Best and worst Final Fantasy?

[icomeanon6]

Anyone who compares and contrasts the Final Fantasy games will notice that a lot has changed over the console generations. What people often disagree on is whether these changes were for the better or worse. So, the question I'm asking here is which Final Fantasy (in the regular series, not spin-offs) you thought was the best, and which one you thought was the worst.

My personal favorite is VII. My main reason is because of the materia system. Not only was Materia brilliantly tied in with the story and setting, it was simply fun to mess around with. It also put less pressure on you to level up your party evenly instead of focusing on your favorites, seeing as the materia leveled up seperately from the characters.

My next reason is that it pioneered the cinematic style that's now synonymous with JRPGs. I also think it handled this style better than a lot of other games. The reason why the cutscenes in VII worked so well was because they were mostly used for short scenes that would be too technically difficult to display in the game engine. A mistake that I think too many games nowadays make is having the cutscenes handle important action scenes or dialogues. VII kept the important stuff (Like the flashbacks in Nibelheim) mostly at the hands of the player, which is part of the reason why it's so much more immersive than a lot of RPGs made today.

I would contrast the successes of VII to what I consider to be the failures of its immediate successor, VIII. While the cinematic nature of VII was impressive but uninvasive, VIII's style was impressive but unbearably invasive to the point where it hardly even felt like a game. The key to good storytelling in a game is interactivity, and that's why VIII is looked down upon by so many. It was more like watching an annoyingly long movie. Also, while VII had truly fun mechanics, VIII's battle system was wrought with repetition and summoning sequences that overstayed their welcome. The whole idea behind summons in earlier FFs was that they were the well-animated trump cards that cost a big chunk of MP. By making the player rely too heavily on them, VIII turned the summons into a cheap irritant.

So, what are your thoughts?

 

[Gymnotide]

I haven't played many.
My favorites are all of the Tactics games, but the few I have played were pretty good too...

Eh, that means the first one... And uh 12.
Crystal Chronicles was okay. It's fun to play it with one character on multi-player mode.

 

[Kid Ryan]

Best Final Fantasy: Final Fantasy XII

Worst Final Fantasy: Final Fantasy X-2.

 

[Fox♠]

The best Final Fantasy is probably VI imo, VI had a delicious storyline, lovable characters, exceptional storyline (A lot of VII is in many ways reminiscent of VI) a great musical score and really nice graphics.

I loved the way you learnt your magic from having an Esper (summon) attached and leveling up. Or how much you could vary your party throughout the game.

I also really liked IX, a real return to form imo.

I think the worse title in the series is either III or XI

 

[thedestinedblade]

Best: For me it's FFV for no other reason than the awesome music. The whole class system wasn't bad either. It's not gonna blow you away with gameplay or storyline, but it still has something the others lack.

Worst: FFX-2. No explanation needed.

 

[Fox♠]

Worst: FFX-2. No explanation needed.

How did I forget that monstrosity?

 

[GunSaberSeraph]

Best: V and VI: Both had great soundtracks and a strong, immerse atmosphere.

Worst: II. It's stat gain system was so annoying that I just lost all will to continue after the first dungeon.

 

[bullet_tpf]

Best Final Fantasy: X, with VII being a lose second

Worst Final Fantasy: We all know it was X-2

 

[Lover's Kite]

I really liked IX and XII, also VII.

X-2.... ew don't remind me. ><

 

[Akeraz]

My favourite was IV, personally.
I never really got into it until recently, but now that I have, I love it. For it's time, the graphics are brilliant and the soundtrack is outstanding. I dunno. It just has that charm about it. I also find that the storyline flows alot better than most final fantasy games, and the storyline is pretty deep.

And yeah, I know you saw it coming, but i absolutely despise FFX-2.
It could have been a much better game, but at the end of the day, all it really was is eye-candy for fanboys. Especially looking at some of the scenes [Like Yuna, Rikku and Paine in the hot springs].

I'm also gonna get this out of the way.
FFVII is terribly overrated. Sure, it's a great game, but it certainly isn't the best in the series.

 

[Fox♠]

I'm also gonna get this out of the way.
FFVII is terribly overrated. Sure, it's a great game, but it certainly isn't the best in the series.

This is pure truth. Final Fantasy VII, like Zelda:OoT is way too over rated, it wasn't the best game of its generation and it is deffinately not one of the best games ever either.

 

[Droknor]

I've been playing since I played the first. I've always liked IV, V, VII, and VIII. I don't like FFII at all. I hated the battle system in 12. X way pretty decent, nice characters, nice music and over world map. Sin was plain out stupid though. IX was ok too.

 

[Archer]

I'm going to make some big claims here...

Best: VI, XII, X-2
Worst: X, I

Yeah, whinge about it all you like. I liked the way X-2 felt and VI was interesting with all of the fluctuating active players.

I (One. Not me...) was flat-out boring and way too open, whereas X was way too linear and the bosses irritated me. This was because they were all immune to status and you needed gimmicks, like Auto-Protect, to minimize the number of characters that seem to die off each turn. It could have been great, though.

 

[Droknor]

I was flat-out and way too open, whereas X was way too linear and the bosses irritated me. This was because they were all immune to status and you needed gimmicks, like Auto-Protect, to minimize the number of characters that seem to die off each turn. It could have been great, though.

I would have to agree with you on the fact that X was too linear, I didn't mind the bosses too much, but the last monster that the monster hunter guy has was too freaking hard.

 

[BHwolfgang]

X-2.... ew don't remind me. ><

Amen.

I'll say my favorite was VII, but like Jackor has said, it wasn't the best.

 

[Dark Hiro]

How did I forget that monstrosity?

Well the human brain does tend to block out truly traumatising events in ones life:laugh:

Anyway contrary to many many people ive met in my life my favorite is actually Final Fantasy 8 , i dont know why i just really connected the story.
I really think if it hadnt come after FF7 it may have been less underated.
Its kind of like the opening band in a concert going after the main event , it just doesnt work.
It was ridiculously easy though ;_;

Least favorite , FFX-2 if SE wanted to bring tidus back to life they should of left him in spira in FFX not try to cash in again.

 

[Rokusasu]

My favourite out of the ones I've played is X. I like the whole garment grid thing in X-2, but everything else was just blegh...

I tried playing VII and I couldn't get into it. I know the basics of the story anyway, even though I've only got up to the part where you go to the World Map for the first time. o_o;

 

[Smarties-chan]

Best:
Final Fantasy IX. I just really liked every aspect of this game. The characters are just so much better than those in VII and VIII, (really, the only actually interesting character in those two games was Cloud) though I admit quite a few of them didn't get enough character development and some were downright annoying. (I'm looking at you, Eiko) Another thing that I really liked about the game was the ability system and the strict classes for each character. In far too many FF games the only difference between characters is their limit break(s) and/or special command and some differences in stats and equipment, (which can usually be remedied by equipping the right materia/esper or changing your direction on the sphere grid in FF X) but in IX, each character is different and most of them equally useful. I could keep on going about this for much longer, but I'll leave it here.

Honorary mentions go to FF IV, V and VI.

Worst:
I'd have to say FF XII. I tried to enjoy this game, I really did, but I didn't even get halfway through before getting bored of it. The characters are bland, the story is uninteresting and hard to follow because of the huge areas you have to cross to reach the next story point so that you've already forgotten what's going on by the time you get to the next scene and the only fun thing about the game is grinding for LP, which gets boring after a couple of hours. I just do not like this game one bit. Maybe I would if I had played it all the way through, but it's so horribly slow paced I'd probably snap the disc in half before completing it. What I've played of FF XII has been a thoroughly frustrating experience. I'd rather continue FF III on the DS than complete this game, and that's saying a lot.

Also, though far from horrible, FF VII is overrated. It is in no way revolutionary, nor is it the best RPG or even the best RPG on the PSX. It most definitely did have its moments and had some really great boss battles, but I can't understand why people think it's so great. Late disc 2 and disc 3 are just garbage.

Oh, and FF X is not as good as people say it is, either. The game just collapsed when it began revolving completely around Tidus and Yuna. There were barely any meaningful interactions between anyone else later in the game. That, and there were just 3 or 4 good tracks in the whole freakin' soundtrack. Need I remind you that the ending sucked as well? It could have been good, but it was just executed horribly.

That said, FF X-2 isn't nearly as bad as it's made out to be. Of course it has its downsides, (and a lot of them) but the battle system is among the best in the series and didn't suck, unlike the one in FF III. I haven't completed the game yet, but I haven't had this much fun level (AP) grinding since I completed TWEWY and coming from me, that means a lot. FF X-2 might be a steaming pile of fanservice, but at least it's a steaming pile of fanservice with fun combat.

 

[Dark Hiro]

I'd have to say FF XII. I tried to enjoy this game, I really did, but I didn't even get halfway through before getting bored of it. The characters are bland, the story is uninteresting and hard to follow because of the huge areas you have to cross to reach the next story point so that you've already forgotten what's going on by the time you get to the next scene and the only fun thing about the game is grinding for LP, which gets boring after a couple of hours. I just do not like this game one bit. Maybe I would if I had played it all the way through, but it's so horribly slow paced I'd probably snap the disc in half before completing it. What I've played of FF XII has been a thoroughly frustrating experience. I'd rather continue FF III on the DS than complete this game, and that's saying a lot.

I dunno i think theres far worse then FFXII , it really took final fantasy in a different direction not only just in terms of the battle system but of the grand scope of the plot as well. Theres a war raging and there isnt time for love or needless romantic subplot.
Granted i havent finished the game yet (when i play rpg's i often take long breaks in between long bouts of playing , im currently on a 4 month break from ff12 :P).
Imo its one of the few Final Fantasys that was truly revolutionary.

Also, though far from horrible, FF VII is overrated. It is in no way revolutionary, nor is it the best RPG or even the best RPG on the PSX. It most definitely did have its moments and had some really great boss battles, but I can't understand why people think it's so great. Late disc 2 and disc 3 are just garbage.

I completely agree with you on this point. The only reason i can think of that people claim its the best rpg evaaaar is because it was probably there first rpg. It really didnt introduce many people to the genre and it probably brings back nostalgia moments of them. But none the less FF7 is the halo of RPG's to me , was it fun? yeah it just wasnt amazing , it did nothing that wasnt done or thought of before.
Not to mention its compilation is a load of crap. , im staring at you advent children making me wait years and years only to download you the second you showed up on torrents and find out your a load of crap.

 

[galford3427]

I would say the best for me was FF VI, it had great characters and an awesome story. Kefka was probably the best villian next to Sephiroth. I mean just hearing Kefkas laugh made you feel like, ok whats happening next. Plus I liked that after the world was destroyed you didnt have to find all the characters if you didnt want to. So if you didnt want Strago at the end you didnt have to find him.

I also liked that it gave you the option of getting Umaru and GoGo, and the parts of the game to pick which group you want people to be in, so it really gave the player a lot of options.

The worst is hard to say, I would say the worst was Mystic Quest, even though it doesnt follow the direct FF game line. I mean I liked Mystic Quest but it wasnt what you look for in a FF game.