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What is the best mainline Final Fantasy title? (I - XV)
- Thread starter AstoundingFox
- Start date
I've heard that they've basically smoothed out all of the sharp edges and all the good stuff is in the endgame. Unfortunately, it already feels really sluggish so I hope you're right.
I wouldn't say all of the good stuff is only at endgame. I would say generally the classes start coming into their own around level 50 or so, the end of ARR. By that time, they mostly have an established identity. After that, they continue to build on it and add cool new stuff, but you shouldn't have to wait until 80 for classes to start feeling a little better.
Probably IX for me, with XII and VIII somewhere a bit behind it. I used to love X and VII a lot too, but the former has gotten more and more annoying every time I try to replay it and the latter hasn't aged well at all. I could never really get into pre-VII FFs (though I am giving FFV and VI another try soon).
XIV is so different from the rest that it's impossible for me to really rank it, but ever since the 3.x patches (3.0 HW didn't do much for me) I've been super invested in the story and the world - even if the MMO gameplay is still kind whatever, serviceable but nothing mindblowing, to me - to the extent that if I HAD to rank it, it would probably be pretty high up there solely due to those. Maybe a tied second spot with XII. And I'm still in Stormblood so who knows, maybe it'll end up being my favorite too.
XIV is so different from the rest that it's impossible for me to really rank it, but ever since the 3.x patches (3.0 HW didn't do much for me) I've been super invested in the story and the world - even if the MMO gameplay is still kind whatever, serviceable but nothing mindblowing, to me - to the extent that if I HAD to rank it, it would probably be pretty high up there solely due to those. Maybe a tied second spot with XII. And I'm still in Stormblood so who knows, maybe it'll end up being my favorite too.
Endgame raiding is on another different dimension with the leveling experience. I'm not saying it's the best without a contest, but it's very complex and challenging later on. Clearing extreme or savage raid with the job you love is a great experience.
I love how snappy 6 is. Every 30 minutes, you seem to be in a new place with a new short-term goal, often with a different party. It's the kind of pacing I've only seen replicated in Chrono Trigger. Then there's the whole freeform back half of the game, which was such a cool surprise. It just feels incredibly ambitious on so many fronts. Also bonus points for being the last Final Fantasy that wasn't bogged down by mini-games of questionable quality.
FF9 is another strong contender. Its first disc is probably my favourite part in any RPG, but unfortunately it couldn't sustain such heights for the entire duration of the game. I absolutely adore the cast and presentation in general though.
FF9 is another strong contender. Its first disc is probably my favourite part in any RPG, but unfortunately it couldn't sustain such heights for the entire duration of the game. I absolutely adore the cast and presentation in general though.
Thank you for taking the hits on this opinion. I got your back.
VI > IX = VII > X > XII > IV > VIII > I > III
Each of the games have areas they excel in over the others. Having said that, I feel that VI is the one game where all the elements combine to make a perfect whole. Final Fantasy VI has the best cast. The bleakness of the story is balanced out with the charm and optimism of the characters. The last hour of this game is Uematsu at his peak, with a final boss theme in four movements, followed by a 20 min credits sequence. I get chills thinking of all the cinematic moments, including the exciting combat sequences where you need to split up your party.
Judging by a lot of members' lists, it seems a lot of you have not yet played this masterpiece. I would urge you to do so. Peace.
Each of the games have areas they excel in over the others. Having said that, I feel that VI is the one game where all the elements combine to make a perfect whole. Final Fantasy VI has the best cast. The bleakness of the story is balanced out with the charm and optimism of the characters. The last hour of this game is Uematsu at his peak, with a final boss theme in four movements, followed by a 20 min credits sequence. I get chills thinking of all the cinematic moments, including the exciting combat sequences where you need to split up your party.
Judging by a lot of members' lists, it seems a lot of you have not yet played this masterpiece. I would urge you to do so. Peace.
I don't know what the best Final Fantasy game is, but I'm excited that we're basically getting a new, old-school one this month (Bravely Default 2).
Ehhh, you're right 5 doesn't have much of a story. I'd say they are pretty even on music but I think it's a much better game.
I think, objectively speaking, revisiting FFVII would make sense for you OP, considering its renewed relevance with FFVIIR. Otherwise, depends on what kind of mood you're in. Even though IX isn't my favourite, it's a tight, cozy entry in the series. There's something comforting about the characters, art style, music, colour vibrancy, among other things.
"Best" FF mainline entry though? I really despise answering this question because they have different strengths, and my opinion can change day to day. FFXIV would be my answer currently. I realise FFTactics is overlooked because it isn't really mainstream, but that would be number 1 otherwise.
"Best" FF mainline entry though? I really despise answering this question because they have different strengths, and my opinion can change day to day. FFXIV would be my answer currently. I realise FFTactics is overlooked because it isn't really mainstream, but that would be number 1 otherwise.
7 then XIV then 6 then 8 then XV and then XIII, still gotta play the rest but thats mine so far.
VI
One of the few times where the bad guy completed a huge goal, halfway through the game. I remember my mind being blown away.
The characters were all great and the fucking music, good god the music. I sometimes play the world map music on loop for my entire drive home.
One of the few times where the bad guy completed a huge goal, halfway through the game. I remember my mind being blown away.
The characters were all great and the fucking music, good god the music. I sometimes play the world map music on loop for my entire drive home.
Yeah, out of all the entries in the series, I really would have preferred a VI remake over VII. I'm sure many fans of the series haven't experienced it compared to VII.
You're wrong of course but what I will say is that Zidane is a complete asshole which put the game a few places down my ranking
Wut? I haven't finished 6, so I can't say anything to that, but saying 7 is worse than 5 and especially 4 is laughable.
7's story and world is extremely more well realized than 4 or 5's offering. Gameplay is a bit weaker than 5, but I'd easily put it above 4 personally in terms of the customization available, and I say this as someone who doesn't even have 7 in my top three.
I never really get the love for 4 though and often feel like I missed something. Unengaging story and cast with death fakeouts everywhere. Part of me thinks it's partly a "You had to be there" in terms of release as it is an early jrpg and definitely has a much more fully formed plot than its predecessors which I imagine was much crazier at the time, but that line of thinking also feels a bit dismissive.
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Final Fantasy IX
I like the story and characters; also the way they animate in their own particular way, which gives them more personality.
The story beats have a nice pace with plenty of peaks and troughs.
The art is gorgeous.
The music is part of Nobuo's golden years.
Square had mastered the PS1 hardware by this point and it shows, they nailed the atmosphere.
The combat is straightforward and fun.
Although, PS1 games fare so much better when played on a CRT or at least with a few filters on an emulator.
For me, the slight fuzzy\glowing look, steps the presentation up a few notches. Naked pixels make everything look a bit sterile.
I like the story and characters; also the way they animate in their own particular way, which gives them more personality.
The story beats have a nice pace with plenty of peaks and troughs.
The art is gorgeous.
The music is part of Nobuo's golden years.
Square had mastered the PS1 hardware by this point and it shows, they nailed the atmosphere.
The combat is straightforward and fun.
Although, PS1 games fare so much better when played on a CRT or at least with a few filters on an emulator.
For me, the slight fuzzy\glowing look, steps the presentation up a few notches. Naked pixels make everything look a bit sterile.
This just reads like "people who don't like my favourite game aren't as intelligent as me".
Personally I've only played 7, 9, and 10 and I have to say my favorite so far has been 10 outside of the crazy hard boss battles. I think it built such a great world and the characters are like able in my eyes. I still haven't beaten the final boss because I don't have the will to grind for hours to be able to do it but even without the ending I still love it. What beautiful cutscenes too.
I just think 7 is kind of a bad game. It's not like a crazy opinion or anything.
I mean, if you just didn't like 7, you could have said that instead of:
I'd personally also argue that "4 [and] 5 just destroy it from every angle" is a bit of a crazy opinion personally, but meh, opinions.
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Shocked by the XV love. What a sloppy mess of a game.
FFVIIR is nasty too. Don't like it.
it's always gonna be original VII for me. Then IX.
FFVIIR is nasty too. Don't like it.
it's always gonna be original VII for me. Then IX.
I've beaten all these games, give me a break. Played that shit as a teenager, come on now. Got the damn PS1 collection discs with the OSTs and everything.
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It's inflammatory for no reason lol. There are loads of people who prefer 7 and have played the snes games.
Thinking IV/V/VI is better than VII or that VII is not a good game is a valid opinion.
Saying "If VII is your favorite you never played IV/V/VI" is just a stupid take. It goes beyond the realm of your opinion to say other people's opinions are wrong or not as valid as yours. Along with that, you're being kind of obnoxious to think that most people itt never played IV/V/VI ffs.
I played IV, V, VI and VII atleast 3 times each, in a lot of different versions, and imo VII is the best game out of those 4. In a hardcore forum like era, it's probably the case with most FF fans.
It was an offhand remark. It's not any crazier than other opinions in this thread, some people just get overly emotional about ff7.
I don't think it's a very good game, and it's surprising to me that twenty some years later, some people still Stan it. It's not that big of a deal, not sure what the fuss is about.
Seeing a lot of love for XIV. Wonder how it would've stacked up with the competition here pre-Shadowbringers. I think that gave it the edge it needed. After thinking about it a bit more I think FF XIV has the best story, FFX has the best turn based gameplay (and my favorite OST) and VI is a good mixture of both aspects. Even though they aren't mainline, shoutout to FFT and FFTA, both are awesome games
FFVII has a lot of fanboys and a lot of haters yadda yadda.
That's not the point. Your take just feels like late 90's early 2000's gamefaqs when a lot of people hadn't actually played anything earlier than FFVII and its counter culture was the next cool gamer trend. FFIV/V/VI are far from being obscure or niche games, too many people played them for a "You just like x because you dunno underground y thing" hipster take. It feels like parody in 2021.
You not liking FFVII is definitely not the reason of these replies.
FFVII is not even my favorite lol there's a lot of posts itt shitting on FFIX and that's okay, because no one had a "If you like FFIX, you don't know shit about stuff" shitpost.