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Author Topic: the Final Fantasy series  (Read 29236 times)

ScrambledGregs

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the Final Fantasy series
« on: 22 Feb 2007, 18:07 »

As seen in various threads, we all have varying views on the legendary, beloved FF series. Share your's now!!

FFI- I actually played through the PS1 remake with a friend when it came out. It helped me that we did it together and used a guide, because this is a very easy game to lose motivation on in my book. I love starting the game and making a party, but once you get through the first two areas there is virtually no plot or character development to speak of. And while that's not necessarily going to sell me on an RPG, FFI isn't exactly a MMORPG where you expect no story. Still, it provides a hell of a lot of the foundation for the rest of the series. Moreover, at the time it was a pretty revolutionary game and helped begin the establishment of the console RPG genre along with Dragon Warrior. 7 out of 10.

FFII- I tried playing through the PS1 remake, but even with a guide I couldn't go on. FFII is shockingly experimental even today, doing entirely away with any kind of experience system to build up skills or stats. Rather, it's all about use. Unfortunately, do to the way this idea is implemented, you will either spend an inordinate amount of time using the same spells over and over, not to mention beating the piss out of your own guys, OR you'll spend an inordinate amount of time exploiting the game's bugs to get a super party that can breeze through the game. Combine this with the fact that the game loves to use the boss of the dungeon you were just in as a random encounter for the next dungeon and you've got an unrewarding and increasingly difficult game to play. However, FFII added an actual plot and characters, alongside such series staples as chocobos and guest characters, so it sort of evens out. The game isn't horrible by any means, but neither the story nor gameplay are what I like. 5 out of 10.

FFIII- Most of us will never know what this game was originally like, since it didn't come on "official" form to the U.S. until it was remade for the DS and released here last fall. Be that as it may, even without the graphical overhaul, added backstory for characters, and (maybe) extra content, it's easy to see FFIII as another fundamental experiment and evolution in the FF series. Best known for introducing the Job system, albeit in a much simpler form than what we know from FFV and onward, FFIII was also the first to introduce a "second world" to adventure through (many would credit FFIV and the moon therein, but FFIII has you flying off the known world map, and later, entering the Dark World). I quite enjoyed the FFIII DS and it's definitely the best 'standard' console RPG for the system. 7 out of 10.

FFIV- I have to confess to playing precious little of this game, mainly because I think it's almost straightforward to a fault. I realize this is the favorite FF of many, but I've never been able to get into it. It's clearly a great game that did a lot for the series, such as introducing the ATB system, but I can't get into it. It doesn't interest me. The plot is OK, the characters are cool, but beyond that, it just feels limited gameplay-wise. Characters have classes/special skills like my beloved FFIV, but it's not enough without something else to fool with, such as Jobs, Espers, Materia, Sphere Grid, etc. Maybe that's holding everything that came after it against it, but it's not like I can help it. I don't listen to very much 50s music because everything that came after is far more interesting to me, even if I have to acknowledge the progression. 6 out of 10.

FFV- Whereas the first three games in the series felt like Square was throwing everything at a wall and seeing what stuck, and FFIV felt like the first tentative steps into 16 bit RPGs, FFV was a confident stride that swept up everything the developers had learned. I've only ever played a few hours into the game simply because I've never gotten around to, you know, paying money for it, but it essentially takes the gameplay system of FFIII and says "more!" while keeping the memorable characters/story and tightness of FFIV. FFV is actually the most popular entry in the series in Japan because of those two facets. Also, Moogles!! 8 out of 10.

FFVI- I can't rationally explain my love for this game. It's great and still one of my favorite RPGs ever. Great gameplay, great characters, great music, great plot, etc. The only complaint I have is that it sees the series on the direction of having incomprehensible plots and mostly interchangeable characters for the next two entries. Oh and I hate the part where you have to use Relm and Strago. 10 out of 10.

FFVII- FF goes 3D, gets cut scenes, gains a whole new generation of fans, and divides a fanbase forevermore. My thoughts on FF are mixed at best. Anyone can tell you that the game looks horribly dated today; I'll take hand drawn sprites over ugly, blocky polygons anyway. Each character may have unique Limit Breaks, but other than that they are essentially interchangeable with the right Materia. What bothers me most is that I've played through most of the game twice but I don't remember the plot, other than struggling to understand what the fuck was going on. I still am not sure: is Cloud a clone or the real thing?? Anyway, love it or hate it, FFVII is a huge turning point in the series and helped popularize the RPG genre so that we got to see games translated and released here that we may never have seen otherwise. 6 out of 10.

FFVIII- Thinking about this game sets off a circuit of frustration and anger in my brain. So much seems dreadfully wrong about this game, so needlessly complex, and absurdly confusing. The Junction system baffles me to this day. I don't get the whole "bosses level up as you do" thing. I don't care about the characters and even though they look better than FFVII, going the realistic route was a bad idea because technology has advanced to the point that the characters in FFVIII look like Barbies with super long legs. I didn't so much mind the scifi aspect of FFVII, but the modernism of FFVIII hurts my head. Like FFII, it'll always be an experiment--that is to say, a failed experiment--in my mind. 3 out of 10.

FFIX- FFIX gets so much right while providing a fun level of fan service to series classicists' like myself that I wonder why I never beat it. The problem lies in the fact that, like the last 2.5 installments, FFIX goes with the "needlessly complicated and confusing" story that sucks all enjoyment out of it for me. Why can't Vivi just be a black mage?? Why does he have to be a robot clone dream or whatever?? The gameplay is spot on, and I liked that they went back to having unique characters with unique skill sets, but if only they had toned down the plot a bit. Ah well. 8 out of 10.

FFX- Another console generation, another FF. I love everything about this game except for the way the last handful of bosses get absurdly difficult. I tried for something like two days to beat the game before irrevocably fucking up my sphere grids trying to build the right strategy for the last string of bosses. Other than that, I loved the characters, gameplay, graphics, and story. The latter did begin to approach "scifi/fantasy headfuck psychosis" shit toward the end, but it made more sense to me than the last three FF's. I can't really think of much more to say other than Lulu is hawt. 9 out of 10.

FFXI- I like to pretend this game isn't real. Or at the very least, not a numbered FF. What were they thinking?! n/a out of 10.

FFXII- Shit hot!! Obviously, my favorite FF since VI. I can't complain about a single thing in this game; it's like a dream come true: a FF game that experiments heavily with the series formula but succeeds amazingly. Remember how fucking bad ass RE4 was, and how it was as much like the other RE games as it wasn't?? That's what FFXII is like. This game is huge and you just want more and more as it goes. 10 out 10.
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Storm Rider

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #1 on: 22 Feb 2007, 18:25 »

I've stated before, 6 is the best Final Fantasy in the series. Easily in terms of storytelling and perhaps gameplay as well. I've never found a game with a story so emotionally affecting or characters so well fleshed-out. I'm playing through the GBA port right now, in fact. I'm on the Floating Continent.

I dunno if I'd bother ranking the Final Fantasies, but I can classify them.

Great Final Fantasies: 4, 6, 12

Good Final Fantasies: 1, 5, 7, 10

Bad Final Fantasies: 2, 8

N/A: 3 (barely played it), 9 (never played it), 10-2 (never played it), 11 (who the fuck cares, seriously?)

Also, anybody else not really like Tactics very much?
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Dimmukane

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #2 on: 22 Feb 2007, 20:50 »

not being a huge fan of turn-based rpgs, i've only played a few...

Mystic Quest - short, easy, last boss could be killed with two properly applied pheonix downs.  got it for like 5 dollars, it entertained me for a bit

FF3/6 - didn't get far enough in it to really say anything.  I did like the first couple of hours, I wish I had more time to go back and actually play it.

FF 7 - beat most of it, got bored of random battles, already knew the story anyways.  was kinda fun.
FF 8 - played through the first 15 hours or so, got bored of it.
ff tactics - played a few battles, hated that that was all their really was (I like that style rpg, but i didn't like the way square chose to do it)
ff x - got to the last seymour, stopped playing
ffxii - got stuck against my will, got sidetracked by other games that I like a bit more, but it's actually my favorite out of them all so far.

Anyone notice how in most japanese rpgs there is one point where the difficulty suddenly ramps up tremendously unless you've been grinding (which is not something i like to do in those kinds of games)?  in ffx, it was the last seymour, in ffxii, i fucked myself by starting a hunt that's way too hard and directly in the way of where I have to go, in ff7, it was the demon wall, but i got around it.  Star Ocean, it was the moonbase/styx (not turn-based, but still)
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Madness Hero

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #3 on: 22 Feb 2007, 21:53 »

I agreed with you until you got to the Playstation Final Fantasy sequels.  FFVII deserves at least an 8/10 because it has a great story and the materia system, which is my favorite ability augmenting system in the series.  I felt the FFVIII was severely under-rated, and was a big experiment with it's character modeling and ability system (7/10).  I ABSOLUTELY HATED FFIX!  The story was predictable, and the only characters with any character were ViVi and Steiner.  And DEATH TO QUINA!  Quina on his/her own reduces the games score by one point (2/10).

I agree with you about FFX, and FFXI isn't a real FF game.  But I had the same problem with FFXII that I had with FFIX.  I thought that the plot was bland and predictable, and few characters seemed to have character.  I will give it extra points for changing the typical battle system, but I didn't like the license board.  While it's a novel idea, I don't think it can be done well.  The character models look great though (7/10)
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ScrambledGregs

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #4 on: 23 Feb 2007, 08:31 »

I forgot about spinoffs.

FF Mystic Quest- If I recall correctly, this was developed entirely in the U.S. and released in Japan as "Final Fantasy USA." Quite possible the most dumbed down and easy RPG ever made, but that was the point. It's not really worth discussing. It is what it is. I had a friend back in middle school who hated RPGs, but his grandparents for him this game because they were told games like this would help get him into reading and make him more intellectual. Something like that. n/a out of 10.

FF Tactics- Combine the Job system fleshed out in FFV with a more or less direct rip-off of the Tactics Ogre gameplay/graphics and you've got probably the most popular spinoff in the series' history. I myself think this game would be fantastic if not for its ridiculous length and level grinding. I've had this game for around 7 years but I've never gotten close to beating it, despite having a strategy guide. I'm very finicky about my strategy RPGs and this game always struck me as merely "good." 7 out of 10.

FF Tactics Advance- The saddest part of this game is the way it took the FF Tactics system, added more jobs, races, the Clan system, the Hunt system, and changed Job building from sheer Job points to being FFIX style building based off of what items you had equipped...and somehow dumbed it all down and made it really easy. I rarely complain about how I think a game is too easy, but here we are. Yet it's a frustrating easiness, because once you get deep into the Clan system, you end up spending too much time fending off other Clans or re-taking capture territory. Also, the Judgement system is a HUGE pain in the ass and I would enjoy the game far more without it. 6 out of 10.

FFX-2- I've never played this game, and never will. n/a out of 10.
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Jackie Blue

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #5 on: 23 Feb 2007, 09:05 »

Don't be a snob.  FFX-2 is actually very fun.  At least give it a chance, just saying "I've never played it and I never will" is ridiculous.  People mock it for the fanservice angle or whatever and totally miss the fact that it is still a damn fine RPG.
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JJMitchell

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #6 on: 23 Feb 2007, 09:15 »

I couldn't stand FFX-2.  Still though, you might give it a try.
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Spinless

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #7 on: 23 Feb 2007, 09:52 »

The plot of X was less confusing that 7, 8 and 9? I'll admit 7 got a bit crazy.
But the plot of 8 is very straightforward. I'd even go as far as saying that it's the simplest plot in an FF game. Or the ones that have plots anyway.
As for 9, it started out really simple, it eased you in slowly. So slowly that it shouldn't have overwhelmed you at any point in the game unless you weren't following it. Although that last boss did come out of nowhere...
I still don't get the hating on FF8.
You'll have to do more explaining.
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Ozymandias

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #8 on: 23 Feb 2007, 10:23 »

FF8 sucks for the following:

1) The plot is a mindnumbingly stupid series of coincedences.

2) The battles require little to no planning or strategy(Lionheart! Lionheart! Lionheart!)

3) All of the characters by Squall and Rinoa are irrelevant to the plot by the end.

4) All of the characters but Squall are irrelevant in battle.

5) GFs.

6) Squall.
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Jackie Blue

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #9 on: 23 Feb 2007, 10:32 »

I vaguely remember enjoying FF8 at the actual time I played it, but it is the only FF I have never felt the desire to replay and all I remember is some vague stuff like "This town is only two screens big?", "Wait, there are only 3 towns in the entire game?", "Wait, we're going into space?!", "Wait, why is that guy a Wild West gunfighter?!", "Wait, they all grew up together and didn't notice until JUST NOW?!", etc.

Basically the entire game was downhill from the second(?) cutscene, where Quistis comes in looking all "sexy librarian" in that FMV.
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Vanilla Gorilla

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #10 on: 23 Feb 2007, 11:41 »

ive only played 1 of them i dont remember which one, you go on a train and then get a little ninja lookin dude or something...anyone know which one im talking about?
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Madness Hero

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #11 on: 23 Feb 2007, 11:44 »

Has anyone here tried going through FF8 without gaining a level for any character?  It throws much more challenge and strategy in the game.  "Card" is your best friend, and Odin is your enemy.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #12 on: 23 Feb 2007, 12:19 »

 Final Fantasy I - My first time playing it was the re-re-release in the Final Fantasy : Dawn Of Souls compilation. It was great, especially with all of the advancements and the extra dungeons to increase the challenge. Anyone can agree though that it is very basic, but I'll give it a 10/10, out of respect.

 Final Fantasy II - I couldn't play it, since I couldn't get past the weird experience system.

 Final Fantasy III - I have yet to play it, but I have high hopes.

 Final Fantasy IV - Very great. Extremely challenging and with an interesting story. I need to play the new re-releases! 8/10.

 Final Fantasy V - This is the first "Classic" Final Fantasy I played. The job system worked very well and the story and dialogue were grat for a game of the time period. 8/10.

 Final Fantasy VI - Extremely good game. Very engaging and with a cast of interesting characters and a story that did, and still does, stand out in the RPG world. 9/10.

 Final Fantasy VII - This was , like a lot of folks, the first game I played in the series. A beautiful, engaging, and well-crafted story, with highly likeable and diverse characters. The materia system always made combat interesting, and is probably one of the most creative and well-done systems of play in a RPG to date. Definitely deserving of the praise it receives. 10/10.

 Final Fantasy VIII - An interesting game with a lot of good features, but nothing that ranks it as an absolute favorite. The game was fun and many of the systems were enjoyable (it is very rewarding to level up all of your characters, GF's , and weapons to the absolute MAX. Also, the magic system is very deep and cool.) However, the game was a cakewalk, most of the characters started off as interesting, but I lost interest in most of them by endgame. The story also started off interesting, but had sunken into nonsensical shit by the end (I did, however, enjoy the last boss fight, and the ending itself.) 7/10.

 Final Fantasy IX - My favorite in the series. Fantastic characters, a perfect and very satisfying story, fun battle system, and truly epic feel. This game is pretty much my favorite THING ever. I have never understood all of the complaints! (The complaints that I often here are very similar to those that I have with VIII, interestingly.) I adore this game and would long for a sequel if I weren't so absolutely pleased with how it concluded. 10/10.

 Final Fantasy X - I enjoyed it. The battle system felt very new, even though it changed very little. The story was interesting, but nothing special. It, like 8, was not a big challenge to me, however. The only truly difficult thing were the stupidly impossible quests for the items to enhance your weapons. 8/10.

 Final Fantasy XI - Never played it.

 XII - Very refreshing change of pace as far as the series goes. I'm getting tired of this.. maybe I'll write a few more later.
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Ozymandias

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #13 on: 23 Feb 2007, 22:30 »

Basically the entire game was downhill from the second(?) cutscene, where Quistis comes in looking all "sexy librarian" in that FMV.

Srsly. Quistis is the hottest FF character evar.

After the first disc, though, yeah. There's no more game.  There's just a bunch of stupid plot leading up to the last boss which, unfortunately, is 3 discs away.
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Jackie Blue

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #14 on: 24 Feb 2007, 10:30 »

The Dawn of Souls version of FF2 is actually really fun (and a LOT easier).  I've played through it twice.  I can't say the same for FF8.

And wait, FF4 is "extremely challenging"?!  The last dungeon is somewhat tough, but everything before that is very, very easy, even the original "hardtype".  I had much more trouble the first time through FF5, though I have no idea why, since when I went back and played FF5 Advance I found it to be even easier than FF4, and I didn't do any power-leveling until the last dungeon (which is my favorite last dungeon in any FF ever).

FF7 is weird.  I'd played 1, 4 and 6 all when they came out, so obviously I was immediately blown away by ZOMG MOVIES and the futuristic setting.  Then, for several years, any time I tried to replay it I got bored somewhere around the part where you get Cid, where you're basically just playing "follow the trail of dead bodies" all across the world.  I'd say the first third or so of the game is very good, the middle is pretty blah, and the last third is great fun.

Also, Yuffie ftw.
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doki

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #15 on: 24 Feb 2007, 15:34 »

there was a while ago, some website trying to put together a paperbased FF game, rules and all that, it looked like fun.

I actually liked 8.  To me it seems more like an experiment than a game, testing cool concepts that may have been implimented in future games if they had have worked.  I'll admit the story was hock, and the final boss was a rip, but the ideas were there.

also, the boss leveling thing?  i think that the thinking behind that was that any character could do anything in battle.  it just didnt work is all
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ackblom12

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #16 on: 25 Feb 2007, 18:41 »

FF 1 - I have a strange relationship with this game. The NES game was the 2nd RPG I ever played and I enjoyed it immensely. Outside of having played through the GBA re-release, I can't stomach going through it again. How important it was to the console RPG market though is insane. 5/10

FF II - Got about halfway through it on the PS remake before I got too goddamn frustrated with the loading times, and then finally beat it on the GBA. I liked the idea behind the skill/xp system but didn't think it was pulled off terribly well. The story was goddamn near an impossibly large jump from FF1, that with the GBA release makes me rank it slightly higher the original. 6/10

FF III - NES ROM translation version... meh, never played it enough to beat it. Very likely it had to do with the translation though. DS Version kicked lots of ass though. Going back and messing with the roots of the Job System was a hell of a lot of fun. 7/10

FF IV - Personally, I think this game had some of the best cheesy one liners ever. It also had some of the most lovable and memorable characters in any RPG and I absolutely loved the art direction in it. The story was more of a Fairy Tale, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and it pulled everything off very well in the game. Lots of emotional pulls and treachery with all the delicious angst of Kain, and you can't forget Palom & Porum, Yang, Edge, Tellah... goddamnit, every character in the game was awesome. Also had one of the hardest fucking end bosses I have ever fought. Also, I found the Moon to be tedious. 8/10

FF V - I... love the job system. The game was a lot of fun, almost due entirely to the Job system and Gilgamesh. The story was decent, but I was spoiled by the quality of the story in FF IV, and Ex-Death seemed like a carbon copy of Golbez, but not as interesting. Also, I have no clue what the fuck was up with the Ex-Death Tree... thing at the end, he was also a complete basteard to kill. 7.5/10

FF VI - Damn near every aspect of this game was perfect. Lots of characters, all who have a fleshed out backstory, as well as none of them taking up TOO much of the spotlight and taking away love from other characters. I do agree that this game started the trend of interchangable characters, but they at least had the decency to have special powers for each character that made them a different experience. Also, they merely touched on the strange storyline aspects they abused so much in 7, 8 and X and used just enough to add to the story. This game also had the coolest villian in the series.

I mean, shit, KEFKA WON! I have noticed that lots of people tend to dislike the 2nd half of the game after the world has been broken, but I personally loved the feeling of of hopelessness and the sense that you weren't fighting for some great resistance force. The rebellion was gone. Nothing at all was ok, anyone that had had the will to fight had either lost it, or been killed in the Armageddon that Kefka caused. Even by the end of the game your party was basically fighting on it's own, with not even the moral support of anyone but Terra's orphan children. Even those you helped weren't willing to believe anything was going to change. They were just waiting for Kefka to finish the job.

So yeah, 10/10

FF VII - I enjoyed this game a lot the first time I played through it. After having payed it more than once my enjoyment for it was greatly reduced. After getting over the 3D graphics and cut scenes, I thought the characters just weren't up to snuff after VI, and the story went into metaphysical bullshit with a whiny, but still cool main character. Cid was bad assed, and I still think it was genius killing Aeris (HER NAME IS NOT FUCKING AERITH!). The first Time I played through it I would have given it a 9/10, Once I tried to play it a 2nd time and beyond, I couldn't stand to give it that high of a score. I respect the fact it opened doors for JRPG's to join the mainstream, but i couldn't give this game more than a 7/10.

FF VIII - Quistis was the only saving grace for this game. The plot was complete shite, drawing was a pain in the ass, junctioning was horribly done, I had Squall as a fucking demi-god by the end of the 1st disc, and no other party member was relevant at any point in the game. Also has the whiniest most annnoying main character in the FF series. I also wasn't a huge fan of the setting. The end boss was also ridiculously easy. 1/10

FF IX - I loved the direction they went with the game, I liked the main character, but I couldnt make myself like this game. I'm actually at a complete loss as to what it was. I also hated the shit outta the Black Mage twins. Every time they had dialogue I wanted to break the television. 4/10

FF X - I didn't really like this game, but I didn't hate it either. I hated Tidus with a passion, he was like a preppy version of Squall. His voice also grated on me to a ridiculous degree. I wasn't a fan of the grid system, I hated Wakka, Blitzball was just annoying and I hated the plot almost as much as I hated VIII's, but not quite. Auron was a bad ass though and for reason's unknown to myself I enjoyed the game enough to beat it. I regretted it immediately after seeing the end boss and the end cutscene. Still gets a 4/10

FF X-2 - Honestly, I never had the will to play this game. the Job system looks great, but I can't see myself enjoying it after X.

FF XI - I'm not sure why this was even made a core game.

FF XII - Combat system was fun, hated the grid system, and thought the plot was kinda meh. The characters were entertaining though and I didn't despise any of them. I ended up not bothering to beat it and I don't think I could ever slog through it from beginning to end, but from what I DID play, I'd give it a 6/10
« Last Edit: 25 Feb 2007, 18:43 by ackblom12 »
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #17 on: 25 Feb 2007, 19:47 »

I am among the very few, it would seem, that really enjoyed VIII.  I thought the GF's were pretty bad-ass, at least until I played X (never got around to IX for some reason) which I also liked, quite a bit.  The sniper scene (I think it was right at the end of disc 2?) was pretty intense for me.  Unfortunately, I got stuck somewhere on disc 3 and never finished, but I cheated by reading the walkthrough online, and I think the ending to the story satisfied me.  Is it fair to say that Squall was de-pop?

Like I said, I skipped IX and went straight to X, loved it.  Hated Blitzball with a passion, but the rest of the game was fun, the graphics were gprgeous, and it was all in all good fun for me.  X-2 wasn't nearly as engaging as I thought it would be, and I never really bothered with playing it much.

Now I'm about 9.5 hours into XII and it's easily my favorite of the franchise.  So far, I love everything about this game, but I think one of my favorite new features is having minor characters joining your party as a guest.  That was always one of my gripes about the franchise is that I'd spend all this time leveling up a character, only to find out they leave the storyline after a few hours of gameplay.  It's convenient not to have to worry about doing anything to these guest characters.
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ScrambledGregs

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #18 on: 26 Feb 2007, 07:40 »

Also, the guest characters in XII tend to be a few levels above your party and pretty badass. Yes, even Larsa.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #19 on: 26 Feb 2007, 08:12 »

 Larsa kicks fuckin' ASS. The second time he joins you he has unlimited hi-potions and shit! I loved that.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #20 on: 26 Feb 2007, 10:09 »

1- original, basic, entertaining, sure sounds good, whatever out of whatever
2- no opinion.
3- worth it on the ds, not worth it on the nes 6/10 ds 2/10 nes

4- where the games get going, most people love 4, but i'm generally impartial to it, 5/10

5- now this game i loved quite a lot more than all of the previous games, it was one of the longest games i've played for snes and i couldnt put it down when i was playing through it. i started writing a guide for it (hey i was 13) and eventually decided never to play it again as a result of that. 7/10

6- classic greatness. lots of great characters (who for the majority got a decent amount of development) and a very excellent villain. whats to say that hasnt been said, 9/10

7- fuck this game. 3/10

T- best game on the playstation. 10/10 every time over. i love tactics games to begin with, but easily the best.

8- here's where i differentiate from everyone else. i LOVED 8. yes the junction system was abusable. yes i know. i still like it more than materia, which i thought was gay. i dont care and i cant imagine ever arguing it over 7 anymore than i already have. 10/10

9- again, most people didnt like 9 that much, i loved it. 9/10

10- i didnt like it. i didnt like the characters and i didnt like the villains and i didnt like the everything. except blitzball, i liked that. 4/10

TA- fuck this game. i dont want to snowball fight to learn my game. even aside from that, i played probably 20 missions and i fucking hated it.

12- havent played, heard its outstanding.

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Lukeypoo

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #21 on: 26 Feb 2007, 14:09 »

Final Fantasy 9 was awesome, easily my favorite. Other then that I agree with most of what everyone else says about the other Final Fantasies.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #22 on: 28 Feb 2007, 11:25 »

 Word, bitch.
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ScrambledGregs

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #23 on: 28 Feb 2007, 17:46 »

Jeremy Parish is easily my favorite game journalist, and has been for almost a decade. Awhile ago he wrote a really good, compelling, and well versed screed against Final Fantasy VII. It made a lot of sense to me even though I'm in the "I don't hate the game, but think it's kind of weak" camp that he sites. Anyway: http://www.gamespite.net/toastywiki/index.php/Site/FinalFantasyVII
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #24 on: 28 Feb 2007, 22:32 »

It makes sense but at the same time it comes across as someone who doesn't really have the best handle on the game in a literary sense. Because Kefka's villany wreaked greater havoc doesn't necessarily mean that he's a better nemesis than Sephiroth - more dangerous, perhaps, but not necessarily a more maturely-written character. I happen to rank FFVI higher than FFVII by sheer virtue of having fully beaten the former and not the latter, but the story of FFVII got its themes across via interpersonal destruction rather than international. Calling the characterization inferior because of that fact is absurd; in fact, I find it ironic that he accuses Sephiroth of being this really stock sort of mopey character when earlier he derided Cloud's internal conflict as being merely a method of pandering to the game's core audience.

There are some other irking flaws in his argument but I think that one is the most glaring. His most valid point is that the game has aged poorly from an aesthetic standpoint.

Oh, anyways, my favourite Final Fantasy games are IV and VI because they're the only two I've beaten. VIII seemed better to me than everyone keeps saying, even though I played it on the PC rather than the PlayStation. Maybe I'll have to dig out my old copy and give it another go.

X-2 is also mostly based around having fun which makes it a surprisingly good game! You should check it out.
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ScrambledGregs

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #25 on: 01 Mar 2007, 08:15 »

I had a dream last night that I saw a brand new copy of FFX-2 for $5 and had to really think about if it was worth the money. One of my friends back in college had it but I never played it and he never seemed to, either.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #26 on: 01 Mar 2007, 08:17 »

X-2 might have been an okay RPG but since I was expecting Final Fantasy type play is sucked.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #27 on: 01 Mar 2007, 09:32 »

I've enjoyed the majority of the FF series.

And if I look at the statistics, I enjoyed more of the old sprite-y games than the newer series.

Even FF8 I'm torn about. I enjoyed quite a bit of the storyline but Squall irritated the all living, all dancing crap out of me.
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guywithoutsocks

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #28 on: 01 Mar 2007, 10:38 »

Okay, here's what I think.

FFI: fun for what it is.  Not very complicated, mind you, but I don't dislike it a bit, even if there wasn't that much challenge toward the end of the game.

FFII: I didn't play the original version of this, just the GBA remake.  Could have been a lot of fun, but the levelling system was just murder.  I swear, I could make this game my full-time job and I still wouldn't have Ultima past lv.9.

FFIII: emulated it.  Really fun game, even if some of the classes weren't very useful.  It had a ton of content given the limitations of the hardware at the time.  This is one of the rare games that I'm glad I emulated, mostly because the final dungeon couldn't be taken in one reasonable sitting.

FFIV: Probably still my favorite, maybe just because I played it first.  Not perfect, mind you, but I enjoyed the story and really liked some of the characters.  The overall challenge and all the dungeons were great, and it really seemed epic when your party went to the moon for the last time.

FFV: Fair story, neat job system.  Somewhat spoiled by the fact that Exdeath was the cheesiest boss of all time.  Much like III, probably too many classes that weren't really useful.  Still a pretty good game.

FFVI: One of the three or four best games for its system.  Really well done in a lot of respects, great story and characters.  I particularly liked how the transition between the first and second half of the game was handled.  My only gripes were that the second half of the game could have used some more structure, and the fact that everyone could learn every spell eliminated the need for much strategy.  Still, these aren't enough to detract from a really strong game.

FFVII: I never really cared for this game, played through it once and never went back.  Maybe after Kefka really did tear the world apart, I could never take the threat of Sephiroth seriously.  Getting points to use spells really seemed tedious in this game, and the battles just didn't seem epic enough.  Cid was about the only character I really cared for, the rest of them didn't really appeal to me.  I thought Sephiroth looked like the sissiest broadway-musical pirate of all time, I don't care if I get banned from the intarweb for saying so.

I didn't play through anything more recent; FFVII turned me off enough that I didn't give VIII any real consideration, and by the time IX came out, there were too many other things vying for my time that outweighed serious gaming.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #29 on: 01 Mar 2007, 12:18 »

X-2 might have been an okay RPG but since I was expecting Final Fantasy type play is sucked.

Uh.  What?  Other than not having an epic FF-style story, the gameplay was very FF.  In fact I would say the Job-based system of X-2 was a lot more fun than the Sphere system of X.  The characters in X were only customizable if you went to a whole lot of trouble.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #30 on: 01 Mar 2007, 12:29 »

Yes I was referring to that crap ass story and not the game play itself.

I misspoke in that original post by saying that.  The nonepic story line made it feel like I was playing some dumbed down version of a FF game, which can be fun but not when you are looking for a FF.
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ScrambledGregs

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #31 on: 02 Mar 2007, 07:43 »

OK, here's another arguing point. What do you think was the best 'skill' system in the FF canon?? I'm talking the Sphere Grid, Materia, Junctioning, the Job system, etc.

I LOVE the Job system. It's the only thing that kept me playing FFT despite that game's repetitive gameplay and inscrutable story. I would say of all the games that use it, it's probably best implemented in FFV. The thing that I think is funny is how people complain that some of the Jobs in each of the FF games that use the system are completely useless or at least very weak. But that was half the fun of the system to me. Unless you use a guide or are going for maximum damage vs. minimum fuss, I thought it was fun to screw around with each Job and see if I liked it or not.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #32 on: 02 Mar 2007, 08:36 »

Given your love of the Job system it is even more ironically sad that you refuse to play X-2, as it had the best use of the Job system since FFT and FFTA, certainly far better than FF3 and 5 as none of the jobs are "useless".

Plus, chicks with a bunch of different badass costumes each.  Come on.  Don't be a snob.  Admit you want it.
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ScrambledGregs

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #33 on: 02 Mar 2007, 12:36 »

Sorry, but I don't.
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Lukeypoo

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #34 on: 02 Mar 2007, 13:29 »

Although the job system is dynamite, and system from FF9 was fun where you learned skills from items, the Sphere grid from FFX was my favorite, it was really well executed and allowed you to cross into other skills and strategy/planning actually helped you maximize the efficiency of the system.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #35 on: 02 Mar 2007, 13:34 »

The problem with the Sphere Grid is that it isn't until very far into the game that you truly have the option to customize.

I hear they fixed this in a Japanese-only re-release though.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #36 on: 03 Mar 2007, 05:39 »

I loved 9's take on learning magic from equipment, i thought the sphere grid was awful (honestly i dont have a hgue argument for it i just really dont like it) and junctioning was too easy to abuse. materia bored me (along with all of 7) and espers were too hard to level up your characters with effeciently for stat gain, too complicated for a simple system.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #37 on: 03 Mar 2007, 06:41 »

I liked the sphere grid but some of the locks made it annoying (level 3 locks be damned).
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #38 on: 03 Mar 2007, 07:12 »

I think the main problem about VII is that, from what I remember, if you don't do two completely optional things (watch the videos in the basement of Professor Gasts house in Icicle Inn and complete the various tasks to get Vincent and view the flashbacks this unlocks) then the plot doesn't really make all that sense. I liked it immensely when I first played it. It was, indeed, the first RPG I'd ever played, and the only 3D Final Fantasy game I ever completed (I went through VI on an emulator: never got too far into the older ones and never bought any of the later ones except VIII, which I thought was schmalzy crap with a shit battle system, and never soldiered on with after the first time I got stuck. I've played bits and pieces and seen bits and pieces of others, but meh. I don't have the time. As far as VII goes, I loved the story, even if it is somewhat cliche looking back on it, and I thought the overall look and feel of the game: that strange fantasy/cyberpunk/steampunk conglomeration, was amazing. The graphics have of course dated awfully. I personally don't really consider the Final Fantasy games to be the best thing Squares done, anyway. I would buy a new console to play a new Seiken Densetsu or Chrono Trigger game. I thought those were both amazing: Seiken Densetsu 2 had that sort of 2D sprite graphics that will never, ever age and just get cooler as time goes, and a brilliantly non-linear plot. Chrono Trigger as well I mainly liked for the quality of graphics, storytelling, design and the non-linear plot. Along with Earthbound and A Link to the Past, they stand as the greatest computer RPGs EVAR. VI of course doesn't have so much of a non-linear plot, but it makes up for it by being fucking amazing, right from the intro.

 
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ScrambledGregs

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #39 on: 03 Mar 2007, 08:27 »

It's too bad that Chrono Cross was fucking terrible in every sense of the word, and all Mana games after, I would say, Legend of Mana on the PS1 have been boring, or crappy, or both.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #40 on: 04 Mar 2007, 07:36 »

First FF game i ever played was FF7 and that blew me away, was my first RPG! The story line did get confusing but as long as you completed all the sub plots it generally made sense.

Then went on to play FF8 which i found to be completely different yet thats what i seemed to enjoy about it...the game was different yet it contained some of the characteristics of FF7! The plot near the end did get a bit confusing with the whole Ultimerdia person  :?

Played FF9 till my memory card crashed and i lost my game....was enjoying it though didnt seem the same as the others! The plot didnt capture me as much as the other 2 had! Didnt get round to finishing it as i couldnt be bothered sitting through the game again to get to the point i was at again!

Enjoyed FF10 though hated the character Wakka in it who jus done my head in through-out the game! It also seemed to chuck a strong religious element into the game that didnt feel right in a game...

I bought FF10-2 and found it to be a waste of time....enough said!

Have avoided FF11 as i dont like the idea of paying for a game and then having to pay for a subscription to play it!

Have yet to play FF12 as it only came out in the UK on the 23rd! It has caught my eye but as of yet im avoiding it as i know if i start playing it will effect my uni work! Might wait for the holidays  :-D

With the other FF games i have yet to bother to play them....i dont know why but i just havent bothered!  Have noticed one FF spin off you have missed Chocobo Racing
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ScrambledGregs

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #41 on: 04 Mar 2007, 08:32 »

The less said about Chocobo Racing, Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon, et. al., the better.

My main problem with FFXI, aside from the fact they had to make it part of the numbered series, is the aesthetics of it. All the charm and personality of different races and characters from the previous games is absolutely sucked out, replaced with amazingly bland character design. It all looks so dull and boring. That's why I didn't go for Crystal Chronicles, which I also forgot to mention. Well, that and the fact that to get any kind of enjoyment from Crystal Chronicles you had to get 4 people together, each with GBAs and GBA-to-Gamecube cables. That's a lot of money to play a gussied up Gauntlet.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #42 on: 04 Mar 2007, 08:55 »

What do people think about the little sub plots/games such as FF8 had that card game and FF10 had the Blitzball game?
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #43 on: 04 Mar 2007, 11:09 »

Enjoyed FF10 though hated the character Wakka in it who jus done my head in through-out the game! It also seemed to chuck a strong religious element into the game that didnt feel right in a game...

That entire game was one huge not very well done religious symbolization.

Your main enemy was Sin. It was attracted to larger populations.

No matter how many times Sin was destroyed it would always come back.

They make a new "Savior" every time they need to deal with Sin.

Lots and lots more that were so obvious they made me want to punch babies.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #44 on: 04 Mar 2007, 12:09 »

Yeah, at least all the gnostic/kabbalistic stuff in FF7 was somewhat subtle.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #45 on: 04 Mar 2007, 13:55 »

I actually enjoyed FFXI, honestly.  Yes it had some pretty big flaws (grinding solo was incredibly boring and getting a good party together was really difficult unless you were a White Mage, but those are flaws of all MMORPGS from what I understand, FFXI being the only MMORPG I've played).  But I thought the landscape was gorgeous, the nature town was beautiful, the quests were actually kind of interesting.  It did suffer by having so few options for customizing your character.  I guess I'm saying it was kind of like the .hack series except not as fun and without the cool characters and you had to endure a bunch of dumbasses.

Now that I think about it, it is kind of sad that it can be said that .hack is better than FFXI.  Repetition be damned, I thought .hack was really fun and I dug the simulation of reality, you know, getting emails from your party members' "real" personalities and whatnot.  That was cool.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #46 on: 04 Mar 2007, 15:25 »

It's good to know there will always be certainties in life.

I have always said that IX was the best, and it only got better as I played through the previous installments. My goal for this summer is to beat all of the FF games I have got most of teh way through, then puttered out to pursue other games.
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ScrambledGregs

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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #47 on: 04 Mar 2007, 16:48 »

Save yourself the trouble and skip FFII. What an awful, badly designed game. There's a reason they gave Kawazu his own series to experiment and piss off gamers when he was gone designing FFII.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #48 on: 04 Mar 2007, 18:12 »

What do people think about the little sub plots/games such as FF8 had that card game and FF10 had the Blitzball game?

 I did not enjoy Blitzball. It was a silly game that did not give you much incentive for playing the needlessly complicated and boring game. I enjoyed the card games from 8 and 9, though! As far as the subplots go.. only 9 and 10 had ones that really mattered.
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Re: the Final Fantasy series
« Reply #49 on: 04 Mar 2007, 21:39 »

I can't think of a single minigame in the FF series that strikes me as cool. There is stuff like the Colosseum in FFVI and the Hunts in FFXII, but the former is just a cool little way to win items and the latter is a full fledged game mode that has enough length and depth to rival the main story. Seriously.
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