Best Final Fantasy Game Ever?

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: troytime
FFIII was my major addiction
I own 2 replica gunblades
I even named my child after Rinoa

FF1 on NES was a great game too, as was FFII

Yikes! seek help

anyhoo, it will always be FF2 (US). I guess i was young enough when it came out to not feel too ashamed about shirking friends, sleep, and other biological necessities when playing this straight for 2 weeks over X-mas break. It started everything about the FF 'world' that it is today...and whether or not it is as fun to play today; i can't imagine it not being considered the best one.

I liked 3...but the story was always lame to me. very lame...

I think the people that hate 7 hate it because they just don't want to admit how good it was. First year in college...and my secret shame of playing video games was exposed, hehe. ONly thing is...all of my pals (the jocks and rednecks, even) got addicted to it as well. Damn good game. So, I go 2, 7, 3, and maybe 9 (b/c it brings everything back to the original midevil-type settings). 8 was utter garbage.

Not sure when or if i'll get 12...didn't like the battle system in the demo one bit...and really don't need another FF to further influence my current antisocialism

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Jinru

Originally posted by: Atheus
FFVII, no competition.

Very few games can make you feel like the game world really matters, really exists in some way, other than as 1s and 0s. I think it has something to do with the fact that the art and graphics are excellent, but simple, and leave plenty of room for your imagination. There is no attempt to make the characters and environments realistic in any way, so you never say to yourself 'that's crap, it's not real' because you know it's not supposed to be real - it's final fantasy. And there is no voice acting, so there is no bad voice acting, the characters just sound like you think they should in your own mind.

The bit leading up to the death of ***** is a good example - you are amazed by the abandoned 'promised land', but creeped out by it's ominous music, then you are shocked by the appearance of *********, and saddened when the cut scene begins. You really care about the characters, you find yourself thinking, 'damn, ***** is gonna be so cut up by this, what are we gonna do now?... and all this is achieved with a couple of 20-polygon models and a single piano... now that's suspension of disbelief.

wow, wonderfully written. I think we all felt that moment of sadness when ****** had a Masamune go right through her.

i think this explains quite well why 7 should be considered superior...(c'mon, all you fans of 3; at least admit that the story is garbage...of course, all FF are poorly written; but that's a diff argument)

I think much of the impact of 7 came from it being on a new system, format...and thus largely improved graphics/presentation. I remember coming back to my dormroom after picking it up, popping it into the PS (which I bought 1 week before solely b/c of FF7), and being utterly blown away from the opening sequence on. Most have to rem it went ff3, then ff7 (US, in terms of the highest tech in the series). comparing the presentation of the 2 is no contest. I must have stayed up all night; the next morning princess Di was killed...but I didn't care. I was now tracking down Sephiroth!

Again, graphics aren't as great as 8-10, but from 1-6, the presentational improvement at 7 was far greater than from any other installment in the series. I think this had the greatest impact on it's reception.

(by the way...i don't mean to compare the release of FF7 and the death of Princes Di as major cultural events...that memory just somehow popped into my head)

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: StevenYoo
has everyone here actually played all the FF's?

I've played them all except FF3 (the one coming out for DS soon) and FF12 (which is coming out soon) and I can easily say that FF6 is the most besterest!

I played all the Japanese games after I got an emulator. Pretty fun, especially 5 even though the graphics are a step back from 4.
Did not play the online FF and dont care to.
Other than that I've played them all and honestly, just because of quality of gameplay I prefer number 1. And I liked them all progressively less as they went on. American 2 and 3 were great. Playstation 7 was good but despite the 3D world and video clips, it seemed like it lost something in gameplay. 8 was kind of a pain and eventually I got irritated about the time I was on Disc 3.
Didnt play 9 until recently but it helped renewe my appreciation for the series a little.

X and X-2 seem to be more like interactive movies than anything else. Similar to 8 they have too much story and not enough actual game.
No interest in 11 because I hate online games and I dont want to hate FF any more.

- IMPORTANT INFO -
Also, in response to some peoples concerns the PC version of FF7 has a bunch of user mods. One of them ups the resolution to either 1280x960 or 1280x1024. Another replaces the models and textures of the in-battle characters to the higher quality ones used in the videos and some of the 3D cutscenes.

I have also heard rumors they will re-release it on PS2 or PS3 with enhanced graphics, but I dont keep my ear very close to the rumor mill on console games so I have no idea for sure.

 

[imported_shader]

i never got to play any of the japanese only releases when they came out, but i played all of the american ones when they came out 1,2(us),3(us),7,8 then i stopped playing (but i've watched others play 9 and 10).

7 is not only the best ff game, but the best video game evar!!!

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: shader
i never got to play any of the japanese only releases when they came out, but i played all of the american ones when they came out 1,2(us),3(us),7,8 then i stopped playing (but i've watched others play 9 and 10).

7 is not only the best ff game, but the best video game evar!!!

no no. best video game ever: excitebike. hands down. no contest.

>excitebike.

 

[Shadowknight]

I've played 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, Legend of Mana, Crystal Chronicles, and the Gameboy FF: Legend part 1 and 2 (have 3, never played it). The first one is my favorite. Really. For the record, I think there is a good game in eight... the problem was, having to use the draw system for magic, having to use the draw system on random bosses to get the GF, upgrading your weapons, and having your stats linked to your magic, which screwed you if you ever actually cast a spell, sucked. The story, characters, etc. were fine, they just screwed up the combat badly. I found 5 and 9 to be forgettable. Legends were good, particuarly the first one. While six is superior, I hold four above it as a personal favorite.

 

[Aikouka]

Oops, hitting the wrong reply button

Well, I don't understand how people can really enjoy Final Fantasy VII. The story itself had so many holes in it, it made swiss cheese look complete! The story was reminiscent of Shin Seiki Evangelion where they really didn't give you much and you finished going, "Now what ... just happened here!?" If I wanted that, I'd just watch Evangelion. The rest of it was alright, although Materia was a bit different.

Final Fantasy VI was by far the best out of them. The game has the best music, combined with great characters and a decent story that ends.

 

[marulee]

Originally posted by: makoto00
final fantasy 3 us (6 jp) wins hands down. 10 was amazingly good for it's story as well. 7 wasn't bad. i think alot of people will play 12 and 3 (the real 3) when they come out.

Yeah!

 

[VIAN]

FF VII.

 

[Kreon]

Definately VII for me, but I really like tactics too

Haven't played either in a while, since my PS2 decided to die

 

[PsharkJF]

Originally posted by: pontifex
FF1

vote++

 

[Dacalo]

FF2 (US) or FF4 (JP). The game was so enchanting when I first played it on SNES. The music score and the characters were pretty good. This one gets my vote.

FF3 (US) FF6(JP) was very good too, but it didn't have the magic like FF2.

FF VII was very enjoyable as well, and my last FF I have played.

 

[skace]

FF6 followed closely by FF4.

 

[JBT]

FF2 was my favorite. After III and then 7.

 

[Saint Nick]

FF VII

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

FFS FFXIII FTW FWIW

 

[Zap Brannigan]

Originally posted by: pontifex
FF1

That game was a blast way back when!

 

[igowerf]

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: Jinru

Originally posted by: Atheus
FFVII, no competition.

Very few games can make you feel like the game world really matters, really exists in some way, other than as 1s and 0s. I think it has something to do with the fact that the art and graphics are excellent, but simple, and leave plenty of room for your imagination. There is no attempt to make the characters and environments realistic in any way, so you never say to yourself 'that's crap, it's not real' because you know it's not supposed to be real - it's final fantasy. And there is no voice acting, so there is no bad voice acting, the characters just sound like you think they should in your own mind.

The bit leading up to the death of ***** is a good example - you are amazed by the abandoned 'promised land', but creeped out by it's ominous music, then you are shocked by the appearance of *********, and saddened when the cut scene begins. You really care about the characters, you find yourself thinking, 'damn, ***** is gonna be so cut up by this, what are we gonna do now?... and all this is achieved with a couple of 20-polygon models and a single piano... now that's suspension of disbelief.

wow, wonderfully written. I think we all felt that moment of sadness when ****** had a Masamune go right through her.

i think this explains quite well why 7 should be considered superior...(c'mon, all you fans of 3; at least admit that the story is garbage...of course, all FF are poorly written; but that's a diff argument)

I think much of the impact of 7 came from it being on a new system, format...and thus largely improved graphics/presentation. I remember coming back to my dormroom after picking it up, popping it into the PS (which I bought 1 week before solely b/c of FF7), and being utterly blown away from the opening sequence on. Most have to rem it went ff3, then ff7 (US, in terms of the highest tech in the series). comparing the presentation of the 2 is no contest. I must have stayed up all night; the next morning princess Di was killed...but I didn't care. I was now tracking down Sephiroth!

Again, graphics aren't as great as 8-10, but from 1-6, the presentational improvement at 7 was far greater than from any other installment in the series. I think this had the greatest impact on it's reception.

(by the way...i don't mean to compare the release of FF7 and the death of Princes Di as major cultural events...that memory just somehow popped into my head)

FF4 and FF6 both have far more equally (if not more) devastating events occur in the plot. I think *****'s death hit harder just because it was done in CG. However, the world in FF6 felt more real to me just because I had to fill in so much with my own imagination. It's like reading a book vs. watching a movie.

 

[Aikouka]

Yeah, I don't think people consider the scenes from FFVI like when Cyan was fighting Kefka's soldiers outside Damcyan Castle and then he suddenly realizes that the water is poisoned. He rushes inside to the great soundtrack (I forget which song it is off the top of my head, but I can "hear" it) to find both his wife and daughter dead along with pretty much everyone else.

It is possible to go through the entire game and ignore things like this. Ignore the character's attitudes such as how Cyan never really forgives himself for letting his family die and visits the Phantom Train (Phoenix Down ftw) in an attempt to stop it.

You also get the sometimes caustic interactions between Edgar and Sabin, the brothers of ... oh jeez, I forgot the castle's name. Edgar being the womanizing but good-intentioned king where Sabin never aimed for anything such as that.

These all being part of the sidestory when it comes to learning about who some of the characters are, especially Tera. Oh and we all know that General Leo was the man . Although he was your typical military hero with strict allegiance, but would break them if he felt his path were led terribly astray.

And how can you forget the awesome SPD'ized laugh that Kefka had.... I can't even think of a way to onomatopeia-ize it .

Also, Final Fantasy VI, like I mentioned, actually ENDED. You weren't left off; you weren't diverted down a path only to be brought back to the main road where you were left wondering what was further ahead on that path. The game also had tons of little secrets that you could do (that everyone knows now). Such as using the cursed shield for 255 (if I remember right) consecutive fights will break the curse. Going to the Battle House and getting Illumina. Getting all of Gau's mob techniques. Getting all of Mog's dances. Defeating the guy at the top of the Fanatic's Tower. It's amusing because unless you read or heard otherwise, I think everyone dies to him at least once unless you magically knew to use Celes' Magitek to absorb the powerful Ultima cast at the end ( or cast Life 3 on someone ).

Okay, I'm done babbling on!

 

[mc866]

Hands down VI, it?s the only FF that keeps me coming back. The storyline and the characters make that game special. I think the whole series is great but VI stands out in my mind as the best.

 

[skace]

Awesome post Aikouka

 

[imported_Ivan244]

FF8 and Tatics.

FFVII was awesome but I have a *major* gripe about it. I spent over 100hrs on that game trying to stat max to take on Emerald and Ruby weapon. I level up Knights of the Round materia etc...

Do all that work, beat the game and sit back waiting to enjoy a fantastic ending that will be long and beautiful an.... WHAT?! That's it?! All I really get is watching RedXIII running around with some grandpups? What a major ripoff :|

Yes I've watched FF Advent Children and it was great but I shouldn't have had to wait 10 years to get the ending that I should have gotten way back when.

Now look at FF8. Yes, you have to get over the draw system. And the fact that, although Shiva looks fantastic, I would really like to skip the animation the 1,000th time I've seen it. And the main sticky point that Squall is a major punk that I wanted to beat with a cattle prod.

FF8 understood how to end a game. That is one FANTASTIC ending of a game. Showed all the major characters and was just a joy to watch. That's the way you end a game that takes 100 hrs to complete when you are stat maxing. One of the best game endings I've personally exp.

FF Tatics I really enjoyed. The whole story plot about love and betrayal I thought was good. Plus some of those battles were really tough! And the fact that you could capture monsters and have them fight for you was a nice touch.

 

[zinfamous]

again...i was really young at the time and such things have no real effect on me anymore, but when what's her face, the summoner chick (rydia?), returns in ff2 and single-handedly wipes out golbez and his baddies...that was the biggest rush from a plot point that i got in any of those games. it will always be the best one. cecil was still pretty flat character-wise, but the first truly dynamic character development of rpgs in those days. i believe phantasy star had some of that...but i wouldn't know b/c only losers play sega (hehe, jk).

ff3 was fun...but again, the newness and originality of 2 when it came out was tough to follow. and by the time ff3 was released, video game interpretations of "plot" didn't really have an impact on me anymore (i had already gotten out of the comic book/super hero phase of my life, i suppose).

(you must remember, when these games were released...there were no emulators; so it will always be ff3. the japanese games/ports confuse the piss out of me. i think they re-released them on the ps1 as anthologies or something, and then maintained the japanese numbers? whatever. ff2 and ff3 remain ff2 and ff3 b/c that's how it was originally in the US. sue me)

i've played some of the emulated non-us release ones...but yeah; too old to get into them i suppose.

 

[josh6079]

Why do threads like these not have poles?

 

[jman19]

Originally posted by: josh6079
Why do threads like these not have poles?

An even better question is why threads like these don't have polls.