX is arguably the perfect Final Fantasy and Sakaguchi's crowning achievement (also the best soundtrack), but it's not a good place to start because it's so self referential. Save it until after you've played VII. VIII, on the other hand, is simply not very good, so definitely don't start with that.

The most accessible game in the series is probably X, though it's also the game that heralded the decay of the series into adolescent schlock. Still, the rot was only just setting in at that point, and there was still plenty of life left in it. If you're not sure you'd be able to handle an SNES or early PS1 game, that would be the best place to start.

The most underrated game is XII for sure. A true masterpiece that should have set the trajectory for the series after Sakaguchi. The fact that it didn't is why Final Fantasy is dead today.

The only side installment I'd recommend is Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, which you can actually play reasonably well on smartphone. Widely considered the best strategy RPG of all time.

The modern installments, XIII and XV, are utter trash and worth playing only to marvel at how Square Enix management so efficiently murdered what had been the best franchise in the entire medium.
 
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Faust

Perpetually Tired
Staff Member
I’ve been thinking about this for months and months now, and I might decide to give Final Fantasy a go and try to immerse myself into the FF series, possibly this year. I don’t know where to start really or know much about the franchise so I decided to make this thread asking some questions for the fans; to hear their thoughts on this longstanding and highly acclaimed franchise in the gaming industry

-What are your favorite Final Fantasy games? What are the 3-5 games on your list?

-Which would you say had the best characters, side quests, story?

-FF game with the best boss fights?

I grew up around JRPGs and Final Fantasy has always been a special franchise for me. Even the generally accepted "bad" games I can find enjoyment out of. They definitely aren't for everyone and the developers tend to try new things often, alienating some of the longer term fans. I can understand why some fans are annoyed by this, but personally I don't get too involved and just want to enjoy some over the top action/story/gameplay.

My favorite Final Fantasy games are hard to pick out outside of one: Final Fantasy IX. Its characters are memorable. Its touching moments brought me to tears, its music is something that I listen to on the regular, and its gameplay is fun, refined, and allows for a number of different personal challenges depending on how you are utilizing its abilities mechanic. FFIX has the best story for me and as much as I would love to go into detail on why and how the sidequests perfectly weave into the greater narrative, I don't want to spoil a thing. This is a game I really think you should go in as blind as possible and just take your time with.

This is a tie between 3 games and 3 different styles of combat. Final Fantasy X had a fantastic series of bosses that felt like mini puzzles. It took what previous games did, but evolved it. Focusing on micromanaging certain limbs or environmental parts to minimize damage and maximize efficiency while also doing the typical buffing, debuffing, etc. It is the quintessential boss battles for the turn-based style gameplay. FFXIV just has some super tightly designed bosses, especially for anyone who is willing to delve into the ultimates. Long, arduous, and great skill is required to beat them. Personally many of these bosses rival that of WoW who has been the longstanding king in raid boss design for nearly two decades now. Finally FF7R has fun and fantastical real time boss battles that actually were far more challenging than I initially gave it credit for. Play it on Hard when you beat the game and you will see a new layer to how the combat works.

Final Fantasy VIII is one that I think is incredibly underrated and could have been much stronger with a better translation in the west. The story is one of trying to let people in, accept the reality of today, and not let the past control you all while weaving a touching love story and a coming of age tale that genuinely feels... well... genuine. At least with the original japanese script. Lots of nuance was lost when translating to the west so characters like Squall come across as one note and edgelordy to the extreme. Some plot holes exist in both translations however and it definitely needed more time in the oven. Out of any game in the franchise, this is one I want remade the most. Fix the issues, and give us the story that was meant to be told.

My first final fantasy game was Final Fantasy II on the SNES, which is not my favorite. My favorite is Final Fantasy IX, which also happens to be the perfect example of what Final Fantasy is about for me. A series of unlikely heroes working together to stop a villain while learning more about themselves, their flaws, and how to overcome them. FFIX in particular is a love letter to the franchise with a poignant story that can be interpreted towards the franchise as a whole. It is one I would suggest more than any other to not skip.

I won't go too in-depth on these due to spoilers of the games, but my favorite Protagonists in no particular order: Vivi [IX], Squall [VIII] (japanese original), Terra [VI], Locke [VI], Basch [XII], and Ryne [XIV: Shadowbringers]. Favorite Antagonists in no particular order: Kefka [VI], Kuja [IX], Emet-Selch [XIV: Shadowbringers], Ardyn [XV], and a special mention to both protags and antags from Tactics.

I feel that the MMOs offer the best items and exploration as they were constantly shifting and changing depending on the content added over time and the story that was ongoing. Starting in Limsa Lominsa and slowly working my way to Mor Dhona, learning about the religious elves in the frozen north, the mechanical empire sweeping across countries, and eventually getting to see them first hand was fantastic. Each zone had secrets, references, and easter eggs to older games or from earlier on in the story itself.

The music in the games are incredible and honestly the hardest thing to really scrutinize. My personal favorite is FInal Fantasy IX's with its wide range of influences and fantastical elements, but XIV has given me some excellent remixes and rocking boss tunes, VIII and VI have given me songs that feel like they came right out of an opera, and I still listen to the chiptunes of the NES for how ear wormy the melodies are. Really give any of them a listen and you won't be disappointed.

I would say that most of the Final Fantasy games focus seem to be based around that of the story and characters. If you want less story and more gameplay, then Final Fantasy I, II, III, V, and to a lesser extent, IV, XI, XIV, and XV seem to be your best bets. The rest are very much story/character focused affairs, though each still has a lot of gameplay and optional challenge should you seek it (Secret Bosses, mini games, challenges, etc). IV, XI, XIV, and XV all have a good bit of story in them, but the majority of the time is focused around the gameplay.

For me, it is the best RPG series - however it all comes down to personal taste. Some consider Dragon Quest to be a better franchise, some prefer the Mana or Saga series. Each and every one of them are completely valid for this spot and that is why I love discussing games - always fun to learn what people love/dislike/hate about certain games!

I don't eat toast so I wouldn't know, sorry!
 

Pejo

Member
This is a series that totally lost their way after 12, arguably after 9 for the "core" experience. The modern entries have none of the magic that made the first in the series great and I doubt they'll ever recapture it with the new version seemingly being Devil May Fantasy. This used to be my favorite series in gaming, and the classics will always rank highly on my personal list, but FF as a known "it's going to be awesome!" quantity is dead.

I don't even think that XV was that bad of a game, but it was extremely disjointed, the story was absolutely hacked to pieces, the combat was very one-note, and the characters outside of the main party never got the development they deserved. Worse than any of that though, it didn't feel like a Final Fantasy game at all. 13 remains where the series truly lost me though. I would have defended/stood by the series until that fucking turd.

For what it's worth, I picked 6, 9, 11 as the best in the series (to me).
 

Moogle11

Banned
Mixed bag for me at this point as I don’t like turn based games, especially menu-driven ones, much at all anymore. So games I enjoyed back in the day like Final Fantasy 1, 6 (3 on SNES), 7, 8 and 10 aren’t things I’ve been able to get into when trying to replay.

I do enjoy the characters and stories though, so I loved the FF7 Remake and really enjoyed FF15 (despite main story not being very good, the bros and their interactions were great) with the more action-oriented combat (that I imagine still offered depth on higher difficulties for those into strategy and turn based stuff).
 

DrJohnGalt

Banned
Tactics! I'm a TRPG geek so that one is at the top. Favorites would probably be 7 and 9, more due to some other stuff going on in my life at the time than the games themselves (although the games were indeed great). But picking the best FF game is a bit tougher. I do like the charm of the earlier ones, but I think most of the games has their own likeable features.
 

Fbh

Member
SNES and Ps1 era were great.

On Ps2 I really liked X but I couldn't get into XII, I didn't like the offline MMO vibe and the story didn't grab me as much as earlier games (also fuck annoying weirdly Michel Jackson-like looking Vaan)
Ps3/XIII saga era was trash
FXV was a big disappointment but VII remake, despite having some issues, was the first big FF I've truly enjoyed since X, so at least things are looking up.
 
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AmuroChan

Member
FF was my favorite franchise growing up, but recent entries have made me fall out of love with the series. Persona and Trails have both surpassed FF in the JRPG genre IMO.
 
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I've only played one (well, technically two) - Final Fantasy 7 (and the remake). I still stand by my opinion that Final Fantasy 7 Remake is perfect in every way and is the best game of all time. I plan on playing at least some of the original NES games, but FF7 will always hold a special place in my heart as one of the best video games I've ever played and the remake will always be, in my opinion, the best video game of all time.

At least, until FF7R:2 comes out.
 

Silvawuff

Member
I love FF. It has a lot to dislike, but if you curate yourself (like you seem to be doing here), you'll have a good time.

I'd personally recommend diving right in to the modern FFs -- FFVII Remake and FFXIV. XIV in particular is a good thing to look at because it's F2P for a very large portion of the game. You could DL and play it right now, nothing out of pocket, and really get your feet wet in a good FF. The main story quest gets better with each expansion. It's offering more options to not play with others, but that is part of the main draw of the game. Example, you'll be solo for a lot of stuff before you have to group up with others to take down a boss or go through a dungeon. That kind of thing. I've had good groups and bad ones, and made a lot of friends there and had a good time, especially if you join a FC (guild) with good people that are willing to help you out and show you the ropes. This game does have a bit of a learning curve if you've never played MMOs like it before. It's got an insanely robust crafting and housing system. Just getting to the point of "I have to subscribe to continue" can take you months, and you could easily play to the end, get your fill and unsub. The most recent expansion could stand alone as one of the best FFs I've ever played.

FFVII Remake is a bit more intimate and shorter in comparison to XIV and OG FFVII. FFVII as a franchise is well-known and celebrated for a reason. Remake is a companion piece to OG FFVII because it sort of follows all the main plot of FFVII, then does its own thing. It's worth experiencing both for what they are. If you really enjoy it, OG FFVII will be a no-brainer and you'll have the fun of playing that for the first time. I'm recommending these in particular because I feel they showcase what makes FF "good" imo with characters, presentation, story, music, and game play.

Wishing you the best as you dive down the rabbit hole with this one!
 
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fart town usa

Gold Member
The character design makes it difficult to play for me. I thought FF7 remake looked great but I am so tired of looking at buckles and weird shirts, etc. It's embarrassing. I heard the new Final Fantasy is going back to medieval style which has me really interested. I don't know if Nomura still does the designs but I wish they would let someone else do it.
 
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Silvawuff

Member
The character design makes it difficult to play for me. I thought FF7 remake looked great but I am so tired of looking at buckles and weird shirts, etc. It's embarrassing. I heard the new Final Fantasy is going back to medieval style which has me really interested. I don't know if Nomura still does the designs but I wish they would let someone else do it.
I totally understand how you feel about this. I had trouble choking down FFXII Zodiac Age because of the character design. It was hard to take any of the (wacked out, complicated) story seriously with some of the characters being what they were. I finished it, but I didn't felt any compulsion to do any of the endgame stuff because I was done.
 

Dynasty8

Member
FFVII's story and world was just too incredible. The whole blend of steampunk/corporate/fantasy/sci-fi was something I had never seen done before. It just worked so damn well and the story was more mature and interesting...it tackled greed, loss, revenge, and other aspects pretty well. That combined with one of the greatest soundtracks ever in gaming...fuck me, such a good game.
 

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
People love them but I rarely see why and not to be to cold about it but we only see a new final fantasy game ever other decade.
 

Paltheos

Member
The golden age of Final Fantasy is IV through XII.

Echoing this is my opinion as well, even if I don't like every entry inbetween. Most fans feel this way, I think. XIV can be notched in as a good game too, but XIII really did a number on the series. XII is good too, one of my favorites, but it's very different in tone and style from the rest.

Cutty Flam Cutty Flam If you're looking on getting into the series, I recommend starting out with X. It's not my favorite but it's closest in vision to Sakaguchi's wildly creative classics while having the most modern gameplay amenities i.e. It's 'the easiest classic Final Fantasy game to play as a video game'.

If you don't mind older video games, try out VI or VII first as those usually top the list for fan favorites (and top this poll too!)
 

TheContact

Member
I chose 5, 7, and 10.
5, though primitive now, was an amazing game when it came out. the job system w/ multiclassing is still one of the best in the offline series
7 for obvious reasons. it was my first jrpg and a revolutionary game
10 was the last great FF. loved the music, graphics, battle system, and even the story despite its flaws
 

NecrosaroIII

Ask me about my terrible takes on Star Trek characters
My quick thoughts on each game. Bolding my choices for favorites:

Final Fantasy I: Outdated. Boring. Respect it for what it established, but unplayable in 2021

Final Fantasy II: Kind of underrated. Some weird stuff, but it was certainly amibitious.

Final Fantasy III: I've only played the DS remake. I hated it. It was an annoying game.

Final Fantasy IV: Terrible story. Okay characters. It's very silly.

Final Fantasy V: It's aight. Cool party system. But the story is just whatever.

Final Fantasy VI: Fantastic game, up until the 2nd part. Then it loses focus. Plus it's not very convincing.

Final Fantasy VII: Amazing game. Awesome cast. Iconic. HIstoric.

Final Fantasy VIII: A beautiful mess. Dumb story but kind of cool. Amazing battle system.

Final Fantasy IX: Great game. Love the cast. The world design is top notch. Dope soundtrack.

Final Fantasy X: Gross. I hate the characters. Hate the dumb story. Battle system is cool though. Hate the world.

Final Fantasy XI: Never played it

Final Fantasy XII: Awesome story and cast. Awesome world and lore. Battle system is okay but still fun. Gambits are dope. Kind of becomes messy towards the end, but is still an achievement.

Final Fantasy XIII: Great music, and there was potential here. But it was not well thought out. Story is too complicated, yet also pretty simple at the same time.

Final Fanasy XIV: Only played a bit. But seem kind of boring

Final Fantasy XV: Boring.
 

kunonabi

Member
Most of the fans haven't played 14 but anyone that has can tell you it's easily the best in the series, it's an MMO yes but one that people actually play for the story unlike other games in the genre, it also has a literal musical God composing for it.
I'd like XIV if you could actually play the story with friends and if you could properly mix and match job abilities.
 
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