Special Note: Please be aware of the Japanese only NES FF’s, which were the original 2 and 3. I have used the Japanese numbering.
I have not included a “I hate Final Fantasy” choice because I’m really looking more for those who at least like a game in the series. I am the first to admit that they are not all fantastic, but I don’t like eliminating all of them.
I’ve included what I believe are the most relevant and core games. Also, I have played all of them except FFTactics Advance, though it is in the list to choose.
Me? I think Final Fantasy VI is far and away the best. I mean, it might be one of the greatest games of all time.
Edit: I also dropped XI and Mystic Quest. I guess I just don’t think they count.
I gave my vote to 6. It was just so revolutionary for its time, and really brought a lot of gamers into RPGs. It was a great use of the SNES and covered topics that really pressed on Nintendo’s censorship policies at the time (teen pregnancy, suicide) and it brought plot to a whole new level.
That being said, though I think 6 is the best, 12 is my favourite. As I’ve said before on these boards, I’m an Ivalice whore.
Wow, I’m surprised at the early support for FFVI. Not that I think it doesn’t deserve it; I voted for it myself, after all. But usually people say VII.
FF6 was my first plunge into the Final Fantasy series after reading about all the other US released in Nintendo Power and worried they were too complex for me to handle. I was blown away and became immersed in spite of the poor character development. It was my love of FF6 that got me so hyped about FF7.
Nah, I fully expect VI to win this (I did a similar poll myself a few months ago, and I believe that was the outcome). I’ve noticed on game boards recently that it’s quite common to point to one of the pre-PSX FFs as the best (almost always IV or VI) and VII has suffered some backlash, with many people saying it receives too much attention compared to the other games and has tons of annoying fanboys. This is quite true. But the funny thing is, in my eyes VII is actually good enough to allow me to ignore those aspects. It’s simultaneously one of the most overrated and one of the best games of all time.
I usually vote either VII or X in these polls, but since I’m playing through VII again right now, VII takes it.
FFX (again, these two are basically tied at the top)
FF6
FF8
FF9
FFX-2
FF12
FF4
FF tactics advance
Mahaloth (or anyone else), what was the first FF you played? Mine was 7, and I think that may be part of the reason it’s one of my favorites. Final Fantasy was never really on my radar in its NES and SNES era, and I think I was a little young for it then anyway. So I’m part of the huge wave of fans who were brought in by 7, irritating all the people who liked it before it was cool
Oh my god, you make me feel so old. My first was the original FF1. Interestingly, despite FF now being perhaps my favorite series of all time, I didn’t really like that game.
It’s funny that you’d say this, because I thought 12 had arse for gameplay, but I thought the plot was a great departure from the usual super-powered soldier/sorceror/demigod/WTFEver trying to destroy the world that they’ve been doing in every FF game since, like 5.
I’ve played every Final Fantasy (though not every version and not all the spin-offs). I started with 1, played 4 and 6. I eagerly anticipated and enjoyed 7, and even 8. I loved 9 and 10 and 12. I even liked 11, despite never being able to get going on it (it’s an utter failure as an MMO and is largely help up by the interesting quests and FF-related concepts).
SO when i say that 6 was the best, I mean it. The series never even came close to again reaching the depths of humor, love, and character put into that work. Yes, 7 was good and had better graphics. Yay (that was sarcasm). But its characters were vastly shallower. 6, despite having a huge cast, really brought every one fo them to life while having a sensible and plot and a fantastic villain. Meanwhile, villains are actually the FF series as a whole’s big weakness. Sephiroth was largely unexplained (which is why it took another two or three releases to actually understand him) and was quite random. Most FF’s have a final archenemy which comes almost out of nowhere or at least has virtually no character to them (think about 4, 8, and 9 particularly). WIth 6, however, Kefka was righrt there in the mix with your guys messing your face up from the very beginning, and the battle back and forth between the two sides was intense and personal.
FF7 (It was the game that convinced me to get a PS)
FF8 (I loved this game but it looks much worse than 7 on a modern TV)
FF10 (I liked the combat and the grid system was interesting. I liked Blitzball)
FF9 (I found the game ridiculously easy and the end was pathetic IMO)
FF12 (It looks terrible on my TV even with component cables. I like the gambit system but it feel too much like an MMORPG without the people. I didn’t give it a fair chance though.)
FF1
Can we throw in Lost Odyssey there? It feels just like a FF game to me. I’d rank it alongside FF8.
I’ve a feeling I would enjoy FF6 if I could find a reasonably-priced copy of it somewhere. Why isn’t it on the PSN?
This sums it up for me, as well. Perfectly said. I believe the creator of the series lists it as his favorite as well. They were in the zone on that one.
I can’t throw Tactics in with the main series. I’ve only played the original, the Advance ones don’t interest me because I was in it for the plot, setting and characters, not the gameplay. I love how they take a pacifist - Al-Cid - and throw him in as a bonus character in FFTA2. Niiiiiice.
Also, I wouldn’t trust my opinion of V. All I remember is crossdressing, Gilgamesh and fighting a damn tree. A tree.
Shadow can die in FF6 if you don’t wait for him on the floating continent (well, maybe it doesn’t explicitly say he dies, but he doesn’t come back). And even if you do, it’s somewhat implied that he dies in the ending anyway (debatable though).
