Final Fantasy Favorite

[DevNall]

Do I have to play FFVII to understand Advent Children? Because I really want to see that too, but I'll probably have to play VII first.

They give some backstory about a lot of it in the movie (although it will contain some spoilers for the game, certainly!). If you've played other Final Fantasies, you should be able to understand it, I think.

[Angelalex242]

Don't be dissin' FF1.

Sure, it didn't have a story, but where else could you find Fighter, Thief, Black Belt, Red Mage, White Mage, and Black Mage.

[Hiro-67]

definatly 7, then runner up would be x for me

[Alunissage]

It always amuses me how practically no one likes all of 7, 8, 9, and 10, and the one(s) they don't like they hate viciously. It's like there's no middle ground. I've seen/played a few hours of each, and of them I think I want to play 8 the most, then 9, then 10, then 7, because I took an instant dislike to Tidus and Yuna and I'm not really into depressing stories (or extremely hyped ones). But I plan to play them in order, so it won't matter much.

Isn't it possible to enjoy a game as a game independent of its series? I see people showering hate on Metroid Fusion all the time because of its non-Metroidy features, and yet when pressed often they admit that it's a decent game itself, just not a good Metroid game. There's no reason to get so worked up about it; just accept the game for what it does well independent of the series expectations. I'm pretty annoyed at DS for various reasons, but I'm still enjoying what it does well, the music and the bits of funny dialogue (like the beastwoman who thinks she's a cat).

I don't really see a good reason to condemn X-2 as a money-grabbing venture, when all games are fundamentally intended to turn a profit for the company. I've seen people complain that it weakens the ending of FF10, but a lot of people like seeing what happens to the characters after the main story ends (and it's interesting to see what happens to the world after its earthshaking event). And a different approach to things might be interesting. I say all this with intense dislike for Rikku and mild exasperation for Yuna, just to make it clear that I'm not defending it out of personal fondness. (What little I've seen of Paine makes her my favorite female character ever. Well, that's probably some exaggeration, but still.) It just seems really silly to condemn a game without playing it and thereby possibly miss something good...or perhaps not, but without playing that data point doesn't exist. </soapbox>

[localflick]

For whatever it may be worth, I do enjoy 7 - 10 (though I haven't played 10 much since I don't have it) and I don't despise any of the FF games. I almost think of the last few posts like listening to people critique a band's last few albums. People have different tastes (some even acquired tastes) and what's bitter to some, is sweet to others.

Seeing a series evolve for almost 20 years while staying somewhat consistent (as far as the same menu-driven battle system) is an impressive thing. As long as people buy them, they will be made. And hopefully more will be ported to the GBA as IGN hinted at.

[Alunissage]

Yeah, I know that some people like them all. My fiancé liked them all well enough. It just is weird to me that people get SO worked up about things...I don't really like seeing excessive fannishness in either direction. (I mean of the "everything about this game sucks!/eveyrthing about this game is awesome!" type, not the "everything related to this game must be owned by me..." type. Ahem.)

[DevNall]

And hopefully more will be ported to the GBA as IGN hinted at.

I didn't catch this hint. Do you mean DS? 7+ aren't exactly GBA material...

Although new Final Fantasy for GBA would be nice. Though I don't think we'll see it.

[scaryice]

6, with 7 a close second.

[localflick]

I didn't catch this hint. Do you mean DS? 7+ aren't exactly GBA material...

4 - 6 are in the works for GBA, but so far 4's the only one with a definite date.

"everything related to this game must be owned by me..."

Oh, if this collector had money... All the Lunar, a turbo duo, FF X, FF X 2, uh a PS2 to play them on...

And a real copy of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. Everything about that game's awesome!

[DaWrestla]

I hope none of the above comments were directed at my post, but in case they were, let me respond:


whoa, whoa, WHOA. I have every single FF a 6.0 or better...I personally think that's pretty darn good...considering 5.0/10.0 would be average. Personally, I just think FF 8, 6, 10, and 7 are just leaps and bounds above the rest, 4 and 5 take the "upper middle-class" while 1 and 2 take the "lower middle-class" (if you will). I just absolutely despise almost everything about 9, and I honestly have never met anyone face-to-face that liked it, either.

I remember when I played FF1 for the PS1, I was amazed by it, and I could EASILY see how this game did what it did back in the 80's. I also though that the music in the temple of chaos was some of the best RPG music I've ever heard. Even though FF2 improves on FF1 in practically every aspect (story, char. dev., gameplay, etc.), I actually had more *fun* playing FF1. But, the improvements are why I gave FF2 the higher score.

And in case I was mistaken, then my apologies.

EDIT:

By the way, is anyone here familiar with the Flash-series called "Final Fighting Fantasy" by I believe it was Splashkat?

[Alunissage]

The only thing I was really writing in response to you specifically was the bit about X-2. I didn't intend to hassle you, but it just seems a not-great reason to write something off before you try it.

The observation about people liking/hating the later FFs is from several years of notice. Yesterday or the day before I read a comment from someone who thought FF9 was the best in the series. Room for all sorts of viewpoints, I guess. I can't comment on the earlier games, but I enjoyed FF1 on Dawn of Souls well enough aside from some quirks I didn't quite get...I can totally see how it'd be compelling in its day. I need to finish it, though; only one dungeon left.

You're not referring to those movies of the endings of FFs, are you? Sega Fantasy Something? Because I watched the FF6-themed one, shortly after watching my fiancé finish FF6, and it was hilarious.

[DaWrestla]

The only thing I was really writing in response to you specifically was the bit about X-2. I didn't intend to hassle you, but it just seems a not-great reason to write something off before you try it.

That's true, but I didn't want to spend money on it because I like the idea of the ending of the main game leaving the rest of the story up to the player's imagination. If this were something like the Final Fantasy VII compilation thing, however, I would have been more for it. I wasn't for this one because I always like the idea of each FF being completely seperate of all others. In other words, I don't like the idea of a direct game sequal. Stupid? Yes. But I can't lie to myself

Yeah, I of course acknowledge that people can and will have differing opinions. I also acknowledge that I don't know how anyone could like FFIX at all

If you have one dungeon left, you really need to get on that.

And Final Fighting Fantasy was a series of flash comics where the heroes (that were alive) from each final fantasy would square off against each other. It was based around the idea of "where do the heroes go to after they save their world". It had a really good plot and everything. I was really into it. There were supposed to be about 13 episodes, but Splashkat only finished 8 and now his website is gone. Do a google on Final Fighting Fantasy.

[Kizyr]

Yeah, several of my friends have a very high opinion of FF9. Quite legitimate, too.

That really seems to be the one that people either love or hate. Me, I never played anything besides FF1, FF7, and FFT. KF

[ilovemyguitar]

I honestly have only REALLY enjoyed a few games in the series. VI was an awesome game, and is one of the few non-Lunar games that I can say I really LOVE. III and V are fun, because I love the Job System, but both have boring stories. VII had an alright story, but I didn't like the Materia system. I only played the start of IX, and I liked what I played, but I didn't get far enough to form a full opinion on it. The rest of the games in the series ranged from average to worse in my eyes.

VIII, in particular, frustrated me. It seemed so cool at the start of it, but that damn Draw System was ridiculous, and the story was so idiotic I just gave up somewhere in the middle of disk 3. And no, I don't think it's a good game that just doesn't measure up to the rest of the series, because I don't really hold the rest of the series in extremely high regard anyway. I really think Final Fantasy VIII was a poorly designed, poorly written game that was successful because of its impressive, flashy graphics, and because of the popularity of the Final Fantasy franchise.

[scaryice]

The FF8 draw system definitely was awful. I liked the story. The main villain was pretty lame though.

[Alunissage]

Eh, I liked what I saw of the draw system...my (former) housemate played up to somewhere in disc 3 (Esthar?), and I watched about half of that. FFVIII remains the one I look most forward to playing, though I'm not sure why. Probably because of the card game. ^^

[ilovemyguitar]

Well, Alun, whenever you do get around to it, I hope you enjoy it more than I did. I will admit that the card game was a rather interesting diversion, but it just wasn't enough for me.

[DaWrestla]

Meh, I liked the story (and apprecaited that it was easier to understand than FF7's), *eventually* liked the draw system, and thought the final boss of the game was probably the hardest boss in any FF game except for Zeromus (FF4)

[Angelalex242]

Ya can't beat Zeromus as final bosses go.

He is the Hatred!

But whyfor you hate FF9?

It's NICE having a hero that doesn't angst and go woe is me all day long.

[localflick]

FFVIII remains the one I look most forward to playing, though I'm not sure why.

Of the people I know that have played FF8, most of them either love or hate it with that passion spoken of earlier in this thread. I'm stuck in the middle, but here's what may make or break it for you. IMO FF8 seemed like a mixed blessing. It was fun, the card game and battle system were unique, the story was decent, and the only US game (as far as I know) to integrate Pocketstation support made it a pretty cool title.

But the socially-challenged Squall wasn't a very charismatic main character. Refining the cards into spells and items was cool too, but it yielded some crazy effects. I was a witness to my friend defeating the end boss using only the item and fight command command because he refined 100 holy wars, and was nearly incincible the whole time.

Moombas seemed like an attempt to create a creature that would be loved and embraced by the FF fanbase like moogles and chocobos, but people didn't seem to care much about them.

Then there's the deus ex machinas here and there from when the plot writers wrote themselves into a corner. "Say, we all grew up together! Isn't that something? I guess we all conveniently blocked it out because the GFs made us forget." Well do Espers make people forget too?

There's also the "level up your characters to 99 before fighting Ifrit" thing. If you have the patience to do so, more power to you. As for FF4, it's awesome, but I'm only about 4 hour into it. I just got it for PSX a little while ago, and am planning to go through the GBA version when it comes out. I can't wait.